“Charity Begins at Home” – or maybe not

 When working abroad you need to be careful what you say. George Bernard Shaw called Britain and America two countries divided by a common language. Sometimes  Malcolm hears a  Ugandan say something in English which has a completely different meaning to the one he knows.

An example: ‘Charity begins at home’.

 Last week he attended a two day training course with the Board of Governors of the hospital. This was held in one of Uganda’s most recently declared cities , Mbarara. (pronounced ‘Oom  -bar – rara’.)

 

The training was attended by almost all the Board members, including the Chairman of the Board, Bishop Onesimus. Most of the Board members have been recently appointed so the training concerned the powers and responsibilities of the Board and its members in Ugandan law.

The training organisation,(the Ugandan Protestant Medical Board) was recently involved in producing a Policy document for the Church of Uganda on Health Ministry, and copies were presented to the Bishop for the Diocese.

During the training the phrase ‘Charity begins at home’ was used, which to Malcolm meant that we should take care of our own family (or country) before helping those outside our family (or country) which is sometimes an excuse not to help others. In Uganda it means don’t criticise or try to sort out other people’s problems or faults until you have sorted out your own. i.e. take the plank out of your own eye before taking the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.

(The most terrifying / exciting part of the training was Malcolm driving the 100 miles back to  Kisiizi in one of the Hospital’s large, 4 wheel drive Toyota Landcruisers, much of it in the dark on the local rough mud roads. The passengers commented that he seemed to be trying to hit all the holes in the road!). Despite not driving a car with a manual gearbox for a long time he only stalled once!

Concerning charity, there is not a large range of new clothes available to buy in Uganda, partly because there is little manufactured here, and partly because people don’t have the money. There are many tailors who will make a dress for a couple of pounds for labour. The most common source of clothing is second hand, often from surplus items sold in bulk for import to developing countries by Charity shops or collectors of recycled textiles in the UK and other countries.

Traders selling second hand clothes can be found everywhere including outside the hospital.

 

Closer to home, Malcolm's house has a garden complete with bar-b-que and shelter. 'Private' land is not so private in Uganda and someone saw an opportunity while Malcolm was away to bring their goats to feed on the grass. Still, it saved looking for a lawn mower!