FEBRUARY 2012 (from Newsletter No.6)

Greetings from Sunny Uganda! Right now it is one of the two dry seasons, it is hot, dry and very dusty here at Kamuli. We have settled into our rented house quite well and are reasonably comfortable.

(see below for Picture Gallery)

"SOME SMALL PROBLEMS, IT WILL PASS"

The heading above is a quote from one of our young Ugandan friends (‘small’ = ’not so small’). We have been struggling with some issues including communication problems. This is not to be unexpected as we have only been in Uganda for 4 months and one week. Apart from the expected language problems there are also culturally based miscommunications. Even words in ‘English’ can mean different things to us and Ugandans. For example, a number of times in church we have heard anecdotes in ‘English’ that evoke hilarious laughter and we haven’t had a clue what it was about or what was so funny.

However we are very grateful to be here and feel privileged to know some of the people we are able to know and spend time with. Our time is mostly spent with young people who are desperate for education. They live for the next term’s school fees, trying to work for any money they can. The start of the first term when school fees are highest is a very challenging time for a lot of parents, children and young people. It has been and remains a very tense time for us as we are approached by desperate people wanting help with school fees and requirements. Who should we help? This person or that person? How much can we afford? If we help first term will we be expected to help second term and all through high school? Are we being told the truth about situations? etc. We have also been able to employ some young High School students for small amounts (small by Western standards) which helps them come closer to their education goals.

The community suffers many stresses from the results of poverty, but also from some attitudes from some we find hard to fathom that have caused us some problems.

FRIENDS

For example, Joel (a neighbour) 15 yrs, is waiting to see if his father is able to pay off last years education dept by buying maize and milling it and giving it to Joel’s previous school. The school will not give results to his next school, High school, if the debt is not paid. Then of course the new school has to have fees paid. Many of the Public schools are not considered to provide reasonable education as there are so few teachers to teach. A headmistress we know said she has 936 pupils and 5 teachers (about 185 pupils per teacher!). Joel has worked for us during the school holidays, gardening, watering and odd jobs but still it is not enough. We also have Joel’s friend Linika, young Gloria next door, two friends both called Marjory and others doing odd jobs for us at different times. They are all conscientious and work very hard (Ugandan kids really know about hard work). We get on very well with our live-in help Christine. One high school student Budahla (refered to as ‘Sayjabi’ in our Christmas letter, we found out he prefers ‘Budahla’) has spent a lot of time with us. He is sponsored by a lady in Canada. He has become like a 4^th son - his story is too long to include here (there is hilarity in the kitchen as Pam, Christine and Budahla discuss the bed bugs and food Budahla has to face when he returns to his school boarding section next week) . We have paid or helped with ‘requirements’ and first term fees for a number of students and have more requests to consider but have exceeded our budget already (actually we didn’t really budget for this).

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

The container has not yet arrived. If it had come earlier we could not have coped with that extra load of work and responsibility while trying to settle in. Our Heavenly Father knows how much we can handle and in what order. The shipping container has just reached the port of Mombasa in Kenya. This port is heavily congested and so may take a time to clear. It then has to come overland to Jinja in Uganda where it will clear customs. It then needs to be transported on to Kamuli (where we are).

FELLOWSHIP LIFELINE

As per our agreement with Pioneers (mission agency) we spend two days per month in Jinja (nearest large town, on Lake Victoria and the Nile River) and meet with Jinja Interdenominational Missionary Fellowship for ‘Western’ fellowship. They are mainly Americans but other nationalities as well. We stay at Calvary Chapel with a wonderful couple Jesse and Beverly Rich who have been in Uganda for 30+ years. They are wonderful people, extremely hospitable and a deep mine of information and experience with Uganda and Ugandans. They have been a real lifeline for us. We love meeting others in the fellowship and it’s great to attend a more ‘normal’ church service (more like home) once a month. We also have had great fellowship with Roger & Jean from the U.K. who live in Kampala and look after Uganda for Pioneers.

VISITORS

We have recently spent time with two young Australians here on some youth projects. Also Alan and Geoff from Orange (Alan comes to Kamuli each year) stayed with us a few nights and Alan was doubly welcome because he also brought some jars of vegemite! An English couple who are involved in prison ministry in Africa came for lunch recently, Laurie is 84 yrs old - no retirement for followers of Jesus! Having Aussie visitors is a real treat - easy and relaxed communication in a language and cultural background we understand!

NEED FOR FURTHER CROSS CULTURAL TRAINING

We are booked to go to Yei in Southern Sudan 3rd-10th March for further Cross Cultural training with PIONEERS. The main speaker is a Kenyan man but there will be other experienced people to help us ‘newcomers’ (although we have already learnt a lot in our 4.5 months here).

