The Map Office

Tuesday March 8^th

Today’s final cultural experience was a trip to the map office in Entebbe. We arrived at the locked door of a very run down building before discovering the back entrance helped by a Ugandan working for the red cross and a security Guard. We had forgotten that today is yet another public holiday for “Women’s Day” but fortunately Richard was at work. We were led to an office which is pictured below where we spent a very hot hour obtaining a map of Mityana District and eventually a computer image of the map around Kagando because the paper version was “out of stock”. The office was a picture of terminal decay with maps strewn everywhere! Richard has worked in the office since 1983 and has obviously been dedicated to the work despite all the difficulties.

The Map Office

After doing a few touristy things we met up with John Bosco from Mityana who updated us with some Esuubi bits and pieces. He is such a good and willing person to work with and we are extremely fortunate to have him working with Esuubi.

We had a final supper here at the airport guest house with the entertainment of 2 guinea fowl chasing around the garden at high speed.

We are both sorry to be leaving Uganda but looking forward to a hot bath and some cold weather!!

Chimps using sticks to fish for termites

By the seaside-after 300+miles

Monday March 7^th

It was a long and rather tiring eight and half hour journey to Entebbe so we were very relieved to have arrived safely. The first part of the journey goes through some of Queen Elizabeth Park and low and behold some of the elusive elephants put in an appearance which was decidedly a bonus.

On the lake shore at Lake Victoria

To get rid of all the aches and pains from sitting all that time we found a way from where we are staying to walk to the shore of Lake Victoria which is the first time we have managed that. It looks very tempting to swim in but as you can see there were numerous snails on the shore which are the little chaps responsible for Bilharzia in the water!

Numerous snails on the shore line carrying Bilharzia

Dodgy roads and beautiful birds

Sunday 6^th March

This weekend has seen me driving in East Africa for the first time in 26 years! Robert the surgeon very kindly loaned us his car for the weekend. We came back to Kagando through Katwe which allowed us again to pass through the game park. There were some amazing animals but more especially the birds and it was great just to stop and wait and watch things without any need to rush on. The second part of the journey from Katwe was along a dirt road which after some heavy rain this morning was interesting in a saloon car without 4 wheel drive but we made it OK (Ann says just!!)

The food where we were staying was excellent. We were particularly entertained last night when it was announced that the vegetatrian option instead of pork chops was chicken!!

The Lyths have arrived back after a month in the UK so it will be good to catch up with them over supper this evening.

I think we have both enjoyed our time here very much and hope we have been able to contribute in some small way while we have been here.

View from the veranda of the tent we were staying in

Back to nature with outdoor showers!

A White Fronted Bee Eater

Elusive Elephants

Saturday March 5^th

Today has been spent first looking around some of the local places of interest. Elephants proved unfortunately elusive as has most other wildlife but we did see a crested guinea fowl which was a first.

This afternoon we have just been relaxing at the place we are staying. It is very peaceful with a view over the Kazinga channel which joins Lake George to Lake Edward, 2 of the major Rift Valley Lakes. It’s a wonderful place for birds and it’s been very relaxing just to sit and watch the amazing  selection here. We had a particularly good view of a Goliath Heron from our tent's veranda. I’d love to post a photo but the internet connection here is a trifle dicey!

We shall be back at Kagando tomorrow afternoon before travelling to Entebbe on Monday.

Time to relax

Friday March 4^th

Ann had a successful last morning teaching. She was given a thankyou letter, a bracelet, farewell a speech and given millet porridge and mandazis! So all in all you can tell they were very grateful for all she has done and Ann is also very grateful to God to have been able to teach each morning without her foot becoming too problematical.

We came away this afternoon for a 2 night break at Queen Elizabeth Bush Camp which is a random tented camp on the edge of the park with many birds and an outside shower but it will be lovely to have a weekend to relax after such a busy few weeks.

A stormy day

Thursday 3^rd March

It is 6.50pm here and Simon has just been called down to the hospital to see a sick child so he has said, “it’s your turn to do the blog today!”

I went to teach Bible Explorer lesson 4 armed with a resuscitation “baby” wrapped up ready to be nearly cut in two for the story where King Solomon shows his wisdom and a balloon masking taped to a very long pole as Goliath. The lesson went well and the kids enjoyed it.

The sign to the school

This afternoon we had a splendid storm for about an hour which has cooled everything down a bit which is pleasant.

Simon has been working at the hospital and talking to some nurses who have come out from UK for a few months. One of the problems here is that new things such as oil for generators and anaesthetic agents are not re-ordered until they have run out. It is a cultural issue. However running out of coffee for a week would not matter but a generator which supplies oxygen for intensive care and lack of anaesthetics can be life threatening.

The walls of Jericho

Wednesday 2^nd March

The walls of Jericho came down today! Also Ann was looking for a volunteer to act as Gideon and didn’t have a “fleece" to use for the story. The children were very insistent that a sleepy looking child should act the part. Not only was his real name Gideon but he was wearing a pink anorak (in the current heat!) which when turned inside out had a fleece lining! God provides things in mysterious ways!

The Ark of the Covenant going round the walls or Jericho

The main event at the hospital was a doctors meeting this afternoon. This was dominated by so many of the issues that dominate meetings at home and in some ways felt equally inconclusive!!

Three Xrays for the medical people out there! Any answers post in the comments section!!

70 year old woman with persistent cough It took a week to persuade her to have a chest Xray done!

13 year old girl with past history rheumatic fever

70 year old woman with a stroke and ESR of 106

New cookers

Tuesday March 1^st

Today Ann has been busy teaching about the Israelites leaving Egypt and spying out the Promised Land. I think the children are really getting into the drama as so much of what they have to do is wrote learning at their desks. One of the questions in today’s work book was which the hardest commandment to keep is. One pupil answered Trust God only because some people go to the which doctor!

The spies!

There are a group of 5 people here this week that are based in Lira who are promoting the use of fuel efficient stoves. They bought 50 fuel efficient stoves which use half as much charcoal and these sold out to the staff in only a few minutes with a waiting list of those who didn’t manage to secure them They cost 17000 UgSh and with charcoal at around 22,000 UgSh for a bag which is a month’s supply you can see that the stoves could very easily pay for themselves in around 6 weeks. They are also refurbishing the hospital kitchen stoves with more efficient stoves which are constructed around a special brick core which is very efficient at retaining the heat. This is a major exercise which many people were enthusiastically joining in with!

The brick centres to the ovens are then covered in mud which all helps toretain the heat

The food cooked on these stoves is a little varied. Matoke (cooked green bananas) Posho (solid maize porridge), Sweet Potatoes, Irish Potatoes (normal potatoes!), Cabbage, Ground nut sauce, Beans, rice and occasional meat (usually grisly and fatty!). But it is generally very good and a very low fat diet.

Matoke, beans and rice!