One step at a time on the Road to Hope

Julius (left) speaking to Mark in November 2019.

Julius Emukule, 17 is a tall, handsome, confident and brave ‘young man’. He is athletic and therefore a fast walker.  The distance from his home village of Morekebu in Kwapa sub country to Tororo Hospital is about 8 miles. This is the distance that he has walked many times back and forth during three harsh episodes of his young life. He recounts the episodes thoughtfully with 'stature' of an old man.

In one of the tribes in Uganda, there is a common proverb that can be paraphrased as ‘stories of tribulations are not only told by elders but even by children who have lived through trouble’. Of course, the norm is that it is the old who tell stories. All sorts of stories. In fact, for this particular tribe, many homesteads still have fireplaces where young children gather every evening to listen to the escapades of their grandparents. 

The life story of Julius is an adventurous one. He tells it brashly and with the confidence of a conqueror. He has seen and experienced what some adults are yet to. Julius doesn’t know his biological father. All he knows is that his father was from some distant district and that he was not a good man. Stories are told about the man mistreated his mother until she left the marriage. She traveled back to her parents with two boys.  So Julius and his elder brother have grown up at their maternal ancestry home. 

Julius remembers a few days of fun with his mother. The few days are memorable though short. For the larger part of her stay with her two boys, she was tormented by a ‘strange sickness’ as everybody in the village called it. Together with his two boys, she trenched 8 miles to collect her medicine refills from Tororo Hospital. Months before she dies, she was unable to walk that long for her medication. This was Julius’ first episode of walking the 8 miles to collect medicine for one he loved. He had to do this in turns with his brother. One had to remain home to care for the sick mother as the other walked. The journey would begin before sunrise and end at dark. Almost all the time, there was no meal between the hours of walking. Sometimes there was a piece of sugarcane as an ‘energy booster’. Later on, the mother succumbed to AIDS and was buried in front of the house they live in up to now. At least she had escaped the horrendous pain she endured. 

“She is resting peace… ” Julius says. 

After the death of their mother, Julius and his brother lived with their old grandparents. Soon, the grandmother’s health deteriorated. She had been sickly hitherto though not bedridden. They were in and out of Tororo Hospital. Soon the second episode of walking the 8 miles resurfaced. This time, the walking was not as often because a team from Hospice Tororo visited and delivered the medication regularly. But sometimes it would be investable to walk. On all occasions, Julius picked Oral Liquid Morphine. The lack of this medicine caused sleepless nights at their house. The availability of it meant peaceful rest to their dying grandmother and to everyone in the home. Later on, the grandmother died of liver disease and was buried near her daughter’s grave. 

The house was now left to three ‘men’, the young Julius and his brother and their sickly grandfather. The old man became weaker by day. His energy was giving away. But he often confided in every visitor that he was a happy man. He was happy because ‘good Samaritans’ had offered to support his grandson Julius through school. He had been assured that Julius would be supported to continue school even after the death of his parents and guardians.  A team from Hospice Tororo visited the old man regularly. Julius and his brother trekked the 8 miles for the 3^rd episode to pick medicine refills for another they loved. The old man died due to prostate cancer in April 2019 and was buried near the graves of his wife and daughter. 

The episodes above have an average of three years between each. Whereas Julius was on and off for his school days during that period, his elder brother dropped out of school completely. He got married and started another life of struggle with his young family.

The main reason for Julius’s stay in school was the Road to Hope Program by the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU). The program supports child CareGivers on a range of interventions including Health Care, Psychosocial Support and Education Support. This program is supported by PCAU’s partner the Center for Hospice Care in Indiana USA under the arrangement of the Global Partners in Care.  

Julius’s story is unique but every one of the 58 children being supported by PCAU has a profound story. Suffice to say, these stories are not exclusive to children on this program. There are many other children who are vulnerable in Uganda. Statistics by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics showed in 2014 that of the  17.1  million  children  below  18  years  (over  50.7%  of  the  population)  in  Uganda,  11.3%  were  orphans,  8%  were  critically  vulnerable  and  43%  are  moderately vulnerable. Of those who were orphaned, 46% (1,108,080) had lost their parents through AIDS.

