SUNDAY AT ASCK

Habakkuk and I have really had to put our thinking caps on for this week's blog. Although it is a long weekend here in Uganda as Monday is Liberation Day (which is different from Independence Day - it is tricky when you have had a series of oppressors to know which ones to celebrate being released from I guess).  Anyway, as I was saying, the trouble is that as a consequence I have left a heap of things to do, thinking that 'I'll do that over the long weekend'.  Sadly, I am now stuck here in front of the computer with four days worth of work to cram into three.  It doesn't help that we have our Ofsted equivalent the week after next (I have decided that it doesn't make it any easier knowing that much in advance) and I have a pile of stuff to do with possible activities post-Uganda (more of that to come another time).  Then Habs remembered that back in September when we blogged about 'Three cathedrals and a Kabaka's Tomb' we said:

"You may ask why there are two Anglican cathedrals in Kampala, and perhaps I will share the story with you another time.  However, for now just accept that there are and that the reason is not one which bathes the Anglican church in any great light!  "

So this seems to be an appropriate time to share a bit of Ugandan church history with you.  To lighten it up I asked the Cathedral authorities if they would mind if I filmed a service from the audio-visual hub that is established on the balcony, and since there is so much video and audio stuff going on no one seemed to object to a couple more pieces of kit.  Having said that it was all a bit crowded, especially when the bass player from the music group broke a string and seemed to need half a dozen of his mates to help him re-string it - on the balcony for some reason.  At one point there were more people up there than we used to have in the congregation at the garrison church in Bulford. But I digress.  The bottom line is that I will try to explain some of this slightly bizarre, but very Anglican, event that resulted in Kampala having two cathedrals and will intersperse it with pictures of last week's service, which happened to be one of our monthly communion services.

This is the view from from the balcony.  You are looking at the front right-hand part of the main cathedral - it's all I could squeeze in.
Behind is a tent with about another 150 people in and to the left another tent with about 100 or so.

All Saints' Cathedral Kampala celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012.  It traces its roots back to a chapel that was established by the Rev. Frederick John Hazeldine in a hospital on Nakasero Hill for the expatriate community.  For many years that is what it remained - quite small and exclusively ex-pat.   In 1938 the congregation purchased a tennis court on Lugard Road (the site of the present cathedral) and built a newer, much bigger building here.  It was consecrated by the then Bishop of Uganda, the Rt Rev Cyril Edgar Stuart, in 1940.  As the centennial memoir puts it, one type of service was replaced by another!  Are you keeping up so far?  Time for some more photos of ASCK (All Saints Cathedral Kampala) today I think (well last Sunday in fact).

This is the main man in the audio-visual eyrie.
As you can see the cathedral is not short of equipment.
He controls the video camera relaying the service to the tents,
and also the worship software for the lyrics etc.
However, the sound man has his own desk.

We aren't short of equipment -
but the organisation is a nightmare!

And as for the wiring ... it makes me shudder!

It can get very crowded up there at times!
You can see the sound desk to the left.

I'm not sure what software they use ... it's been a while
since Ronnie and I used Easyworship at Eastbury!

Okay, back to church history.  After independence in 1961 the Province of the Church of Uganda and Rwanda-Urundi was established and slowly but surely All Saints gained more of an African congregation. In 1966 the British Archbishop was replaced by the first Ugandan Archbishop, Erica Sabati. Obviously a positive step forward, however, this also led to problems, mainly based on tribal differences.  The capital of Uganda, Kampala, is in the kingdom of Buganda and the Muganda people from this area pretty much have always had the ascendancy (that's not a typo, the kingdom of Buganda has Muganda living there - and they speak Luganda!). However, Sabati was not a Muganda and this did not go down well.  In fact he was denied access to his own cathedral, St Paul's, at Namirembe, just across the city from All Saints.  This dispute went on for several years, during which time Idi Amin threw out the incumbent President and took over power in Uganda. In 1971, as one of his first acts in power, he summoned the clergy and told them it must be sorted out.  The result was the creation of a new diocese of Kampala, with All Saints being made a cathedral to serve it.  So now we end up with the Archbishop having two cathedrals. He is the Bishop of Kampala Diocese and his Diocesan Cathedral is All Saints’ Cathedral, Nakasero. He also has a Provincial Cathedral, which is St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe. St. Paul’s Cathedral is also the Diocesan Cathedral for Namirembe Diocese, which has its own Bishop.  Simple see!  Sadly the relationship between the church and Idi Amin went downhill after this, and Sabati's successor, Janani Luwum was murdered by Amin in 1977 - but that is another, very tragic, story.

Below is a brief video of a short part of the worship that our music group, the Anglican Flames, led during last week's 9:30 service.  It is fairly tame compared to usual (today's was wild, with lots of African dancing) but it gives you an idea.  If it doesn't run on your computer then I'm sorry - some just don't seem to like it I'm afraid :-(

The Anglican Flames in action

They take turns to lead the worship
- and they are all brilliant at it!

A smallish music group - usually two keyboards,
a bass player and a drummer.
Occasionally we have others join (like our trumpeter).

The worshippers are very committed.

We are rarely static during the songs.
The rhythm just takes over, you know!

Even the clergy get excited - sometimes!

There are usually five or six clergy involved,
depending on whether or not the Archbishop or assistant
Bishop are present.  Here the service leader blesses the collection.

Our preacher last week was a Bishop from Nigeria.
I have been here long enough now so that I complained
that couldn't understand his strong Nigerian accent.
I must be a true Ugandan!

