Friday is a day of celebration. The staff has been working all week to ready the Children’s Ward for its official dedication and Grand Opening. Finishing touches to the murals on the wall, electrical outlets completed by Moses, sweeping, mopping and decorating for the occasion by all staff on hand. Matron Frances has been scurrying about cleaning and sweeping, getting the “sharps” buckets ready and ensuring the IV stands are near each bed. Winnie and Phedress who are normally off on Fridays due to attending school are here, committed to ensuring that the day goes off without a hitch.
On that morning I head down the hill after an early breakfast. There are three large tents in the open area in preparation for the celebration which will include the graduation of the vocational school students. The entire campus is in a celebratory mood. Everyone is running about attending to last minute details. Ezra asks me if I have my speech ready for the program which comes as a surprise to me. He apologizes that no one told me, but I assure him I will be fine. I spend a few minutes organizing my thoughts and find myself thankful that I am fairly good at winging a public speech. I continue to walk around the grounds and find Marjorie down at the lower part of the land working with the drama students and the cleaners. They are preparing for all the meals that will be served. She is cutting cabbage on a bench and the fires are stoked to cook it all and more. I see Justine who is beaming and ready to graduate. She tells me that her mother is too sick to attend so I tell her that I will be her family today. Her hair is done and she is wearing a beautiful dress under her black gown. I am so thankful to see her so happy. We hug and she heads back up to be with the other graduates. Marjorie informs me that Bridget, the young OVD student who had surgery earlier in the week, is waiting for me with all her siblings. She is finally out of the hospital but has come back to find me. She graciously gives me a bag of eggs – and again, I am overwhelmed by this act. She asks for a photo of she and her sisters, four of them in all. The locals love seeing their photo in my digital camera and I wonder how many of the younger ones have ever seen themselves as I haven’t seen mirrors in their homes. I vow to bring a Polaroid next year so we can take photos and leave them with the kids.
The events are to begin at 9 am but true to form we begin the tours at 11. The tour includes the hospital Board Chair Grace Kyomya, Mrs. Nyakwera Mary Baguma, an appointee of the President of the district and Rev. Canon Yusufu Bamanya, the KIDA Board Chair, as well as others who join along. Dr. Brian is in charge of the tour and we begin in the hospital. He shares a thorough and detailed tour of the space (noting a theme of detail here with him) and I learn some things I didn’t know about how they organize themselves. I find that the two beds in the cramped corridor next to the nurse’s station serve as the ICU as the nurses are immediately available to them. They are well-prepared for any emergency. It is Friday so the hospital is a little less occupied, maybe half the clients as were there on Monday. We move to the vocational school where the graduates are milling about in their caps and gowns. The girls are getting their hair done by Richard, the hair dressing instructor or by one another. The boys are clowning with each other. People here seem to not worry about what time things start or finish and live in the moment, seemingly always with a smile. It is finally time for the Children’s Ward tour. This occasion has been long in coming and is such a special time to be here. I wish that Debbie Cox could have joined as she and so many of her friends helped contribute to finish off the physical construction. I learn that the staff all contributed for the beds, as well as a gift from a German tourist who found himself in need of surgery when he was vacationing here. Dr. Brian and staff to the rescue much to the man’s joy. Dr. Brian shares what a difference this ward will make and after some comments and a prayer the ribbon is officially cut to shouts of joy. There are many questions once inside that are all in Rotooro so I listen patiently and try to get the gist of what they are asking. Dr. Brian speaks primarily in English, but the locals prefer the local language. I find that many times as they are talking, English words are slipped in which makes me chuckle.
We head to the tents as it is now time for the official program which starts about 2 ½ hours late. John, from the Baylor program is the MC. He is a natural at this with his lively personality and infectious smile. He leads the graduates in as they process to a lively tune dancing in a line throughout the area until they arrive at their places. I find myself smiling to see the joy on their faces and contrast it with the sometimes-sober walk, barring the one or two enthusiastic graduates, we have here in the States. I pull out my iPhone for some great video and am thankful Brian is getting some close-up professional shots. I am excited to share these all when I get home and trying to figure out the best way to share the over 500 photos I have already taken. There is so much joy as they arrive with parents and relatives attending.
The program begins and there are many speeches. As we have been here Ezra and his family have attended 3 funerals and a thankfulness celebration. Each of these programs run for many, many hours with people giving many speeches. I realize this is just part of the culture and think my children should be thankful that our church services rarely last much over an hour. I give my short speech realizing about part way through the event that it is more about the graduates and less about the hospital opening, although we are celebrating both. I make a quick adjustment with John translating. Thankfully just prior to going up Robert lets me know that my “Good Afternoon” I plan on saying is the one for an individual and I need to change the language for a group. I share a verse from Hebrews 3:4 “Every house is built by someone, but He who builds all things is God” that seems appropriate given the dedication of the ward and the kids graduating from vocational school. I give Justine a shout out as the first and only girl to attend and graduate the carpentry and brick-laying school and I am quickly off the microphone. Jabez gets a shout out as well. She is a college graduate who works in the lab but also decided to go to hairdressing school to make additional income. More speeches, many thanking Friends of Ruwenzori and thanking me for attending and representing all of you and your generosity, performances by the drama group and an acoustic guitar song by John round out the program. Because a couple of the speech makers on the program are not in attendance, we only end up an hour behind by the time it is time to pass out the diplomas. Each student’s name is called and any family they have gather for a photo with Ezra and the special guests. A cake in the center of the area is cut with firework-like candles and confetti raining on the students. This cake is cut into small pieces and the students share it with the audience on plates, each person taking a bite-size piece from the plate. They are also each given what looks to be a small cabbage burrito (which I am sure is NOT what they are called) that were made in the early morning by Marjorie and team. I am surprised to find that in Ezra’s office there is a full traditional Ugandan meal waiting for a handful of us. As there is an enormous amount of food Ezra and Marjorie continue to pull staff in to eat. Marjorie calls a couple of kids from the waiting room. They won’t enter so she fills two plates to overflowing for them. Brian doesn’t eat as he is still busy filming. He leaves tomorrow and is taking advantage of every last minute to capture this world.
The day is long, but it is such an honor to be here for it all. To witness the thrill of the ward finally opening and to see the smiles of success of the vocational students. Many have mentioned that they will now be contributors to the economy and to their families as the employed. As I begin to head back up the hill, I see Dr. Brian on the terrace being interviewed by a tv reporter. Both tv and radio have been here all day to record both events which will hopefully give KIDA a little free publicity. He jokes that it is going to be aired live on CNN but is serious when talking about the health of the community. He shares about the hospital and wishes he could do more to let the community know how to prevent disease. There are still local customs and “witchcraft” that inhibit people from coming to the hospital and most often this inhibits timely health care. His wish is that people would choose to come sooner to prevent deaths.
We are all tired but at dinner comment on the day. Sitting on the porch of the Musobozi home, with the lush view of the valley and the surrounding hills, you can still hear the sounds of children shouting and playing echoing up the hill. It seems appropriate that the day ends with the sounds of joy as it hasbeen a day of celebration.