 

The story of Julius is, therefore, the story on the lips of many children in our country. What is paramount to note is that each of these stories can be changed. This year (2019), Julius sat his Primary Leaving Exams (PLE). He is extremely excited that he has attained some level of education. To him and his entire community, this was never envisioned given the circumstances surrounding his upbringing. Julius is an influence on his peers in the community. When a team from PCAU visited Julius at his home recently, he had just returned from giving a talk at his former primary school. As he waits for his PLE results, he has decided to offer his time to counsel his peers on virtues of endurance up to the end. In his former school, he is famed for his confidence in public speaking and presentation. Julius is hopeful that he will pass his exams to join a secondary school in 2020.

About the Road to Hope Program

The Palliative CareAssociation of Uganda (PCAU) in partnership with the Center for Hospice Care (CHC) in Indiana USA, established the Road to Hope project in 2012 with an aim of supporting child caregivers for palliative care patients to enroll in or proceed with formal education. The program was in response to a serious call by health care workers that PCAU should support them to address one of the key psychosocial pain cause among palliative care patients. The pioneer child on the program was George Bazeire who took care of his sick father till death and was thereafter left alone and frightened in a dilapidated house. To date, the Road to Hope Program supports 58 children from various districts.  The children are identified in collaboration with palliative care practitioners especially in the rural districts of Uganda.

Resolve to Change Today!

Let me tell you something.

I belong to an investment group with some acquaintances. This came up as a friendly thought by one of us and I am glad that it is revolving into something. When we started, all of us were quite serious about the idea. We agreed to meet once in two months and to make some monthly deposits to a joint bank account. The first four months we superb! None of us defaulted on deposits and we all attended meetings. You could say we were on fire for the thing.

Six months down the road, things started changing, people gave excuses for not coming to meetings. We had one of two missing every time we met. The one who we had designated secretary would not write minutes. Instead, we would try to recall action points of the last meeting and go on. It became a little vague but we pushed on until the end of 2018. In all this time, one particular member was the most unserious (that is if there is something like that). She missed meetings or she reported late at the venue. Her excuses varied from "... I have a catch up with other friends... it is so and so's baby shower, I had booked pedicure at the saloon...etc.

At the beginning of 2019, one of the group members suggested that we all re-commit. To build confidence, she designed a commitment form and put down indicators. It was all sorts of hard things like a heavy cash fine for turning up late for meetings, writing an apology, submitting an early notification for missing a monthly, deposit, etc... She even suggested expulsion from the group for some 'sins'.

Then we converged for a meeting in January. The lady who was the habitual latecomer was the first to arrive. She announced to everyone. ".... I want to let you know that for 2019 I have decided to be different... I will be on time... I will keep to my appointments and I will influence my surroundings.." She went on and on... We all laughed at her new style of stunts. She really sounded funny. Knowing her past behavior, we thought that she was making it up just because she had arrived at the venue on time and before all of us for the first time. The lady who hitherto missed meetings volunteered to be the new group secretary. We agreed, after all, we no longer had anyone to write up our discussions. If for nothing, we had another person to blame for lucking minutes.

 

After our meeting on a Saturday evening, she sent the minutes on our emails and on the WhatsApp group. We thanked her. She followed up with Direct Messages (read DM) on action points for each one. She was on time for the next meeting and minutes came after a day. She did the same at the next (extraordinary meeting to expel one of the now 'unserious' members). She is still swift and on time. It is now towards August. Her monthly deposits are up to date. Even when she was transferred to an upcountry duty station, she is always on time for meetings. It is almost obvious that you will find her sipping her favorite orange juice if you are late by one minute.

With the resolve by one group member, things have changed completely. We have all been compelled to change by her influence.

