[Ed. note: This is the fourth of a five part series with Dan Bedard reflecting on his adventures during his trip and visit to Rubanda, Uganda, Fr. Dominic’s homeland. For our U.S. readers, Dan’s game of football was what we know as soccer.]
5 Feb to 13 Feb 2018
I woke up to a beautiful sunny morning with my rooster wake up call. I met all the family as they were preparing for a new day. Father and I had an early breakfast and were off early. We went and met Fr. Fidelis at the Shrine of the Mother of Our Lady of Fatima. This shrine was vandalized shortly before our arrival by a local person with much personal history. Fr. Fidelis met us and gave us the history and the future intent of the shrine. This was the spot where Fr. Dominic chose to present the 2 chalices that we had brought with us donated by the Knights Columbus #12941 and the Adrian Picard Family. The one donated by the Knights was to the Rubanda Parish and the second from the Picard’s to the Outstation of Kishaki.
We then went to visit St. Brenda’s order. Here we toured their 30 acres of garden located on a gentle slope. I got to taste many varieties of vegetables that were ready to eat. Peas, small potatoes etc. It had not rained in a while, so the soil was very dry but still sustaining a harvest. We were given the pleasure of walking through a banana grove and given many details on the agriculture of Rubanda.
We then went to the Health center where we met up with Alex and Louis. This Center was more for maternity and small wounds. Patients with more serious issues were referred and transported to the regional hospital 50 miles away. It was here that I found another gift hidden from sight: a continuous supply of organic fertilizer for the school garden, grass clippings. I could smell the fresh cut grass from afar. We asked permission to collect all the grass clipping every time it was cut. A new bond was formed between the health center and the school. We ended up using the grass to mulch in the piggery garden.
Continuing our journey, we went to Fr. Dominic’s childhood school. As we walked Fr. Dominic was retracing memory lane. This was truly an important moment in time. This was the day that the children started arriving to the school from their long vacation. We arrived at the school to greet the early arrivals and toured the school as everyone was preparing for the opening of the new school year.
The new dormitory was now getting its last coat of paint. The new beds and nets were in place. The bathrooms were complete and the stair and retaining wall were on their last day of completion. The new bunk beds were redesigned to better support the children. The school was ready for the students. We came home and talked about the day and upcoming week over a late supper.
I woke up to a foggy day which lingered longer than usual. Father left early to visit family and did not return till the next morning. I spent the day with Alex and Louis. We walked to the school. My first walk in the countryside. We met many people on the way.
Arriving at the school we went straight to work in the gardens. We spent 3 hours in the piggery garden transplanting tomatoes, peppers, onion and eggplant. We had sowed these when we first arrived at the school. We spent time cultivating, weeding and watering the garden. All that we had planted were growing quite well: zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, kale, and cabbage were all doing well. We spent time planting Irish potatoes on top of the soil, using the grass clipping and a cover crop. We then went to the outside nursery garden and planted zucchini, butternuts, pumpkin, cucumbers, buttercup, beans, swiss chard and beets. The children were all interested in the new garden tools that we were using. We took some soil samples and tested the piggery soil. The results were poor. No significant nutrients were found in the soil. The pH was good. Working side by side with Alex, Louis, Sr. Brenda and Ms. Peace was a pleasure. With a full day of planting done we walked back home. Along the way, we met many family members ending their day and on their way home. After supper we spent time by the campfire. enjoying great conversation and much laughter. This was another great day.
I was up early today. Much needed to be done because the time was drawing near to return home. Alex and Louis spent the morning finishing testing the soil. We tested Fr. Dominic’s family garden soil with the same result as the piggery garden. When we added volcanic soil to each sample from the school and Fr’s home, the result showed a slight improvement in the nutrient levels. We all walked to the school afterwards and continued opening new soil and planting. Today we spent time in the nursery garden planting carrots and peas. To raise the pH nutrient levels in the soil, Ms. Peace got ashes from the kitchen and we spread it in the garden. After a long day in the garden we walked our two miles back home. Fr. Dominic arrived from his trip. His brothers and sisters all came to visit. The house was full of his family. Father was very busy catching up on many stories and catching up on family events. Another end to an adventurous day.
Up early and with a quick breakfast, we were off to the school. This was a big day for Fr. Dominic: the board meeting day for the school. The government representatives, school auditor, and all the School Management members were present. The meeting lasted five hours.
Every A to Z aspect of the school was discussed. So much was accomplished in this meeting. All the board members broke down their roles in the school and explained the improvements they had made for the new year. The local government representatives explained all the new rules that were coming up and the areas the school needed to address soon.
