When love takes you back...finally

...I get to return to Africa, Uganda and the village of Kakira. I've never had a family member head off to war but I've had children go off to college and I know some of you would argue that the two hardly compare, but I cannot imagine a reunion much sweeter than when ours came home again, where they belonged. Even that doesn't really explain how I feel about Africa. Perhaps that is why this long period of silence on the blog. But NOW...VERY SOON...we leave the comfort of the US and head for a little taste of heaven, again. Don't read my absence from "Just a thought.." as an absence in anyway from a heart overflowing with Jesus. Its just that somehow it has not translated into anything that could be communicated in words. But I had to break the silence...somehow. Can I please just say that my heart is so full at this moment it dares to compete with the bulging suitcases we are packing upstairs for this next trip. Why this Great God of ours would allow this brokenness to minister in his name again, is just a testimony to His amazing gifts to the ones who least deserve them. We will be leaving next Wednesday to be gone for a full 16 days. LAX, London, Uganda. 2010's trip cost us 47 hours of travel, one way. Somehow even with the Olympics in London at the same time, our flight time is a bit more efficient on the way over and we'll touch down in Entebbe, Uganda Friday morning at 9am. I cannot calculate the hours with the time changes, I just know that on Friday morning some very dear faces will greet us and escort us back to the heart of Jesus for me. Dann (a guitar playing Muzungu Music Man)  Kristen will be with me this time along with a team of mostly 20 somethings planning on pulling off the best of Bible School 500 Kakira children can handle. My heart is already swollen picturing my big ol' hero of a husband playing the guitar while Kristen teaches the hand motions to the music for the week. Its possible that the dance moves we are planning might just be improved upon by the masses when they get a little familiar with the songs. A good friend Mags will quickly become famous both because of her long wavy RED locks and the crafts she's got planned and packed for the multitudes that show up each day. Ojai's VBS director, NC will be leading up the children's conference with the stories each day, and Nat with a history of 12 years Russian and 8 years English will lead games through a Lugandan interpreter...Fun mixed with a huge dose of love is a universal language! And that, followed by a meal, (thanks to BLESS THE DRESS contributors!) will be our mornings. Afternoons, Nic, JC & a darling veteran of this ministry will participate once again in the Women's conference portion. Don't let the name fool you. This is not the American church women's conference. No cushy seats, no free breakfast, salad bar lunch, multi media production. This is down and dirty bible, in a basement-style church, dirt floors and adorned with barefoot cherubs peaking through the glass free windows while their mama's and grandma's pack onto backless wooden benches with hearts and ears wide open to hearing from the King Himself! They believe He makes a difference, loves like no other and keeps His promises. Um hm, we are building on some truth already firmly planted. Two lessons a day, two others sharing personally and discussion groups, all encased on all sides by singing and dancing in worship and the wind of the Spirit breezing through, sometimes lightly, sometimes like a hurricane stirring everything up! We'll fall into bed each night with barely enough hours of rest, but when the beauty of His people await us each day...more than the minimum would seem a waste. Love takes me back...and finally.