My request is that you pray for us to keep the momentum. We have redefined our vision and goal. I always look forward to the on-time short and meaningful meetings.

Think about making a personal resolve too.

See you sometime soon!

What a Difficult Customer!

Just last evening, I took a chair to have some look warm tea with honey at the place near the road. Its a bit raised and one can see cars as they pass the busy Entebbe road. Actually, I think its a great business idea. A place for tea for people looking for an evening. It could be that they are a couple or just someone alone from work wanting to enjoy some tea and a cookie. How about that? Anyhow, as I had my tea, two ladies approached. They wanted to take a table near mine but preferred that the waitress arranges the chairs in some way.

The waitress had just picked my order and was heading to the machine. That kind of machine that they punch in orders. it looks like a small TV on the wall. I think it sends a message to the chef once it punched. I like the whole idea that the waitress doesn't have to shout Tea and cookies! The machine does that.

So one of the ladies spoke in a rather harsh tone..." can you get us a place to sit ?" Please nyabo (madam), we are customers here... I don't even know why you cannot welcome us.
I saw the waitress responding so calmly and with a smile asking for pardon. I felt like she acted cool. But the lady was not done..."The table mat here is placed poorly...I think some of you didn't even do any catering course, you are here to learning on the job..." The waitress kept quiet... Then she moved away, maybe to pick something...maybe the menu for the customer to look at... as she stepped off, the customer had another demand..." can you now add another chair, actually two, we expect our hubbys to join us..."

Let me tell something, the chairs were just so near... I felt for the waitress, I got up and fixed pushed the two chairs to the customer.. By doing so, I didn't know that I had committed a mistake, the customer had turned to me..."You, all a long your work here...you saw us coming in and remained seated...you didn't welcome us...what type of customer care is this ?"
I stepped back, waited for my tea and enjoyed it... Its was a cool evening. I eavesdropped to some of the stories before the men arrived... All I can tell you is..."chose your partner carefully my friend" some of these people have too much on their mind...

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time....!

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

I like to think about things past and reflect. In my free time, I get hold of an old book that I read those days and just run through it quickly. I just feel good about it. sometimes this evokes a feeling of triumph. 
 I mean, I just remember how God has led me through  seasons and all I can say to Him is.."I will trust in you always Jehovah-Shalom ". 

Do you write down your prayer requests? If you do, pick up your hidden notes and look at 2, 3, 5, 10 years ago, you will be amazed. You will find that God has answered every prayer. It's actually ok that you don't remember all. By our nature, new things come. So we forget that, what we wanted badly and now want something new or better.

One thing for sure that I have proved through my life experience is that love and beauty grow. I can tell you, with absolute certainty that Omukyala is more beautiful. I look back to twelve or thirteen years when I first met her. She is now more beautiful and I mean both inside and out. Then my love for her has grown too. One may say that its an issue of memory but not at all. I appreciate her feelings, likes, and passions much better now. I have confidence that this will grow even more.  As we grow together, we are loving ourselves more and enjoying ourselves deeply. And God must be happy about this. 

I had written to you a short story about how I met this amazing gal. I can now tell you about our wedding. Not the whole story though. Just sentences about the beautiful day. It's just like yesterday. Nothing much has changed. In fact, the other day I passed the hotel where we had our reception. It just looks like the grass and the short trees of the time are still at large. It could be true. you may find some grass which lived then still there. 

On the eve of our wedding day, I traveled with my friend. He had some old car which served this purpose. I need to ask him where this vehicle is of late. It helped us a lot!  So I and my second best man drove to my wife's home. I and Eddie had a whole chicken. Then we set off with our wife and some two young gals. I think one was supposed to be a flower gal and another one of the maids of honor. Along the way, we had cool stories. But we also had an interesting one about the changing dress. I always didn't like the idea of changing dresses. That was then. It's now a different story.