The auditor gave a complete rundown on what he reviewed and his findings he had. The 19-page audit covered all the finances, budget, academics, security, health and inventory of all items in the school. Being an auditor myself I found this audit very professionally done. This is a great asset to the school for its future growth.
After the meeting we had lunch. Then all the officials were given a tour of the school. You could see the excitement in the air.
More children were arriving and the new dormitory was being filled with the arriving children. The sewing machines were just churning and making new uniforms for the children.
As we were about to leave a child got very ill and I saw the compassion and commitment of the school in how it handled this situation.
Arriving home, we had another late supper. Family members joined us, and we had great conversations that ended another great day.
This new day started sunny but today was special. The family told me they felt that it would rain later. We really had not yet received any significant rain to make much of a difference. We had to get water every day from the well ¾ mile away.
We went to Mass at the parish today. At the Mass Fr. Fidelis thanked Fr. Dominic, Knights of Columbus and Adrian Picard and his family for the generous gifts of the Chalice and paten. The parishioners were very grateful and asked me to relay their appreciation.
We then left for the school where Fr. Dominic organized a school meeting with only the children. No teachers or faculty was present. I did not really know where Father was going with this at first but what a surprise I got. Father wanted to know what the children like and disliked about the school. A leader and scribes were picked. Father then asked the question. I could see the hesitation of the children at first but before you knew it the children were just pouring out their thoughts. I never saw anything like it. By the time it was all done over 60 items were presented, both positive and negative. You truly saw what the success and the needs of the school was through the eyes of the children.
I saw one of the major reason of why this school is so successful. Fr. Dominic listens to the children every year at this meeting as to their joy they get from the school and their needs for the future. With this Fr. Dominic and the faculty instantly make changes that they can make right away, and the children see this, and feel they can make a difference and that they are part of the school.
Now, you could feel the air change and the dark clouds came over the hill of the valley then came the high winds and heavy rains. I now understood why there is such flooding. within a short time over the dry grounds the water just flowed down the hills into the valley.
After the staff meeting I gave Fr. Dominic a tour of the gardens that Alex, Louis and I had planted.
That evening Father decided we needed to see the new Rubanda District headquarters. This will be the new town now after the district has been raised to this status. This town is just starting to emerge as a go to place. Electricity was limited, and merchants and businesses were starting to emerge.
Father left me with his nephew as he went to find his friend. Wanting to stretch my legs I got out of the car and as soon as I did I was approached by two individuals who started asking questions of who I was. Without answering I asked who they were. They turned out to be police officers and showed me their badges.
Father arrived at this moment and we were off to a local restaurant with his friends. It was dark at this point. There was not lights and we had to eat using our I-phone flashlight. We had goat meat with Sautee cabbage and boiled bananas. It was delicious. Arriving home, we talked for an hour or so and called it a night.
Waking up to a beautiful day with the rains of yesterday you could feel the freshness in the air. Today we are going to Kabale. We needed supplies but more importantly to prepare to celebrate Fr. Dominic’s 25th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood on Sunday night with his family and friends.
In Kabale we went to the local farmers market. This market was fascinating. The market was about ½ square miles it had everything you can imagine. I called it the A to Z market. We went into the farmers market section. The area was about 200 ft square sheltered area with rows of concrete stands. The vendors rented individual stands selling all the vegetables that they grew or resold. The diversity of vegetables and fruits was incredible. Fr. Dominic had a list a mile long. A matron had come with us, so we could be at different places to make the purchase quicker.
Then we went to the meat market. All the meat was strung from the ceiling and you picked the portion that you needed.
We were loading the trunk of the car when I noticed an elderly man with an old bike with a load of bananas. I pointed this out to Father and he said this was our bananas he was delivering to us. I was starting to walk over to assist him when Father told me not to, that if I did I would be taking his wages from him. When he came to the car I picked up one bunch of bananas and struggled with the awkward size of it. At the same time the man with the bike picked up the other bunch with no effort at all. I was the one that needed assistance not him. Lesson learned.
With the car loaded with all the shopping we had done, we went out to eat at a local restaurant. We had four choices on the menu. I had tilapia. This was becoming one of my favorite choices.
We then went to a local supermarket where I picked up supplies in order to surprise his family with an American meal. Fr. Dominic was very excited on how I was to pull this off. My intent was that only the men were to cook and then serve all the women. I bought items to make cheeseburgers, mashed potatoes, rice mixed with ten vegetables some from the market and some from their garden and of course boiled bananas.
