*NOTE: This is a dual blog written by Nicole Katterjohn and Nicole Ramage. No mzungus were hurt during this adventure.
What started as a calm relaxing day for shopping in Jinja turned into all but!!!!!!!
9 a.m. Two mzungus walking through Iganga board the taxi (bus) headed to Jinja. The capacity of these taxis is 14, however in Africa that means more like 20…. The “fee” for this trip should be 2000 shillings (which is about .80₵). However the going rate for mzungus is more like $1.25, which doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a total rip off. Nicole and I were seated in the very back seat of 4 rows when all of a sudden the back door opened and we felt something grasping at our ankles. We shrieked in terror!!! As we frantically pulled our legs up on the seat, we heard laughter from the other passengers and loud clucking. Turns out the capacity in our van was 19 people and 4 chickens (placed right under our feet might I add!). Needless to say the next 45 minutes were far from pleasant for us, but completely amusing for the African passengers.
10 a.m. We arrived in Jinja completely unsure of exactly where we had been dropped off, so we walked and walked…. and walked until finally we stopped and asked for directions (because that's what women do lol).
10:15 We finally located Main Street where we shopped and shopped and ate American food. Yummy!
12:30 Stopped at Amani Baby Cottage to meet Nicole's sweet friend, baby Hope!
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. You will never guess what happened!!! We shopped and ate more American food :)
This is where our story takes a drastic turn…… “insert dramatic music here”
I purchased 2 large African drums to share with Daddy. Oh how I wish there were words to describe just how difficult it is to ride on a boda with a driver and two passengers, let alone carry such large items, purses, and bags of purchases… Thankfully we managed to make it back to the taxi/bus stand.
4:30 p.m. With only 2 seats available, we were forced to sit separately with our large drums on our laps. I sat in the front seat; Nicole in the back… Our 2nd stop to pick up passengers turned into another chicken fiasco. A man literally holding 4 large live chickens by the feet sat right behind Nicole. (where she asked me “Do you not hear the clucking?”) I found this rather amusing, but little did I know what was in store for me….
Dun dun dun dun….
I befriended Pastor Robert, who graciously offered to assist in holding my large drum. I was in the middle of receiving free Luganda lessons when I looked up, and much to my horror, saw a car facing head on with our taxi. A series of thought s rushed through my head...“Surely he is going to get out of the way. Is our driver going to slow down? Um we are getting a little close… Um HELLO!!! STOP!!!”
CRASH BANG BOOM AHHHHHHHHHHH!
The inevitable had happened (thanks to the crazy Ugandan drivers who follow absolutely no road rules haha). CLEARLY our driver had the right of way! In America this is where the drivers would get out and exchange insurance information, maybe call the police, and be on their merry way. BUT NO! This is AFRICA! Although our driver remained calm, the other driver who was CLEARLY at fault was raging mad, screaming, waving his arm,s and harassing our driver. The African passengers bailed from the taxi seeking other means of transportation while the two mzungus decided to stay back to defend our drivers honor with our newly learned Lugandan phrases (like Va yo, jakookooba, oli mulalu) and Nicole R’s mace… just in case (courtesy of Nicole's fiance, Brian).
After realizing the police most likely were NOT coming and that darkness was approaching, we grabbed our drums and flagged down a boda…. Did we mention we never got a refund from our “taxi adventure?”
Our boda driver claimed to know where we were going, but because of our series of misfortunate events (and apparently they weren't over) such was not the case and we wound up ….you guessed it …. LOST!
Nicole R: “Dear Jesus please help us, he’s taking us somewhere to shoot us, do you know what they do to women around here, I can’t reach my mace… Heavenly Father please protect us”
Nicole K: “You worry too much... or maybe I don’t worry enough.” I felt no danger.
Nicole R: “You don’t worry enough!!!!”
Thankfully some school children knew where we lived even though we didn’t (from that direction at least) and we arrived home safe, sound and exhausted!
Just a little update: Ben was upset that I had left him all day and he immediately wanted me to hold him. We did sparklers on the front porch after dinner and then I bathed the kids. Tonight is the first night we are trying to get Ben out of my bed. I thought we were going to have more children here but their mothers haven't brought them so there is no need to have tight sleeping arrangements. So far he is doing well. Pray he sleeps well! I love you all! I so don't want to go home! But God knows the plans He has for me; I just have to be listening :)
Psalm 89: 1 "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations."
Psalm 108:1 "My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my heart."
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