Making the earth move? (not to mention a mouse)

The Diocese is getting ready for a special Convention next weekend to celebrate 100 years since the first people brought Christianity to Kisoro in 1912. The special speakers are the Archbishop of Uganda and the Archbishop of York. John Sentamu, who was brought up in Uganda but had to flee to Britain in 1975 to escape execution by Idi Amin, arrived early and took the opportunity to visit Potter’s Village to meet the staff and children.

Everyone wanted to look their best, but some did have trouble finding clothing to fit.



One of the local roads running beside Potter’s Village has been impassable for several weeks as it needed to be rebuilt after flooding. One source of muscle in Uganda are prisoners who can be used in work parties for manual jobs. They are distinctive in their yellow shirts and trousers: Like most roads this one is made of dirt and stones so a repair job means digging and moving lorry loads of earth to make a new surface.



Which brings us back to the earth mover!!! It has been a momentous week. It hasn’t been used to move earth, but it was used as a grandstand so that children could get a good view of the Archbishop. And as the final preparations were made for the Convention a couple of mechanics arrived to move it away. End of story (we think).






Another saga has been the capture of a 4th mouse, this time in Rosie’s flat at Potter’s Village. 2 times the trap was baited and set, and 2 times the bait was eaten, the trap was ‘tripped’ but the mouse escaped. But not the third time when, perhaps having eaten three helpings of porridge the mouse was too fat to squeeze out. He was released by Malcolm about a mile away (near where the earth was dug to repair the road, as it happens.



And continuing the story of Sorghum, this week’s picture shows the seeds being left to dry on raffia mats.



This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from South Sudan:

“If you are looking for a fly in your food, it means that you are full”

A Refreshing View

“Malcolm, could you climb the hill behind your house, and take a photograph of the Diocese buildings?” The hill in question looks more like a climbing wall used by mountaineers rather than a gentle incline. Malcolm had walked (scrambled) down it once over a year ago when he walked back from Lake Mutanda, but hadn’t plucked up courage to attempt to go up it. So packing a spare oxygen cylinder, saying a (last?) fond farewell to Irene he set off.



It wasn’t as bad as he feared. He has to say that as there are houses up the hill where people older than him live, who must make the climb on a daily basis. We are pleased to say he took the photos and returned in one piece. The photos clearly show are house and the other Diocese buildings

One of the houses on the hill had Sorghum seeds drying in the sun. Sorghum is a common plant which is used for a variety of purposes and in particular to make the local favourite drink – Bushera. When we first saw Bushera we thought is was hot chocolate, being a similar colour and consistency. It was a bit of a shock to taste a slightly off, sour, fruity flavour – definitely an acquired taste.



And as for our now regular feature – the earth mover is still there with the signs of other life moving in.



This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from South Sudan:

“A quarrel is like buttermilk, the more you stir it, the more sour it gets”

Comings and Goings

Coming
For some months the Vocational Training Centre has been waiting for the arrival of new computers donated from England – and this week 10 brand new PC’s arrived, along with a network and printer / scanner

 Going

It’s the end of term. The Vocational Training students went home this week, so last Sunday was a special thanksgiving service at the cathedral. Afterwards there was a celebration meal and dance.





Coming

It happened also to be a Harvest Festival. Here most people are peasant farmers, or have a plot of land so most of the gifts brought are produce they have grown.

Going.

We spent the week at Kisiizi Hospital, about 100 miles from Kisoro, where Malcolm was helping the Treasurer draft last year’s financial statements.



Coming

Irene’s excitement was for the first time to witness (as a spectator rather than a participator) the natural birth of a baby. This was one of the items on her ‘must do before I die’ list. The boy was born 8 weeks premature, weighed 2.1 kg, and had blue eyes – which changed to brown within a couple of hours – all black Africans have brown eyes.



Coming and Going

The other excitement the same day was the arrival of a helicopter to transport a patient (an army Colonel) who was going to a hospital in Kampala. Malcolm wasn’t too bothered when he heard the helicopter approach, but then he heard car horns and people running excitedly towards the landing site (the local primary school). It has been 12 years since a helicopter last came to Kisiizi, and some people had driven miles to see this one.



Not Going, yet – the earth mover that broke down outside the Cathedral last week is still there. It has left the 10 litres of oil that leaked out when it moved 20 yards!!! - that's only 8,800 litres per mile!!!!

