TESS v2

News of Margarets travels from Roger Stevens

No 6 28th December 2008

After clearing up everything following the retreat they went to Kampala. The road between Jinja and Iganga is now much better and almost finished. The minibus is v good + comfortable. They took Ijokal Esther, Ameede Rachael, Acedo Jenifer and Amajo Agnes and her brother with them. Apili Scovia never turned up - perhaps she was too sick? Nothing too serious - most being treated for urinary+gynae infections. Esther found to have thickened heart walls but doesn't have any symptoms, so no problem now. Agnes developed malaria again and was very sick in the evening.

Samuel Ocen, our new driver, is proving to be very nice and good and safe. He wanted to leave his last job because of corruption, even though ot meant a 20% pay cut. His previous managers told Sam they couldn't understand why he was leaving and didn't want to release him, so he seems genuine.

They went to will go to Katakwi to visit Woods' twins and also to visit the camp with the triplets.

Over Christmas they had a relaxing time mainly with John Omagor at Kobwin. They also had lunch with the Bishop on Christmas eve. On Friday they went to stay with Jeremiah and visited Apolot "Delinda" (sorry cannot read my own writing!) They had a bot of money for her, so they bought a goat, which will stay with an Aunt as her father is not to be trusted - he would just sell it when she went to school for drink! Soroti is very hot and full of mosquitoes, where as they have been much cooler with John and Jeremiah and there ar no mosquitoes! Margaret thinks a hairy caterpillar got into her dress as she was plagued by large, itchy rashes all over her body for 2 days! David has had a very bad back and is very tired! He has stayed back in Teso whilst Margaret has taken the minibus to Kampala. She is spending tonight (Sunday) in Katchumbala with Kokas and going on to Entebbe on Monday to meet with our German friends at the airport in the evening. They will go back "via" Kamuli, where Olivia's parent's live.

I have managed to talk with Margaret over the last week or so, but mainly from one of our Children's homes - I seem to have difficilty getting through on my phone!

Best wishes for the New Year - Roger

No 5 16th December 2008

I have major problems in getting through to Margaret, so hence the hiatus!

The retreat has gone well, though they could have done with more helpers. Moses left for home on Wednesday, having beem a great help. Peter Walker came (Dr ex Teso) came on Thursday and saw many of the sick girls, with Margaret taking notes. 6 of them will be taken to Kampala when they go down for tests etc. 150 of the 160 at the retreat have had malaria during the year. They are being given doxycyclin for 2 months to see if it will break the cycle.

The girls were given small amounts of money (loans) to see if they could use it in some way during the holidays to make more, then return the loan to Sam on their return to School.

The S1 and S3 were allowed to choose one of the set books which they had bought. On Friday night they had a leaving party.

Katungwensi an old family friend came up on Thursday with the Minibus, which he has been helping with. He has always taken an interest in what M has been doing. He will return with them when they go to Kampala on Thursday to take Matthew to the airport.

Saturday was spent at Bethany School clearing up and sorting things out, a major task. They went to a Hotel in Soroti for lunch, then slept. David slept from 4.00pm till 7.00am the next day!

On Sunday they finished off sorting out the retreat and organising reports and letters for distribution.

On Monday they were going to Oditel and Obalanga IDP camps. They will meet up with other students there as well as the triplets that Margaret came across a few years ago (and peed all over her as she slept with them nappy-less!)

Not sure how much information will be worth passing on over the next couple of weeks, but if anything interesting happens and I manage to talk with M, I will let you know.

No 4 Tuesday 9th Dec 2008

On Friday everyone worked on getting ready for the retreat. So it was a busy day, but nothing exciting. About 150+ students arrived.
Saturday was the trip out to Sipi Falls. Some of the buses were up to 2 hours late! and the minibus that Margaret was driving over heated going up the hilly road, but it got there in the end. They had trouble with one of the coach drivers who wanted to drive too fast. Margaret insisted they follwed her in convoy . On the way back he told Margaret that his breaks were not very good and that he would run into her! She pointed out that he needed to use his gears and he was not to go down the hill too fast! It is a real issue with bus drivers - they do not maintain the vehicles, nor know how to drive safely. It is a matter of pride that they drive too fast. Anyhow they all got back safely, though it was not pleasant dealing with the driver. They all had a lovely time, though a few girls were too ill to come . The usual Malaria.


Moses Katwerimu, who is now qualified as a doctor, came up on Saturday evening to attend the retreat and help with medical issues. We know his family very well. His father, Jolly, studied Engineering in Loughborough when we first lived here and lived with us. Since then we have stayed with each other on and off over the years, both here and in Uganda.

He has been very usefull seeing the girls.

On Sunday they had a service, lead by the girls. Matthew preached - very well. Margaret was relieved as she is often asked to preach. The service was only 2 hours, quite short for out there, though we are getting close to it at our Church these days! I do wish preachers would get it into their heads that most people do not listen beyond about 10 minutes! Even very intelligent people like me!! They had someone from the "Life Ministry" team to talk about each one of them being valuable and special, which is something the students need to hear! Especially bearing in mind the truama several of them have had in their lives.

The rest of the day was for relaxation so they played with the various games and activities that the team took out. Everyone had a great deal of fun.

Monday has been non stop. Very busy and they have not done everything that they intended to do on the programme! It was a public holiday (2nd since they were there!) so everything was closed, including the hospital, so one girl has to wait to have a very rotten tooth out! The retreat was formally opened by the Pentecostal Assemblies of God "Bishop". He was good but inevitably a bit long 1 hour, which put pressure on the programme. All the team are well and enjoying the work.

