And then there were three.

On Tuesday of last week, we said goodbye to our fearless leader, The “Big Boss Lady” herself, Barbara Waybar. An indomitable woman in spirit and veracity, Barbara is an inspiration to all and a true force of positive change in a world overwhelmed, and often paralyzed, by the challenges that lay ahead. A woman unafraid of the hard road and courageous enough to ask the difficult questions. A woman of action. She is irreplaceable, and I feel that fact more now than ever.
Barbara, and her entourage of 6, traveled to Kampala, and eventually Entebbe, for her flight. Leaving with her were three well respected and trusted Canadian friends, Danielle, Jordan, and Jody. There presence is also missed dearly. We rejoiced in showers and changes in diet prior to their departure, and had a bitter sweet farewell dinner at the Boma for Barbara and her disciples. It was a wonderful evening.
After there departure, only three remained. The Americans. If the Canadians had any trepidation in leaving their North American neighbors at the helm, they didn’t show it. God knows they would be justified in doing so. Luckily we have the keystone, Sabia! She is one of a kind. She is as much African as she is American. Then there is the cornerstone, Therese, and she is practically as much Canadian as she is American. Her mother was born there. That really leaves only one shaky block, me!
Before returning to Bududa we had a couple of adventures. Sabia led us back to inner city Kampala to visit and stay with friends. It was an interesting night with interesting people. We took coffee with Sabia’s friends, Ethiopian refugees. They spoke only broken English, but their warm hospitality and strong coffee spoke volumes. Fully caffeinated for the night, we headed into the city for dinner. Sabia took us to an Ethiopean restaurant that she goes to often when in Kampala. I had eaten Ethiopian food before but it was a 1st for Therese. The food was delicious and the entertaining Ethiopian version of MTV really set the mood. Before retiring for the night, we stepped into an Iranian Shisha Bar a short distance away. It was owned by an eccentric Iranian ex-pat and in addition to club owner, he also wore the titles of cook, tattooists, and rally-car racer. He apparently also enjoyed going to the “range” to shoot, which is impressive in a country where personal firearms are illegal. I enjoyed his company immensely and I hope to visit his establishment again when I return to Kampala. We also met an interesting character there named Kyle. He was a 27 year old American national from Jersey living in Kampala, and had been for three years. He said he was a freelance Tech Support who came here for vacation because of a girl, and just decided to stay when he and the girl ended up not working out. He goes back every three months and renews his visa.
Therese and I attempted to renew our visas the next day but we were denied. They said we needed to come back a week before it expired, which is ridiculous and terribly inconvenient. I find myself saying that often from the way things get done here. My ethnocentrism can sometimes get the better of me. We slowly made our way back to Bududa and were happy to return. Mbale, for the 1st time, actually felt like home to me. I found it’s familiarity welcoming, despite the fact that there are far less muzungus and western presence here than Kampala. We stopped at the local market and picked up a few staples; fresh mangos, pineapples, peppers, avocados, etc…I even found some hot peppers that look and taste just like Serrano peppers. I got a bag the size of a softball for 500 shillings (25 cents)!
It was a great trip into the big city for us country folk, but in truth I was happy to return. Dinner that night seemed somewhat lonely. The table, empty. For the 1st time, there were more candles at the table than friends. I am so appreciative of the opportunity to come to Uganda. Barbara went out on a limb and took a risk accepting two people, she didn’t know, from across the world, into her home and community. Having had the chance to get to know this wonderful woman, and the work she does, I understand that taking risks is part of her daily routine. We will do our best in her absence and keep the ship afloat until her return. Farewell.