WUNDERLI WANDERINGS

As many of you know we will be heading back to Scotland this coming Thursday and arriving on Friday in Edinburgh.  We have a few meetings scheduled for when we are home.  If you would like to hear what we are up to in Uganda with MAF then you can come listen to us speak at Wester Hailes Baptist Church on Sunday 13th December at 4pm.  We will also be speaking at Cumnock Baptist Church in their evening service on the 3rd January. We will be meeting with the MAF Reps at the MAF Scotland office on Thursday 17th December starting at 7pm in Glasgow.  We are looking forward to sharing with them what is happening "on the ground" in Uganda. Our time in Scotland is limited but if you would like to connect with us whilst in Scotland and the above church events are not convenient then please contact us at pam.wunderli@maf-uganda.org and we will see what we can do. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as we can whilst in Bonnie Scotland. Quick Shoulder Update A coup...

It has been predicted that Uganda will have a long rainy season.  Already we are noticing the effects of it as pot holes are increasing in roads that used to be fairly good.  Below is a photo that our Communications Officer shared with us of a road in Northern Uganda.  This road leads to a major hospital in the area.  Thanks to MAF's regular blood delivery they are able to have units of blood available for their patients.  MAF also helps with any emergencies if roads are bad and a patient needs to get to Kampala.  A good reminder of why MAF does what it does. *sorry for the quality of the photo but you get the idea

Furlough 2015/16 Some of you will know already that we are heading to Scotland for Christmas this year.  This will only be our second Christmas at "home" in 14 years so it is going to be very different for us all.  J and Z are excited about this furlough and are praying that they see snow. So if you don't like snow and Scotland gets dumped on then you can blame J and Z (ha ha) This is not a holiday as such but our furlough that we would have normally taken next summer.  We will be speaking at Wester Hailes Baptist Church on Sunday 13th December.  More details to follow once we have them.  We will also be speaking at another Church, but again we are awaiting confirmation of this engagement. We have been asked by MAF Switzerland to increase the level of our support so we have been busy doing that remotely from Uganda but will also be good to touch base with potential supporters face to face. We are looking forward to catching up with family, friends and su...

While I was living it up at Ladies Retreat Simon was holding the fort at home with Joshua and Zara.  I don't go away that often but when I do the kids know that fun times lie ahead with Dad.  The rules get bent a bit when either Simon or I are gone and the kids like this alot.  It means staying up late with friends and being spoiled in one way or another. During this weekend Joshua had a football tournament on.  The school that J and Z are at have joined ISSAK (International School Sports Association Kampala).  Joshua is on the school team and they practice on Tuesdays and Thursday from 3-5pm.  Unfortunately they lost this time around but Simon said it was very close and could have gone either way.  Seems like they had a great time and a lot of effort was put it.  Below are some photos of the team and Joshua.

Some of you might be wondering how Ladies Retreat went.  Thank you first of all for praying.  We definitely needed it.  We had ladies not only from the Kampala area but also further afield in Uganda. It was fun to reconnect with ladies from the previous retreat that we had had in February and have some catch up time together. We started out on Friday night with dinner together and then an ice breaker game that quickly showed the competitive people in the group.  We laughed a lot and made new friends which was the intent of an evening of fun. Saturday morning started out with worship and me speaking on Mark 5:21-34 followed by some reflection time.  In the afternoon we had some free time.  Some ladies had organised a craft for those who were interested.   Others caught up on some sleep, went swimming or did pottery.  There was also a beauty salon on the site where people could get a variety of pamperings if desired. In the late afternoon...

Life is flying by but have a few minutes now to update you on what we have been up to recently..... Joshua and Zara They have both started the new semester well.  Zara has adapted to the senior site and is having fun with her friends.  She starts gymnastics this week as an after school club.  I just hope she doesn't ask me to copy some of her moves. :) Joshua has now moved up to grade 7.  He plays soccer/football twice a week from 3-5pm after school.  He comes home pretty tired and hungry but is enjoying his new coach and the time together with friends. Homework is not the most fun thing for them to do and they get enough to keep them busy. However, the thoughts of detention for not doing it is a great motivator :) On Friday's Joshua goes to a Youth Group.  There are two couples leading it who are MAF colleagues.  The kids have a lot of fun and keep their leaders challenged.  I am sure Simon and I put put a few grey hairs on our leaders ...

Tuesday was the first day back at school for Joshua and Zara.  It was a particularly big day for Zara as she moved into Grade 5 and moved up to the Senior school where Joshua is.  When they got back from school on Tuesday afternoon both of them said it was AWESOME.  Not sure I had a day at school where I said it was AWESOME :)  The school has had more classrooms added and other additional things.  Looking forward to having a tour tomorrow. Joshua and Zara at 7am and ready for school.  Well shoes still need to go on but that is definitely the last thing to happen.  

The month of July saw us on furlough in Switzerland.  We got some much needed rest and enjoyed time with family, friends and supporters whilst there.  We are grateful for all those who continue to be interested in what we do with MAF in Uganda after all these years (13+).  Thanks for your commitment to us in various ways.  We don't take it for granted. Alongside meeting up with people we enjoyed some other fun things.  We walked in the mountains, swam in the lake, rode scooters down the mountain and treated to a glider flight which gave a different view of Switzerland.  It is definitely a beautiful country and all those postcard pictures you see are real :) We also met up with MAF Switzerland during our time there.  Some things have changed for us in this regard.  For the past 13+ years we have been with MAF Switzerland but really only in name as SMG was our sending agency to MAF International.  This has all changed in the last few months...

