Will Zant - Uganda, Africa, 2005
Will Zant, a member of JUMC in Jackson, Georgia, is attending the Duke Divinity School, Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina.
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 at Feast for Ugandan Martyrs |
 "Our Lady of Lourdes" |
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Dear Friends and Family, (read more of the letter at Will-Nakasorgola.)
Greetings from Nakasorgola. Matthew and I have finished more than 2
weeks of our time in Africa, which seems to be blazing by. Here is an update on
what we have done, beginning last Sunday (May 29th).
Today we attended our first Sunday worship at "Our Lady of Lourdes."
The service begins a little late. The Bishop is here in celebration of
"The Corpus Christi," the body of Christ. The service lasts more than 2 hours
which is followed by a processional outside through the parish grounds.
The A
Capella music is beautiful as the children throw flowers upon the Bishop as he
leads the congregation to different stations to worship.
Yesterday, the
children lined the path for the processional with their own art, tracing of
figures of crosses in the dirt. Everyone joins in by filling in the outlines with
different color dirt. Children grind up red clay rock to make the red
dirt, black soil and gray ashes.
Matthew draws the divinity school symbol (a
boat with a cross rocking on the sea) and helps the children fill it in.
During the processional, I walk with one of the sisters. They are
always so kind.
After the service, a man waits on the Bishop to ask him if he
will bless his new car. Bishop Cyprian does bless it and then it's time to eat.
Matthew and I discover the meal celebrates our formal welcome to
Uganda. They killed the fatted goat (literally) for the occasion. It is wonderful
food & reception and makes us feel welcome all the more.
Greetings Everyone, It's Monday and I am teaching the high schoolers about similes (a comparison using like or as).
I choose a student named John, who enjoys the attention, as an example. I jot on the board, "John is like a ____________."
The boys began to raise their hands, "cow," "snake." John chimes in "honey."
We make more comparisons, "The day is hot as fire." "Her eyes are like the moon."
We try and compare objects which are usually kept apart. "Sin is like a rabid dog,"
to quote Martin Luther. To end the class we begin a new poem. I ask them to help me write a
four line poem using a simile about Uganda. A young student raises her hand, "Uganda is a poor country."
I tell the class to think of something positive. John reminds the class that Uganda is often called the "Pearl of Africa," so we write:
Matthew and I are quite settled into the daily life at Nakasorgola. Here is a
recap of what has gone on this past week.
Uganda is like a beautiful pearl.
The land is green with fertile soil.
The people are as bright as its moon.
Visitors will find this pearl and soon.
(read more of the letter at Will-2.)
Hello Friends and Family,
Matthew and I are now finishing our 5th week in Uganda. I have many
stories to tell you, such as traveling to Kampala, milking the parish cows and attending a beautiful worship service inside a church with dirt as its floor and limes as the morning offering.
Matthew and I anticipate the arrival of our fellow students from Duke
next month. We hope to extend to them the same hospitality we have been given here. Here are a few anecdotes form the last week & a half:
Our second Bible study of the parables- The sun burns high in the
afternoon sky as we prepare to perform the parables with the primary students.
Immediately, the students gather under the trees for shade as we divide them into three groups...
Father Joseph, at supper the other night, recounted his visit to America for two years.
"I love America's style. I love their food," he said with arm motions and all. "But what I can't understand is why they appear so unhappy.
America is like heaven, nice houses, beautiful cars, and air conditioning. They have everything, but they seem unhappy.
Why is that?" he asked. I told him it was because he visited Indiana, and that if he had visited North Carolina or Georgia he would experience true happiness.
But, Father Joe makes a point worth considering...
(read more of the letter at Will-4.)
Hello Friends and Family, I am at the Parish. Isaac (a 5th grade student) and his mother Gouette are
washing our clothes, so I attempt to assist them (actually to learn how to wash
clothes by hand). They give me a blue bar of soap as we stand in the shade of
the large mango tree. I lather the collar of a white shirt and scrub it
against my wrist as I see Isaac doing. Gouette and Isaac are chuckling, I can
tell. We soak the shirts, rinse the suds and drop them into a red bucket with
clear water. For the life of me, I can’t scrub away an oil stain. Brother
Henry snaps a picture for me to take home. After ten minutes, I’m tired.
Gouette and Isaac laugh with or at me (one can never be sure). They continue
the cycles and hang the clothes on the wire to dry in the wind.
Here are some entries from the last week and a half.
June 26
(read more of the letter at Will-5.)
Dear Family and Friends,
I am home now in North Carolina and wanted to thank everyone for their prayers
for Matthew and me and the people at Nakasongola over the past two months. The
people there have left a deep impression upon me, especially Father Joe.
There’s a joy, an elusive joy that is unexplainable at Nakasongla, especially
in the cases of the children, who, by most standards, shouldn’t be happy in
their conditions. I pray to know such joy one day.
(read more of the letter at Will-6.)
