Tag: Ogongora

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We Met: Joseph #TFBloggers

Joseph's in the background, enjoying the music!
Joseph’s in the background, enjoying the music!

All week we have had two drivers – Joseph and Peter. Joseph has very good English, so we’re able to particularly ask him a lot of questions, and it’s really interesting to see where the cultural differences are, as they negotiate us safely around the incredibly bumpy roads!

He’s been interested to see what we take photos of, says we seem to “love children” (so maybe Ugandan children are more about function?), wonders why we find it strange that live animals are strapped to the back of bicycles, and doesn’t understand why we’d need 3 lanes of traffic going both ways – and why are we always rushing around “being busy”… good questions! I’m not sure he’s keen to live in the UK – just as well I guess!

Meantime, in all the chats about mobile phones, Joseph has one of his own, a Nokia, which rings quite a lot (not too much worry about drive/talk here) – which he says is particularly to keep in contact with his family – who he may not see for 3-4 months at a time (not unusual) – this week he’s been able to stay with them, although he picked up Malaria.. but has been taking injections and carrying on. Joseph also has a Kindle (B&W) – onto which he downloads many books, and also reads lots of information, particularly the BBC news, and he runs a chicken farm and a bricklayer “project” so looks for information to help him learn about that… his latest acquisition is ducks, so he’s reading up on duck husbandry. I asked if he ever went on YouTube for that, but he said mostly books.

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The Food So Far: #TFBloggers

So yesterday, on Facebook I put a photo of our meal the evening before “pork and Irish”:

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We always know that food will get people talking, and heading off to foreign climes always gives the opportunity to be exposed to other cuisine.

We established pretty early that any restaurant menus are a work of aspiration rather than reality … it comes down to the same choices as we get at our guesthouse each evening:

  • Meat: Chicken, Fish, Pork or Beef
  • Carb: Chips, “Irish”, Rice, Boiled Potato or Chappati

We’re grateful as it means we do get to ring the changes each day – and thankfully as I’m not a great one for whole fish – the choice does include filleted fish. Jay Butcher, who visited Ogongora 18 months ago was surprised to hear that there was pork (less common with a large Muslim population) – but we’ve had it twice (once in the guesthouse & once in the village) … I’m wondering if that’s a sign of success of the PEP process as in the photo below we see that Pastor Pete has 2:

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When we’re in the village, we are treated “royally” – which can actually be quite distressing seeing what the children eat – some kind of porridge made of millet – which may be the only meal that they get all day:

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We, meanwhile, are seated up at the front – and our job is to show appreciation for the food (whilst being aware that any leftovers are available for the villagers) – as this feast is spread out before us:

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There has been a big pile of rice each day (served with a bowl), plus some meat, some sauce, and a few other things – below is the infamous ‘goat stew’ we had been warned about – pretty tasty – I’d eat it again (less ‘stringy’ than much of the other meat):

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Simon Martin on Facebook said “In NW Uganda, staple diet is Enya – like brown playdough, made with cassava and millet or sorghum flour” – which I think must be the below (tastes like wet paper, with the consistency of wallpaper paste):

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Yesterday we had the opportunity to watch our dinner being made – in a very hot and smoky hut – spot the chicken’s feet in the pot (and the undeveloped eggs are taken from the slaughtered chicken and eaten also):

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We do know that our meals have been pre-paid for but it’s difficult to know that others are watching, but they just seem happy that we’re happy…

And one thing that’s an essential for the food is a bit of a ritual with hand washing … Although we all have handwashing gel, the village has had the importance of handwashing drummed into them, so it’s important that they see us doing it too. Someone comes around with a jug, a bowl and a piece of soap – and we rinse and shake!

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Interesting to hear how rice is a growing foodstuff – we’ve had it every day – but before (and maybe it’s just been for us) – more of a use of millet and sorghum.

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We Met: Anna #TFBloggers

Anna
Anna

In our conversation with Nora on Wednesday, we asked whether PEP had improved the position of women in this community, and there was a definite “yes” in reply. Families don’t fight so much – husbands have realised they need to talk to their wives/not drink all the money away. Couples plan together and share ideas, and it’s accepted that all children should go to school – not just the boys… when girls has been seen as just aiming for marriage/housework… but can now aspire for more – including running their own businesses.

Anna is one of those who has benefitted from PEP. She had lost her husband, and was thinking that she would die. Feeling really sick, she went for bloodtests, which returned positive for HIV – she wondered where this could have come from as she has only ever had one husband. Requiring money, she set up a small hotel, but then got sick again and expected to die. The community rejected her, but then came PEP, and she felt that her job was to learn from people, so went back home. If you want to last in Uganda you need to be able to do something with your hands – her brother helped until her strength was back, growing SimSim and Cassava, and bought a goat. Her farm kept growing until she had 15 goats. PEP has given her the income to be able to educate 2 young boys, and although she feels sick again (so please pray for her health), PEP has made life better. She also prays for strength to stay as a widow to ensure that the infection isn’t spread.

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The Mobile Revolution? A Conversation with Ben #TFBloggers

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Ben is the facilitator for the PEP process in Ogongora (and other local villages), so I grabbed the chance for a chat with him yesterday about mobile phone usage, and what it has changed about village life.

It has become quite clear this week that phones are being used in the villages, and have improved the situation in small but significant ways, but phones are expensive, and usually individual villagers have other priorities, particularly education – which is seen as a way out of the poverty cycle.

Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) provides each pastor with a mobile phone (not a smart phone – the talk function is more important). It does allow the national organization to contact each of their pastors quickly, but most look after around 5 villages, so someone in the village also has responsibility for another phone (otherwise there’s no one to talk to). Ben indicated that the main purpose of the phones is easier communication between the villages, rather than the national office.

Ben, in his work as a facilitator types up a report of progress in the villages on a laptop that PAG have provided him with. He then has to get this printed and post it, as he doesn’t yet have a modem.  If he wants to use the internet it’s a 100km round trip, and then a cost of around 1000UGS (about 25p) per hour for internet usage. If he’s going on church business – e.g. some research that ‘s required (the internet being easier to access than books) he can use the motorbike that’s also been provided, otherwise he has to get public transport, which costs around 10,000UGS each way.

When using the internet it’s mostly for research and emails – and also for banking – which he says greatly increases safety – before he had to cycle around with large quantities of cash in his pocket – now he can bank at the start, and withdraw at location… He knows what Facebook is, but hasn’t used it.

I didn’t get the promised chat with Odiirah yesterday as we all had a nap, but we’ve still got time – and I want to ask her what it’s like in her role as Comms for the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (3rd biggest church in Uganda after Anglican, Catholic)

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Church: Ogongoran Style #TFBloggers

So, today, the villagers put on a church service for us … as they said “where 2 or 3 are gathered in his name” – and it was certainly more than that though clearly not as full as a regular service… the nursery school joined us – lots of giggling again! Photos can be found on Facebook (open folder)

We’ve heard many tales of how long African services can be … but this was actually in many ways quite similar to a UK church service – songs, a sermon, a collection, prayers – but also very different … lively songs, clapping [in time ;-)], order of service not required (or even made so far as we could see). The sermon emphasised that everything that we have is a gift from God, so we should look after it and share it well… and be grateful for what we do have – quite emotional to hear this in a village where people clearly have so little.. and reminded me of the Widow’s Mite – we often give out of our ‘excess’, whereas they give out of what they have – which may be coins, or may be food.