Another public Holiday, the young girls get their first swim

Just last week the kids enjoyed their first public holiday in this term of school.

Yesterday was yet another memorable day for JOAC, it was Uganda’s Heroes’ day, somewhat of an equivalent to the US’ memorial day. On this day the country honors those that have had a job well done; this includes veteran soldiers, and also civilians.

Well, at JOAC, just like last week’s Martyr’s day, Heroes’ day was celebrated by everyone’s presence at home; this always brings the first joy and vibrancy at home.  The kids had an early morning breakfast of maize porridge and steamed Matooke (green bananas) with a ground nut paste blend.

After breakfast, Auntie Esther and Auntie Jen called out everyone to have morning physical exercises in the spacious compound. They all rushed to join them; they began by making physical stretches before starting their 20 lap run around the field (this was different from last week’s when they ran around the house).  Under the grip of the blazing sunshine, the kids, Auntie Jen and Auntie Esther braved the moment, Patrick one of the older kids was in charge of counting the laps finished by every participant, and Joseph took the photos of the runners.  As different ones successfully took several laps, others backed off the race, you could easily tell that they are worn out; some blamed this on the heavy breakfast. Auntie Esther lamented “my stomach is full because of the heavy breakfast, I can`t run anymore.”  Auntie Jen, Emmy, Shivan, Ruth, and Moreen were the ones that persevered and ran the full 20 laps. Emmy took the first lead in the long race.  He started the race after everyone else and still finished first.

After a quick rest, the kids suggested that they have a 100 meters race; they designated one section of the field that would take up the high speed race. Different ones paired up for the run, others ran in a group. It was very hard to tell who the winners were in this race, most of them tied up.

After the running, Uncle David suggested that he takes Auntie Esther, Auntie Jen, and two of the youngest girls in the house (Afusa and Shivan) for a swim in town. This would be Shivan and Afusa’s first swim. Throughout their dressing to go for the swim and their trip to the swimming pool, excitement was written all over their curious faces.

At the pool they were amazed by the color of the water as they shyly changed to their swimming outfits. There wasn’t a pool for the kids, so this meant that they were to swim in the adults’ pool. Auntie Jen and Auntie Esther were the first to get into the pool before each taking hold of the girls for a swimming lesson. Auntie Jen held Afusa while Auntie Esther held Shivan. There was fear in the girls soon after getting into the pool; they scram as their bodies kissed the water. Afusa’s fear didn’t last long; she got confident enjoying Auntie Jen’s hold in the water as she kicked her legs backwards. Shivan’s fear lasted longer, at least as long as she kept in Auntie Esther’s arms, she often yelled “Auntie, I want to get out, please get me out of the pool”. It was not until the pool boy offered to take hold of her that she started enjoying the water, her face lightened up and her giggles slowly intensified as she gained confidence. The pool boy seemed much more experienced in handling kids and teaching them how to swim, he often told Shivan “Relax, feel at home, enjoy!”

By the time Uncle David came to pick the girls, they looked so confident in the water, they were playing in the pool steps something they wouldn’t dare do a few hours ago. Back home, the girls had much to tell their colleagues, at the JOAC night fellowship, they thanked God who got them the privilege to go for a swim.