Our recent visitors & Laurence’s exam
results have encouraged us. Now after four fruitful and intensive years in Arua we
have just returned to the UK for a year to restore and deepen our understanding
of God and of our family and friends. We also need to review/prepare for our
next phase in Uganda through training, networking and research. Your partnership, be it prayer,
financial, wisdom and/or skill, are vital to help our vision materialise.
Helen:
This was certainly a
highlight to date in our ministry. Deaf hearing marriages, cross-cultural
marriage and marriages with other physical and mental challenges were our
focus, such as Beatrice & Moses
left . Adam and I, and YWAM staff Paul and his wife Zippy, below, drew on
teaching material from earlier marriage courses we have been part of. 
Each
week we focused on one of the five love languages: words of affirmation,
physical touch, quality time, gifts, and acts of service. The six participant
couples laughed, cried and grew as we progressed. One deaf/hearing marriage was
at breaking point when we started. They appreciated the course and today they
are together. all the couples requested follow-up. This is a very needy area of
ministry and we have been blessed to be a part of it. Hallelujah. 
Laurence and I also visited the studios of
one TV company broadcasting weekly signed national news summaries across Uganda
and beyond. I hope these can be developed further with the addition of
podcasts, greater contrast between the colour of the interpreters
skin/clothing/background and a signed child–friendly news version. 
The second
Knitting/Tailoring course finished recently with three more students, Doreen, Hellen and William extending their skills
greatly. Helen improved skill progression by getting students to learn to make
sewing kits, then sports-bibs, then draw-strung school and shoulder bags,
before shirts, skirts etc. Student fees and jumper sales offset about 40% of the projects cost this term, up
from 19% last time. We plan to restart once we have a suitable full time senior instructor.
Thanks to all involved.
Below, Eruba Primary School and Deaf Unit’s new head teacher's house
has just been completed through deaf and hearing partnership. Feti Stephen(below),
teacher in charge of Eruba’s deaf Unit explained: “This house promises to improve
school leadership and teaching standards because staff time needed to commute from far away can be
used to assess/plan now they live on site. The project has triggered a 10%
increase in enrolment of village deaf and helped the wider community to value
‘The best Kings Kids yet’ said Valence as we concluded
our third Kings Kids week. Thanks to the Titus YWAM team from S Africa we had
spirit filled enthusiastic staff with a heart to serve the children of the
local community. Using the ‘welcome,
worship, word, work it out model’, we shared the active gospel of Jesus Christ
in a transforming way. Children openly shared their hearts aspirations and
concerns. Prayers flowed and we had a great time. ‘I loved the crafts’ said
Deborah. ‘The worship was funny’ said Mike. ‘Thanks for reading with me’ said
Moses
Paul: My
first impressions of Uganda are different from what I expected; I was thinking
that Uganda was a fairly urbanised place, but I was surprised when I got into
Kampala. There are lots of 'Make Shift' shops, and fewer buildings, and a lot
more traffic than in England! Overall, my experience in Uganda was good. We
jammed, built a rabbit house and started
learning to ride a motorbike. 
Jerome: Well, I’ve been
back in Arua
for 3 weeks and I’ve enjoyed catching
Maria: I've done a lot since finishing uni
for this year. Having moved out of my house in Hull I've been on my OTC Annual
camp, the culmination of my years training with the university officer training
section of the TA. Afterwards,
Matt and I went for a
lovely week in Cyprus where we went scuba diving, jet skiing, explored and
enjoyed the sun! :)
Laurence:
The last two months
have been quite good.
Dad took me to a TV Station in Kampala to see how they broadcast a signed
weekly summary of national news. Quite impressive. Then we had several visitors
from our home area in
England, including now
my friend, Paul, who will stay until I go back. We have had had fun on our guitars. Next week we’re
doing a night safari. Also Jerome
has come so we should do some fun
adventurous stuff before I leave.
