Day Two in Uganda

I love Uganda so far and the people I have met.  They are warm and kind to me.  This morning, I travelled up through the hills to Jinja, passing through Uganda’s largest natural forest.  It almost swallowed the car up, with its massive trees and Tarzan-swinging vines folding in on us.  This part I really love.  Anybody would love it.  As you can see, I’ve managed to exchange US Dollars into Ugandan Shillings and I therefore have a portable mobile dongle thingy.  I am mightily relieved to be able to send news home.

There is a small, but beautifully run winery just down the road.  Theresa, the proprietor, gave us a guided tour.  And when I asked where the vines were growing, she completely surprised me by telling me that it was hibiscus wine, made from the red petals.  And it is really tasty too!  Almost like sweet sherry and apparently very good for you.

The little home where I am staying for the next three weeks is simple and basic.  Teopista, the lady of the house, is wonderful.  She absolutely loves the sewing machine I took out for her.  She fell to her knees and praised the Lord, in fact!  We have eaten all our meals so far sitting on reed mats outside.  For once, I am happy to have extra posterior padding although I think I shall be losing it quickly due to the diet!  Teopista is outside now, beating the harvested beans.  They’ve been lying out to dry and she beats them now so that the beans fall out of the shells and onto the ground where they can be easily swept up.

Poverty and poor sanitation are clearly the big problems; Uganda is certainly not for the faint-hearted.  But I find the people I have met so uplifting.  They are all extremely religious and justify their lives by talking about the Will of the Good Lord.  I also feel it is down to a bit of luck and also what people are able make of their lives, but I wouldn't ever say that.

There is no flooring other than earth in the school I go to tomorrow.  The children are mainly street and forest children.  The little ones will be the poorest of the poor.  The parents of some of them have died of HIV and other illnesses.  I hope that I am strong enough to give them something positive.  And I hope I am strong enough to get through these weeks.  I miss home, but I know I am here for a reason.  And I am sure that reason will become more and more apparent as time goes on.

Keep me in your thoughts as I prepare to meet the school children tomorrow.  I was so happy to hear that Sr Lucy has received the boxes of resources that my school in the UK had shipped over.  This really was happy news for me!