The joy of reading, the passion of Uganda

I have been a pathetic blogger since the New Year kicked in.  I apologise now for that.

The thing is, I had some gifts for Christmas that have reminded me of a few of my favourite things, which I ALWAYS used to spend time on.

Me time! (The thing that kinda disappeared as motherhood arrived!)

I loved to read and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Uganda.

So my cousin (Hi Cuz Cams) gave me the perfect Christmas present this year for some precious me time.

And wow!  What a book!

It's amazing and I would highly recommend it.  It's a story of a remarkable young lady who gave up all she knew in the US, to move to Uganda and follow her call in life to say yes to everyone needing her help.  In the process of doing so, she is currently the Mum to 13 little girls. 

Like I said - AMAZING!

So it has been a wonderful start to 2012 with my new read, recently completed.  How Katie Davis explains life in Uganda I could really relate too.  Her entrance to motherhood, her passion for the needy, her creation of her forever family and the struggles that entails each day, along with her continuing call to serve - I can relate too.

She asks difficult questions that I guess all of us shy away from on a daily basis.  I mean how could we sleep at night and not be actively doing more when we know,

'The truth is that the 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or under other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children.  And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians.
The truth is that if only 8% of the Christians woulsd care for one more child, there would not be any statistics left.'

Extract taken from 'Kisses from Katie, Katie Davis'

Something to think about hey?  Certainly got my brain back into overdrive. It is our duty and obligation to care for the orphans in this world if we call ourselves Christians.  Maybe we all need to be taking a step back and questionning our faith to see what we need to do next to fulfil our obligation. 

If you want to hear more of the amazing story that Katie Davis' life has become, check out her blog at http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

For unto us a child is born....

A child will be born for us.  A son will be given to us.  The government will rest on his shoulders.  He will be named: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

That's the God we serve and the reason behind Christmas. 

So before our mad antics begin and Christmas Day is upon us, may we wish Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you all.

From our House to Your's, with love!

Merry Christmas from our whole family



A year ago today!

A year ago today we touched down on Welsh ground.

I brought my little girl home.

I gave my little girl, not only the gift of a Mummy, but also that of a family and an even bigger community.

I am so thankful for the year we have had.  It has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding years of my life.

And you know what?  I would do it all again in a heartbeat.........

Cos look at what all the heartache, hold ups and hurdles were for.........

And she was worth every bit of it!

Malaria facts!

Following on from my blog about mosquitoes, I thought I'd follow it up with the facts about malaria.  I have seen malaria make a fit and healthy little boy look like he was at death's door.  I know how quickly it can make someone become unwell and can even take their life.  It is a cruel disease but one that is treatable and preventable.  So there is a positive side to this blog, it's not all doom and gloom.

Did you know...............
Half the world’s population is at risk of malaria?

781,000 people die of malaria every year!
That in itself is a scary statistic but lets make it even more real!

• A child dies every 45 seconds of malaria.

Malaria No More UK is a current campaign to reduce malaria deaths.  All the facts in this blog have been taken from their website and the photos are also in relation to their campaigns.  So here are some more facts for you to mull over.......

• Over 90% of the 781,000 malaria deaths are in Africa
• 8% of all children who die before their fifth birthday die of malaria
• 40% of public health spending in some African countries affected by malaria is spent on the disease
• Malaria costs Africa over £8 billion a year in lost economic output
• It is estimated that up to 200,000 newborns die each year as a result of malaria in pregnancy and malaria can cause anaemia and death for pregnant women
• 40% of drug expenditure in affected countries is spent on malaria drugs

The good news, like I said earlier, is that malaria is preventable and treatable.  So far the successes have been: 

• Since 2000, over one third of the 108 malarious countries have reduced the number of malaria cases by more than 50%
• Household net ownership reached more than 50% in 19 malarious African countries in 2010
• £5 is enough to buy, deliver and hang a mosquito net for a family in Africa, helping protect two people from malaria.

Malaria is cruel because it is mainly prevalent in the poorest of communities in the world.  The areas where £5 for a net may be more than a family can afford.  If it's a choice of feeding your family tonight or buying a net, what choice do you make?  I guess for some, taking the risk of malaria is the only thing they can do.  How sad is that?  I mean, £5!  I'm guessing this is less than we would think of spending on most Christmas gifts???

And so......Prevention is Paramount.

Organisations like Malaria No More UK and other organisations are able to hand out mosquito nets to the most vulnerable.  Mosquito nets are the first line of defence against the deadly bite of a malarial mosquito.  It’s estimated that when 80% of people sleep under a net, the entire community is protected.

