Jewganda, Day One

 Oli o’tya, which means “How are you?” in Lunganda, one of the umpteen languages and dialects spoken here in lush, beautiful and eye-opening Uganda.

After 20 hours in various airplanes, with stopovers in the Netherlands, France, Rwanda and Kenya, we spent a restful night at Hotel Boma in Entebbe. Then our minyan of 10 – Cantor Rachel Stock Spilker, Eiden Spilker, fearless leader Joanne Trangle of Kuchanga Travel, Ben Forman, and the Brown family (Adele, Curt, Kenzie, Zac, Alison and John Wandeschneider) – hopped in our van and car and headed east from Entebbe through Kampala and past myriad festive villages.

We stopped for a Jewish traditional Christmas lunch – where else? – but a Chinese restaurant on the Nile called Lingling. Lunch lasted a little longer than expected, so as the Uganda sun dipped behind the mountains, we found ourselves twisting down rain-washed ruts to the Jewish village of Nabagoye.

A flood of sweet children, asking: “How are you? How are you?” greeted us as our intrepid drivers, Morgan and John, traversed switchbacks and huge gullies.

We’re staying at the cozy Guest House and ended our first full day with a full moon-bathed walk around the village, including a stop in the main and soon-to-be-rebuilt Moses Synagogue where the eternal light greeted us with a warm glow.

 -Curt Brown (photos by Eiden Spilker)