Football, martyrs, a party and Renee's African legacy

Sorry it has been so long since we updated but we have been keeping fairly busy with exams and school functions.
So a few weeks ago the school had sports days. Renee and I acted as adjudicators, recording scores and determining the winner of each event. I also acted as a photographer and then eventual participant. I was talked into plays in the teachers vs. students football match (that is real football (soccer) not American football which should really be called tackleball). Those of you who know me know what a *ahem* stunning and mighty athlete I am. Hey, I tried to tell them that I am no good a sports and had maybe played football twice since I left primary school. But I played on anyway. My basic strategy was to run up and down the field chasing the ball but also keeping my distance from it. Oh and blocking my opponent when I could, but the guy I was suppose to cover was twice as wide as me. Here are a couple of shots of me playing.

I almost look like I know what I'm doing here.

Adhering to my strategy to the best of my ability.

So the next week there was a party to welcome the new students at the vocational school. There were awards handed out, speeches, dancing and lots and lots of lipsynching (what they call mimes) to Ugandan pop songs. Sweet Jesus was there a lot of miming, I mean hours worth. It was enjoyable but also tiring. Renee was even pulled up on stage and sung at a couple of times. It was good to see the students enjoying themselves so much.

Renee be serenaded or at least mock-serenaded by our friend Syrus.


Last weekend we hung out with Kenneth. We went to see his mother and then he took us to visit the Ugandan Martyrs Shrine just outside of Kampala. This is a shrine to a group of Catholic converts who were burned to death my Kabaka Mwanga in 1886. They were all former palace aides that the Kabaka felt was showing more allegiance to European missionaries and their new faith than the were to him. Apparently he had trouble with the whole Jesus being "King of Kings" concept. For as far as he was concerned he was their only king. The shrine was only dedicated to half of those that were killed, just the 22 Roman Catholics that were canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964. June 3 (the day the Martyrs were killed) is Martyrs Days, a national holiday, and apparently people from all over East Africa make a pilgrimage to the shrine every year on that day, walking from Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania all the way to the shrine. I think since Renee and I are not Christian some the impact of the shrine was lost on us, but it was interesting no the less.

A statuted recreation of the burning of one of the martyrs.

However, what I think is the most interesting news in this post is that Renee has a Ugandan baby named after her. This is the work Agnes, Kenneth's mother (and our African mother). Kenneth's brother and his wife had a baby two weeks ago and brought the baby to Kenneth's mother to be named. So she named the child after her favorite adopted child, Renee (or as Ugandans pronounce the name Ree-Nee). This was an incredibly sweet gesture and Renee was very touched and honored by this.

The old Renee holding the new Renee.

Cute little newborn Renee wondering whats going on.

Well that is what has been happening on this side of the world. Classes are wrapping up soon and my mother is coming to visit in two weeks. Keep a lookout for news about that. Take care.

-- B.