Day 7 - Sunday Service and Games Galore!

Thinking we had seen a lot of the differences Uganda had to offer already, Sunday threw up a whole new experience altogether: Sunday Service! Being raised a Catholic, where church is very much a ‘sedate’ affair and participation is limited to call and repeat style prayers; stand, sit, kneel in unison; with a few formal hymns thrown in to ‘liven’ things up a little – a 50 minute service sometimes feels like an eternity first thing on a Sunday morning.  This was quite the antithesis!  As we arrived we could hear a chorus of gospel music coming from the hall, and upon entering, there were hundreds of people singing, sitting, swaying, arms in the air, dancing the isles, and another 30 or so on stage, all of whom appeared completely lost in the moment.  It took everything to not just freeze at the door, turn and run away – this was so out of my comfort zone!  

As we were ushered to our seats, I quickly sat down and decided to take in as much as possible – literally anything goes here; the formality and rigidity of Mass being a world away, which I guess is half true!  The song we arrived to seemed to go on for an eternity, another 15 minutes at least I reckon, although it is hard to be accurate with timings as the clock got stuck on 9:35 for ‘God knows how long’! We were then welcomed by the pastor, who invited us all on stage to introduce ourselves one by one, which wasn’t as intimidating as it may sound, as the congregation were so welcoming and gave each one of us such a warm response.  The service then proceeded with various choirs, dance groups and a visiting pastor, who spoke for over an hour, with anecdotes that would make any Bazungu’s (foreigner) jaw hit the floor – from children being preyed upon at school and his father’s battle with AIDS, to life as the son of Idi Amin’s bodyguard and how that all came crashing down and his subsequent journey to finding Jesus.  All in all, the service went on for over 3 hours, but it was a whirlwind in comparison to a normal Sunday Mass.

After a pizza buffet for lunch (could this day get any better!?) we headed to the source of the Nile, where an afternoon of games was planned with the 150 or so UGANDAID students.  Without a doubt, this will be an afternoon I remember forever.  To witness the initial shyness and reluctance in the students to participate in these strange games (Ladders, Fishes in the Sea, Egg & Spoon races, Rock-Paper-Scissors Relay, Splat etc.), transform into sheer competitiveness and hysteria, I can only describe as a joy!  After a soda, cake and ice-cream, we then had the chance to mix informally:  I was on a personal quest to find students sponsored by Bowdon Church School, and some sponsored by individual teachers too.  I loved hearing about their progress and aspirations for their futures, and they seemed to enjoy hearing about my family and life back in the UK and Ireland.  During a discussion about gymnastics and my efforts to teach cartwheels during PE lessons, an impromptu showcase began from a select number of the gym squad at NVI – risk assessments and safety procedures eat your heart out – this was not a display for the faint-hearted – and I believe there is even more to come on sports day next Friday!

Meeting these students, hearing their personal accounts of life at NVI and how sponsorship has utterly changed their outlook and aspirations, and their families, would move even the most sceptical doubter as to the impact a relatively small charity like UGANDAID can have.  This has truly been an eye-opening, life-changing experience for me – and while I miss my family greatly, my only fear is that as each day draws to a close, the flight home gets a day closer!