1/13/14: VISIT WITH J J KEKI

1/13/14: Monday Visit with JJ Keki

Joanie with JJ Keki

This morning we attended morning services at 7:15 am. This week's parsha is Jethro, which includes the 10 Commandments. We then had breakfast and taught CL for an hour to the Talmud class of 8 students plus Aaron, focusing on Lesson Two: breaking down listening into Facts, Feelings, Values & Body Language.  Yehudah and I were able to participate, thereby leading each group and everyone speaks English, so, the process was deep and wonderful.  They are so enjoying the opening meditation as well.  We will meet again tomorrow morning.

Newborn Puppies in Courtyard

JJ's house work schedule for family

photo on right when Gershom Sizomu ran for public office - he didn't win

Coffee drying on a fancy cloth photo

Joanie with one of JJ's daughters

Then we drove with Aaron's eldest son to where JJ Keki lives.  JJ received us in his home warmly.  He is the eldest son of the family that brought Judaism back after Idi Amin was removed from power.  He has a strong personality and is the entrepreneur, creating businesses for the community, including Coexist Coffee which brings Jewish, Christian, and Muslim coffee farms together as a co-op, and produced the first Abayudaya CDs, which now fund university scholarships for Abayudaya students. His latest plan is to add in vanilla and cocoa and has quite a few cocoa trees and vanilla vines growing among the coffee plants. He says that cocoa yields ten times more beans per plant and sells for a higher price - and that it grows anywhere in Uganda.  He wants all the Abayudaya to grow cocoa.

Plus JJ is building a synagogue where he lives in Nabugolo.  He believes that where he lives is the true birthplace of Abayudaya and that it is vital to the sustenance of the group for a synagogue to be built there.  The grandfather, Kabbalah, was born there, plus their father and the brothers.  JJ has a large family of his children plus many adopted kids, plus several Muslim family members who have said they will convert back to Judaism if he builds a synagogue there.  He was already building bricks.  Up until very recently he had been attending services at Nabagoye, so his recent decision is challenging for the rest of the family.  However, one of the sisters lives with him and their mother also lives close by in Namanyoni village.  These places are all quite close, but not close if you want to walk to synagogue.  

It seems to me that this is a time of growth for the Abayudaya on several fronts - at Nabagoye, JJ's, Kenya, Kampala, western Uganda.  Some of them are very small yet seems like a burst of energy.  

JJ's home

We visited The co-exist coffee site, Yehudah bought a kilo of raw coffee beans, took a walk to see their threshing machine, that separates the bean from the covering.  Had a great conversation about Ugandan politics, solar energy and youth with one of JJ's sons who led us on the walk.   

Coffee packing plant with JJ in background

Coffee Processing Plant

Electric Thresher

Talking with JJ's son

We stopped by Hadassah Primary School to pick up Aaron, hung out there for awhile, then drove back to our home.  Kokol met me down at the guesthouse to work on a website for the Abayudaya, although next day he said his dad wants to first just make a website for Hadassah Primary School. That took much of the afternoon.

Hadassah Primary School Gate

  

Classrooms

Library dedicated to American donor

Hadassah field

Classroom

  

Hadassah Primary School buildings

Aaron Kintu Moses, Headmaster, with man working on water project

 After dinner I went down to the guesthouse to try to Skype with Ezra for his birthday - but was unsuccessful.  Perhaps tomorrow morning.  Yehudah spent time with Miriam, an orphan who had been sponsored by the Vancouver group but who, at present, Aaron is sponsoring through splitting up the money we send him.  She would like to go to high school in town, where she says they have better science teachers.  One idea she expressed was to become a tour guide.

Yehudah and Miriam