Operation Uganda

The 26^th January is Australia Day, it is also a Uganda national holiday celebrating Liberation Day. Helen had invited me to join her and Sweetie, from Taiwan, to take a tour of the Gaddafi Mosque. This is the mosque at the top of the hill not far from Wakisa. Helen also mentioned that an Ethiopian doctor friend would meeting us for lunch. I arrived before the others and while waiting a light skinned African with Middle Eastern appearance approached me and introduced himself as David from Ethiopia. I automatically thought he was Helen’s friend. I assumed wrongly!  He was a stranger off the street who had seen me drive past on a Boda Boda and when I stop at the mosque, came over to see what I was doing.  He introduced himself saying he was a student in Kampala and was just visiting a friend at the nearby guest house. While we were chatting Helen arrived so I asked if she would mind if David joining us as he was also interested in meeting a fellow Ethiopian. Not long after this Sweetie arrived so we headed towards the tourists reception tent.  I had brought my scarf, presuming we might need a head covering, which was correct.  Sweetie  and I also needed to cover our legs as we didn’t have long skirts so were given fabric which was wrapped around our waists like a sarong.  Our scarves were then pinned on like a hijab. I felt like I was in disguise, under cover for the King. Our guide said I looked like Saudi royalty.

Before ascending the steps to the mosque we were asked to take off our shoes which were then placed on a shoe rack just within the door of the mosque. The enormity and splendour of the interior was remarkable. We were told that this was the second largest mosque in all of Africa, the largest being in Morocco.  Muammar Gaddafi of Libya commissioned the mosque to be built as a gift to Uganda, it was started in 2002 and finally completed in 2006. The whole structure and outer buildings is built on 12 acres and surrounded by a tall wall.

The main hall was very elaborate with high ceiling held up by numerous pillars supporting arches which were decorated by carving into the cement. There were large scripts of the Koran painted on the walls and thickly carpeted floor with a design especially made for the mosque which aided orderly prayer lines. It seemed that every item in the mosque came from a different part of Africa or the Middle East. All the woodwork was mahogany and came from DR Congo, the chandeliers were made in Egypt. This large auditorium holds 15,000 men, women are given a mezzanine floor which was very small in comparison, we were told was because it was a commandment for men to pray at the mosque but women, who had household chores to do, could pray at home.

The main hall is only used for Friday prayers. During the week devotees prayed in a smaller outer hall and on festival days there was also a large outdoor area which was also used, in total accommodating over 20,000 people.

On leaving the grand hall we picked up our shoes and headed to the minaret which is 50.5 metres tall with over 300 spiral stairs taking us straight to the top. The view was breathtaking! There was a 360 degree view with Old Kampala stretching out like an old cartwheel before us. I was able to recognise many places including Wakisa, below the dome of the cathedral, the taxi base and other places I had walked to. We were told that the mosque had been built where the British had first established their colony. There had been a great herd of impala camping on the hill and so it was called Camp of Impala or Kampala. This region soon become the hub of Kampala with all roads leading to the hill hence the area now being called Old Kampala.

Although it was quite a cool day (I had started off wearing my cardigan) I was glad when I was able to remove my head scarf.

It has been a very educational tour but now we were all ready for lunch. David suggested we try the guest house but when we found out the price we decided it was very overpriced. They were asking the same price as the expensive coffee shop just up the road but offering something very basic in an undercover area beside the guest house. We weren’t impressed with the location or the ambience so decided to try something I had seen on one of my wanderings. By this time the doctor had joined us so after a short walk (good for building up the appetite) we actually found another place which offered us a good choice of Indian and local cuisine for a fraction of the price and boy was it nice! I promised myself I would return to try the goat, this time I had fried chicken chips and coleslaw for around forty cents. I couldn’t complain about that!

On Wednesday I was invited to join the Wakisa staff in-service with SPUR Afrika. There was a speaker from Kenya, Patrick and Rosie for Melbourne, Australia who spoke on working as a team. It was a fun yet constructive workshop where we focused on mentoring as a developmental process. At the end of the day we were given a strip of fabric each on which we wrote our name, they were then passed around to the others to write something encouraging we thought about that person. We all received some lovely comments. There were also some funny comments one of these was due to English being the second language. One person received the comment which meant something totally different. They had meant to say, quick to get over begin angry but had instead said quick tempered. We all had a good laugh. Henry had ‘handsome’ on his, I now call him handsome just to tease him. I was surprised to read on mine ‘good eye for detail’, not a trait that I thought was very obvious but clearly someone is very perceptive.

