Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Candle-light-stories!

Never say Die; little angel Lowi lives on.

In a small village a couple of miles away from Uganda's Capital city, Kampala a bell rang and the whole school was plunged into a loud roar in a manner of a great relief.
For some reason the school closed earlier than usual so there was good time for the boys to play some soccer game at the church yard before retiring to their homes.

Richard, the game's architecture put final touches to the banana fiber woven ball and dashed his little out weight out and others followed straight to the grounds. A few preparations were made; goalposts were improvised with their school bags and shoes, they divided into two teams and the game soon started.

It was a like a beehive of some sort, either side attacking trying to score a winning goal before dusk blows the timeout whistle. The ball finely landed to Kaye; He was this stout but short guy, obviously a little older than the rest of the boys with a seemingly inflated rounded feet. He had the command of the game and flare, the kind every girl would scream for in a competitive match. He pulled the ball with his left foot to the right and shot past the goal line into the bush.

Shouts and joy of scoring the winning goal faded steadily as the golden East African sun sunk deeper into the horizons. "Where is the ball?" they all asked. The boys dashed into the bushy grassland and scavenged for the ball but to no avail.
It would take awhile before another was made; it takes rolling a few fibers tightly and then finely woven with a thin layer of strings.
As the boys were giving up each beginning to take a different direction for home, one of them shouted calling them back; he had seen something strange that terrified him so much that he could not talk but point to the direction of the mango tree just close by.
The boys moved closer to see what might be the cause of this alarm, suddenly they saw a lady's bag lying next to the tree trunk. It shook itself a little and then a little more. This frightened even the worms in their little bellies and all shouted for help.

The village people gathered in response to the alarm, armed with sticks machetes, and lamps. Some thought it was the beast that had been terrorizing their fowls for along time so they came to show it, what they are made others thought it was the mystical cannibal they had heard of in the neighboring village this would also be an opportunity to end that story.

They got closer to the scene and this time the bag shook even harder as if it also wanted to know what was happening. Black ants had scattered all over the ground meanwhile the red ants had started eating away part of the sisal bag and were building a mound around it.
One elder Mukaya, who was known for his prolific hunting skills and prowess as a youth, stepped in amidst mixed feelings and fears braving the ants and any other barrier. Mukaya called for more light and started examining the kicking bag like he was the village's forensic expert.

Amidst the dark vacuumed polythene bag, carefully placed in the sisal bag little Lowi defied death, probably just few days after his birth. Perhaps the cruel mother never thought that the little angel would never see the light and face of earth. Ran in his granny's courtyard, play juvenile football like the other children, or perhaps grow into a man who would fight for the liberty of the other.
The villagers rescued Lowi with a few sores on his back, probably left with only a few more hours before he bids this world adieu but survived.


DEDICATION:
To all my fellow Kampala Needy Kids Volunteers and supporters.
Tears have little or no healing
Fears will only derail the way,
Hope, Courage, and Faith
Will drive us home!
God Bless you all.
I meant harm, no tears or fears.
This little story is only a fiction
based on my daily encounters
in walk and work
It would be unjust to let
them just lie in my uppers
yet the world needs them.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

signs or sins

hey!
Er, its about time we got penworthy, folks are watching this space with keen interest, let me signout that kind of era this way;

a list of books that I would only read just for a living, try them out.

  • 1 Chronicles 1-9 ............Chronicler
  • Darkness at noon .........Arthur Koestler
Signs or Sins
while in Kampala real wave with all five fingures stiffened up or else a bunch of guys will come your way.

I wonder how this one works out an agent gave me this tip; in case you have a cool property you want to sell off fast
start with NOT FOR SALE then Contanct addresses or SOLD with phone number or company logo, it will sell like a hot cake.

In case you intend an up country journey using a matatu, say a little prayer and then point heaven-words a taxi to your real desitiny may show up.
in case you are just having a walk and not going anywhere in particular point down-to-earth
a few will still bother you any.

till then! seth

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

SethS Paintings!

Here are some of my Pick of the Paintings
Average Size : 8"x 11"
Please let me know what you think.

the SON shines even brighter!



Fortunate not so!



Dance Africa!


Herds? Men?


Rythms Africa!



Old Jars of clay!



upon time!








