Here is the flight information for the return of the group. I am sure they are excited to see
all of you.
Returning Flights
Monday, July 28
Flight KL 537
Departs Entebbe 11:40 p.m.
Arrive Amsterdam 6:55 a.m.
Tuesday, July 29
Flight DL 235
Departs Amsterdam 1:25 p.m.
Arrive Detroit 4:03 p.m.
Tuesday, July 29
Flight DL 2235
Departs Detroit 5:40 p.m.
Arrive Minneapolis 6:36 p.m.
July 14 - Monday
Off we go, all 27 of us, our totes and carry-ons, security check all went smoothly. We were scattered around the Airbus A233. We each had our own screen for entertainment. We were promptly served beverages and pretzels. Then we were served a meal; choices were BBQ chicken, southwest chicken salad or an herb sauce pasta with vegetables. Then they turned down the lights so we could sleep as our arrival time was 5:30 a.m. We have a seven hour difference in time. About an hour before landing we were served breakfast – egg on a muffin, cheese slice, and a cookie\cracker\biscuit thing with Nutella.
July 15 - Tuesday
After landing in Amsterdam, we went to the meditation room at the airport and Mass was celebrated with Father Belden and Father Woody. Then we had another four hours to explore the Dutch restaurants and stores. Some of us tried poffertjes – like mini puffy pancakes, omelets and large flat pancakes. Naps were taken, visiting done and people watching until we boarded for our next flight.
We arrived in Entebbe and made it thru check-in just fine. We had nothing to declare for customs. Sister Salome greeted us and each of us were greeted with a welcome sign – “You are most welcome to Uganda”. We loaded up all the tubs into the truck and squeezed 29 people on the school bus (27 missionaries, Sister Salome and the driver). Then we took a ride in the dark to Ulrika Guest House. Some of us had our own rooms which included beds with nets, a desk and chair and our own bathroom with a flushing toilet, sink and some of us had a working shower!
July 16 - Wednesday
We could sleep in until 9 a.m. and then meet for breakfast at 10 a.m. Breakfast included mango juice along with hot water for tea or coffee and hot milk, bananas, bread and jelly was available and then eggs (if you were quick enough!).
Sister Salome gave us a tour of the Sister House where we saw their garden\crop areas. We made a brief visit in the church where Archbishop Louis Joseph Cabana, the founder of the order is entombed. Sisters there sew vestments to sell. We got to visit the retired sisters who were so wonderful and friendly. We sang the Uganda National Anthem for them and the sisters sang for us too.
Soon after it was time to get back on the bus. We saw many sites along the way – little buildings similar to shacks where they sold bikes, bed frames, fresh fruits, meat on a stick, clothing and so much more. When we had to stop for traffic, they tried to sell us newspapers or women with babies would come up and beg for money. That part was sad as they came from a tribe in the east. It has been dry there so women with babies come to Kampala to beg for money. Traffic was most interesting – bus taxis, bikes, motorcycles that were merging onto one another, horns honking and amazingly they have very few accidents for having few stoplights. They drive on the left side of the road and the driver’s steering wheel is on the right-side of the car.
We arrived at St. Kizito School (for girls) and we could hear cheers and clapping as the bus got closer. We were welcomed with dancing and drum playing. One of the girls in our group attempted the dance and it was appreciated and enjoyed by the girls. We each introduced ourselves and then enjoyed one more dance by the girls.
We had lunch which consisted of rice, chicken, green beans and carrots cooked together and something similar to an India flatbread, besides a chicken soup.
Then we walked the 2-mile trail to Our Lady of Guadalupe School. While walking we were greeted by the children and people of the village. Some of the children would grab our hands and walk with us. We only had a few pieces of candy to share this time around. Some children would just wave and most of us called us the native word for white people. The children wore a variety of clothes and there were a few that did not have any clothing or just a shirt on.
When we reached Our of Our Lady of Guadalupe School, we were again greeted by loud cheers and clapping along with native dancing and drumming. We all squeezed into a classroom and we again introduced ourselves. Construction of the science lab had already begun – it will be a 2-story classroom. There was large rocks, bricks and dirt piles that we’re guessing we will be moving tomorrow!
After we walked back to St. Kizito, we cooled down and drank water and some of the guys started kicking around a soccer ball or tossing around the football.
Mass was at 7 p.m. A bell rang at 6:30 and all the girls started walking to church. They say the rosary before Mass so some of us joined them. Mass was beautiful! There was beautiful singing, there was clapping. There just was a whole lot of faith and love of Christ.
After Mass, the group had dinner. We had potatoes, chicken, something that reminded us of a triangular eggroll (it was filled with vegetables), and hot cabbage. The folks that were 21 and over enjoyed a Nile Special (beer) while the under 21 crowd enjoyed a pop and water.
We listened to tomorrow’s activities and then broke into small groups to get to know others better, talk about how we are feeling and what we are looking for in the mission.
Now it’s clean up time and putting the nets around our bed. Good night and God bless!
July 17 - Thursday
Work day!
After have breakfast of eggs with tomato slices on top, bread, banana and hot water (for tea and coffee) and milk, we unloaded the trunks with the items for the schools and villagers. Then off we went to OLoG School. Along the way, toys, candy and pillowcase dresses were handed out to the children along the road.
Once at school, we moved bricks. Broken bricks were tossed into the base of the structure. Good bricks were passed from one person to another to pile up for later use on the other side of the building structure. We did happen across a little black snake – which happened to be poisonous but many brave young men stoned it to death.
After a water break (or two), we started moving dirt. It had to be spread out along the foundation base floor. We used hoes to spread out the dirt.
We completed spreading the dirt so we had a break for lunch. We noticed many of the villagers gathering and students were outside for their break too. The Kopp family did some gymnastics, balancing acts and juggling to entertain the crowd. For lunch we had the flatbread, noodles in a light sauce, ribs and cooked carrots. Our beverages were water and soda pop.
Our next venture was distributing eggs and the items we gathered to distribute to them – clothing and shoes. There was a mass of people that gathered. Hardboiled eggs were handed out to the young children. Actually the eggs are handed out twice a week as part of a program for children to have protein in their diet. We ran out of almost everything. It was quite an experience for all of us.
Then we got to ride the open back truck back on the roads. The roads are dirt and not very wide. We did encounter a Pepsi truck so we pulled over as far to the left as we could. It was a bouncy ride with potholes and such.
We had a two hour break to rest and clean up before we got ready for7 p.m. Mass.
July 18 - Friday
We started the day with Mass at 7 a.m. and then we had breakfast. We had hard-boiled eggs along with the usual offerings. We also turned over our cash to Jeff who was going to get it changed into schillings.
Next, two of the guys rode in the truck which was loaded with 11 totes of supplies. The rest of us and Sister Salome rode in the school bus and after a 1-1/2 hour ride, we arrived at Our Lady of the Sick, a clinic in Kambaala. The vision was to be a 2-building clinic and it has developed into so much more under the guidance of Father Ponce, a classmate of Father Woody. There is a lab testing for malaria and HIV among other diseases, there is a pre-natal, delivery and post-natal and recovery area along with a dental area. We were introduced to the nurses, the lab assistants, medical assistants and the clinic board. They were all so gracious in providing us refreshments and a tour of their facilities. They cannot do operations at this time because they do not electricity (some is provided by solar power) although the town of Kambaala has told them it will come. They have served over 5,558 people and have delivered about 164 babies. They also fed us a wonderful lunch. The totes of medical supplies was presented to them which included things like nebulizers, gloves, stethoscope, blood pressure cuffs, medical books and more.
There is also a school there – St. Kizito Primary, which is funded by the government along with the Catholic Church. The children receive free health treatment at the clinic. The children were so precious – Mass was just starting and they saw our bus and they came out to great us! Later after Mass, we visited the students and were introduced to their headmaster (principal) and teachers. Then two of the classes sang songs for us as well as demonstrated their tribal dance, all accompanied by drumming.
The clinic had a need for water and money was donated. The first time, after being guided by an engineer, they tried digging a well close to the clinic. Unfortunately they drilled down to 75-80 feet and never reached water. Finally, about 500 meters away they successfully drilled a well with a handle-pump. They are now looking for ways to pump the water to the clinic, again maybe with the possibility of using solar-powered pump. We also got to meet Father Ponce’s mother and a few of his siblings.