On the day of our wedding, we woke up early and picked the gals for their saloon. Now, my best man would not have me wake up to at 5am but I insisted. The fellow reasoned that I needed to stay resting. How naive could this man be? I mean, even if I had stayed in my bed, my mind was out there. After all, we had shared the house with many of the boys. They stalking stories just before 5am. There was no way I would remain in bed. I just had to go with the boys to pick the gals. Some of the maids of honor overslept. So we devised means. A group of men waited to pick those that weren't ready while we delivered my wife to her saloon. I will leave out the details of our talk that morning but I can tell you that it was cool.

Our wedding was at 1PM, the wedding reception was near the Cathedral in such a way that the guests walked from church to the reception. In fact, some of the guests had a meal at noon and later walked to church. I am told that some of my people from the LC1 chose to have another meal after church. The church was full. We had great friends that sang for us.  We had friend ushering in guests at church. I am not sure they remember we owe them. 

One other thing I remember is that on unveiling her. She looked stunningly beautiful. I felt good about it. But now she is more beautiful. We have grown a bit, we love ourselves more, we talk more, read the Bible together, we think together more and we pray together more. It's just one thing we don't yet do together. We are yet to read a book together with a book from cover to cover. Who will give us such a good book to read together? We have done books but she will not read all of it. I only tell her the remaining story or all of it. 

I am just looking forward to the years to come. Then my friend Humura is in the picture and it's even becoming more beautiful. 

I wish you all the best in marriage, my dear wife! By the way, let's say you take us out today or tomorrow. How about that?

 

 

Be candid, respect everyone and behave my friend !

A smartly dressed lady with posh makeup on her and driving a sleek vehicle just committed a small mistake on the road. Bodaboda men have her. All sorts of abuses to her.

The taxi I am using is just near there. The driver is calm and quiet. the conductor jumps off walks quickly as if to help the lady shield off the bodaboda men who are increasingly abusive. Infant, they are shouting insults. The conductor joins the choir. I can tell you, this is a master at this song! The boy can abuse! The lady is looking at him with sort of an intent gaze. This earns her more abuse...her eyes, nose, shaved eyelashes, painted hair, painted lips, nose ring, etc...

In a while, a traffic police lady shows up, its all cleared quickly and we are on the road again.

Affect about 10 meters away, the driver stops, moves to the "conductor's door' askes him to hand over all the money he had collected and pulled him off the taxi... The driver tells the conductor to leave immediately! He tells him to back to some town along Masaka road.

The reason, the boy abused the boss! I mean, the taxi belongs to the lady! This conductor is a cousin to the driver who he recruited just before Easter break.

so we continue the journey as I chat with the driver! You know these drivers have cool stories, especially in the morning.

Of course, there are a number of lessons to learn from this short encounter. one of them is that sometimes we ourselves do clear the path to our own destruction.  It is important to always be candid, respectful and focused. Chose which war you want to fight. before any fight, ask yourself: what will I gain if I win this one? what could be the cost of losing such a war? 

"My friend was recently promoted...she has turned our work into hell..."

Sometime last year, I had resolved to come over at least once in a week to share something on work ethic. But I failed. I have been very busy of late. Somehow, things to be done continue to pile. A day passes and I only realize that I didn't accomplish all on my to-do-list. One morning, I will stop doing this list of thngs to do in a day. I will just hadle things as they come and at the end of the day go home not to remember anything until the next day. This must happen soon.

But that's not the story. It is here. I met a long time lost friend, she had great stories for me. You know those stories that date way back in time. This is a particular friend that I met way back after campus. We walked together a jouney to work. Yes we walked on foot to work. If this sounds funny, then you just dont know how cool it is to pray along the paths! Every nice vehicle that passes, you take, every nice perfume of someone waiting on the road for taxi, you take, and other things you will find. Some things like dead dogs. You walk passed them. So we walked, we prayed, we wished, we had great shoes that liked dust.

