Adventures in Namabaale Parish

Yesterday we went to Namabaale Parish which is about 45 minutes away from Makondo.  It is Fr. Kasoma's new parish area.  We have started 25 piggery projects with the Namabaale students and we have also distributed mosquito nets.  I was so impressed with the students that we met. They are eager and have big plans for their future.  One wants to be a radio announcer (very popular goal), one wanted to be a veterinary doctor, and one had a step by step plan for becoming a rural entrepreneur.  After selling his piglets he is going to purchase a cow, then some land, then start a matooke (banana) plantation and a eucalyptus farm.

Before leaving for home it rained.  The roads here are treacherous after a rain storm.  They become slick loamy mud, worse than driving on an icy road.  As we headed for home we felt pretty confident that our driver would get us safely home.  However, we met with disaster!  Our car got stuck in the mud and we had to get out and walk.  Thankfully we were near a trading center called Nanyua.  While we waited for the car to get unstuck, we became the village entertainment for the night.  Within a matter of minutes, we were surrounded by young children who thought we were the funniest things they had ever seen.  We hoped that the car could be pushed and rocked out of the mud, but to no avail.  Since it was nearing nightfall and the car was still hopelessly stuck, we decided to take boda-bodas (motorcycle taxis) back to the MMM compound.  We had to travel two plus driver on one motorcycle and three plus driver on the other.  Yes, that's right, three people on one motorbike and four people on the other!  We really had fun and at no time did we feel unsafe.  Only once did we have to get off the bikes because of the muddy conditions of the road.  Rita had a blast and so did Jill!