...and so go forth brother!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Another Day out

It is rare for me to go for a field day on a Tuesday, usually am touching up a few things . This time round a friend tipped me of a visiting American student who was doing his research on higher education in Uganda but wanted to see roots. I suggested my country village of Mende; why?

By a mere pressing of a few buttons, I was already touch with the relevant and off we went. As ever it is a nightmare moving out of this city where you have something little to do before you live, this time we had to fix Willi’s car before setting off, still optimistic we continued our way.

After a thirty minutes’ drive we got to the village which welcomed us with hilly beauty and the pink, purple, green school uniforms whose bearers must have been in lunch break.
The first school option that I had in mind was not the kind my guest wanted to see, I suggested we get to my grand’s place before we venture out elsewhere.
That sounded good and drove uphill where my mom and grandma were in busy harvest of ground nuts, something usual for me but also that impressed my guests.

My mom suggested a couple of other schools, we strolled down to one of them.
We were the unexpected guests to grace the enthusiastic school proprietor of Mirembe Primary school who took us around the newly constructed school with a population of about 50 pupils (that’s my guess).
You don’t need to pay this guy anything for him to volunteer the needed information; this guy had his profile well set like a first class PowerPoint presentation. With the history, of the area his pupils, school all at hand and how he was evicted from the previous rented premises to the current, we were fed on all this material in just about one hour.
Chris my reserved guest took a couple of picture while Willi my chauffer did most of the interviewing while I and Bernard looked on rather in awe.

Mende village, is like one of those unread novels stuck on the shelf, a lot has changed especially the people, my contemporaries seem to be another two decades older, and the social economic situation has gradually changed.
There is now a stone quarry industry that has sprung up replacing the traditional agricultural environment and also the cottage KANZU industry that was flourishing just about one decade ago.
In all that was my unusual Wednesday.

Till then.

seths


Saturday, July 07, 2007

SWORD Community Projects







The community is our business as well, we took time off to work at the

Orphanages,

very special thanks to all you who have backed us


in this cause.




SWORD 2006 Highlights


Wow ! Bujagali falls -Uganda and Kenya Expiditions Mombasa and Nairobi highlighted 2006









Christmas day with my Nairobi hosts the Ochangwas
that was neat!









































Saturday, June 16, 2007

Saturday, June 2, 2007

OUT not Realy!
Hey there!Five months without blog-in feels like reading a book with five chapters missing, It is not that nothing has been happening; actually alot has happened that I can only give you a sketchy account.December of the year of our Lord 2006 was heftly governesslly speedy and very trying. We spent the half of it touring the coastal town of Mombasa feeling the uncompromising heat and seeing the continental line with the rest of the SWORD guys.January sneaked in like one leading an entourage full of promises, what exited was any was the new born baby Shanissa daughter to my cousin moses.February through May were like"now back" to business I feel like am still trailing with everything am just trying to catch up wth everything. what exited was a Polutry project we did for the orphans at the Needy Kids home. We did get together with a couple of voluteers and put up a small polutry house and also had a couple of chicks in place.Sadly though after a couple of weeks a thief broke in and went off with all the birds one night, but God is good we are back and we are resting the whole process.Now SLOW down - Amusing things Ahead.I often visit a friend on Buziga hill a residential area on the outskirts of Kampala, the best thing happening here is that the murrum roads are getting upgraded a good job anyway. what amuses in the entire project are the road signs these works guys put up; as you pull in from the main road a sign reads SLOW HUMPS AHEAD, definately you have reduce your speed lest you hit the slow humps.A series of other triangular signs follow SLOW MEN AT WORK ok! you don't have complain when these guys will be done with their dusty project.as you move at the topmost of the hill this sign scares, DANGER MEN AT WORK, now this is not fair, the reverse is true.till then!

Friday, November 03, 2006

the race is on!


Hey

For some reason, (usually not good a good one) I struggle to pen in these few thoughts that always linger on in mind, As the year clocks towards its end I am a bit frightened, as to the amount of work I need to do and how much I have done so far.

Imagine this Dad with a big family loving and caring, calls you into his study room to give you set of instructions about your siblings, well as he is talking looks into the window and sees the kids with their other older brother raving off, shouting, apparently happy.

