Our day at the convent

Our day touring the convent began at breakfast with Sister Noelina and Sister Juliet. They have both been promoted since my initial visit. Sister Noelina is now actually Reverend Mother Noelina and is director of the entire convent. Sister Juliet, who was a student 13 years ago, is now the headmistress of St.Theresa Secondary School. We enjoyed catching up over breakfast, which included the super sweet small bananas they grow on the property.
Nearly all the food is grown on site. As we made our way around the convent grounds, we were impressed with the variety of fruits and veggies we discovered.  Everything from cabbage and eggplant to beans and ground nuts, there were even a few stalks of corn that volunteered in the flower gardens amongst the mums and roses.
The sisters and those they employ are quite industrious.  We toured a number of on site businesses, including an expanded production facility for making communion wafers, a sewing studio where the priests vestments are fashioned, a cobbler and a bottled water factory which was completed a few years ago.  The water is treated with UV and ozone for purification. Unfortunately, they are not able to maximize capacity due to broken machinery. They hope to be able to make repairs soon as income from the plant is meant to support the elderly nuns who also live on the convent grounds.
We had the distinct pleasure of visiting these sisters that afternoon. There were about 15 sisters waiting for us in the common room when we arrived. They ranged in age from early 70s to over 100 years. Those who could still sing insisted on welcoming us with a song and one 97 year old Sister busted out her best dance moves for us. She was incredible!  Her joy and enthusiasm for life radiated from her as she danced. I hope to have that much energy and joi de vive when I am her age.
That same evening we experienced more singing and dancing at a Ugandan wedding reception. One of the male teachers from the school was getting married and some of the sisters who were going invited us to join them.  We felt a bit awkward and rather under dressed.  Everyone there was decked out in their fanciest finery.  When it comes to fashion, Ugandans do not hold back! The bright colors, sparkling jewelry and high heels were ubiquitous.  Between the outfits and the MC shouting into his mic over the music, we weren boardering on sensory overload as we watched the bride and her bridesmaids sashay up to the position of honor. She  seated herself in an enormous white throne with gold trim, the twin to the chair her husband already occupied. They witnessed the speeches from their private stage which was decorated with fuschia and white bunting, rows and rows of white roses and a fringe of silver, spinning windcatchers along the front of the canopy. After the speeches it was time to cut the cake.  The initial slice accompanied by a shower of sparks raining down on both the couple and the cake  from the roman candles in the various layers and held aloft by their friends.  When the tissue paper streamers on the knife sparked into flame, there was only a brief pause in the festivities while it was hastily stomped out on the ground.  This excitement was followed by the tradition of the groom presenting a live rooster to the brother of the bride. Both man and bird looked somewhat nervous as the gift was exchanged. Luckily,  one of the groomsmen had the responsibility of removing the stunned bird to quieter quarters. Shortly thereafter we made our own exit, hoping to avoid some of the early evening traffic as darkness fell.
Overall, it was an extremely interesting day with glimpses into multiple different aspects of Ugandan culture.