Multiply Trip East Africa 2015 Day 15 August 25

I took a little time to savour the last breakfast: warm sunshine on the balcony of the Lodge's big lounge and two cups of Ugandan coffee, while I read Romans 15.  A team of eight girls from Ireland had arrived to help at Emmaus's school along the road, and were getting through their acclimatisation.  I thought about the challenge we've thrown out to our rising generation to self-finance a larger-scale visit to India in November next year (say 20 - heading for three locations). 

Pastor Chris arrived, and laid out the plan for the day.  Giraffes were the priority.  It's been nice that he'd has a grip on all this.  I did the whole checking out thing in the Lodge's office, and mercifully I had enough local currency, so there were no red faces!  Ps Andrew had stayed over with us to avoid the tedious journey to-and-from Jinja.  Our flight to Nairobi was 6.15pm, and we needed to allow up to three hours for the chaotic check-in that can easily happen at local airports.  This would give us about three hours at the zoo park in Entebbe.

Len was buzzing around providing us all with a box of tea-with-ginger to squeeze in our cases and take home.  Baggage all stowed, the friendly security guy let us out through the big gates for the last time.  I'd joined Hilary and Janet in a car driven by Carole, one of Chris's leadership team.  It was good to chat with them - they've done well in a situation where the guys have obviously had the bigger slice of the action.  They're both resolved that they'll be back to give the Nairobi sewing project a boost, and we discussed that the Sundowner Apartments would be an ideal place to stay.

The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre isn't quite your average zoo, but houses mainly rescued animals as part of conservation promotion.  Chris went off to pursue some deal for a discount and a chance to see Charlie the young elephant.  Through the entrance turnstile we could see clouds of lake flies.  "Insect repellent on!"  Carole instructed. 

Chris ushered us through the main reception.  "They normally charge $70 to see Charlie, but it'll cost us nothing."  He clearly has some influential connections - or he had persuaded someone that we were mighty important visitors.  The zoo is fairly extensive, and has a selection of animal in each of the many fenced-off habitats.  A couple of lionesses and a male played about in the shade under a distant tree, but our guide wasn't able to coax them nearer despite his calls.  There was a pair of white rhinos, the broad-mouthed ones, that came very close and accepted a bunch of pampas grass from the guide's hand.

The leopard, we were told, was at some display going on in Kampala, but we found the the giraffes at home, and willing to stretch over the wire fencing to be fed from the viewing platform.  Altogether delightful.  Next, the guide told us to watch the male baboon's behaviour when it saw a man showing attention to a lady visitor.  Sure enough he went mad, leaping against the cage sides.

Chris's phone rang, and he announced it was time to meet up with Charlie's keeper.  We stood under the shade of a couple of trees, and the four-year-old swung into view, as the keeper walked ahead carrying a big pan of carrots, bananas and pineapple.  We took it in turns to lift up the fruit at arms length while Charlie's amazing trunk took a hold and he happily munched away.  

Back at the entrance, I settled up with Ps Andrew for the last lot of receipts and we got off to Entebbe Airport.   Check-in was fairly painless, and the lady on the desk took a liking to Viv (calling him Vivian, which nobody gets away with) and allocated some long-leg seats.  We headed for a small cafe by the duty free shops.  We tipped all our local change onto the table and worked out that we could afford a coffee, soft drink and sausage roll each.  It was coming up to 5pm, and we'd stood out in the hot sun, clouds of flies and considerable red dust for a long time.

We landed in at JKIA's new terminal, and headed for the food hall.  The snack on the plane would be served after midnight, and Hilary and Janet sensibly preferred to eat something earlier.  Viv was on a mission to get to a charger, and I wanted to grab some WiFi time on my laptop, so we transferred to the new Departure Gate with plenty of time in hand.  "I've done this fight (KQ102) three times before," I offered, "and it's never left on time."  Nothing new, then, when we took off half an hour late.  However, what was new was that the customary Boeing 777 had been upgraded to a 787 Dreamliner.  The up-swept wings and large windows are very impressive, but the plastic fixtures squeaked and rattled like a 15-year-old crate.  I'd heard Gregory complain that the Airline was losing money through vanity.

I managed half an hour more on the laptop, enjoyed the roast lamb, stretched out my legs and got down to the serious matter of some sleep.

Multiply Trip East Africa 2015 Day 12 August 22

Today was cooler (i.e. not heading straight into the 30sC).  I noticed that the early morning sunshine that lit up the guest lodge gardens clouded over by the time we set off for Wakiso and our conference venue.  We planned a varied day: Janet giving her testimony about celibacy in response to yesterday's questions and conversations, Rukundo giving his, and an introduction to Kingdom businesses as a taster for Hilary's full workshop session tomorrow afternoon.  We also negotiated that we'd stay at the church for lunch, to simplify things.

Gregory was anxious to get the three Kenya guys moving towards home as soon as possible, but not at the expense of doing a proper job of things here in Kampala.  He talked through some options, and having them all leave after breakfast tomorrw (Sunday) seemed best.  We could be confident in Chris's administration and care.  Rukundo' too, would need to plan his return to Kigali - he didn't need to hang around for flights, as there are daily coach services.