No 3 Friday 05 Dec 2008

Hi everyone.

I have had difficulty connecting with Margaret this week. I spoke to her on Monday and then not again until Thursday evening. Normally I phone her so that she doesn't run down the money on her Uganda mobile (Handy for those in Germany, not sure what they are in America). After a text and an email she phoned me. It meant we had very linited tine as her phone card was running out of money.

Monday: They went to Ngora and rook Alice Akello home to her grand mother. Alices mother now lives permanently with her g'mother as her latest husband got rid of her. This will be a relief to Alice as it means there is someone to look after her g'mother. They visited Alupo Scovia's home which is nearby. She is a cousin/sister. They gave the team a chicken. They then went on to Bernard Okitot's home and then back to Alices where they had prepared lunch.

In the afternoon they visited Ngora Girls SS (the one Margaret took 3 groups to build labs, dormitories and library). Arikot Catherine is pregnant again. A man "helped" her with books and some little money for basic things and then turned up when no one was around and demanded "payment". The school are sure that she is telling the truth and have let her stay on and will try and sort things out when the baby is born. Needless to say the man has disappeared! He threatened to kill her or her g'mother! They then went of to St Aloyisus(sp.!) Teacher training College and talked briefly with the three girls there. They have all suffered with malaria and/or typhoid.

The road over the main swamp below Soroti was very bad - full of potholes! Also the dry season has come too early and the maize is not growing and dying off. They saw broad billed rollers and adysinian rollers as well as a third one, but as they did not have the books with them they could not identify it. Also a large owl sat in the middle of the road on their way back. There were many birds in the swanp, but without binoculars they did not bother to stop.

Tuesday: They visited Halcyon H S and met the girls there. Moved on to visit 4 girls in their homes, including the twins. Then on the St Elizabeth Kitidiok to meet 2 girls (a few of the schools did not close early).

Wednesday: They stayed in Soroti sorting out things for the retreat - both what they had brought with them (180kg+) and what was left from last year in the office.

Thursday was taken up by interviewing for the driver for the minibus! With difficulty they shortlisted 4 and got them to take them out on a trial drive. They will then follow up references! In the evening they had supper with the Bishop and met the SOMA (sharing ministries abroad - not sure about the O, but without it, it would be the name of a brand of baby milk!) there was also a couple of Norwegians there, that have a link with Teso.

Then the money ran out!

No2 Monday 1/12/08

Margaret and company moved on to Soroti and are at what is refered to as the CMS house. It is on the "hill" near the Bishop's house.


When they arrived they were met by various students, including Michael - David Copes boy - they took him back to his home so David had a chance to see where and how he lived. The reason why there were many students at the office was that many of the schools have closed 2 weeks early - so that teachers can mark exams and write reports. Having seen the report they write I get the impression that the teachers are hardly hard working! Also the fees include food etc. so the schools are saving on that. Later they will charge some of the students to come back in the holiday to carch up on what they have missed and charge them for it! Corruption is endemic. They were able to give out many of the letters that you have all written to the relevent students. It will cost the programme more money as they will need travel costs to return home and then back for the retreat, which would normally follow on from the end of term. Also they will not be able to see the students at school.


One of the A level students is struggling with the A levels and not enjoying them - Okiring Richard. He was not allowed to do the subjects he wanted, so he is changing to electrical/electronics at a college. When they took Richard home, his mothers new husband wanted to see them, but he was off drinking. They chased round the bars and eventually found him. A crowed soon built up and they talked to them about the benefits to the comminity of Richard getting an education, especially as the "father" was not particularly supportive. Everyone seems to have enjoyed the day, but everyone is tired.


Saturday they got up late and were met by Nicholas - a teacher at Kabamaraido - a relative of the bishop and Peter a carpenter. Peter took the various looms (very simple ones) that I made and will make up a copy of each and give them a price, so that they can have several for the activities on the retreat.

They spent 2 hours sorting out the money they took out ( almost £4,000 at 2,900/- makes it difficult to keep track of things). They took Atim Scovia (the blind girl who was choosen to go to the paralympics, but when they got to Kampala there was not enough money - what a surprise! Her home was very poor - a mud hut with grass thatch. There were three young boys left at home 18months - 4 years! The mother was off digging, or building a house, which is what she does to earn a little money!. They then moved on to see the home of Matthew's girl Jane. There were 4 brothers in primary school. Primary school is free, but they are expected to pay the parent teachers association contribution. As they could not afford this and so they had not got their reports, which meant at least one of them had to repeat the year!. They were able to help. Her mother has gynie problems so they will take her to the hospital in Kampala for a scan and try and get it sorted.

Sunday they went unannounced to a village church so nothing was prepared for them. They went to Kamuda on the Serere Road. The vicar remembered Margaret from the conference she set up on healing with the group she took in 1994. It was a lovely experience and they were very generous. People broughts lots of produce to auction at the end of the service in lieu of a collection. The team bid for quite a lot, but were disappointed to find that the eggs, pineapple and a chicken were not auctioned off, but they did not say anything! They paid for the goods that they bid for with a 10,000/- note as they had no change by then and as they were leaving they were given the change, which they said not to do! Also three lay readers came up and presented them with the pineapple, chicken and eggs! In Teso it is the custom to give guests a present when they leave.

