Lunch for 100

Editorial note:  Look for extra photos on another page entitled "Bonus Pics 2015".

After a smooth flight from Heathrow, transit through the Entebbe airport arrivals level is delayed due to medical screening for ebola and the fact that most passengers needed to purchase visas.  Realizing that having pre-purchased our visa did not afford us any expedited passage, and having experienced a scare with our passports nearly being lost by Canada Expresspost on return from the Uganda High Commission in Ottawa, Sue and I decide to simply purchase visas at Entebbe airport in future.

Uganda is many hundreds of miles away from the nearest ebola outbreak, but I am pleased to see they are taking precautions.

Victoria meets us at the airport along with Simon, her new driver, and Abraham, who is the oldest grandson.  Abraham proves to be a very polite and helpful young man, and we are growing to like him very much.  Carly apparently decided she was too worn out to make the trek and has promised to rise early to help with cooking the gala meal planned for Sunday.

The streets, villages, and people all now seem so familiar to me that it's getting tougher to recall the intense strangeness of it all two years ago.  We are happy to walk the paths of Banana Village once more but disappointed that Alex gave us the incorrect wireless internet password, so we are unable to connect with Alicia.  Our room is very nice.  I sleep quite well but Sue is up most of the night - jet lag and strain of the journey.

We awaken before sunrise, shower and sort out our clothing and goods that we brought for Victoria & the kids.  We decide to head out for a walk in the pale dawn light, and I strap on the GoPro chesty just for fun.  Lovely sunrise sky, and it is rather interesting seeing people and businesses starting up in the small village centre.  People are not shy about being photographed despite the GoPro and straps being in plain view, and I think there will be some interesting footage to post.  There are lots of families dressed up and apparently headed to church, and singing & chanting flavours the morning air.

Sue & Esther share a moment at the main house while Gloria looks away

Jovan eyes my hat again

Sanyu won't spend much time out of Sue's arms this fortnight

We later visit the little kids dorm and quickly reconnect with Dan, Jovan, Obama, Arnold, Sandra, and all the other little characters.  Lots of hugs and joking about.  Then off to visit the main house, reconnect with the staff and start preparations for the big lunch planned.  It's great to see the staff again - Jackie, Rose and Maggie all seem well.  Carly is very happy to find us at Banana village even before we head over to BKU.  She seems to be settling in very well.

food is covered or wrapped in banana leaves

church

There is a major cooking operation started, including wood fires to heat rice, matoke and Irish potatoes (normal white potatoes to Canadians), beef & chicken.  Carly gets busy at work learning the fine art of forming chapote's.  Shredded cooked cabbage will complete the menu.

It's wonderful (if not a bit overwhelming) to finally see all of the now 90+ bright kids in one place.  Very nice to meet some of the older ones for the first time, but I will never remember all the names.  Abraham grabs the GoPro and bounces off to snap stills of the events and a few videos.  I give my Sony mirrorless rig a workout.

Abraham looking cool

Moses, Gloria, Esther, Sue & Praise

Sue manages to get a laugh out of Victoria

The events are very informal with no big speeches, just lots of dancing & singing mainly directed by the kids themselves.  Everyone lines up very orderly to get their platefuls.  I stick to the African ways of eating with my hands.  All the food is delicious, and I cannot believe the amounts that even the little ones can tuck away.

Don's keeping his cuteness with aging

when will that darn food ever come?

patiently queuing for grub

Dan is not impressed but Shira sees the world thru rose-tinted lenses

I had printed off lots of photos of the kids, mainly from my last trip, so we tack those to the BKU wall and the young ones have a great time viewing them.  In the end, they are given to the kids who may only now for the first time have a printed photograph of themselves in their hands.

a feast fit for kings & queens

Sarah sings

the photo wall is a hit

dancing with the stars

Obama seems to have lost much of his anxiety

Sue is swarmed distributing skipping ropes

come fly with me

most of the kids sponsored by our friends and families in Ontario

This lunch feast is followed by a trip to the big kids's dorm with Victoria.  Incredible to see the dorm rooms completed and the children's bunks occupied.  The bathrooms still need completion along with the central offices and warden's room.  It is a most impressive, very large structure.

Washrooms close to being completed.  Sinks on the right, toilets on the left.

panorama interior girls' dorm

boys dorm room

remodeling the old girls' dorm

panorama view front side of the new dorm

Work has begun already to renovate the old girls' dorm which will become the little kids' sleep & play area.  We hope to do some painting & decorating before our two weeks here are finished.

We are actually hungry again after returning to Banana Village and joining Carly & Jackie who are involved in some earnest discussion. so Sue and I order a little spaghetti.  By the time we finish eating, our heads are both bobbing with fatigue, and we bid our friends good-night.