Len wandered by.  "Did you find where the toilets are?"  "Round that side - some plywood sheet and gravel on the ground.  It just drains into the swamp." I added.  "I couldn't find it," Len continued, "so I went to the bushes.  Then I thought 'crumbs, snakes'!  Pastor Asua's seen black and green mambas and a viper or cobra, which he tried to hit with a rock."

A few spits and spots of rain fell, and folks got restive.  Really, only 4x4s could really make a decent job of reaching the Church, and everyone had an eye on the journey home.  We did finish promptly and were guided round to Ps Asua's home again for the postponed something-a-bit-more-special.  Meanwhile Gregory sat down with the expanded interim team that he'd assembled and introduced, to give them a thorough briefing.

'Buffalo' Charles had been miffed because he didn't get a chance to give greetings from the platform.  For over two hours he wrestled with his native Kikuyu pride while we teased and jostled him to get the matter in perspective.  'Iron sharpening iron' some of the guys had glibly quoted, but the reality was proving tough to process.  Earlier in the week, I'd gently instructed him in the foremost need for passenger consideration when driving a minibus.  Len had explained across the table at Cafe Roma that this is a most touchy sensitivity for a man.  'Buffalo'  had taken it well, and his driving - which he already saw as a serving ministry, had indeed improved.

George had blossomed, too.  First, unaware of the history, his brief contribution to last evening's 'introductions' at Cornelius's had been perceptive and timely.  Although to accompany Hilary and Janet from Nairobi, he'd left his two sons, wife and two-week-old baby, plus a stack of University work, he saw the whole deal as a privilege.  Gregory was keen to find men of this calibre for Uganda.

Our fellowship was jarred by a loud crack and sharp burst of white light.  Ps Asua was smiling, electronic wand in hand, having zapped a mosquito.  Ah, an object of desire.  Time for us all to move on.  A few final exchanges about the arrangement for tomorrow's church services and the afternoon Business seminar, and we were on our way.

I was more relaxed, feeling that the day's format had worked well.  In the back of the minibus, Gregory turned to me and confessed, "I gave them a hard time.  They should have done several things better,"  he stated.  "But we have made good progress."

Multiply Trip East Africa 2015 Day 10 August 20.

Len was keen to see the Lake and source of the Nile.  Gregory agreed he and Viv could chip off early with the minibus providing we got off to Kampala by 10am.  We had an address, but we didn't know where to start looking for the Emmaus Guest Lodge, though Ps Andrew offered that he did.  We were up against a deadline, because Hilary and Janet were due to land in at Entebbe (with George) at 1.30pm, and were to be collected and brought to rendezvous with us.

11am passed, and Andrew, bluetooth adaptor permanently plugged into his left ear, and two other phones on the go, was nowhere to be found.  When we hit the outskirts of Kampala we spotted a Shoprite.  At my cry of, "Ah, civilisation!" Viv wheeled the minibus round and we piled out to change currency, buy airtime, and replenish our provisions (specifically - yogurt!). 

"I know this place," Rukundo broke in, referring to the adjacent recreation ground.  "It was where I was converted - at a TL Osborne crusade."  (That was July 1991.)  Having enjoyed the first taste of air conditioning at Barclays, I stuffed my two-plus million Uganda shillings into my bag and joined Len in the supermarket.  Isaac, from Entebbe, appeared, dispatched by the local leaders to guide us into Kampala city centre, but Charles had disappeared with the van in search of some shade.  More waiting around; more time lost. 

Tank Hill Road is a prosperous district and the security around Emmaus is formidable.  "The Chief of Police lives next door", we were informed.  We trooped in and were provided with welcome chai while Gregory checked the accommodation arrangements.  An MPV arrived with the Nairobi trio, and an impeccably dressed Pastor Chris.

It turned out that the conference church was way over on the other side of the city.  I wasn't happy.   The local guys hadn't followed what Gregory had requested and transferred to somewhere central.  We were faced with the daily prospect of long journeys.  In Nairobi everything had been compact and convenient.

Pastor Chris, courteously explained that he lived very nearby, and would deal with the transport needs.  We decided to accept the situation.  Emmaus offered a mix of single and twin rooms, all at the same per-head tariff, and Rukundo and I opted to share.  Our next priorities were a chance to check out the conference venue needs, plan the sessions in detail and finally a meal.  It was too late in the day for the first.  We waited around for Andrew and others to appear for the second, but they never came.  Pastor Chris steered us to the nearby Cafe Roma for the third, after the travelling team had agreed that tomorrow we should concentrate on leadership issues.

It was incongruous to see local folks orientating around Italian cuisine.  With a lot of laughter we explained the choices and everyone ordered.  Gregory frowned intently at his huge bowl of spaghetti.  Rukundo's eyes popped at the pizza he was presented.  Charles played safe and went for chicken.  Viv had a side dish piled high with chips.  Len ate his own pizza and sampled some of everybody else's on offer.  I saved some space for a tiramisu.  This bill was 322,000Uganda shillings. 

Our bedroom had a small private balcony overlooking the tidy garden, and our beds were four-posters with mosquito nets for canopies.  This is a recently introduced improvement on the ceiling-hung pyramid style.  I was troubled  that we weren't ready for the next day's sessions, but it was too late to tackle some new presentation stuff.  I'd done teaching sessions on each of the past six days, and had needed to recharge my emotional batteries: it hadn't really happened.