Travel Days

January 22

Here we are home again after many miles and several adventures. It will take a little while to adjust to normal life again but I am also thankful to be home and to get back into a routine. Let me fill you in on our last week.

I left off last time when Josh was with Katie, Chad, and the President of IT were in the village checking out the blind, their orchards, and visiting the church leaders in Obule. Chad and Katie had their first taste of local food which was probably enough in their opinion but they would get to try it again the next two days. Katie had fun teasing Chad who thought rice was trying a new exotic food (he doesn’t eat rice). Josh’s students in Obule shared all God had done in their lives and families thanks to Josh’s teaching. And they came home with oranges from the orchard. That night we had a hot dog roast as a team.

Saturday was quite an African experience. One of Josh’s students was getting married – well he was having a church wedding they are almost 40 years old, have 5 children, and were traditionally married long ago. Josh was asked to preach so he thought it would be a good cultural experience for Chad and Katie. It took about an hour to get to the wedding. It made me wonder how far could you drive and still find people living out in nowhere? The wedding hadn’t started yet but the church was full and the singing was coming out of the loudspeakers full blast. I am pretty sure they were waiting for our arrival to begin (and we tried to get there late so we wouldn’t have to endure the whole eight hours). They escorted us to the front to sit. It was so hot and crowded. Kids packed the little windows to try to see and cut off any possible air flow. By now you can hear that I was thrilled with the situation. I tried so hard to keep a good attitude but I just do not enjoy these things. After four hours, several runs to the latrine (one with a need to change Luka’s clothes afterwards and wash my feet), two very, very long processionals of the groom and then the bride, singing, introductions of all the important people at the wedding, and Josh’s sermon on marriage…I was ready to go. I was hot, the kids were hungry, and the wedding ceremony hadn’t even begun. I told Josh it was time to be done. He wanted to stay. I took the kids outside. We sat in the van and eat crackers while about 40 kids stared at us. I really hate this. Josh knew I was stressed but felt pressure from our Ugandan friends to stay (you have to eat in their culture before you can go). Josh felt it was important for our relationships. It really hit me and maybe even hurt me when Josh said he realizes we will never fit in here. I felt like that bad missionary again that I was so often in our first years on the mission field. It is so hard to enjoy cultural things that push the kids and I to our limits. Why can’t I just relax and enjoy it? Why can’t I put others above my desire to have food, a bathroom, and to be cool? Am I wrong to feel this way?

Well we endured and made it to meal time. I didn’t see the actual wedding. The kids and I just couldn’t bare to sit in that hot church anymore. Our friends are so kind and good to us. We are treated like royalty and were served first with the other important guests. I really do love these people but I just do not do well with their all day cultural celebrations. It all ended up fine and everyone left happy but I learned that I still fall very short. How I need Jesus to keep myself from getting in the way.

We got home about five that evening. After resting for a little while and getting something cold to drink I took Chad and Katie to market in town. We ended up buying fresh Nile Perch for supper. After our late supper Josh and Chad beat Katie and I bad in Cribbage.

Sunday we went to church in Obule. I enjoyed sharing our church with them. Luka took his drum and happily played along with every song. He has also just begun to sing so to thank God for his birthday he wanted to sing his favorite “Joy to the World” as a special number. He did it too with Josh’s help. After the service they again fed us. Our family enjoys most local food and seeing Chad and Katie try to eat a little made me realize how well our kids have done culturally. The rest of the day we relaxed. Katie bought a ginger bread house she got at Christmas so everyone did that and Luka got a hair cut.

Monday Chad and Josh worked on a few more projects together while Katie taught Lydia and Grace and I packed and baked for our travels. We grilled burgers for lunch and ate at the picnic table. Chad and Josh made a new press for making brickets so Josh wanted them to see how the brickets work/burn. I really appreciated Chad and Katie’s flexibility, willingness to see and do anything, their help, and their love for our kids. I am so glad they came to see our lives, home, and friends here.

Tuesday we packed up the van again (including our washer which isn’t working so we took it to Kampala hoping to repair it) and headed to Murchison Falls to go on safari. Everyone was excited. We arrived at the gate around 11am and had a wonderful safari all the way in. Luka was SO excited! He squealed about every buck (impala) he saw through his binoculars. Our van was hot and crowded but no one seemed to mind as long as we were seeing animals. I still really like the giraffes. It was also really exciting to see an elephant and her baby just ahead of us on the road.

In the afternoon Josh, Katie and Chad took the boat safari on the Nile River while the kids and I paid to swim at the pool. Everyone was happy that way. They loved the boat ride and saw lots of hippos, crocs, and more elephants up close. The kids had a great time playing in the pool and I enjoyed taking in the beauty of our surroundings and of my children.

