Christmas 2015

Gulu Christmas Blog

Advent Wreath

While the “Christmas spirit” known in the USA starts around Halloween, you wouldn’t have a clue here in Gulu….. Maybe the radio played Christmas songs that we wouldn’t recognize, but we don’t listen to the radio since we don’t understand enough Luo to be able to follow what they are telling us!  No, our “Christmas spirit” began in two phases:  first was the Christmas Novena which we began singing on the 16^th; second was our decorating which we did together on Saturday, the 19^th, while we listened and sang along to Christmas music on CD’s.  Creativity reigned supreme since only Fran was here last year to recall how and where decorative items “belonged.”  Jo and Pat had their own memories!

In our Dining Room

In Our Living Room

Dining Room Door

One thing really slipped through the cracks for us this year….  We sent no Christmas cards as a community! 

In the first paragraph we mentioned that we “sang” the novena.  Some folks might question that term had they heard us!  Our mistake was attempting to do this singing right after our supper meal.  (Of course, one of us had a Dove chocolate in her mouth when it was time to begin!)  At one point we gave thought to praying before the meal, but that just didn’t work out since one of us was needed to give direction to Ester who was to prepare the meal.  Next year…. If we remember!  Either way, we are sure God was pleased!

We agreed that we did not want to go to the “midnight” liturgy since there are generally hundreds of baptisms included.  Not very reverent when it’s done in such large numbers.  Even the fact that “midnight” was starting at 8:00 PM didn’t convince us!  Another reason for avoiding this Mass is the condition of the road we would need to walk in the dark… Not very safe, especially for Pat.  The early morning Mass (7:30 AM) was our final choice.  At least we had a choice!

Whole Picture

Pat & Fran (Note lighted candles!)

Fran & Jo & Beautiful Table Setting

Christmas dinner was simple and wonderfully enjoyable!  We had large baked white potatoes, steamed green beans with olive oil and sea salt, our own lettuce and tomatoes, and the last canned ham we had found!  The ham was “doctored” with fresh mangoes from our yard.   MMMMMM!  We had invited Mary Ann, a Sister of Loretto, to join us, but she was headed to the Comboni Sisters community at Lacor Hospital where she works.  Following dinner and dishes, we began our “novena of Christmas movies.” 

Holy Family Sunday Mass (again at 7:30 AM) was especially interesting.  There were many couples there who were celebrating their wedding anniversaries.  Our Offertory processions are always interesting with the variety of gifts carried up to the altar.  But today a woman carried up a small live goat!  At least it was well-behaved.  But when they reached the altar, the priest accepted it and held the rope high for all to see while the congregation erupted in wild shouts and sounds of jubilation!  We wished we had a camera with us!

The most difficult part of this whole time period was the lack of internet.  Each of us had counted on being able to communicate with family and friends during this time away from work, but on the afternoon of the 23^rd the power was not sufficient to let us communicate. Apparently the electric company had disconnected something “out there” where our internet gets connected to the rest of the world; nothing would work until the electric company returned to work on the 28^th.  Well, as you noticed, we did survive!

Mingling

Working

Center: Archbishop Odama

Mango Tree, Visiting, and DJ in back!

Are you familiar with the British celebration of Boxing Day, the day after Christmas?  Well, the custom is alive and well here as well as in many other countries.  Tradition here has all of the priests and men and women religious gathering for a Mass, meal, and time to share.  There are two seminaries in the area, so we go to Alocolum major seminary the day after Christmas and to Lacor minor seminary the day after Easter.  A committee asks each house to bring something to the party…. drinks, vegetable, fruit, beef, goat, cake, etc.  We laugh each year: how much should we bring?  “Enough.” Dancing is always part of the fun…. It is a cultural activity at every event!

Dancing: Our Own Fran and Jo

Our next big event is the annual gathering with the Archbishop on New Year’s Eve.  We start with adoration in the Cathedral, then move on over to the Archbishop’s courtyard.  In our early days here in Gulu, we could see this courtyard from the dining room where we had our meals with the Archbishop.  The only drawback is walking that road coming home from there…. Maybe we’ll just take the car!

We hope you have enjoyed a wonderful Christmas full of wonder, joy, and love.  Our prayer is that 2016 brings you more blessings of whatever variety you need.  May God remain with you!  We send our love!

