Welcome to our blog

Our trip was absolutely amazing. Each of us can (and have) talk for hours about our experience. This blog is so that many can share in it. There are journal entries, photos, videoes, and more. Be sure to note the menu labeled RELATED LINKS to the right of the page that has links to our photo album, YouTube videos, and the website for the mininstry. Below that (still on the right) is BLOG ARCHIVE that have journal entries and such - click on the months of August and July to see more. We hope you enjoy - as we did!

Blog Remember, with a blog things are in reverse date order, so to see it chronologically you can go back to the beginning and read forward.

Photos (each photo on the main page is actually a folder containing many pictures, click on each to see the pictures within it)

YouTube (make sure to watch both the Uploads and Favorites

We got up early and stopped in a coffee shop across from our hotel for a much needed cup of coffee. We then got on a double-decker bus and went to the Westminster Abbey area. Of course we were very short on time since we needed to be back at the airport by 12:30 for our flight back to Phoenix. So we took some photos and hopped on another bus to the Tower Bridge area. We were hungry by then so we grabbed a quick snack in the subway station and boarded the subway headed to St. James Park and Buckingham Palace. From there we took a taxi back to our hotel, grabbed our bags and got back on the subway to Heathrow Airport. Then we sat for a bit and boarded our plane. There was a storm so our take off was delayed 1 hour. We ended up spending 12 hours on this plane. Oh and by the way Juliet was running a fever and was feeling pretty miserable. Very long trip home!

My mom picked us up at the airport at 6:00 pm Phoenix time. We went home and I was in bed by 9:00. Too bad I didn’t sleep all night.

“Lord,
This has been an amazing 2 weeks. As soon as we recover from jet lag and the changes in diet, I’m sure we will reflect on this with awe.”
Amen

Time to start our journey home. We were up at 6:00 to catch the shuttle to the airport at 6:45. Before we left the hotel arranged for us to have tea, toast and fruit for breakfast. On our way to the airport we had to stop the van at a checkpoint, get out so we could be scanned and then we could get back in the van. The airport was hot and humid. We had to wait 2 hours for our flight (it was 25 minutes late). Then we got on the plane and the pilot came on to tell us the Entebbe airport did not have any fuel so we would be detouring to Nairobi Kenya for fuel. That put us 3 hours behind. Apparently with the African summit in Uganda there was an unusual amount of air travel through there so they ran out of fuel (Africa!). So we ended up spending 12 hours on the plane YUK!

We finally arrived in London at 7:00pm. Fortunately British Airways checked our bags in Entebbe all the way to Phoenix. Only 8 bags checked (some of them were bags with bags inside) remember we checked 16 on the way there, and only 6 carry-on bags compared to 11 on the way there. We found the Tube and headed to our hotel. Only 1 transfer and we were there in about 1 hour. We stayed at the Club Quarters near St. Paul’s Cathedral. We had 2 rooms, Brent and I had 1 room the kids had the other one.

We were trying to get to Covent Square but ended up at some other part of town, the streets were hopping - people everywhere. We found an Italian bistro and sat outside, had a nice dinner and watched people. After we had dinner we walked around until we could hardly stand we were so tired. So we hailed a taxi and went back to our hotel. We took our first shower with water pressure for the trip. Finally went to bed after 1:00 am.

“Lord…I pray for rest…we are tired!”
Amen

We had a long day of travel. We started at 6:00 went to breakfast then we met up with Christopher in the lobby at 7:45. We paid our bill; fortunately the hotel took credit cards since we used more cash to get into the park than expected. We were expecting it would be $30.00 and it ended up costing $300.00 (surprise!). We made the 8:00 ferry across the Nile with the bus. Christopher drove us to the top of Murchinson Falls. Talk about spectacular! I have never been so close to so much power in my life. The spray was like taking a shower. We stayed there for 20 minutes or so...took plenty of photos and video. The journey from Parra Lodge to Kampala is usually 6 hours, but we added 45 minutes with our side trip to the falls but it was worth it.

