Surprises that fit

I don’t know why I am always surprised at the faithfulness of God. I guess I just know that sometimes, often, his faithfulness doesn’t always fit into what I thought his faithfulness would look like.

I will be honest. When I heard Marsha (my colleague) was not going to be in country when I moved to Africa I was less than thrilled. My initial thought was “This is not what I signed up for! I wasn’t supposed to move to this continent by myself, I wasn’t supposed to start learning Arabic or meet all new people by myself. This is not what it was supposed to look like.”

And then, through the prayers of the multitudes, my eyes were taken off of me, myself, and I. It is amazing the miracles that happen when I look to His face. I don’t mean my eyes are healed and I don’t have to use contacts anymore- I am talking about a peace that surpasses all understanding. I am talking about utter helplessness being acknowledged and dependence on the One who created everything guiding my life.

This is no small thing.

And then I arrive in Africa. It’s time to put my money where my mouth is. Kenya was filled with meetings and while in Uganda my task was to get my visa and supplies that I needed to take up North. By myself. In Africa.  Honestly, it didn’t take me too long to get over that and was taking the matatus and using the boda bodas and giving men the evil eye. I stayed at a hostel where in my free time I had the opportunity to go to gardens with some Swedes, have coffee with some Pakistani soldiers, have a photo shoot on the wing of an airplane with a German, go for a morning run in the rain with an Indian,  and spend time with local Ugandans. I still can’t quite believe it all – but it is amazing to reach out to people!  I had to spend that week in Uganda because I was waiting for my supervisor to arrive and accompany me to the North (which was a change from the original plan).

But I was not by myself. Not by a long shot.  It is amazing the doors that will open and the people you will meet when we stop looking at ourselves. He is faithful.

Soon I will share the surprises that awaited me in North Africa…..

Adventures in Visagetting

One of my goals while in Uganda was to get my visa. There are new procedures to go through and new offices in which to complete these procedures. Seems quite straightforward, aye?

On the way to Kampala (from Entebbe about 30 km away) today it starts to pour. And I mean pour.

I am in a matuta (a van) full of people and more people who are soaking wet getting in. and the van is leaking. and there are great smells ;) but the awesome thing was that everyone in the van was seriously having the time of their lives- everyone was laughing about the rain and it was like a party. it was so funny! Of course I thought we were going to die about 50 times during the trip because the matatu drivers are scary even when the roads are dry - but imagine the roads are wet and it is pouring and the windows are fogging and there is no defrost. cheers!

Thankfully, I get to Kampala in one piece (it's still raining) and it is so so disgusting. Kampala is disgusting dry. But imagine rivers of red brown rivers in the streets filled with trash and everything else imaginable. I am hopping to and from - dodging traffic (going the opposite way as traffic in America mind you) in the rain, asking people where 'shop rite' is- because this is where I am meeting 'Bennet' who is going to help me with my visa (getting connected with him is actually a neat story).

We were supposed to meet at 1030. Well, the rain is of course a factor and makes him late, which was expected. He calls me and tells me he is at the 'shell' near shop rite. 

Ok, well....we agreed to meet me at shop rite - not near it. at the entrance. but that's ok, i'm flexible- remember??! ;)

So I go to the shell station. He is nowhere. Well, actually I have no idea if he is or he isn't because I don't know who he is - and everyone is black. He has the advantage as I am the only white person anywhere. So I am  in the rain, at a gas station, walking around like a lost person while trying to find him (all the while our phones are of course cutting us off every 15 seconds).

SOOooooo after 5 verses of the same song "I can't see you. Yes, I am here. Where are you???" finally I said - OK I can't find you- please meet me at the shop rite. In the front, forget the shell station- go. to. shop rite. please. :)

Finally we find each other!!! Apparently there are 2 shell stations nearby shop rite but they are not in sight of each other. Of course ;) 

Thankfully everything after that was smooth sailing! 

And by sailing I mean that I think I can understand now the appeal of motorcycles. I confess that I am starting to fall in love with them. I tell you what - there is just something about riding on the motorcycle with the wind blowing through your hair (ha!)