Unfortunately I was unable to go again on Thursday as I had previously arranged to meet the Aussies working with Operation Uganda at Jordan House Community Centre as well as meet up with Luke again. Natalie and Rob sold up all to move to Uganda with their three young daughters over two and a half years ago. Regrettably due to the falling Australian dollar they may be unable to stay unless they find further support. Their stay here has been very beneficial to the organisation as well as the local church where they introduced a functioning children’s program as well as Shine for the girls. Shine is a program, developed by HillSong to help girls respect themselves, teaching self-worth. Natalie has now trained up young leaders who are teaching Shine both in the local schools as well as to the community through the Jordan House holiday program. They are seeing not only the girls but their mothers come to participate in the program.

Operation Uganda started out as an orphanage however they have since moved the children out of an institutionalised system, which brought about a dependency mentality, detrimental to the children long term welfare. Today through their sponsorship program children are now cared for by responsible families within the community. Needy children are sponsored within both urban and rural community. I can fully recommend sponsoring a child through Operation Uganda which is a recognised Australian Organisation as well as Natalie and Rob who have dedicated their lives to help this worthy cause.

On Saturday I caught up with Luke and Pam (the social worker) again this time to go shopping for some essentials for Luke while I’m here. Then lunch together, where I had been on Tuesday, this time I tried the goat. I was surprised how tasty it was. Luke told me this was the first time he had ever been in a supermarket of this kind and in a restaurant. Neither of which were at all flash as they were local shops although Pam told me even for a local shop the prices were more expensive than in the markets. The reason I shop here is because it is the same price as other local shops for everyday items. Although it was a little further to come I can use my bankcard instead of cash which, with only three weeks to go, I’m hoping will last so I don’t have to change any more Aussie dollars!

The latest update of Dorcas and Ezra is that Vivian was able to contact a friend that works with an organisation who has contact with many Congolese refugees. He was able to track them down and provide temporary accommodation for them. Please pray that more permanent accommodation will be found before she needs to return to her studies. She has also since returned to apologise to Vivian.

Photos:   1. Lilly in Vivian’s garden   2. Undercover agents     3. Helen and me   4. Pillars of Islam   5. Panoramic of main hall     6. Tourists     7. Spokes of the wheel   8. Looking towards cathedral on far hill     9. Stairwell   10. Lunch with Helen and friends   11. Encouraging words   12. SPUR Afrika workshop   13. Luke shopping   14. Goat for lunch

Prayer & Praise Points:
Thank You Lord for giving me the opportunity to see what Operation Uganda has been involved with and to spend more time with Luke, my sponsor child. And for the privilege of being part of his life.

Praise the Lord for organisations such as Operation Uganda and Wakisa Ministries who minister into the lives of many young people in need. Praise Him for the dedicated staff, volunteers, supporters and sponsor parents who bring hope in practical and spiritual ways to these communities.

Please continue to pray for Dorcas, Ezra and Vivian, that they will know the Lord’s leading and wisdom.

Praise the Lord for Luke’s exam results which will enable him to continue his studies and fulfil his desire to become a lawyer. Please pray that I will also be able to continue to support him through his further education.

Pray also that the Lord may totally restore my ability to sleep well as I’m still struggling in this area.

Pray that I might continue to have His wisdom and leading for the remaining time here in Uganda.

Please continue to praise Him for my general good health, provision and protection especially as we approach the national elections.

Please pray for peace to prevail in Uganda as they approach their elections on 17^th of February.  May there be peace and may God provide an upright man who will bring positive change to Uganda.

Please also pray that I might find a house sit or something similar from the end of March as I may not be able to stay at my mother’s house indefinitely during my stay in Perth. I will not be needing something long term as I plan to be in and out of Perth on several trips during the year.

Thank you for continuing to pray for my mum’s health and wellbeing.  She sounds well although a little forgetful.