With all the supplies purchased we headed home. Father went back to the school to make final preparation for the arrival of the children and I gathered all the nephews and told them of my plans. They were all shocked and all the nieces, nephews and aunts laughed at the prospect of watching us cook. I was very awkward at first. I was not sure if I could pull this off. So, we all gathered and planned on who would do what and when. F
or three hours we executed the plan. Wood was being cut, vegetable being harvested and cut. We stir-fried the vegetables and mixed them with the rice. With nightfall settling in ,the kitchen was in shadows with just a dim led light. This is when all the flashlights and lantern that I had brought with me came to the rescue. The men appreciated my pampered chef knife and cutting board also. Something happened that evening the bond that was formed between all was incredible and became deeper. There was so much laughter by all. I really learned about the hands of Uganda tradition and they in turn learned an American tradition. There was much scepticism on the mixing the vegetables with the rice this was not tradition. Nor was eating meat with cheese between bread. But I knew the boiled bananas was my life line if all did not go well. With a team of 8 men and with Agnes, and all the aunts and nieces watching, we finished.
Fr. Dominic arrived at this point we were prepared for an American style feast cooked with Uganda tradition. The rice mixed was the big hit. To this day the men now enjoy cooking and continue to mix the vegetables with the rice. After the meal we gathered and had much conversation. Father was very excited as was I, for tomorrow was the opening celebration day for the new school year.
I was up very early and for once I went into the coup before the rooster woke up and I crowed at it a few times to let him know that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. We had an early breakfast and off to the school, we all went.
As we arrived at the school I noticed all the children were gathered in front of the school ground main door. When they saw us they all approached singing dancing with the drums playing. I got out of the car and Father slowly continued approaching the school with all the children celebrating our arrival. The music and dancing lasted a good 30 minutes it was truly a sight to see so much joy and love for us.
We all then gathered in the old dining room of the school. With all the parents school children and staff, the room overflowed to the outside, with about 300 present. Traditional African Mass was very much present. Singing and the drums and shakers were used throughout the Mass. Joy and Love were very much present. With the Mass ending and with the final song everyone started to dance with so much joy that it raised so much dust that the visibility of the hall was cut in half. Father had an open window behind him and all the dust drifted to him. Father became ill for two days because of this.
After the Mass the drama team prepared three plays for us. It was so nicely done, with lots of comedy acts.
What happened afterwards brought tears to my eyes. The board members, faculty, staff, and the children presented parting gifts to Fr. Dominic and me. The gifts for me were presented to me, and for my wife Paula a beautiful handmade necklace and bracelet plus one bracelet for each of my children. This was a precious moment. Paula and my children, Chris, Cheryl, Steven, Jennifer, Michael, Brien, Rodney and Tori were all very grateful and said thank you.
This was already a fulfilling day and I did not know that it really had just started. Now my endurance was going to be challenged on the football field and yes it was. I was the oldest person on the field, the Staff against the students. I now realized that I truly was integrated into the school and Fr. Dominic’s family. As we gathered on the field my position was to help to defend the goalie as a forward guard. I had not played football in 25 years. It was so much fun and a privilege to play with so many young athletes. To be honest I was challenged playing the position and I would like to say thank you to all the talented staff that came to my rescue on the field. The staff won 3 to 2.
We were then challenged to a tug of war contest. The children were determined to win. Teams were ready, ropes were manned by staff on one side and students on the other. The command was given and the rope was stretched and to all our surprise the rope snapped, and a tie was declared. The children were so happy they ran around the field in celebration.
In a tired state we continued the journey of the day and it brought us back home to a celebration of Fr. Dominic’s Silver Jubilee as a priest. At least 70 family members, sisters, priests, community and friends all congregated in a festival. It lasted late in the evening. There was so much food. I later found out the boys all volunteered to work in the kitchen because they had enjoyed the experience the night before.
Father had a great evening. A very tender moment happened late in the evening. Francis, Fr. Dominic’s dad spoke. His quiet nature made this was a special moment. He expressed his love and gratitude for his son Dominic. What a more fitting way to end the festival. This marked the end of a beautiful and joyous day.
I now knew my time in Rubanda was nearing an end and remembered that I would be leaving soon. I knew I had to prepare myself in leaving a family that had accepted me as their own, a school that treated me as an equal and a community who had accepted me as a friend. My heart was filled with love, my eyes had seen what it needed to see, and my hands had done its work. My journey back home has begun.
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