Our first blog post from October 2017 showed pictures from our welcome back to Bududa. Thirty blogposts and 10 months later we sadly say our farewells to everyone we have been with and everyone who has been so gracious and loving to us. As the Lugisu song beautifully renders:
We do love you, we shall never ever forget you.
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| Samali's farewell poem....very poignant and bittersweet. We are "goner "miss you too! |
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| Samali's artwork.....We have taken on an African look! |
Our final week with the project was much fun, filled with great visitors, and filled with heart-felt thanks and goodbyes. It began with Karen and me hosting a lunch for the BVA and COB faculty and staff----complete with matoke, chicken, beef, soda, and pineapple and watermelon for desert. Next came our terrific visitors from Meyers Park Presbyterian Church. This was the third group from the Charlotte, NC, church to visit Bududa and they are making a significant contribution. Next up, Kevin and Cooper Berkoff came to visit. Kevin is a science teacher at Penn Charter and several years ago we birded together in Ecuador. Cooper is Kevin's 16 year old son. We mzungas all left Bududa on the same day, so on our final day we dedicated the new Boys' Hostel, which was funded in part by the Charlotte group. and had a wonderful celebration and farewell.
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| Our Faculty/Staff Appreciation Luncheon for BVA and COB was a wonderful gathering and feast for all. |
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| BVA/COB Faculty/Staff with a few folks missing unfortunately. |
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Boys' Hostel Dedication with visitors from Meyers Park Presbyterian
Church in Charlotte, NC. |
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| BVA students sang, danced and drummed in welcome to our visitors. |
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| Our Meyers Park friends cut the ribbon in the dedication ceremony for the Boys' Hostel. |
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Our birding buddy, Kevin, and his son, Cooper, visited us in
Bududa before our trip together to Murchison Falls. |
It's hard to put into words all that this time has meant to Karen and me---putting words to it will have to come in a later blog with a bit more reflection. One clear sentiment is how amazing it has been to come back here after we began in the project 15 years ago---and 12 years since my last visit in 2006. To see the progress that the program has made and to be with old friends again has been gratifying in a manner we have never experienced before.
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We five are part of the original Quaker Work Camp crew from the early 2000's. Grace (left) is the Saturday Program
Manager for COB, Peter is the Head Cook at BVA and Evelyn is the Compound Cleaner at BVA. |
We feel so fortunate---so lucky---to have been able to work in Bududa. We especially thank Barbara for inviting us to return and sincerely thank everyone in Bududa and at home who has supported and cared for us. Enjoy these photos of our final days at the Bududa Learning Center----and stay tuned for at least a few more blogs about our time here before we end our postings.
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Justine (left) is the Guesthouse Manager extraordinaire, shown here with
her mom, Betty, who helps out when many guests visit. |
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Fauza (center) and Diana are total orphans who are cared for by their
Grandmother. They are some of our favorite neighbors at the guesthouse. |
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We have had many great discussions with Evans and Bosco who are studying
Block Laying and Concrete Practice at BVA. |
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More great neighbors and friends!....Eddy, a Secondary
School student, and Robert the Guesthouse gardner. |
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| Our final trek down the hill from the Guesthouse. Until we meet again in Bududa! |
