World Mission - Uganda

Uganda
Support of the orphans, students at the Diocesan Training Centre and special projects in Bunyoro-Kitara, our link diocese in Uganda

Back to main Uganda page.

Newsletter: 17 December 2008

Christmas Season 2008

Dear Friend of Bunyoro-Kitara,

Christmas Greetings from all of us here in Hoima and in Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese. The purpose of this e-mail is to try and bring you up to date on some of what is going on here in this small part of the world.

General News

Today is Wednesday 17 December 2008 and the time is about 5.30 am. The temperature is very hot (day time temperatures in the low to mid 90s); there is not a breath of any kind of breeze, and the still, dry air is unbelievably dusty. Grace House is only about three kilometers from the Computer School, the motorcycle ride from home only takes me a few minutes and this morning there was absolutely no traffic on the way into town. However, with no breeze to clean the air I am covered in a thin layer of red powdery dust. Umeme, our national electrical supplier, is in the process of replacing many of the power poles between Kampala and Hoima and for the past four weeks there as been no power between 7.30 am and 7.30 pm every day.

Before I get into the good stuff I would like to mention the recent invention of one of our local entrepreneurs. This inventive businessman has developed one of the world's first, 100% green, non-polluting, zero miles to the gallon delivery lorries, which is currently in operation here in downtown Hoima. Photos are attached [see below].

Now for the Good Stuff!

The Children's Christmas Party - Sunday 14 December

1. Last Sunday we had our 8th children's Christmas party here at Grace House and it was an absolutely fantastic day for all of us, and especially for me!

a) We brought all of the Peragiya Integrated Babies' Home children to Hoima a day early for medical check-ups. You may recall last year, the first time I brought all of them to Hoima, all of the children were suffering from several medical affections, one of which was serious. The good news is that this year, there were no serious problems, just a few cases of malaria, some skin fungus cases and a few other minor problems.

b) Mary prepared a modest lunch for all of the kids and then she cooked a huge feast for the kids on Saturday night. Before supper we watched two great movies and while this might not seem like much to you, it is really something special for the kids here in Uganda who have never seen a movie. Last year we only had 16 children at Peregiya's to bring to Hoima for the Party. This year we brought all 24 kids (two full taxi loads), Peragiya, John, his wife and two children from the village. The Revd Godfrey arranged matresses for everyone and they all spent the night in Faith House.

One of the highlights of the evening came when Mother Christmas (Mary) came in to Faith House to distribute the gift of new clothes that she had worked so hard, over the last two weeks - night and day, to sew for all of the kids. I have attached a photo of Mary, in costume, so you can see what a Mother Christmas here in Hoima looks like. She was amazing!

c) Very early on Sunday morning our Sunday school kids came from all over Duhaga and all of the kids worked very hard to clean the compound, they decorated our Christmas tree, they blew up and hung several hundred balloons friends from the UK had given to us and they filled over 800 water bottles with water for the big closing water fight.

d) At 11.00 we all walked over to St Peter's Cathedral for the special Christmas children's service. Each of our three main groups of children (St Peter's Sunday school, The Mustard Seed Babies' Home and the Peragiya Integrated Babies' Home children) all had an opportunity to perform for the Christians. Let me tell you that you really did miss something special - I can't believe that they were all so fantastic. Sadly, none of my photos of the service came out any good at all.

e) Then we all went back to Grace House for the party! This year I had hoped to limit the size of the party to about 400 children, because last year things got a little out of hand when we had over 800 kids in attendance; however, as you will see that my plan didn't work out very well.

f) The party began with a huge feast of beef, chicken, matooke, Irish potatoes, rice, beans, greens, chapatti, bread buns and a soda for everyone. While every one was eating, our three main groups of kids took turns entertaining the crowd with songs and dances while they were eating. I have attached a photo of the two food lines running at maximum capacity.

g) As soon as the feast was over we had our candy harvest where all of the kids are turned loose to go out to harvest the 66 pounds of hard candies that Father Christmas' elves has scattered all over the east side of the Grace House compound. Here one small sweet can make a child's day.

