Homeward Bound

Remember the movie with the talking dogs and cat, overcoming all obstacles to be reunited with their beloved family?  We have one more obstacle to overcome with Star today, and it's a big one:  the Uganda/Kenya border.  Star is our 10-year-old yellow lab, whom we brought to Uganda as a puppy after our study sabbatical in 2001.  In all those years, she provided a dose of love and stability in a life for our kids that was often chaotic or painful.  She created a safe environment in our yard.  She distinguished friend from thief.  She was a large part of what made home, home.  She waited for us these last months of HMA and moving to Kenya, cared for by our kind and generous and overstretched team.  There was a very happy reunion last week, and a lot of excitement when she got into the car with us instead of watching us pull away.  

Yesterday here in Kampala we saw a vet, updated immunizations, filled out paperwork, dosed with dewormer. . . .even got a microchip, which we're told is required for moving countries.  We have our agent at the border who is ready to help us with the export/import details.  But this is Africa, the borders are always a little nerve-wracking, the potential for someone to say "you didn't get this permit" or "you can't do that", to be arbitrary or demand money or whatever, is very high.  We've never done this, and it might be hard.  

Please pray that all will go smoothly, for the sake of some very precious missionary-kid-hearts.