Odds and Ends

Well it is the end of May, the month of Mary.  Today the novices prayed the Rosary with the Christians that worship with us.  Today is the feast of the Visitation as well and fitting end to the month!  Yesterday I took the bus to Kampala to submit my payment information for my work visa. It was a long trip made even longer by the visit to Uganda by the President Park of South Korea. She visited an agricultural station on the Masaka Road on which I had to travel. Well to make the way clear for her the police blocked the road for an hour and a half.  At least the weather was overcast and the temperatures remained comfortable.  Getting my work visa has been a long and hard trek for me. It has been hard because of my lack of knowledge about things.  For example, I had to get a letter from the archdiocese which I received. So off I went to Kampala ( which is 267 kilometers from Mbarara or 165 miles).  Only to find out that I did not have the right letter. The one I received was addressed to me (a sort of welcome letter) the one I needed for Immigration should have been addressed to Immigration (duh). If I had known that I would have not traveled all that way for nothing. That's not really true I did pick up the required file folder to submit my application.  This whole process has been just like that.  Anyway its all near to an end.  On the positive side I have come to tolerate Kampala more than when I first visited.

Kampala is the capital and the largest city in Uganda. It has the worst traffic I have ever experienced. It is not out of the ordinary to turn a corner and hit a dirt road.  The main road into the city has a stretch of road that is so full of pot holes that there is no pavement at all. After it rains it turns into a lake (a red lake since the soil is red).  All the while the vehicles are slowly moving through the holes there are boda bodas (motorcycles) zipping around the cars, cutting in front, and going up on the sidewalk or the median. It makes for chaotic traveling. I wouldn't call it traveling more like creeping.

The novices are getting  a little anxious.  They see the end of the program in sight, which of course means first profession of vows.  They will make vows in the middle of July.  Despite what they may be feeling their spirits remain high.

Politically, things are somewhat pensive. A few people I have talked to say that something is coming. What that is no one is really too sure. Speculation can be dangerous so suffice to say that the effects of the election in February are still being felt here. The opposition candidate is in prison for treason. This occurred after he staged a swearing in ceremony for himself as President.  I will keep you informed should anything else arise.

Once I receive my passport, I will be traveling to Nairobi, Kenya for Provincial Chapter.  It is being held in a town outside of Nairobi called Karen. The town is named after Karen Blixen who lived there. She wrote a book about here life in Kenya called, "Out of Africa". You may of heard of it or the movie of the same name.  I may be late because it takes 5 working days to place the visa in may passport.  The delay be because of June 3rd, which is the feast day of the Ugandan Martrys - a public holiday.  Speaking of which, on my way to and from Kampala there were hundreds of pilgrims making their way to the shrine of martyrs in Namugongo. Here is a picture of the shrine

So it is with this image I say goodbye for now. Peace and all good things.  ODE  tim