Journal of Pam & Allan living and working in rural Ugandan

Our Final arrival in Uganda for a long term stay in Kamuli, a rural area, to serve the Lord working with Ps. Fred Ssempijja, Bezallel Primary School and Kamuli Pentecostal Church.

Observations by Pam (pics at the end).

NO PLACE TO HIDE--- KAMPALA

Thousands of people going by but white faces are rare in Kampala, Uganda's Capital. Our second day in the city centre. We are deciding whether we will risk a lift home on a boda boda (motorbike taxi) and the whole busy street seems to pause as they watch the Mzunga Ja Ja (Mzunga = white person, Ja Ja = older person or Grandma)  make the decision. Pam chooses not, as we have seen them weaving precariously between trucks, cars, bikes and pedestrians, and most women have to sit SIDE SADDLE!  Leave that adventure for another day!!

KAMULI-- EVEN HARDER TO HIDE

We have only spent one week in Kamuli but as our house was not ready (plumbing needs redoing + other issues) we needed to stay in a "hotel" called The Pentagon were we had stayed before. There was a new Manager and conditions had changed a lot.

TO FLUSH OR NOT TO FLUSH

In the Pentagon we had no running water, cold water was provided in jerry cans but not enough, mostly no power and a very small room, but the worst part was a sense of hostility towards us which we think may be because of a Muslim influence. The previous manager was a Christian and we always felt welcome in our past visits.

SUITCASE LIVING

This is our 5th week living out of a suitcase so we are glad to be back in the capital and staying with an AUSSIE COUPLE (Frank & Michele Heyward, missionaries in Kampala for 13 years) in their GUEST HOUSE which is amazingly well run. They are looking after us so well while we look for a suitable car, one that will take the rough roads but not too costly. We also need to collect two boxes we sent by air freight and get them through customs (we have been told it is a day’s hard work), catch up on communications, and pick Michelle and Frank's brains and experience on as many subjects as possible.

MICHELLE AND FRANK HEYWOOD (COME UGANDA)

They have built a primary school, church, hostel, clinic as well as Guest House and supervise 30 churches and are planning to build a hospital as well. Frank is a builder and Pastor. There is a six member MEDICAL TEAM coming to work in the clinic and schools to-night so the GUEST HOUSE will be full. We would like to move BACK TO KAMULI early next week in our own vehicle but only to our rental house if it is "ready" and if we are able to complete our business here. Our expectations of timing is changing rapidly. Great flexibility is needed.

LISA is a delightful AUSSIE TEACHER who supervises the schools run by Frank and Michelle. She lives in a village (suburb) close by to Frank and Michelle and loves it. We have attended two different churches and have found them to be great. I can see I (PAM) will not miss out on exercise, singing lessons, dancing lessons, all received free of cost IN the church service.

HIGHLIGHT of our time in KAMULI was a surprise visit to the orphanage for an evening meal. The ORPHANAGE was built to house 28 children but has 67, three of whom have been recently added. It was a delightful evening with some great children and their carers BUT how do you shake hands with 67 children at once?

SINGING

When it was time for us to go the children sang beautifully and with great enthusiasm. They thought we were appreciating their singing so much they continued making up new verses so Pastor Fred had to call a halt to the performance so that we could leave.

FOR THOSE WHO WANT YET MORE DETAIL .. (or skip to pics at the end)

Our first week in Uganda we stayed in BANANA VILLAGE at Entebbe (next door to Kampala) which is an OASIS from constant activity, noise, poverty and stresses of KAMPALA. The AFRICAN style huts are not Western standard but are roomy and this time we had hot water every morning as the power was on. Early every morning we were woken with many different bird calls and also monkey calls. Looking out the back window one morning I could see a monkey, a squirrel and through the fence I could see cows and pigs. Horses roam the gardens as they also run a riding school. There are a number of monkeys roaming freely in the gardens we also saw a family of mongoose.

Our time with Immigration Dept finalising our work permits was not pleasant but that seems to be the story with most Govt. Depts. We have met our local Pioneers leaders who are a lovely retired couple from the UK. The trip to KAMULI from Kampala has two sections the first to Jinja, was fine (by Ugandan standards) but from Jinja to Kamuli is awful taking two hours to travel 60k on the badly deteriorated road.

SHOPPING IN KAMULI

Shopping in Kamuli (the rural town where we are staying long term) is not without it's challenges. For the week we were in Kamuli we walked from the "hotel" each day, sometimes twice a day to the shops or market. As we walk we know people are staring right at us. I (Pam) have to make a decision whether to make eye contact or not, whether to say good morning, which is the standard English greeting everyone says to a MUZUNGU (white person). Not everyone is in need by any means but many have jobs or a business and are still struggling.

BATTLE OF THE SOUNDS

Living a week in the 'Pentagon' hotel in Kamuli there was an interesting 'battle of the sounds' going on. At 5am, 5.30am and 6am and other times during the day the speakers of the Mosque boom out very loudly with chanting and some spoken verses. Not to be outdone the church just up the road from the hotel breaks out with singing and music with very loud amplification at any time of the day or night (at times all night!). We believe we have noticed a greater Muslim influence in Kamuli even since our visit in 2009.

UGANDAN CUSTOMS

The two BOXES of excess baggage we sent came through CUSTOMS without any taxes, or bribes that we know of. Some friends sent boxes of similar weight and paid $500 import duty. We only had to pay the AGENT who found us on our first day of waiting around at the airport. We needed to travel to airport twice and wait a total of 6 hours to get our boxes but we are told this is normal. You have prayed the boxes through and we are praising God for this, now we would love the same for the HT container. Even if it leaves Australia soon it will probably not arrive until next year.


PIONEERS UGANDA

Most of PIONEERS team are to meet at JINJA near us in early November so we are looking forward to meeting these amazing people and catching up with the East Africa Team Leader Christine.

Mother and baby - part of a monkey troop roaming around Banana Village where we stay when flying in and out of Entebbe Airport.

A street market in Kampala - one tiny part of a HUGE market. ‘Whatever you want we have it!’

Kampala traffic - boda bodas (motorbike taxis) weave around between cars; taxi vans (checkered stripe) are the backbone of the transport system but the drivers are crazy!

Our rental house with landlord Stephen. It is very roomy inside!

Fixing the location of the water tank and plumbing - the first plumber’s work had to be completely removed.

  

Quite a large kitchen/dining area; two large bedrooms with ‘ensuites’ and two smaller bedrooms - plenty of room for guests!

Main bedroom ‘ensuite’

Some of the 67 orphans and needy children lining up get dinner at the outdoor cooking fires shelter; the ground is very muddy after rain.

Eating dinner in front of the orphanage - Fred's dream is the build another block with a dining room and girl’s dormitory.

The children performing a song with great enthusiasm