Thursday and Friday, December 26th – 27th (2023)

(I have never used my phone before to post a Blog on my website, so have no idea what it will look like.)

We had a long sleepless night in Doha airport, with only a few seconds of internet access, just time enough to receive messages from Kerstin who was flying from Germany and joining us in Doha, telling us she hadn’t been allowed to fly because she didn’t have a paper Uganda visa which now has to be applied for online beforehand. She had tried 10 days before and the application went through but she was never asked for payment. So she tried again but it wouldn’t allow her to apply again as the system still had all her information. So she hoped it would be sorted at the airport but they refused. So she missed the flight. She left the airport not knowing what to do next. She had all the gifts I got for the Celebration event on Friday.

Patrick also had a difficult journey from Madagascar last Thursday. With his flight having been delayed by 24 hours, our next plan was to get a Kenya transit visa so that he could leave the flight in Nairobi and go on the overnight bus to the border where Robert would meet him. But we hadn’t been able to get the visa because the Kenya visa website was permanently down and so he wasn’t allowed to get off in Nairobi but had to fly on to Uganda the next day.

As the aeroplane started its descent over north eastern Uganda towards Entebbe, we flew over Teso. I was very excited to identify Ngora in a brief glimpse between clouds!

We were met at Entebbe by Robert and his youngest brother Denis who took us all to Hapa Nganwa’s home in Entebbe. Babu Nganwa and his daughter Patience had travelled from Mbarara (where most of the family had spent Christmas together) to host us. They were so welcoming and hospitable. We had refreshing fruits and tea, followed later by dinner. There was a lot of reminiscing as well as making new friends.

Having started a cough as we left home very early on the 26th, I was feeling very unwell by then with a fever etc and went to bed without eating. Patience was so worried about my cough that she went out after everyone had gone to bed and bought amoxicillin which she brought into me!

Thursday 28th:

The journey up to Teso was long and tiring, leaving Entebbe after breakfast and finally reaching Soroti as it got dark. We had been into Kampala to change money, stopped for lunch on the way and also bought about 15 trees for planting everywhere we stay. I travelled much of the way lying down across a row of seats in the minibus and sleeping.

We had supper with Naphtali Opwata who then took us to stay at the Diocesan Guest House – all in individual en-suite rooms!

Friday 29th:

Naphtali organised breakfast to be brought to us and visited us before going to the cathedral for a day of weddings. Robert collected us and took us all for the TESSAA 20-year Celebration.

Felicity wrote to my family at the end of the Celebration:

Margaret has asked me to let you know that today has gone very well but been very lengthy. We have just said goodbye to our last visitors and she is going straight to bed because she is exhausted but the antibiotics are beginning to work so you are not to worry. I will attempt to send you some photos via her WhatsApp but if I don’t succeed we will send some tomorrow. We are having a slow morning so she will have some recovery time. Everyone was so thrilled to see her and spoke so warmly of what she meant to them and she spoke very well. I know she felt emotional but she appeared strong and coped with all the hugs and photos. There was so much love there for her!

I wish I had been feeling 100% so that I could have fully enjoyed and appreciated everything. I haven’t felt able to take any photos, not even on my phone – I’ve just let the others do all the photography and videos etc. I haven’t even unpacked my camera!!

Saturday, 30th
One of the biggest joys is that I think some of the Alumni genuinely want to take on the vision of Shalom School (without any involvement from me!) and try to get it going. Jennifer Ayoo (Lynne Akers sponsoree who is now an MP) came to see me this morning and we talked about it for about 2 hours. Pius Wajega (a civil engineer working with a Japanese company) sought me out specially yesterday to say he is determined to get it going. I have handed over all the printed documents to bishop Charles and he will guide them. Jennifer was going to see him straight after seeing me. And Pius is going to contact Ambrose Kibuuka in Kampala – he has been working for years to change education in Uganda, providing training for teachers in Catholic schools, and was so supportive of Shalom School, saying the only way to change the system is to build a few model schools. It seems the Alumni all appreciate that now that TESS has closed, they are the only ones who can do anything about the current generation of vulnerable children who won’t get the benefit of sponsorship that they had. And they now have the skills and experience between them all to take things forward. For me, this has been the most rewarding and hopeful sign I’ve had for years. And, very appropriately, I’m sure they can do it without me which is so exciting and rewarding. I made it clear that the vision of Shalom was shared with Jeremiah (who died of cancer a few years ago) and Bishop Charles. And I encouraged them to work with Charles. Apparently, the land ‘given’ to us by Bishop Thomas 13 years ago has now been legally registered and the title given to Shalom (and not TESS) as I had already registered Shalom (with Uganda government) many years ago. +Charles has discussed it with the current bishop of Kumi who is still committed to the land being used for Shalom which is also very encouraging. I told them that Jeremiah and I had once talked about whether we would see the Shalom dream fulfilled before we died – and he has died without seeing it fulfilled. For me, to see the Shalom vision start to be fulfilled by the alumni would be the greatest gift and joy and reward that I could ever imagine. I’m not expecting miracles, but signs!! I gave them a tree to plant as a symbol.

On our way to stay with James Ikara at his home and training centre in Nyero, we stopped by the TESS compound and offices in Kapir, which is now all fenced off. There was still a pressing machine for making the interlocking compressed earth bricks standing outside the little church, one of three we had. Who knows what is going to happen to the thousands of pounds’ worth of equipment and furniture, furnishings and property, including the container, now that TESS has closed. I wonder if the trustees have had a reliable inventory made?!

We were very comfortable in the new guest bandas at Nyero, and James and his family were so welcoming and thoughtful.