My trip started a little sooner than the rest of the team traveling from The Sign of the Dove, Waukegan as I had treasures (Jennifer and Jordan) to deposit in Idaho before leaving the country.
I left Chicago with Jennifer and Jordan on Friday the 20th of January to take them out to Idaho. They would be spending time with Papa and Grandma JoJo for the duration of my trip. We arrived late on Friday and then I was able to visit and rest on Saturday before heading back to Chicago on Sunday morning. My flight arrived in Chicago late in the afternoon Sunday where I promptly got busy packing and baking banana bread. (Long story- but suffice it to say, the rescue ministry never got their loaves but my neighbors can't wait for me to leave again.) I took Pastor Cory seriously when he said pack light. I had one duffle bag and my carry on pack. : )
Monday at noon we met at the Christian school where the van took us to the airport. There were six of us on the van and we met the seventh and final member of the team at the airport. We flew to Amsterdam where we had a 4 1/2 hour layover before boarding the plane for Entebbe. It was good to get to talk and share and relax a bit before the last leg of the journey. Both flights were roughly 7 1/2 hours each and so it was good to break it up.
We arrived late in the evening local time at Entebbe and the mosquitos were the first to greet us. The mosquito spray was packed in my bags and finally after almost an hour of standing in swarms while waiting for customs and our visas I asked if anyone had thought to leave bug spray in their carry-on. PRAISE GOD for Pastor Brian!! His wife had put some in his carry-on bag and he saved the day. We finally got through customs and met our hosts from Kampala, Pastor Dan and his wife Erica, and what seemed like the whole church from Sign of the Dove Uganda. The warmth and sincerity of there greeting was foreign to most of the team. It reminded me of flying into the Kenai airport with the whole McGahan clan there to meet me. The airport is about the same size too! Smiles, welcomes, and so much love from our brothers and sisters in Christ!
We loaded onto a 15 passenger van and made the drive to Kampala where we would spend the first night before heading out on a 4 hour drive to Hoima in the morning. The sights and sounds were different but mostly because of how late it was and how many people were out walking, shopping, and working. I asked someone finally why so many people were out at midnight and the answer was something to the effect that people there work late so they are out late getting things done that they can't do while they are at work. Hmmm, real mystery there eh? I guess the thought I had was that it wasn't safe because street lights, sidewalks, neighborhood watch were not evident. : ) Anyway, the roads are similar to Alaska during the spring thaw without a grader to smooth them out for a few years. Ruts are the norm and smooth road is the exception. I am not complaining mind you just observing. I saw too many people walking to ever complain about a rough road. I was blessed to see that we were staying in a house and not a tent and was even more blessed to see the toilet and sink. God is so caring and loving that He meets each of us right where we need Him to. : ) I think tents would have been fun though!
Well, we left on Monday and arrived on Tuesday evening and I will tell all about Wednesday later! I am tired just thinking about all that traveling. : )
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