Because we arrived around midnight, the airport was pretty desolate. There were only two immigration officials working, so the line of stamp-seekers snaked on for a while. We did make it through without incident though, and my excitement continued to build as we went to pick up our bags. Waiting for us at the baggage area was our Bridge Africa hostess, Olive. She works full time for the branch of African Renewal Ministries that specializes in the logistics of short- and long-term mission trips. Her job is to, essentially, think of everything. And be cheerful at all hours of the day and night. No pressure. ;)
As we made our way to the parking lot I was again startled (physically this time) to find the luggage carts would barely move. Unpaved parking lot. Another gentle reminder that I should put aside any assumptions or expectation I had. (I don't want this to seem like an exaggeration. I'm certainly not proposing that a nation without paved parking lots is, by default, a place without common luxuries. I'm only sharing how meaningful those rough parking lots were to me as I realized that even the most casual and innocent assumptions in my mind should be carefully reconsidered in order to experience Uganda in the most fruitful way possible.)
We made our way to a large van that Olive rented for us, and we began the task of loading 33 suitcases in way that still left breathing room for the 11 of us. =) This is the scene of the first CRIME I committed in Uganda.
I unknowingly broke the law when I took a photo of us loading the van. You see, the van was located in the parking lot of the government-owned airport and it's against the law to take photos of government-owned property. Poor Olive sprinted over and did an A+ job of concealing her panic and calmly explaining that I shouldn't take any other photos until we left the airport property. She really is the ultimate hostess.
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| "the evidence" |
One of the most touching moments of the entire trip occurred in our first hour in Uganda. With the van loaded, Olive passed out water bottles and offered refreshment to begin our journey. She also led us in a powerful prayer that set the tone for an amazing time of ministry.
Olive is 23 years old, and if not for the love, prayer, guidance, and family she found through Christ at Ggaba Community Church, she would have been left to suffer in the slums. Now she is a beautiful, hard-working, devoted young woman with a heart for service. She has fearlessly followed God's calling on her life (and believe me, she can tell some harrowing stories that prove her 'fearless' badge is a considerable accomplishment), and she now finds herself working for a ministry that is blessed by her many talents in return.
As she invited the Lord to reside over our time in Uganda, she gave praise to her King over and over again. Her King of Glory, her King of Mercy, her King of Power. She called out passionately to her King on our behalf. I could feel my heart being recalibrated - of all the wonderful things I think and say about my Lord and Savior, I rarely stop to think of him as KING.
He is Father. He is Creator. But He is also KING.
