final blog

October 12

And so we come to the end of our time in Kanungu! This much-anticipated adventure has more than fulfilled our expectations. We have learned a tremendous amount about this community, its strengths and its challenges, about the local people and their daily lives, and about local education and its potential to break the cycle of poverty. We have seen some beautiful sights and have had, for a time, the rare opportunity to experience life in a community so different from own. More than that, we have met some wonderful people and forged some true friendships. Probably our closest ties were with the 3 young people with whom we lived, who took great care of us and with whom we spent many hours discussing life!

The nature of our work here evolved gradually and, although we managed to achieve all of the specific things we set out to do, we feel, as we leave, that there is much that still needs to be done. We plan to continue working on some of these things from home and, Kanungu electricity and network permitting, will be able to do this in close contact with those we leave behind. Along with the sadness of saying goodbye, came an unexpected and very touching moment when, at a meeting, we were officially made ‘Goodwill Ambassadors’ for Great Lakes Regional College - an honour indeed, and clever, since it ensures our continued support!

We leave now for a little travel and thence to Rwanda to stay with Becca and Drew. We end these blogs with a rather whimsical portrayal of daily life in Kanungu.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Love and Peace,

Jessica and Paul

Sounds of Kanungu

The rooster in the early morning - crowing in tune three times, getting flatter on the fourth

The clang of the metal pipe telling the primary school boarders to get up and go to breakfast

The bleating of goats

The liquid notes of the robin-chat singing from the tree

The sound of metal pans from the kitchen

The lowing of the cattle with the big horns

The chatter of children as they walk to school in groups

The lonely caw of the pied crow

The sound of drums and singing from the primary school assembly - the rhythmic tunes of hymns and songs, sung in natural harmony, floating across the hills

The slap-slap of bare feet on the dirt road

The clatter of banana leaves in the wind

The sudden bang, as of a shot, as small motor bikes engage after freewheeling down the hill

The regular chock-chock of the hoe as the women dig the ground

The roar of the pick-up taxi as it speeds down the road with people, bags, bicycles and bananas, packed beyond capacity

The swish of the blade as the groundsman cuts the grass

The chorus of “How are you?” from children visible and invisible, as we walk down the road

The rumble of distant thunder warning us that another deluge is at hand

The squawk of the ibis which travels in pairs, each pair sounding as though it’s in the middle of a domestic squabble

The hammering of rain on the tin roof obliterating all hope of conversation

The click of the lock as the house is secured for the night

The nightly lullaby of the crickets