Ugandan pace of life is killing me by the way. I'm a busy-body, I tend to cram my days and keep a very structured schedule or else I feel restless. In Uganda, however, time estimations are always given with the implication of "plus or minus an hour or two." For example- if someone says to meet them at 11am, they really mean "I'll probably get there by 12, but it also might not be till 1pm."
Even for scheduled events! Hannah was invited to attend church with one of the teachers last week and was told the English service starts at 9am and it takes over an hour to get there, so Hannah should be ready to go between 7 and 8am. Teacher Ellen did not come to pick up Hannah until 8:30, and admitted that they will probably miss the English service altogether, but when they arrived at church the English service did not even begin until 11am. I couldn't live this way I'd go mad.
Anyways, Patient Day was supposed to begin at 8am. We showed up at 10:30am and just as we arrived the sound system thanked everyone for their patience and announced that they would begin shortly. The point of the event was to spread awareness of what UCCI is and does, distribute basic health information, and to celebrate the children who are patients there. It was pleasant and informative, and included a catered lunch of traditional Ugandan food.
Grace and Ivan (in the yellow) listening to a speaker
One of the celebrated children- they all had their faces painted
Enjoying our lunch of musaka, (cooked green bananas- tastes sort of like mashed sweet potatoes) rice, beans, and peas.
After Patient Day, we were invited back to Ivan's house once again to have dinner with his family. This time we took pictures! And played a little more soccer, too.
In the middle of Ivan's neighborhood on the way to his house. Its a more rural community around 40 mins outside the city, and they pretty much never get foreigners so every child ran into the streets to look at us. I felt like the pide piper.
Grace swarmed my the neighborhood children.
These people were unbelievably hospitable. Everyone smiled and hugged us, inviting us into their homes and offering whatever it was they had to offer at the moment- "paw-paws" (papaya), sugar cane, bananas, jackfruit, tea, you name it. Truly the most friendly people I've ever met in my life.
Hannah and I in one of Ivan's neighbor's house, looking at their family album and enjoying freshly prepared fruit from the trees in their yard.
Standing on the edge of the soccer field... gorgeous landscape!
Sanyu volunteers in the middle of the soccer field
A boys team was starting strength training while we were there- I opted out of joining them in rounds of push-ups
I love soccer!
Fact of the Day: In Uganda Sr. citizen discounts begin at age 40! Life expectancy is 51 years old.
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