Computer Lessons

Living in a first-world culture you may find it hard to believe that teenagers do not know how to use a computer, but here in Northern Uganda, most teens arrive in secondary school without ever having touched a computer keyboard!  Yet, understanding that most schools and homes do not have electricity, you begin to see the problem.  True, more secondary schools are beginning to get “plugged in,” but students are not well-prepared to use computers for learning.

FIRST computer room

Thus, the newly named University of the Sacred Heart (USH) ushered in a program called “Computer Basics.”  (The buildings are the former Catechists Training Center on the compound where we live.  The University is not yet functioning, so this is a way to use the campus.)  This type of course was offered twice before by local teachers.  Two of our Associates took the course the second time it was offered.  Sister Pat arrived in time to teach this third course.  The first two weeks were for instruction, while the third week was optional, providing time to practice the skills presented.  A young man named Ojok Patrick was assigned to help as needed.  He was a good resource and could repeat Pat’s instructions in Acoli when needed so the students would understand.  He later commented that he learned many new skills just from being present for instruction!

Sr. Pat & Patrick

Patrick helping to monitor progress

The students ranged in age from a 24-year-old nurse to a 13-year-old who was not even allowed his own email address by Google!  Most of the students had just completed their last year of primary school and are headed for secondary school when the year begins in February.  These beginners were exposed to many skills in those two weeks of instruction.

Youngest member of class

Although instruction lasted 4 hours each day, what was to be covered was a bit overwhelming.  There was a general introduction to computers, introduction to Microsoft Office Word, and then to Microsoft Office Excel.  In between these intense lessons they practiced their keyboarding skills using a program called Mavis Beacon.  Before the two weeks were up the students were exposed to use of the Internet and how to do an intelligent search.  Ahhhh!  This was the most interesting part for many of these young people.  But wait!  They also learned how to send emails once they managed to get themselves an email account!  Such fun!

Attempting to demo a skill

The frustrating part was the  inconsistency of having enough computers, having the required software on each of the computers, and poor internet access in the original computer space.  (The last two instruction days put the students in the next room where access was improved.)

Note: Missing a computer today!

Intense workers!

 


















 
By the end of classes most of these young people were able to integrate many of their skills. Evaluation on the last day required them to locate a particular picture on the Internet, put it into a Word document, format the document in specific ways, format a spreadsheet creating a graph of certain information on that sheet, and then attaching both documents to an email.  The email was then sent to three persons: Sister Pat, Fr. Jino, and Patrick.  On the whole there was much accomplished.  How much of the content remains with them will depend on how often they use their skills.  Not all of them came during the third week to practice!

Students were overheard to say how great the classes were.  They felt they learned a lot and that the teacher taught differently from what they were used to.  She actually walked around the room and helped them individually when they were stuck.  They weren’t used to that sort of teacher.  Besides, she was WHITE!  It is a real point of pride to have a white teacher…. (That was news to all of us!)

Oldest and most motivated student!

After a week away from the school, students and their families were invited to return for a closing ceremony.  The staff had a morning of recollection followed by Mass around 1:00 PM.  The students and families were invited to join in at that time.  The group then moved over to the Board Room for the awarding of certificates.

Of course there were speeches!  Seven of the nine students were present.  After two of the adults spoke, each of the students stood in turn and spoke a few words about the value of the classes.  Then one of the parents present also spoke.  The comments were all quite positive!  

Finally, the certificates were handed out in a ceremonious way… A student name was called.  The certificate was handed to Sister Pat by Paska, coordinator of the outreach program. Pat handed it to the next person, who also handed it off until it reached Fr. Jino, the fourth person in line.  The student shook the hand of each in the line before the certificate was given to the student at the end.  The girls all sort of curtsied; the boys gave a polite bow. A final speech by Fr. Jino, reminding the students that this course was only a beginner’s course, concluded this part of the program.  All went outside for a photo, and then the crowd seemingly dispersed.

But the day was not yet finished.  While the students and their families left the campus, the staff moved over to the dining hall where a wonderful meal was available.  There were lots of smiles all around.  After all, there would now be a two-week holiday for everyone!

The next "Computer Basics" classes should begin in early January.  Sister Pat expects to be part of that once more.

This blog entry closes with our prayerful wishes that each of you who reads this, will be greatly blessed during this Christmas season and into the New Year, 2016.

Our simple Advent wreath

Wu legi gum Noeli!

We pray you blessings on Christmas!