Dear Maria

I am writing to you from the year 2020.

It is the month of March, Women’s Month. You are in an apartment, by yourself, drinking your third cup of coffee watching a series called ‘The Morning Show’. A global pandemic is taking place.  This afternoon the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, confirmed he has tested positive for the Corona Virus/ COVID-19. Soon his Health Secretary will announce he is positive too, oh...and HRH. Prince Charles also has the virus. A few weeks ago the Prime Minister of Canada went into self-isolation, with his wife who also tested positive. Even Tom Hanks has it! WHaaaaaT!? I know…this is crazy! The people who we assumed would be protected by privilege, are not safe. This virus is highly contagious, spreading from person to person, and coming for anyone and everyone if the correct precautions are not taken.

So far there are 800,000 cases and over 42,000 deaths registered globally. Allegedly the virus came from people eating a Pangolin (your clan totem) in a place called Wuhan in China. Possibly a bat infected a pangolin, then the pangolin infected a human, investigation are still taking place.  I saw some news reports in December 2019 but didn’t think much of it till in February 2020 it reached Europe, and then America. Then I watched a clip of Iran’s Deputy Health Minister announcing he was infected and  thought, “Wait!!! now our Health Ministers are sick during a pandemic??”

Remember how you once stumbled on Dad reading a book called The Hot Zone by Richard Preston about the Ebola outbreak in East Africa? You casually asked him about it, and being the passionate microbiologist he is, he began to explain to you the science of outbreaks, and because it wasn’t your favorite subject (pop culture) your mind switched off after his fifth sentence, but you expertly carried on nodding in time to his speech and enunciation to appear interested. You might want to ask him if you can read it now.

By the way you live in Uganda. Somewhere in Kampala. ‘Kla’ in text language for short. You are about to discover your love of Email and SMS slang. (Spoiler Alert: three years from now you will get your first mobile phone for your birthday, a Nokia 5110…Enjoy.)

Currently Uganda has 33 cases of COVID-19. Tests are still being done. Given how quickly this virus spreads, the number is expected to rise.  So H.E, the President has closed the airport and all schools for the next 30 days; public transport is banned till 14^th April. We now pray from home, churches and mosques are off limits too, unless you are getting married… but only five people including the Priest can be part of what is now dubbed the ‘Scientific’ wedding. Rumors are swirling on a social media platform called WhatsApp, that more drastic measures will be announced after the President meets with his Cabinet today. This is all in an attempt to get everyone to stay home and slow down the rate of infections.  

This will all work out eventually. Uganda has plenty of experience in outbreaks and because you are working for your dream organization, you know for a fact we are ready for this fight. Our national healthcare system could not handle hundreds of thousands of people infected with this COVID-19. There is shaky video footage circulating (news travels fast in 2020), of people on ventilators because they are struggling to breath. Footage of first world country hospitals complaining about running out of medical supplies like oxygen and protective gear for Doctors and Nurses, frightens me when I  start to wonder how many working ventilators we have in this country, and how many health workers can actually successfully incubate a patient while under the pressure of life or death.

 This country ‘lock down’ is early, essential and timely. A good call by the President. There are some setbacks, and many are complaining,  It was a tough call to make but as I said essential. 

The year is 1999. Everyone is anticipating what will happen as the world enters the new Millennium, the year 2000 is approaching. (Spoiler ALERT: Nothing…I repeat nothing really happens…just the clocks and calendars will change, and the school term will start on time without any glitches. No apocalypse ….I repeat no apocalypse will occur.)

You are finishing the safe bubble of primary school, heading into secondary school. This is the year of Britney Spears – Hit Me Baby One More Time, Christina Aguilera- Genie in a Bottle, Destiny’s Child – Bills, Bills, Bills and Backstreet Boys – I Want You Back. Pop princesses and boy bands are the thing, which makes me cringe now, but please go ahead, you must live your life.  

Give Mum and Dad a big long hug and tell them thank you for ALL that they do. They are very protective of you and your siblings, but when you start working and traveling on your own. You will understand and appreciate why.  

This gift you have of being unseen is a fantastic one. You can move silently, with your quiet Aries-like determination achieving what you want to in life, and not what everybody tells you, you should. It also means you can observe and learn. Observe, carry out a little research, consult, learn, then make moves. This is your method. Keep doing this.

It will see you win an election in university with only a week to prepare your campaign.

It will see you start to work for your dream organization 4 years after graduating from University.

And at this very moment, in 2020, aside from the pandemic, it means you are learning and have learnt from many masters, people who are exceptional at what they do.

The point I am making is... you get to choose how this all goes, and you get to do it all at your own pace. Don’t feel pressure to go with the crowd. I know a strong part of adolescence is the desperate need to fit in so seamlessly, but I want you to know you can be you and it will be okay.  

So continue…continue on your own quiet path. There is nothing about it that I would alter.

Enjoy it. You are going to be given so many opportunities you never saw coming, because God and life have given you the chance to be you. I know you will feel all the emotions. You will languish, be confused, grieve, hide, and sometimes fight with yourself and for yourself. That is life though, and it makes me smile as I drink my coffee all by myself in this apartment.