on a mission in Moyo

snowgood

Jun 29

Day 1 of our "Real" mission experience was away from the luxuries of Entebbe, and centred on checking into a Catholic "Multipurpose Training Centre" with basic rooms and running water before hedaing out to the Palorinya Refugee Settlement.

Those of us expecting vast tented cities were surprised to see that things were nothing like the news reels you get to see on TV after a typical humanitarian crisis.

We probably saw no more than 25 tents, as the South Sudanese refugees have been here for 5 or 6 years and had time to settle. Virtually every family has a traditional round house (mud hut) with a pitched roof of thatch.

If they need water they have to walk. Each container weighs 25kg when full, and most of the women have a fairly long walk to get it. I spoke to "Florence" who has to collect 10 or 12 of these each day - on her head - and this task alone means she probably walks about 2-3 miles for a basic utility.

Perhaps I should record my overwhelming feelings on this first proper day in Uganda? I loved it! The people, the wildlife the bumpy roads. A sense of community with my fellow volunteers.

This seemed like the gateway to a wonderful week.

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