Hitting the pavement

Tim and Doug landed Monday morning: we basically waved Luke through security and as he entered the ticket line for his flight back to Nairobi, we ran down the stairs to the arrival area to greet Tim and Doug. Grief, parting, juxtaposed with greeting and beginning new relationships. Doug had been en route without sleep for two days so he opted to crash into bed on arrival, but Tim had spent the last several weeks within an hour of our time zone (in Spain) so was up for immediate adventure. Since we had a lot to accomplish in one day, we left the kids at the ARA and Scott and I split up, and I was very thankful for Tim's company. We plied the minivan taxis out to Mukono where our student Basiime gave us a campus tour of the impressive Uganda Christian University, the Anglican-founded institution. He led us to a professor whom we had contacted earlier as a potential educational consultant, for a brief but hopeful meeting. Back into Kampala, crawling traffic, crumbling side walks, profusion of wares, bodas weaving in and out of traffic, sunshine and breeze. Next goal was the top of Namirembe Hill where the Church of Uganda has offices for the diocese of Uganda, including a director of education. Another interesting meeting, then a walk around the hundred-year-old cathedral and the sobering gravestones of the missionaries and Ugandan believers whose lives were spent to establish churches, hospitals, and schools more than a century before. Gives one perspective. By this time I knew I was starving Tim, but he was good natured and kept going on a few bites of samosa and a bottle of water. Next stop, the EGPAF country offices, where the early report had been that we would not only fail to receive medicines for our patients, but due to some clerical misunderstandings the funding expected for closing out the project as we transition to Ministry of Health leadership, was cut off. Needless to say the prospect of returning to Bundi 20K dollars short of expected funds and empty-handed of medicines was not appealing. After an unsuccessful morning meeting there, Scott had left to run other errands and plead for prayer and planned to return in the aftenoon. Mercy preceded us, so that by the time we met up there about 3 pm the person whom we needed to see returned for the first time to work from two weeks of being sick . . . and the director looked upon us with favor, so that the whole situation was turned around and we left with at least a temporary supply of two of the three medicines we needed, and a plan to recover the funds. Scott had filled the back seat with groceries, and so by 5 pm the three of us were heading back to the ARA together, celebrating God's care in allowing us to advocate and bless the people He has called us to serve. Now if we can just work out a funny click and play in the steering column, we could pack up and head back to Bundibugyo today . . .