We were picked up from our home by a shuttle service and dropped off at the airport where we had a two-hour wait. We are reading the book, 'The Rent Collector' together so we had amble time to almost finish it. When they announced the boarding of our flight, Dennis realized that he didn't have his ticket. Panic time!!!! He retraced his steps but it could not be found. I stayed with the luggage and he ran to the information booth which informed him he would have to go back to the front counter for them to reissue him a ticket. I was trying to decide what I was going to do. Go ahead without him because we had three men flying in to Uganda for training or wait it out and pray intensely. I decided to go down the ramp with all the luggage to talk to the attendants there to inform them of the situation. I started my spill when one of the ladies asked if this was my husband's ticket? It was. Someone had found it and brought it to the gate......there are many honest people, even here in Joburg. Now, what do I do? They told me to leave the luggage with them and try to find my husband because they could not hold the plane. I took off, went to the information booth to find out where they had sent Dennis. I started running and ran right into Dennis who had another ticket in his hand. Can you imagine what would have happened if we had missed each other......a tender mercy. Now his story......He took off after they told him he had to go to the front. When he reached the ticket booth, he explained, "I have lost my ticket." The servant on the other side of the counter said, "Hello. How are you?" Are you serious? Look at my panic face and you can see how I am. But of course, he did not say that. We learned from our previous mission, that it is very impolite to approach someone and start talking without a greeting first. So he went through the whole greeting spill and then expressed his dilemna. They printed another ticket, he went through security again and then made the mad dash to the gate where he found me. The sweet attendants at the gate were genuinely happy to see us. They informed us that next time this happens, we could just go to the gate and they can print one off there. That sure would have been less stressful....but truly, there had better NOT be a next time. The 4-hour flight after that was very uneventful.
We arrived at 7:00 p.m.(they are an hour ahead) - already dark, where we were greeted by Anna - sent from the hotel to fetch us. There was no way that we could have rented a car and driven the streets of Kampala. There are very, very few robots (traffic lights) and everyone just makes a dash to get through an intersection. Even at night, the streets were alive with people, kids, music, shops open. I rolled down the windows and enjoyed every sound, smell and sight. It took us around an 1 1/2 hour to get to the Protea Hotel where we were staying. A lovely spot. Had dinner and went to bed.
Anna from the hotel - an immediate friend.
Nightlife in Kampala - I have a whole lot more pictures on previous blog entitled Uganda...
Dropped off at the Protea Kampala Hotel
Protea Kampala Hotel
Steven Ssenyonjo, the Uganda Church History Adviser, and his wife, Margaret, picked us up at the hotel in the morning and he drove us to the store where we could buy some snacks for the training. Then went to the Stake Center to set up for the training. Steven nor us could get the projector to work, so Steven called on experts. Finally, on our third expert and three hours later, like magic it worked. I have no idea what he did. We briefly went through the training and then headed for a late lunch at The Lawn. It was beautiful situated on a gold course. Steven brought us back to the hotel where we met up with Geofrey and Elizabeth Kafeero and their 6-day old baby, Jennie. (We had met them in July when they came to the temple to be sealed. They had just been civilly married a few weeks before. We have kept in contact since. He finished his schooling in Accounting but has had a problem finding a job. He is now teaching in a small rural school) I was in heaven to hold a brand new baby in my arms. So sweet. In the meantime, David Mwanziu from Kenya and Joram Mhango, from Tanzania, arrived at the hotel. We all gathered in the hotel restaurant for dinner (which seriously took two hours - they are in no hurry here) and then they let us use a room to begin our training. At 10:00 we dismissed until the following day.
It was a lovely afternoon. How blessed we are to be here to experience the culture of so many people. We flew home Sunday morning arriving too late for church. That night we went to a fireside where Elder Firmage gave us a presentation on the last week of the Savior's life in preparation for Easter..
Steven and Margaret Ssenyonjo
Dennis and ? - don;t remember his name but was a recently returned missionary that we discovered was the brother of Elizabeth Kafeero.
The distribution center in Uganda - they are taking inventory
See the smile on my face - finally success on getting the projector to work!!
Steven and the Kampala Stake Center
The Lawn where we had lunch
Elizabeth and Geofrey and their six-day old little girl, Jennie
Franklin, our waitress. She was so attentive and sweet. Have I told you lately how much I love the people here in Africa.
Joram and Steven
Dinner at the hotel restaurant - Dennis, David, Joram and Steven
Opening training...
David leading us in our opening song - he did it with such gusto..
