Weekend Away..

Back from the weekend, and thankful for prayers. Moving 29 people in 5 vehicles from two countries and on different schedules, all to converge for 48-hours of rest and community, is no small thing. We are grateful for the relaxed atmosphere of the Kingfisher, the stunning vista from the escarpment as rays of the setting sun broke through misty clouds. We are grateful for laughter around the small pool, or during games and meals. We are grateful for a handful of good heart-to-heart talks with departing interns and visiting friends, glimpses of bigger things God is doing in peoples' lives. We are grateful for a majestic view of a satiated lion, who sauntered into the bushes when we made too much noise; for up-close elephants munching trees; for dozens of baby wart-hogs (our favorite animal, which is so ugly it is cute in miniature); for herds of fierce-looking buffalo. We are grateful for an evening of prayer, launching all our visitors (2 Uganda interns, 2 Sudan interns, 1 intern from last year who came back to visit, our short-term doc, and 1 former team kid . . ) back to America.

But the rest ended as we descended back into Bundibugyo--the car-sickness from bouncing and jolting squished in the back seat of the truck combined with the general spiritual oppression which hangs over Bundibugyo like a cloud. Within ten minutes of pulling up into our yard we were confronted with a sick cow, a malfunctioning fridge, and a police problem with one of the nutrition motorcycles. Scott took on the first two, the kids unloaded the truck, and I accompanied our anxious extension worker to the police station where amidst wafting alcohol we extracted the motorcycle and a pledge that they would pay for the minor damage incurred when the impounding officers illegally took it out for a ride and had an accident. By 5 our man was back on his way to deliver our locally-made nutrition-supplementing food to outlying health centers, and we were back to unpacking and sweeping and sorting out our own dinner issues.

Scott, and Luke, took some great photos of the weekend - (click on the FlickR photos on the sidebar to see more). And pray for the next two weeks, which will be a full push sprint right up to the finish.