Christmas at the orphanage

The market in Kampala is crowded. It seems like everybody is out on the streets and maybe they are. It’s December 24th and tomorrow is Christmas Day, which requires preparations. Robert and I are looking for decorations. We want this Christmas to be special, a day full of joy for the children, a day to remember.

One of many marketplaces in Kampala.

We’re going between the vendors. Bargaining. Buying glitter. Christmas balls for all the kids. We’ve also picked up a package from the post office and I’ve bought a world map. When we’re done, we take the minibus taxi (like the one seen in the picture) back to Kawanda.

The next day is Christmas Day. Before the celebration with the kids, I join Robert to church, which will be a blog post of its own. When we get back, Ritah has done some wonderfully creative decorations using piecces of fabric. So we start complementing her things with what we’ve bought. Glitter in the temporary Christmas tree and lots of baloons.

And then the party starts. The kids are wearing their best clothes and there is singing and dancing. “Maama”, Robert’s mother, dresses me up in the gomesi, the traditional Ugandan dress. The kids have also prepared a Christmas play which I get to watch. It has everything! From baby Jesus to sheep.

Then there is cake, more dancing and so many smiles that I think all our batteries are charged with positive energy to last for weeks.

 

We are enjoying so much, that a lot of other people gather at the gate, watching. I don’t know what fascinates them the most, if it’s the decorations, how many we are or if it’s the dancing muzungu (that would be me – felt rather exotic for a while).

Later, I went out to a club with Ritah, Lydia and Richard (Robert’s siblings) and got some attention but that is definitely another story.

 

Christmas 2013 is one I will always remember. I might not have felt much of the ordinary Christmas feeling that I get at home, in a cold and dark Sweden, but it had some extraordinary feeling to it.

 

Delivering gifts

As I wrote in my first post, I had quite a lot of gifts for the orphanage. First, I had been doubting some of the gifts. Would they really want used pencils? Used sheets?

There was no need to doubt. When I handed over the things, Robert was all smiles. Every single thing was welcome. Everything could be of use. There are now enough pencils for all the children to use one each at the same time. Enough crayons to last for making hundreds of drawings. Story books to read. Paper to express creativity in text and in picture. More toys to play with. Balls (but more can still be of use). Things that relatively spoiled Nordic kids wouldn’t give a dime for become treasures for these children.

So, again, thank you all who contributed with things to fill my bag. You have sent pieces of joy to a place where they are really appreciated.

Handing over some gifts.

Some of the gifts used to create thank you messages for sponsors and friends.

Toys are fun for grownups too.

 

Meeting the orphans

The road is somewhat bumpy and I don’t know how far we are going. It’s December 22nd and I’m in the backseat, looking out of the window, trying to prepare myself for this meeting. We are on our way to the orphanage where I will be a volunteer for three weeks. I don’t know much about it. Not where it’s situated, not how many children there are, not the ages of the children, nothing really. So I don’t know what to expect or what my exact tasks will be. What do they need? Can I really bring value?

Lots of thoughts go through my mind as we drive. About 1,5 – 2 hours I believe it takes from Mukono to Kawanda, in Wakiso district. When I’m told that we’re almost there I can feel some nerves. And when the car stops and I can see all the children waiting at the gate, I get seriously nervous. Slowly, I step out of the car. Around 40 eyes are watching me, full of expectations. I’m stalling. What am I doing here? I take my bag out of the trunk and approach the gate. The 40 eyes follow me. I stop in front of them and smile. Around 20 children’s voices say: “You are mostly welcome!” simultaneously. “Thank you!” I respond, already overwhelmed, and continue to ask how they are. “Fine!” They all smile as they answer just as simultaneously as before.

Robert, the founder, introduces himself and takes my bag. I am led to a building where all the children sit down on the floor and I am placed in front of them. What now? I smile at them and look at all their faces. All eyes on me. I kneel down in front of them and decide to introduce myself to every single one of them and hear their names. Maybe I’ll manage to learn at least a few right away. Right. I’m good with faces but not as good when it comes to names, especially not when all names are new to me. At least I get a connection with them this way. They all have sparks in their eyes and you can tell right away who is shy and who is confident.

A little bit later I’m sitting with the kids outside, talking. They ask questions about a little bit of everyting. Where I’m from, what my favourite food is etc, and I ask them similar questions. What they want to be when they grow up, what they like to do… Then one of the older boys asks “What can you teach us?” and I have to think. What can I teach them? Can I really teach them anything? I’m doubting myself again. Who am I to come there and think that I can teach them anything? I don’t remember what I answered. At that point, it felt more like they would be the ones teaching me.

Now, I didn’t think that I would change the world with this. I just want to do whatever I can do to maybe make a small improvement for at least some others. And I believe that if we all do that, we’re on the right track. So I come to the conclusion that this is an exchange. I will try to teach them whatever might be needed, and I will learn from them. I can give them a piece of myself. Give love. I’m already getting sentimental and I have three weeks to go.

The rest of the evening is spent playing games, talking and letting the kids take pictures with my camera. Some of the results of the latter can be seen below.

Playing “Statues”. The gate is the goal.

Before my camera got in the hands of the kids. Joel, Joel, Lorda, Nicholas and Kakembo posing.

