Small London

Small London is the region west of downtown Koboko (southern end) and east of the border.  It is part of Koboko (just like Northgate is part of Seattle, or Lake City, or Ballard, you get the idea).  The Rays and I live in the area called Small London.  St. John’s, Birijaku is also in Small London.

Small London has a few kiosks (little stores/stands) so, some items are available locally.

Small London looking west, downtown Koboko is behind me

The water tap on the left is the result of the water system they were just beginning to hand dig the lines for when I visited in 2017.  I will not have one.  The Rays do, but the water pressure is so low that water gets up to Small London only once a week in late February early March.  When it rains more there should be more in the river; hence, more for the town to draw.  I will need to get mine from an area well until I can afford to have the line extended to my house (which was built after the water system was installed so it doesn’t reach that far.)

The pictures below were taken after walking about ½ Km further toward downtown (behind me in the picture above).

These pictures of Tookels were taken after walking almost to the bottom of the hill and looking over the “river” (creek but they don’t know the word “creek”) to the left and right.

Shopping

Today we went shopping, not knowing what to expect.  The president of Uganda is imposing limits on gathering just in case CoVid-19 comes to Uganda.  (There are no cases in Uganda so far.)  It appears the kiosk, the stores, and the everyday market are open – with the addition of hand washing stations.  Tomorrow is market day when a twice a week market pops up.  We think that one will be closed but we don’t know that for certain.  While fresh vegetables are available in the weekly market and sometimes in front of the supermarket (we have 2 supermarkets but the scale is much smaller that what you see in the USA), the majority of the fresh vegetables are sold at the Tuesday and Saturday market.

Today Carmen wanted fabric and a dress.  We found the fabric in the market.  On the way out we had to wash our hands again.  Direction doesn’t matter, if passing through a market entrance you must wash.  Amanda took Carmen to a kiosk outside the market to shop for a dress.  We were successful. 

I also purchased some fabric in the market which I will have a local tailor make into bags with drawstrings (later).  I should be able to keep things together in them. I do not have drawers to put things in.

Follow-up note: the weekly market in Koboko was open with the addition of hand washing stations.  There are markets at some of the border crossing, but they are unable to implement the new precautions so these markets are closed.

Transformational Prayer Ministry

Hope for Restoration Initiative (H4RI) and Truth is Light are hosting a counseling seminar in Koboko from 16 March through 20 March.  We were given permission to use some of the space at the Koboko North Division office.  It would be more accurate to say the Charismatic Church that is letting us use some of the space that was given to it by the Koboko North Division office.  The space is a former school.  It is more space than they needed which is how they found room for our seminar.  The seminar is being taught by Amanda’s father, Chris.  Peter is providing translation to and from Kakwa.  The pictures are from Monday and Tuesday.  We ended on the 19^th because limits on group sizes (CoVid-19) restrictions were just announced for Uganda.  Note: as of the 19^th there were no instances of CoVid-19 in Uganda; the government is trying to stay in front of it.  On the 21^st that changed as one infected person flew into Uganda.  Now the borders are closed, and the one case is quarantined.

Picture by Charles

Picture by Pam (co-founder of H4RI)

Picture by Lorring

Stephen

Stephen Awayi saw me taking pictures and asked me to take his picture.  On another occasion (TPM, see separate post) he asked me to take pictures of his family (below).  I asked and he gave me permission to use the pictures below on the blog and in the newsletter.  Two days later he asked if I had posted it to the blog yet, so I better get this typed up.

Stephen grew up in Kingaba and he lives there now, but his life journey is a testimony that he freely shares.  Stephen did well in school, but his family refused to pay his school fees when he tried to enter secondary school.  In protest he went and joined the army (at 14).  He served for 7 years (a child warrior) before experiencing a mental problem and deserting.  He spent the next 7 years living on the street.  The family tried, once, to bring him home, then gave up.  I didn’t catch the town’s name, but I did catch that it is in southern Uganda (a long way from Kingaba which is near Koboko in NW Uganda).  The description Stephen gave of himself easily reminded me of Jesus meeting the madman who lived in the catacombs, only Stephen lived on the street at that time.

He had an experience that he describes by reference to Paul’s Damascus experience, seeing the light and meeting Jesus.  Like the madman in the bible, he cleaned himself up and started living in his right mind.  I didn’t get the timeline from there, but he went to Rwanda and met Christine.  They have married and moved to Stephen’s hometown where he obtained land and built a house.  He is in the process of building a church building.

