Christmas Day Part Four – A Nile Beer at Mirembe Bar to celebrate Christmas and the wonderful day I have had!

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It was getting on to dusk by the time we reached Innocents bar, Mirembe means peace by the way! My Nile was ice cold as I like it; James enjoyed a Mountain Dew soda and Innocent a small Guinness! I got out of my rucksack a well travelled box of mince pies and a box of snacks to have with our Christmas drinks.

They both disappeared swiftly! I gave Innocent a few Christmas gifts, one a tray with a message of friendship printed on it. Innocent enjoys poetry and we have a good friendship so this was an ideal gift for him, and his business! I’ve actually written a newsletter about Innocent which I have yet to send you so you will learn more about him when I do!

James and I spent a ‘happy hour’, quite literally, with the beer very cheap at 3000 Ugx a pint 75p, chatting to Innocent and watching the world go by. Long horned cows passed very close to our table along with herd of goats pulling a young boy along.

They knew their way home! Many people passed us in colourful clothes returning from their Christmas day some getting off and one the taxi buses loaded with produce including live chickens, probably a gift from their relatives. I treated Innocent to a small Guinness, his favourite though he doesn’t normally drink on duty. He was often jumping up to serve customers or see to those who were wanting to play pool.

As dusk stared to fall across the swamp it was time to head home for our last Christmas celebration. Young Livee had spent Christmas alone at St James, looking after the animals. He would not have found this strange as many people here in Uganda don’t know the material side of Christmas, it is just another day. I did feel guilty though but was determined to make it up to him when we had our Christmas meal together.

Christmas Day Part Three – Football Match – Poynton v Wanyange (Nakakabala v Jinja)

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It was a colourful sight as usually I only see these people dressed in one colour, mud brown! The balls at St James, gifts from Richmond Rovers were worn out so a search was started for a replacement.

It took a while to find the ball. In the meantime James and I returned to the field and sat at a school desk at the side of the pitch talking to the team and the spectators, many of them children. It was threatening rain and we had no coats but we were lucky it just stayed cloudy, ideal for me out in the open.

Poynton looked very smart in the red and black strip given to them by Poynton Football Club at home! The ones who didn’t have the shirts played bare-chested and of course nearly all were bare footed too! The opposing team wore a mix of colours. I had made up two paper banners one saying ‘POYNTON OYEE’ which is the local footy chant and another saying ‘2 4 6 8 who do we appreciate POYNTON!’

I tried to explain this one but realising most watching couldn’t read or speak English I gave up, though one of the spectators ran and jumped with it in his hands the whole match! I had also brought a few party hooters that my friend Bridget Ferguson had given me but soon regretted it as there was a constant loud hooting throughout the match but everyone was happy including James and I as Poynton won 4-2!

The game was fast and furious with the young men being so athletic! James asked me to give an after match talk and I also Julius the captain 20,000 shillings to treat everyone to a soda. It was another enjoyable experience to add to my achievements!

People were not the only spectators, a few cows dotted the sidelines some with long horns and goats kept wandering onto the pitch but this all added to the atmosphere, for me anyway as I don’t think anyone else noticed!

Christmas Day Part Three – Football Match – Poynton v Wanyange (Nakakabala v Jinja)!

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The match postponed from Pork Day 23rd December was to be played today. We had been hoping to visit Innocent beforehand but with two churches and visiting the Grand I called him and said we would come after the game. We had been informed that the venue had been changed to one near the main road as the original one was waterlogged. James asked our driver to slow down as we approached but play hadn’t started apparently no-one had thought to bring a ball!!! So we carried on to St James walking up the lane with many of the families from the village returning after their celebrations.

cont.

A Christmas Day like no other – Part Two – Visiting ‘The Grand’ & my first Christmas meal!

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I hope I am not causing trouble to your system sending all my news in one go. I have to make the most of being in Jinja and with two hydro-electric power stations on the Nile nearby I should get enough electricity though Godfrey who I am staying with said they had little over the Christmas period!

x

Part Two – Visiting ‘The Grand’

Not on our schedule for today was calling in on an elderly lady who has brought up many children orphaned by the death of their parents or abandoned by their parents’ irresponsibility! I first met her in 2002 when John Baptist Zaake and his sister Veronica were taken into Maria’s Care after their father, grandfather and two uncles had died of Aids.

