Arrived

After 24+ hours of travel halfway around the world, we arrived around midnight Ugandan time, on Monday, June 21st, at my son John's home in Kampala, Uganda.  Kampala, originally the "City of 7 Hills", is now,  with expansion, a city of 28 hills (creating intense infrastructure concerns).

 

"We" constitutes 3 very gracious travel companions - Matt and Chris (both in the construction industry) and Marty (a dermatologist who also directs a homeless ministry in Sarasota).  They were here to facilitate continued preparation for the Ayinza Project for the community of Mpongo in Uganda and had spent much of the travel time studying a 28 page master plan for Ayinza from an EMIEA design team, composed of my son John as co-leader along with an Engineering Ministries Int East Africa staff engineer, 2 interns, and 7 volunteers.  I'll probably post more concerning this report (a good example of the intricate work of EMI) at a later date. 

We were driven from the Entebbe airport by a kind Ugandan, Chris (formerly both Farouq and Bharuku), in an hour+ drive through what seemed like one long, continuous street of very small shops, each with their own unique design and construction, fronted by street vender stands still swarming with activity.  Even this late at night, Ugandan men, and women in long colorful skirts, filled the streets and sidewalks, many having just recently finished their day's work. 

"Home" through the end of July for me and my son's family (until the move to Kajjansi) is one of several connected dwellings in a small compound surrounded by a high wall at the top of an unbelievably steep hill.  The hired Ugandan guard had to locate the key to the massive black gate before we could enter and park in a small area perched on top of a very steep slope leading straight down to John and Paula's veranda . 

This weary traveler was welcomed by John and Paula and 22 "stuffies" bearing "I love you, Grandma" signs from Zac and Zane, my 7 yr old and "almost 10" yr old grandsons. 
   

 

And two little yappy pups......

 

 

 

I was thankful to have "arrived" after so many years of circumstances preventing my coming.  The verse on the 4x4 board leaning against the corner wall of the room where I was to sleep surmised my feelings well.... 

  "We will praise You, oh Lord, among the nations.
    We will sing of You among the peoples.
    For great is your love, higher than the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
    Be exalted, oh Lord, among the heavens,
    And let your glory be over all the earth."
                                                                     Ps. 108:3-5

Love to all
Vicki

Next post:  7 hour Ugandan wedding we attended Saturday.
Sorry it took me so long to figure out how to downsize the pictures.


 

I will be flying out Sunday, June 21st at 4:45 pm and arriving in Uganda, "the Pearl of Africa", on Monday, June 22 at 2:45 FL time.  I'll try to post at least weekly with pictures, assuming I can figure out how to get them on the blog.  Thanks for checking it out!
Vicki