Caroline visits Liwolo one last time before home

Sunday 28th September – Caroline prepares to fly home

Just  a quick blog as it is late and I have to pack for tomorrow – I am flying from Moyo at 1pm and then the BA 1.15am flight on Tuesday morning.  I have been here nearly 2 weeks and it has been good – great time with the team and very useful time on my own for 6 days and now by myself at Bishop’s house but he has a lovely team.

Today was LIWOLO again!  We left on time at 8.00am and then rather like a bus picked up people on the way – Joseph, Yango and their baby Esther and son Titus – plus the builder.  Then it was Emmanuel Murye and into town to get Golda – and also Charles’ wife Jane and her baby – we did some money changing out of the window in Wudu as I needed some Ugandan shillings.  Apparently this man had lent them money when the bank did not have any dollars – they badly needed the money to get ready for our visit.  Then it was petrol and here we got a bit African as they took 15 minutes deciding whether the diocese could have credit as we needed 40 litres and we had no money – however they agreed we could – the pump looked like a pump we had at home 50 years ago – and then they took so long to write the invoice they said just go on!

So it was a full hour of bumps from there to Liwolo – but it was not too hot yet.  I had also travelled in cool clothes and we had bought some snacks to keep us going.  On arriving at Liwolo we got our usual singing and dancing welcome – then we went to the compound to change and use the one flush lavatory but it does not flush and has not for the last 6 years – it just needs the cistern mending!

We then drive to the clinic and see the new lab Technician Mary Muja there and also the nurse Emmanuel – it all looks very nice and the young builder goes round to measure for curtain rails, tiling, more cupboards and a fence – jump into the jeep and back to the compound as I had said I could not do church without some food.  Here we have a snack of hard boiled eggs and chapatis and I have a Pepsi – so feeling fuelled up we go to the church.

We are 45 minutes late so the church is packed full not sure how many but a lot !  The service is in Bari so I don’t understand much – they sing the Venite at one point – then Joseph and Yango have their baby Esther Baptised by Charles – he looks great in his white cassock with Nigerian stole – it is very moving and very much their African service.  More words and songs – they seem delighted that Joseph is there and Yango loves being back in her church – they lived their whole married life in this village until about 2 years ago when they moved nearer the diocesan centre.  Then a woman is kneeling at the front and Joseph goes to pray a very strong, long and loud prayer – when he returns I ask what he has been praying – he says the woman was marked by a witch doctor for death and he was praying a deliverance prayer!

We are now 1¾ hours into the service and the sermon has not started – we have had some great dancing and choirs singing – not boring at all.  Then it is my turn to speak and tell how I came to Kajo Keji and how the clinic came about.  Joseph also does some talking but at 2pm now 2¼ hours in I ask do they want to hear the story – they say yes so I finish.  Then we have the collection and sing a very lively song – this then becomes into a massive dancing time for about 10 minutes so there is great joy.  I am so glad I ate 2 chapatis and a bottle of Pepsi as I feel fine!  I have learnt over the years how to manage. The service then finishes for me 3 ¼ hours later but the locals have been there for 4 hours!!!!

We leave and then go out and have another prayer with the clergy and back to the compound for food – tasty. Then 2 meetings with committee and the three staff.

Finally back into the jeep which has even more people in it and we travel back – this takes just under 2 hours and we have made it!!!  An 11 hour day but well worth it

So now must go and pack … 

Caroline Lamb