Mark… Not just a colleague, but a friend!

As our four year mark in Uganda approaches there are many things that come to mind after living in this great African country. Yes, another newsletter, but mostly thoughts about the students and staff that I have had the privilege to guide and work with. I believe that the results that God has blessed us with at the school are a due to many things like hard work and integrity, but high up on the list would be teamwork. I remember when I first arrived at the school and began to meet the different staff I was impressed by a man by the name of Mr. Masika.

Yes, I would like to introduce you to not just a colleague of mine, but a man who has become my friend and is a valuable part of the school. Unlike me, Masika Joseph has not only mastered the English language but is fluent in at least another 25 different languages and dialects. As a father of two I am amazed at how he parents his six biological children with the addition of two adopted children in a two bedroom house (two rooms total and a bathroom). This is not an easy task as half of his salary goes toward school fees. Not only do they make do, but they function as a happy family unit and are a testimony to many.

As a young man he faced many challenges during the brutal regimes of Uganda in the 1980’s. As a university student with a huge afro he escaped certain death when the taxi he was riding was pulled over at a road block. Everyone was instructed to get out. Masika could see bodies lying in the ditch and began praying. He was told by a soldier that he would either have to swallow a three inch bullet or have it implanted in his head. He was placed on high ground along the ditch and the soldier laid further back and sighted him with his gun. He sat there for some time holding the huge bullet and waiting to be shot. Miraculously another soldier intervened, insisting that surely Mr. Masika was not a member of the rebel party and he should be released. The two men argued for some time. After what seemed like an eternity, the taxi he had been riding in was waved on he found himself in the next passing truck heading to Mbale. This experience helped shape his life and brought him back on track for the Lord.

Over these four years I have seen such a dedicated man in Mr Masika. And I can say that about the majority of our staff. With no vehicle he is often on the public taxi (a van) by 6:00 am and on his way to school. After a full day of work you find him leaving school between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm and arriving home anywhere between six and eight in the evening depending on traffic at the taxi park and rain. Not only does this happen Monday through Friday, but the same early start on Saturday when we have school for half a day. He is a hardworking family man who rarely complains and helps me stay focused and on top of things as a headmaster. I have been blessed with this Deputy Headmaster who is extremely supportive and a helpful guide in acclimatizing me to the Ugandan culture. Looking back over my time at the school in Uganda, I have come to the conclusion that success is due to strong leadership/support from people like Masika and others who are dedicated to the school and myself. The students and I are indebted to Masika and all those working at the African Children’s Choir Primary School who help make our school such a success.