The Dad is furious, you knowing him and your siblings you plead with him, reminding him of the promises he had made to you when you were kids. After along silence he says "Alright, take this to them" he hands you a book.
Well as get down stairs, the kids are back, music is turned on full blast, chair are upside down, you actually notice that even you glass award in last year's music festival has been broken, mess is the word to describe the situation.
You cant exactly take it in, you throw your father's book at them and puff! overturn everything,

Whah! one such person who went through such experience was Moses, thousands of years ago He went to talk to God, at the mountain and ...
"Ex 32:132:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."... ( NIV)




I know for sure the race is on

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Something to smile about.

After a hefty season over here all seems calm and set,
I have been wondering where was Christ after all?
Amazing!
Last year around this time, I visited a friends home and he gave me a plant from
from his house collection. It was cute and with it, came memories of my childhood homestead.
I loved i think I did.
A couple of weeks later, either due to a different environ or neglect on my part the cutie withered and died out.
I was worried because I didn't want the friend to ask me how it was doing, and I was sad cause I had lost a childhood
memoir.
This week as I worked the plants I discovered that the plant had sprung back after a year, looked beautiful and fresh, something
to put a smile on my face.
At SWORD it was just similar situation everyone in the camp seemed somehow weary and tired and many of our members were away but this week we had a fellowship at the missionary's home near the shores Lake Victoria.
Like the plant I just mentioned it was rejuvenating.
A lot has been going on; visitors, friends, relatives coming in and going out, dinners, comedies, and games, worries, failures, disappointment, and accomplishments were all in one package.
An early radio presenter reminded me this morning "Every new day there are new mercies"
Wow! I ought to have been the one telling him that, anyway I still struggled to get out of my bed because of the new mercies I see each morning and each day.
Do you know something?
When the storm around me gathered, where was Christ?
It is when he was at rest in me.
He saw me afraid he checked out my faith and It was Bottom level
He asked "YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?
Actually I was a fool, what about those without FAITH
At the Candle-Light-Studios
there hasn't been much activity, since am only learning to cope with little Hydro Electicity powering my house
who cares anyway afterall the-SON-shines-brighter

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Quiet but not out

Hey there

True I have been rather quiet for the past few weeks but alot has been going on;
The last time I penned we were on preparing for our Singles Minisitry Camp nite
It was alot of fun and alot of learning packed in a single night.

Every time we campout some thing big is in the offing, I know alot has happened since then
and God continues to be gracious.

Our National Meeting went off perfectly well, we now look on for other challenges


Prayer Request

  • That God continues to provide for a way out, good health and wisdom that I may stay serving.
  • For our trip in Mombasa that God may facilitate us and carryon the Gospel to the coastal town.
When the Lord provides!

Several members of my family are actually away, Well in our back yard we have a small Banana garden. A neighbour called in to tell me that a bunch of Banana was ready, oh yea I picked that one out, it would take me a month to complete this one, just as I figuring on what to with the first one another one was in place.

Well he provides regardless

till then!

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Just a second


Just a second!
As I was strolling down the lane one evening, a young friend of mine asked what my dream in life was, shockingly I answered I don’t dream, just to cut the encounter shorter, am glad non of my seniors heard me.

Perhaps the young man wanted some comforting and an inspiring answer from someone he thought all was rosy.
Boy life is a patchwork, one piece holds onto another, sometimes in harmony but other times in disarray.
The beautiful masterpiece I am is the work of my Master,
The ugly side, my unwise choices.
He’s purpose is that for me is to do his will and ask him whenever.
My purpose might help though in vain.


Soccer is undoubtedly the world’s favorite game. The World Cup was here and finally came to an end! Before my own eye I lost out by just little margin, just one game to the final.
In Kampala nearly everything came to standstill whenever there was a match, right from the markets down town up to the upper streets. Everyone became a soccer critic, an expert at that.
I wondered if the passion and emotions people had for the global event was the same for God and humanity then the world would be a better place.


At SWORD’s Bible Study Fellowship, it is all about a new chapter and new book but a continuation of an old story. The lives of Jacob and Joseph were particularly touching, this week we are studying the first part of the Book of Exodus.

At the Candle light studio
I spent much of the week retouching some old paintings and having a redo of the Across Africa painting. Amazing, this little piece I did with the sun rising over lake Victoria and a boat crossing through an image of Africa, has been requested for at-least 8 times in the last 18 months.

Just-a-second
Have you ever thought about the lies you and I make each day!
In Kampala when someone tells you “I will be back” don’t wait for too long.
Polite, isn’t it?

the-SON-shines-brighter