Wrapping up Camp, & Heading Across Africa 'Alone'

August 16, 17, 18:
                               "Wrapping Up Camp, & Heading Across Africa, 'Alone'"
I say heading out 'alone',...in quotes,...because God was with me all the way.  God is good all the time!

Thursday, 16/08/12;  Note the format of the date,..in Africa the day of the month is always put BEFORE the month itself. 

A A A A a a a a r r r r g g g g h h h h !!!!!!!   I dropped my Tablet computer on the floor, right on its corner, UGH.  Broke the screen in 3 places,...now, of course, the Tablet is 'history', and everything in it as well.  So, now it is back to journaling the 'old' way,...by hand in a paper journal. 

Up early and off to serve breakfast at Camp.  Rained in the morn,..then turned nice weather. Have I mentioned the air here is AWFUL with smoke?  Talk about pollution!!  This makes Los Angeles look clear!!    Wow!  2 more Team members came down with the respiratory crud; Bob, Mandi, Chelsea, Lisa, & Debbie are now on the sick list. Some had to stay at the 'Heartbreak Hotel' for resting.  Our leader, Dave, went to the hospital with the sickest Team member, Mandi.  Malaria was ruled out, Praise the Lord.  Dave got prescription cough meds & nasal spray for the Team.  The nasal spray had a quick positive effect, PTL, again.

(Forgot to say word reached us that Bob's wife, Michelle,-also my oldest daughter,-had a kidney stone attack, back in Dallas.  Just when Bob and I are halfway around the world!  Why do 'things' always happen when you are 'out of town'?   Bob and the Team prayed for her recovery/safety,..and Bob decided to use my Int'l. Phone to keep in touch,...but, to keep on pressing ahead with our Mission.  Thankfully, the good doctors back in Texas got it taken care of for Michelle in about a week).

In the afternoon, our leader Dave, reset the Camp's router,..and voila! WiFi service!  Sent emails, texts, and 'Facetimed' with the USA.  Served dinner again,...then, hugged and loved on the kids,-before heading back to 'Heartbreak Hotel' for the evening.  Much quieter tonite,..so Team got better rest/sleep.  Texted home on my International Phone.

Friday, 17/08/12: 
Bob's version of the 'crud' got progressively worse all night.  No fever, but lots of coughing & snotty.  Kept me awake much of the night, since I was 'sleeping'? just 4 feet away.  He decided to tough it out and go to Camp for his teaching assignment.  That's what I'm talking 'bout!  I won't have to step in and teach his class for him!  And, this keeps his perfect record intact,..of never missing a day's work on all the Mission Trips he's taken,..which are many, including Africa and Brazil.

Mission trip moment:  our room at the Hotel Deira, Kampala, aka "Hollywood Hilton", sleeps 2, and has a bathroom against the adjoining room where 2 girls are staying.  Unexpedtedly, there was an issue.  The wall between the men's and ladies' adjoining bathrooms was only finished  about 2/3rds of the way back.!!! Thus, we could hear their bathroom "business", and they could hear ours!  Fortunately, there were no strategic mirror placements!  One really gets to know Mission Team members, up close and personal!!

We did not serve the kids breakfast today, as our leader allowed us to sleep late and let our bodies catch up. Our Bible lesson today was on "The Wordless Book".  Some of you as old as me, will remember that little Sunday School book.  For craft the students made a colored bead bracelet,  illustrating the book.  The Camp kids loved the story.

I got to know Kaluga, of the Balega tribe in Congo, now serving as a counselor for the camp kids.  He opened up quite nicely today.  That's an answer to prayer since Kaluga had started out quite sullen and reserved.

LONG DAY!!  At 8pm we started to leave for the hotel.  This being the last day of Camp, we were MOBBED by crying kids, who didn't want it to end.  They will all leave Saturday, tomorrow.  The Team had to 'run the gauntlet' to get into our van and go to hotel Deira. Crying kids were still beating on the van windows and calling our names.  We finally got to the hotel around 10pm.  Texted, and to bed.  Sick Team members getting better. Pretty quiet night, except for Bob's coughing, and Mandi doing the same next door!

Saturday, 18/08/12:
Up early again to pack things and go to Camp and serve breakfast one last time.  This was 'unscheduled' for us but the entire Team voted to go to Camp and serve the kids once more.  The power was out,-a common occurrence in Kampala,-for that matter all of Africa!! So, we served breakfast late, - boiled egg, bun bread, tea, and a banana.  The kiddos were very happy to see us again.  We sat with them, exchanging addresses, letters to sponsors in America, and email addresses.  Only a few homes have computers, but they do go to Internet Cafe's.  We finally left Camp about 10am, with people crying and hanging onto us again. As I often say, "if this doesn't break your heart, check your pulse,-you probably don't have one!"  BTW, if you do the math, our Team served 12,000+ meals in 5 days,..(2400 a day).

We drove with Pastor Dongo across Kampala.  GRIDLOCK on SATURDAY for cars/trucks trying to drive.  People everywhere, and the motorbikes, (called boda-boda) in Uganda,  - slicing and dicing through the stopped traffic.  The boda's are a good means of transportation, IF you can hang on!  Many are used as taxis,..and you will see every kind of load on them.  It was a L O N G drive , and Bob and I were cramped in the third seat, with NO legroom,..for approximately 3 hours!  Our route took us by the Ethiopian restaurant where terrorists attacked about 2 years ago!  Many people and military were killed in that attack!!  Upon arrival back to the Olympia Hotel, aka "Hollywood Hilton", we checked back in for one more night. This time we got a bigger room, but had to do battle for a ceiling fan,..which we got. Power outtages again today,......good thing we both brought battery operated backup fans.

3 members of the Team left early this morning, to go on Big GameSafari to Nairobi, Kenya, to see big game of many kinds.  Two additional members left this morning to return to Texas, as one of them is in a wedding.  So, the dispersal begins. The rest of us went to the Cafe Roma, a Kampala favorite,- an Italian restaurant for late lunch. I had fettucine, pork meat balls, carbonara, local beer, and ice cream!  Tasted WONDERFUL, after all the rice, poshu, matoke, & beans at Camp all week. Most of the Team has now recovered from the crud. They went out to International House of Talapia for dinner,..but I stayed home to rest and journal. Guest house had scrounged up some TERRIFIC coffee, which went down so smoothly. 9 Team members are still here tonight.

Had a good night,....and looking forward to heading out 'alone' across Africa.  Goal: the Democratic Republic on Congo,..where I grew up some 52+ years ago.....

Let the games begin,...

Rogers