Another really great reunion was that with Charles and his family. They were the ones who used to run the tea room near my house in Mbarara. They have since moved back to the village where they are working the land so finding them was a little challenging. I really wanted to surprise them so woke up early and drove to the town where I thought they were based from. I drove around looking for someone I might recognize. Well an hour of driving around got me no where so I defaulted to trying one of the old numbers I had. I called the first one – phone disconnected. Second one – phone disconnected. Third – phone disconnected. I was starting to think that I had driven all the way to this town and then drove around  town looking like the village idiot for no reason. I tried a fourth number and there was an answer. It was Mama Jane (she knows no English) “Mama Jane? It’s Kent.” Immediately her son Benon was on the phone and I informed him where I was. He asked me about 5 times to ensure he was hearing properly and then explained to me where to go.

When I found Benon in another village he took me to the farm where the rest of them stayed. Mama Jane was out on the porch singing and dancing with the biggest smile on her face. I got out of the car and she just broke down into tears. Then out came running Nicholas and Jane Junior giving me hugs and welcoming me.  Then came Mama Jane’s husband (The Reverend he calls himself) but I was really waiting to see Charles. Then they started to give me a tour of the house and farm taking me to the hut for tea, I was starting to get worried that he might not be around. Then off in the distance I could see him bringing in the cows and coming up the hill. Jane went to go and tell him I was there and he came darting up the hill and pretty much jumping into my arms. It was quickly established that I would have to stay the night and that they would slaughter a goat for me to make Muchomo. A whole goat is a pretty big deal and The Reverend was hesitant but Mama Jane wasn’t going to take no for an answer, I was there and we were slaughtering a goat darn it.

Charles and I after the reunion, a much taller Charles.

Mama Jane and I taking tea.

It was quickly established that I would have to stay the night and that they would slaughter a goat for me to make Muchomo. A whole goat is a pretty big deal and The Reverend was hesitant but Mama Jane wasn’t going to take no for an answer, I was there and we were slaughtering a goat darn it.

The tasty goat that was slaughtered for me.

Nicholas delivering a gift to the neighbours.

I spent the afternoon catching up with Charles while being treated like a Ugandan King. They prepared a bed for me so I could lay and rest from my travels. Brought me copious amounts of Mama Jane’s amazing milk tea and The Reverend told me stories. The stories were a bit much at some point as I had no idea what he was talking about.  Then he would say “Oh Kenty, you should rest,” to which I would agree and then he would sit and stare at me only to start into another one a minute later.  The only parts I really remember were his descriptions of distance “It’s about five or twelve kilometers from here,” he would say, or  “You just go down that road 9 or 16 kilometers.” Other than that I was lost, something about the Bugandan King and some church I should see in Kampala. Then it was time to eat the feast, and a feast it was. Of course we had to eat ALL parts of the goat including random organs. I tried a few new ones, most notably kidney and pancreas. Kidney was a nice surprise and I might try again, pancreas I will be passing on next time around. After eating a whole bunch of Muchomo and drinking more of Mama Jane’s tea we slept.

Kidney on right. Heart on right. Unidentifiable chunk of meat at top.

Benon proving to me that kidney is indeed edible.

For the most part I love going to the village. It’s a whole different style of life and I like to take it all in. We woke up early in the morning and milked the cows. An experience that I always find intriguing, they just take a small rope and tie it around there legs and then stand there in the field milking them. We then moved all the cows into what is called a crush (what would be called in Canada a crappy chute, just random chunks of wood from the bush made into an alley of sorts) so we could spray them for ticks, flies, etc. They do this every week.

Charles milking an Ankole cow (the most common type here).

Mama Jane collecting the milk for the milkman to pick up via bicycle.

The Reverend spraying.

Benon pumping and The Reverend spraying. Note the crush.

After milking  and  spraying it was time to make my rounds. Rounds are the part I hate about going to the village. This is the part where they parade you around like some trophy which I suppose you sort of are. You go from house to house so that they hosts can show off their Muzungu. It wouldn’t be all that bad if it were just like a parade where I could walk by and wave but it’s the stopping at each house, sitting down, trying to make small talk with non-English speakers and the food. I try to tell myself that it is really an honour for them to have you and it makes them very happy. But when I am here for such a short time it really seems like a waste of my time. I know I am a jerk aren't I? The thing is you can’t visit a Ugandan’s house without having something to eat or drink, even if you have already had 6 other stops where you took something. This time was no different and the last house was really small and the people were quite poor I partly turned down food as I didn’t want to get sick and partly because I was already so full. Turning down food is a big deal but I stuck to my guns….and then the husband and wife each gave me 1000 Shillings. Doh! I felt like a jerk, they told me to buy some sweets with it…like they had 2000 Shillings to spare.

All in all it was great weekend and so nice to catch up with Charles. Turns out that even with missing lots of high school because of not having the money to attend, he ended up 3rd in his class of 68 (or was it 78?). He missed the chance to go to University this year but come next July we’re going to see what we can do for him!