I'm on a plane back to Perth, hoping my attempt to make my return a surprise is successful. I don't know exactly what to expect when I get back. Some things will be the same, some will have changed and I don't know which is which.
I'm bracing myself for the inevitable culture shock I will face upon my return to the developed world.

I've spent the last week at ASM reflecting on my journey and preparing myself to leave. I'm listening to "Solution" and thinking how desperate I was before I left for my eyes to be opened to the reality of being Christ's hands and feet.

I have grown accustomed to the poverty of Africa, a fact that often leaves me aching. How can I be used to malnourished children and the decrepit shelters they call home? But maybe, just maybe it's OK to not see the poverty anymore, maybe it's OK to just see the people.

I pray that as I head to the affluence of the West I would not just see wealth and materialism, that I would just see the people there too.

I am so very grateful for the time I have spent in Africa and the people who have, through their generosity, made it possible. I am thankful for the people I have met, the stories I have heard, the healing I have experienced and the lessons I have learned.

My "plan" now is to continue with my university studies next semester and then return to Africa for the uni break at the end of 2010.

P.S. A couple of weeks ago one of my blog readers donated a sum of money after reading about the woman I took clothes to in Gicumbi, Rwanda. His generosity has enabled us to organise for her to get a new roof and she should be in for a well-sheltered wet season. We even had enough money left over to buys some goats for a few Child Headed Households. What a difference it will make to those families!

I'm back in South Africa and having a great time catching up with ASM friends. The cold(er) weather is taking a little getting used to. I'm wearing trakkies, a jumper and a scarf!

I had the privilege of sharing my experiences with the students on Monday and they seemed to really enjoy hearing about my adventure and what I've learned. I also got to play for chapel 3 days this week which has been nice. It's great to play with a band again.

Larry and Moses are pretty much fully grown now and are great cats! I'd be quite tempted to take Larry to Perth if I didn't know how much Merlin would be upset.

Uganda - Day 15 (Africa - Day 229)

We have just finished up our time at Amani Baby Cottage. It was a really great experience and I'm glad we decided to do it. Amani is home to over 60 orphans and vulnerable children, aged under five. We helped with feeding, changing and dressing kids, and of course giving lots of cuddles! It has also been wonderful to have the opportunity to go on some outings with the other volunteers to a Special Needs Orphanage and an HIV Orphanage. The most interesting project we have seen so far is run by a 21 year old American girl named Katie. She came to Uganda two years ago to volunteer at Amani and ended up being a foster mum to 14 girls. She also runs a sponsorship program that sends over 400 kids to school, pays their fees, provides them with school uniforms and supplies and gives them food so that their parents will let them go to school instead of sending them out to find food.

There are some new photo's up here

There's something very special about Uganda and I have come very close to deciding not to return to Australia, but I feel t is important to return home to study, which is a good thing.

We're spending a few more days in Jinja, going out to a village with Katie and then catching some down time.

Uganda - Day 5 (Africa - Day 219)

The bus from Tanzania to Uganda (through Kenya) took a very bumpy 17 hours. Sophie and I were both airborne multiple times, it was fun to start with, but the novelty had more than worn off by the time we wanted to sleep.

I'm loving Uganda! There's real food here (namely a wide variety of meat and veg).

Kampala is insanely busy! Sophie and I are continually turning to each other and laughing at how narrowly we have avoided death in the traffic.

There are some photo's here

We're staying at a great little backpackers just outside of Kampala, owned by an Aussie.

On Monday we're catching a bus to Jinja (where the source of the Nile is) to volunteer at Amani Baby Cottage. We're really excited!