We all had a great visit bringing joy to one another.
Once back to St. Kizito, we had a little down time to clean up, wash clothes and visit\play with the students. Then it was time to get serious and start cutting up the onions and tomatoes for our American breakfast for each of the schools. Because of that, supper was a little late but it was worth it – tilapia (the heads were cut off) from Lake Victoria, French fries (as the Sisters tried out their new slicer) and a vegetable.
No small group tonight as it was so late. Tomorrow we will be serving omelet in a bag to the 500 students at St. Kizita along with the 300 students at Our Lady of Guadalupe so good night!
July 19 – Saturday So Jeff started cracking the whip at 6:30 a.m. and we started cracking eggs at 7 a.m. We made two assembly lines – 2 people cracking eggs, one person adding the onions, another person adding the tomato and then about 2 people sealing and “scrambling” the bag. Some folks walked thru the line with their ziplock bag to get the ingredients added. We had others helping with egg shell disposal and of course, cooking the bags in the large pots sitting on top of wood fires.
Grace was said by Father Belden and then the students received their bagged omelets. It went really well but we found out that they like salt in their eggs!
After the bagged omelets were consumed at Our Lady of Guadelupe Secondary School, we helped in the preparation for tomorrow’s big dedication day. They are dedicating and blessing the library and the new well (for St. Kizito and the chickens). The girls from the school and the women were working on the green banana dish. Bunches of smaller green bananas were gathered and broken off the bunches. Then the green peel was cut off and put in a big pot. Later on today or maybe tomorrow, they will mash it up and add their sweet potato and another tube vegetable to it and cook it in banana leaves. Now young green bananas are actually quite sticky! We are hoping that the sticky and dark stains will be off our hands before we come home!
The guys went out to the garden and gathered what some of us thought was firewood.
We all returned back to St. Kizito and had free time for the rest of the day. Some people walked to the village to do some shopping or get cornrows for their hair while some people napped. Another part of the food was readied at St. Kizito and that was a bull. They killed and butchered the bull. A few of us watched along with some students. After cutting the bull into its different quarters, students had a biology lesson as they were show the different parts like the stomach, heart (pointing out its aorta), lungs and more.
Games were played with some of the girls such as “Duck, Duck, Goose” (or Gray Duck for the rest of us!), Simon Says, Uganda games, tossed around the football or kicked around the soccer ball. They young guys played some soccer against the local guys (and lost!) and then also played some volleyball without a net (a close game). Others of us walked the grounds, visited with the girls, checked out the art classroom where beautiful masks and pictures made with fiber were created. We all just had a great time.
At 6:30, the girls from St. Kizito gathered before the grotto of Mary to pray the Rosary. A few of us joined them. Then it was time for supper – mashed potatoes, a veggie blend of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, and then beef bites in gravy.
We ended the evening with announcements and small group. Sleep well – tomorrow will be a big day with Mass and the celebration – they are expecting 1000 people!
July 20 – Sunday
Breakfast was at 8:30 and we had their egg with onions again and as an added bonus, fresh mango. We dressed in our best and then walked the 1-1/4 mile to Our Lady of Guadalupe Secondary School for Mass and the dedication.
When we got to school, they had two rows of tents set up and decorated with bows. At the end of the two rows was a tent set up with an altar for Mass. When Mass was to begin, students made two lines that we processed through to our seats. Matt and Walker were altar servers for Father Cyril, Father Woody and Father Belden. We were given an English copy of the homily given by Father Woody as he said it in Lugandan. Another fun part of the Mass was the dancing as two of our group were dancers – Emily and Kevin. They put on a traditional wrap (waist down) and were shaking their hips, moving their feet and hands. Our group also brought up the gifts. The dancers went first and then we followed along with pineapple, bread, melons, live chickens and finally the bread and wine.
After Mass, was the ribbon cutting ceremony and the blessing of the building. Next we had our pictures taken with the different grade levels, the dignitaries and the parents.
The next part of the program was done by the students. They would lip sync to the music and dance around. If anyone in the audience liked what they saw, they would go up to the student performer and give them coins. The parents danced for us as well. Two students did the “news” but they said it in Lugandan – the students seemed to think it was really funny! Then the next part was a dance off. They had student winners and children winners. I’m not sure any of us can dance like that – we’d probably break our hips!
We went into the library and ate lunch. We had one of their traditional meat – chicken and a potato cooked in banana leaves. It also had a gravy that we ate with our rice. There was their baked green banana dish, which they said was good with the peanut sauce and then green beans and carrots. We were also offered pop and beer.
Following dinner, it was time to start off the dance! Us crazy “bazungu” had to lead it off with the “Chicken Dance.” It was crazy fun! Some of the students stayed and danced to mostly American music. Let’s just say that some of them haven’t used some of their muscles like that either!
The rest of us went to the dedication of the well. We hopped on to the back of the truck for the ride. It was really moving watching their older women in their best clothing so happy to greet us and get down on their knees to thank us for this well (which a Rotary from Wisconsin set up). Father Belden said the blessing in Lugandan and sprinkled Holy Water on it. We were introduced to the keeper of the well and also the man that donated the land where the well is located. Then we took a trip to where they used to get water. It was all cloudy and murky and located off the road down a hill.
We got back to St. Kizito School and cleaned up, played\talked to students or just rested until supper. We had small group before supper. Since we had such a late lunch, we just had squash (plain and baked) and pasta with the light sauce.
After supper, we either turned in for the night, read, visited with the students or played cards. Tomorrow is work day!
July 21 – Monday
Yep, today is work day. We had breakfast at 8 a.m. and it consisted of fried eggs with our usual selection.
We walked to Our Lady of Guadalupe Secondary School and the day’s project was moving rock. The first section that we leveled out the dirt was now going to have a foundation of rock. The guys were moving the “boulders” – they would lift the heavy stones (using their knees and not their backs) to the pivot person (the guys) who would unload it to the folks that helped lay it out on the foundation. Then we also had a “chain gang” where we would pass the smaller rocks from one to another to fit into the foundation also.
It was a cooler day, mostly cloudy with spots of sun. We could see dark rain clouds and hear thunder but it never rained while we worked. When we had finished the rock foundation of the first section, we returned to St. Kizito for lunch.
We had some time to shower\clean up and start some laundry before lunch. Lunch consisted of pork ribs, Irish potatoes, a baked root that reminded us of French fries, hot cabbage, fresh avocado and pineapple. We had our delicious juice again – passion fruit, orange and another fruit. It’s quite a hit with us.
After lunch, we finished our laundry. To wash clothes, you pour water into a 2 ft round tub. If your clothes were especially dirty, place them into the tub. Then you take their special laundry soap bar and rub it on the dirty part of the clothes. Then you rub parts of the clothes together, dip it back in the soapy water and rub it again until it is clean. Sister Cecilia helped us and actually re-washed some of our clothes.
Also after lunch it started to rain. Some people tried to “shower” in the rain or just stand out there to freshen up. Some folks took naps, some read and a small group of about six went down to the well where there is a solar panel to help pump water to St. Kizito. It was about a two-mile walk thru the village and into the jungle. On sunny days, sometimes too much water is pumped up here so they are considering a tank to store the water.
Mass was at 7 p.m. with Father Belden presiding. When Mass is in the evening, the girls start at 6:30 with the rosary.
Tonight we packed our clothes for the safari. We’ve been told it is a 7-hour drive. We are to pack travel clothes, the women their skirts. It’s too bad our clothes aren’t dry yet!! And rumor has it we will have hot showers – praise the Lord!
By the way, Happy Birthday to Sister Monica, born in 1962 (you would never have guessed that!). She is our cook and she also sews dresses which a few of us have purchased.
July 22 – Tuesday
We celebrated Mass at 7 a.m. and then had breakfast. We had the delicious egg dish and the regular fixings. Then off we went for the safari. We had two vehicles, the school bus and a 10-passenger van. We also packed cases of water.
Our first stop was at the Equator. To mark the equator was a line going across the road and on either side was a circle marker for photo opps. There were also shops on both sides of the road. The guys were going for Uganda soccer jerseys and other clothes, carvings, jewelry were purchased. We also bought lunch there and one of the most popular items was chippati chips and guacamole. It was sold at a shop where all profits went to benefit children with AIDS. Shopping and lunch was on the African timeframe as we didn’t quite leave on time.
