The Bishop, and the Bishop's Wife

You wait 6 months for a wedding, and the two come along together!

 

 

This week we were thrice ‘Graced’.

Another couple from the hospital, Paul and Grace, got married at the local Cathedral. Malcolm went to the service which was conducted by his Grace the Bishop of Luweero.

 

The reception, as is usual, was held outdoors under tents.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

On the same day Irene was off to see his Grace the Bishop’s wife. As the Bishop retires this year the Mother’s Union held a special event to thank his wife for being their President.

Everyone was expected to wear the tribal dress – a ‘Gomez’. Even better if it was in the colours of the Mothers’ Union – blue and white

 

  

 

  

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Nigeria: “When an old woman falls down twice, people should check what is in her basket”.

Overwhelmed by Blessing

A few weeks ago we were told that if it rains at a wedding it’s a sign of God’s Blessing.

 

Last weekend we went to the wedding of one of the Hospital Board members. Livingstone, a sprightly 80+ year old marrying a young bride of about 60.

 

 

For the event women had new outfits made. Irene made a suit from local material while Joyce made traditional tribal dresses, called Gomez, for Denise and Mairaed.

 

 

The wedding was held in the St Marks Cathedral, and the reception in its grounds.

 It was a delight to see the (not so) young couple so happy.

 

One of the local traditions is for the bride and groom to enter the reception through a decorated arch – a sign of honour.

 

At the end of the formal speeches the blessings came - in bucket loads.

 

 

 

The wedding breakfast was a traditional Ugandan meal - rice, matoke, potato, meat and a pink groundnut sauce

 

 

 

Irene found another serving area in a tent

 

 

 

However, getting served was not straightforward.

 

 

Fortunately there was enough shelter around the Cathedral and in tents for the wedding food to be eaten.

 

 

This week’s African proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Uganda:  “A tree that does not give shade when the sun is hot cannot give shade when it rains”

No Need to Stand on Ceremony

It’s been a series of ceremonies.

Last week a team of staff from the main funders of the Hospital’s Maternity and Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, Aspen Insurance and ISIS, visited. They came from America, London, Singapore and Australia and spent time visiting the wards, meeting the staff and experiencing life in Kiwoko. On their last day we had a farewell meal where there was a bit of excitement when it came to cut the cake.

 

 Also one of the doctors, Mushin, was baptised at our church. He had come from a Muslim family but had become a Christian and baptised when at school. However, his father had destroyed his baptism certificate. Because he wants to be married in church he needed to prove he had been baptised, so repeated the ceremony.

On Sunday the Bishop of Luweero came to hold a combined confirmation and wedding service at our local church. When he was introduced to Irene there seemed to be some friendly rivalry about who has the strongest grip.

 

The wedding was for a couple who had been married traditionally, by local ceremony, several years earlier but now wished to be formally married in church. They took the opportunity of the Bishop’s visit to be wed by him.

 

Irene enjoyed her birthday this week. She woke to find that their was no chance of keeping her age a secret, and made the most of the occasion.

 

On Friday the staff arranged a surprise birthday Bar-B-Que.

 

 

The night included fun and games and lots of food.

 

Our fellowship group gave Irene a large shopping bag as a present

 

And as we started the week with a cake, we can end it with one too.

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is “When a cock invites a cockroach for a birthday party, he has prepared dinner for himself”.

Building Them High.............And Knocking Them Down

Because many young people work and study here there are several weddings a year. This week a midwife in Dr. Corrie's ward got married. Weddings are big events and need someone to bake many cakes. Another medic, Dr Diane is a bit of an expert and baked about a dozen cakes for the wedding – quite a pile!!!! These needed Dr C’s car to get them to the reception.

 The following is a picture of one of the local chemist shops – one way of getting a high score, perhaps?

 

This week the hospital received a team from UPMB (the Uganda Protestant Medical Board) who came to inspect some of the hospital’s services. These are scored and a report issued. This year all areas of the hospital improved with the control of infectious diseases being given 100%!!!.

 

Like most of Uganda we do not enjoy the privilege of mains sewage. Many of the toilets are no more than holes in the ground which require regular emptying – not a pleasant job which most people clearly try to avoid!

 

 

In previous weeks we’ve shown pictures of the traditional wood and mud houses. This week is an example of how they are knocked down.

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Nigeria  “When the frog in front falls into a pit, those behind tread cautiously”