Wonder World

Today was the much anticipated field trip to Wonder World (previously called Didi’s World, just had a name change)! Kate had taken the kids 2 years ago when she was here last, and those that went still talk about it. Well over 100 kids showed up to school this morning to come (perhaps 130 kids??) with huge smiles. As we arrived at the school on boda-boda the excitement was so obvious. They were outside getting ready to load the three buses and were cheering and running and pushing in line with huge smiles. We loaded the buses and a half hour later we arrived at the front gates of the huge amusement park. The first bus with the youngest kids had arrived before us, and when we got off the bus we saw them on rides, and they ran screaming to us, each one with the biggest smile I have seen. The power went out shortly (welcome to life in Uganda!) so the rides couldn’t be operated for about 30 minutes, but we took all the kids to the playground part of the park. Imagine 130 screaming, smiling, running at top speed children. Their smiles were infectious, it was amazing.

The power came back on and we began going on the rides. We had the entire park to ourselves, and everyone ran from ride to ride, screaming and trying to get in line first. The rides were geared to different ages, so the little kids went on some and the bigger kids went on others. I spent most of the day with the big girls. Now that Mariam knows I am sponsoring her, she doesn’t let me out of her sight and she and Sylvia dragged me by the hand to every ride they wanted to go on. It has been years since I ran from ride to ride and it brought back a lot of good memories. Unfortunately, my stomach can’t handle the rides like it used to, but I managed to hold my own with them!

We started on the octopus, which I rode with Sylvia. She laughed the entire time; a huge belly laugh. After some of the smaller rides, the kids decided to be daring and try “the boat” (the pirate ship; the one that goes back and forth with 4 or 5 rows on each side). I sat with Mariam and Darphine and we sat close to the middle. They were terrified and clutched on to me, but were fine. Mariam covered her head in my chest, but pretended it was because the sun was in her eyes, not because she was scared, hehe. Sarah was in the very top row that goes the highest. Every single girl in her row was balling her eyes out, begging for the ride to be over. All the kids scream “OH MAMA!” when they are scared. Darphine was saying, “Oh, my life!!” Poor Felix leaned over the side of the boat and threw up! They were terrified, and yet loved it and wanted to do it again. This time we went in the highest row and I sat with Mariam, Sylvia, Molly, and Jackie. Molly, the youngest and tiniest, was loving life, and Jackie was handling it okay, but Mariam was hiding her head and crying, and Sylvia was screaming and balling her eyes out and clutching on to me for dear life. Afterwards, they all claimed that they loved it! Funny girls.

We served lunch to the kids (posho, rice, cabbage, beans, and beef) and gave each a de-worming pill. Hellen has been unable to provide this for them at school, and many parents can’t either. It should be done every term but this hasn’t been the case, and is something the nurse suggested for many of the kids with swollen stomachs and abdominal pain. We lined the kids up and gave a half a pill to the little ones and a full pill to the older ones. Then, it was time for swimming! The pool is reserved for kids aged 12+, but it isn’t really reinforced and so we brought in some of the 10 and 11 year olds as well. We had bought a few bathing suits and Hellen still had some from 2 years ago when Kate visited and brought some. It wasn’t enough for all the kids, but we had them swim for 10-ish minutes and then switch their “swimming costume” with a child waiting to swim. Some of the littler ones got impatient and just went swimming in their undies. Not a single one of the girls knew how to swim. A few of the boys did, but it was mostly girls and terrified doesn’t even begin to explain how they felt. Kate, Sarah, and I went in first and they would clutch to us like monkeys. We would take them in a circle and then take another girl. Some of them are 15 years old so it was hilarious. Two of the teachers- 30 year old women, came in as well and did just the same thing; clung to us like monkeys and were terrified! Darphine, usually so shy, was screaming her head off and a huge smile never left her face. Mariam was scared and only stayed in for a short while, mostly sitting on the side of the pool with her feet in. Molly, as usual, was the bravest, and managed to try kicking her legs as I held her stomach and pulled her across the pool.

After a long time of swimming, I got out shivering but warmed up quickly from running again from ride to ride and trying to keep up with a pack of 11 and 12 year olds pulling me along and fighting over who could hold my hand. I went and played with the little ones a bit and watched them go on some of the ride. It is funny how protective we are of our kids in Canada, and how these 3 and 4 year olds roamed the park by themselves all day long. They really take care of each other. By 4:30 we were sunburned (well, us muzungus), tired, and happy. The kids sang the entire way home and gave us lots of big hugs when we got back to the school at dusk and they made their way home. I know from the happy screams I heard all day that this is something they will remember for a long time!