Maggie and Joe Kernan

I left out one interesting detail about the UMU Day celebration. Because UMU has a relationship with Notre Dame University in South Bend, there are various folks from Indiana who pass through here fairly regularly. ND has some interesting research going on in neighboring villages and they help out in many ways. It wasn't surprising that there were some Notre Dame folks present for the celebration last Saturday.

However, one couple raised the interest of the Barkley Bank Regional Director. When the Regional Director got up to speak he noted that the former Governor of Indiana and his wife, Joe and Maggie Kernan were present. He said, "Do you know what being a governor of a state in the United States means?" He never did answer his own question, but his tone made it clear that being governor is a big deal. It is, but being a former governor is not quite as big a deal to me as this guy seemed to think. Now, this is Nkozi, Uganda, so Maggie and Joe Kernan may be the biggest thing to grace the campus as has ever happened.

I was more impressed with the interest Maggie and Joe took in the students and people of the campus. Maggie especially asked some very probing and caring questions--although I can't remember them--I was impressed with her level of knowledge and concern for the region and its people. She has been in Africa before and was quite aware of the realities here.

It was a treat to talk with someone from close to home. Once again, it's a very small world.