Celebration day at Beulah Baptist Church

The celebrations commenced in the early afternoon with an invitation to purchase items from various stalls, including a range of goods which Edith bought over from Uganda. These included small wicker baskets, purses, items of jewellery and decorative wooden letter openers.

Face painting, a tombola a photo studio corner, and a children's drawing competition proved popular, with the winner being ten year old Tommy Gooch for his colourful drawing of an African scene.

The day was a great success and chairman of the trustees, Freda Graf said she was delighted that Enid had finally been able to make the trip to the UK.

Freda said: "It's wonderful and the trustees are delighted to have Enid here in Bexhill to join in the celebrations."

It was the first time Enid has travelled outside her home country and during her time in the UK she made a variety of visits that encompassed schools, hospitals, and clinics and she spoke highly of all she had seen.

Of her visit Enid said: "It's been a great experience - it's my first time out of Africa and I've been very impressed with the conservation of the environment here, maintenance is lacking in our country. School life is different and classrooms are not so overcrowded, the clinics are much better and better care is given to patients. Unfortunately we have more patients in my country and the staff in the clinics are overworked."

Enid opened her orphanage, which is predominantly for children who have been orphaned following the death of one or both of their parents from AIDS, after the death of her husband in 1998.

It was during her grief that she read a passage from the bible which inspire her.

Enid said: "I came to the book of the Second Kings (2 Kings 4-:1-7) where the prophet Elijah was sent to the widow and he asked her to give all that she had. She only had a little, but the prophet demanded that and told her that she would have what she and her children needed. The lady inspired me not to put my problems as a priority, but to look at other peoples problems and to look at what I prayed and to see that what I prayed is fulfilled."

Enid's determination and hard work has reaped rewards helping many children over the years since she began what she calls her "project", and Freda said that from her humble beginnings Enid's home has grown and she now has over thirty one children living with her and a further fifty three are looked after in the community in Uganda's rural community of Buddo.

Freda said: "Enid was given a plot of land and with her hard work and the help of many, many people she now has a home, health clinic, dormitory, dining hall/chapel house, piped water, solar electricity, and a lovely environment and home for the children."

She added: "Most of the children attend the local schools and are nurtured and loved in a caring environment."

The celebrations at Beulah church continued with a special afternoon tea, and the day culminated with musical entertainment provided by The Life Gospel Choir from Eastbourne.

Organiser of the event Liz Martin said: "It's been a very exciting day celebrating Enid's visit to the UK. She was thrilled to finally meet the people who have been supporting her for so long, and the people who have been sponsoring children from Enid's orphanage were delighted to meet her, and we raised over 1,000 for the trust."

For further information visit the website at: www.good-samaritan.org.uk