Information about traveling to Uganda
Twabashemerewa!
Welcome to Mbarara!
We are glad that you are coming to visit us in Mbarara, Uganda, and want to assist you any way we can! The following are some descriptions and suggestions to make your trip more successful.
An Introduction to the Ankole Diocese, Church of Uganda
The Church of Uganda (C.O.U.) is the largest protestant denomination in Uganda. It is Anglican in structure. In the early 1900’s, the early days of Christianity in Uganda, the government allowed only Anglican and Catholic churches to be planted. Nowadays, you find many other denominations coming in, but none compare to the sheer size and influence of the Anglicans and Catholics. UBI serves in the Ankole Diocese in the Mbarara district of western Uganda.
The Gospel first came to the Mbarara area in 1901 through the work of missionaries. The first converts to be baptized were women who faced great risk for such a display of faith. The East African Revival of the 1930’s had a tremendous impact on the life of the church here. There are now approximately 600 C.O.U. churches in the Ankole Diocese alone. Western Evangelicals may be pleasantly surprised by the evangelical nature of the Church of Uganda in comparison to some of their more liberal Anglican counterparts in the West. In a worldwide meeting of Anglicans a few years ago, an African Bishop stood and exclaimed of his more liberal brothers in the West, “You came to Africa and brought us the Bible, but it seems you have left it here!” When the Episcopal Church in the USA ordained a homosexual bishop, the African Anglican bishops were among the first to break communion with that branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Despite the presence of many strong Christians in the Church of Uganda, there is a growing tendency toward liberalism and nominal Christianity in many dioceses. Church leaders admit there are many in the pew each Sunday who do not know Christ. A group of concerned Christians is praying for revival and reformation in the Church of Uganda.
Currently, Johnson Twinomujuni, a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson MS, serves as the Principal of Uganda Bible Institute.
A Summary of Current Issues and Challenges in the Church
In a meeting with Bishop Kyamugambi of Ankole Diocese, Dale asked him about some of the major challenges the church is facing. He listed several:
- The average Christian in the church is not grounded in what he believes.
- There are many in the church who claim to be Christians, yet are living as though they were not converted.
- Pastors and lay readers who lead the churches are not well-trained to handle the tasks before them. They need refresher courses and more theological training.
- The bishop sees a great need for the Bible Institute that could serve as a center for such a crucial theological education ministry.
In addition, the following issues confront the church:
- Pastors are paid very little in comparison to other jobs with similar years of training. This is partly due to the economy and partly due to poor stewardship in their congregations.
- “He who pays the piper picks the tune.” Some more liberal elements in the Western church may fund education projects that seriously influence the thinking of pastors entering the ministry. There is a great need for conservative Christian donors who have an interest in seeing the continued growth of the Church of Uganda.
- An ordained minister in the Church of Uganda may have eleven congregations under his care (lesser trained lay readers often do most of the preaching). There is the challenge to attract more young people to enter the ordained ministry.
Travel Information
- A visa is needed to enter Uganda. This can be purchased before you leave – your travel agent should help you secure this. It is less expensive, however, to wait to purchase this visa upon your arrival at the Entebbe Airport here in Uganda. The current cost is $30 – best to pay in cash.
- Make three copies of your passport. Leave one at home, give one to your team leader, and pack the third copy somewhere else in your luggage. The original should be with you and carried onto the plane.
- Make sure you carry-on the following items:
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- Airline tickets
- Passport
- Yellow Immunization Card (proof of Yellow Fever shot)
- Cash and Traveler’s Checks can work well.
- Camera/Film (film is cheaper in U.S., so pack what you need)
- Enough Clothes since it is warm and dusty
- Reading Items
- Teaching or Preaching Notes (if applicable)
- Travel Insurance Information
- Medications (especially Anti-Malarials)
- One roll of toilet paper in a baggie
- Hand sanitizer
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- You will be allowed two 50-pound pieces of checked luggage (check with airline). Because the needs are so great in Uganda, we ask that you bring the maximum limit, filling any extra space/weight with ministry items (see “Ministry Needs” below). You may even find that you need only one suitcase for your personal needs leaving the second entirely for ministry items/gifts. You might even opt to pack clothes to wear that you would be willing to leave behind. As you go through customs, you may be asked about the contents of your bags. They basically fall into two categories: “personal items” and “ministry gifts.”
- Suggestions for packing personal items:
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- Cool cotton clothes (7-10 outfits) -- laundry services are available at a reasonable cost. At least 10 pairs of underwear recommended.
