In March 2020 Uganda showed her strong intentions to fight COVID 19 through her government. Many measures were put in place to curb the spread of COVID 19 in Uganda.  These included closure of schools, public transport, curfew put in place, closure of places of worship, among other.

Thanks to the government for its initiatives. How these measures are helping in the control of the spread COVID 19 is an area which am not exploring on today but rather the mental illness cases which are rising so drastically. There more admissions into the mental units at the different levels during the lockdown period than it was before.

This is not good that these cases are increasing, but to make matters worse is the luck of facilities to admit these patients. Mental health cases are handled at national referrals in the different regions which have been turned into treatment centres for COVID 19 patients leaving the mental patients with no place to get treatment.

This has left the mental patients with no position but rather become litter on the hospital compounds. This is dangerous to the patients and to the community.

With all the measures to co-exist with other patients with in the hospitals, mental health patients are special and different in way of being handled and treatment. This co-existing is not yielding results.

One would wonder why the mental unit was the best option for government to turn into the treatment centers for COVID 19?

As we treat COVID 19, we should not forget that some of the measures put in place to curb it are causing an increase in mental illness cases in communities. The increase in depression, anxiety, suicide, among others are common new admissions to poorly located mental units.

This sudden shift of the mental units in the referral hospitals is also making it worse for the patients. Psychologically mental patients are tortured by this sudden change of environment and making it worse to uncertain places.

The out patients who come from distant places in these villages are bounding back with no treatment, with high costs of transport because of these changes.  It has got to be very difficult for the clinicians to work on the patients. There is no access to patient data base, not certain of work stations, leading to the suffering of the patients and worsening of their state.

The government should reconsider its decision on this matter of turning the mental health units into COVID 19 treatment areas. By the time COVID 19 is out of here we may end up with dysfunctional communities.

How I wish government comes out to address this issue with a lot of seriousness. Remember not any facility can be turned into a mental health unit but rather those designed for that.

Lives of mental health patients matter.   

DOUBLE “Z”

There is a big number of Ugandans with in the major towns and main city of Kampala who survive on what they learn a day.

Consider a street vendor and a boda boda raider who feeds their family on a daily as they earn by the day. No savings because due to the nature of work.            The moto bike belongs to a considered wealth boss/on a bank loan, who requires a pay very day of shs 10,000. Just looking at one sector of individuals in the transport industry leaving out the taxi driver who is equally similar to this raider.

Unless you’re not on the on plant earth, but the transport system has been tasted and shaken by the corona virus (COVID 19). This did not leave out Uganda. Due to this virus, very home in this country has felt the bite of it economically and socially.

The boda boda business in Uganda is a huge business in most of the major cities to easy transport and give employment.it employs a number of youth even those with degrees from universities hence sustaining a number of families. However, the out break on the COVID 19 has left these families helpless., with main activity of Boda boda business (carrying people) stopped and only left to carrying luggage or food stuff from the market.

Due to these changes that came with the outbreak, I came across the double ‘’Z’’ life style. This is got from a local language of Luganda “Zekolawo Zendya” meaning “what I make is what I eat.”

What does this mean, that the stopping of the boda boda business has called a lot of suffering for many families with lack of food? One can’t not tell how long this will take (lock down) but just to think about it in detail. What will happen if the ‘’Double Z’’ group of people are still on the lock down.

Am sensing that we may have high rate of crime increase due to need of survival. Anybody would do anything to see their family live for the next day.

As communities and government we need to come up with ways to help Double Z and other people who may not be able to stay long in this lock down.

As we fight the corona virus, let us also prevent other virus that may be produced due to poverty, and fight for basic needs.

Let those who have much give to those with nothing, lets grow in love and unity in this crisis, bridge the gap between the double Z and other income earners.

I wish to thank government for the effort of giving out food, they only question is how long will this food take the families if the lockdown keeps on being pushed?

However, this should be a learning point for all people to always plan for times of crisis. Let this be a time of standing with each other, share the little we have with hope of things getting back to normal.