Our trip continued. We stopped for gas and hawkers came by our windows trying to sell these bags of beans. Other buses were there and they had meat on a stick and banana hawkers. We did have a motion sickness happening (or was it the food?). We made a potty stop and had to use the hole in the floor.
A few animals are not in Queen Elizabeth National Park such as giraffes and zebras. So along the way we drove down a road that had something like a zebra ranch and saw them from a distance. There was longhorn cattle with them too – all free ranging.
Our drive continued through the beautiful countryside and little villages (towns). We saw their little market stands, waved sometimes – if we were awake. Some of the best sites were the hills of banana and tea plantations. They covered the hillside and were in large square sections.
We all got excited as we reached the Queen Elizabeth National Park but little did we know that we still had over an hour to go. We left the paved roads and got to drive on washboard roads. We did get a glimpse of an elephant on the side of the road, A few people saw monkeys in trees too far (and too dark) to get a picture. We had to slow down for a water buffalo to cross the road too.
Finally we arrived and after unloading the vehicles, we were assigned our huts (or cabins). Some were just for 2 people and some fit 5 people. We were happy to see sinks, a flushing toilet and a bathtub with a handheld shower head. We were provided towels and soap bars. Our beds had a bedspread, blanket and a sheet, besides pillows! And we all had mosquito netting over our beds. The windows were covered with material screening and we could roll up the window coverings on the inside. The ceiling was all thatched.
Dinner was great. We had rice, Irish potatoes, beef stroganoff, fish, the baked green bananas, and there was a bean dish that contained vegetables. We even had dessert – fried bananas with a banana sauce. Since it was so late, no small groups and we went to our huts.
July 23 – Wednesday
We got up early – 5:30 a.m. and breakfast was served at 6 a.m. We had fried eggs, scrambled eggs, toast, mango, pineapple, porridge, sausage from an unknown source, cornflakes and shredded wheat. Don’t forget to add the rhino milk to your cereal! It was good to eat a hearty breakfast as we didn’t eat again until 1:30.
We climbed into our two vehicles again and a guide joined us. The first animal we got to see was a leopard! He was resting on what looked like flat stone. He eventually got up and left and we continued too. It was a treat to spot an elephant already! He was by himself and he just had a nub for a tail. There are a few different kinds of antelope but we saw water buck antelope and corbs (not sure of its spelling). We saw them here and there and also a warning for antelope crossing. There are areas where they do a controlled-burning which provides young and fresh grass for grazing. That’s when they have the most nutrients.
We also saw some warthogs. There a good size and you could see their tusks too. We went to another section of the national park where more kobs were grazing. And right next to them was a pride of about eight lions. We weren’t sure if they were all females as the young male do not grow their mane until they are older. It was said the kobs see the lions but since they were laying around that they weren’t a threat and since they have a short memory, they forget about the lions. We could see different bones laying around the grounds – including skulls with antlers attached. For the lions, it must be like their own bed and breakfast! There was a water buffalo that walked by itself by the lions too, but the lions didn’t seem to care.
The next part of the safari was going to the fishing village to see the hippos. The villagers take their boats (similar to a canoe) out and the hippos did not seem to mind. The hippos never came out of the water while we were there but you could definitely see their snouts and eyes. Just when you think you were going to take a picture, some would submerge. The villagers and the children were friendly.
We continued our safari in search of elephants. It seems that the animals all habitat in different zones. Our guides spotted was the first to spot another lone elephant. He was good size and had tusks. As we continued to drive we saw another one close to the road. As we watched him, more elephants appeared – and in all sizes from babies on up. We backed up our vehicles and had elephants on parade. They were crossing the road to go to the lake! Just when you thought you saw a big elephant – a bigger one would go by. There were probably 10-12 elephants that crossed the road in front of us. It was a thrilling site! We learned to look carefully when you spotted an elephant because sometimes there would be 3-4 more with it. We saw some elephants that looked like teenagers and they were laying down on each other and in the mud. It was fun to watch.
When we arrived back at Hippo Hill Camp at 1:30, we had a fantastic lunch of spaghetti noodles and meatballs with a light sauce – not quite a tomato spaghetti sauce or at least not as red! We also had cabbage salad with tomato and avocado slices. For dessert we had watermelon.
After lunch we had downtime to nap, shower, journal or practice soccer for the game this Sunday.
A group of us gathered at 4 p.m. to walk to one of the salt lakes with our guide, Edward. He gave us some mint tea leaves and told us about the cactus tree. They used them to make property lines as the elephants and other animals leave them alone. Also the sap from the cactus tree could blind a person for three days. There was one other bush he showed us that they use the branches to clean their teeth with.
We looked down to the lake from the hill we climbed. There were sections around the edge of one side of the lake. You could buy one section for $2000 and then it belonged to your family forever (or until the government took it away). They only make salt twice a year – during the dry season and there’s plenty of sun to help dry and make the salt crystals. The salt grows on top and then they take it out and pile it up. They cover it with straw so in case it rains, it is protected. Before the salt is bagged, they rinse it off so the red color comes out of it. The salt is good for animals and people. The women do most of the work – the salt burns on their arms and legs. They have a rinse area and then they change clothes. The men can only work two days a week in the salt water sections as it “makes them infertile.” Let’s say not everyone agreed with that! We walked back around another water hole\lake and it got to be quite muddy.
Mass was at 7 p.m. and then we had small group. For dinner tonight we started off with pumpkin soup and the main course was rice, fancy chicken, beans, salad and of course, the green banana dish. For dessert, they took a pancake and spread some jam on it, rolled it up and sliced the roll into 3-4 inch pieces. It was quite good and some of went up for seconds.
We went to our huts, some showered (okay the water wasn’t always hot – it was heated by solar panels), some chatted until midnight and others played cards.
July 24 – Thursday
We got up by 7:30 this morning and we celebrated Mass at 8 a.m. It is cool as the Hippo Hill Camp staff joined us. We had pineapple, toast, fried eggs, sausage, and cereal. Then they also put out like a pepper, onion and mushroom omelet. They also had peanut butter and honey on the table for our toast.
After breakfast we loaded up the van and bus and started the 8.5 hour trek back home. As we drove out of Queen Victoria National Park we saw a small herd of water buffalo. One was standing a little bit away from the group and we noticed he had an open wound on his hunches. The best speculation was that lions attacked him. We stopped for diesel fuel – it costs 3.40K schillings a liter. After about 3-4 hours of driving, it was time for a potty break. We stopped at a gas station which was interesting as it was being run by a man from India. We picked up stuff to eat like granny smith apples (small but more flavorful than the ones back home), cookies, juice, pop, some baked goods (labeled FOOD or Queen’s Cake), and candy – local candy, Snickers, Cadbury chocolate and even Mars bars.
The drive continued with roads going by mountains and through jungles. Just after Jeff announced to be on the lookout for monkeys, baboons were sitting by the side of the road! They were looking for food and climbing on our vehicles. We really shouldn’t have feed them but one vehicle had to throw a cookie on the side of the road to get him off the van. It was okay to toss them the apple cores.
Some other observations we made while going through the villages were the speed bumps! They would have about 6-9 different speed bumps on the road. Some speed bumps consisted of 3-5 smaller speed bumps to one large speed bump. Another fun thing to notice was the children playing. They took bike tires and were rolling them with a stick. We saw a jeri can that was cut open on the side and a string through the handle. A small child was sitting in the jeri can while its sibling was pulling them around. We also some the hula hooping!
The drive wasn’t without incident. The driver pulled into a town as the van’s brakes didn’t seem to be catching. So they pulled into the side of a gas station and they were told to move. They pulled in front of a shop and two men in coveralls and carrying wrenches came over. After not much time at all, the brake pads were replaced. Of course the passengers in the van had some time to walk through the open market (think flea market) and get some snacks.
Meanwhile, after about another 3-4 hours it was time for a potty break for the bus. We pulled along the side of the road where there were plenty of trees and bushes. Girls got to go first. The first girl, no problem, but as the group got bigger we heard them screaming – cows were coming close and looking at them. And then next, there was a man that appeared to be herding the cows, watching! The last girl had another gal helping her and to help shield her from the man but he had left. The guys had no problem going the bathroom!