- Ladies: skirts/shirts and dresses (below the knees, please). No panty hose necessary – there are some perks to missionary life! Comfortable sandals make the most sense here. Pack at least one “dressy” outfit for speaking or Sunday services.
- Men: Casual cotton pants and shirts. Pack at least one suit coat and tie. Comfortable, casual shoes or tennis shoes are a good option. Don’t forget dress shoes for speaking/Sunday.
- Shorts are not to be worn by ladies, but can be worn by men in free time or on “fun” days.
- Rubber “flip-flops” good for bathing and as slippers.
- Medications: bring ample prescription medications as well as helpful over-the-counter ones in travel quantity (Tylenol, Tylenol PM, Immodium, Pepto Bismal tablets, Tums, are some suggestions).
- Wet wipes and Germ-X (waterless soap) are handy to have.
- Good insect repellent and sun screen.
- Sunglasses and a hat can be helpful.
- Portable umbrella if coming during rainy season.
- Bring a picture of your family to share with your new friends.
- Small travel alarm or watch with alarm can be helpful.
- Bring a small flashlight (we do have regular power outages).
- You may want to bring a swimsuit – there are local hotels with good pools that you may want to visit during free time.
- Bring a journal for recording experiences and reflections.
- A small backpack or bag is good for carrying ministry materials, water and snacks when you are out and about.
- Bring snacks such as chewy bars etc
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- You will be asked upon your arrival to provide the name and address of where you will be staying in Uganda and your length of stay. You may use the following information:
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Uganda Bible Institute C/O Amos Magezi
Box 04
Mbarara
Phone number: 256-772-525-856
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- East Africa is 7 hours in advance of Eastern Daylight Time and 8 hours in advance of Eastern Standard Time. Time adjustment is largely an individual matter, but expect some tiredness, particularly because sleep on the plane may be interrupted. We will try to build in ample rest periods the first couple days upon your arrival.
Ministry Needs
- As you consider packing your two 50-pound checked bags, consider filling up extra space with ministry gifts. Note: Bibles are better purchased in Uganda (you can come prepared to buy some to give away) because they are cheaper and available in local dialects. Study Bibles, however, are excellent items to bring (though we do have a good stock of these in Mbarara that have already been donated to pastors).
- Suggestions for ministry gifts:
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- Theology or devotional books
- Sermon tapes
- Christian music tapes
- Compact Concordances or Bible Dictionaries
- Surplus Sunday school materials
- Children’s Bibles and Christian children’s books
- There is a small hospital for handicapped children. The children come for days at a time for treatment and therapy. They would love to have a couple Tonka Trucks, some children’s books, crayons, coloring books, Christian children’s music tapes, small cars, dolls, etc.
- You may consider bringing small gifts for Ugandans who may host you for tea or a meal. Some suggestions include: lotions or soaps, home state souvenirs, small sewing kits, tooth brushes and pastes, decorative towels, seed packets (vegetable and flower seeds), etc.
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Finances
- You can exchange money at the any of the many foreign exchange bureaus in Kampala upon your arrival. You may also exchange money at the banks in Mbarara. We recommend that you bring some cash ($50 & $100 bills get a much better exchange rate than small bills). The bills must be of 2001 and higher (please note that any bill of 1996 is not accepted)
- Visa debit cards (from your bank) as well as regular Visa cards can be used in ATM machines at Standard Chartered banks both in Mbarara and Kampala. This is increasingly becoming a good way to receive funds from abroad – a good exchange rate and you can get cash as you need it. The machines give you shillings, not dollars, out of your dollar checking accounts back home. Unfortunately, few establishments (restaurants or shops) take credit cards, so their use is limited outside of cash machines, especially here in Mbarara).
- Bring some extra money for souvenirs or gifts for your supporters and family. We would take you to a craft market as well as stopping by the site where the equator passes through Uganda.
Security Precautions
- Don’t bring items that would be irreplaceable if lost or stolen. Limit the amount of jewelry and valuables.
- Don’t leave anything in a vehicle unattended.
- Always lock vehicle, even while driving (especially in Kampala).
- A money belt or deep pockets are better than visible bags or even fanny packs for carrying passport/money. Be careful about showing large amounts of cash in public.
- It is usually not wise to bring a laptop computer for such a short trip unless your ministry deems it necessary. We have cyber cafes for checking and sending email. Amos and any of the missionaries have computers that can be used by team members for simple email purposes.
- Any video cameras or expensive electronic equipment should be handled with care. Check with Dale or Amos about proper recharging and keeping it safe.
Medical Concerns
- Immunizations: Yellow Fever is the only required shot to enter Uganda. You may be asked to show proof of this upon entry into Uganda. Check to make sure that you are updated with boosters of polio and tetanus as well. Others that we recommend include: Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B, and Meningitis. Check with your local health department to get the most updated information. Do not get the cholera shot – it is no longer required and is not recommended as effective.