At the exit gate out of the National Park somehow we picked up a lady and her 3 year old son. They needed a ride to a nearby town. The little boy was shy; the mom spoke very good English so I assumed she was somewhat educated. I gave the boy and his mom some fruit snacks. I’m not sure if they had had some before but the boy ate them no problem. The town we dropped them off in was called Masindi, it was the most beautiful town I’d seen in Uganda. I want to go back there and walk around some day. I fell in love with the place. Lira is so crowded and so is Kampala, I enjoy the rural areas.

We stopped at a convenience store to get some snacks. Juliet and I had to use the restroom. The restroom out back was just a concrete trough with a hole that you had to squat over to pee. Just a tad more civilized than the one I used at the entrance of the National Park. That was just a wooden structure with a hole in the floor and some toilet paper on the floor. Thankfully I carried anti bacterial wipes with me everywhere I went.

We made it to Kampala about 3:00. Christopher dropped us off at a marketplace so we could do some shopping, we bought a few gifts there and some stuff for our house. The marketplace reminded me of Rocky Point, Mexico. We got back to the bus about 4:00; Christopher wanted to get out of town before rush hour so we stopped at a bank to exchange more money and headed out of town. We still got stuck in traffic. Crazy motorcycle drivers weave in and out of traffic makes it so much more dangerous. Bota Bota is what they call motorcycle taxis, women have to sit sidesaddle on the back, I don’t know how they stay on!

Christopher took us to the Lake Victoria Hotel for dinner (very American). It’s a beautiful hotel on the shores of Lake Victoria. We had a nice dinner and a great chat with Christopher. Then we went to our hotel near the airport in Entebbe. Not exactly the Parra Lodge. The hotel had given our rooms away so we were separated. I did not like that so Heather and Juliet and I stayed in one room and Brent and Alex had another room. We basically showered and went to sleep, for an early flight in the morning.

“Lord,
Thank You for safe travel through Uganda. The country is beautiful. Again if Your will is for us to come back You will make it happen and I will go willingly. Thank You for Christopher and all the other people who either drove us or guided us on this amazing adventure. Everyone is so willing to be helpful. Allow me to be of that helpful spirit. Be more willing to go out of my way so others can see you through me.”
Amen

Up early for a photo safari at 7:00am. We went to dining room for a nice breakfast buffet. Met Christopher, our driver and Phillip our safari guide (complete with a loaded rifle) in the lobby and off we went for a 3 1/2 hour safari. We saw warthogs, giraffe, elephants, lots of different types of antelopes, monkeys, some beautiful birds African buffalo and a lioness.

It was amazing to see all these creatures in their wild habitat. The most interesting was the lioness; she was lying very content because several feet away were what was left of a buffalo. She had just eaten. We even saw where the soil was disturbed from the scuffle and the kill. It makes you have a whole new respect for lions and the food chain. We got close enough to this lion to see its breath. The giraffe are such graceful creatures. They are so beautiful. We just sat and watched 3 or 4 for several minutes, of course they were watching us also. I didn’t know the older they get the darker the yellow gets on their skin. The air in the forest where the animals are smelled gamey, you could tell where there was a higher population of animals. We also went to a hippo pond where hippos were hanging out. We were able to walk up close to the water and hear and see when they came up for air. They can hold their breath for 20 minutes.

Then we made our way back to the lodge where Heather went for a Swedish massage. I fell asleep for 45 minutes my first and only nap for the whole trip (other than plane rides). Seems everyday of this adventure we woke to an alarm. No sleeping in for anyone. We “took lunch” at 12:30, of course it was very good; very diverse food, lots of vegetarian, English, Indian and some American. Always dessert tables, but the Africans are not known for their desserts.
After lunch Brent, Alex, Heather and myself headed to the pool while Juliet got her first massage…she says she enjoyed it. We hung out at the pool a couple of hours then we all ended up back in our rooms to read, nap or just rest. Brent and I showered and went back down by the pool for a juice and to have some time enjoying the scenery. There seemed to be a lot of missionaries staying there. We met a woman from Canada who just spent time in Kampala building some paths at an orphanage.