We arrived back at St. Kizito after 6 and unloaded the vehicles, put our things in the room, pottied some more, and then went in for supper. We were served bigger potato fries, avocado, salad, fried plantains (banana bacon!), watermelon and fried chicken. It was enjoyed with water, pop and Nile beer.
We had small group after supper. The students left church but they went to study as they are having exams now. We sorted through our laundry that we left to dry. A little socializing, reading and card playing before turning in tonight. Tomorrow is a work day!
July 25 – Friday
Work day! We started with Mass at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast. Sister Monica and Jeff fried eggs for us and we also had bread, peanut butter and fruit.
This was probably the hardest day of work. Using their hoe, we shoveled dirt into a bag and then it was carried over to the site to fill between the science addition and the main school building. After we achieved filling that, we started on the space between the walls on the foundation. We had a nice breeze that day – too bad it came from the direction of their bathroom (think outhouse) and the smell came with it! Then we walked back (a little slower than usual) to St. Kizito for lunch.
For lunch we had chippati, maize cake, chicken soup, pineapple, cooked cabbage and ribs.
That afternoon, about 10-12 of us got on the bus for an hour ride to the “drum store.” A widowed father of 10 children had a business on the side of a road. Some of his children go to either St. Kizito or Our Lady of Guadalupe. He had mini drums about 3-4 inches big to drums with a two-foot wide drum head. They had hides stretched out and had been tanned already for the drum heads. Then about 3-4 men were on the side of the building hollowing out the inside of the drum.
We returned to St. Kizito and hung out with the students. Chris (Matt) was enjoying drumming and was like a pied piper with the girls. One beat too many and his drum head broke. But that was okay as the power went out too! So good night!
July 26 – Saturday
Mass was at 7 a.m. today. Then we had our favorite eggs cooked by Sister Monica. She uses Kerr seasoning and onions. Yep, we also had bread, peanut butter and bananas.
Around 9 a.m. all but Sheila and Frank left to Jimja to see the beginning of the Nile River. It was about a 4-hour drive and mostly on highways once we left St. Kizito. Once we got to Jimja, we got to go on a boat ride. The boat was called a “long boat” and we climbed into two different ones. They did use a motor to get us around on the water. Lake Victoria provides about 70% of the water for the Nile. By one little island is a spring – you could see the water bubbling there, and it provides 30% of the water for the Nile. One island was manmade and it was for various birds. The ground was all white from bird poop or what our guide said was “African snow.” On the island were two komodo lizards. They blended in quite well and we even saw them swimming by the island. The next island we went to had some shops, the local villagers that were fixing their fishing nets, and there was one lone monkey there. Father Belden had a banana so the other guide helped to feed the monkey so we could see him. He was interested in Matt’s camera lens as he could see himself and he went right up to Matt’s lens. The water level on Lake Victoria and the Nile River was actually higher than average but we still walked in the river to get our pictures taken. Then we walked back to our bus and visited their shops along the way.
Then we went and had lunch at The Sandpiper. It had started raining after we left. It was a resort right on the beach of Lake Victoria. It appeared people stayed in the huts surrounding the restaurant and pool. We ordered our beverages including “milk shakes” and basically that’s what they were! We had fried tilapia (the whole fish) to share and then we ordered various things like spaghetti, salad, soup, fish and chips (French fries) and fish kebobs. We had quite a wait for our meal since there was 26 of us. That put us behind a bit as we wanted to be home before dark. Driving thru Kampala took some time – the town came alive at night. Markets were still open, cars, motorcycles (botabota) and people walking along the highways and the turnabouts. We finally arrived home at 10:30 and sisters had supper waiting for us. We’re thinking the guys ate supper while the rest of us went to bed.
July 27 – Sunday
We had Mass at 7:30 a.m. It was great! The girls sang a beautiful version of the Kyrie. The Bible was brought up by one of the students; she was carried on Steven’s shoulder and the Bible was presented to all as they walked down the aisle to Father Cyril – it was pretty powerful. Then at the end of Mass, two girls were up front – one was singing as one of the saints that helped St. Kizito (who was only a child) to believe and be strong in faith. The girl that was St. Kizito would listen to the saint and then run around the congregation childlike and especially with us pilgrims\visitors. It was fun and beautiful.
For breakfast we had hardboiled eggs and chicken with our peanut butter, bread and bananas.
And then it was time to start packing. We had to retrieve some of our totes back so we could pack up our drums, baskets and other treasures from Uganda. We also started a pile to leave behind – clothes, shoes, supplies.
For lunch we had goat meat, rice, peas and carrots.
After lunch we had our games – volleyball for the girls and football (soccer) for the boys. The girls played hard and even had help from Father Cyril but they still lost. The guys had some male students from Our Lady of Guadalupe Secondary School playing with them. Well we thought they were winning but a couple of their goals were kicked were offside. So the guys lost too.
We ended the evening with a small group before Benediction. At 7 p.m. we had Benediction. It was led by Father Cyril. It was really nice and we should be blessed with safe travel. We walked out of church the girls were hugging as many of us as they could. We had a great supper of tilapia, pasta, cooked cabbage (cooked but still crispy), and chippati.
Afterwards was free time if you were done (or close to done) packing.
Today was interesting day with electricity. It went out about 5 p.m. During the Benediction it came on and went off a few times. It was on while we had supper. And at about 10:45, it went out again and so we are calling it a night!
July 28 – Monday
We started loading up the totes at 7 this morning. Then we had breakfast – fried eggs, bananas, bread and peanut butter. We did a group photo before the statue of St. Kizito. Then we were off to the site where the Ugandan martyrs were burned and buried.
The king at the time invited the Catholics missionaries there and they spread the Gospel, one God and spread the faith. After the king died, his young son was ruling. He was given advice by the elders that wanted Catholicism abolished. So this young group of men and boys, ages 14 to 26 or so, and native to Uganda were gathered and were being prosecuted and tortured to deny their belief. They refused to denounce their faith so they were wrapped in sticks and laid in a circle. They were burned to death slowly, starting at their feet. The young men did not cry out in pain but instead sang songs of praise. One of those young men was Kizito and hence, the school was named after him. One of the other young men was related to one of the executioners so he wasn’t burned but instead was killed with spears. There are two memorial sites – one is a Protestant site where they are building a new memorial and then there is a Catholic shrine where two Popes have visited and have said Mass. The young men’s saint day is celebrated June 3. We celebrated Mass there and Father Ponce from the health care facility joined us. Reverend Geoff (G-Jeff) , Father Woody and Father Belden were all given beautiful vestibules that were made at Sister Salome’s mother house (the place we stayed the first night we arrived). Our priests received St. Kizito embroidered on it.
We continued on our fabulous bus ride to a mall where we had lunch. We had to go thru security to enter the mall and they used mirrors to look under vehicles. Our food choices ranged from Arabic to Korean and Chinese to just plain old chicken. From there we broke off into three groups – Matt went to the airport as he was continuing to Kenya to visit friends and Father Ponce took Father Belden, Father Belden, Sister Monica and Marie to the book store and fabric store. At the bookstore, they purchased the book African Holocaust and Marie purchased fabric cheap (6 yards for 20,000 schillings or less than $10). Then they joined the main group at the National Theater Craft Market. They had drums, clothing, purses\bag, wood carvings, artwork, cards, baskets, knives and so much more that you could barter for the price. It was a grand time of shopping.
Then it was time to drive to the Entebbe airport. Sister Salome wanted us their 4 hours before our flight. We gathered our things and went through security. The drums, chicken basket and mats were wrapped in shrink plastic (quite a skill and sight to see!) and waited in line to check our bags. Unfortunately, Amsterdam was having bad weather so our flight was delayed over 2 hours. We finally loaded the plane and took off around 2 a.m. We were a tired group and after our snack, most of us slept. A few were awake for a meal of fish or pasta but we didn't miss much with that meal. We were served breakfast before landing in Amsterdam. We only had a 5-hour layover so we were not able to venture to their Cathedral or Anne Frank's home. A few of us ate the Dutch pancakes and other offerings besides doing some duty-free shopping.
Finally it was time to board our Delta flight to Detroit! We watched movies, slept and ate. Once we arrived in Detroit, we had to get our checked bags and go through Customs. It went well and off we went to our next gate. And from there, a short flight, we came home and were lovingly greeted by our family and friends.