Rev Diana, our feisty Vicar, leads the blessing
of the birthday and anniversary celebrants.

We are a very patriotic church (truly).

The inevitable crush at the end as everyone shuffles to get out to make way for the 11:30 service.

So, to end I thought I would give you glimpse of what I could see outside the cathedral, through the window of my lofty perch on the balcony last Sunday.

On the one side the ubiquitous
(and I have to say, ugly) Marabou Storks

On the other the new Cathedral begins to emerge ...

On Friday Ronnie will be down for a week so the next blog will have her hand upon it - and perhaps a little more of what is happening up North in Juba.  Also I am planning to visit Juba over half term to do some work with a school there so I will try bring some photos back too (as long as I am not arrested in the process).

BACK DOWN TO EARTH

So, after the trip of a lifetime (I seriously think that it was - I can't imagine that we will ever have such an amazing holiday again) it is back down to earth with a bump for this blog.  The opening photo is me with one of the security guards at school.  I have a very good rapport with them as I am the only member of staff who really appreciates what they do, and religiously signs in and out etc.  They know my military background and I get a smart(ish) salute when I drive out at the end of the day!  In fact we are very lucky because most of the security companies over here are rubbish - they pay next to nothing and certainly don't waste their money on training.  G4S do at least provide a good service.

Despite the title this has actually been a really great week back.  I think I have enjoyed my teaching more this week than I have done for a very long time - and certainly more than any time since moving to Uganda. What has changed? Well my attitude as much as anything else I think.  I have had a real rejuvenation of my joy of teaching and an uplift in my approach to life over the Christmas break and I am determined to enjoy the rest of my time here to the maximum - especially as it is looking more and more likely that I will return to UK in the summer when Ronnie finishes in Juba.

One thing in particular that has changed my whole outlook was a very short book I read called The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, and I feel compelled to share a brief quote with you all:

If you're Christian then I would strongly recommend that you read it as it gives a new perspective on what you already believe.  If you're not a Christian then I strongly recommend that you read it - it might well change your life (and more importantly your afterlife!).

My photo-theme for today is quite simple - I thought I would share with you my journey into Kampala and back, via church and my classroom where I had to pick some things up before coming home.  It shows how things have changed in my classroom since the start of term back in September (I blogged about that at the time so you can go back and compare if you like).

This is the ACP!

At present at church we have four services on a Sunday and each one overflows the main cathedral into a couple of tents outside.  When the ACP (the All Saints' Cathedral Plan) is funded, then the idea is that we can all worship together.

Communion taking place for the 7:30 service in
one of the tents.

I usually arrive by 9am for the 9:30 service so that I can join the scrum for a place in the main cathedral.  One advantage means that you get to see the end of the previous one taking place outside - twice the worship for your money!

Getting out of one of the overflow car parks

I have described the less than gracious tussle to get into the cathedral at the start of the service before.  However, it is nothing compared to trying to get a couple of hundred cars out of various nooks and crannies around the building where we have to park.  Wacky races comes to mind!

So, out of the city and finally on my way to GEMS
Cambridge International School Kampala

The journey from church to school takes about 10 to 15 minutes on Sunday morning, about an hour most other times, and anything from a couple of hours plus on a Friday afternoon!  Kampala traffic is something that everyone in UK should experience once in their life - then they might appreciate what 'real' traffic is like!

Being the Principal and CEO is no doubt a daunting task -
but you do get a large tax-free salary
and very smart house (for free)!

The main entrance to the school - a very smart area in which to greet prospective parents.

This is one of a number of murals in the entrance.

The school is very modernistic in design, which is not to everyone's tastes I admit.  However, it very much fits in with the Ugandan view that modern, bright (perhaps almost garish) is good.  I have to admit that it is growing on me.

I certainly I do love the murals and I am considering asking for one as a leaving present!

Year 5 had 'migration' as their first theme this year.

One of the first boards displaying children's work to greet you as you go down the corridors is this one that my class put together last term.  We had been looking at migration and, as well as studying their own family histories and making a class book about them, we looked at Indian partition as an example of mass migration.  I was very pleased with the standard of work they produced for the display.





Okay, I think I will let the photos do the talking as we enter my classroom a term after I took over what was, almost literally, an empty shell:

The children chose the 5 things that were most important to them
(in order) and I produced this display outside the classroom using 'Wordle'.

Display boards, IWB clock, benches - I could go on!

On the left, the children's expectations for themselves - on the right their expectations of me!

Obviously badgers abound.

As part of our study into weather and climate we were lucky enough to be able to take a trip to the
Entebbe Airport Meteorological Centre.  Having spent a couple of hours there being shown all
of the instruments and how they used them to forecast the weather, this is
the report that one of my children produced.  Honestly, we did go to a weather station, really we did!

So, to close, life is pretty good here in Kampala, although I am getting quite busy as I have picked up a couple of additional duties at school, plus we have an inspection imminent and I am wrapped up in a heap of work related to what I might end up doing next year - possibly!

From what I gather from our daily FaceTime sessions and WhatsApp chats, it is more or the same situation for Ronnie in Juba.  Hopefully she will get a long weekend down here sometime in the next month or so, and I am planning to be in Juba over half-term.  Obviously not visiting my wife as that would be breaking FCO rules, but who knows, I might happen to bump into her whilst I am there!

One final photo to end with.  We have seen just about everything on the back of the minibus taxis and motorbike boda bodas whilst we have been travelling around, and that includes livestock.  However, as I was leaving school this morning I saw a first - two goats actually waiting at the taxi stand to be picked up.  I hope they had the correct fare.