So, Tuesday came and it was time for me to leave for Uganda for my week long r&r. I was sad to head off once getting to know the team from Fort Worth, but I was excited for a little get away. I tell you what, I got just a TINY taste of what it’s going to be like to say goodbye to those around here and I didn’t like it. I had to say goodbye to all of Kaya’s girls since they were going to be heading back to school when I was gone. Boy is it going to be hard. Of course, I knew that, but when the time actually comes…Lord, give me the strength!
I actually ended up traveling with a different team from Alabama that had been working out in the bush doing medical outreach and education. They were headed on their way home with a stop at Murchison Falls for 2 nights first. Murchison Falls is a large game park where you can go on a safari and boat rides down the Nile river and see the falls, etc. On our drive in we did the safari and I am ecstatic to inform you that I got to see 2 lions on that first safari!!! The third time must be a charm because I’ve been to MF twice before and had yet to see any type of cat! I was shaking I was so excited!
That evening we got back and ate dinner and then were heading back to our rooms. What I’m about to tell you is something that I would be willing to bet most can’t say they’ve experienced! J Are you ready for this? So, two of the ladies I was with were walking about 10 feet in front of me and one of the staff members. As the staff member and I are in conversation he says, “Avoid the Hippos.” He might as well have said, “The stars are out” because it just didn’t stick out and had me wondering why in the world he was randomly inserting that into our conversation. So, then a half second later he says a bit more firmly, “Excuse me, avoid the hippos.” So, this time I look up, as it is literally pitch black outside and we are walking by the light of a tiny flashlight and literally about 10 feet in front of the two ladies are 2 HUGE HIPPOS grazing on the walking path—the path they are just bee bopping along on as they chit chatted looking at the ground. So, then I’m like, “HEY! Y’all…STOP!” without yelling as not to freak out the hippos that they were about to WALK IN TO! They stop and look up and I tell you what, I’m laughing right now as I type this replaying it all in my head. They gasped and did a complete 180 and high tailed it in the opposite direction towards the staff member and I, as we had already moved ourselves away from the ginormous, same color as the night, hippos. I could not help myself, I started dying laughing while also realizing how stinkin’ bad that situation could have been. The staff guy was like, “I was trying to tell you to avoid the hippos, they are VERY dangerous.” Right. Thanks for that bud. We had to wait a minute for them to move on their lovely way, and then we went on to our rooms. I got to my room, still laughing but I’d be lying if I told you my heart wasn’t racing. Then, I realize something. I still needed to take a shower…which required me walking across the way to the community showers. Man. But, first things first. I called my best friend, Jenn and explained to her in my fast talking excited way that, “There are hippos RIGHT OUTSIDE MY DOOR!” What does she respond with? “Are you TRYING TO KILL ME? THOSE THINGS KILL!” hahaha. Its moment like these I find myself thinking for the millionth time how funny of a sitcom Jenn and my life would be. So, I finish sharing the hilarious excitement with her and decide I need to brave it to the shower. Then, I get this thought. What if I open up my door and they are standing right there on my porch?!! I would pee in my pants right there. I’ll admit it; I had a bit of fear going on at this point. I mean, they are known for the highest amount of killings here. No big deal, right? So if you can picture it, I’m like sloooowwwwly opening my door and peeking my head out to make sure I’m not face to face with hungry hungry hippo, and thankfully they were nowhere to be seen. Step one accomplished: making it to the porch. Step two: walking across the way to the showers (which so happens to be right where they were to begin with in addition to a lot more ground to cover). I tell you what, my heart was racing, I was praying, and I had my head lamp flashlight thing skimming the perimeter, my eyes as big as they could get as I was trying to actually see my surrounding is the pitch black. I made it to the shower safe and sound. J I also made it back to my room afterwards. I figured they had their share of fun and headed on back towards the river….until I was lying in bed and all of a sudden heard the most wonderful noise (couldn’t be more sarcastic) right outside my window: ruminating. The hippo was ripping up the grass and chewing it’s cud as loud as you can imagine (does that apply to just cows?) right outside my window. I was so tempted to take a picture of the thing, but good ‘ol common sense came into play and figured I didn’t want to make Mr. Hippo angry considering they are known for charging their enemy when angry. Do you like that common sense mom and dad? J I couldn’t help but lay their thanking the Lord for my life and the fun, exciting, somewhat scary things He allows me to experience.
