Stuff as of late.

Right now I am sitting at an Internet cafe in Mukono town trying to slow things down. Life is moving really fast, the semester is already over half way through. One attempted remedy for this was to get on a ferry with five friends for a three hour tour to Ssese Island in the middle of Lake Victoria. The lake was more like an ocean, and the island was more like paradise. The pace of life out there was just slower. We stayed for two nights, 6 people crammed into a little room supplied with something resembling electricity and running water. We played a pirated game of Monopoly with chance cards reading go to Christ Redeemer, of course there were no streets with this name. We hiked for hours up to a hill and were overtaken by the beauty of islands dotting the enormous lake to the horizon. We played soccer with a gaggle of kids at a school with dorms adorned with signs informing us that menstruation is a normal body activity. We jumped rope and ate at some cool little restaurants for less than a dollar. All in all the weekend was insanely fun, but it didn't quite slow life down (Although watching the sunrise over Lake Victoria on Sunday from a ridge with just my Mzungu loving dog Belville was soothing).
It is now Wednesday and papers and reading have consumed my week. All is well though, this weekend we head to Capachurwa, a village on the northern slope of Mount Elgon, for a week to individually stay with families. Although nothing can stop time, I hope this time I can enjoy being present in such an amazing location. 'Till Next time, Peace.

Food lacking size.

When meat ends up on my plate here in Uganda I hardly know what it is or what part of the mystery animal it is. With that being said on many occasions I have somehow knowingly swallowed intestine with the fat still attached. Chicken is the outcast, when chicken is on the plate it is obvious that it is chicken, but it is tiny. I guess that the use of hormones in meat production is lacking here. Shame.

In other news IMME (my program with all of the cool kids that chose to stay in homes in Mukono Town) went to Luweero this weekend. Luweero was the home of the bush war that led up to the 1986 take over of power by President Musevini. Hey, that means he's been in power for as long as I have been alive! Today Luweero has the highest prevalence of AIDs and AIDs orphans in the country. Beautiful countryside though, seriously.
We got the opportunity to meet with two amazing people who are doing amazing work there. One is the Anglican Bishop, Evans Kisekka (who is actually the Bishop over 5 churches in Southern California, including one in San Diego oddly enough). The other was a Catholic Priest named Father Gerrie. This man arrived a few minutes late because he witnessed a child being killed by a car on that rainy evening. After that introduction he shook us even more with stories of the children that he works with, the HIV infected, and AIDs orphans. There was not much resolve that evening as the rain continued to pour down.

The next morning we drove deep into the village and found Father Gerrie's church. The people welcomed us warmly with a rhythmic clap that resembled the entrance of a sports team into an arena. That morning we sang. We mostly lip synched the Luganda, but we did at least clap on cue to the giant animal skin drums. It was joy exemplified, truly everyone smiled and sang with all of their might. Then Father Gerrie preached. This man is special and people respect him greatly, yet he got down on his knees to show his respect for us. This is something that I still have not gotten used to in this hierarchical society.

Anyways I just wanted to write about this weekend because it made me happy. I learned a lot, and we got to play with a bunch of kids on Saturday. Then yesterday on Monday during my run I got the chance to run with a bunch of nine year olds. Honestly, God's creation is beautiful.

Some time in Uganda

A few weeks have passed and life is in a pretty good routine here. Of course that means white water rafting, bungee jumping, eating rice and beans, and throwing up something that looks nothing like rice and beans. Days fly by. School is hectic, but enjoyable. I have gotten sick of talking about politics yet I know how important it is. This stems from knowing how crazy it will be here in 2011 at the next election. I feel like Manny and I are a real part of the family. My biggest struggle is about having no control, yet I think that has been my biggest lesson too. I have no control and I am starting to appreciate that. Today during community worship the rain pounded down for over an hour, the worship was amazing!
Since this has seemed to be all over the place I will write my journal entry from last night:

Dust is when life happens. Not too sure what that means, but today I am sick. I cannot quite say what is wrong.
I am sick of talking about politics.
I am sick of MTV cribs on the TV in Uganda.
I am sick to my stomach.
I am sick to look ahead at 2011 when more than likely there will be a civil war in which the family that has shown me so much love will be entrenched in.
I am sick of sin.
I feel depressed, I am sure that the lack of protein helps this. Even though I probably get 4x as much as the average Ugandan.
Hope where are you?

