|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EMMF:
Making a Difference in Uganda
Bishop John Nteavereize report
We spent approximately two weeks in the Bishop’s residence with he and
his wife Jocelyn. They provided housing and line cuisine of the Ugandan typical
fare, which was very hearty, with a large starch content. He expressed a great
sadness that had overshadowed the Diocese of Kinkiizi. He attributed this to
several events. He mentioned that a drought of several years’ duration, the
longest he could remember in his fifty years living in the area, which still
had a death grip on the area. He was hopeful that the coming rainy season would
break the spell, but he said many people and many animals had died during this
time. There was also a pall over the region, secondary to mass suicide at the
Konungu cult, which was approximately five miles away. He noted, and it was
confirmed by me, that there was no person in the area that was not affected by
this tragedy. Most families had lost a family member and all had lost friends
in that mass suicide. The last incident occurred in late 1999, when insurgents
from the Congo attacked tourists in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest who were
observing the gorillas. They were found hacked to death with machetes. The
results of this slaughter of the tourists sent a shock wave across Uganda and
even into Kenya, reducing tourism in East Africa. Regarding the Pygmies, he
seems to be on a friendly basis with them, appreciating their plight and truly
willing to help. He has been instrumental and the go-between in obtaining land
for the Pygmies in both the Katairiro and Byumba areas. Within his limited
funds, he’s also attempted to provide education, health, and agricultural
expertise, although as he mentioned, the funds have dried up. His main interest
in helping the Pygmies is the Bishop’s primary school. He would like to see
them educated. He said the fascinating thing about the Pygmies was that they
were initially appreciated to be less intelligent than the Ugandans. However,
in the classrooms where the Pygmies have mixed with the Ugandans, the top
students in the class were always the Pygmies. He would like to see
scholarships provided for the Pygmies to be allowed an opportunity to increase
their education and raise themselves out of their difficult plight.
His other concern is improving the health care by providing a health
care nurse at the Pygmy site to improve general hygiene and to identify Pygmies
at risk and to refer them to appropriate facilities. Bishop John struck me as
someone who truly had the best interest of the Pygmies at heart and was willing
to support the Pygmies with whatever means were available to him.
|
|
Back |
Next |
|
