It is Saturday, our last day in Uganda. Patrick, Larry, Andrew and I just returned from a trip to the central market in downtown Mbarara. We left the women shopping. All of us rode downtown in Larry’s van, but the guys took picky-pickys (or boda bodas) back. Pickys are small motorcycles that are parked all over town. Mbarara has more than eight hundred of them. For 500 shillings (about thirty cents) they will take you anywhere in town.
This afternoon we will finish varnishing some benches we built for the church in Nakinombe, visit the hospital, and pack up for a 6:30 AM departure from Larry’s house tomorrow. We will make the five hour drive to Entebbe and take off for Durban about 3:30 PM. While Sunday morning worshippers gather at UBC, we will be in the air over Africa.
On Thursday I went with Sally, Adam, and Andrew to buy lumber to build the church benches. It was not exactly a trip to Lowe’s. The lumber was approximately a 1 X 9 and approximately 13 feet long. It was also approximately straight. Andrew and Adam did most of the cutting on Thursday and Patrick helped them assemble one prototype. On Friday morning, most of the team stayed and worked on the project. We cut and sanded the parts, built twenty and put two coats of varnish on them. Five feet long and eighteen inches high, they will serve as pews for a mud and stick church building. The cost was about four dollars per bench. A few of them now await the second coat of varnish.
Melinda worked at the church to complete the two worship banners she was guiding the students to make. One proclaims "We preach Christ crucified, the power and wisdom of God." The other, declares, "The leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations." Each is an intricate design cut from ten foot pieces of Tyvek, donated by Dupont. Many hands, much work, and a lot of hours went into each of these, and they are beautiful.
Friday night was the T.G.I.F. program at the church. Each Friday the university students gather to eat popcorn, play table games, listen to music, and enjoy each other’s company. They usually have some sort of program as well. The program last night was Col. Patrick Forrester, who did an incredible job of sharing his life, the gospel, and explaining the work of a NASA astronaut. The students were enthralled, and asked questions until nearly 11:00 PM. Many stayed afterwards for more discussion.
After a visit to the hospital this afternoon, and some final work on the benches, we will pack our bags, eat dinner, and watch a movie. And tomorrow we will leave Uganda behind. But we will be taking some things with us. The up close and personal engagement with the poverty and needs of these beautiful people. The faces of a thousand children. A vision of the devastation of AIDS on the African continent. The memories of dozens of friendships forged by working together in acts of compassionate ministry: Naboth, Aloysius, Peace, Avas, Gerald, Mildred, Mary, Sam, and others. The partnership with American missionaries offering themselves on this field alongside Larry and Sally: Kari, Barry, Scarlett, and Debbie. The faces of the forty-seven village pastors who came to Mbarara to study last week: Ezra, George, Aloys, and their brothers. I will also take with me the intent to return to this place.
When the plane leaves the ground tomorrow afternoon, the team will attempt to shift gears as we prepare for a week of ministry in the more urban and westernized setting of Durban, South Africa. We will focus our minds and hearts on the partnership we will forge with Gary and Cheryl Price who are attempting to reach into the very secular culture of their city. Pray for us as the journey contines.
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