110 years of Christianity in Kabarole

Christianity came to Kabarole in 1896 when the then King was baptised and encouraged all his court and officials to do like wise. There seems to have a good level of tolerance with little trouble when other churches came to share the Region.
So as to be polite and not late when the invitation said 11.00am we arrived at the Church of Uganda Cathedral at 10.45. By now we should know better, the previous service was still in progress we finally started at 11.45 or so. Fortunately we were able to share the family pew with a friend which meant we had help with translation of the proceedings. As always here hymns are sung to completion, long introductions and explanations, a very long, but most inspiring sermon by the Archbishop and we finished at about 3.15, only to start immediately on the speeches of welcome, thanks, gifts of cows, not actually present in the church,introductions, such as us, having to stand up and wave to all, it went on till 4.00 or so. Then, after photographs of the King and other high ups off to have "lunch" but only after more speeches, singing, dancing etc. Good food, local, of course, supplied by the King finally concluding at dusk, about 7.00pm. You need stamina, and water works like a camel to survive this sort of event. Unfortunately I have another reception tomorrow, this time civic, Labour day, and I hope profoundly not so long. Takes a mighty chunk out of what seem rather rare holiday weekends.

Earthquake

Thursday 27th we had our biggest shake yet. Originally reported as 5.3 now only 4.3, light, acording to the official description, none the less exciting enough. It seemed to go on for a long time ??5 - 6 seconds, this strange feeling of being able to do nothing at all to change things, quite relaxing in a way. No damage and since I sealed the ceilings no bat droppings coming down round the edges of the rooms. The position of the quake seems to be identical with the 7.2 of 1994 so obviously an active spot. Since each number means ten time the energy a 7.2 would be virtually 1000 stronger something I am quite happy to leave unexperienced. The next big one is not due until about 2024.
At this time of year the mountains are clear and so beautiful with the changing light, cloud and shadow, I suppose they might now be a cm or so higher than they were early in the week. Quite intriguing, the feeling that the World is so pliable.

Farming and Medicine and things

Very few people in this part of the world are obese, mostly reasonably well fed, not much meat and plenty of beans, banana etc. But I have had a feeling for a while that there is a surprising amount of diabetes. Talking to one of our Public Health students who is a senior man in the health administration of the district explained why.
cassava is one of the staples, consisting almost entirely of starch, it is used as a vegetable and also to make flour. It is well known that cassava contains significant quantities of cyanide so the traditional way of using it is to soak it in water for about 24 hrs and then use it. However about 25 years ago a new variety with low cyanide was introduced and for flour making this saved the wash and all that was necessary was to press out the juice before milling. To compensate, the wild variety was planted around compounds so that if the pigs tried to invade the garden they would eat the wild cassava and die. Unfortunately the two varieties cross breed so the concentration of cyanide has been creeping up but the flour millers have not changed their ways, as a result there is a cronic, low level of cyanide toxicity which seems to damage the pancreas and cause the diabetes.
This same student is one of the many who has problems paying the fees. From his brother and sister he inherited 27 children whom he is trying to educate. He recently completed the education for three who were now able to contribute a bit to looking after their siblings but another brother died, aged 48, from diabetes, leaving him three more orphans to look after. He resisted very considerable family pressure to take on the wife as his second, this is still a country where polygamy is quite widely accepted, really as a social service in some cases. Probably not in this case, but this inheriting wives can be an effective way of spreading AIDS. If anyone would like to help this student, or any of the other 25 who could not take their semester exams because they had not paid their fees $300 - $500 a semester you may contact through info@mmu.ac.ug. Talented, hard working students, potential graduates the country and particularly this impoverished Region really need. Have a good day.

Parties and things

At last the container arrived in Fort Portal. It left UK in early December with a load of computers and a gift of 25 items from Tehniquest Hands on Science Park in Cardiff. It arrived at 11.30 at night but could not be opened until the Customs people arrived at 5.00pm the next day. The arrival at the school which was receiving much of the contents was the excuse for a party which seems to have gone on from arrival to being emptied. The school hall was filled with compouters, cricket bats and balls, sewing machines, books, copiers and science equipment, every item had to be viewed and counted by customs before they could be removed to store. To get our stuff we used the truck which had brought the container, another truck, a pick up, and my 4WD. More or less completing at midnight. Getting the small truck proved very difficult, one refused outright as the road was so bad and the next needed serious evidence that we were not smuggling, in the burglary business or supplying rebels down the road. Luckily a white skin was a big help. The arrival of the equipment opens up much hard work to get the gifts into use but also great opportunities for development.
Light relief this last weekend. Saturday the wedding of a colleague started in church at 11.00am and we finally got to eat at 6.30, stamina is needed for social gatherings in Uganda, and strong insides. The party of the wedding reception was the third day. They must have fed about 1000 people on our day although it seems it was a cooperative effort of the whole village and beyond bring food and staying for the 'dancing till dawn'. Ugandans seem to love a speech even more than the Irish so about 2 hrs family, friends, politicians and the employer - me. A heavy shower beautifully timed as the wedding party arrived greeted with cheerfulness as it is a good sign of fertility.
The next day was a birthday party for a friend who is 80, He was thrown out by Amin but came back to re-establish his tea estate which he has virtually done. Again a wonderful party with strange contacts, another friend out here whose mother is remarrying is marrying an ex school friend of 50 years ago. Fort Portal is clearly the place to be if you want to meet the world.
Now into Easter which again is done with enthusiasm and with plenty of time......

The funeral.

So after a frantic weekend buying clothes to replace those burned and deciding on a new school which will be very good and moving all the necessary stuff over, things are getting back to normal.
It is the wet season so the picture shows what used to be an entrance up to our house, I suppose a tank might get up it but not four wheels.
Yesterday was the day of the funeral, One large casket to hole th remains of the children. The names of 9 were read out yet 19 were reported as being lost so I am not sure what the final number, certianly some turned up later.
The service itself was very dignified and peaceful on the whole though some politicians and preachers went on too long, as expected, I suppose. People were quiet, gentle singing of hymns people knew and nothing much in the way of loud sorrow, families are still in shock. Although the vast bulk of the proceedings were in Rhutoro I am very glad I was there among the several thousands who came knowing that there was to be rain which duly arrived about half way through some got soaked, some had left when they saw what was on the way and the rest squeezed under the protection of the tents. Bridget had planned to be there and I was going to pick her up from school but at the last minute the time was brought well forward, possibly because of the rain which was due but it meant it was not possible for her to get there and join her friends. I hope she was not too upset.

Update on Fire.

The funerals of what is left is taking place tomorrow, Wednesday, with a road blocked off to make space for all the dignatories expected to join the bereaved families. In the meantime much of my time has been taken up with helping Bridget and another ten year old to find replacements for their clothes, shoes and everything else they had and then to find them a new school, Unfortunately this has to be boarding which will not be easy since it means sleeping in a domintory again. Food also is a problem. The standard school menue is Posho and beans whith some meat and motoke [banana] at the weekend. Posho is maize meal which seems to very hard on the stomach and difficult to cope with if you come from a part of the country where it is not part of the normal diet. As Bridget described it when she had to gave it: she had snakes in her stomach. not much of a recommendation. I just hope that by adding little by little into her meal she will train her digestion to cope. I find it intensely boring less taste but rather the constiuency of hard cooked semolina. Oh for a hamburger and chips.