Hey everyone!
Sometimes our internet availability is unpredictable, so we'll continue updating you as much as we can!
Monday was a day going nowhere fast, we had been warned many times before leaving the US that Ugandans if not provoked to do anything will do nothing. all day. I wasn't completely sure of this until it happened. Monday morning we woke up early, because we were supposed to go to a meeting at 9 with Wilson and an assistant of the first daughter of Uganda. After the meeting we were planning on going into Kampala, and then going to play with the kids until dinner. We didn't get picked up at 9, but Deo called at 10 and said that he would be there to get us in twenty minutes to bring us to Wilson's house. Twenty minutes in African time (or Nicole time, Sue has come to calling it) really means an hour. On this particular Monday even African time was slower than usual. At 11:30 Deo came in, and we waited around for a little bit more. Deo told us that we were going to Wilson's house to meet him, and then we would go from there. We were a little bit skeptical of this plan, but it was already in motion, so we just went with it.
When we arrived at Wilson's house there was no Wilson. Apparently, he had gone to the meeting without us, and hadn't communicated this to anyone. But Deo informed us that he would not be long, and that we were just going to wait for him, because he wanted to see us. So we sat, and sat some more, ate a chapat (a tortilla thing), and sat some more. Deo put in a dvd of some of the Ugandan gospel artist's music videos. One of the artist's was Damaris a girl from Kenya who stayed with us at the house where Susan and I live while she was recording her new cd. Wilson hadn't made a music video yet, but Susan and I set our hearts on being in his video whenever he made one. Wilson finally arrived at 2 and when he got there we still did nothing. Finally at about 3, Wilson said he was supposed to be at another meeting at 3, so we got in his car and started driving. Sue and I didn't know if we were going with him to the meeting, or to lunch, or just for a drive. By this point we didn't know anything that the day had for us. We don't even ask questions anymore because we know we're going to get dragged around regardless.
So we dropped off Wilson's car at the shop because apparently it wasn't working, and then we got a taxi, and we drove around Kampala. We made 3 random stops where we got out, walked around and got in another taxi. We mentioned briefly that we were hungry, so we stopped again, walked around and looked for a restaurant. Finally after much debate we chose one, and sat down. After we finished lunch Ema, the taxi driver, pulled up with tons of the older girls from the older kids house, and shouted at us to get in. Very confused at how everything was coming
together Sue and I got in the taxi, and all the girls were dressed the same.
We finally ventured to ask, "what are we doing!?" Wilson in his goofy way slapped himself on the forehead and said "I forgot to tell you, we're going to make my music video, that's my appointment!" Sue and I excitedly looked at each other, and asked simultaneously "do we get to be in it!?" "I would be honored" he replied, as we excitedly squealed.
We went to the music studio, and met the producers and directors of the music video, and waited around a little bit more. When we left the studio we anxiously asked where we were shooting, but no one seemed to know, so we got in the taxi again, and just started driving. The shooting happened to be 2 hours away through a place even the kids we're working with called the ghetto.
Anyway, we start going up a mountain (large green hill really, although they call it a mountain) on a road, no I wouldn't call it a road. It was more like a path, but barely, and Susan and I just looked at each other and laughed, because we had no idea how this huge taxi now with 18 people and video equipment was going to make it up this "mountain". We go as far as the taxi can take us, and were told to get out and hike to the top. At this point, Sue and I felt like we had pretty much wasted an entire day. Even though we were promised a place in the music video the way the day was going we weren't even sure if that was going to happen. We hiked together and we reached the top laughing at our current circumstance, and we were still laughing until our breath was taken away.
At the top of this very large green hill we were able to see all the other very large green hills of Uganda, the tall grasses, thousands of trees, and the surrounding villages. We were close to the clouds and the birds. It was the cool of the evening, and a light mist surrounded the tops of the trees, and the lilac sky was as far stretching as I have ever seen it. Susan and I just looked at each other and sighed knowing that even if we just turned around and went back home, after that view, our day had not been wasted. This mountain belonged to a village called Jinja Kolooli, and the villagers all stared strangely at the people who came with cameras, mzungus (white people) and very nicely dressed men. Scattered on the path that led to the top were different piles of large rocks and women sitting next to these piles breaking these large rocks into smaller rocks. At first we only saw 4 or 5 children, but after about 20 minutes the group of tiny spectators multiplied, and the music video filming began.
First of all, do not be deceived. This was no MTV production. There was a boom box, yes a boom box, playing the song on a tape. Not a cd, but a tape, and one video camera. They would play the whole song through, a few times for each different shot, and then rewind the tape, and switch camera angles. While everyone was busy with Wilson and the dancers, Susan and I decided to get to know the kids who gathered to laugh and point at all the funny things we were doing. Our knowledge of the Lugandan language is very limited, so beyond "oliotia" (hello) and "weraba" (goodbye) we're pretty much useless. So we did the only thing we know how to do well that translates to every language: Be Goofy. We had the kids laughing in two seconds, and somehow got them to tell us their names, and play simple hand clapping games, and dance, and hug. It was wonderful. We took lots of pictures, and realized that kids are kids everywhere, just like laughter is laughter is laughter everywhere.
Finally Sue and my debut in the music video came and our location was sitting up on the highest rock of the hill with Wilson, and we were pretending to be the backup singers. Our line was "Njagala Kumenya" which means "I want to know You Lord" but don't you worry, the language might have been Lugandan, but our dancing was purely Sue and Nicole. We made everyone laugh especially all the tiny spectators. Susan and I laughed the duration of the taping so hopefully there's some footage that will be useable. The editing should be done early next week though and hopefully we'll be able to put it on youtube or something so you all can watch it!
The sun went down and we climbed down the hill before it was too dark to see, and Susan and I marveled yet again at the things we had learned from the day. First of all, we'll never doubt again anything we do with Wilson, because it's sure to be an adventure. Second, that music videos are easy to make, and we'll have to do it more at home. And lastly but most importantly: When you do something with the right motives, and approach it with love and laughter impossible boundaries are overcome. People are people everywhere: language barriers, economy, and cultural differences disappear when you come to the core of everyone. the part that allows you to feel, to cry, to laugh, to be... your soul
We love you all, thanks for reading our super long emails!
Nicole and Sue