They then moved on to Samuel Okudo's home. They went without Samuel as he was unable to come. It was near the Church they were visiting and they knew roughly where it was. On the way they met someone who knew where to go and knew Samuel. He also knew that he was being threatened by some neighbours (not an uncommon thing). The mother had gone off to Church, so there was just the younger children there. They took photos etc.. Also their guide said that he would help look after Samuel when he came home from school.

Jane came to the house to collect money for the PTA contribution for the boys, so they took her back home as they wanted to do some filming and M had not taken her video camera with her the previous day. They met her eldest brother, he is a very gifted artist and he showed them some of his work. When he left S4 he could not afford any further studies, so he worked for 2 years as a welder and then paid for himself to do a diploma course. He will work again to pay his way through the next year.

The temperature has been as high as 33C. I tend to phone between 4 and 6.00 in the evening, so its 7 - 9pm there and they are usually sitting on the verandah enjoying the cool of the evening and relaxing. They did have electricity for the first time on Sunday, so hopefully they recharged their many batteries in addition to the spiritual ones.

No1 Friday 28/11/08

On Tuesday I drove Margaret and Matthew (Perry) down to Heathrow, picking up David (Cope) on the way. We left in plenty of time and the traffic was not too bad, so we arrived early. Terminal 5 is wonderful and it was so quiet and all the systems worked effeciently!

I have corrected at least 10 typing errors so far - I am determined to get Margaret another keyboard - the 4th!

They arrived safely on Wednesday morning, changed money and drove to Jinja. The rate of exchange was 2,900/- to the pound - not good, but it has been worse recently. She was going to hold back some of the money until later as the pound seemed to be strengthening a bit, and was told that the rate drops around Christmas when demand is high.

They managed to see Epilu Emmy ( M's father's sponsored student. among others. Omoding John Robert (brother of Icedet Grace), who was suffering from severe depression last time seems much better - happy and relaxed!

Most of the schools have sent the students home 9 days early - no reason given. This means that they save money - do less work etc.! An example of the acceptance of corruption. We watched a programme on aid in Uganda and it was said that one survey showed that 75% teachers were absent from lessons at anyone time! (there is a culture of people having 2 jobs - 2 salaries and only doing half the time in any one school!)

They managed to buy 100 copies of the S1 - S4 novels that are on the syllabus and various nursing texts for those studying nursing to share amoungst themselves. Also she booked up trips for some of our German friends who are joining Margaret after Christmas.

They were tired and the temperature was 29.5C

I got an interesting email from Sam care of his mobile. The combination of txt spk and what the computer does with it makes interesting reading:

Just arrd@kokas.cn okorio josef@skool,akwi agnes in kakira slums,acuo martha@skool,4@tororo girls,faild2reach nabumali cos brokn bridge.33degs.all fine but tired.
Roughly translated: They arrived at Kokas home ( Katchumbala - just North of Mbale and just inside the boarders of Teso - it is a lovley place, just off the road very green and lovely rocky "hills"). On their way hey have seen Okirio Joseph at his school; Akwi Agnes in the Kakira slums (these have grown up near the sugar farms/factories for the workers);Acuo Martha at school; and the 4 Tororo girls. They failed to get to Nabumali School, because of a broken bridge. The temperature was 33C! (I prefer the 2C here!) .

Uganda: Officials hope emergency will be avoided as rains subside


Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) Date: 18 Nov 2008

KAMPALA, 18 November 2008 (IRIN) Heavy rains have displaced thousands and damaged crops in eastern and northern Uganda, but officials are optimistic an emergency will be avoided as better weather is predicted.
"Some people have been affected by heavy rains with some displaced, but this does not mean that we shall see an emergency because the meteorological department has already told us that the rains are at their end," Musa Ecweru, state minister for disaster preparedness and refugees, said.
Crops in most affected areas, the minister said, had been destroyed, while roads had been degraded. "We think this flood situation will pass without causing the same destruction as last year," he told IRIN on 18 November.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said weather patterns were returning to normal.
"Two weeks of heavy rains in eastern Uganda saw some low-lying areas water-logged," Kristen Knutson, OCHA public information officer in Kampala, said.
"The region has suffered the usual effects of heavy rains - muddy roads that cannot be navigated [and] some crop fields have been water-logged," she told IRIN.
According to OCHA, poor road conditions resulting from heavy downpours had hampered humanitarian access to parts of northern Uganda and Karamoja.
For example, sections of the Lira-Kitgum and Pader-Puranga roads had drastically deteriorated, rendering them virtually impassable.
In Gulu and Amuru districts, food aid trucks have been stuck at several locations, while in Lotukei sub-county of Karamoja, some 4,500 people could not be reached for immunisation due to flooding.
Ugandan media quoted local leaders in the eastern Katakwi District as saying recent floods had cut off the Katakwi-Amuria road, affecting 6,222 households.
The district disaster management committee leader Kenneth Onyait said huts had collapsed, while crops such as sim-sim, cassava, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, maize and cowpeas had been destroyed. Roads had also been washed away and water sources contaminated, while some pit-latrines had collapsed.
Other reports said at least 15,000 people had been displaced across the region, with several districts affected, including Moroto, where 12,000 people have been forced to leave their homes this month.
In August, the government issued a flood alert, warning people in low-lying areas and on mountain slopes to prepare for heavy rains that could cause landslides.
"We are going to make an assessment and we shall definitely intervene in accordance with the magnitude of the problem," Ecweru added. "Currently, we are helping the people in eastern Uganda to build flood-resistant homes in Teso."
Food security levels
According to the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS Net), an estimated 2.15 million people are moderately to highly food-insecure in north-eastern, northern and eastern Uganda.
Populations in Karamoja are the most food-insecure due to a lack of food stocks and because widespread poverty and livestock diseases have depleted most of their coping capacity.
The 2007 flooding isolated 25 out of 80 districts and compelled President Yoweri Museveni to declare a state of emergency in northern and eastern Uganda - a first in his 20-year reign. About 1.7 million people were affected.

