Oh, what a giveaway!

After working on the wards after Staff prayers we rushed home to change and get ready to go with a group of staff to attend a “give-away” ceremony for a staff nurse called Medius. 

Ian was asked to drive but didn’t realize quite how remote the location proved to be.  In places there was literally just a path, in others so narrow we could only just get through with the wing mirrors folded, and very rugged.  Happily we had a fairly modern Toyota land-cruiser, (with 12 of us in it!) and it coped well.  Doing the journey back in the dark proved even more interesting.  The girls will find Alton Towers very tame by comparison now.

The “Give-away” is a tradition which takes place at the Bride’s family home.  Her family, relatives and friends gather first and eat and then later the Groom’s family arrive and are welcomed and they eat.  [Very good local food eaten by hand included “oburu” which is millet bread served in special baskets, quite tasty.  Also some fairly lethal white sauce (a local delicacy) that masquerades as mayonnaise but tastes like a very ripe Stilton mixed with beef… gave that a miss! ] Then eventually the Bride appears preceded by her “maids of honour”. The Bride will give presents to certain people in appreciation [we received a lovely woven basket and a cake!] and is introduced to the Groom’s family.  There are a whole range of speeches, fairly informal, but with two MC’s and loud microphones competing with a DJ! 

We have known Medius for many years [she was in the same school class as Mark when we lived here] and were able to help support the cost of her further training as a registered nurse so it was lovely to be able to attend.  Tomorrow we’ll go to the wedding itself in Rukungiri.  She is marrying Aggrey, also a registered nurse.  Ruth and Beth were invited to be “maids of honour” with other Kisiizi staff so were dressed up in traditional style and coped very well with it all in spite of having absolutely no idea whatsoever as to what was being said!

We enjoyed meeting a number of old friends who attended.  We were also warmly greeted by a man who said he wasn’t sure if it was “Dr Iany” until he saw me walk!  Apparently we had looked after his son when aged one with severe measles and coma, presumably encephalitis.  Happily he did well and is now a graduate.

It is, of course, a well known fact that Uganda is in a time warp.  This explains the common phenomenon that any resemblance of actual timings to planned timetables is purely coincidental.  So having originally intended to be back by 6pm in daylight, we didn’t actually set off until 8pm…. But a good time was had by all and hopefully the Bride and Groom will not be too exhausted at the wedding service tomorrow.  There were a good number of Kisiizi staff who made the effort to attend.  Such events help bond the team-spirit as well as representing the hospital to the community.

So safely home, grateful for answered prayers that the threatened rain did not materialise as it would have made it so difficult.

Ian and Hanna