Bahai Temple and Uganda Christian University

Here is where I am sitting as I upload this park, Jubilee Park in downtown Kampala. As my last post said, our internship at Parliament did not start until today, so Holly, Ben and I have had the last 3 days to better acquaint ourselves with Kampala.

After updating on Monday, we walked Kampala Road, the main drag downtown. Holly and I introduced Ben to Nando’s, an African fast food restaurant. With no Taco Bell or McDonald’s for thousands of miles, we were elated to find a place with chips (fries), burgers, and orange fanta. We indulged and ate lunch.

We then set out for a bookstore. We asked around but no one could direct us, so we walked a few blocks until stumbling across a large bookstore also on Kampala Road. I bought “Sowing the Mustard Seed: The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in Uganda” by no other than President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. It is his autobiography about his life as rebel leader for the NRA (National Resistance Army) and struggle to rule after overthrowing Obote. The back cover reads:

Uganda has been transformed into a peaceful, democratic and respected country on its way towards industrialization and modernization. Under Museveni’s leadership Uganda has become an example for the rest of Africa.

Perhaps, instead of writing a book glorifying himself, his time would have been better spent stopping the atrocities and genocide taking place in the North of this “peaceful” nation.

I am so anxious to begin reading this book. While I am not expecting much more than propaganda, I could be pleasantly surprised and I hope I learn much more about the NRA side of the 1980s. This should be a wonderful comparison to the works I have already read/heard about the beginning of his reign. I have already met with the former commander-in-chief of the UPDA (Uganda People’s Democratic Army) in Gulu in July, and I have read to much on Alice Auma Lakwena’s Holy Spirit Movement and Joseph Kony’s LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army), but I have little experience in the “other side.”

I am almost finished reading a book I purchased at Border’s in Franklin, Tennessee this past summer. “Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children” is co-authored by American activist Faith McDonnell and “Aboke girl” Grace Akallo. The “Aboke girls” are a group of 139 secondary school girls kidnapped from St. Mary’s College in Aboke, Northern Uganda in 1996. They received national attention when a teacher named Sister Rachele pleaded with the international community to pressure their release. This book alternates chapters by Faith and Grace, with Grace telling her story and Faith giving history on the region and the conflict. I have enjoyed reading it because it has enlightened me on the first Christian martyrs of Uganda thru to Museveni’s coup to gain power of the country. These areas of Ugandan history I either knew nothing of or I was confused about the specifics.

With a clearly Christian tone, the book has a preface by the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orombi, whom I met this summer. Orombi is George Piwang’s brother, and I met him at the Acholi Inn in Gulu. In the preface, he urges Americans to get involved to stop the conflict and know God. I find it interesting that the authors requested him to write the preface because a large complaint I heard this summer was his lack of steadfastness in the situation. Many criticize Orombi because of his involvement with the Western church’s decision to allow homosexuals to become bishops. They believe that instead of meddling in the affairs of the Episcopalians (the Anglicans of the West), he should have worked more diligently to help his people. Orombi is from an area in the North called Paqwach.

Enough of my aside on books I am reading.

Yesterday, Holly, Ben and I ventured out to explore around our town of Kisaasi. We had seen a sign pointing to the Bahai temple, the only one in Africa and I believe 1 of 7 in the world. I know many Bahais in Knoxville, so I thought it would be nice to visit the temple and take pictures to show them when I return. We walked the 20 minutes to the top of the hill in the heat of the day, and by the time we reached the compound, we welcomed the serenity and shade of the gardens. The place was very nice and quiet, so we sat under a tree and relaxed for awhile. We also entered the temple briefly and sat in the pews until the women who let us in looked overly impatient.





After returning to Kisaasi, dehydrated and hungry, we knew that only one thing could solve our cravings… ice cream. So we decided to take the taxi to Ntinda to buy ice cream from the supermarket there. We each ate 2 tubs full (they are individually sized) and were thoroughly satisfied. We came home and cooked an American meal of hamburgers, potatoes, and orange fanta. We had trouble with the stovetop tonight (lack of experience with oil and cooking), so we didn’t finish until after 10:30. But we went to bed with full stomachs and I felt accomplished that we had survived another day. Every night I find myself thinking “Whew, glad we got through another one.”

This morning we woke up and met Rose Javemi and her father in Kampala. Rose is the teacher we met at Betty’s school in Nebbi. Holly’s family and smallgroup is sponsoring her to attend Uganda Christian University for Development Studies. We thought we were only taking her to settle in to the school, but as soon as we stepped outside of our gate, Rose pulled out her admittance letter and said that she was supposed to have reported to register on January 3rd. When her father called earlier this week to tell the university she had received the money, they said it was too late to register. So we weren’t settling her in, we were instead pleading for her enrollment.

It took us longer than we anticipated to get to Mukono where the school is located and we missed an afternoon with Dick’s sister Daphne. She was going to take us shopping around the city. Instead we met with the admissions office and an American woman who deals with sponsorship. Because the classes are full and Rose has already missed 4 out of 12 weeks of the semester, we decided it would be best for her to wait until next term. Unfortunately, that begins in September and she must reapply. We are all praying that she is readmitted and that she can start there then.







We didn’t return to our home until nearly 7PM, and Holly and Ben met Vincent (Dick’s brother) in Ntinda. I was too exhausted, so I stayed in and got rest so I was ready for Parliament today.

Another note of interest: we discovered the bus park today and it is not a pleasant place. The whole time I kept thinking, my bag is going to get stolen, my bag is going to get stolen. So I clutched it more tightly than I have the whole time I have been gone. The problem is there are dozens of taxis and stalls and people all intermixing. This causes for a rather chaotic environment. I had a man grab at me when we were looking for a taxi to the university, and my automatic response was to wail on him. So I did without giving it any thought, but he was gone in the crowd before I could force him to apologize. When I told Rose and her father I hit him, they just laughed. But I need to not do that again, even though this time there were no repercussions. I can’t go around hitting people. But I am prepared to defend myself and draw attention to his inappropriate behavior. It makes me so mad, even thinking about it now I am angry.

Maybe on future visits to the bus park (it’s the only place to catch a direct line to Kisaasi from Kampala), I will be better prepared for its environment. There is great shopping around that area. Shoes and skirts and sunglasses. I just won’t carry valuables and I’ll put on my mean face.

Also, another note: I have gotten better at protecting myself from mosquitoes. I have been covering up at night with long-sleeves and socks, and Holly and I rigged out mosquito net so it is more effective. I also carry bug spray with me and douse myself in it throughout the day. I’m only moderately itchy, as opposed to miserably, and hopefully in a few days when the bites I have clear up, I’ll have next to no new spots. They are vicious here, though. I’m excited to go to Gulu because the bugs are less bothersome. But don’t worry, I’m taking my anti-malarials and so far so good.

Here are the kids of Kisaasi that I mentioned in my last post...

Melissa


the group