Fresh flooding looms in Teso


Source: The Monitor-Uganda Date: 11 Nov 2008 by Richard Otim


Soroti - Barely a year since last year's floods rescinded in Teso, the heavens have broken loose once again bringing back harrowing memories of the last disaster.
Several parts of the region are already experiencing first-round effects of the rains similar to those that preceded the floods last year. "There are already signs that some parts of the region will again suffer like last year," Soroti District chairperson Stephen Ochola said.
Communities living along the marshy areas surrounding Kyoga and Bisina lakes have particularly been affected by the rains. The unusually prolonged spell of rain has also affected most feeder roads in the sub region rendering transport a nightmare.
Low lying bridges have been crossed by running waters putting pedestrians, especially school going children at risk of drowning. In Soroti, the sub-counties of Kateta, Pingire, and Bugondo are already sending in emergency appeals.
"I have already received reports from the grassroots but the Office of the Prime Minister which is charged with the mandate on disaster should come and verify the facts," Mr Ochola said. State Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Musa Ecweru said the government would soon issued an alert to road users.
"I don't think it will be as serious as it was last year but the government will certainly embark on major repairs of the roads that have been damaged," Mr Ecweru said.

From Margaret

Saturday 12/07/2008

Hi everyone


We got home on Thursday morning. I've partially unpacked and started sorting out all the paper-work and going through all the emails that have come in, but have also slept quite a bit as I was very tired.

The last week was good but not without problems! We haven't had a driver, so I have done all the driving throughout the visit (probably about 1,500 miles, often on atrocious roads) both in a double cabin pick-up and latterly in the minibus.

We left John Omagor on Wednesday 2nd July (where we had been staying for 4 days in the grass thatched house he built for me in his home at Kobwin 10 years ago) to return to Soroti. We brought Abiji Rebecca (from Ngora) and Ameede Esther (from Kumi) back to Soroti with us. Rebecca had a tooth removed and Esther saw a gynaecologist and had a scan which showed she has ovarian cysts as well as a urinary infection. She was put on treatment and will return for review in 2 weeks. They stayed with us overnight. I saw Apiny Grace in the clinic who was on a drip because of severe malaria. Although Grace has been abandoned by her mother, she is desperate to help her as she cancer of the uterus. Besides malaria, Grace is one of the girls we had to take to Kampala for further investigations as she has various medical problems - she is now on treatment for a kidney problem.

Early on Thursday 3rd, I spent two hours at the garage standing over the mechanics as the minibus was still not running properly. A girl came to the guest house. She had been 'chased' from school for the second year because she couldn't pay fees. A man had found her crying and asked her what was wrong. He had told her to go to the guest house and ask for Margaret! When we heard her story, Heidi was so touched she offered to sponsor her. Her parents had both died, her twin sister now has AIDS because she had gone with men because they were all so desperate for food, and her cousin-sister and two young children, with whom she lives, have been deserted by the husband because she has breast cancer. The girl was desperate and tears ran silently down her cheeks as she told us her situation. Late afternoon, we visited 5 new and exceptionally bright young boys at Teso College. Bishop Charles and Margaret returned from Jerusalem in the afternoon and invited us and a few friends to supper in the evening - the only opportunity for talking to him.

On our final morning in Soroti, last Friday, we visited the Bishop's new Guest House; the school and then the home of Heidi's new girl in slums near Soroti - just one small rented room for 9 of them, with not even a proper latrine outside; Atim Scovia at the blind school (the girl who is going to Beijing in September for the Paralympics - Harriet and I felt honoured to give her a pair of trainers and a suitcase to take with her! Airfares etc are paid by Uganda); Akol Judith Patricia at school; Adongo Jane's home in the slums of Nakatunya camp on the edge of Soroti (the grass thatch leaks so badly); and the house Sam is building for the family at Nakatunya. They have reached the level of the ring beam above the windows, but work has stopped as he has no spare money at present.

We collected Olivia (Sam's wife), Blessing Samuella and baby Margaret Grace and set off from Soroti in the minibus much later than expected on Friday 4th. An hour later, we broke down south of Kumi when a fan belt broke. Whilst waiting for Rev Jeremiah to bring out a mechanic, Harriet and Leanne dressed several abcesses on children's legs, treated a woman who said she had passed a worm about 30cm long and I gave a lesson to some P6 children using the textbook one of them had - they couldn't even understand the English let alone the concepts of probability etc. The mechanic did a temporary repair and we had to drive back to Kumi for further temporary repairs. It was dark when we finally left Kumi 4 hours later, so we had to cancel stopping at Kokas's home for lunch! We reached Rev Naphtali's home at Buwalasi Theological College (in the foothills of Mt Elgon northeast of Mbale) after 9.00pm. We were treated to wonderful views of Mt Elgon and the plains beyond Sironko the next morning.