- Anti-Malarials: Larium is the most effective drug and most-often prescribed for travelers. It can have side effects like sleeplessness or nightmares, so read up on this before you decide. These side effects are fairly rare . . . but we have heard of some bad cases. There are other options (check with the health department or your doctor). We also encourage that you bring a good insect repellent with DEET for when you are out in the evenings. We will make every effort to ensure that your accommodation is in well-screened rooms and/or mosquito netting is provided over your bed.
- Make sure your team leader is aware of any unique health concerns before you travel. Team leaders should collect a list of all team members’ blood types in case of emergency (helps in getting safe blood donations in case of emergency).
- Missionary and Ugandan doctors are available for emergency situations both in Kampala and Mbarara. McNeills and Hollenbecks have this information and should be contacted with any health concern requiring medical attention.
Food and Beverage Precautions
- The most common ailments to travelers are stomach problems. There are many precautions one can take to avoid these risks.
- Wash hands often, especially before eating (if you have hand sanitizer please use it regularly. It may be better than washing hands with dirty water).
- Always drink bottled water (widely available here) or water that has been boiled or purified. This includes for brushing teeth. If you question the source, it is best to avoid it. Do not ask for ice in restaurants. It is best to carry bottled water with you wherever you go – hot but dry, tropical climate and you may find yourself in a place where it is hard to get water.
- Don’t eat fruit unless it is peeled first.
- Avoid salads or raw vegetables unless you are assured of the handling process (many missionaries have learned how to safely prepare raw veggies).
- Ugandans enjoy well-cooked, fresh vegetables and sometimes meat for their meals. Typical fare may include matoke (cooked bananas), peanut sauce, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, boiled or roasted beef, chicken or goat, millet (a sticky bread), rice, beans, pumpkin, cassava, greens, etc. Meals are a bit bland, not usually spicy. Farm fresh whole milk and eggs are widely available. Dessert is often delicious fresh fruit: pineapple, watermelon, papaya, mangoes, etc. Many varieties of bananas make good snacks. There are small supermarkets in Mbarara with boxed cereals, cookies, limited canned goods, bread, peanut butter and jelly, etc. where you can purchase snacks. We will also enjoy some local restaurants and home-cooked American meals as well during your stay.
- You may want to bring granola bars from home to supplement while you are out and about.
- Ugandans enjoy tea breaks a couple times a day – you will no doubt partake in this time of fellowship. If you don’t like milk in your tea, ask for “dry” or “clear” tea. Some Ugandans make hot tea with no water at all, only milk.
A Few Cultural Notes
- Greetings are very important. It usually takes time. Rushing through it may be regarded as being disrespectful. Be prepared for long handshakes!
- English is widely spoken, but most likely as a speaker in a large group you will need translation.
- People are generally very poor, yet those you meet on the city street are generally dressed well.
- As many as 80% of Ugandans claim to be Christian (Roman Catholics and Protestants). The rest are animists or Muslims. Out of the 80%, Ugandan believers estimate that there are few committed Christians or what we consider “born again Christians” – some estimate as low as 15%.
- There is freedom of worship here. The Gospel is preached without hindrance in schools, hospitals, prisons, cities and villages. This has the disadvantage in the sense that a lot of junk religions are coming in (cults, etc.).
- Ugandans in general are very friendly and helpful to strangers. You will no doubt be greeted with the call of “Muzungu” – which means “European”-- in town. Care must be taken, though, because many associate Muzungu with money or any other economic benefit. You may be approached for money or presented with letters asking for help, especially from young people wanting help with school fees. Some may ask for your address back in the States. Use discernment in all situations. Ask Johnson, Don, Dale or Amos for help in these matters.
Fun Things to Do
- There is a relatively good game park an couple hours from Mbarara called Queen Elizabeth National Park. We can plan a trip there at your request during one of our free days.
- In Kampala, you would do some souvenir shopping.
- There are nice hotels in Kampala and Mbarara that offer swimming. Might be nice for some afternoon break.
Study Uganda Before You Leave!
- A good book: Museveni, Yoweri (The Current President of Uganda) Sowing the Mustard Seed: The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in Uganda Macmillan ISBN 0-333-64234-1. Paperback.
- The internet is a great source of up-to-date information on Uganda. Try doing a search for these sites:
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- New Vision (a Ugandan daily newspaper)
- CNN - Africa
- U.S. State Department
- Africa News Online
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(Please include note specifying “for UBI”)