Laying under my mosquito net this evening I just sang. Sang to God,the trancendent God or the One that will listen, I am not sure. The light slowly succumbed to the dark.

Voices caught my ear. Momma, Harriet 1&2, Ronnie, and Ariana all beckoned without saying a word to me.

I hopped down from my bunk and walked into the fading light of dusk. I became present in the lives of my family. We talked for a while.

Where am I and what am I becoming I asked myself.

Today I miss California. I miss the smiles and laughs of friends, the love of my parents, the ocean, and the embrace of Kels. But, I do know that this feeling is as fading as the equitorial light at 7:15.
The stars will come out. They will be seperated by the dark. Some will be brighter than others. Then the sun will Rise. A new day will happen. Millions will be born. Millions will die. Some will learn love, some will be taken by hate.

What do I do with the moment I find myself in?

I guess I throw-up, because that is what I just did.




---- So not everything is depressing here, but I just wanted to post that to show that there are ups and downs here as there are at anytime in life. I continue to have the most amazing, stretching time in my life. Thanks be to God. Peace and Love, Brian.

A New Name.

The other night Manny and I were having a long conversation (Check out the This Is The Thing blog by Manny for more about this crazy conversation) with our sister Florence about our family and clan. Our father passed away a few years ago. His last name was/is Kasirye. His clan is Nvuma. Nvuma is a water plant, whatever your clan name is you cannot eat, this is obviously not so bad for us. Unfortunately there are some staple clans like cow, now that's a little sad.
We woke up on Thursday morning and Mamma Idah came and gave us new names! These are legit as far as the clans are taken. Guys names start with Ka, and girls start with Na. My name is Kalute. So here is how my name would look. Kalute Longmore/Kasirye Brian as a part of the Nvuma clan, Baganda Tribe. I personally think that its pretty cool.

Over the next couple of weeks I will be on the computer less, so more than likely I will be able to post much less.

Peace and Love.

Jinja

The Weekend in Jinja
All the IMME kids packed up into a coaster this weekend and headed to Jinja. Jinja is the capital of the Basoga people and they speak Lusoga (Really Similar to Luganda). Jinja is also the source of the Nile. We got to go and see the springs on Lake Victoria that begins the three month trip to the Mediterranean Sea. We met a couple of Missionaries and had some grandish times. But also tough times. We went into a scrap yard where people work in horrendous conditions to recycle products for about a dollar a day. Then we immediately left that place for a hospital, the best hope for medicine for 2 million people, a place where you might see a doctor the first week you go. I saw a lot of dying people.
I got the opportunity to meet a man named Abraham that is heading a tree planting program. I might get the chance to work with him my last few weeks here in December. If you want to see pictures of the past week, and Jinja, the former Beverly Hills of East Africa check out my new facebook album.
With Love.

The week after the riots.

So calm has returned to Buganda for now. The streets of Mukono were littered by debris from the roadblocks. But first let me rewind to Friday. I went to school wearing the same clothes that I had worn the night before since I stayed on campus. We were taken to our homes at two on Friday because the rioting was emenent. About 45 minutes after we arrived home the rioting began again. Gunshots were ripping through the air. Teargas was all around. From our front window we saw a military policeman fire teargas, and rioters hurling rocks back. At one point a boy around the age of 17 took out a sling shot and fired a projectile in the direction of the police and military. It was pretty intense, but it calmed down soon after that. It is reported that there were 15 deaths, but Ugandans will tell you there was more like 50.
But the dichotomy of this land is stunning.
When calm returned it returned suddenly, there was an amazingly powerful thunderstorm that seemed to heal the earth.

Since then things have been tense between the Baganda and the Uganda Government so we will see what happend. Life at my house has been so good. The next time I write I hope to write more about general life in Uganda.

Peace

and if you wanna see a serious(ly) funny video during the riots...

http://thisisthething87.blogspot.com/ go here and watch the video under kampala riots....
Love Ya!