Just before the end of my friend's stories, she told me one that bothered me. She was angry with her colleague at work. She was mad at a 'former friend'.  Apparently, the colleague was recently promoted to deputize the head. The promotion had worked upon the colleague in tremendous ways. She acts funny. She wears higher hills. she is alway early at work. she had cut off all the yummy gossip! She nolonger posta regulary on the staff WhatsApp group. 

the character part aside, the colleague had changed the targets. She had set tough targets. She had also proposed some changes such as bio metric check in at work every morning. The colleague had lobbied a food supplier, contracted so that staff can have meals around the work place. This had 'killed' the walk out at lunch and break. But worst of all according to her, the colleague had introduced a scheduled annual leave system that auto calculates leave days taken. This means no more extra leave days thefts.

Somehow, the ED and HR Manager believed that these changes are cool. But this was detrimental to 'our freedom'. So my long lost friend is very angry. In fact she is a bitter woman of late. I met her with her 5 year daughter. they had branched to have some mashed potatoes at a cafe near a huge supermarket. I had branched off to gaze and classy people too.  After all the stories, the gal told me "... my Mamie is not happy these days....even the gate man at school knows...she hoots so hard every morning..."  Now, I don't want to imagine what the husband to my long lost friend would say. It must be interesting for him. I mean really. How do you sleep with a pissed of woman ?

Friend, you can avoid that bag of emotion at work. Take work for what it is supposed to be and live a life. Choose to play along. Yes act along! Respecting the legally instituted laws is the trick. Don't pretend. Face the facts. Regardless of anything, the work environment is evolving. At sometime, you will find new things that will call you out of your comfort zone. Come on, take a glass of warm water each morning, say a prayer, hug your husband goodbye and side kiss your daughter at the gate of her school. Take time to visit a long lost friend on a weekend, get to church on Sunday. Don't miss that mid week fellowship. Call your husband to a simple date on Sunday evening to boost energy levels to face Monday. On Monday early morning, shout out loudly in your bathroom and say...come on new week, its me and you here..lets roll! Do you have some cool music on flash disk ? Throw it along the way as you drive to work!

My friend, don't let your job be your life. To angry is to be alive but not that anger overshadows life!

Reply emails and work stuff in the most cool way. Don't keep a lot for tomorrow. Did I ever say this sometime ago, some rules, people and procedures at work will try to piss you off. Chose to be cool. I mean no need to keep quiet, reply in utmost love to every detail.

All the best!

A Season of Parties at Home! The Joy of Giving Away!

Barbra the beautiful bride on Dec 24th 2018

We just had a mevoluous season!

Okuhingira Barbara. Then her wedding to her beloved Justus and all that comes with it.

Barbra my young sister is the only girl among my mothers children. I hope this is good English. We are four boys and her. So my mother produced the five of us.

My mother is a strong woman. I need to cross check this fact but I think before her early 30 years of age, she had all of us here and about. My father got her just in time. She is therefore still beautiful and energetic. You can read about her in my other pieces on my blog.

Before I found Omukyara the two: Barbra and my Mother were the only women of my life. Later on, my friend Humura joined. I now have four of them. I also have other two sisters and a brother. So add to the five I mentioned earlier on. We are a a big family.

Of the women of my life, Omukyara and Humura occupy more space on my mind because they are full time partners.

Now Barbra has left with another man.

Barbara in the sitting room at home on her
give away Dec 24th 2018 

I can tell you something small about Barbra. Just something brief about her childhood. She grew up loved. My grandmother gave Barbra many names. The prominent one was Nyakikongoro. But there was also another name: Ekiteramasinde! I particularly liked the second name. I could tell you why, if we had evening tea together. The other thing that I remember about Barbra is that she really breastfed. Actually, she would go out playing and whenever she was tied, she could come to my mother and ask to drink. On the day she let go, a lady friend of my mother had visited. It is the friend that advised that way. So they sent me for some red paper which was applied on my mother's breast. This was enough. Barbra went out crying never to touch our mother's breast again. Barbra had excellent health all through her childhood. I don't remember her getting bedridden due to sickness. The rest of us had some malaria episodes here and there. But not much. We all really had good health. nothing threatening. Thank the heavens. Many children in our community suffered all sorts of illnesses.

