DEEP IN THE MABERA RAINFOREST 07/13/2010
The last couple of days have been filled with “good byes” – an emotional time for all team members as we’re struck how quickly and deeply we’ve become connected to our Ugandan brothers and sisters. There’s been no “us and them” the past couple of weeks; just “us”. Yesterday, we completed the 90 minute drive from Jinja to the Mabera rainforest (we were all a bit on edge as sirens suddenly blared behind us only to realize it was a police escort passing us; surprisingly, we’ve heard or seen little about the Kampala bombings, though the local papers are filled with very graphic and gruesome pictures of the carnage that resulted). Mabera Rainforest Lodge is a world away from pretty well everything: a bit of God’s paradise set aside for our exclusive use for a couple of days; what a gift and what a contrast to what we’ve experienced most of the time since our arrival! No diesel fumes or charcoal smoke anywhere. The sounds of birds and other living creatures, particular in the dark of night, assault the senses. Our purpose here is to debrief and begin the transition back home. Clearly, we’ve all been under verying degrees of stress the last couple of weeks. Arriving here mid-afternoon, everyone was more than ready for down time: a shower with hot pressurized water; a quiet, comfortable spot to read; a swim in the surprisingly chilly pool; catching up on sleep. Last evening, our focus was on how our assumptions and expectations played out (if at all!) during our time here. A great discussion among team members who have clearly been drawn together through a common purpose and mission and a genuine care and concern for each other. Today, we’ll be considering how the experience has and will impact each of us and, this evening, how we’ll adjust to life back home. Tomorrow, we head for Entebbe and our flight home. Our plan is to start out fairly early, get through Kampala, and then spend the afternoon at a hotel near the airport where we can grab something to eat and get ready for the flight. We’re not worried about issues of safety as we begin our return trip, but we also recognize that all of this is totally in God’s hands (for which we are thankful); your prayers for our safe return are (as they say in Uganda) most welcome. We look forward to our reunion with family Thursday afternoon. Blessings from somewhere deep in the Mabera rainforest, John CommentsLeave a Reply |
