Coming Home to Roost

Let me introduce you to some of Malcolm’s new acquaintances.Malcolm is staying in the guest house at Kiwoko Hospital with 2 young German doctors, Michael and Konrad. They are staying here for about 3 months each. On Friday they  were invited round for a meal and a couple of board game to a couple who have recently come to work for 6 months as teachers at the Hospital. 

John, Catherine, Konrad and Michael playing Cranium

 
Earlier in the week Michael introduced Malcolm to a new friend – Hans, the chicken. It many ways it this was a pity as it is usually a mistake to be formally introduced to your food. Hans had had a happy but inevitably short life. He was, however, was made most welcome at the dining table with the help of Becky, a nurse at the hospital.

Holding Hans

Hand in Hans

Mind your Hans

Many Hans make light work

It was also an exciting week as our friend Corrie returned to Kiwoko after a 7 month ‘break’ in England – though the word ‘break’ is probably inappropriate with the work she had to do visiting churches, other supporters, etc.

Welcome home Corrie

 
Finally the following is a short video of last weekend’s Kiwoko Chase. Quite frankly you will see why we were all surprised that Malcolm was able to make it home.

 Catherine is a primary school teacher for the Medical Superintendent’s young son, Gideon. John is teaching IT to some of the students at the Laboratory and Nursing Schools. (Malcolm did particularly badly at the game ‘Love Letters’ – which would be no surprise to his wife, Irene!!!)

Stop me and............................

It’s a long and windy road – from Kisiizi and Kiwoko.

Malcolm returned from Kisiizi Hospital by the ‘Kanungu Express’. He had checked the departure time the day before with the driver and so turned up at the bus stop at 5.50 am. The bus arrived at 7.40 am (the driver had forgotten the bus is later on Sundays) and started the 10 ½ journey to Kampala (with no official comfort breaks). In part it was that long as half way there was a hissing sound from the rear tyre and the bus had to stop to repair a puncture.

During this break, when the boot was unloaded to get to the spare tyre, Malcolm saw that 2 of his fellow passengers were a live chicken, and a duck packed in a sack with just its head showing. He assumed this is the best way to carry fresh food safely to Kampala.

 

Always with an eye for business an ice-cream salesman arrived on his motor bike. You know when one is coming as they sound similar music to ice-cream vans in Britain – only there is no limit to how long the music is played.

 

A few days later in Kiwoko Malcolm came across a group of children eagerly waiting by another salesmen for their strawberry ice-cream cones.

Irene was also stopped when she was walking by 2 girls who were pleased to pose to have their photo taken.

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Kenya  “A frog's large eyes will not stop a cow from drinking water”

Self raising?

You need to know how to take a lady out for a treat.

Last week we tried our first restaurant in Kiwoko. This was little more than a shack with some home made tables which served chicken and chips in the evening. The food was surprisingly good and the chef a bit of a character.

 

At the hospital some of the staff arranged a childrens’ Holiday Club for the weekend. Most of the 200 or so children were from staff families but there were some from the local village.

 

Malcolm returned to Kisiizi Hospital for the week to audit the accounts of the Hospital’s Power Company. A Tourist Guide says that because the hospital has its on hydro-electric scheme it has the most reliable power supply in Uganda. Unfortunately after several weeks of no rain the power had had to be rationed because of the low water levels. However, the rains returned the same weekend as Malcolm.

 

Whilst he was there the hospital formally opened its new block of 8 staff apartments. For this the chairperson and husband of the UK Charity that supports the Hospital came to ‘cut the cake and open the house.

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Uganda  “It takes the whole village to raise a child”