In a month the hope is there will be a roof on this building.  The church has out-grown its previous structure, and the roof was torn off in a big wind storm.  This will be a regional training center and a place for holding conferences.  Weddings recognized by the State will be performed  here, a very important aspect of cultural change that protects wives and children.

When there’s no Lowe’s you venture to the marketplace, jammed with vendors, to learn the ways of scheduling a truck to carry the load of materials needed to build a roof.  Who knew the bargain price was only for the broker?  The truck and driver still needed to be purchased, followed by the truck driver making rounds the remainder of the afternoon to find buyers who would add to the load, making the trip as worthwhile as possible.  Still learning!  There’s a new understanding of the unusually high percentage of extremely over-loaded trucks on these roads!  

Destination Kitgum: Accomplished! The materials are on site; work can begin! Ozzie will stay as the project manager alongside his old friend, Francis (“Fundi Francis”).  The people here are filled with excitement and energy!

It seemed like we might need to go back to training wheels for this ride, but the “pedaling twice as fast” before boarding the Uganda flight came with such familiarity! We missed this. We’ve missed our friends on the other side of the world. We’ve missed the joy that comes in the anticipation, the peace when He is preparing the way, and the delight when He shows up in the smallest but biggest details – making the seemingly insurmountable possible.

Who knew the plan was for these three to go along for the ride together! Bags were checked through to Entebbe and Seattle’s layover left just enough time, by God’s grace, to pass the scrutiny of COVID testing paperwork inspection for international travel! We clapped our hands when all three were on the same flight headed to Amsterdam where the morning will greet them. Please keep them in your prayers – they have one more set of airport officials to inspect COVID testing paperwork before the final flight to Entebbe. It would be a blessing to arrive together without delays or requests for additional COVID tests.

They know you’re in this with them and are grateful for you – grateful for your prayers! This is where friends like you can stay connected.

“You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12