On Saturday morning, we spent a further 4 hours watching the minibus being worked on in Mbale before finally setting off for Kampala.

We stopped at Nile Vocational Institute near Jinja to see all our students there - some are doing two-year courses after taking 'O' levels and 7 are new students who have started four-year courses. Igitu Sarah has become the leader/mother of the 20 students we have there. Atayo Catherine, whose father has died of AIDS, went home for the first term holidays to find her mother had just died and been buried and no-one had tried to let her know - "I didn't even see her face". She is worried about what will happen to her younger siblings who stay with grandparents. ((Apolot Deborah's mother also died of AIDS at the beginning of this term, but Jeremiah took her home for the burial - he was shocked at the poverty in her home and wonders what is going to happen to all the children now they have no parents.)) Several students, including his sister Iceedet Grace, had already told us in advance that they were worried about Omoding John Robert who is sometimes suicidal. Leanne and I spent some time with him and gave him anti-depressants which we had bought in Mbale. Amoding Susan, who had her leg amputated a year ago, is struggling a bit with her artificial leg as it doesn't fit properly and needs changing, but the family has no money. They were all concerned about faulty electrical wiring which even started a small fire recently in the dormitories, which they are locked into at night.

We had supper with Rev Sam and Margaret Opol at Mukono and finally reached the guest house in Bweyogerere (outside Kampala) about 10.00pm.

On Sunday morning, we turned into tourists and were joined in Bweyogerere by Rev Jeremiah Acelun (who helps look after the sponsored children in Kumi Diocese) and Ben Ejadu (brother of Charles Etoru in Leicester) and set off for the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP). Ben works there and was returning early from his leave in order to accompany us as our own personal guide. The journey took us 11 hours, including stops at the place where they make drums and then at the equator where it was demonstrated to us that water goes down the plug hole in opposite directions each side of the equator and straight down on the line of the equator! The road between Masaka and Mbarara is badly broken up which made for very slow travelling. Blessing was sick twice. We had a snack in the Agip Motel in Mbarara where Roger and I always used to stop over 35 years ago on our way back to Kabale! Sadly, it was too late to visit my childhood home and it was dark by the time we reached Bushenyi, so we were denied the wonderful views of the Ankole countryside, crater lakes and then the western Rift Valley as we rapidly descended the escarpment into the QENP. However, our headlights picked up 2 hyaenas (very rarely seen) and a hippo (they only come out of the water at night to feed on grass). We had a 3-bedroom bungalow to ourselves.

We were up at 6.00am both days so that Ben could take us on a dawn drive along 50 miles of tracks looking for animals. We saw elephants - and then a young leopard crossing the track and watching us from the long grass just a few feet from our minibus - my first ever sight of a leopard as they are rare and very difficult to see. We saw only a lone male lion which had been disturbed by tourists whilst eating a huge male waterbuck it had killed. We all loved the herds of delicate Uganda Kob. The small family of elephants were always in the same area each time we drove along one particular track. In the afternoon, we went on the boat trip on the Kazinga Channel which was good for seeing many birds and hippos. Blessing Samuella (now 20 months) was so excited by every animal she saw.

We set off back to Kampala on Tuesday, driving through the crater region of the QENP and then onto the main road, through Kasese and Fort Portal. Between FP and Kyenjojo, the water bolied and the engine overheated, so we stopped for about an hour until it was cool enough to fill up with water although we suspected that one of the 3 new fan belts had broken again. We had gone only a few miles before the water boiled again and it overheated. We waved down a truck which took Jeremiah and Harriet to Kyenjojo where they found a mechanic to come out. During the several hours spent by the roadside, we set up our production line and made more boxes for the triple therapy treatment! There was nothing much the mechanic could do, but he drove us on to Kyenjojo which was fortunately generally downhill. But by the time we reached there, long after dark, the gaskets had blown and the minibus had finally died. We found a place to stay for the night and phoned Bishop Charles. On Wednesday, we pushed the minibus to the Police Station and abandoned it and hired another, with a driver, to take us back to Kampala. It was my first time to travel as a passenger, so I took advantage of that and slept most of the way! We reached Robinah's office in time for a late lunch after which she took us to her home in Bugolobi where we sorted ourselves out. She borrowed the minibus of a friend to take us to the airport in the evening.

While the 6 of us were being tourists, Sam brought 7 girls by bus to Kampala last Monday to see various specialists. He ended up spending the whole week there, going backwards and forwards to various clinics and hospitals with them all. Those with skin problems returned to Teso on Wednesday, but the others needed various tests, including having scans, ECGs etc. I have just spoken to Sam again - he has just got home with Acedo Jennifer because Blessing is very ill again - she has malaria and broncho-pneumonia and has convulsed. He had to leave Aceko Harriet and Apili Scovia in Kampala as they were still waiting to see the doctor again. Sam also saw a doctor for himself and has been told to return to see a surgeon on Tuesday and have an endoscopy as they have decided he has a chronic ulcer. He will take Acedo Jennifer as well, as they still need to do a scan of the lump on her breast. It has been a long week for them all. Acedo Jennifer's mother had her hysterectomy 10 days ago, so I hope she is now ready to go home. Fortunately, we had enough money given to us (mainly by Heidi's church in Lutjenburg) to be able to pay for all the consultations and investigations and accommodation needed, although Sam has now run out of money. If we hadn't had Leanne and Harriet with us, I wonder how many of these serious and urgent cases would have been picked up. Professor Otim, who saw some of the girls, was very impressed by their notes and provisional diagnoses.

