Bombings, a Wedding, and Power Outages... Oh my!

First of all, I am safe and sound. I know it is over a week after the bombings in Kampala and I am just now writing to tell you that I am okay. During the World Cup and during the time of the bombs, I was on the phone talking to Mom and Dad. They knew I was safe. So if you had not heard about me, sometimes no news is good news. :-)


The bombings occurred on Sunday, July 11th. Father Joe said that the date was another thing that Uganda has in common with America. I don’t think Ugandans will think of the World Cup or July 11th in the same way ever again. The bombings took place at a large public meeting space where people had paid an entry fee to watch the World Cup on large screens. People of all ages were there: families with young children, adults, and young people. The TV news and newspaper have been filled with images of the wounded, the deceased, the grieving, and the scene of the disaster. It is a tragedy when over 70 innocent people are killed. Funerals have been taking place all over the country. This past week was declared a week of mourning. Security has been tightened and increased in large public places in Kampala such as large shopping centers, taxi parks, and bus terminals. FBI officials are even here in the country to help with the investigation. Here in the small town of Kasana, things have not changed much. People are of course shocked and saddened by the tragedy and I suppose some people are scared, but life here continues on. I think that situations like this remind us that life is precious and that life can end at any moment. It has reminded me to pray for my safety and for the safety of Tabitha and those with whom I live and work. So please pray for the safety of Tabitha and I that we get home safely, but also pray for Uganda that this situation may be resolved quickly and peacefully.


Life continues on. I taught at both the primary and secondary schools this past week. Last Friday, the Cathedral hosted a very large wedding. The headmaster from a secondary school in the diocese was getting married. Father Joe is good friends with the headmaster and he was the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the wedding. The Bishop officiated the wedding and the celebratory mass. Over 20 priests were in attendance. Moreover, around 1,200 people attended the wedding mass and reception. It was by far the largest wedding I have ever attended. Here, weddings are a big deal. In America, couples are engaged for a period of time before the wedding. They may have an engagement party, but the wedding is the main event. American weddings can be large or small, expensive or reasonably priced. In Uganda, the woman and man introduce each other to their families. This event is known as the Introduction and it is a large party. After the Introduction, the man and woman live together and are essentially married without having an actual marriage ceremony. Years may go by without there being an actual wedding ceremony because the couple saves up their money to have the wedding. If people are going to get married and have a reception, then it will be a large, well-attended, expensive event. If it is not a big event, then it is not held. Since they are large celebrations, the husband and wife cannot be expected nor can their families alone be expected to pay for the wedding. An organizing committee for the wedding is formed to plan for all of the details as well as to fundraise for the event. People contribute money to either pay for a certain part of the wedding (like the drinks, the programs, the flowers, etc) or they give money to the wedding as a whole. Father Joe as the Chairman for this wedding’s organizing committee had a big job to do. Yesterday’s wedding was really nice. The mass was beautiful. The reception was fun – good fun, good music, and good dancing!


Life goes on. On Saturday morning, I was at the parish getting ready to come to the Internet Café when one of my students called out my name. This little girl wanted me to come help her carry water to her house. The majority of people here do not have running water at their homes. They carry water in yellow jerry cans from neighborhood pumps to their homes. These 2 little girls were instructed to carry water from the pump at the primary school back to their homes. Each girl had a jerry can about 2 feet tall – I am not sure how many liters each jerry can held. These girls are aged 8 and 9. They are each about 4 feet tall so the jerry cans were half their sizes. I walked with them back to their house with a jerry can in each arm. (At least I was balanced.) I had to stop a few times because the jerry cans are awkward to carry and they were slipping out of my hands. People tend to stare at me any time I am walking around, but this morning they really stared at this white girl carrying water. I am sure they had never seen that before. The girls’ aunt saw us a little ways down from her house. She came and carried the jerry cans the rest of the way. She thanked me for the good work of carrying water. I hope my assistance does not get the girls in trouble. I visited with the children and their parents welcomed me inside to eat – 1 hard boiled egg, some matooke (cooked banana), and a Mountain Dew. I visited for a bit and then I left.

I have tried for several days to come to the Internet Cafe to send y'all an update, but either my schedule or power outages have prevented me. Uganda loses power a lot. It is funny, but during the World Cup, we did not seem lose power on the days that soccer(football) games were held. When the power goes out, it can be out for a few minutes or all day. You never know. We also seem to lose power more during the day. With the natural sunlight, you do not need power to see. Also, most people do not have refrigerators or other appliances that have to run on power. People do not have AC so they are not suddenly hot. The biggest inconvenience is when you are trying to use the computer or the internet because that just does not happen when the power is out. So I am here on Tuesday morning trying to take care of the internet business while we have currently have power because you never know what this afternoon will hold. I am learning how to be patient and trying not to get too frustrated. However, you have permission to beat me if I ever complain about the internet or the internet speed once I get home.

So in the midst of tragedies, celebrations, and frustrations, we cannot forget that basic jobs such as carrying water must still be performed. We may take a break for a while to grieve, to celebrate, or to complain, but real life goes on and we need to go along with it.

I will be home the first week of August – a little over 2 weeks. I am preaching on August 8th at the FUMC of Auburndale. I will be sharing a little bit about my experiences in Uganda and how this summer has enriched my reading of the Bible and my understanding of God. I will be returning to Durham on August 15th. Then it is back to work and school. I look forward to seeing you all and catching up on all that is going on in your lives. May God bless you and keep you safe. With love and prayers, Emily.