Jungle woman

Monday 20^th April

I arrived at Rev. Alice’s house this morning at 7.30am so that we would be ready for Moses, the driver in the diocese, to pick us up and take us to Oyibu Village which is about an hour’s drive away. We would be doing another one of Alice’s workshops for the women in the Oyibu Archdeaconry, specifically those in any kind of leadership, pastor’s wives and lay reader’s wives. When I arrived at the house I asked Alice if she was ok as she looked not too well! She suggested that we might have to call by the doctor on the way as she had been up all night with a splitting headache and vomiting. I guess at home we might say “It’s probably just a wee bug” or “must be something you ate” and then be happy to let it pass. Here there are so many serious diseases it’s wise to get checked out! We did swing by the doctors and were there for a little while as Alice needed some tests. He gave her an injection, some painkillers and antibiotics, and also advised that she rest. Alice is not one to be kept down for anything so, despite our best efforts to persuade her to go home, we were soon on our way to Oyibu. She was worried that some women had walked a very long way to be there and she wasn’t going to let them down.

We arrived an hour later and were welcomed into a mud hut which seemed to be the headquarters of the archdeaconry. We sat ourselves down and soon a lady came in with a jug and bowl to wash our hands. We were then served enya, rice, chicken and ‘soup’. We enjoyed a cup of tea before heading over to the church. It was a different tasting tea than usual but I really quite liked it. Alice laughed and informed me that I had been drinking soya.

The activity in the church followed much the same pattern as last Monday but this group were smaller in number and a little bit shyer so they had to be encouraged. Alice began to feel quite weak again so someone brought in a bamboo mat and she had a little lie down while Lyn ran the session. No-one seemed to bat an eyelid at Alice having to lie down in the middle of a session in a church, which of course amused me! We had our bible study session and then performances again at the end which was great high to end on. At this point the medication seemed to be kicking in and Alice had come round again.

We then headed back to the mud hut we started in for some more food. This time there was game meat on offer, I wasn’t totally sure about it but I am trying to challenge myself while im here to step as much outside my comfort zone as possible. The hosts seemed really pleased that I gave everything a go. Alice told me I’m going home a changed woman and from now on she will call me ‘Jungle Woman’ because of all the new experiences I have had, I might even make it in the jungle! It made me and everyone else laugh!! It was a long hot day and I was glad to be heading back to the guesthouse.

Scary to think that by next Monday I will be beginning my homeward journey! I have a hectic week in front of me and I know it will fly by. I have been so blessed over these past two weeks to see God at work mightily here and I know there will be more of the same this week!

With love from Uganda,

Danielle aka Jungle woman x