It seems that all we do is party!

Today Nabukeera made the long journey back to her high school about four hours from New Hope. Tomorrow she begins her final term before the national exams in November. The exams are weeks long and will decide the course of study she may take next year.

As a family we gathered together at Jajja's house for a final special meal together. The plan was that we would all cook together and then sit down together to share.  But, due to Geoff's schedule, a worship team retreat Toby was on, and other daily responsibilities, it ended up being only Nabukeera and I who did the cooking.  

When I first arrived the place was completely void of activity save for the blaring of a radio program coming from inside the small house. I noticed Jajja asleep on the mat outside the kitchen, as if she was guarding it, maybe she was!

I stepped over Jajja to enter the kitchen where I found the fire to be mostly cold.

Looking over to the house I noticed a pile of shoes outside and assumed their owners were inside napping.

My suspicions were confirmed on entry.

I decided I better get the fired stoked again and start the cooking.

Nabukeera soon entered the kitchen, surprised that I'd gotten started without her, but even more surprised that she and Jajja had slept through my moving around them. She checked my work and approved my fire!

Mmmmm, meat and vegetables cooked over the open fire!

Soon we had all our sauces going and waited for Lydia, Sam and Nabukeera's older sister to arrive from her trip to the bore hole.

For "Team Britton" who helped to build this kitchen I took a couple of photos to show you how the rest of the kitchen space is used. There is enough space for food stuffs, water jerry cans, shoes, clothes and even 

 . . . a place for a nesting mother hen!!!!! With some of the extra money left from the building project, Lydia bought hens. We added a rooster a couple of weeks later and voila! we have a healthy poultry family!!!

Shortly after Lydia arrived from the bore hole, the local vet showed up to give the pigs injections.  And then, while Nabukeera and I minded the food, Lydia washed the laundry seen here piled in the foreground.

Once the rest of the family arrived they got busy repairing things around the house that needed attention. Sam steadied himself to position the gutter according to Geoff's direction.

Jajja, awake now, got ready to enjoy the visit and the meal.

Everyone was ready to eat!

And after we finished, Kevin thanked Jajja for a very nice time together.

The day before our "last supper" we had gone into town for a special poetry event. Earlier this year Nabukeera had submitted a poem and it was chosen for publishing in a poetry anthology. She was invited to recite her piece at the poetry event. In this photo I am coaching her on dramatic reading and she practiced for us. But, little did we know that the next day it was not just the reading we were invited to!! We arrived on Friday and were ushered into a master class and then out onto the lawn where they divided into groups and participated in dramatic exercises and dance instruction! This set the tone for the lunch time reading event in which Nabukeera presented. She did so with fervor, passion and truly engaged her audience. 

Earlier this week we invited a bunch of people over for a surprise "good-bye" for Kate and Mary, our neighbors who are now in England. Kate had been working on paperwork for a visa for Mary to travel to England. It has been a LONG process and it was quite a victory that she was able to secure the visa. 

Kate was definitely surprised! I had told her she and I would have a final tea before she flew, which we did for about 10 minutes before everyone else showed up and the cake was placed in front of her!!!

And the evening before that we celebrated with Brian, one of our co-workers who is leaving temporarily to pursue further schooling. We honored him by sharing appreciative words and praying a blessing on him as he goes.

Much of our life here is spent in the social realm. Constant interaction and fellowship make up our days. We are in need of your prayer for our stamina and the ability to joyfully engage our neighbors, fellow staff and children of New Hope. It is a privilege to walk with the young people here in discipleship and mentoring as well as work alongside national staff who share our desire to raise up a generation who knows and loves God.