The amount of significant illness amongst our sponsored students (about 50-60% of them) is very disturbing. It was wonderful to be able to hand out boxes of triple therapy (which we had spent many evenings and hours by the roadside making and filling with 84 tablets in each!) - a total of 240 boxes which took a ream of paper and over 20,000 tablets (about 120 boxes for our sponsored students and the rest for all the other girls at Bethany Girls who suffer from severe heartburn and ulcers plus a few other friends etc). Akello Betty needs an operation to remove a lump in her breast - probably at Ngora hospital. Among Immaculate needs a painful ganglion removed from the back of her right hand and Obwanga Joseph will have a lump removed from his mouth - both in the holidays. Others need teeth removed and filled.

When I spoke to Sam just now, he sounded exhausted and quite low. Please pray for Sam and his family, especially Blessing, as well as for all the sick and depressed students - I can't name them all. We are very grateful for all your prayers which upheld us and kept us safe throughout the trip. But all those we have left behind need our on-going prayers.

Buying a minibus for TESS
For various reasons, we have decided the time has come to buy a minibus for TESS and employ our own driver :-

The minibus we have been using belongs to the diocese and is used by all and sundry

However, TESS has been made to pay for all repairs costs - about 3 million shillings (£1000 / 1,300 euros) over the past 18 months.

Despite being made to pay all the costs, Sam does not have control over it and people who use it rarely pay anything!

It is not always used carefully and is not always available to TESS when actually needed.

It is getting old and developing more and nore problems which will only be more money down the drain now. If TESS doesn't pay, then it seems that it will just be left until it can no longer be used.

We need a minibus for the work of TESS.

We have abandoned it in western Uganda and left the Diocese to retrieve it and repair it - I have refused for TESS to pay any more.

If we had our own minibus, Sam could control it and would charge a realistic mileage rate for everyone who wants to use it so that all expenses and replacement costs are covered by hiring it out. The hire charge would have to be estimated and paid in advance and adjusted on return.

We are already being given enough money each month to employ a driver (as well as an assistant for Sam) - this is guaranteed for 5 years.

Besides diocesan use, there are frequent overseas visitors to Teso now who need to hire a minibus.

If we have our own driver, we can make sure the vehicle is taken care of and driven carefully.

That it would be a good idea to get our own minibus.

We have been told that it would cost about £7000 (8,750 euros) to get a reasonable minibus. However, if we had more, we could get a newer vehicle in much better condition. We were given £7,500 a few months ago from a legacy which the donor is happy to be used for this purpose.

The TESS committee has agreed that we should ask sponsors if any would be willing to make further donations so that we can get a good vehicle. Please let us know if you would like to make a donation for this purpose.


Thank you to all who have sent encouraging messages to Roger while we have been away.



We have only two students left now without sponsors - do you know anyone who would be willing to sponsor them? We then need to start finding sponsors to take on the 13 girls at St Thomas's Kaberamaido who have been paid for up until the end of this year by two large one-off donations.

With love and best wishes and thanks to you all from Margaret (and Heidi, Leanne, Harriet, Sam , Jeremiah and all the sponsored students) Margaret and Roger Stevens

(Reports sent to and recieved from Roger Stevens)

No 6

Saturday 5/07/2008

Spoke with Margaret earlier this morning, so i am try to get this out as quickly as possible! Before she gets home.


This morning she is in Mbale getting the vehicle fixed. The mechanics at Soroti had not secured the alternator, so one of the fan belts broke and another was badly shredded. Luckily they were staying with Naphtali at Buwalase, so they were able to get help. Whilst we were talking the mechanics went off to get several fan belts and had returned.

They are travelling with Alice (the intern that was helping Sam), Margaret - Sam's wife and the two children, who are all joining them on the trip to Kampala and then spending a night at Queen Elizabeth Game Park, before setting off for home. Sam will come down with the 6 girls that need specialist treatment at the International hospital in Kampala and will join them for the trip. Jeremiah will do the same. They will then take the minibus back to Soroti when the four return home. They will also pock up Ben - Charles Etori's brother (Charles is in Leicester at the moment. Ben is a game warden at the QE, so he will be their guide. Also Naphtali hopes to join them. Margaret is doing all of the driving - something she loves.

In the final few days they visited Wiggins School, Bishop Ilukor SS, Teso College (no illness there at all!) and Ngora Deaf school. Atim Scovia, who is partially sighted and at the School for the blind at Soroti has been picked for the Para Olympics. She is the guide for another girl from the school, so she will be running with her. Because of the cost each girl has to take part in 3 events. These will be all long distance races including the 10,000m!

Akiding Grace has had her house burnt down - in connection with a dispute over land! She is on a drip because of Typhoid. Omoding John Robert at Nile Vocational School (Grace Icedet's brother) is very depressed and has been close to suicide. Igitu Sarah Eunice, who is at Nile has been very good at looking after all the students there and has been helpful, and has kept Sam informed of the situation by phone. The team will be visiting the school this afternoon

When they broke down north of Mbale they were surrounded by the inevitable crowd of young children, where they treated one boy and Margaret got talking to an P6 student (11 years old) and it ended up as an impromptu lesson with many others joining in! M was horrified by some of the questions and what was expected of them especially the concept of probability etc.. One question from the book was what was the probability of the next month being October! There are at least 3 answers to the question depending up on the context, which was not given! On such things their P7 leaving grade depends!

