Oh no, is it time to go home already??

The week with Terrill and Amber was coming to an end.  On the day we were all going to climb the Kaabong rocks, a “neighbor ” lady, collecting the charcoal she had made, was bitten by a puff adder snake.  Amber dropped what she was doing, and took the lady to the hospital.  The bitten foot was hugely swollen, and a bloody ooze was coming from the bite on top of her foot.  She was in pain, so Amber gave her 1000mg of Ibuprophen.  When we got her to the hospital, the women’s ward was empty except for one patient–the workers were out to lunch.  Some of the beds were without mattresses, and others were covered with dirty uncovered foam mattresses.  We deposited her there, informing the Nurse assisstent that the lady needed anti-venom, and then left.  Sitting out by the vehicle was a lady who appeared to be 9 months pregnant.  She pulled her dress up and unabashadly and sadly showed us her huge abdomen, stating that she was NOT pregnant, was hungry,was a widow, and kept her son out of school because he was the only one who could get water for her etc.  If she wasn’t pregnant, then certainly she was very sick with something—a tumor, cancer????  Amber mercifully went to town, bought some food, and took it back to her. . .only to discover she had left.  We found she had stopped a UN truck and was begging from them. She walked back to us with a happy smile on her face—too happy and not appearing sick at all.  Was she pregnant after all??  God and she knows.  At any rate, she got food:-)   I could go on about the conditions at the hospital, but I will spare you that.  Ask me if you are interested.

While we were at the hospital, Arlin and Terrill climbed the very very  high Kaabong rock.  I will try to install a tiny video of them.  You can hear it is very windy up there!

kaabong rock

The last day we were  in Kaabong, we enjoyed playing Scrabble.  I don’t remember who won the games, but I do know who didn’t win them:-)  It was fun anyway.Monday morning our flight with MAF was delayed, so Arlin and I walked about 35 minutes to the HUGE corral where all the cattle are kept at night and guarded by soldiers.  We almost arrived, but turned back so we wouldn’t be late for the flight.  The week after we left, Terrill said the corral was attacked at night and they heard machine gun shots.  

I didn’t cry till AFTER the plane took off and we LEFT our son waving on the ground.   

tough moment

Our flight from Kaabong to Entebbe via MAF seemed long, but was only two and a half hours.   I think it seemed long because we were leaving and not coming.  Plus it drove home the fact that Terrill and AMber are REALLY out in the boonies–far far away from not only us but also from the rule of law.

 From the airplane it was amazing to see the villages sparsely scattered through vast expanses of land.  As we neared Entebbe, the landscape became much more green and the riverbeds were no longer dry.  We actually flew through rain.                                     

village

Some shots from the MAf plane. . .

dry river bed

rain on the plain from the plane

The trip home was long–44 hours from rising out of bed in Kaabong, to crawling…or I should say falling into bed in Tillman’s Corner, Al.  We are grateful to God for safety, friends, and family.  It has to have been one of the awesome-est trip ever!

God is Faithful!

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