Uganda 2010 Day 2/3

Uganda 2010…Day 2/3

Quite possibly or maybe definatly for sure…hitting the wall tonight. 49 hours of travel...done. My computer isn’t getting the internet in our room at the moment…so I’ll write this post and try to upload it tomorrow. We started today in Dubai. About midnight we fell in to bed and even with a sleep aid, I was awake bright eyed at 4:30am. I don’t know about you, but a bath sounded perfectly wonderful at that hour. We met for breakfast, packed up and were on the shuttle bus by 6:30. We saw very little of Dubai except some impressive looking buildings and only from a distance. We got through security, customs, passport checking, double passport checking, ticket checking, all the while I could see Starbucks taunting me as the minutes ticked by. But grabbing the internet connection when we could, the laptoppers settled in for a quick check and post and used up my Starbucks time.
Then we ran across a group that had been on our same flights from a program called the Joshua Campaign. The group consisted of a couple about my age, and 8 college aged boys/men. Several times a year a contact scopes out a very remote tribe in Ethiopia that has never heard the gospel. The fly into Ethiopia, drive for 3 days as far as they can, then are airlifted in to the area. Camels bring their food and water supplies every couple of days and they stay for a month. They have language barriers, but find translators and tell stories for 29 days starting in the old testament, through Jesus burial and resurrection. Many people come to the Lord and everytime, someone has followed right behind them to continue to disciple this tribe for about a year and a new church is planted. Darned, just when I wanted to complain about the mouse we saw scurrying across the dining room watching for crumbs here at our hotel, you know the one with a bed and running water? The hotel not the mouse. I missed the Gecko on the ceiling in the restaurant. Pretty sure he comes and goes as he pleases.
Back to the Ethiopia…So we talked for a few minutes and prayed for them and they for us, The “CEO” of our trip called us up and marching, to the gate and bus ride to take us to the tarmack to board.
Flight 4 hours: an hour in Ethiopia to drop off passengers and another 2 hours to Uganda. Remember that camera I said Emirates has on the bottom of the plane…quite a rush to watch it during landing!
Saturday morning… it’s warm this morning, but not miserable. Clouds cover the sky and it has been raining off and on. No mosquitos in sight. I snuck outside to SKYPE with Kristen and the Deeds and sat outside so I didn’t disturb anyone and the staff walking back and forth seemed more than curious about why I was sitting on a curb in my PJ’s talking to a laptop.
We were given the choice this morning about whether we wanted to go to the bank or send our cash for exchange. AK47’s and raucous negotiating of the exchange rate…darn right I’m going…I think it will be one of those moments I will wish I could take pictures or video but my better judgment will win. Please tell the Captain, yes, I have taken and unpacked my better judgment, he will be so relieved.
A good portion of yesterday's van ride was during daylight and as daily Uganda life flew by the windows, the economic conditions have started to become obvious. Many, many, many sellers set up on the side of the roads…very few buyers. Huddled groups of men on motorcycles like New York city cabbies, hoping they will get a fare of some kind for the day. Beautiful dark skinned people.
A small group from Kakiira came to pick us up, and 21 year old Sarah and Caroline sat with us on the ride home. They were quiet girls but willing to briefly answer our questions…brief answers are not at all satisfying to a heart wanting to connect, but I can be patient. Tomorrow our purpose gets into full gear. Introducing ourselves in the church service, and giving a brief explanation of why each one of us as come…I know, and yes, I will work hard on the brief, let the suffering begin. Brief is not one of my spiritual gifts…
Please pray that as we move closer to our week of teaching that the Holy Spirit would just take us over and we would give of ourselves in whatever way he calls and that the truth of a loving, saving Jesus would shine above all things.