There is something else I remember but cannot write here. It's one of those funny things that ought to be kept a secret.

In our culture, there is a proverb which attests that "...it's better for an old woman who studied your childhood days to die before you are an adult..." Akakeikuru kakumanya kuri okura kakafa.. Whenever we meet at home, we normally share those childhood memory things. Some of those things are too funny. I think it will be cool when our children grow to hear some of these stories. They will laugh! Or by the way they may find the stories not funny. Kids of these days do not face life the way we did. Who among them will go to well to fetch water ? Or go out grazing cattle ? I think my brothers will agree with me. Our kids will miss our kind of life. They are here wearing shoes in cars hehehehe.

Barbara studied at great schools, Kashozi Boarding Primary School, Keizooba Girls, Bweranyangi Girls and later faced the gates of the great Makerere for her undergraduate.

I think Barbra did not study primary one. Because our mother was a primary school teacher, Barbra stayed with Mum in P.2 untill she was of age to proceed to P.3. Actually most of my Mums former pupils now big people did carry baby Barbara.

You know, teachers had a way of bring their children in class. The baby would be in the conner as lessons are going on. At break time, it was fine to find the other children requesting to carry the baby. It was just fine.  Is this still happening ?

So Barbra must have had at least two or three years in Primary two. She skipped Nursery and Primary one.

Leaving aside the light side, Barbra is now a woman! Soon she will have a clan around her. Her own children etc. Perhaps I will also add other women at my household to follow my friend Humura. This is about seasons that come and go. Do you know that song ? It's a cool song by the Anglican Youth Fellowship - AYF. They are very good! I sometimes wonder why they still refer to themselves as youth. these are some mature guys. But they are still AYF. I should ask my best man why this is so. He knows these guys more. 

So we had such a great give away ceremony for Barbra at home. The weather was perfect, the food was plentiful and our friends and relatives showed up. Some of our friends actually visited home for the first time. My friend Mujuni came with his wife Patience. It was cool to receive Patience at home. Hope also came. She had her sister and brother. They enjoyed the party, at least they told me so. It's impossible for me to mention all friends that turned up. They were many! Thank you all for coming. The Area Member of Parliament,the District Chairperson and his dear wife, the Mayor of the Municipality  and many other leaders came too. 

To say it differently, we had a multitude of people at my fathers compound on December 24th 2018. One day, the younger ones who danced nearly all night will tell the stories. People of Peties' age and those younger. They danced till late. We had Ekibali singing and Doris dancing too. Great decoration by Teacher Alice and all other beautiful things that happened. We also had a good MC in Speed.

In the middle of it all, Lonah a long time friend of Barbara walked with her around. They actually danced walking. I have not yet conceived why dancing has become part of these parties. All I know is that in our culture, a bride is supposed to be as composed as a giraffe in strong wind. But this is changing. Brides and their entourage dance a round. some sing actually. So Barbra Danced too! She was beautiful and her entourage too. 

I gave a speech. I told everyone about our family. The four core attributes that make us:  

We believe and in Trust in God the giver of everything. 

We are humble people - our Dad especially.

We work hard - we are self made and seek our own identify. 

We love ourselves a lot - we are family - we care for one another. 

I then introduced people:  Our core Family, Ba - Shwenkuru , Ba shwento , Ba shwenkazi - Mr Mugisha and his entire family, Ba Marimi, Bamawento, Friends of our family - Rev. Rukundo, Mr Muhanguzi, our in-laws, Barbra's employers, our friends ad abataka. I thanked everyone! 

Barbara and her beutiful maids on Dec 29th 2018. 

Because of the Okuhingira things, our entire family missed church on December 25th. This was perhaps the first time in many years that we missed church on christmas day. Or maybe there was another time that I don't remember.

