Weekly activities outside of work.

Nelson and Lucy (and their large family) live down in Bukasa, 5 minutes walk from where my church is. Nelson pastors a church that meets on their property, in a very simple hut, with bamboo screens for walls and a dirt floor. Lucy makes money for the family, working very hard to make craft and household items, whether woven baskets, bags and trays, necklaces, mats and paintings. I introduced Megan to her, this photo is Lucy and Megan in Lucy's 'shop'/room. Just mud walls and floor. Someone recently bought her a sewing machine, seen on the right.

I have spent quite a bit of time with them, I love Lucy as she is great to chat to, a godly woman and very friendly and encouraging. Nelson keeps quite busy, but he can also talk for ages and ages. He is very excited about his walk with Christ and his pastoral work. They have several children as well. I originally met them through their eldest son Dennis, who I got to know through playing soccer early on in my time here. (We just caught up this weekend but I forgot to photo him.)


Dennis is a great and sincere guy and I wish he was around more, but he attends boarding school in Mukono, so is now only back every several weeks. But I've also got to know his younger brothers a bit too. (in photo, cousin Moses, Fred, and Frank from L-R in front of their bedroom, where Dennis also sleeps when home. The western ideals of individualism and personal space aren't equally esteemed here traditionally.)
I am teaching the next youngest, Fred, how to play guitar. If there are two easy ways of meeting and forming friendships with my male African peers, playing soccer and having a guitar must be them. Its great blokey bonding.

Lucy's youngest son Austin (in picture) usually fears Muzungu, and takes a while to get used to them, some African kids are just like that, and cry whenever you come too near. But Austin has progressively got used to me, initially he wouldn't come near me, then he began to wave good bye when I was leaving, now he wants to shake my hand while I'm there, but he's still not super relaxed like some of them.

It doesn't seem to matter what time I go to their place, they always feed me. So I included a photo of a standard meal at Lucy's. Beans, rice and Matoke. Often they will bring meat for you because you are the guest. I actually really enjoy the Matoke, I wish we could have some in Australia every so often. Their culture is so generous and hospitable in general.


So here is a photo of me in front of Kairos Primary School (the construction in the background.) We meet there for church in a classroom. To the right of the photo is the very edge of a slum, and large piles of rotting food and rubbish are just off-photo to the right. If you look carefully you can see the "God is able" sign stuck to the ladies shop/homes. Signs like this are abundant in Uganda. People name their shops with 'grace', 'faith', 'Jesus loves you', 'Blessed', 'Christ the king' etc. in front of their shop name.


Ronald is a guy I meet for a 2 hour bible study each week, I thought you might like a picture.