Pastor Moses

Pastor Moses was the founder and pastor for Calvary Family Worship Center, Koboko.  He was dedicated to serving the Lord.  At Calvary he was seeking to grow a congregation dedicated to the Lord, reaching out to the community, particularly the youth who did not know the Lord, inviting them to worship, and in the process, to come to know Jesus.

On Thursday, 25 March 2021, he did not wake up.  It was determined that he was in a diabetic comma and he was rushed to Koboko hospital.  The next day he was transferred to Arua Referral Hospital for a greater level of care.  When he did not come out of the comma, plans were made to transfer him to a hospital in Kampala for even more care.  I do not know if that last transfer occurred or not.  I do know that he went home to our Lord Tuesday night, 30 March 2021.  May his soul rest in peace.

Face of Entebbe

Yesterday I was invited to attend the Face of Entebbe.  It turns out to be a beauty pageant and community awards night.  Between rounds in the beauty pageant, various community awards where announced.  The big award of the night was for Outstanding Individual Achievement.  It was presented to six people based upon service to the people of Entebbe sub county.  (In the United States we do not use the “sub” when talking about our counties.  I have not found it to be “sub” of anything other than the district which compares to the US concept of a state.)

The newly elected mayor of Entebbe was one of the five people initially named.  Then they named the “Most” Outstanding Individual Achievement award.  It was presented to Robert Kiggundu.  I know Robert because H4RI (Hope For Restoration Initiative) is the non-government organization (NGO) that endorsed my visa application.  So, for the next year, he is the ‘face of Entebbe’ in addition to being in charge of Red Cross in Entebbe and CEO for H4RI.

Robert, Louis and Chris

Swimming

Unlike the Gambia, many people in Uganda do know how to swim.  Pools are not common; however.  There is no where to swim in Koboko.  I do see kids playing in the river (it is more like a creek).  But I cannot call it swimming.

There is a place, White Castle, in Arua that has a pool, and the Ray kids like to visit.  It is not a frequent event, maybe once a quarter.  I have been with them for White Castle visits twice since arriving in February 2020.

I get the impression that swimming places are more common (i.e. more than one per town) in the urban areas.  They came to Entebbe hoping for an opportunity to swim.  The Kiggundu kids also like to swim.  There is a guest house near them, Santa Maria, that has a pool.  On Sunday, after church, they received their wish.  I did not go in, but I did take pictures of Taraji’s first visit to a pool.

Amanda, Taraji and Orrin in the background

Taraji, Patience, Boaz and Reuben

Wildlife

Yesterday, I came “down” country with the Ray family.  They are visiting the Kiggundu’s in Entebbe before going to Kampala for an appointment with the embassy to report the birth of their newest family member.  I am staying with the Kiggundu’s while I am teaching computer skills at H4RI (Hope for Restoration Initiative).

They were telling me there is usually wildlife along the road between Pakwach and Karuma Falls, but it is usually along the road in the afternoon; we went through that area in the morning.  We did see an elephant at a distance too great to attempt a picture and I did not get a good chance to photograph a hippo.  Reuben did manage to get this picture of a Ugandan Crane (the national bird) for me.

Hospitals in Uganda

Hospitals in Uganda are different than hospitals in the United States.  When a family has someone in the hospital, they usually send a few attendants.  These people are not ‘visitors’.  They are there to care for their family member.  The hospital provides the medical care.  If they do not have the medication, they will provide a prescription or advise on what is needed and send the families attendant to get it from one of the private (for money) pharmacies.  (The government hospitals and what they provide are paid for by the government, but there can be a lot of need and limited supply.)

The hospital does not provide food service, the family attendant(s) will need to cook and feed themselves and their family member in the hospital.  As a result there are lots of small groups around the wards and along the fences at the hospital.  This is where the family attendants cook and spend their time when they are not physically with their family member in the hospital ward.  There are no “waiting rooms” for them.  All of the rooms are used for treating patients.