Stephen and family attend several of our discipleship classes (both Alipi and Mugujai) and Stephen helps with translation to Kakwa on occasion.

Joshua, Stephen, Christine and Treasure

Christine dancing with Treasure while Stephen keeps the beat

Mugujai

After visiting the farm, we were hosted by Peter Moses and his wife Sunday at their home in Mugujai.  Peter and Sunday live in the house behind Amanda and Leroy.  It is a small house; however, it serves as the “boys’ quarters” for the house Amanda and Leroy are renting.  Because Peter and Sunday are staying in Koboko with their kids, they can let Livingston and his family live in their Tookel in Mugujai, at least until they can build their own home.

I learned the population density in Mugujai (like Koboko) is high.  There is very little space from one family to the next.  I didn’t realize I had left Bishop Moses’ compound and entered a separate compound until a couple of visits ago.  Peter is Bishop Moses’ second son.  Livingston and his family are missionaries from Kenya, and they oversee the farm.  Mugujai is only a few kilometers from the farm.

Passion fruit vines growing in Peter and Sunday’s compound in Mugujai

Some of the bricks for Livingson and Eagly’s future home
As seen from Peter and Sunday’s tookel in Mugujai

Farm

After attending Sunday services in Mugujai we took Carmen and Chris to see the farm.  I saw more crops this time.

Eggplant

Hot pepper

Grandpa Chris and grandson Lorring holding a papaya

Leroy, Amanda, grandma Carmen, grandson Lorring, and grandpa Chris

A Dang tree (English name), a Mosero tree (Kakwa name)
It will have leaves later in the growing (wet) season

Tomato

We also saw some Ugandan cranes

Christmas in March

Amanda’s parents, Carmen and Chris, are here to help with leadership training and discipleship for the month of March.  They did not get to share Christmas with Amanda and Leroy or the kids, so we set aside some time for Christmas in March.

Amanda and Leroy

Essence, Orrin, and Patience

Essence, Orrin, and Patience

Lorring

Boaz

Ruben

The kids also had a gift for Grandma Carmen and Grandpa Chris

House

I have found a house.  The owner and I have agreed upon the rent and upon the work that needs to be completed before I move in.  The work is underway, and I anticipate moving in mid-April.

The house I am renting, front side

I will probably be entering from the back side most of the time (because of the access road). My landlord’s name is Stephen

Homes come with a separate building commonly called “boy’s quarters”. I will probably use it as a storeroom

Kitchen area

The other inside pictures did not come out.

One of the projects to be completed before I move in is the septic system.  They have started taking apart the kiln of bricks and started building the vault that will house the tank.

Health

In my first posting titled health I mentioned the arrival of Chris and Carmen, grandparents to the Ray family.  I also mentioned that their arrival was just before Uganda implemented quarantine restrictions for people from the United States, Europe or Asia. 

Despite all the government’s efforts, someone brought a case of CoVid-19 into Uganda.  I am not sure if this person arrived on Saturday, 21 March 2020 or if that is when it was confirmed.  On Sunday the 22^nd the president of Uganda closed the borders.  No international passenger flights in or out, no foot traffic nor vehicle traffic in or out of the country.  The only exceptions are cargo (by truck or aircraft) but no passengers.  So, Uganda joins the 100+ countries with confirmed cases.  It is in Entebbe and obviously quarantined.  I am in Koboko, 9 hours by car to the north, northwest.  (Approximately the distance from Eugene, OR to Seattle, WA.)  There are no reports of any spread.

Chris and Carmen were talking about sending a text to their friends in Everett, WA that they are now full-time missionaries by presidential edict.  They have plane tickets to go home at the end of the month, but things are going to have to open up first.

Please hold everyone who is impacted by CoVid-19 (either the disease or the restrictions) in prayer.

Oraba

Oraba (pronounced oraab-a, at first I thought it was arab-a) is a short distance from Koboko (18 Kilometers).  It is a border crossing with South Sudan.  We went there, not to cross, but to renew (re-pay) the road tax on the Rays vehicle.  The vehicle taxes are much lower in South Sudan (10% of purchase price Vs 50% if the vehicle is licensed in Uganda.)  Vehicles licensed in non-Ugandan countries are allowed in Uganda; however, the owner must pay a monthly road tax – one month at a time.  Leroy has done the math and figures it will be cost effective even if he keeps the vehicle and pays the road tax for 20 years.

There is another town on the other side of the river, Kayia in South Sudan.  The road in the picture is paved in Oraba, Uganda and dirt in Kayia, South Sudan.

Oraba boarder crossing