Saving the Best Till Last
on Um Zayd wa Atheer (Uganda), 15/Dec/2009 14:17, 34 days ago
The first weeks, even months, in Uganda were distressing for myself and for those people who cared about me. It would have been so easy to return home but two things prevented me from doing that. Firstly I would have felt a huge sense of failure and secondly the preparations to get here had been enormous.Now I am at the end of my placement the upheavals have started again, as I plan to come home at the end of this week. There has been a last minute document to write, people to visit and goodbyes to make to young and old. Paper and mental lists are everywhere! Will they ever be sorted on time?As part of the farewells, last Saturday was set-aside for the Miirya Village Volunteer Project Party/Celebration /Thanksgiving. The Community Hall at the Sub County Headquarters was ours for the day. After a few sleepless nights we had a fabulous day. Over 90 volunteers arrived on foot or bicycles, some hitching lifts on motorcycles or trucks. Many had walked for over 2 hours. Mostly they wore their blue Project T-shirts, whilst others went for the full party dress. This was a big occasion.It was a happy mixture of African and English partying. We danced, sang and played party -games. Lunch and sodas arrived on a pick-up truck from town. It was not intended to be 'my day' but the volunteers showered me with kindness and small gifts. My attempts at African dancing caused a lot of laughter, as did Musical Chairs, the Hokey Cokey and Wahab in the Clothes Race. Local politicians made encouraging speeches about the achievements of the Project and pledged their support to help keep it alive.There was an undercurrent of emotion for us all, sometimes barely kept in check. Wilfred, a Pastor, teacher and village volunteer laid his hands on my head as over 100 voices quietly joined him in prayer for my safe keeping and the hope that I will not forget them. Of course, that is not possible.The day was important for lots of reasons. It was the first time that all the volunteers of the 3 Parishes of Kigulya, Isimba and Bigando had been together. It was also the first time that Amina had been to a Miirya Project gathering for 10 months. She wasn't able to dance but was happy to be with us. Her progress on crutches is slow but sure.How glad I am that I decided to stay and return to Uganda. There are people, faces and stories, which I will carry with me forever.