David’s Story; The Day That Brought Back My Joy

The day that brought back my joy was the time when I came back from school for my short holiday break of second term 2011. The following day as Auntie Rita was informing us the holiday program, she told us about a tour to Lake Mburo National Park on Saturday 06 and 07 Aug. I told some of my friends about the tour and some were sad, because I was leaving them for two days, but most were happy for me, mostly because they had not had the chance or opportunity to visit such places with their relatives.

On that Saturday it was almost 8:00am in the morning when we started the journey to Mburo National Park. We were five; Rock, Robert, Roger, Auntie Rita and I. Roger was our driver and he could drive us while making funs that would even make us laugh.
When we reached at the entrance to the park, everyone became eager to see what was in the park. Then Auntie Rita cleared all the fees that were required for us to be allowed to enter into the park. As soon as we entered the park we started seeing very many different animals and beautiful birds of different species. We saw very many animals, some which we knew what they were called and some we did not know what they were called. Some of the animals we knew were the kobs, buffalos, monkeys (in Luganda they are called Ekiima), guinea fowl (enkoffu), hippos (envubu), zebra, baboons (kimpanze), and warthog (wild pig). Others we didn’t know by name. It was my first time to see most of the animals. I was very delighted with the topography of the area; swamps, hills, the cool climate and the vegetation were so fantastic.

I had a lot of wonders on the warthogs. The animal had long teeth which were as sharp as a spear and they were externally like horns. I also wondered how the hippos are able to live in water and on land. That amazed me so much. Also the warthog was got a cute tail which is straight even when it is running away it doesn’t fold its tail!

Monkey could come out of the forest and enter into the kitchen of where we were staying. They would eat whatever is left inside. The most interesting thing with the monkeys is when others enter the kitchen others remain outside the kitchen to let those who are inside know when someone is coming so that they could escape. Then I wondered how these animals are able to give birth without someone’s help. There as we were in the car driving we saw a pig (wart hog) with the young ones and I wondered how a warthog feeds its young ones.

I had some questions which I asked myself about God’s wonders. How and where to the birds and animals get food from when they do not dig their own food? This which brought me to a conclusion that, “with God all things are possible”?

Then it came time when we all got hungry, but since it was not Rock’s first time to be in the park, he took us to the Muburo fishing site. After reaching the site we went to the local restaurant. Robert, the “westerner” was given the responsibility of ordering food because he could communicate well with those who were in charge of preparing food because he knew their local language. But all in all everything was great!

I really enjoyed and studied a lot of things from this tour. I know we all enjoyed to the extent of Robert wanting to remain there for more days! Now I think I was the most grateful and happiest because of the joy I still have in my heart, of which I do not know how to express it! For sure, even now I don’t know how I can express my thanks towards Auntie Rita for what she did, but all I can say is that may God Bless her for me and on behalf of my brothers.