Friendly Faces of Uganda
Waiting for us was Jackson, a sweet young man who welcomed us with the most fantastic smile, and loaded us into the waiting van. Jackson tells us that the airport terminal is new, so that is why it is much nicer than I recall. When I tell him I was here 2 years ago, neither of us is certain if we met back then, as I was part of a large team from Yorkview Church. Regardless, Jackson had fun listing all the people he knows from “The Dons High Adventure” team, all of whom everyone here misses. We even broke out into JaJa Kens favourite song… Things Already Betta’….and I was a homesick for Yorkview.
I was really impressed by the kids and Kevin. They barely flinched at the sights on the drive in. They waived to kids in the back of pickup trucks, and kindly waived off peddlars selling leather belts, and wash sponges to cars at the stop light, and barely noticed, motorbikes carrying 300kg of bananas or live chickens. So it seems the previous adventures have prepared us well for Uganda. In fact, it seems nothing is shocking, just different.
I think I was beaming the entire ride to the guesthouse, reminiscing as soon as I smelled “it”, that being Uganda. Those exclusive scents, …the wood burning for all the fires being used for cooking on the streets, and the smell of the people. You can burn wood anywhere but it doesn’t smell the same as it does in Uganda, and nor do the people smell like anywhere else. Many countries people have various scents based mainly on what their diets consist of, (and how often they shower, I suppose) but none of those are as distinct, as those that come with the beautiful people of Uganda. (Maybe I should say Africa, but I have only knowledge of Uganda.). I enjoy it, as attached to that scent, is the memory of a endless line of the most loving people I have ever met, on my last short visit here in 2007. My anxieties of returning with my family quickly dissolve.
Jackson takes us into town to pick up supplies of cases of water, and hundreds of candy for the ready, when we get to Nakyessa next week. We are disappointed that school is out on vacation, but know that there will be many village kids still up there, and there is good work for /us to do painting the primary classrooms.
Pulling up to Adonai 2, the guesthouse, we are greeted and reacquainted by our lovely housekeepers Jane and Susan. We exchange warm hugs, and do intro to the rest of the family. It turns out due to some financial struggles, Jane has let her apartment go, and is staying with her youngest son Josh at Adonai. An hour later, Brendan, Aaron and new buddy Josh, are playing soccer, dodge ball and every other game they can think of on the front garden, followed by some early evening scrabble.
Aaron is looking very relaxed here, Kevin keeps saying he can’t believe how lovely it is in the garden, and Brendan well, let’s just say he adjusts quickly. Getting into bed, Brendan says he thinks today was his favourite day of the trip so far (!?) ….feels like home,…people are so welcoming….they have peanut butter,… they got to play soccer and just read books, etc…. Smart kid! Proof that it is truly the simple things in life the bring joy.
While in Kampala, we do lots of walking around the town centre near the guesthouse. It is quite sad in some places. At one point Joshua is with us walking around and we see a line up of people at the backdoor of the hotel, where we are headed to buy and ice cream. He tells us that the people in line are there to pick up old bones and “good scraps” from the hotel. Suddenly, the ice cream doesn’t taste so sweet.
The contrast between what we are used to in North America and that of Africa is SO polar opposite. Even for those who are being educated, and have some stable quality of life, the differences are glaring. The following day, we are eating lunch at the guesthouse and had bought some dill pickles to snack on. When we invited Joshua to have some, he did but didn’t know what they were. So Brendan says, you know “pickles” like you get on hamburger at MacDonalds. To which he replies.”Mac Donalds??” …you know you’re far from home when you are no longer in the land that knows MacDonalds. (Even in India we had it!) Oh, he also had soup with us for the first time. He called it “sauce”, and probably wondered what it should be poured over.
