Ten year ago, in 1997, Heather Pike ran out of her house in the predawn chaos of gunfire and joined our family, Rick Gray, and Greg and Beth Farrand (along with two newly-arrived summer premed student interns) as we ran for our lives. That flight into the unknown came very near to the planned end of Heather’s term. We made our way to Kampala and later to the US together. The bonds forged by shared work and shared danger lasted through the decade as Heather worked in the US, and we continued in Bundibugyo. She was able to return for a visit once, and say a more satisfying goodbye. I remember clearly that as she visited our home we sat in the kitubbi under one of the most spectacular rainbows ever seen, and marveled together at this sign of God’s good intentions, of hope, of redemption of evil.
On Saturday Heather was married to Paul Agnello. We sang “Come thou Fount of Every Blessing” in the ceremony, then the guests and wedding party proceeded to the reception, where another rainbow sparkled as an Ebeneezer of where Heather had come by God’s grace. Yes, a rainbow, in balmy un-January weather. And even more amazing, after all those years and disparate directions, all of the team who ran together came back to celebrate the day (including Jack who was an embryo back then . . .). And not only those ten, but twice that many as subsequent teachers and team members also came. It was quite a reunion, a real party of shared memories and good food and carefree dancing. One of the ways God redeems our struggle is to bring us into true community, the kind of community that only arises from suffering, from passing through the deep waters to the place of whirling under the rainbow of God’s redeeming smile. What fun to be there with Heather.
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