They had supper with Bishop Charles and Margaret on Thursday, on his return from the "alternative" Lambeth in Jerusalem (I had a few replies about calling it a rebel conference!) He took them to see the Guest house that some people in the UK have helped pay for. All but the Electricity connection has been done!

Margaret has not taken any video this time and only taken "mug" shots of the girls.


This will probably be the last letter for this visit! I will be back on line in November/December, I expect!

Thank you all for interest, support etc. Roger No5

No5

Tuesday 1/07/2008

I have been out of contact with Margaret for some time. We do not seem to be able to connect using the usual method! She had to phone me, but she had limited money on her phone, so I am not sure how many more of these I will be able to send. She has the rest of the week for working!

So the continuing story:
We talked last night (Monday) whilst she was stood outside the hostel surrounded by fireflies in the quiet evening warmth. On Thursday, she drove up to Kaberamaido - N W part of Teso on the Lira road. Sam is very busy catching up on everything from his time in Europe and Richard, the driver, is needed to drive other people around, so Margaret is driving the double cabin pickup truck. She takes 3/3 of the girls with her so that she can go to their homes. This time she took Ajimo Sarah and Aguti Christine. During their visits they were given 6 chickens by various people (this is common, in Uganda it is considered important to give your visitors a gift. It can be difficult to accept something like this when you know how poor people are, but they would be very offended if you did not!). She gave 5 to Sam and one to the woman who is cooking for them at the Medical centre! She spent the day at St Thomas's School and saw the 12 girls there. They have many medical problems including one which had a very dramatic heart murmur. She will be one of the 6 girls that they will take to Kampala at the end of the trip. They were all suffering from Malaria and 50% were suffering from heartburn. They have been able to treat the heartburn.
Malaria seems to be rampant in many areas, though at Ngora (only 1 of the 16 girls at Ngora High school had any sign of Malaria) it was not so common. Margaret wonders of it is linked to the flooding that occurred earlier in the year - leaving many stagnant pools for them to breed in? They did not finish until 9.15, by which time they decided that it was too late to go back to Soroti - they were due to have supper with Sam Ediau. They found a guest house and were able to have 1 room with 2 small double beds in. They returned to Soroti on Friday.
On Saturday they were due to go to Bugondo, but they cancelled that. Instead they drove to Sipi falls and spent a relaxing day there. They took Sam as far as Mbale and then he got public transport to Tororo, to visit the school where there are a few girls, and then they picked him up on their return. They spent the night with John Omagor at Kobwin, just beyond Ngora. (It is a lovely spot with beautiful rocks behind the compound) Sam came with them and Jerimiah joined them on Sunday.

They had a restful day on Sunday - no Church. They spend 2 -3 hours on the rock just sharing and John led them in a time of prayer afterwards.
They spent Monday at Ngora High School seeing 16 girls. One of them, Apoi Sarah, is very depressed - they took her to the clinic, where the medical superintendent prescribed 3 months of a low dose of antidepressant. Jerimiah will keep an eye on her. Aceko Harriet has a tumour on her pituitary - it is benign, but is still growing, so she will have to go to Kampala with them and hopefully get it sorted at the hospital.

Margaret - Sam's little baby has malaria and is having injections - poor thing.

No4

Wednesday 25/06/2008

Another long chat on the phone:
On Sunday they went to Church at Asuret. As usual the collection included gifts of food etc., from those that did not have money to give. Included was an enormous Mushroom 12" diameter and 15" stalk. Margaret successfully bid for it and they were due to have it with their supper. 10 babies were baptised at the service in a 3.5 hour service.

On Saturday Jeremiah's mother died and so there was a funeral on Monday. Margaret went to the burial. There were 700 people present, all of whom were fed. An amazing feat when they had so little notice. Everyone helps out. Margaret met many old friends, including Bishop Ilukor.

David Cope's boy was taken back to school after 3 days with the team. He had to have 10ml intravenous injections on three consecutive days. It does seem that the pneumonia has improved

They spent Sunday evening and most of Monday at Bethany School, each one of them with a particular girl. One from each of the S1 - S4 classes. This included doing prep, sleeping in the dormitories and playing games. Unfortunately the Monday was mainly an inter house games day for the girls, so they did not get to many lessons. In fact only one did! But it did give them a lot more time with the girls, getting to know them and mixing with the whole school.

They checked with the girls about heartburn, doing a quick count of hands in all the classes. They found that in S1 there were15 but in S2 - 4 there were 44 - 50 in each year. They wonder if it is because of the cramped sleeping conditions, so that by the time they have been there for a while the infection becomes endemic in the dormitories! There was a total of 140. They had not bought enough to treat them all, so they treated those who had other conditions and will buy more stuff in Kampala and get Sam to sort the rest out when they have gone. Leanne saw 47 girls on Tuesday (or was it Monday - getting a bit confused now about days).

3 girls were particularly bad Acedo Grace - many serious conditions, not least was great stress and possibly depression; Acedo Jennifer and Amajo Agnes. Over all they were very impressed by all the girls at Bethany.

On Tuesday they were going to Acen Anna Martha back home to the camp where she lives with her twin sister and her baby. Also take Malinger Caroline home and collect another girl who dropped out of school last year due to lack of fees. She is very bright and has relatives, so they have arranged to sponsor her.