‘’As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said ‘’ Now separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them.’’ –Acts 13:2 

As a little boy, I grew up in a religious family. All I knew and understood was the catholic church in which I served diligently at that time. In my later years of growing, I had to join college and while there I gave my life to Christ. It was interesting and with a lot of expectations as a young believer.

From that day up to date I heard the word ministry up to date. Truth be told I didn’t know what it meant but kept on seeing a few students doing activities such cleaning the chapel, singing in choir, dancing among others. This was called ministry.

By the grace of God and a great love for choir and dancing, I join the choir and the ‘’Vaiders’’ (dancing group in chapel at college by that time) hence my ministry. It was fun being part of these two teams and as time passed by I joined other ministries (teams) in chapel and got more responsibilities.

Time goes by and college is done, university same things of joining a fellowship and finding what you can do. I hate being idle so I find what to do when I get to a place or join a team.

However, this time round I was exposed to men and women of God who had ministries. Some named after them and others just a different name. These are the founders and have authority over the ministry. This is not what I had known from my childish Christianity about ministry. These people were looking good and admirable (for those I meant and heard of) in that would make you desire to start a ministry, but how?

In the book of Acts, we see God separating Barnabas and Saul for the work they are to do. We see that this came about through prayer of the team of apostles and the Holy spirit spoke. I want to believe that from that time Barnabas and Saul didn’t doubt what their purpose was in life (ministry). They were convinced and determined to do the work because He who had called them was clear on what they should do.

Many Christians have started and joined ministries and they struggling. They don’t find joy and peace in what they do and yet believe this is the work of God. It’s very sad to find Christians who are in church serving but at the same time depressed with the service, conflicting in the flesh, and taking ministry tours in the body of Christ. When doing any work of God (church and work place) it should bring about peace and fulfillment.  This is not only to service in church but rather cuts across to your work place.

You should experience the fruit of the spirt in your ministration (Gal-5:22). Your ministry is not limited to church activities but rather any work you engage in and brings fulfilment.

If all Christians understood their ministration, the world will be a better place. The gospel shall reach everyone, we shall not have to waste time, energy and resources but rather impact more Just think about it.

When people know what to do, work is always done well and faster. The opposite is a terrible picture. Let’s all get back to the foundations of gathering as believers in prayer, seek God and allow the Holy Spirit send us. When He the Spirit of God directs us in our calling, saints around shall witness as he speaks through them.

So reflect on your ministry (it can be your work place) and see if you need to seek God to be separated for what you should do?

It looks like everyone has got this experience of getting money so easily. It’s in our nature to want things to come our way. No one wants to toil that much, its stressing right?  But something is more stressing, actually terribly stressing. When you lose all your money to scheme of getting rich quickly.

Do you recall that time when your friend, family member, church member or relative called and asked you to meet them? For some reason you were not that close to that person but over a sudden they want to meet about something important. I believe you got mixed feelings of reaction, excited but also got wondering about the urgency of the meeting. My dear that’s how it starts. We all had those reactions.

One thing you should always keep in mind; they are always distance people in your circle who over a sudden get concerned about your financial situation, then draw close with a solution that will save you, turn your life around financially. Yes, I agree they will turn your life around financially. There things you do in life and after with time, you will sit back and laugh at yourself. Wondering if you were thinking and also question your age and experience.

I refuse to list down those businesses perhaps you were waiting for examples. My friend if you have not had that experience yet, you’re lucky and please do not try getting the experience. I assure you it’s not a nice one.  By way, their those it will always work for and things seem to be getting well with them every day but it never works for you.   

Friends, let’s take things of financial growth with a lot of wisdom. A good name is better than wealth. It is good to be rich but let us mind the process. We all take baby steps in life about everything and I mean everything if you come to think about it.  The environment around us has raised our alarms of insecurity about family, fees, property, marriage, etc. You thinking that if you just had ‘enough money’ today, your safe. I even don’t know what enough money is?

