HAPPY NEW YEAR!
New Year’s Eve, like Christmas, was very low key. We managed to watch a few episodes of Green Wing on DVD before falling asleep! We were determined to make the most of Chris’ day off on New Year’s Day and hired a car plus driver. On a previous trip we’d spotted a church on a very remote hillside about 10 miles from Masindi. This turned out to be a catholic church built by Polish refugees in 1945. By coincidence, as a result of VSO using Chris’ profile for fund raising purposes in the UK, we received a very moving letter from an elderly lady who had been one of those refugees. She had been one of many Polish families sent to the Russian Syberia in 1940 soon after Stalin’s Army crossed the Polish border. She spent 20 months there in a labour camp surviving starvation and very cold weather, though many did not. Eventually Stalin agreed to release prisoners from camps and jails to form the Polish Army. Her father and husband were fighting with the British Army; their families were sent to safe camps in various parts of the British colonies, one of them being Masindi. Her letter describes the five years of life in the camp at Masindi as being very simple but happy times.
As well as the church, they had built their own houses of quite a unique style amongst the trees and also a school and hospital.
On her request 
we took lots of photos to send to her.
New Year’s Eve, like Christmas, was very low key. We managed to watch a few episodes of Green Wing on DVD before falling asleep! We were determined to make the most of Chris’ day off on New Year’s Day and hired a car plus driver. On a previous trip we’d spotted a church on a very remote hillside about 10 miles from Masindi. This turned out to be a catholic church built by Polish refugees in 1945. By coincidence, as a result of VSO using Chris’ profile for fund raising purposes in the UK, we received a very moving letter from an elderly lady who had been one of those refugees. She had been one of many Polish families sent to the Russian Syberia in 1940 soon after Stalin’s Army crossed the Polish border. She spent 20 months there in a labour camp surviving starvation and very cold weather, though many did not. Eventually Stalin agreed to release prisoners from camps and jails to form the Polish Army. Her father and husband were fighting with the British Army; their families were sent to safe camps in various parts of the British colonies, one of them being Masindi. Her letter describes the five years of life in the camp at Masindi as being very simple but happy times.
As well as the church, they had built their own houses of quite a unique style amongst the trees and also a school and hospital.
On her request 
we took lots of photos to send to her.
On our visit 
we were fortunate to arrive when there was a service in full swing. We were made very welcome. It is one of the few churches around which still uses the traditional instruments for music for the services unlike Masindi where they use electronic equipment and microphones at 5 a.m.!
The afternoon was spent having a lazy swim and food at the Kinyara Sugar Factory social club.
As we are feeling more settled I am beginning to enjoy the surroundings and have even surprised myself at becoming a bit of a twitcher! We have a beautiful view from the house across to the hills. We now have some wicker to sit on the terrace and watch the subtle changes of the countryside. Very early in the morning (yes, even I have been known to witness it on the odd occasion!) there is a beautiful sunrise with mist down in the bottom of the valley. It is always sunny though sometimes hazy. At times it is very clear but, whenever I look, I see something new. The bird life just in the garden is amazing. It’s quite hard trying to do the washing up with binoculars and bird book in one hand! I get quite excited when I see a bird for the first time and even more excited when I can actually identify it. Just the other morning I spotted a Northern Black Flycatcher, an African Blue Flycatcher, a Village Indigobird, several Speckled Mousebirds, a ‘Greenish’ Yellow White-eye, a Pin-tailed Whydah, several Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu and a Fork Tailed Drongo! I am not disheartened by the fact that, according to the book, they are all very common here!
The highlight of the week was a parcel arriving from Sheila in Duns containing delicious homemade mince pies. They were slightly battered but that didn’t detract from their deliciousness! So, thank you again. The internet has been abysmal for three weeks over the Christmas/New Year period. We are just beginning to catch up on e-mails but want to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2008. Don’t forget, the spare room is now up and running! We thought we’d got rid of the bats with the flood. They’re back, but don’t let that put you off!
Maggie
we were fortunate to arrive when there was a service in full swing. We were made very welcome. It is one of the few churches around which still uses the traditional instruments for music for the services unlike Masindi where they use electronic equipment and microphones at 5 a.m.!The afternoon was spent having a lazy swim and food at the Kinyara Sugar Factory social club.
As we are feeling more settled I am beginning to enjoy the surroundings and have even surprised myself at becoming a bit of a twitcher! We have a beautiful view from the house across to the hills. We now have some wicker to sit on the terrace and watch the subtle changes of the countryside. Very early in the morning (yes, even I have been known to witness it on the odd occasion!) there is a beautiful sunrise with mist down in the bottom of the valley. It is always sunny though sometimes hazy. At times it is very clear but, whenever I look, I see something new. The bird life just in the garden is amazing. It’s quite hard trying to do the washing up with binoculars and bird book in one hand! I get quite excited when I see a bird for the first time and even more excited when I can actually identify it. Just the other morning I spotted a Northern Black Flycatcher, an African Blue Flycatcher, a Village Indigobird, several Speckled Mousebirds, a ‘Greenish’ Yellow White-eye, a Pin-tailed Whydah, several Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu and a Fork Tailed Drongo! I am not disheartened by the fact that, according to the book, they are all very common here!
The highlight of the week was a parcel arriving from Sheila in Duns containing delicious homemade mince pies. They were slightly battered but that didn’t detract from their deliciousness! So, thank you again. The internet has been abysmal for three weeks over the Christmas/New Year period. We are just beginning to catch up on e-mails but want to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2008. Don’t forget, the spare room is now up and running! We thought we’d got rid of the bats with the flood. They’re back, but don’t let that put you off!
Maggie
1 comment:
Really interesting and I love the idea of Maggie becoming a twitcher! Less surprised at her reputation as a good cook!
Glad you are feeling more positive and am sure you will make some sort of difference!
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