Thank you all for your support of us and our Ugandan family and schools we leave behind.
all of you.
Returning Flights
Monday, July 28
Flight KL 537
Departs Entebbe 11:40 p.m.
Arrive Amsterdam 6:55 a.m.
Tuesday, July 29
Flight DL 235
Departs Amsterdam 1:25 p.m.
Arrive Detroit 4:03 p.m.
Tuesday, July 29
Flight DL 2235
Departs Detroit 5:40 p.m.
Arrive Minneapolis 6:36 p.m.
July 14 - Monday
Off we go, all 27 of us, our totes and carry-ons, security check all went smoothly. We were scattered around the Airbus A233. We each had our own screen for entertainment. We were promptly served beverages and pretzels. Then we were served a meal; choices were BBQ chicken, southwest chicken salad or an herb sauce pasta with vegetables. Then they turned down the lights so we could sleep as our arrival time was 5:30 a.m. We have a seven hour difference in time. About an hour before landing we were served breakfast – egg on a muffin, cheese slice, and a cookie\cracker\biscuit thing with Nutella.
July 15 - Tuesday
After landing in Amsterdam, we went to the meditation room at the airport and Mass was celebrated with Father Belden and Father Woody. Then we had another four hours to explore the Dutch restaurants and stores. Some of us tried poffertjes – like mini puffy pancakes, omelets and large flat pancakes. Naps were taken, visiting done and people watching until we boarded for our next flight.
We arrived in Entebbe and made it thru check-in just fine. We had nothing to declare for customs. Sister Salome greeted us and each of us were greeted with a welcome sign – “You are most welcome to Uganda”. We loaded up all the tubs into the truck and squeezed 29 people on the school bus (27 missionaries, Sister Salome and the driver). Then we took a ride in the dark to Ulrika Guest House. Some of us had our own rooms which included beds with nets, a desk and chair and our own bathroom with a flushing toilet, sink and some of us had a working shower!
July 16 - Wednesday
We could sleep in until 9 a.m. and then meet for breakfast at 10 a.m. Breakfast included mango juice along with hot water for tea or coffee and hot milk, bananas, bread and jelly was available and then eggs (if you were quick enough!).
Sister Salome gave us a tour of the Sister House where we saw their garden\crop areas. We made a brief visit in the church where Archbishop Louis Joseph Cabana, the founder of the order is entombed. Sisters there sew vestments to sell. We got to visit the retired sisters who were so wonderful and friendly. We sang the Uganda National Anthem for them and the sisters sang for us too.
Soon after it was time to get back on the bus. We saw many sites along the way – little buildings similar to shacks where they sold bikes, bed frames, fresh fruits, meat on a stick, clothing and so much more. When we had to stop for traffic, they tried to sell us newspapers or women with babies would come up and beg for money. That part was sad as they came from a tribe in the east. It has been dry there so women with babies come to Kampala to beg for money. Traffic was most interesting – bus taxis, bikes, motorcycles that were merging onto one another, horns honking and amazingly they have very few accidents for having few stoplights. They drive on the left side of the road and the driver’s steering wheel is on the right-side of the car.
We arrived at St. Kizito School (for girls) and we could hear cheers and clapping as the bus got closer. We were welcomed with dancing and drum playing. One of the girls in our group attempted the dance and it was appreciated and enjoyed by the girls. We each introduced ourselves and then enjoyed one more dance by the girls.
We had lunch which consisted of rice, chicken, green beans and carrots cooked together and something similar to an India flatbread, besides a chicken soup.
Then we walked the 2-mile trail to Our Lady of Guadalupe School. While walking we were greeted by the children and people of the village. Some of the children would grab our hands and walk with us. We only had a few pieces of candy to share this time around. Some children would just wave and most of us called us the native word for white people. The children wore a variety of clothes and there were a few that did not have any clothing or just a shirt on.
When we reached Our of Our Lady of Guadalupe School, we were again greeted by loud cheers and clapping along with native dancing and drumming. We all squeezed into a classroom and we again introduced ourselves. Construction of the science lab had already begun – it will be a 2-story classroom. There was large rocks, bricks and dirt piles that we’re guessing we will be moving tomorrow!
After we walked back to St. Kizito, we cooled down and drank water and some of the guys started kicking around a soccer ball or tossing around the football.
Mass was at 7 p.m. A bell rang at 6:30 and all the girls started walking to church. They say the rosary before Mass so some of us joined them. Mass was beautiful! There was beautiful singing, there was clapping. There just was a whole lot of faith and love of Christ.
After Mass, the group had dinner. We had potatoes, chicken, something that reminded us of a triangular eggroll (it was filled with vegetables), and hot cabbage. The folks that were 21 and over enjoyed a Nile Special (beer) while the under 21 crowd enjoyed a pop and water.
We listened to tomorrow’s activities and then broke into small groups to get to know others better, talk about how we are feeling and what we are looking for in the mission.
Now it’s clean up time and putting the nets around our bed. Good night and God bless!
July 17 - Thursday
Work day!
After have breakfast of eggs with tomato slices on top, bread, banana and hot water (for tea and coffee) and milk, we unloaded the trunks with the items for the schools and villagers. Then off we went to OLoG School. Along the way, toys, candy and pillowcase dresses were handed out to the children along the road.
Once at school, we moved bricks. Broken bricks were tossed into the base of the structure. Good bricks were passed from one person to another to pile up for later use on the other side of the building structure. We did happen across a little black snake – which happened to be poisonous but many brave young men stoned it to death.
After a water break (or two), we started moving dirt. It had to be spread out along the foundation base floor. We used hoes to spread out the dirt.
We completed spreading the dirt so we had a break for lunch. We noticed many of the villagers gathering and students were outside for their break too. The Kopp family did some gymnastics, balancing acts and juggling to entertain the crowd. For lunch we had the flatbread, noodles in a light sauce, ribs and cooked carrots. Our beverages were water and soda pop.
Our next venture was distributing eggs and the items we gathered to distribute to them – clothing and shoes. There was a mass of people that gathered. Hardboiled eggs were handed out to the young children. Actually the eggs are handed out twice a week as part of a program for children to have protein in their diet. We ran out of almost everything. It was quite an experience for all of us.
Then we got to ride the open back truck back on the roads. The roads are dirt and not very wide. We did encounter a Pepsi truck so we pulled over as far to the left as we could. It was a bouncy ride with potholes and such.
We had a two hour break to rest and clean up before we got ready for7 p.m. Mass.
July 18 - Friday
We started the day with Mass at 7 a.m. and then we had breakfast. We had hard-boiled eggs along with the usual offerings. We also turned over our cash to Jeff who was going to get it changed into schillings.
Next, two of the guys rode in the truck which was loaded with 11 totes of supplies. The rest of us and Sister Salome rode in the school bus and after a 1-1/2 hour ride, we arrived at Our Lady of the Sick, a clinic in Kambaala. The vision was to be a 2-building clinic and it has developed into so much more under the guidance of Father Ponce, a classmate of Father Woody. There is a lab testing for malaria and HIV among other diseases, there is a pre-natal, delivery and post-natal and recovery area along with a dental area. We were introduced to the nurses, the lab assistants, medical assistants and the clinic board. They were all so gracious in providing us refreshments and a tour of their facilities. They cannot do operations at this time because they do not electricity (some is provided by solar power) although the town of Kambaala has told them it will come. They have served over 5,558 people and have delivered about 164 babies. They also fed us a wonderful lunch. The totes of medical supplies was presented to them which included things like nebulizers, gloves, stethoscope, blood pressure cuffs, medical books and more.
There is also a school there – St. Kizito Primary, which is funded by the government along with the Catholic Church. The children receive free health treatment at the clinic. The children were so precious – Mass was just starting and they saw our bus and they came out to great us! Later after Mass, we visited the students and were introduced to their headmaster (principal) and teachers. Then two of the classes sang songs for us as well as demonstrated their tribal dance, all accompanied by drumming.
The clinic had a need for water and money was donated. The first time, after being guided by an engineer, they tried digging a well close to the clinic. Unfortunately they drilled down to 75-80 feet and never reached water. Finally, about 500 meters away they successfully drilled a well with a handle-pump. They are now looking for ways to pump the water to the clinic, again maybe with the possibility of using solar-powered pump. We also got to meet Father Ponce’s mother and a few of his siblings.
