Been There, Done That...
Tim Rounding volunteered on the Year Out Challenge, a now defunct programme of the Right Hand Trust, in Uganda
We've been in Uganda for about two months now. We're really starting to feel at home and thoroughly enjoying ourselves, thanks in part to the benevolent nature and generosity of spirit of the local people. Their kindness really bowls you over: inviting us to their homes for meals when we arrived and bringing us supplies of the fresh produce that they have grown. It is quite a marathon keeping up with the number of bananas that appear on our doorstep each day!
Situated in the hills, the scenery around where we are living is absolutely stunning: lush and green, banana plantations surround our house and the weather (up until the last week) has been glorious. The past few days have been miserable and overcast and we're presuming that the rainy season must be imminent. We've heard different accounts from different people as to exactly when the rains begin and end (ranging from the beginning of March to the end of June), so we're not quite sure exactly what to expect and when . . .
Random and bizarre things seem to happen all the time and no two days are ever the same. It would be impossible for me to detail everything that has happened to us so far, but here are just a few escapades that particularly spring to mind . . .
We do most of our weekly shopping at the auction that is held after the Church service each week. Observing that we had bought eggs on three consecutive Sundays, one local gentleman offered to place an order for us at the primary school. We asked him if he could possibly order six eggs and paid him for the latter. Two days later, no less than five dozen eggs were brought to the door. The gentleman apologised for the huge quantity, but explained that he couldn't ask the children to take the eggs home again. No prizes for guessing what we ate for every meal for the next week! Needless to say, I'm now an expert omelette-maker! Alex told one of the students in our class at the secondary school that he was fond of rabbit. The following day he was presented with a live rabbit. It gallivanted around the house for two days before the Reverend Nathan was persuaded to do the necessary business . . .
The visiting preachers to the church never fail to astound us. After sitting through a Rukiga (local language) sermon of an hour and a half (not understanding a single word), we enquired as to what it was all about It transpired that the preacher was, in fact, an ex-transvestite who had been 'on the run' from partner-to-partner under the name 'Margaret'. He subsequently 'found faith' and trained as a lay preacher. Need I say more!?
On a more serious note, Alex and I are both teaching at the local secondary school. After just one week of teaching, and no professional teaching qualifications, we were both promoted to Head of Maths and English respectively! Assemblies in the Primary School have begun and are going well and our two slots of Pastoral Visiting each week have also got going. The Scripture Union at the Secondary School is starting next week, so we're managing to find plenty to keep us occupied and the days simply fly by. Many thanks to all who have supported me through your letters and e-mails. All are very gratefully received and I really enjoy hearing from you all. I promise to direct some sort of personal missive to everyone in the course of time . . .
Hope that you're all well. With very best wishes
Tim Rounding (Nyakasheni, West Uganda)
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