'Are You Ready For CHOGM?' - Farewell Kampala

As soon as you leave the airport at Entebbe you are greeted every few hundred yards by a face smiling down on you from a poster with the caption 'I'm ready for CHOGM'. At first we wondered whether this was a word in the Lugandan language, but soon realised that it was part of Kampala's preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting here in November.

In anticipation of CHOGM new hotels are being built and roads improved - and believe me, they need it. Driving through Kampala, you are soon aware that the road system and traffic jams are a major issue. Road signs are few and far between, road markings are even more scarce, and who has the right of way in any given situation is an enigma.

To avoid a traffic jam involves venturing on to the back streets, introducing a new hazard - a legion of potholes. Sometimes these can be avoided, but then only by driving on the wrong side of the road. Often you can't. If it's been raining potholes become invisible or of indeterminate depth, so you mustn't be too possessive about your exhaust pipe. 'Be prepared' is the watchword on Kampala's roads as, indeed, it is for CHOGM. The Queen will doubtless find her way pothole-free when she comes, but doubtless too, 99% of the potholes will remain. I think that maybe there's a parable about our Christian lives here somewhere.

Tomorrow morning we leave Kampala on the 6.30 bus, together with all our freight and luggage. Finally in Arua we will have to sort out internet access, so this might be the last blog for a while.

A Cultural Incident

We've a lovely en-suite room at the Guest House including a patio and, about 10 metres away, a terraced garden with a large area of grass.

Yesterday evening we had a special treat – a wedding reception in the garden. Adorned with an amazing array of flowers which would have been the envy of any wedding I’ve taken, the reception was a real spectacle. Whilst some ceremony was unfamiliar to us, it also included the usual beautifully dressed guests, food, speeches, cake and............music. The bass response of the speakers was exceptional, and much of the music hit the resonant frequency of our doorframe perfectly! Surprisingly it was a good experience and by 11.00 pm the clearing-up was completed. And so to bed.

In addition to the wonderful view, our room (44) also has a connecting door to the adjacent room (43). On several occasions this week new occupants of Room 43 have tried with some determination to get into our room, but fortunately the bolt is on our side! But the door is not the most substantial, which ensures that, with a little imagination, the occupants of both rooms can be fully conversant with what’s going on next door.

Having dropped off to sleep after the wedding, we were both awoken around 1.45 am by the sound of zips being zipped, locks being unlocked and then locked again, doors opening and closing. It was a bit like the arrival of Marley’s Ghost, but the coughing and the dim sound of a TV assured us that this was not so. It was our neighbour arriving in rather late. By about 2.45 am things had fallen quiet again, save for the continuing sound of the TV and a semi-rhythmic, mezzo-forte, snoring. Allan reached for his ear-plugs - and so to sleep, again.

Around 5.30 am, before the call to prayer from the local mosque, Anne (who had no ear-plugs) started awake with the loud blowing of a nose next door, followed by animated African conversation between a group of men who seemed to have no conception of what sotto voce might mean. By 6.00 am – even with ear-plugs, Allan too had woken up. Finally, our neighbour’s visitors left, and the TV (tuned to a Christian channel) was turned up forte, presumably to enable our neighbour to hear it whilst continuing to blow his nose at regular intervals. One of the songs being sung was ‘Thank you Jesus’, which wasn’t entirely the sentiment Anne and I were feeling. Complete silence descended some half-hour later as our neighbour left his room.

Blessed sleep embraced us both again, until at 7.30, we were both woken up again with a loud knocking on our patio door – our laundry was being returned.

A few hours earlier we had been reading Craig Storti’s book The Art of Crossing Cultures. In it he talks about ‘cultural incidents’ arising out of the fact that we expect other people to behave like we do, but they don’t. Our conclusion? Last night was a gift from God and a ‘cultural incident’ to reflect on. But we’re still tired.

What's your phone number?

Day 5 in Uganda. Landed at Entebbe in torrential rain on Saturday, the plane behaving more a speedboat than an aircraft. Then here to Namirembe Guest House in Kampala (Allan outside our room pictured above).

Since then we’ve had a productive few days, and met numerous interesting and useful people (including good friends from CMS we’d met in training) who all asked us for our ‘phone number. Sadly couldn’t oblige with Ugandan numbers. So we’ve bought new mobile phones (haven’t had a new one for 4 years anyway). Real excitement! But still learning how to use advanced technology.

Discovered we’d only been let into Uganda for 1 month despite having a 3 month visa. But a really helpful man at the Church of Uganda Provincial Office is sorting out the bureaucracy for us. Still might involve a delay, but we’re hoping to clarify the next move when we meet Bishop Joel this afternoon.

Air freight currently in transit from Amsterdam to Entebbe - should arrive tomorrow. Thence to a friend’s garage awaiting the next move.

We’re both well, glad to be here and excited about what God has got in store for us.

Incidentally, weather’s improved from Saturday.

All Packed And Ready to Go!?

It all started with an e-mail to CMS and a walk down Waterloo Road - which all seems a very long time ago. Two and a half years on, 4 cases packed, airfreight somewhere near Heathrow and the taxi's coming in 4 hours. Scary and exciting all at the same time - but at least we think we know where we're going (unlike Abraham).

Awoke to the postman with malaria test kits (last minute delivery), the builder arriving to do some work on the outside of the house (given instructions by Allan in pyjamas and dressing gown at the front of the house - at just after 8.00 am!). Then Anne was greeted with water pouring through the kitchen ceiling whilst Jo was having a shower. Diagnosis not good, but manageable, we hope.

Off to the pub soon for a last lunch (with beer!) with Jo (who else when there's free beer around!?) who's getting her exam results as we write. We hope it will be a happy lunch. Said goodbye to Ben and Bethan a couple of weeks ago - picture from last family weekend above (Bethan was taking the picture - a good lass). Next posting from Uganda, we hope.

Just a week before we leave for Uganda. The last few days have been spent getting the barrels packed for our 250 kgs airfreight (picture shows Anne relaxing on the barrels after Allan had finished packing them). They were collected 3 days ago.

We've also been finishing off some decoration in our house here in Leicester - so that all is left in good order here - and trying to sell the car. No takers yet, but we'll see what happens over the weekend.

The prospect of leaving here for Arua still seems a bit unreal, but after a few jitters last week, we're now both feeling much more excited about what lies ahead. We've been so encouraged over the past few days with e-mails and cards from friends and link churches, and are very conscious of their prayers.

Just a few things left to organise before we go, but I think we're less bothered now about whether we get them done or not. Bishop Joel e-mailed this week and reminded us that it's the Holy Spirit we must depend on. Perhaps we're beginning to learn the lesson.