We all had a great visit bringing joy to one another.
Once back to St. Kizito, we had a little down time to clean up, wash clothes and visit\play with the students. Then it was time to get serious and start cutting up the onions and tomatoes for our American breakfast for each of the schools. Because of that, supper was a little late but it was worth it – tilapia (the heads were cut off) from Lake Victoria, French fries (as the Sisters tried out their new slicer) and a vegetable.
No small group tonight as it was so late. Tomorrow we will be serving omelet in a bag to the 500 students at St. Kizita along with the 300 students at Our Lady of Guadalupe so good night!
July 19 – Saturday So Jeff started cracking the whip at 6:30 a.m. and we started cracking eggs at 7 a.m. We made two assembly lines – 2 people cracking eggs, one person adding the onions, another person adding the tomato and then about 2 people sealing and “scrambling” the bag. Some folks walked thru the line with their ziplock bag to get the ingredients added. We had others helping with egg shell disposal and of course, cooking the bags in the large pots sitting on top of wood fires.
Grace was said by Father Belden and then the students received their bagged omelets. It went really well but we found out that they like salt in their eggs!
After the bagged omelets were consumed at Our Lady of Guadelupe Secondary School, we helped in the preparation for tomorrow’s big dedication day. They are dedicating and blessing the library and the new well (for St. Kizito and the chickens). The girls from the school and the women were working on the green banana dish. Bunches of smaller green bananas were gathered and broken off the bunches. Then the green peel was cut off and put in a big pot. Later on today or maybe tomorrow, they will mash it up and add their sweet potato and another tube vegetable to it and cook it in banana leaves. Now young green bananas are actually quite sticky! We are hoping that the sticky and dark stains will be off our hands before we come home!
The guys went out to the garden and gathered what some of us thought was firewood.
We all returned back to St. Kizito and had free time for the rest of the day. Some people walked to the village to do some shopping or get cornrows for their hair while some people napped. Another part of the food was readied at St. Kizito and that was a bull. They killed and butchered the bull. A few of us watched along with some students. After cutting the bull into its different quarters, students had a biology lesson as they were show the different parts like the stomach, heart (pointing out its aorta), lungs and more.
Games were played with some of the girls such as “Duck, Duck, Goose” (or Gray Duck for the rest of us!), Simon Says, Uganda games, tossed around the football or kicked around the soccer ball. They young guys played some soccer against the local guys (and lost!) and then also played some volleyball without a net (a close game). Others of us walked the grounds, visited with the girls, checked out the art classroom where beautiful masks and pictures made with fiber were created. We all just had a great time.
At 6:30, the girls from St. Kizito gathered before the grotto of Mary to pray the Rosary. A few of us joined them. Then it was time for supper – mashed potatoes, a veggie blend of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, and then beef bites in gravy.
We ended the evening with announcements and small group. Sleep well – tomorrow will be a big day with Mass and the celebration – they are expecting 1000 people!
July 20 – Sunday
Breakfast was at 8:30 and we had their egg with onions again and as an added bonus, fresh mango. We dressed in our best and then walked the 1-1/4 mile to Our Lady of Guadalupe Secondary School for Mass and the dedication.
When we got to school, they had two rows of tents set up and decorated with bows. At the end of the two rows was a tent set up with an altar for Mass. When Mass was to begin, students made two lines that we processed through to our seats. Matt and Walker were altar servers for Father Cyril, Father Woody and Father Belden. We were given an English copy of the homily given by Father Woody as he said it in Lugandan. Another fun part of the Mass was the dancing as two of our group were dancers – Emily and Kevin. They put on a traditional wrap (waist down) and were shaking their hips, moving their feet and hands. Our group also brought up the gifts. The dancers went first and then we followed along with pineapple, bread, melons, live chickens and finally the bread and wine.
After Mass, was the ribbon cutting ceremony and the blessing of the building. Next we had our pictures taken with the different grade levels, the dignitaries and the parents.
The next part of the program was done by the students. They would lip sync to the music and dance around. If anyone in the audience liked what they saw, they would go up to the student performer and give them coins. The parents danced for us as well. Two students did the “news” but they said it in Lugandan – the students seemed to think it was really funny! Then the next part was a dance off. They had student winners and children winners. I’m not sure any of us can dance like that – we’d probably break our hips!
We went into the library and ate lunch. We had one of their traditional meat – chicken and a potato cooked in banana leaves. It also had a gravy that we ate with our rice. There was their baked green banana dish, which they said was good with the peanut sauce and then green beans and carrots. We were also offered pop and beer.
Following dinner, it was time to start off the dance! Us crazy “bazungu” had to lead it off with the “Chicken Dance.” It was crazy fun! Some of the students stayed and danced to mostly American music. Let’s just say that some of them haven’t used some of their muscles like that either!
The rest of us went to the dedication of the well. We hopped on to the back of the truck for the ride. It was really moving watching their older women in their best clothing so happy to greet us and get down on their knees to thank us for this well (which a Rotary from Wisconsin set up). Father Belden said the blessing in Lugandan and sprinkled Holy Water on it. We were introduced to the keeper of the well and also the man that donated the land where the well is located. Then we took a trip to where they used to get water. It was all cloudy and murky and located off the road down a hill.
We got back to St. Kizito School and cleaned up, played\talked to students or just rested until supper. We had small group before supper. Since we had such a late lunch, we just had squash (plain and baked) and pasta with the light sauce.
After supper, we either turned in for the night, read, visited with the students or played cards. Tomorrow is work day!
July 21 – Monday
Yep, today is work day. We had breakfast at 8 a.m. and it consisted of fried eggs with our usual selection.
We walked to Our Lady of Guadalupe Secondary School and the day’s project was moving rock. The first section that we leveled out the dirt was now going to have a foundation of rock. The guys were moving the “boulders” – they would lift the heavy stones (using their knees and not their backs) to the pivot person (the guys) who would unload it to the folks that helped lay it out on the foundation. Then we also had a “chain gang” where we would pass the smaller rocks from one to another to fit into the foundation also.
It was a cooler day, mostly cloudy with spots of sun. We could see dark rain clouds and hear thunder but it never rained while we worked. When we had finished the rock foundation of the first section, we returned to St. Kizito for lunch.
We had some time to shower\clean up and start some laundry before lunch. Lunch consisted of pork ribs, Irish potatoes, a baked root that reminded us of French fries, hot cabbage, fresh avocado and pineapple. We had our delicious juice again – passion fruit, orange and another fruit. It’s quite a hit with us.
After lunch, we finished our laundry. To wash clothes, you pour water into a 2 ft round tub. If your clothes were especially dirty, place them into the tub. Then you take their special laundry soap bar and rub it on the dirty part of the clothes. Then you rub parts of the clothes together, dip it back in the soapy water and rub it again until it is clean. Sister Cecilia helped us and actually re-washed some of our clothes.
Also after lunch it started to rain. Some people tried to “shower” in the rain or just stand out there to freshen up. Some folks took naps, some read and a small group of about six went down to the well where there is a solar panel to help pump water to St. Kizito. It was about a two-mile walk thru the village and into the jungle. On sunny days, sometimes too much water is pumped up here so they are considering a tank to store the water.
Mass was at 7 p.m. with Father Belden presiding. When Mass is in the evening, the girls start at 6:30 with the rosary.
Tonight we packed our clothes for the safari. We’ve been told it is a 7-hour drive. We are to pack travel clothes, the women their skirts. It’s too bad our clothes aren’t dry yet!! And rumor has it we will have hot showers – praise the Lord!
By the way, Happy Birthday to Sister Monica, born in 1962 (you would never have guessed that!). She is our cook and she also sews dresses which a few of us have purchased.
July 22 – Tuesday
We celebrated Mass at 7 a.m. and then had breakfast. We had the delicious egg dish and the regular fixings. Then off we went for the safari. We had two vehicles, the school bus and a 10-passenger van. We also packed cases of water.
Our first stop was at the Equator. To mark the equator was a line going across the road and on either side was a circle marker for photo opps. There were also shops on both sides of the road. The guys were going for Uganda soccer jerseys and other clothes, carvings, jewelry were purchased. We also bought lunch there and one of the most popular items was chippati chips and guacamole. It was sold at a shop where all profits went to benefit children with AIDS. Shopping and lunch was on the African timeframe as we didn’t quite leave on time.
