I’m sitting in Amsterdam airport waiting …and waiting for the flight to Boston. Unfortunately, there is a 6 hour layover here, which is the last thing you want on a long journey home!
Ted and I had a very enjoyable day in Kampala yesterday. We had three significant appointments and actually completed two of them, and the third was cancelled because of a bus breakdown some 230 Km’s away. As I said to Ted that’s like going 2 for 2 with a walk! Hall of Fame stuff.
Actually it was a lot more complex than that and might give a little insight into working here. It’s all about the complexity of life and the value of time, and waiting!
I stayed in a very modest hotel in the center of Kampala. In addition to being cheap (you know me!), it is right across the road from the luxurious Sheraton, so we set our appointments in the Sheraton Lounge. The tea and sodas are expensive, but it makes for a cheap office!!
Our first appointment was at 9AM in the same Sheraton Lounge. Ted and I were dutifully sitting there at 9 in ties no less! 9:15 - no guest. At 9:20 I texted him (preferred method of communication in Uganda) but no reply. At 9:30 I tried to call. No reply. We needed to leave for our next appointment at 11, so we decided just to stay there and do some of our own work together. Then at 10:30 I got a text message that he was still 230 km’s from Kampala and would not be able to make our meeting! We left it that he would call later in the day of he got in (he didn’t).
We set off at 11 for our next meeting at 12. We allowed an hour because we had to get across town and the journey either takes 20 minutes or 1 hour plus. Well today it took 20 minutes, so at a little after 11:25 I was talking to the receptionist from the guardhouse where we were being screened by security. The conversation went something like: “I’m here for my appointment. What time is you appointment? 12. Then why are you here so early? Because we were unsure about the traffic. But you are early. I know but we didn’t want to be late. But your appointment is not till 12. Could we wait till the meeting in the reception area. But you are too early. I know but we’ve come all the way from America (I was getting pathetic now!)” Eventually the lady relented and we were let in to the facility. As it turned out the meeting started early and finished on time, so it worked out well.
Then back to the Sheraton for our 3pm meeting, after stopping in some retail stores to look at prices, particularly food prices on products that we are developing in Arua.
The waitress at the Sheraton is amused that we are back. Then we wait … and wait. The same process of texting and calling. No result. At 4:30 Ted and I declare defeat and head into the lovely Sheraton grounds for some time of devotion surrounded by glorious trees and shrubs and the ugliest birds in the world – Marabou Storks! This from the National Zoo website : "To the casual observer the massive Marabou Stork with its balding, scabby head and pendulous pink air sac may appear to be one of the ugliest creatures in the world." Yes!
At 5:30 we get a call from our guest asking if we are still at the Sheraton and can we meet. Of course! The truth is that he also has a perfectly legitimate excuse for lateness and was in a place where he couldn’t use his phone. We have a perfectly wonderful meeting with him, and as we end, he asks us to pray for him, right there and then in the middle of the bar/lounge, even though he is a well known public figure! We were so happy to do so.
Hopefully this gives some idea of life in Kampala and other places within Uganda. There is a give and take necessary because there are so many variables that impact life. Don’t forget the day before I had been delayed for over 2 hours because of rain! But life hgere just involves waiting and patience.
Incidentally the meetings were excellent and very productive.
We had a little time to spare, so we went to see Ted’s friend, and an ex King’s College staff member, who was coaching the Uganda Christian University Lady Canons basketball team. They were in the finals of the university tournament. They were already up 2-0 in the best of 7 series, and won the this third game too, though they were down 2 points with 3 minutes left. The game was played with great spirit at an open-air cement court at the YMCA, with 500-600 fans, hot dog vendors and all the trimmings!
A fun experience!
Well back to reality here in Amsterdam - waiting!
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