But it's no good having a net if you don't know how to use it.  So education is also key.  Knowledge is power.  Mosquito nets are no use if they lie under beds or used for other purposes, they won’t prevent malaria.  If people understand how they should use them consistently and properly, the malaria rates will go down.

Malaria testing can now be carried out in many local clinics to get people treated faster.  Again this comes down to charities raising the money needed to offer this service to all. 
And along with sprays and medication, malaria can be successfully treated and/or prevented. 

If you've been phoning in to I'm a Celebrity to vote for your favourite, then you've helped Malaria No More UK raise some extra funds for the excellent work they do.  If you haven't, why not add them to your Christmas list and donate £5?  It could be a life saving Christmas present.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..................

And yes it is!

I remember last year, that I really felt I had missed out on all the festivities in the run up to Christmas.  After all, this time last year, we were still stranded in Uganda, waiting on Lutaaya’s VISA.

It brought back so many memories reading Bethany’s blog last week.  She was reminiscing about Thanksgiving.  In the midst of our chaos, we shared such a special day and it really did feel like we were with family.  I reminded Lutaaya of our day last year and how we took popcorn to Jaydn’s apartment as a gift to them to remind them of home.  We just had to break out the popcorn this year, as a new tradition!  These Welshies are having Thanksgiving!

And the festivities grew over the weekend.  Our town lights were switched on for Christmas.  We were able to take part in having a festive stall outside Mum’s shop. 

The weather has turned colder so there is that extra feeling of Christmas in the air!  We all wait in anticipation of the snow!  I remember seeing photos of home last year and finding it hard to believe how much snow had fallen! 

So as a late Thanksgiving blog I wanted to say how thankful I am for family, both near and far, who have come into my life through birth, adoption or friendship. 

Let’s join in the Christmas spirit and share more magical moments at this special time of year.

Gotcha Day

11th November may be Remembrance day in the UK, but it is a very special day in our house for me and Lutaaya.

It's our 'GOTCHA DAY!'

(Thanks the to Gaddis family for the name)

This date, last year, I finally got my girl.

A little girl finally got a family.

A little girl left an orphanage forever.

Gotcha day 2010

and for those of you who weren't following the blog then, or those who want to revisit this special day, as it happened, check out this link.
Lots of the children in the photos on the link, are still awaiting families, so please keep them in your prayers.  Many are on a waiting child list for an America adoption agency, so here's praying Mum's and Dad's come forward soon for them, and those in the process, will get their 'gotcha day' soon.

When I think how much has happened during this past year it amazes me! 

My little girl has excelled in adapting to family life.  There have been many struggles along the way and it certainly hasn't been an easy ride for either of us.  Though looking back, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives.  There still are hurdles we need to cross but we are getting there. 

Gotcha day 2011

Finally we are coming to the end of our 'firsts' experiences for this first year.  I'm looking forward to every little thing we get to experience together again in this coming year.

Why did God make mosquitoes?

Irritating, nasty, disease spreading, annoying, miserable little bugs!

What was God thinking when he made mosquitoes?????

I hate mosquitoes!  It’s true!

For some reason they don’t actually realise this and want to spend as much time around me as possible. 

They smell me getting off the plane in whatever country I go too.  They want MY blood!

Then once they’ve had their fill, they leave me with the itchiest, swollen bite you can ever imagine!

Some beauties from Uganda!

Now I know that I’m not the only one to think of these horrid little creatures in this way.  I mean, who would actually like them?

But did you know………………………

There are more than 3000 different types of mosquito.

Anopheles mosquitoes are the only species known to carry malaria.

Only female mosquitoes suck blood.

And even though we usually only know of the negative side of the mosquito.  They actually are the main food source for a lot of animals.  Dragonflies, frogs and bats all benefit from having the mosquito as their main source of food in many countries.

So when God created the mosquito, He had a purpose for them, as He does with every living creature, including YOU!

God didn’t create them as the malaria carrying nuisances we may think of them to be.  He saw them as a vital source of food, a major part of certain food cycles.

So to eradicate these pesky creatures wouldn’t be a solution.  In doing so, we would not only get rid of mosquitoes, but also many other species of frogs, bats, etc.

We have to live with them.

So I am ever thankful that I live most of my days in a country free from the little pests and find ways of coping with them when I travel abroad.

And for those of you who also have the sweet smelling blood that they just love, why not try some of these suggested remedies next time you’re in the company of a mosquito? Can’t say they work, but anything’s worth a try!

Use a repellent that contains DEET.

Avoid wearing perfumes.

Take vitamin B supplements.

Eat garlic tablets.

Avoid dark coloured clothes.

Use citronella or lemon oil.

....................................just a few to name!