Our trip continued. We stopped for gas and hawkers came by our windows trying to sell these bags of beans. Other buses were there and they had meat on a stick and banana hawkers. We did have a motion sickness happening (or was it the food?). We made a potty stop and had to use the hole in the floor.
A few animals are not in Queen Elizabeth National Park such as giraffes and zebras. So along the way we drove down a road that had something like a zebra ranch and saw them from a distance. There was longhorn cattle with them too – all free ranging.
Our drive continued through the beautiful countryside and little villages (towns). We saw their little market stands, waved sometimes – if we were awake. Some of the best sites were the hills of banana and tea plantations. They covered the hillside and were in large square sections.
We all got excited as we reached the Queen Elizabeth National Park but little did we know that we still had over an hour to go. We left the paved roads and got to drive on washboard roads. We did get a glimpse of an elephant on the side of the road, A few people saw monkeys in trees too far (and too dark) to get a picture. We had to slow down for a water buffalo to cross the road too.
Finally we arrived and after unloading the vehicles, we were assigned our huts (or cabins). Some were just for 2 people and some fit 5 people. We were happy to see sinks, a flushing toilet and a bathtub with a handheld shower head. We were provided towels and soap bars. Our beds had a bedspread, blanket and a sheet, besides pillows! And we all had mosquito netting over our beds. The windows were covered with material screening and we could roll up the window coverings on the inside. The ceiling was all thatched.
Dinner was great. We had rice, Irish potatoes, beef stroganoff, fish, the baked green bananas, and there was a bean dish that contained vegetables. We even had dessert – fried bananas with a banana sauce. Since it was so late, no small groups and we went to our huts.
July 23 – Wednesday
We got up early – 5:30 a.m. and breakfast was served at 6 a.m. We had fried eggs, scrambled eggs, toast, mango, pineapple, porridge, sausage from an unknown source, cornflakes and shredded wheat. Don’t forget to add the rhino milk to your cereal! It was good to eat a hearty breakfast as we didn’t eat again until 1:30.
We climbed into our two vehicles again and a guide joined us. The first animal we got to see was a leopard! He was resting on what looked like flat stone. He eventually got up and left and we continued too. It was a treat to spot an elephant already! He was by himself and he just had a nub for a tail. There are a few different kinds of antelope but we saw water buck antelope and corbs (not sure of its spelling). We saw them here and there and also a warning for antelope crossing. There are areas where they do a controlled-burning which provides young and fresh grass for grazing. That’s when they have the most nutrients.
We also saw some warthogs. There a good size and you could see their tusks too. We went to another section of the national park where more kobs were grazing. And right next to them was a pride of about eight lions. We weren’t sure if they were all females as the young male do not grow their mane until they are older. It was said the kobs see the lions but since they were laying around that they weren’t a threat and since they have a short memory, they forget about the lions. We could see different bones laying around the grounds – including skulls with antlers attached. For the lions, it must be like their own bed and breakfast! There was a water buffalo that walked by itself by the lions too, but the lions didn’t seem to care.
The next part of the safari was going to the fishing village to see the hippos. The villagers take their boats (similar to a canoe) out and the hippos did not seem to mind. The hippos never came out of the water while we were there but you could definitely see their snouts and eyes. Just when you think you were going to take a picture, some would submerge. The villagers and the children were friendly.
We continued our safari in search of elephants. It seems that the animals all habitat in different zones. Our guides spotted was the first to spot another lone elephant. He was good size and had tusks. As we continued to drive we saw another one close to the road. As we watched him, more elephants appeared – and in all sizes from babies on up. We backed up our vehicles and had elephants on parade. They were crossing the road to go to the lake! Just when you thought you saw a big elephant – a bigger one would go by. There were probably 10-12 elephants that crossed the road in front of us. It was a thrilling site! We learned to look carefully when you spotted an elephant because sometimes there would be 3-4 more with it. We saw some elephants that looked like teenagers and they were laying down on each other and in the mud. It was fun to watch.
When we arrived back at Hippo Hill Camp at 1:30, we had a fantastic lunch of spaghetti noodles and meatballs with a light sauce – not quite a tomato spaghetti sauce or at least not as red! We also had cabbage salad with tomato and avocado slices. For dessert we had watermelon.
After lunch we had downtime to nap, shower, journal or practice soccer for the game this Sunday.
A group of us gathered at 4 p.m. to walk to one of the salt lakes with our guide, Edward. He gave us some mint tea leaves and told us about the cactus tree. They used them to make property lines as the elephants and other animals leave them alone. Also the sap from the cactus tree could blind a person for three days. There was one other bush he showed us that they use the branches to clean their teeth with.
We looked down to the lake from the hill we climbed. There were sections around the edge of one side of the lake. You could buy one section for $2000 and then it belonged to your family forever (or until the government took it away). They only make salt twice a year – during the dry season and there’s plenty of sun to help dry and make the salt crystals. The salt grows on top and then they take it out and pile it up. They cover it with straw so in case it rains, it is protected. Before the salt is bagged, they rinse it off so the red color comes out of it. The salt is good for animals and people. The women do most of the work – the salt burns on their arms and legs. They have a rinse area and then they change clothes. The men can only work two days a week in the salt water sections as it “makes them infertile.” Let’s say not everyone agreed with that! We walked back around another water hole\lake and it got to be quite muddy.
Mass was at 7 p.m. and then we had small group. For dinner tonight we started off with pumpkin soup and the main course was rice, fancy chicken, beans, salad and of course, the green banana dish. For dessert, they took a pancake and spread some jam on it, rolled it up and sliced the roll into 3-4 inch pieces. It was quite good and some of went up for seconds.
We went to our huts, some showered (okay the water wasn’t always hot – it was heated by solar panels), some chatted until midnight and others played cards.
July 24 – Thursday
We got up by 7:30 this morning and we celebrated Mass at 8 a.m. It is cool as the Hippo Hill Camp staff joined us. We had pineapple, toast, fried eggs, sausage, and cereal. Then they also put out like a pepper, onion and mushroom omelet. They also had peanut butter and honey on the table for our toast.
After breakfast we loaded up the van and bus and started the 8.5 hour trek back home. As we drove out of Queen Victoria National Park we saw a small herd of water buffalo. One was standing a little bit away from the group and we noticed he had an open wound on his hunches. The best speculation was that lions attacked him. We stopped for diesel fuel – it costs 3.40K schillings a liter. After about 3-4 hours of driving, it was time for a potty break. We stopped at a gas station which was interesting as it was being run by a man from India. We picked up stuff to eat like granny smith apples (small but more flavorful than the ones back home), cookies, juice, pop, some baked goods (labeled FOOD or Queen’s Cake), and candy – local candy, Snickers, Cadbury chocolate and even Mars bars.
The drive continued with roads going by mountains and through jungles. Just after Jeff announced to be on the lookout for monkeys, baboons were sitting by the side of the road! They were looking for food and climbing on our vehicles. We really shouldn’t have feed them but one vehicle had to throw a cookie on the side of the road to get him off the van. It was okay to toss them the apple cores.
Some other observations we made while going through the villages were the speed bumps! They would have about 6-9 different speed bumps on the road. Some speed bumps consisted of 3-5 smaller speed bumps to one large speed bump. Another fun thing to notice was the children playing. They took bike tires and were rolling them with a stick. We saw a jeri can that was cut open on the side and a string through the handle. A small child was sitting in the jeri can while its sibling was pulling them around. We also some the hula hooping!
The drive wasn’t without incident. The driver pulled into a town as the van’s brakes didn’t seem to be catching. So they pulled into the side of a gas station and they were told to move. They pulled in front of a shop and two men in coveralls and carrying wrenches came over. After not much time at all, the brake pads were replaced. Of course the passengers in the van had some time to walk through the open market (think flea market) and get some snacks.
Meanwhile, after about another 3-4 hours it was time for a potty break for the bus. We pulled along the side of the road where there were plenty of trees and bushes. Girls got to go first. The first girl, no problem, but as the group got bigger we heard them screaming – cows were coming close and looking at them. And then next, there was a man that appeared to be herding the cows, watching! The last girl had another gal helping her and to help shield her from the man but he had left. The guys had no problem going the bathroom!