Friday and Saturday morning was spent in training where we discussed annual histories, oral histories, historical events, historical markers, etc. It was a long day but we enjoyed being with these fine men. I truly felt that spirit in our meetings. I know this is an important work and that our Father in Heaven needs the history of his church recorded here in Africa. We hope that in some small way we were able to inspire, motivate and assist in the efforts here in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Steven Ssenyonjo our host from Uganda
Jarom Mhango and David M
A day of training
Becoming Tascam certified
At the end of training we gave each of our advisers a tie with CTR embroidered on it. A good looking bunch.
There is an institute section attached to the stake center where classes and activities are available for the young adults.
Saying good-bye to David and Jarom
Our flight back home did not leave until Sunday morning at 7:00 (we had to leave the hotel at 3:30 a.m. - eish, I am so not an early morning person) so we had Saturday afternoon available. Anna was willing to show us around Kampala for a few hours. We are so grateful for her (just wished we could have taken a ride on a boda-boda). We visited an Anglican church, an orphanage, the king's palace, a mosque and Lake Victoria. It was a grand afternoon.
Some sights of Kampala
The Anglican Church in Kampala
The red brick Anglican Cathedral with the impressive dome was built on Namirembe Hill in March 1890.
A young man was practicing on the organ while we were there. They were preparing for Palm Sunday, the following day
Our cute guide showing us the place where they baptize
In the earlier years, these drums would announce the beginning of church. They are no longer in use.
They say that Kampala is build on seven hills but Anna told us it is actually 20 hills. We definitely counted more than seven. Pictures do not capture the beauty from on high.
Then we drove to the Sanyu Babies Home where they bring abandoned new borns
This cute family was donating some toilet paper, soap and some food. This orphanage totally relies on donations. They have 50 babies from newborn to four years old. Then they try and get them into foster homes and adopted. We wished that we lived close so we could be of assistance and be part of such a wonderful organization.
This is a two-week old baby boy that was found in a trench and brought here. He was smitten with Dennis. They name the children as they arrive and this little ones name was James. The nurse is the one with Dennis.
Anna with some of the children. They were getting ready for nap time.
Don't you think we look alike.....
This is a brand new baby that was found in the garbage. Can you imagine what would happen to them if this place did not exist? The hearts of people are huge - they see a need and do something about it. These are volunteers.
This little one was HIV positive. They can help HIV babies with medicine if they can get them before 6 months. This baby is now HIV free!
Imagine laundry day here!!!!
Look at the smile on this lady - I don't think I would be smiling like that if I was folding all those clothes.
Every day they have bible school.....Anna, Dennis and the nurse (she does have a name put I forgot it) in front of the school
The entrance
I loved our visit here........I would love to make a difference like this...
School even on Saturday
What we saw on the way to the palace - of course, boda-bodas
We could not figure out how they build - these were just crooked branches....where does it go from here?
The King's palace - but he does not live here. It is only used for special occasions.
Where the King's servants live
This was a death chamber during the regime of Uganda's president, Idi Amin. In 1972 he exiled all Asians and then murdered and tortured 500,000 Ugandans in the seven years he was in power. The story behind this place: they would take someone (educator, political activist, anyone he didn't like), blindfold them, drive them around the city for a long time to make them think they were far away from the city and then take them to this place and throw them into one of the rooms.
The bottom was full of water with an electrical current running through it. So if they tried to escape, they would be electrocuted.
They would have hundreds of people in these rooms with no facilities and fed them little. When they died they just piled them up. How can anyone be so inhuman?
You can see the water line on the bottom
The mosgue that we toured and the tower that we climbed to the top.
We had to be covered....that headdress was really hot and bothersome.
The chandelier in the dome inside
Our guide - she is a student. This is where they pray five times a day. It can hold 35,000 people.
Where they preach from
She read for us the prayers (actually she sang them for us)
This is where the women sit
Now to the tower - we weren't sure that we would make it but we did.
Our view of Kampala from top of the tower
Eish, I look so different in one of these.....
Next stop is Lake Victoria - about 45 minute drive
Anna asked us which side of the lake we wanted to go to - the one that the local members go to or the VIP spot. We told her whole-heartedly, the local members.
I love, love this picture.
There was a lot of people sitting around, eating fish and drinking beer. The table and chairs were situated on the dirt floor among the rocks. Anna kept asking us if we wanted to try some fish. After seeing the flies buzzing around them and out in the open, we declined. They wouldn't let me take a picture. I am wrong. They would let me for a price but I wasn't willing to pay. Everyone wanted money. Now I wish I had paid because the scene is lost.
This young lady smiled at me, so I gave her a sucker. Absolutely adorable.
Cafe on the beach
Then Anna took us to the VIP side and this is what we saw.
This bird was walking around with us then flew to the top of the light. Look how strange.
Sounds like a fun and adventurous week. I can't believe you got all that in in such a short time.
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