This week's proverb from the BBC websie is from Uganda:

“Where there are no fools, there will be no wise men”

More Fun and Games

Last week we mentioned that the electricity poles in Kisoro are being replaced. This, and the almost daily power cuts continue. However, Potter’s Village Home for Vulnerable Children are making good use of the old ones.


Are they:

- cutting them to length for caber tossing at the local equivalent of the Highland Games?, or

- making shorter batons for the African relay team? , or

- cutting them for fence posts?


Not to be outdone the students and teachers (in blue tee shirts) of the Vocational Training Centre were relaxing during one of the power cuts with a friendly game of volley ball.

It was good news for the VTC this week. We have been expecting new computers ever since we arrived 2 years ago, and this week most of them were delivered. We can’t wait to get them out of their boxes – for education purposes, of course, not computer games!!!!




For the last 6 months a road building earth mover has been stranded. It had been borrowed in January to help dig the grave of the former Bishop. However it broke down and has been left outside the VTC building ever since.


This week a team of mechanics turned up and reinstalled the engine, repaired the tyres and got the machine going after several days work. They even managed to move it about 50 yards, where is broke down again across the cathedral road. See you again in 6 months time????





This week’s proverb isn’t from the BBC Africa web site, but is very meaningful for us:

“If you think you are too small to make a difference then you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito”

All the Fun of the Fair

A fair came to Kisoro this week – a most unusual sight.

Like most English fairs this had fun rides and stalls

Unlike most English fairs this one was difficult to enter, there being a fence all the way round. So we didn’t bother. We are not sure if you had to pay to enter, or be invited. Not many other people seem to bother, either



It has been a week of daily power cuts. The electricity company is replacing many of their poles, and this means the power to the whole of Kisoro is cut off most days, and even some nights, so the workmen can re-wire the poles. We have been told this could take most of July. Unlike England there is only one power line to the town which means when any maintenance work has to be done the whole town goes into the dark. Still, electricity is cheap here at just 20p per unit.



When Malcolm went to pay the Electric bill at the company shop on friday, he had to wait outside for an hour. Opposite was a typical carpenter’s shop, where chairs were being made



We are settled into Jenny’s house. As well as the pigs we mentioned last week there are 3 other animals – 2 dogs and a cat.



The house overlooks one of the primary schools. On occasions, when it is sunny, classes are held outside – which is not surprising when you see how many children have to fit in a classroom.



This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web site is “A good palm-wine bar doesn't need a signpost”

Neighbours. Everybody needs good neighbours

We had a lovely surprise on Saturday when we went to Potter’s Village Home for Vulnerable Children. The senior staff gathered for coffee and cake to welcome us back.

Irene met for the first time our new next door neighbour. Habert and Immaculate had their first child born on 1st June. Her name is Joy.

As we are staying in Jenny Green’s house whilst she is on leave in England we have new neighbours. Jenny is breeding pigs which seem to think that whenever we go near they are going to get fed.

Jenny’s house is on a hill overlooking Kisoro.

Nearby are some typical family homes. Simple dwellings, usually without mains electricity but sometime benefiting from mains water.

This week's proverb from the BBC Africa web site is from Sierra Leone:

“Friendship is like a book - it takes years to write and minutes to burn”  

She's back. Hooray!

Irene arrived back today. We stayed for the last week with our grandson Jonah (and his parents, of course) in Plymouth where Irene was brought up to date with all the latest technology, ably assisted by Jonah, and a box of sweeties.

 When we come to Kisoro we do so via Kigali in Uganda as this is only about 4 hours drive away. Kigali is a rapidly growing city set amongst the hills of Rwanda.

In 1885 the European powers agreed that Rwanda would be a German colony – which was a bit cheeky as no European actually came to the country until 1892. Surrounded by mountains in central Africa it was very difficult for strangers to reach. After the First World War Rwanda and Burundi were transferred to Belgian as a ‘protectorate’, which must have made the Rwandans very happy.

The good news is that Malcolm now has Irene as well as Eve to look after him. He is also very happy  and that is true!!!

On Rwanda TV on Thursday, their short International News, following an item about Turkish troops building up on the border with Syria, reported that David Beckham has not been selected for the Olympic football squad for Britain. But nothing about the Spice Girls getting together. Fancy that!

This weeks Proverb from the BBC is from South Sudan:

 “Half a meal in freedom is better than a full one in bondage”