We arrived back at St. Kizito after 6 and unloaded the vehicles, put our things in the room, pottied some more, and then went in for supper. We were served bigger potato fries, avocado, salad, fried plantains (banana bacon!), watermelon and fried chicken. It was enjoyed with water, pop and Nile beer.
We had small group after supper. The students left church but they went to study as they are having exams now. We sorted through our laundry that we left to dry. A little socializing, reading and card playing before turning in tonight. Tomorrow is a work day!
July 25 – Friday
Work day! We started with Mass at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast. Sister Monica and Jeff fried eggs for us and we also had bread, peanut butter and fruit.
This was probably the hardest day of work. Using their hoe, we shoveled dirt into a bag and then it was carried over to the site to fill between the science addition and the main school building. After we achieved filling that, we started on the space between the walls on the foundation. We had a nice breeze that day – too bad it came from the direction of their bathroom (think outhouse) and the smell came with it! Then we walked back (a little slower than usual) to St. Kizito for lunch.
For lunch we had chippati, maize cake, chicken soup, pineapple, cooked cabbage and ribs.
That afternoon, about 10-12 of us got on the bus for an hour ride to the “drum store.” A widowed father of 10 children had a business on the side of a road. Some of his children go to either St. Kizito or Our Lady of Guadalupe. He had mini drums about 3-4 inches big to drums with a two-foot wide drum head. They had hides stretched out and had been tanned already for the drum heads. Then about 3-4 men were on the side of the building hollowing out the inside of the drum.
We returned to St. Kizito and hung out with the students. Chris (Matt) was enjoying drumming and was like a pied piper with the girls. One beat too many and his drum head broke. But that was okay as the power went out too! So good night!
July 26 – Saturday
Mass was at 7 a.m. today. Then we had our favorite eggs cooked by Sister Monica. She uses Kerr seasoning and onions. Yep, we also had bread, peanut butter and bananas.
Around 9 a.m. all but Sheila and Frank left to Jimja to see the beginning of the Nile River. It was about a 4-hour drive and mostly on highways once we left St. Kizito. Once we got to Jimja, we got to go on a boat ride. The boat was called a “long boat” and we climbed into two different ones. They did use a motor to get us around on the water. Lake Victoria provides about 70% of the water for the Nile. By one little island is a spring – you could see the water bubbling there, and it provides 30% of the water for the Nile. One island was manmade and it was for various birds. The ground was all white from bird poop or what our guide said was “African snow.” On the island were two komodo lizards. They blended in quite well and we even saw them swimming by the island. The next island we went to had some shops, the local villagers that were fixing their fishing nets, and there was one lone monkey there. Father Belden had a banana so the other guide helped to feed the monkey so we could see him. He was interested in Matt’s camera lens as he could see himself and he went right up to Matt’s lens. The water level on Lake Victoria and the Nile River was actually higher than average but we still walked in the river to get our pictures taken. Then we walked back to our bus and visited their shops along the way.
Then we went and had lunch at The Sandpiper. It had started raining after we left. It was a resort right on the beach of Lake Victoria. It appeared people stayed in the huts surrounding the restaurant and pool. We ordered our beverages including “milk shakes” and basically that’s what they were! We had fried tilapia (the whole fish) to share and then we ordered various things like spaghetti, salad, soup, fish and chips (French fries) and fish kebobs. We had quite a wait for our meal since there was 26 of us. That put us behind a bit as we wanted to be home before dark. Driving thru Kampala took some time – the town came alive at night. Markets were still open, cars, motorcycles (botabota) and people walking along the highways and the turnabouts. We finally arrived home at 10:30 and sisters had supper waiting for us. We’re thinking the guys ate supper while the rest of us went to bed.
July 27 – Sunday
We had Mass at 7:30 a.m. It was great! The girls sang a beautiful version of the Kyrie. The Bible was brought up by one of the students; she was carried on Steven’s shoulder and the Bible was presented to all as they walked down the aisle to Father Cyril – it was pretty powerful. Then at the end of Mass, two girls were up front – one was singing as one of the saints that helped St. Kizito (who was only a child) to believe and be strong in faith. The girl that was St. Kizito would listen to the saint and then run around the congregation childlike and especially with us pilgrims\visitors. It was fun and beautiful.
For breakfast we had hardboiled eggs and chicken with our peanut butter, bread and bananas.
And then it was time to start packing. We had to retrieve some of our totes back so we could pack up our drums, baskets and other treasures from Uganda. We also started a pile to leave behind – clothes, shoes, supplies.
For lunch we had goat meat, rice, peas and carrots.
After lunch we had our games – volleyball for the girls and football (soccer) for the boys. The girls played hard and even had help from Father Cyril but they still lost. The guys had some male students from Our Lady of Guadalupe Secondary School playing with them. Well we thought they were winning but a couple of their goals were kicked were offside. So the guys lost too.
We ended the evening with a small group before Benediction. At 7 p.m. we had Benediction. It was led by Father Cyril. It was really nice and we should be blessed with safe travel. We walked out of church the girls were hugging as many of us as they could. We had a great supper of tilapia, pasta, cooked cabbage (cooked but still crispy), and chippati.
Afterwards was free time if you were done (or close to done) packing.
Today was interesting day with electricity. It went out about 5 p.m. During the Benediction it came on and went off a few times. It was on while we had supper. And at about 10:45, it went out again and so we are calling it a night!
July 28 – Monday
We started loading up the totes at 7 this morning. Then we had breakfast – fried eggs, bananas, bread and peanut butter. We did a group photo before the statue of St. Kizito. Then we were off to the site where the Ugandan martyrs were burned and buried.
The king at the time invited the Catholics missionaries there and they spread the Gospel, one God and spread the faith. After the king died, his young son was ruling. He was given advice by the elders that wanted Catholicism abolished. So this young group of men and boys, ages 14 to 26 or so, and native to Uganda were gathered and were being prosecuted and tortured to deny their belief. They refused to denounce their faith so they were wrapped in sticks and laid in a circle. They were burned to death slowly, starting at their feet. The young men did not cry out in pain but instead sang songs of praise. One of those young men was Kizito and hence, the school was named after him. One of the other young men was related to one of the executioners so he wasn’t burned but instead was killed with spears. There are two memorial sites – one is a Protestant site where they are building a new memorial and then there is a Catholic shrine where two Popes have visited and have said Mass. The young men’s saint day is celebrated June 3. We celebrated Mass there and Father Ponce from the health care facility joined us. Reverend Geoff (G-Jeff) , Father Woody and Father Belden were all given beautiful vestibules that were made at Sister Salome’s mother house (the place we stayed the first night we arrived). Our priests received St. Kizito embroidered on it.
We continued on our fabulous bus ride to a mall where we had lunch. We had to go thru security to enter the mall and they used mirrors to look under vehicles. Our food choices ranged from Arabic to Korean and Chinese to just plain old chicken. From there we broke off into three groups – Matt went to the airport as he was continuing to Kenya to visit friends and Father Ponce took Father Belden, Father Belden, Sister Monica and Marie to the book store and fabric store. At the bookstore, they purchased the book African Holocaust and Marie purchased fabric cheap (6 yards for 20,000 schillings or less than $10). Then they joined the main group at the National Theater Craft Market. They had drums, clothing, purses\bag, wood carvings, artwork, cards, baskets, knives and so much more that you could barter for the price. It was a grand time of shopping.
Then it was time to drive to the Entebbe airport. Sister Salome wanted us their 4 hours before our flight. We gathered our things and went through security. The drums, chicken basket and mats were wrapped in shrink plastic (quite a skill and sight to see!) and waited in line to check our bags. Unfortunately, Amsterdam was having bad weather so our flight was delayed over 2 hours. We finally loaded the plane and took off around 2 a.m. We were a tired group and after our snack, most of us slept. A few were awake for a meal of fish or pasta but we didn't miss much with that meal. We were served breakfast before landing in Amsterdam. We only had a 5-hour layover so we were not able to venture to their Cathedral or Anne Frank's home. A few of us ate the Dutch pancakes and other offerings besides doing some duty-free shopping.
Finally it was time to board our Delta flight to Detroit! We watched movies, slept and ate. Once we arrived in Detroit, we had to get our checked bags and go through Customs. It went well and off we went to our next gate. And from there, a short flight, we came home and were lovingly greeted by our family and friends.
Thank you all for your support of us and our Ugandan family and schools we leave behind.