The next morning we got up just after 6am to take the 7am ferry over to start safari. It ended up being the best one we have ever been on! We decided to pass by any animal we see along the way and head for lion territory first. Along the way we saw four hyenas running on the road. We stopped for them because the guide said it is very rare to see hyenas. We were already excited to see something new. Then I spotted our first lions! There were three of them walking but there was a thick fog and we didn’t see them long. But it wasn’t too much further and we saw a group of male lions. A big one sat under a bush just enough to blend right in and two other younger male walked over and took a seat. We stayed there along time watching more lions walk over. Josh, Chad and Katie were on the roof of the van with our guide. We moved up just a little ways further to see a very young lion come walked into the field. He was playing and chasing the antelope. We continued on our way and saw another group of lions! A female and her three younger ones. We couldn’t believe it. We had now seen 14 lions! What a day! It was exciting to say the least.

We stopped by the lake and saw hippos and took a few pictures then moved on and again saw the mother lion and her three young lions. How fun! Then we turned a corner and there was a bull elephant next to us. The guide said go first but then realized he was peaceful so we sat there and he walk about ten steps behind our van. He was huge! We had to look up to see him. I think all of us had hearts pounding. It was really close and because it was calm it was really cool.

What a great safari! It was hard to leave after all that excitement but enough is enough riding in the van I guess. We left the park and stayed the night in a town part way to Kampala. It was great to get out, clean off, rest, and stay somewhere nice. It is the oldest hotel in Uganda but kept up very well. The kids played, the adults played games, and we had a nice meal all together.

The next day we drove the rest of the way into Kampala. By then I was done with traveling. Everything went well but I was tired from the many kilometers we put on. We had lunch, took Chad and Katie craft shopping, took the washer in for repair, and headed to our guesthouse. By then Lydia wasn’t feeling well and had a fever so we grabbed supper to go and got a private hire for Chad and Katie to take to the airport. Goodbyes are never fun. Way easier than they use to be but it is still hard to see our kids sad. Grace was really sad this time. We had a great time together. We are so thankful they came. It was short and sweet I guess. We have so much to be thankful for. God was with us all the way and blessed our time together as only He can do.

The next morning we were all a little down thankfully the kids keep smiling. We didn’t end up having a great day either. We went van shopping. Our van hasn’t broken down again but the air conditioner went out again (we were quite dusty after a seven hour drive with widows open), there is very little power, and it is still unreliable in our option. God again confirmed the decision to get a new van when out of the blue two different people asked about buying our van if we ever want to sell it. I was floored. We have never had anyone say anything before but now that we were praying about what to do God sends two potential buyers. We looked at a few vans at a couple used car lots but were not ready to buy anything and by then I had the worse headache I have ever had. So bad I was nauseas. I am pretty sure it is sinus related because when I moved my head I could feel fluid move and make me dizzy. The family went for lunch but I just laid down hoping to get rid of the pain. I ended up taking something the pharmacy recommended but it made me so tired I was out the rest of the day – bummer. Josh ended up going back to the dealer with a mechanic to look at one of the vans. The mechanic (the vehicles are all used from Japan so we need a mechanic to look at them for us) said the engine was perfect but we were not thrilled about seating. It sat 6 maybe 7 and we really would like an 8 seater. Josh was stressed with the long day and lots of big decisions so I told him to go for a run. In the end we decided to wait and not get the first van we looked at. Our mechanic friend was happy to keep looking for us while we are in Soroti. So we will wait and pray.

And now we are home getting back into the swing of things. Oh, we did buy a new washer that was on sale because the repairman is still looking for a part for ours and who knows if he will ever find one. Once you have a washer I guess it is hard to live without again.

A praise (silly I know but God rejoices when we do), Luka poops on the potty now! At the wedding he had to go and Josh took him to the latrine. Luka thought it was so cool that he went back another time. Once in the larine someone missed and Luka was convinced it was alligator poo. He is a funny little guy. He gets really excited over his big and small accomplishments and cheers himself on.

Grace is now officially toothless. She just lost her second upper front tooth and there are two missing on the bottom too. It’s pretty cute.

Thanks for all your prayers for us and for Chad and Katie’s time here. Pray with us for the right van to buy and for Josh as he begins teaching again this week. Even for the girls and I as we get back into home school mode. Lydia and I are really suffering with the hot, dry weather. Our allergies make us feel sick at times. Pray for health and rains again I guess. We appreciate all of you. Your support and encouragement keep us going sometimes. God be with us all as we live for Him.

(Oh, could you also pray that I can get pictures to upload on our blog again. I have lots of good ones to share with you – hopefully soon! Thanks.)