When Veronica turned 14 the government rules stipulate that she had to leave the children’s home so she went to her grandmother’s who already had many grandchildren in her care. I was asked by the charity I was connected to at the time if I could find the money to build a little home for her and Vernon Infant School in Poynton did just that. I helped Veronica and other children to build the mud home from treading the mud to building the walls. An experience never forgotten! Let me know if you would like me to send you my newsletter of that time!

Their ‘Gerry-built’ mud home fell down a few years ago due to termite infestation but only after it had seen Veronica, John and cousin Innocent, through their teenage years. I am in constant contact with John and his cousin Innocent who has been helped by some of you to gain degrees and a chance of a good future.

It was a complete surprise to The Grand when James and I arrived. She was busy cooking their Christmas dinner! John was fetched from the church he was praying, his beautiful smile showing the delight he felt at my visit. I said we were on our way to visit his cousin Innocent so would not stay long. Famous last words…..

While catching up with John’s news The Grand had gone back to her cooking and served a plateful of food for James and me! We know better than to try to refuse so we ended up sat with John in a tiny room decorated with the branch of a tree festooned with homemade decorations, having an early lunch and it was delicious.

The pork she had cooked was the best I have every eaten, it fell off the bone and its flavour was amazing. I joked with James that we should employ The Grand to come and look after me the next time I come to Uganda. He took me seriously and asked her before we left and she agreed! I’m pretty certain she will be more reliable than Fatuma and other ‘maids’ I have had, but we will see what happens. She could certainly do with the money I would pay her and probably be more reliable, not disappearing without saying!

A Christmas Day like no other – Part One – two churches in one day! cont

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My mind kept wondering back to the church next door and I whispered to James that maybe we stay a few more minutes and then go there as the services do go on for hours! He agreed and I am so glad he did as I felt at home straight away as we were so warmly welcomed by my friends at Maria’s church.

I had been asked to introduce myself at Noah’s Church but here there was no need, many of them knew me. The style of praising was not quite as noisy and lively as its neighbour but was warm and colourful with the added bonus that they automatically interpreted knowing I was there. Each time I have attended KBC I have always been asked to contribute to the service which I have done by singing songs I know.

Last year it was My God is a Great Big God taught to me by the children at St Pauls School in Poynton. After the first verse everyone tried to join in especially with the actions. I can remember one very elderly lady trying her very best to follow the ups and downs of the movements and she was there again this year and smiled at me as I stood to begin.

This year it just had to be Christmas carols and I had thought in advance and brought the words! I chose Joy to the World, one of my favourites and of James and my friend Innocent. We had been singing it together a few days ago when we got trapped in my room in a thunderstorm along with his mum and stepsister. More about that another day!

I think Joy to the World must have been one of Maria’s favourites too as quite a few of the congregation joined in. They were Maria’s ‘children’, their partners and offspring. I was awarded loud applause and the clan ‘cry’ of celebration then asked to sing another! This time I chose Silent Night as I know it so well though I wondered if my voice would hit the high notes, it did!

A few years ago I would have died of embarrassment if I had been asked to stand up in front of a congregation and talk let alone sing but here in Uganda there is something that gives me such confidence that I love it, even when I go wrong it doesn’t bother me or it seems anyone else! James and Godfrey Adrin who was at Maria’s Care and, James tutored him when he was training to be a teacher. It seems that a lot of my friends here know each other one way or another and they are all wonderful!

At the end of the service we were asked to share a Christmas cake made by one of the members. I had purposely brought a bag of ‘fizzy’ sweets which just made it around all the children. Pastor Herbert who has been preaching there since Maria’s time and Godfrey who was one of Maria’s ‘naughty boys’ asked if I would go back again before I leave so we have kept my last Sunday, 4th January, free. I have a feeling they want to gather up as many of Maria’s children as they can for that service! I will look forward to it and go prepared, maybe not too late for another carol or two!