The first few days...

September: 10th – 12th

I arrived in Entebbe around 940 am. Isaac, my boss, the director of
Beacon of Hope was running a bit late and scared me, thinking that I
was forgotten about. He came about a half hour late and picked up a
rather ragged, tired Canadian (me). We took a taxi back to Mukono the
town where Beacon of Hope Uganda is located. It was about a 45 minute
ride, we went through the capital city Kampala which was busting full
of people and cars. There are no traffic lights so I noticed that the
traffic situation was extremely hectic, rather insane. On the ride to
Mukono our cab driver frequently drove in the middle of the road to
pass other cars, we were flying by oncoming traffic coming within
inchs of the other cars. Normally I would have been flooded with panic
however the calm presence of Isaac and the cab driver made me feel
that it was a regular thing.

(Side note) while typing this I have seem to got the attention of
several children, they don't seem to care what is on my computer
screen but seem fascinated by the bring lights. It's quite funny, it
now seems that about six children have crammed into the room and are
sitting around me as I right, I can hear them attempting to sound out
the words I am typing.
On the way to Mukono Isaac informed me that I will be staying at his
aunt and uncles place until I get used to my surroundings. His Aunt
and Uncle are parents to 8 children 7 girls and 1 boy. The boy being
the youngest and currently sitting right beside me seems to grow fond
of me. He enjoys hi-fives and laughs hysterically when I say hello how
are you in Lugandan the local language.

The family I am staying with is very hospitable; they have provided me
with the largest room in the house as well as one of their own beds.
There is no running water here so my first shower consisted of me and
a bucket of cold water. The bathroom consists of a hole in the ground
which you have to squat over and yes, there is toilet paper, I have
been using my Purel after each time because I am terrified of the
germs and bacteria in and around the bathroom area.
The first meal I ate here was very interesting, Isaac and I were in
town and I asked if we could stop for a meal, we went to a rather
clean shop, I walked in and saw someone eating something that I
thought I might like, I asked Isaac what it was and he told me it was
goats liver, I figured why not might as well try it so I found my self
approaching the counter and telling the server, "Yes, I will have the
goats liver and fires please." You know that smell you smell when you
around a cow pasture, that was what the liver smelt like while it
approached my mouth, the taste was not bad though and I ate the entire
thing on account that I was starving and very hungry from all my
travelling. The family I am staying with have been providing me with
food since then, a young girl by the name of Susan ( she is only 17)
has been looking after me, I have been trying to see if I can wash my
plates or help prepare the food but they want to do it all for me,
they told me that they treat me so well here because they are just
happy to have me at their house. The meals consist of mainly potato,
for breakfast I will have about 4-6 potatoes, lunch I will have a few
potatoes and some sweat potatoes, and dinner…I had larger portions of
potatoes and more sweat potatoes. Almost every meal is accompanied by
two bananas. The bananas are incredible here they are extremely fresh,
I have never tasted one with some much flavor before. Everything they
eat here is from a garden locally grown, the pineapple is also one of
my favorites so far as it is bursting with flavor. I have also been
introduced to sugar cane, its rather sweat, you chew on it and suck
all the juice out and spit out the remains.

I have been touring the local rural areas, it is pretty devastating to
see the living conditions these young children are living in. As I
walk by them they yell and follow along side the road saying hello mr
white man hello! When I wave back to them they sometimes fall over
laughing at me. Their smiles are infectious was I end up wanting to
wave to every child I see in order to provide them with something to
laugh at.

It is fairly hard to get around this area without a translator, most
people speak only Lugandan or know very little English. Every time I
try to speak Luganda most people laugh really hard and saw, you try to
speak my language? Isaac said they enjoy it and find it funny as I
pronounce things correctly however have a strange accent with them.
On the morning of September 12th I had the youngest boy Jacob come
wake me up, he came to my door early in the morning and said with a
curious tone Matthew, Matthew, you come play football now. I jumped
out of bed and said ok! So bunch of kids from the area came over and
we kicked a ball around. The kids laughed and laughed so hard when
they saw me playing with them, they were all yelling my name Matthew,
Matthew, as if indicating they wanted me to pass to them.
I ended up caving in and have given a bunch of treats and things out
to the family I have been staying with. The younger kids had found a
few whistles that they wanted, I regret getting them as they are all I
hear around the house. I have so many young boys come to me every day
saying, you have a car? For me? And then the next day they come back
with a friend saying, you have a car for him? And him? And him? Don't
worry though I still have a huge sack full of goodies for the kids at
the orphanage.

I had informed Isaac about me family and my beloved sister Rebecca, I
had told him that we have gathered a small amount of funds and wanted
to donate it in her name. He came to me today and said that he wanted
to buy desks with them for the kids at the school. I agreed that it
would be a great idea. Isaac told me when I first arrived that he
wanted to leave a legacy behind, he wanted to have children say thank
you Isaac Ssamba you were a good man, and he said that on the desk we
will write, donated by Rebecca Montgomery, so that those kids will
know and thank Rebecca as she was a kind and compassionate young
women. He had me almost in tears at that point, I think this is a
really special thing to do in memory of her. The money donated by the
Palgrave rotary will also go to good use, however we are still waiting
for a bit so we can properly allocate it.

Other small things to mention…

I see small lizards of some kind crawling on the walls during dinner time…
There is no ceiling to my room, my bed is really small, but I am
grateful for what they have given me…

With my salary of 167 dollars a month I will earn well over I million
shillings a year, you all now know a millionaire…haha!

I walked here to the internet café by myself, it was my first time
alone here, it will be getting dark soon and it is not safe out a
night, especially to be alone. I am a bit nervous but think that I
have given myself enough time to get back.

…I was just informed that my evening tea is ready, they really do
treat me well here, I Must go! (this was before I left to come to the
internet café).

...the father of the family I am staying with just informed me that he
is my African Father..haha

I will be informing you about all my activities, Monday school starts,
I have a community council meeting at another near by school and have
been asked to visit a few other schools in the area, my guitar and a
soccer ball are required at all visits, I am a bit nervous to play in
front of so many kids but am sure the most simple song will please
them.

Tuesday I start my research, I will be investigating and interviewing
households throughout the rural areas and starting an assessment from
the information I gather from it. I am currently writing
questionnaires, etc for all this and am reading on other local issues.

Lots of love to you all,
Matt