Meet my son (and his family)

When I first came to Uganda in 2008, we visited Living Hope Primary School on the afternoon of our arrival day. It seemed like cruel punishment to have to pile back into the bus (we were 15) and head to another part of town but that’s when I first fell in love with the place.

After the team set up the centre, students from Living Hope were invited to come to the grand opening. I think there is a post on this blog about that first day. It was just amazing and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

One boy in particular caught my attention. He was always smiling and showing off his football goalie skills. I have several photos of him posing with his “team” and the soccer ball. His name is Vicent.

I always sought Vicent out when I returned to Living Hope in the following years. He was a drummer for the dancers when they performed for our team. I believe he was a prefect one year as well. He never spoke a lot but always asked how I was and made sure to connect with me when I was there.

In 2010, I spoke to him about attending Kawanda Secondary School and sponsoring him. He said that he wanted to go very much. I planned on meeting his mother in 2011 when I travelled with Mum but Vicent had switched schools. The headmaster was insisting that he attend evening prep classes for his exams as he was in P7 but his mother did not want him walking back to school and home so late every night.  She transferred him to a closer school. I enquired about him and was told that he was absent but when Mum and I returned to Living Hope a second time a girl (who I now know is his sister) gave me a letter from him explaining why he wasn’t there. Unfortunately there was no time to go to meet him.

Linda, a team member that I have travelled with twice, met with Polly, Vicent’s mother, in the summer of 2011 and extended my offer to her to sponsor her son to attend Kawanda. I did not want to presume that it would be okay without asking her first. It was arranged and after passing his P7 exams, Vicent started attending Kawanda in February 2012.

When we went to Kawanda to visit two weeks ago, Muhamad said we would pass Vicent's class so that he could greet me. I was expecting the little boy to come and say hello but a young man, almost as tall as me, exited his classroom and gave me the biggest hug possible. “I am so happy to see you Mum.” Everyone refers to him as my son.

The second time we visited Kawanda, Muhamad arranged for Vicent to miss his art class and we spent an hour in an office just talking. We had never really sat down and talked together. He told me all about himself and his family. He is 15. His birthday is November 24^th. He is the youngest of 4 boys and 3 girls (2 have died) but one sister is still in primary school. His favourite fruit is jackfruit. His mother and father farm their land as subsistence farmers. That have a variety of fruits and veggies that they grow but it is only for their family.

I had taken my iPad with me and spent some time showing him family photos as well as pictures of home. He was quite surprised about the snow and laughed when I told him that my cat’s name is Kabaka (the lugandan word for the King.) We had a lovely visit. He told me that he was working very hard and only sleeping 3-4 hours a night because he stayed up after the noisy boys went to bed to be able to study.

I was able to visit and talk with Vicent one more time the third time we visited Kawanda. I had received my lost luggage by then and had the backpack of school supplies for him that I had brought.  Mum had bought a t-shirt with a Native print on the front which he was thrilled with. I am so happy to have had the time to connect with my son. I am a very proud mama!

Vicent’s mother called me early in the second week to say that she would come to see me on Friday at noon. Betty was here when she arrived with a 2 year old and her husband. It was the first time that Betty met Vicent’s father because he runs a ranch either in Mbarara or Masaka both of which are over 4 hours away.

Vicent’s dad spoke about his pigs that they raise. They only have a couple at the moment because they sold 2 to pay school fees. It seems that is why people keep animals here – to sell when they need money. I asked if they had chickens and he said that he would like to have chickens for the eggs but finances are preventing them from buying any.

There is no doubt that Vicent’s is his mother’s son, they are spitting images of each other! Both Polly and her husband were so kind and happy to see me. They shook my hands over and over and thanked me for what I was doing for their son. They gave me gifts (I wish they hadn’t done that)and stayed only about 15 minutes. Silly me. I was so overwhelmed to see them that I didn’t offer them a drink or any food. What a rotten Ugandan hostess.

It was lovely to connect with them and I hope that we will be able to meet again in the future.