Did the church miss us ? I hope so. We had the church leaders the previous day at home. They are our people. Leaders at our church are forever friends to my parents. 

So we remained home on Dec 25th to clean around, wear off fatigue and all that. Stories from church indicated that they had a great service.

I was able to attend church on Dec 26th. The preacher, some old Reverend appealed to us to be bold in doing right. To stand firm on truth always. He spoke about St Stephen in Bible and how he died for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Barbra and Her Husband receiving a gift from Dr Kiiza Besigye.
In our culture, such occasions transcend politics.
My mother is a staunch NRM leader.
Leaders from diverse political parties were hosted at the party. 

On December 29th, Barbra and Justus had their wedding occasion.

This was at St Peter's Cathedral Bweranyangi. The couple enjoyed their day.

The choice of the church was perfect. Remember Barbra went to Bweranyangi Girls Secondary School for her high school. The school is just adjacent to the church of her wedding. Justus grew up around the same hill. What a memorable experience.

Barbara was beautiful. She is such a beauty. You know she resembles my Mum a lot. They are beautiful women.

The day was special. The couple hosted their guests at a hotel in Bushenyi town. We had a great time. My friend Norah did sing at their wedding. We had good food. Many people attended including the area Women Member of Parliament Bushenyi District and Dr Kiiza Besigye. It was sort of a mix of colours. What a cool day. Where love is, people from all walks of life meet and greet pleasantly. 

I gave a speech too: 

Barbra & Justus 

My parents Mr and Mrs Bikosa on whose behalf I stand to speak this day!  Religious Leaders, Political Leaders ,Our relatives, all our our friends , Ladies and Gentlemen! 

Barbra! 

What a beautiful day ! Can could you imagine such wonderful weather ? Look how beautiful you look! And everything thing here is beautiful!  Let me thank people who have been in your life! 

- Thank you Dad. You love us! You sacrificed a too much for us. 

- Thank you Mum. You love us.  

- Thank you - Edmund, Edson & Peter. You have loved Barbra too. 

- Thank you our wives - Omukyara, Nyamunyonyi and ; Kikwanzi. You have loved Barbra. 

- Thank you Barbara's friends! You are many! You have been with her. I could name those I know.

- Thank you all our relatives.

- Thank you so much the Bible Society of Uganda. Barbra has not worked else where. You received and embraced her. You are part of our family. Justus, please do yourself a favor. Live the work that Barbra does at BSU. Meet and befriend her friends and workmates at BSU. You will find it enriching and valuable. You will be in the right path that way. You will speak to Barbara's heart that way. 

Edmund has already said enough about Barbra. Let me add one thing. We love you Barbra. And we know you love us too. Justus, Barbra is a dedicated human being. You have to work with her. You need to think with her. You have married a serious woman. Be a real man. Mean this that you have started. 

Let me introduce introduce our family & Friends. 

-  Dad & Mum  Bashwento, Bashwenkazi, Omwahure weitu hamwe na Omuburuzi weitu, Bamarimi, Ba Nyakwento our in-laws.. sinc, Our Cousins - Thank you so much Polly, Paghi Mugisha & your wives for joining us. Thank you all our cousins who are here.  All our friends! Mwebare! 

Barbra, Dad & Mum gave you a heifer. Bikosa foundation gave you one too. Dad & Mum natured & educated you! Gyenda obe omukazi. Mukama akuhe omugyisha omukayaawe. 

On December 30th we visited a good lady in Rubindi. She is a good friend. A window, down to earth and one who loves. She gave gave to us from her granary. 

I preached at our Church on New Years Day. This had not been part of schedule for the season. The leader of our church asked me to through a phone call. I did accept.  

Mukama Asiimwe ! 

Mukurike omwaka bantumwe! 

This has been a long one! Let it stop here.

The Joke of the year during the give away ceremony of Barbra was that the next at our compound would be that of my friend Humura. We pray for you madam and look forward.