Today (Wednesday) they are going to take Amajo Agnes and Acedo Jennifer home and see where they live.

No3

Saturday 21/06/2008

I have managed talk with Margaret this morning. Blessing is fine and so is Sam, going on the drip and resting has had a positive effect.

Last week they spent most of the time a Jeressar. It felt more like a prison than a school, with very tight control over the girls and a harsh regime. There were many sick children, mainly malaria and typhoid. They wasted a lot of time getting the gitls out of school to get them to the clinic. One occasion it took 3 hours to get permission and forms filled to get 2 girls to the clinic. The girls seem to just carry on when they have malaria, quite how they cope with the headaches and bouts of fever! They estimate about 50% of them have some level of infection and they assume that this is the case for all the girls, not just the sponsored ones. They had hoped to try and help more than just the sponsored ones, but there is just not the time.


Leanne and Harriet have been very good and have worked long hours! Each time they have felt it necessary to take one of the students to the clinic their diagnosis has been confirmed by the hospital. It must be hard for them as they are seeing people with a different range of illnesses and in unusual circumstances as well as the idiosyncratic use of English that they are likely to come across.

As a result of all this, they have not been able to see as many girls as they had hoped, but they are all finding the work worthwhile. Heidi continues to take excellent photos so Margaret is not using her video, or still camera at all at the moment. She will have enough with what Heidi is producing.

Friday they spent with all the sponsored girls at Halcyon High School, which was more relaxed and enjoyable. In the evening they had supper with Sam and Olivia.

Today they have travelled down to Ngora for the day to the High School. There is a parents "visitation" where the school is talking to the parents about the school. Poor Harriet and Leanne are stuck on a very hot room listening to all this. Margaret used the excuse of my phone call to her to come out side. They will have lunch with all the students and their parents and then try and talk with as many as possible before returning to Soroti. They brought one of the students with them, who has pneumonia -(David Cope's sponsored boy). Tomorrow will be a rest day and they will go to Asuret Church. Hopefully they can creep into church and not have to preach!

On Monday they will go to Bethany School and each of them will shadow a particular class, spending the day at lessons and then the evening with the girls, staying the night in the dormitories. M might take time video and photos then.

No2

Thursday 19/06/2008

Margaret Leanne Harriet and Heidi have arrived in Soroti and are staying in a new guest house at the "medical Centre" They have single rooms and ensuite facilities! Alipo could not see a doctor so Margaret left her there with her sister to be seen the next day.

They left Kampala at 3.00pm and stopped of at Kokas house (just north of Mbale), and had a wonderful supper. They eventually arrived at Soroti at 10.30 (one reason I do not go with Margaret is she is happy doing things that I would not be such as traveling in the dark! Sam had his final injection and said he felt better. The next day they were planning a rest day. (this must be a first - unheard of for M to have a rest day - I waited eagerly for the next text message to see what she meant by a "rest day" certainly not what i would call a rest day - idling, pottering, reading and a bit of bird watching from a comfortable chair in the sun, to say nothing of listening to a test match with Jonathan Agnew and the rest taking the mickey out of Geoffrey Boycott! Sorry to our American and German readers - hopefully most English people will understand.)


Margaret assures me she had a lazy day -saw no students. Managed to talk with Bishop Charles an hour before he was due to go to Jerusalem for the rebel Bishop's tour. They walked around Soroti for 4 hours, talking taking phitis and having a fruit salad at the Soroti Hotel. Rested in the afternoon and then discussed the students they were going to see at Jeressar School the next day. Spent the evening making paper boxes for the medication for the ulcers/heartburn. Sam was feeling better.


They had heavy rain in the night 22-30 C with a nice breeze. Sam was at last persuaded to go on a drip. They spent 3 hours at Jeressar School in the morning and then after lunch at the medical centre they went to Aminit Vocational Centre before returning to see more girls at Jeressar. There are still some more to see. They managed to see about 20 in all. Harriet and Leanne saw a lot of the girls - some of whom were quite bad. Heido has taken lots of beautiful pictures.

Everyone seems very happy. They had a visit from Ben - Charles Etiru's brother. He is going to book them all in at the Queen Elizabeth GP for 2 days at the end of the tour, so they can see a bit more of Uganda - the Western region is so different from the NE. (I expect they will be ready for that.) M Took 2 girls to the clinic in the evening.

No1

Margaret and company arrived safely, they stayed last night in a guest house on the Entebbe side of Kampala. It is more convenient than others they have used. Sam still has a fever, but insisted on coming to meet them. Alupo Mary Scovia Mary came down with Sam. She has a very bad skin disease, so they will take her to the skin clinic. She was thrilled by Kampala and the Airport.

They had a good night and then went into Kampala to change money. The rate was very poor only 3015 Shillings per £sterling. Lower than it has been for some time. I hope that she has enough money for everything. She spent £255 in the pharmacy. Margaret was waiting for the drugs while the others took Alipo to the clinic. This means that they will miss seeing the source of the Nile - perhaps they will see it on their return.


I have been getting over our 3.00am wake up on Sunday. We got to the airport on time - just! poor Harriet had to empty all her luggage out! A random security check. We thought we had lost her. But all was well. I managed to get home by 6.00am and slept in the chair for 3 more hours. I woke up a bit confused and thought Church was at 11.00, in fact it was 10.00! So I was too late to go by the time I realised.