But maybe we should respect the process of growth even in wealth. We should build the right channels that will make us rich but with respect to self and the process. May be we should invest more and in the small things we can afford. Tithe and saving will cater for our insecurities about tomorrow. This is not easy as I say it here but you have a choice. Quick way to get rich or the process to wealth?

It’s a trying moment when you lose a loved. This would be a family member, relative, friend or anyone close to you. We can’t know how to react and how to hold the pressure. However, we have to go through the moment, otherwise if we don’t move on then it’s also a problem. But is not my area of concern today rather where we burry our people is the point.

So it has become so serious of late that when some is very sick especially with chronic disease, you advised to take them aback home before they die from the hospital. One of the reasons given is ‘transport of the dead.’ If this has not happened to you, you may have had a friend it did. It’s the order of the day for the poor.

Friends I have wondered for a long time if it’s a must to always bury people in the village in the name of ‘burial grounds’. I have seen families struggle to raise money to go through costs of taking people to burial grounds. Please don’t judge me, I guess you have certain attachments to your ancestral grounds but hear me out please. Some of us know where out burial grounds are, access is terrible and some even no shelter at these sites. It looks like we damp these so called loved ones back in the bushes of our villages.

Again friends I know you have your reasons about your burial grounds but if you have stood by a friend and traveled to that place for burial and wondered if that place ever existed on the google maps. What happens when you bury in the city cemetery? Just asking.

Sometimes I think we have adopted certain norms which may not be of much help with time. Yes, I respect the norms of our fore fathers and they had reasons for everything, some which did hold a lot of value but change has come. We can’t pretend anymore about certain things because the truth is they will not stay the same at all. So planning and adapting earlier will save us the stress of denial and the aftermath of change because it will come.   

Please get me right, am not against your ancestral grounds but am thinking if all is not in your favour, burry somewhere else. You can start your own burial grounds but be careful about the growing development. Otherwise people work on the roads to your villages and houses. Do not wait for us to come and make us gospel about you. For sure we don’t want to gospel about it and don’t force us too.

     Friends if you can and there is room too, bury in accessible places. We love these people and let’s keep them close even in death.

As I walked down through the drug smelling corridors of the facility at 7:30am, I set my eyes on her.she was sitting next to the huge facility bin.

She was looking helpless and trying to find what to eat, she was hungry and it was evident on her face. Besides that, something was so different from her.
The most striking point about her was her being naked and a tearing face.

Surrounded by a number of people, everyone minding their business. Some cooking for their patients and others washing dishes. No one bothered about her.

With deep compassion, I looked at her , in that very moment wondered what I should do. Seriously i knew and felt it that i should something.
Perhaps anyone who knew me and what I do should have expected me to know what to do.

” for crying out loud you work with the mental health unit.”

Truth to be told, i didn’t know what to do at that point of picking up a naked female and taking her to where she was to find help. However, I knew that if I don’t stretch out my hand towards her and offer my help, no one was going to.

With lots of thoughts in my mind, I decided to reach out my hand to her and asked her if she would go with me? With no answer of yes or no, she didn’t stop me from taking her hand as I asked her to follow me. With tears rolling down her cheeks ,we walked side by side.

She was struggling to tell me something but nothing was coming out of her lips.

At this point, everyone who was minding their business earlier was busying looking at the two of us. Perhaps wondering what I was doing and why I was concerned about someone who is mad?

In my mind I was very determined and strong about my action. I was not ready to change from my action but only to see her out of that place.

If there was anything on my mind this was it “this should be a mother and no one would wish to see a mother in this state.” As we walked towards the mental unit , I kept on believing that all will be well.

No sooner had we got into the unit than we were given a piece of clothing to put around her. She was made to rest on a small smelly mattress on the floor for there were no beds. The ward was full to capacity.

Now this was another challenging phase we had started. This one includes a patient with no care taker and no information can be obtained snice patient doesn’t talk. “So what is her name? How did she get here? Where did she come from?”

I mean the naked woman asked the nurse….. From that point her identify had turned to be known as the naked woman.

……To be continued…..

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton