I am going to try to convey the essence of our experience so far... I have absorbed so much in such a short time I'll try to be brief and succinct so as not to lose your interest...
We're at our guesthouse this moment (called Maranatha) after having a late lunch at JavaCafe in a mall in central Kampala where I managed some WiFi time after a lovely lunch of Thai Peanut Chicken and steamed rice - not so traditional but good nonetheless.
Security in Kampala is very visible and widespread after the recent bombs - the African Union presidents are meeting here for a summit right now. We couldn't enter the mall without being searched (though Mzungus i.e. white visitors, have less inconvenience than locals) and the safari bus that is ours for the duration of our stay (which has a windscreen sunvisor emblazoned with GODisGOOD) was also searched WELL.
Along the streets it's so easy to clock various armed uniforms of the different security branches in Kampala all working together - these augment the usual armed security at gas stations and strategic infrastructure like embassies and the bridge/dam across the Nile at Jinja etc. (oh, and if you take a photo of these and the Military Police expect trouble!)
We arrived at Entebbe after a good flight on Friday morning a little late. We had been met at Heathrow by Josephine and Roger Willliamson, lovely South Africans attending Hillsong Church Leatherhead who brought 12 large rice bags (we might use them for laundry but the Africans use them when they travel) packed full of bras, underwear, toys and such. We already had 5 of our own plus a guitar so they helped us to check-in.
I had intended in going through all the bags personally (I didn't fancy spending any of my life in a Ugandan jail) though when Roger showed me the inside of one to ease my conscience I quickly understood there was no way of doing this. I figured that the names of Watoto and Hiilsong were at stake...as Roger put it "Yes we're South African, that's why we just do things..."
One of these bags seemed to have been left at HRW though Brenda @ Watoto will organise it's retrieval - the bags were received very gratefully and are destined for Living Hope in Gulu. Here Watoto serve about 900 ladies affected by war by accepting, loving, educating, cosmetically restoring those mutilated by the LRA and providing start-up capital so they can re-build their lives. 40% of these women are HIV+ and there's another 1200 Living Hope ladies (who are all HIV+) in Kampala where they also have production facilities for peanut butter in order to support themselves - this is within the church building - we're going to some spend time with them while we're here too.
At Entebbe we met out host Moses, a 22 yr old student who is with us until we leave. He's so great with the children and has such maturity - it was so great to pray with him during the church service today. His job is to serve us, make sure we have everything we need and ensure our safety. Steven, a humble more mature man drove us and over lunch we spoke about his 5 children and their schooling.
Friday afternoon we visited Bulrushes - the Kampala babies home. There are three of these now - one in Gulu (new) and another in Suubi Village, Kampala (transl. Hope Village) where we'll be building a much-needed pathway connecting the newest cluster of homes to the primary school. This starts tomorrow, alongside a Canadian team.
We had a tour - Moses likes coming here - and we spend about 90mins holding/feeding the well babies. Nikki has a knack of remembering the babies names and was holding three at once! Joan spent time feeding a couple of babies as did Hope and Livvy. I cuddled one (called Hope) who buried herself into my chest the whole time and refused to allow me to put her down. When we had to go she complained by mourning loudly face down on the blankets spread out on the short elephant grass in the garden. We'll be back here later in the trip - or at the one in Suubi to assist the full-time carers.
The Saturday we had a trip to Jinja, to see white-water rafters and the source of the Nile. There's a dam across which the traffic flows from Kampala to the east of Uganda - the only road joining the 2 halves of the country - so strategic they forbid anyone to take photos. From the bus we saw fields of tea and sugar cane - there only needed a field of cows to make the perfect cuppa!
Our first visit to Watoto Church was moving. Having seen relatively little of the country it struck me how much we've absorbed. Worshipping with our African brothers and sisters, in that city, surrounded by the harsh realities of life in Kampala and then giving enthusiastic thanks and praise was awesome. For me The Word is so much more alive. This is Christ in technicolour! This is where the rubber hit the road - in my humble experience. Christians here have to cling on to each promise in each line of scripture. There is little else that can dull their need. I often here of people being "desperate" for God - here there is no other option.
Out build so far has been very hard work. We are completing a much needed pathway connecting a new cluster of homes to the primary school. The gradient is fierce and the children have so far had to clamber up dirt paths often cutting through the bush creating other unsafe routes....and there are snakes too.
Our job has been to carry cement mixed with small rocks water and sand in barrows down to where the path is being laid...and then push them back up. The first 2 days we were working close by the mixing albeit down a steep descent of about 10m however, yesterday we descended three times as far! It's not just the descent with the full barrow, trying to stay in control but it's very tough when we push a barrow up to the top again. Tomorrow we are back on site and we hope to have a better location for the cement mixing!
Today we have spent a morning at the Bulrushes babies home. We helped folding laundry and feeding and changing babies. The Bulrushes is located next door to the opposition HQ - and there is an election due in February next year. We witnessed a disturbance where police arrived in riot gear and with prison vans. Ladies from the offices next door were arguing very loudly and the police, over the wall of our compound suggested we took the babies inside. From inside we saw it escalate though no shots were fired and seemed to then plateau and then even with police and media presence seemed to dissipate.
Next post I'll talk about Mama Miriam and her children and add an excerpt from Nikki's journal.
All in all though, a most wonderful experience so far. Every moment is precious.