And here some shots by our young photography geniuses:

First day in Uganda

On Saturday December 21st, 2013, I arrived in Uganda. Isaac from Beacon of Hope picked me up at the airport and here I got my first surprise. In the information that had been sent to me before my trip, the following is stated:

“If you’ve been introduced, or are greeting someone you have previously met, greetings also start with a hand shake, it’s not appropriate to kiss and hug a Ugandan in public. (Hugging ONLY for people of the same sex or the elites only but not the local village people)”

But Isaac gave me a big hug – a surprisingly warm welcome. Or were we elites?

Then, we drove to Mukono where they have their office. As this was my first time in Africa, everything was new to me. So I started with some quick (blurry) shots from the car before falling asleep. Naturally, I knew things about Africa and Uganda, but knowing facts and feeling it are different things.

First, there are lots of people moving around on the roads basically everywhere. The traffic is crazy and might be a blog post of its own but alongside the motor vehicles there are people by foot and by bike or a combination of the two. Bikes are commonly used to load with whatever you’d want to transport and then dragged because there is no longer space to actually ride the bike.

Second, there are small businesses  close to the roads, often located in simple buildings, carefully hand painted with logotypes or other messages. Many of them are similar to each other but still appear personal.

I didn’t dare to take pictures of people, really, and snapshots from a car rarely become big successes, but a few of my very first shots can be seen below. Not many people in these, but believe me, there was a lot of life.

In Mukono, I got my bed for the night and made myself temporarily at home. Met the friendly employees and had a meal. Made my first visit to a hole-in-the-ground toilet (I don’t count the thai style squat toilets – they’re luxury), learned how to take a shower/bath African style (using containers) and went for a nap that lasted until midnight.

Bed.

Floor.

Shower.

Nice spelling on the curtain. Forvevr darling.

Office / Living room.

Toilet with lid.

Toilet without lid.

Very clear note on why we have the lid.

On the next day I joined one of the employees to church and went to the orphanage where I would spend my three weeks. The latter will be the next blog post.

One third

A bit more than one week, i.e. one third of my time in Uganda, has passed and I’m a bit emotional. As I spent the weekend away from the children, I started missing them. I really had a great time sightseeing and doing the tourist thing, but was excited to go back.

And what a welcome I got! They all came running to me, arms open. There were hugs and smiles, both by kids and grown-ups and it became obvious that I will miss every single one of them.

In general, my experience about the Ugandans so far is that they are very warm and welcoming. Someone mentioned the “Ugandan bug” that would bite and make you come back. Yup, I think there is something to it.

As I’m writing, it is almost midnight and there is music playing from a local pub in the village. The kind of music that will make you dance while sitting down. This is mixed with another source of music, just as catchy. People are talking, a boda-boda (moped) comes by every once in a while and you can feel that there is life.

Just now, dogs started howling and I started yawning. Time to sleep.

Happy New Year!

Humbled

Today is Christmas Eve in Sweden and it feels truly distant. Here, at Victorious Children’s Ministries Uganda, we are preparing for Christmas celebration tomorrow. Today, Robert (the founder) and I went to Kampala to buy things to decorate and surprise the children. Looking forward so much.

When I think about it, it doesn’t feel like I’ve only been here for 2 days. It feels much longer and I’m already attached to these children. And I cannot be anything but humbled by Robert. He founded this in 2009 and has a true passion for helping the children to get a good life. 29 years old and in my book he has achieved a lot. The world needs more people like this. People with a strong heart, a passion and a drive.

As they say: Nobody can save the world alone, but we can all do something to contribute. Step by step we’ll get there.

Merry Christmas!

Humbled

Today is Christmas Eve in Sweden and it feels truly distant. Here, at Victorious Children’s Ministries Uganda, we are preparing for Christmas celebration tomorrow. Today, Robert (the founder) and I went to Kampala to buy things to decorate and surprise the children. Looking forward so much.

When I think about it, it doesn’t feel like I’ve only been here for 2 days. It feels much longer and I’m already attached to these children. And I cannot be other than humbled by Robert. He founded this in 2009 and has a true passion for helping the children to get a good life. 28 years old and in my book he has achieved a lot. The world needs more people like this. People with a strong heart, a passion and a drive.

As they say: Nobody can save the world alone, but we can all do something to contribute. Step by step we’ll get there.

Merry Christmas!

A bag full of care

I’m writing this at home in Stockholm. In just a few hours, I am southbound. Tomorrow, I will be in Uganda. The reason for my trip is to work as a volunteer with Beacon of Hope Uganda (BoHU).

I could write loads about this trip and the preparations already, but there is little time. But I would like to take the opportunity to mention all the generous and caring people that have been making sure that my bag is getting so full I’ll be having a hard time closing it.

You might wonder what I am referring to. I’ll tell you.

BoHU sent a long document of information and in here they mention optional things to bring – things that can be needed in the projects. I posted a status on Facebook asking if any of my friends had any of the things on the list. Did they? Oh, yes.

I have received a lot of crayons, pens, paper, books, toys, sheets and more from people who have been really eager to contribute. I am touched by the effort some of them have made in order to give away things to brighten up some child’s day. So now I’m squeezing things into that bag of mine, wishing it was bigger. There is a risk that I won’t be able to fit it all. If so, I have things to give to the next person who goes where it might be needed.

Gifts.

Thank you all! If possible, I will update this blog during my stay. Otherwise I will do it when I get back in mid-January.

Merry Christmas!