AIDSPIRIT- TRAVEL TEAM

Day 13-

We started the day with breakfast at the hotel, then off to TD for a few hours with the kids. We played cards, played board games, and sang songs to my iTunes. Diane and I taught the extremely important YMCA dance (lol), and the kids and Cindy, our cook, taught me a good 20 words in Lugandan until we went to lunch. After lunch the team, and many of the kids, took a field trip to a well dedication ceremony at a Ncamatogonya Village, a refugee camp for South Sudanese people, where people had been getting their water from swamps, the rivers and puddles (yes I said puddles)

Most if the older woman were dressed to the nine in long ankle length dresses with 80’s style prom dress puffy sleeves, taffeta fabric with bright embroidery, many with a thick Kimono style Japanese belt at the waste. They are so bright like something out of a story book. What one would image of a traditional African woman carrying water or wood down the road on her head. I’m so glad fast times hadn’t changed them, it would have been disappointing. Their dark brown eyes and black glowing skin with a glossy sheen. Most hair tucked back in scarves or fabric, one with a BRIGHT teal dress with yellow & red accents, and small white outline.

The ceremony started with a group of 5 male drummers with a dancing man in front, who looked like he may have had a few pulls of the 100 proof jet fuel liquor to calm his performance nerves, prior to the show. We sat in a U-shape. The towns people on two sides, the team and our kids on the third side, with a white traveling truck full of speakers and a sound board with DJ behind it, at the opening. At first it was boring, a lot of speeches once in English, the repeated in Lugandan. I tried to pay attention but the bright colorful Africans and their clothing was pulling my attention. One INTENSE old woman to my left was dressed in an all black dress with a black scarf. She had a good 14 dirty rang a muffin kinds sitting beneath her chair that kept staring at us. So of course I waved, and they would giggle and look away. I continued to watch the woman in black, though hoped she wouldn’t catch me. I secretly wondered what her story was. Did she ever have a husband, did he mysteriously disappear? With her intense brow frown and ere, it was clear she was not to be messed with. Truly there was no doubt in my mind that she was packing heat of some kind, under all that black fabric.

After the speeches came the music, and not soon enough. Most of our people were falling asleep at that point. There was a big separation for about 10 minutes, then with the beat from the speakers it magically started people moving from both sides. I did a little shake and a little feet tap, then just like that, some African women strangers started gravitating to me, and others in our group. We danced together in small circles of 8-10, and the love spread quickly. Soon there were hugs back and forth, and African yodel cries. One local gal, “the leader of the woman” apparently, came to me and wrapped a belt around my hips. I felt I’d been inducted into their tribe, hahah. Such a bond, dancing and music; such beautiful melting and melding of worlds. We started as strangers and left as friends. Many walked us to our bus as we left, where we all crammed in with the team and kids. Bringing us all even closer to one another. Driving away we had one more stop, THE WELL. Just a mile away off the road. Many of the towns people ran after to join, as well as the truck with speakers and music, like a traveling party spreading love, laughter and groovy vibes through the country side. We stopped at the well for about 15 minutes, just long enough for a few of us to pump the spigot till water shot out and the crowd cheered. Many took turns pumping, while on looker’s cried out. A small little girl came over and asked me something in Lugandan. Rachel said, “she wants to know if you’d like to buy a basket.” I asked, “how much,” and she replied “7,000 shillings a piece.” I asked “if I could buy all 3,” and she happily agreed. Her Mother thanked me with such gratitude, as I said “I don’t need change, thank you sister.” What an honor to have these beautiful handmade baskets, hand woven with LOVE. The purchase probably fed the family for a week or so. Best purchase I’ve made in a long time!! Till tomorrow!!!