Prison Ministry Team Serving At The Hospital

The prison ministry team went to the hospital for prayer ministry today.  It was our (the prison team’s) first ministry visit to the hospital.  A few of us have been previously to request permission and work on the do’s and do not’s.  The hospital observes the requirement for masks and hand washing, so we prepared accordingly.  Since the hospital is a government institution, we are discouraged from taking pictures at the hospital.  Therefore, I took this picture as we were preparing to go.

We served in teams of three, moving from room to room in the wards praying and responding to individual prayer requests.

One more joined us after the picture was taken, so we were six for our first visit. In the picture: Agnes, Koleta, Leroy, Meta, and Charles.

Future Market

The mayor of Koboko is looking forward.  He is planning for growth and for eventual city status for Koboko.  To avoid congestion in the center of Koboko, he plans to de-centralize the markets.  There will be a new market in each of the divisions (North, South, West).  I imagine it will be something like the idea that was behind Northgate, Southgate, and Eastgate (now Bellevue Center).

They have started building the stalls for the future market in Small London (West division).  Here the frame and some of the roof work for the booths can be seen.  It looks like it will start with a couple rows of booths with an aisle between.

Kokwo

The second chicken house is almost complete.  Moses has been working on this second house because the baby chicks cannot stay safely with the cock and laying hens in the Kokwo that is up high for their (the adult chicken’s) safety.  They need something lower.

1/28/2021

Kokwo – both

Finishing the walls, 3/20/2021. Still needs a door.

Shopping

Recently I was asked if we have stores and supermarkets in Koboko.  We have two supermarkets where most items are available.  The selection is small, but it is available.  However, the supermarket can and usually is more expensive for those items available in the open market and the specialty stores.  For example, I buy oatmeal, deodorant, butter, and toiletry items (cleanser, TP…) at the supermarket because I have not found them elsewhere. 

Some items I bought at the supermarket only to discover later that I can get a better price elsewhere.  I bought most of my household setup items at the supermarket (silverware, plates, cups, cutting board, dish pans, dish drainer, pillows, soap).  I have found most of these items available in the market.  Items like all-purpose flour, vanilla, vegetable oil and meat are a better deal in the market.

There is haggling in the open-air market, both the Tuesday/Saturday market and the everyday market.  I am lousy at it.  Fortunately, Moses has been coaching me on how much items should be.  I have been visiting the same vendors and they are more likely to give good prices to repeat customers.  Between these two strategies I have been able to get reasonable pricing most of the time.  Using the examples above, all-purpose flour 6,000 UGX in the market, 6,500 UGX at the supermarket; vanilla 3,000 UGX in the market, 4,500 at the supermarket; vegetable oil 19,000 UGX near the market, 21,000 UGX at the supermarket; meat 14,000/Kg at the meat market (picture below), 20,000 – 35,000 UGX at the supermarket depending on type.  For some reason people do not eat raw meat or meat that is still mooing here.

Some items (bread) have the same price regardless of location.  Other items (sugar, eggs) have prices that vary from one vendor to the next, either in the quantity or the price.

Of course, there are some items I just cannot find in Koboko (cotton balls, index cards, knife sharpener, pillowcase, Listerine, antiseptic …).  Some are available in Arua (1 hour away).  I have now traveled to the capital, Kampala, once and its neighbor Entebbe.  There are malls there, and some of these items were found there but it is a 10-hour trip one way so I will not be going for a casual shopping trip.

Songbook

I have been trying to sing the English songs in church.  Most of the congregation is trying to do it by ear; hear it and join in.  Very few have songbooks.  St. John’s is wrapping up a fundraising campaign that we expect will provide the funds to buy a projector.  With a projector we can put the words for the song (or the liturgy) up and everyone can follow along.

Well, most people.  Those of us who are seated in the front corners still will not be able to see it.  I have been trying to buy my own copy of the hymn book.  It is called Praise Worship.  I have tried every bookstore / stationary store I know about in Koboko, but no one has it.  I asked again at church and was assured that I am asking for the correct thing and that it is extremely hard to find now.  It seems it has been sold out for a while but there is not a high enough demand to reprint.  I will keep trying in hopes that another edition is printed.  I will also try when I am in Entebbe since it is the English songbook and English is the common language.  (Kakwa is only in my region; the local language in Entebbe is Lugandan.)