“Lord,
Thank You for this land, the animals and of course the people. Thank You for this whole experience. I pray it will be Your will to return. I think I speak for my whole family when I say that. Lord, I ask that you use this experience to change us all. To grow us closer to You. I lift up Jennifer, Joy, Lillian, Agatha, Brenda, Loy, Monica and Mirriam please protect them and all the children of Otino-Waa. Lord bless the loving staff You have chosen to care for these orphans. Bless Carol and Bob
Thank You I praise Your name”
Amen

Lord thanks for safe travel.

We left Lira at 8:15am, headed to Paraa Lodge in Murchison National Park with our driver Christopher in a bus too big for for us. We have lots of room. Alex was sick most of the Monday night. We finally gave him antibiotics at 4:30am, by the time I woke him at 7:30 he seemed better (got to kill that nasty bacteria).

The drive was through one village after another. Until we came to the National Park; almost immediately we saw giraffe, small deer, water buffalo and warthogs. Then elephants right in front of the lodge we were staying at. We made it to the lodge in time to clean up and head over to the dinning room for an outstanding lunch buffet. We have 3 rooms again so everyone is more than comfortable. The lodge is top notch. Very nice. Our rooms overlook the pool area and the Nile River. How cool is that!

After lunch we went on a 3 hour boat safari on the Nile River. We saw baboons, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and all kinds of unusual birds. Very nice and peaceful. We had a very informed guide named Patrick. We also saw Murchinson falls…beautiful. Came back to the lodge in time for refreshments poolside. We had dinner at 7:45, another wonderful buffet. The staff is very accommodating. Time for bed, we have a 7:00am safari in the morning.

“Lord,
Thanks You for this day and this time of rest and recreation, enjoying Your creation”
Amen

“Oh Lord, My heart and soul weep. These children, these people of Uganda, they are your people through and through! They love like there is no tomorrow; unconditional, unending, truest of true. I am speechless. I know that from the time you laid this mission on my heart 10 or 12 years ago, you have been planning this. Your hand has been on my heart and on my shoulder from the day we were offered this opportunity. Thank You! Thank You! My life will never be the same. Lord, if it is your will we will be back."
Amen! Amen!

We got to Otino-Waa at 8:00 this morning. Heather, Alex and Juliet went straight to their classes that they were either teaching or helping in. Brent and I worked on getting the last of our interviews finished up. I also took time to take some photos. I went to photograph Alex presenting watches to some of the seniors for their accomplishments in time telling. We finally got our interviews done. My heart breaks every time I hear one of these angels talk about how their parents died. Today is our last day at Otino-Waa, I am so sad. I don’t want to leave. I’ve never felt so welcome in my life.

Lunch was very hard. My girls were so sad. We ate and then I wrote a list of prayer requests from each of the girls and Victoria Gay. Then we played Bingo with Heather’s girls. Time to go back to school. Wow! Not a dry eye; the hugs I received were never-ending. They are so beautiful! Jennifer, Joy, Lillian, Agatha, Loy, Monica, Mirriam and Brenda and their “Mom” Victoria Gay. They will always have a huge spot in my heart, along with the 230 others there.

Before and after lunch Heather and I worked on the garden. Heather worked her butt off to finish it. She did it and it looked awesome. Lots of herbs, peppers and tomatoes. I want to see it in a month when all the seeds start to grow. I pray Patrick will be diligent to keep it watered and weeded. I pray for abundance of food to be harvested there and with all the other seed we were able to bring.

Dinner was at Dickens’ house. Traditional African food. They had gifts for all of us. The girls received beautiful fabric, Alex received an antelope carving and Brent got a native musical instrument called Adungu and a hat made of palm leaves. These people are so generous with love and gifts. Dickens and his son played a few worship songs in native Luo also some in English. What a wonderful evening.



When we left Otino-Waa today we left with letters from the kids, they expressed their thanks, love and blessings. We also received gifts from our moms. They have next to nothing and they are willing to make us gifts.

I am humbled. I feel so undeserving of this love.

“Lord,
Continue to bless the people of Otino-Waa; the children, the moms, teachers, administrators, drivers, workers on the property. Continue to provide for them both financially and spiritually. They love so much. Thank You for this opportunity to serve You through these amazing people. I can’t say enough about them. I love them and You.
Amen