Sunday 12/4/15
What an absolutely class day this turned out to be! I was up
from the crack of dawn, before it actually to get ready and get down to the
cathedral for the service at 7am, a service of Holy Communion. The place was
packed out! It’s funny how at the start of the service there was maybe only 60
people there for the beginning, even the clergy were late and we were in the
vestry next door but they go ahead and start singing and dancing. People filter
in and by the end there wasn’t a seat to be had in the place, and there are
hundreds of seats! I was introduced and welcomed and I had been invited to read
the lesson so that was a nice gentle break-in. We processed out to Guide me o
thou great Jehovah and then turnaround time for the second service is very
quick! You get about 4 or 5 minutes to get yourself sorted for the next
service, which in this case was Morning Prayer. During those 4 or 5 minutes I
had a ‘come and worship’ book put into my hand and told “you’re leading”. This
is the first time I have clapped eyes on this book and the service starts in a
few minutes. By the grace of God I got through it ok!
I stayed on for the third service, which is in Lugbara, the
local language. I obviously didn’t understand a word of it and began to regret
my decision until I realised there was a baptism happening. Well not one but 30
children and young people. I couldn’t follow the words but it was so special!
The boys turned up in white shirts and school trousers and the girls in white
dresses. The families all came to the front to stand around
the children as they came forward for baptism.
You could just feel the joy in that place! Seven hours after I came to
the vestry to begin my day, I had a cup of tea in the vestry after the service
then began my walk back to the guesthouse to rest for an hour before Rev Pamela
came to get me again.
Sure enough she turned up for me and I had to get on yet
another Bodaboda! This time we were going to visit the ‘Sudan zone’. The areas
around the cathedral within a few mile radius are sectioned into ‘zones’ and
this helps to manage the pastoral visiting schedule! We arrived a few minutes
later at a house, in a more rural feeling area than where I am staying. There
was a large crowd of people gathered in a circle singing and as we got closer I
realised that they were standing around a grave. We spent a few minutes
singing, clapping and praying. The Provost (Dean) of the cathedral was there to
lead the prayers.
Soon after went to the garden on the other side of the house
where chairs had been set out to facilitate a kind of meeting with a panel at
the front. As their visitor I was invited to sit at the front. The meeting was
basically a review of how the people in the zone are getting on and how they have
been engaging in church life over the past few months. It was all in Lugbara
again so Rev Pamela kindly translated everything for me. I was invited to
introduce myself and give greetings from Northern Ireland and then the Provost,
Solomon, shared a thought about spiritual gifts and then prayed to conclude.
Some of the women who knew that I was coming along, got together and wrote a
little song which they performed in front of everyone, complete with dance
moves! I was so touched by it! It was part Lugbara and part English and the
jist was: You are welcome here, feel at home here, keep on smiling! I really
wanted a photo but I wasn’t about to get it without getting up to dance as they
sang, along with Pamela and Solomon. They taught me how to dance like an
African. I loved it and I think they loved that I gave it a go. In true Ugandan
style, the afternoon was not complete without a slap-up meal- eaten of course,
with my “natural fork”. They seemed impressed that I just got stuck in! After
dinner there was time for some more dancing but it soon started to rain and
spoiled our fun a wee bit. We decided it was a good idea to leave at that point
to walk back before the sun started to set.
I am shattered but have had an amazing day full of
experiences and laughs!
As they say here ( a lot)
Praise the Lord!
Danielle x
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