So, the next day the rest of the group minus one decided to go on a boat ride down the Nile and hike up to the falls. I just wanted to rest and relax, so I opted out. Jeff, one of the men from the Alabama team, wasn’t feeling too good so he stayed behind as well. We ended up having hours’ worth of conversation that was just so good. It was another one of those living giving conversations. God really used the conversation with Jeff to challenge me and got me thinking and praying about a number of things. Plus, it was just NEAT getting to hear about all of the things he has done and is doing. He’s a medical doctor with a specialty in tropical medicine, an anthropologist who is the head of a department at a university, has studied the Dinka tribe and spent many, many years working in Africa. Oh, and he’s a novelist. That’s not everything, either. You can imagine the wealth of information. Plus, he loves Jesus. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my time talking with him.
We headed out early on Thursday to go on a sunrise safari on our way out of the park. Among tons of other beautiful animals I got to not only see another lion(ess), but her 2 adorable cubs, too! They were beautiful.
Then we all got picked up by Mawa, e3’s head driver (aka Sudanese Chuck Norris) and headed to Entebbe airport to drop off the team. Then, back to Kampala it was for me! To make a long story short, I ended up having to stay at a different hotel that I had planned or made reservation at. It was a bit past 11 p.m. once I arrived there. I had been traveling since 6:30 that morning. I was tired. I opened the door to my room, looked around, and started bawling. It’s true. I mean, being tired, the weight of trusting God with doing “this thing” solo, and the sheer gratitude for what seemed like a 5 star hotel at this point simply hit me like a load of bricks. As hard as it was to admit, I needed the break and I was just so thankful for God’s provision.
So, I stayed the night in Kampala and had Ronnie come pick me up in the morning to head to Jinga, Uganda. Ronnie is a driver that was recommended to me by Norma. She’s used him and his boss for the past 4 years or so. Anyways, I got to share the Gospel with Ronnie on the 2 and a half hour drive to Jinga. Please be praying for him. I’m actually pretty confident salvation has occurred, but the messiness of religion so easily messes with the simplicity of the Gospel. He said he wanted to take time to “think about it”. I got to learn about Ronnie’s “story”. I am continually humbled.
So, I stayed at Mto Moyoni in Jinga. It’s a Christian retreat center right on the Nile River. Mto Moyoni actually means, “Heart of the River” in Swahili. Let me tell you, it was sheer bliss. I don’t say that lightly, either. I stayed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night there. Jesus really drew me close to Him. I got to spend some special time just basking in His presence. It was so nice not feeling like I was asking of Him and expecting of him (not that those in and of themselves are bad), but simply spending time with Him for Him. Know what I mean? I got to swing in a hammock under the shade of a beautiful tree overlooking the glistening waters of the Nile River while listening to all of the noises of the African animals. I got to read and pray and take naps. I got to take lots of pictures. I got to eat wonderful food that had me savoring every bite. I got to shower…and with warm water! I listened. I listened. I listened.
It was wonderful.
Ronnie came and picked me back up on Monday morning and come to find out, he and my good friend David, who is going to school in Kampala are mutual friends! This world really is just so small! I had been trying to get a hold of David with no success, and God took care of it all! I became friends with David (and his fiancée Jenna) my first trip to Uganda in 2008. Then for New Years of 2009 David and Jenna came to visit in Texas (David’s first time in the US) and stayed with me. So, it’d been 2 years or so since we’d seen each other. So, when we got back into Kampala we went and picked David up and headed to the hotel I was going to stay at that last night. I got to spend a good 4 hours catching up and hanging out with David! I’m just so thankful Jesus blessed me in this way.
So, I said my goodbyes to David and Ronnie and then I hung out at the guesthouse, got on the internet for the first time in about 2 weeks, and uploaded tons of pictures from the week. (Check out my Facebook if you want to see them!)
I met up with Kaya on Tuesday morning and off we headed back on our journey to Kajo Keji. I think once all was said and done we ended up leaving Kampala at 9:30 a.m. and we pulled into Kaya’s compound about 7 p.m. that evening. It was a loooong journey.
I knew I was back in Sudan when I promptly began hearing the high pitch voices of little ones yelling, “Gelatot! Gelatot!” as we drove by on the dusty roads. I was reminded yet again, that I am a country girl at heart. It just felt right getting back to Kajo Keji after having a dose of Kampala and all of its city craziness. It really is amazingly crazy.
So, that’s my R&R. I’ve taken many, many things away from it. Too many to type out, really…and more that I’m still praying through. One thing I can tell you though is that the truth of matter is that I can enjoy something such as this by myself. In fact, I know God wanted me to Himself this particular trip. That being said, it is simply more enjoyable for me to share things like this with someone. Traveling and exploring and experiencing are simply more enjoyable for me when I’m not alone. It’s the truth. There’s a season for everything, though, right?
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