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

Apart from our regular activities, over the past week we have visited our sponsored children in their villages to meet them and their families. We are always given something from these families so came away with - a rooster, young hen and a bag of fruit and vegetables. We gave away the chickens to a family to breed from as we couldn't eat our gifts and could not keep them as they dug up our tomato plants etc. Allan spoke at the Pastor’s conference held at the end of January and Allan and Pam did some presentations at the three day Children’s Camp held early January. We also ran games for about 150 children over the three days with the help of some young Ugandan friends. The games were a real challenge as we were drastically ‘understaffed’.

EPILOGUE

There is much more we could say in the way of observations and issues but won’t for the sake of brevity and not wanting to commit certain things to a newsletter. However for the pray-ers reading this we would appreciate your prayers.

 PICTURE GALLERY

We often can’t take photo’s because we either know the Ugandans we would be taking photos of would object (some object very strongly, you have to be careful or could get into trouble), or we don’t have a camera, or are two busy with something else. But here are a few that might give at least an idea of our life here.

   

Some members of Budahla’s group ‘Youth Victory Tower of Life’ meeting in our home. Budahla is in the centre next to the girl with the blue top. Next to Budahla is Solomon who we also have seen a bit of.  

The group cutting the cake made in the cake cooking lesson. We cooked a cake in a solar oven that Budahla made from instructions we had, but I’m not sure if this cake is solar or oven cooked.

Taste test for the cake lesson!

Pam with the solar cooker in our front yard.

Budahla finishing of a fuel efficient stove with Christine and Pam looking on. This stove is far more efficient than the usual three stones with a pot sitting on them with a fire underneath.

Budahla with some of the arts and crafts produced by his self-help group. We supplied a small amount of personal finance for some of the raw materials. He has managed to sell about 300,000 shillings worth (about $140) to various visiting Mzungus (white people) recently!

In the home of one of the ladies doing some of the craft work (this is Christine, somehow we missed getting a picture of the lady herself - we have lost Pam’s camera and so are missing photos)

 

 The church held a three days Pastor’s conference. Allan got the opportunity to speak on the first day. The last afternoon was ‘sports and games’. Here is a foot race - with all the walking and hoeing etc. that most people do Ugandans are generally very fit!

Sports and games afternoon for the Pastor’s conference held on the grounds of a large public school in Kamuli. I (Allan) was (mis-)matched against young and fit people in the sack race and so came very last. I ran some games of poison ball but don’t have any photos to prove it.

Sports and games afternoon for the Pastor’s conference, women’s sack race. Much enthusiasm for all the events with a very enthusiastic commentator on a very loud PA system describing each event.  

Sports and games afternoon for the Pastor’s conference main event - Soccer game of Pastors vs Youth. This was taken very seriously. Note the bare feet. The Youth won.

Visit from James and Eva - James 3^rd from left with the black and white shirt, then Eva. We met James in Sydney where he has now completed a PHD in political science at Sydney University. He travels all over the world attending conferences and also lecturing. He still lives in Australia. His wife Eva works for Oxfam in Africa - they don’t see too much of each other! James was a great source of information about Uganda before we left. He comes from the Kamuli district.  

A visit from an English couple who visit various African countries to do prison ministry. Laurie is 84 - never too old to serve the Lord!

 More visiting Mzungus - On the left Sam on short term project for a Catholic organisation, and Alan from Orange who has been visiting Africa and Kamuli each year for a number of years now. He and his friend Geoff very generously carried the last five second hand laptops from Australia as luggage as Ugandan Customs allow 2^nd hand computers through as luggage (but not in shipping containers!)

Alan’s friend Geoff visiting with Alan (see last photo). We have had visits from six Aussies recently. Sam (last photo), his friend Caitlyn (no photo), Alan and Geoff, and in the last week two Aussie girls working on projects. It is so wonderful to have received these visits from fellow Aussies! Just to be able to speak the same language with the same accent and cultural background is a real boost.

Alan and Geoff brought Vegemite. This made them doubly welcome! Here I am doing a taste test (I have lost a lot of weight since coming to Uganda - not sure why).

One of the high school age neighbours, Linika, who has been helping Pam with gardening and other things during school break. Here he is showing some of his art work. More of Linika’s art work below: 

Joel a neighbour and friends with Linika (see last two photos). Joel and Linika have been working as a team with gardening and getting the yard under control. We (especially Pam who supervises) have had a great time talking to them on various topics.

Our young friend Abbey packing for school. We paid or contributed from personal funds to fees and ‘requirements’ for a number of students for first term of high school and have thoroughly blown our budget. The beginning of the year is a very anxious time for many as people are looking for means to find school fees that they can’t afford. There has been a lot of pressure on us. The pupil needs various ‘requirements’ such as books, pens, A4 paper, uniforms etc. For boarding students the list is very long and expensive. Then there are school fees. We supplied Abbey with requirements and fees for the boarding section for his school for first term. He wanted boarding so he could concentrate on his studies.