Last Thursday Simon had an appointment with a spine specialist here in Switzerland.  Thankfully, this doctor confirmed there is no need for a further operation for Simon.  His recommendation is the same as the Italian doctor in Uganda that it will heal but it seems it is just taking longer than expected.  There is some scar tisse and a narrowing of the space between the two vertebrae where the nerve bundle is which is causing the problem. This should sort itself out in time. Yesterday we went walking in the mountains with some of Simon's family.  He did well all the way up and has had no adverse side effects today so that is great news considering two months ago he could hardly walk.  Thank you for your prayers and concern for him.  We are grateful for answered prayer.

As I write this post I am surrounded by suitcases, passports and a to-do list that is slowly being checked off.  In a few short hours we are heading off to Switzerland for home assignment.  It has been a hectic last few weeks especially for Simon as he hands over his responsibilities to others whilst he is gone.  We are looking forward to a change of pace, hopefully :) and be able to catch up with family and friends that we haven't seen in two years.  The furlough will definitely be different this time around with Simon's Mum no longer around.  However, we look forward to spending time with Simon's Dad and other family members.  Next Thursday Simon has an appointment with a spine specialist in Switzerland.  The Italian doctor here in Uganda recommended he get a second opinion.  Please pray with us regarding this and that God will give this doctor wisdom and insight into what needs done, if anything, to improve the situation with Si...

In recent months an idea has been developing in my mind for a Ministry Centre to be established close to our home.  This would be a place where we could offer more Bible studies, Youth Group activities, Debriefs/Counselling, Coaching, Mentoring, Training Courses and Workshops.   Simon  has been helping me brainstorm as to what it would look like and at least put out initial feelers to see what happens.  A couple of us have looked at various places but none have really been suitable except one.   We even looked at renovating a bar but it would have been quicker to knock the place down and start again :)  We had a meeting last week with the manager of one facility.  He was enthusiastic about it and has asked us to send in a proposal.  The initial proposal has been put together and has now been sent.  Please pray for a favourable response and that God would help us work out all the details in a good w...

The month of May seemed to go by in a blur and our schedule changed quite a bit with Simon flat on his back.  However, thankfully 5 weeks on we are in a different place.  Thanks to all of you who have prayed for us and stood with us during the last few weeks.  Simon has gone from not really being able to walk to now thinking about flying again.  He is hoping to do a short flight tomorrow to see how it goes.  He will continue to do physio till we leave for Home Assignment at the beginning of July.  We are praying that he will be pain free soon and the not so easy days will become less and less.  However, we are VERY thankful for the progress he has made thus far. In the midst of all of this Joshua fractured one of his fingers playing basketball.  Thankfully it wasnt the same finger that was broken at Christmas.  However, it seems to be improving and he has it strapped up going to school so it can be protected and given a chance to ...

It is time for an update on the "patient".  Simon is more comfortable than he was two weeks ago and can now walk for a bit and sit longer.  We are grateful for that.  He is still lying down most of the day but does get up for meals.  Tomorrow we are going to a German Physiotherapist to see if anything more can be done for Simon at this time.  It could be that he suggests continued rest and/or something else.  We look forward to hearing his opinion on the matter.  We give thanks that there has been improvement and we pray that it continues.  Thank you for lifting him and the rest of us up in prayer.  We appreciate it a lot.

  Joshua was given the opportunity to be in Acacia's School production of Twelfth Night by William Shakespear.  He played the part of Sebastian.  He loved every moment of it and is looking foward to another opportunity to be in a production.  I apologise for the quality of the photos.  However, you get the idea :)    

The news isn't very different from the previous post.  Simon saw another doctor on Monday night.  He happened to be staying with people we know.  The doctor is in country for a short time working at the hospital that Simon had an appointment at on Tuesday.  Simon and I were both wondering how we could get him to the hospital due to no position being comfortable and there being a lot of pain involved.  Anyway God provided and the doctor made a house call on Monday night.  He has recommended that Simon "sit" it out as long as he can and that we don't pursue surgery unless it is really necessary.  The pain has been particularly difficult to bear for Simon so we were able to get some advice on a different pain med.  I was able to pick it up last night and Simon slept a bit better. He is currently camped out on the bedroom floor as that is the only place he can get comfortable.  He is able to "duck" walk (Simon's words) to the bathro...

On Friday we were celebrating Joshua's 12th birthday at a swimming pool in Entebbe.  Simon hurt his back whilst diving and after a trip to the doctor and a MRI scan we now know that he has another herniated disc.  He is quite incapacitated and can't walk more than a few steps at a time. Sitting, standing, kneeling and sleeping are all quite difficult and no position is comfortable for long.  We have contacted the insurance company to start the process of what needs to be done next.  We are awaiting the official MRI report tomorrow and he will also see a specialist on Tuesday morning. Pray for him as he manages the pain (thankfully he has a high pain threshold) and also as we walk through the next few days with decisions that need to be made. Pray also for the rest of us as we care for him.  Joshua and Zara are doing well but its difficult for them to see their daddy in pain as it is for me.  We would value your prayers as we navigate this challenge. ...

A slight detour when the tarmac comes to end and there is tree in the way   The bridge linking Uganda with South Sudan Collection centre at Nimule, South Sudan   Overnight rooms at collection centre   Registration block at collection centre Refugees just arriving at the Collection Centre Shelters for refugee at transit centre   Community shelter for refugees at Transit Centre Kitchen at Transit Centre Water point at Transit Centre Aerial view of Nzumazi Transit Centre Women receiving sanitary supplies at the distribution point Some of the children at the centre Meeting camp leaders at settlement camp Any complaints then put them in the box on the wall :) Settlement Camp Supplemental planting in Settlement camp Pigeon breeding programme to provide addition food.  Does a pigeon taste like chicken?   One of the Settlement homes...