Anyone for cricket?

Last week heralded the arrival of the first of the swarms of crickets. Children could be seen running around with black plastic bags collected them up. Why? Because they could sell them to the shops who then sell them on as a valuable food supply. We have not yet tried them but there is always a first time! (and possibly a last time).

On Sunday we went with Jenny to Mabungo parish church and enjoyed a long traditional service with drums and choirs, with lunch with the vicar afterwards. The church had won the “Family Service Competition” and were presented with a certificate and a rather large drum for the Sunday School to use. We think that maybe the school could meet in the drum; it was pretty big. The children sat around our feet seemed particularly fascinated in us – but this may have been because for some reason Malcolm was wearing one black leather, and one blue suede shoe. Poor old thing - the sun must be getting to him.

In the nick of time Tim Sanders, our Personnel Officer from CMS, arrived on Monday with Jenny and Irene going to meet him in Rwanda and enjoying a shopping expedition and buffet lunch at a “posh” hotel. Irene took the opportunity to renew her visitor’s visa as the 90 days validity was almost up and our work permits have not yet been processed. Malcolm will probably have to make the trip next week to renew his.

On Wednesday we enjoyed another outing, our first visit to Kabale, the closest big (er) town. The journey, through stunningly beautiful countryside and through what is left of the bamboo forest, wasn’t too bumpy as it had tarmac in quite a few places! After having lunch with other Muzungu workers we dropped Tim off. Irene and Jenny then enjoyed buying in better stocked “supermarkets” with Malcolm trailing behind to pay the bill; however he cheered up when he managed to find another bottle of the elusive HP “brown sauce”.

Having picked up 6 gas cylinders the return trip was smoother as the weight helped keep the pick-up on the road, although we had to stop to rearrange the ropes holding them upright when the bumps loosened them.

Malcolm had the privilege of visiting with the auditor from the Anglican Province in Kampala several of the farmers in Nyakabingo who had been given a sheep following training in modern agricultural techniques. Many of their homes were up narrow tracks into the hills where they manage to scrape a living.

Fortunately the land is very fertile with some fields growing in abundance mixed crops of potatoes, maize, cabbages and bananas.

There continues to be a lot of activity around the nest outside our office, although it is difficult to get a good view!

This week’s sign is from Kabale – the shop name appealed to us

You know you live in Africa when….

… you are interviewing someone in her lounge when a hen struts in and jumps up beside you on the sofa

--- you discover a scruffy street child’s entire English vocabulary when you have the following conversation:

Child: ‘How are you?’
Answer ‘I’m fine. How are you?’
Child ‘Five plus five’

You know he will soon master ‘Give’ and ‘me’ and 'money'.