After not performing well my A levels in 1996, I was sent to Kampala to look for a school to study tourism and I landed on airways tours and travel school on George street then. In kampala, I knew no relative and to be honest, I wasnt relevant to any relative, that I knew very well but I needed to understand the city culture because a city or every environment has its own set of survival rules and kampala was and isnt about the buildings, its about the people!!! I had lived outside my blood family for over 13 yrs then and I had learnt that the world was full people that could fill the gap and play same role or even better. My survival, school fees etc had been paid by what some would call strangers(Salvation Army ) but become family to me. I had made great friendships in school, in Tororo town, in our neighborhood and had discovered a thing or two about myself that I would take advantage of while trying out the city for the first time. I knew, I was confident!! I knew, I was easily likable!! I knew, I could act!!! I knew, I could participate in many games and sports!! I knew, I needed to take everything I was going to do seriously , time for games was over!!! And most importantly I knew, God was on my side!!! Am sure you are already asking yourself, where is Amos Wekesa headed to in this write up? Every time I speak to people, the assumption is that, am doing what am doing because I am very connected and that I have always been connected? I want people to know its been and is still a process that I am carefully working on because its very necessary for survival!! At airways, tours and travel training school, I made friends many were from well do backgrounds unlike mine and yes, many were lacking in certain aspects I needed at the time( always important to know who u are and where u are headed as an individual), I needed people who I would learn the best survival skills in the city. I joined baptist students center in Wandegeya and there I met the real people I was looking for and to be honest, some had backgrounds similar to mine, the likes of Daudi Ngugwa, Vicent Mugaba, Amos Kasule, Francis Mayinja, Stephen Kaboha, Pamela Natukunda etc many of these formed part of the leadership that I also joined. Leadership there never meant standing and bossing people, it meant cleaning, making Popcorn, making tea for students every Friday night then termed as TGIF(Thank God Its Friday). I always looked forward to Wednesday evening for the leadership meeting and Friday was TGIF day. These guys taught me how to survive on 1000 Shs almost a week, I saw the importance of always being myself, the importance of humility, taught me the importance working for nothing sometimes, I learnt servant hood, importance of appreciation, the value of focus, value of net working, with them I learnt the city geography so fast etc I dont remember any of them ever being bothered about my being an office messenger, it wasnt news that I had to walk from Wendegeya to Kabalagala after TGIF every Wednesday and Friday nights. I learnt to live below my means something I have done up till now yes, I can afford a little bit more but still live below my means. I also learnt that for me to make right friendships, I had to be the right person which meant I had avoid behaviors that make people avoid me like being negative all the time, being a burden as opposed to being an asset, avoiding negative envy, malice etc being open to learning has given an opportunity to survive in Kampala for the last 18yrs and yes, I havent needed even once blood family to survive and yes, same can happen to you who has lost hope!!! Have a blessed Sunday evening and a great Week!!!
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 20:06:52 +0000
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