On the Road Again

A cool evening breeze rustles the eucalyptus leaves on this ridge of
the Rift Valley where we have stopped for the night, at Sunrise Acres
Farms. We have found this cluster of four cabins, cows, wood stoves
and homemade jam, down-to-earth here-for-life missionary managers, the
most peaceful spot in Africa, at least for weary missionaries. It is
more than the homeyness of the quilts and shelves of old books; it is
a spiritual shalom that pervades this place. We are extremely
thankful for the ministry of the Stovers, and AIM, and for the hours
of respite we can spend this afternoon and evening before the long
journey back across the border tomorrow.

Because whenever we land here, it seems our souls need a bit of re-
raveling. Once again we leave Luke in one country as we rattle back
to the next one. He faces major SAT and AP exams in the next two
weeks, and beyond that the intimidating prospect of being a year away
from entering college on another continent. We met with two members
of the RVA admissions committee who were cautiously sober about
Caleb's chances of entering the 10th grade class in the Fall . . .he's
number 2 on the waiting list, but the class is already over-full and
there are no known openings. We're coming out of four days of fairly
intense prayer, discussion, meeting, and relationship, as we met with
the other three Africa teams and leaders (two Nairobi, one Sudan, and
us) and our Director of Ministries and CEO. We return to a three-
month stretch of ministry, visitors, interns, recruitment, fund-
raising, vision-ironing . . .too long for a sprint, but pretty close
to that pace, perhaps something like the 800 meter race. Before we
even get home there are uncertainties and errands and delays in
Kampala and Fort Portal, and we feel like we've already been on the
move for too long. Transition is inevitable, as we work with team
mates to discern their gifts and callings and try to help them be more
effective and resilient, as we respond to the ever-changing needs of
Bundibugyo, and as we pursue that cup of God's will that challenges
our trust.

And so we will hit the road as the sun rises again tomorrow, back to
the mix of comfort and cost that we call home, back to the heart-
stretching call to love.