h) Next, Mother Christmas (Alice) distributed all of the toys that Santa (God) had provided. Here most kids don't ever receive the Christmas gift of a toy and if they are extremely fortunate they may receive a new dress or a shirt and pants. I had been able to purchase 640 small toys (dolls, water guns, cars, balls, scarves and sports shorts). My grand plan was to give out 400 of the toys to the children we expected and to use the rest at a couple of village churches; however, even after we had distributed all 640 toys I had bought there were still about 150 kids waiting in line. I have attached a photo of the kids lined up trying to get to see Mother Christmas.

g) Then we came to the grand finale - The HUGE WATER FIGHT!!!! Our Sunday school kids had pre-prepared and filled about 900, half-litre water bottles with a small hole in the cap for the party. Joseph, our party director acted much like the starter at the Indianapolis 500 auto race. He made certain that all of the kids had at least one water bottle and then he gave the word to begin. However, nothing happened! I couldn't figure out what had gone wrong? Everyone just stood there looking at everyone else! Then, way back in the back I saw one small lonely stream of water shoot up, then another, then another and then it was as though some one had opened some huge but invisible flood gate! It was really amazing! For about 20 minutes my compound was in utter and complete pandemonium with hundreds of kids laughing, and running and squealing and having a fantastic time. No one had anywhere near as good a time as I did. We really do have a fantastic, loving and caring God. I have attached some photos of the fun. Note: The kids had nearly 2,000 litres of water and everyone was drenched.

Ordination and Priesting - Sunday 21 December

Next Sunday here at St Peter's Cathedral Bishop Nathan will officiate at the commissioning of 42 new lay readers, and the ordination of 7 new deacons and 4 new priests. One of our new priests will be the Reverend Shirley Morris who will soon be beginning a new women's ministry in the UK through our good friends in Hartley Whitney. I have been told that this will be the largest service of this type in the history of Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese.

Staff Christmas Party - Tuesday 23 December

On Tuesday our diocesan staff will have their annual Christmas party; and thanks to two of our very good friends in the States our diocesan treasurer will be able to distribute envelopes containing a little something that will help each member of our diocesan staff with something for their family's Christmas.

Christmas for the Elderly - Tuesday 23 December

Thursday morning 30 or 40 of our St Peter's Cathedral Sunday school kids will once again deliver specially prepared Christmas food bags to many of the impoverished, elderly Christians here in Duhaga. This is always a very special day for our kids and I wish that you could be with them as they deliver their Christmas food bags to the elderly. In addition to the wonderful gift of food each recipient receives the prayers, songs and well-wishes of our children. Once again I wish that some of you could be here to see the joy our children receive from having something of value to give and from the gratefulness of the elderly they have ministered to.

Hoima Regional Referral Hospital Christmas Feast - Christmas Day, 25 December

Thanks be to the love of two of our very good friends in the States, at about 1.00 pm on Christmas Day we will once serve our big Christmas feest to all of the patients who are forced to spend Christmas Day in the hospital. I will take 20 or 30 or our children to the hospital to serve the dinners of beef, chicken, matooke, Irish potatoes, rice, beans, greens, chapatti and a soda for everyone that have been prepared. Once again I wish that some of you could be here to see the joy our children receive from having something of value to give and from the gratefulness of the elderly they have ministered to.

I pray that each one of you, and each one of us will have a wondrously blessed Christmas season; and that we all will be able to see our Father's love reflected in the face of everyone we meet.

On closing, please know that you are all in our prayers and we love and deeply appreciate each and everyone of you.

Yours in Jesus
Thad

Hoima's answer to pollution and high fuel prices

Mary as Father Christmas (I think she has a problem with the concept of a beard.)

Peragiya's children in their new clothes

the St Peter's Sunday school singers

the food serving line

part of the line waiting to be served lunch

the line waiting to see Mother Christmas

One small part of the water fight begins.

Peragiya in the water fight

The water fight begins to run out of water.

Back to main Uganda page.

this page was last modified on 8 January 2011.