Christine’s sister Debra with new baby named Blessing; her dad in the background. This family lives a distance from us on the other side of Jinja. It was a long and difficult birth and ex-midwife Pam was having sleepless nights worrying about it and getting updates in the middle of the night. Blessing finally arrived in good health.

We have visited the children we sponsor in their home villages where they go on school break (although one remains in the village). On the left is Julius, fairly grown up now. We got a hen and rooster as gifts from these visits - they dug up some of Pam’s garden so we gave them away! (we didn’t have the heart to eat them).

This is what I thought was an interesting photo from one of the sponsored child visits. Not sure what is going on!

Head Mistress Damahli that we met in 2008. A wonderful lady acting as a guide on a sponsored child visit (see also next photo). She lives a stone’s throw from us in Kamuli.

The village school that Head Mistress Damahli administers (See also previous photo; Damahli and Allan at a distance). This school has about 900 pupils and 5 teachers! - the classes are very large (to say the least).

Kingfisher resort near Jinja where we have stayed a few times. It over looks Lake Victoria and the Nile River at a place where the Nile starts from Lake Victoria. It is very nice but not expensive by western standards as it costs less than a motel in Lithgow (Australia) where Pam and I used to stay sometimes travelling to and from Dubbo.  

Kingfisher resort near Jinja where we can go for a break sometimes (see last photo for more information).

Allan out trying to stop the high water tank overflowing in the middle of the night (photographed by Pam for some reason). We have had hiccups with the water but it is pretty good now.

Our washing up sink. Our home is quite well set up and we are quite comfortable by Ugandan standards. We are very well of compared to many in this country. Although to clean ourselves we heat water on the stove and wash using a jug. We have showers but not hot water. We are quite used to this now though.  

Washing day! (no washing machine, apart from anything else it would use far too much water)

The washing hung out to dry.

There was a call for volunteers to move soil and gravel into the new church building to build up the floor. Pam and I turned up to help (Pastor Wilbur asked for our camera so he could take some pictures). I (Allan) ended up doing something nasty to my back that took weeks to recover.

In the dry season Samuel next door has taken over the garden as Joel and Linika have returned to school (Samuel returns soon). Here Sam has set up a clever drip irrigation system based on hanging plastic bags full of water with small holes in the bottom. 

I was cutting the back of Pam’s hair on the front porch when these two appeared to view the spectacle. One of them (in red) is Adison who is one of the one’s we sponsor and so knows us - this gave him the courage to enter the gate.

Further to last picture - an audience looking over the wall to try and view the Mzungu haircut spectacle. Our kind of haircuts are strange to Ugandans as almost all men and women, boys and girls have their heads shaved. The women then wear wigs. 

This church run by Frank and Michele Heyward of COME Uganda in Kampala. Frank and Michele (fellow Aussies!) have been very generous with their time in giving advice and pearls of wisdom as they have been in Uganda for about 12 or 13 years. The Mzngus in the picture are a visiting medical team from Aus. Apart from the church they run a school, a clinic and guest house (that we stay at) and Frank oversees about 30 village churches. Frank also runs village outreach programs. For more information see http://comeuganda.org/

Some folk viewing this will have met Anita from Kampala who visited Australia. We visited Anita’s home and her church and had a delicious lunch served us at her home. This is Anita and her family of biological and adopted children.  

Jesse and Bev Rich are a wonderful, generous and hospitable American Missionary couple in Jinja. This is Jesse but somehow we don’t have a picture of Beverly. They have been in Uganda for 30+ years and are a mine of information. They have been a big support and encouragement to us. Pam and I go to Jinja at the end of the month to attend the Missionary Fellowship meeting and stay at accommodation at Calvary Chapel.  Calvary Chapel is run by Jesse and Bev (and they have many other ministries).

A lovely lady (Esther) at the church we attend runs this little shop ‘Quench Your Thirst’. Pam and I helped clean the inside walls and supplied some paint and Pam helped paint the inside - it made quite a difference! We hope this kind of thing will help build relationships between us and church members. 

The church was used as one of the venues for the 3 days children’s camp at the beginning of the year. Bezallel primary school was the other venue. I (Allan) gave a teaching one day and Pam and I plus two young Ugandan friends Budahla and Christine gave a combined presentation another day. 

I (Allan) was supposed to run the games each of the three afternoons for the children’s camp. The task was pretty much impossible with about 150 children, 4 age groups, the need to separate boys and girls in the oldest group (I found out on the first day, the boys can be vicious to the girls) and language difficulties. However with the help of Pam, Christine and Budahla (and Sam and Caitlin mentioned above) we got through. We were generally too busy to take photos but here are a few taken at more relaxed times.

Above girls using some skipping ropes we supplied. Below Budahla and Sam running a soccer game for the oldest boys.

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