1/2/14: JOURNEY TO KAMPALA WITH VISIT TO FRED'S SCHOOL

1/2/2014: JOURNEY TO KAMPALA AND VISITING FRED'S SCHOOL 

We decided against spending more money that we didn't really currently have without exchanging more money and headed back to Kampala, especially since Fred really wanted to show us at least one of his schools. The trip back was 410 km. direct, but we found ourselves detouring further north to Bukomero, his original home village. 

 

Tembo Lodge Main Building

Tembo Lodge Rooms

We said our goodbyes to the owner of the Tembo Safari Lodge, a much fancier name than belies the place, but which we were oh so lucky to find. A bit north we ceremonially had our picture taken at the Equator and passed a number of cotton fields before entering Fort Portal. 

There we found an ATM which allowed us to get more cash. Not all ATMs being equal, it took a little doing. In all the hubbub, Yehudah put his debit card in a pocket he hadn't used for awhile and frantically searched for it, found it, and then, in an attempt to pull up his seatbelt, "broke" it and road the many miles without it. Not the best part of his day! 

 

 

 

 

Yehudah had offered to drive the day before and Fred now took him up on it. He drove for about 40 km. on the left side of the road in a right-side driving position, successfully passing a number of slow trucks. 

The second one was a military one and played cat and mouse with us, pulling into our lane the first two times we tried to pass. We viewed the Rwenzori Mts. which were much drier than the Virungas. There's a pretty hazy sky here so pictures don't show much of the beauty of the scene here. Also, at night, the constellations are hard to see because of this. Some of it is moisture, but a lot is the field burning and the dust in the air. 

Rwenzori Mountains in the distance

A lot of loose corn was out drying in the sun, some on tarps but most just on the ground. People walk through it to stir it up so it dries evenly. 

We passed a mosque with a teacher and his boy students sitting under a tree studying Koran. The mileposts were low to the ground and the initials of the town as well as the distance to it was scribed on them. 

We turned East and were soon surrounded by huge tea plantations. Fred said they were owned by an Indian family that has been around for many years. They employ many locals so the unemployment situation is lower here than anywhere else in Uganda. Joanie had spotted a stand selling avocados, so the next one we spotted, we stopped, got bread, avocado, and soda and Joanie made sandwiches in the back seat and we had lunch as we drove on. The avocado was huge, as big as 3 of the ones we buy in the States, for 25 cents! We passed a huge papyrus swamp. 

We got gas in a sizable town and then turned down a dirt road and passed through the area where Fred's family had hidden during the Civil War. They lived with the so-called rebels, which was safer than staying in their home. He pointed out the store where his uncle was murdered by the Army for no reason at all. We also passed his primary school and a two ride "amusement" park.

Fred operates 3 schools, but we only visited one. His plan for the place is very ambitious and wouldn't take as much money as it would in the States. It's amazing how many can be benefited with so little funding. Whatever monies are received are used for the next step.  Aesthetics, however, are sorely lacking.  We suggested to Fred that the children might paint murals on the outside walls to perk up the place.  The whole environment could use paint, new blackboards, more desks and seats, cement to cover the pathways and probably more books.

  

 

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He received sufficient money from an Australian Christian school to build an impressive science center, with a plaque denoting the donors, but the rest of the school is pretty dilapidated. The Australian school also donated enough money for him to buy the school, so they are now breaking down walls to make bigger classrooms and plan on building a new dormitory.

 

 

 

Plus he put in a well and is looking for funds for a pump.  

 

 

 

Fred boasted that the girls' netball team won country finals and are going to inter-country competition in South Africa if they can secure transport and lodging in South Africa. Here's the coach and Fred:

 

and all the trophies:

 

 

Meanwhile, at his home of 9 children, ranging from 3 to 19 yrs we met all of his handsome children.  I was especially taken by his 24 yr. old daughter and his 5 yr old.  The Mom keeps the home front together teaching at a large nursery school, where she is responsible for 45 3-4 yr olds.  She had made a traditional African dinner the evening before, thinking we were arriving, but this evening we had spaghetti and a great eggplant and onion dish, which was actually a most welcome change.

The room we slept in was awful for me, Joanie, given my allergy to dust and mold.  It was both of those, plus smelled awful.  I covered my head with the sheet but really couldn't sleep much, and my nose reacted adversely, continuing through Friday evening services.  Fortunately, it is all better today, and even though there are large dust particles hanging from our current room, I had a great night sleep last night. It is currently Shabbat, so we have time to sit and read and write in a courtyard replete with much garbage, old bike parts scattered and laundry hanging across.