Plan B

Col. John "Hannibal" Smith of the A-Team used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together." That is not very often.

An old German proverb observes that "Man proposes; God disposes." I used to know how to say that in German and it rhymes there also. The biblical form of that idea is found in Proverbs 16:9: "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." The secular version is more like "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" (or something like that). I think the Scottish poet, Robert Burns said it better and with an accent, but I can’t Google it right now.

However it is said, the experience is clear. We make plans and then we adjust. Sometimes, by the end of the story, the plan can hardly be recognized. Such was our journey to Uganda. For "the plan" read the previous entry. For the reality, read on.

We did take off from Bush Intercontinental on time, and landed at London Gatwick a bit earlier than expected, around 10:00 AM. But the guy with the sign waiting to take us to the bus didn’t show up. Actually, it turns out he did show up – twenty-four hours earlier. So we waited a while, phoned the bus company, discovered the mistake, and arranged for a bus to be sent out.

When we finally made the transfer to Heathrow, expecting to go through "fast check-in" to leave our bags, we caught another snag. Patrick Forrester went through three customer service agents trying to find one who would actually consider taking our bags in the morning for our evening flight. At 2:45 PM they finally took our bags, but by then it was too late to make it into Central London for lunch and get back again for our flight. So we found an Italian restaurant in Heathrow, ate, passed through security, located the Starbucks, and sat reading, napping, or playing 42.

The flight from London to Entebbe was delayed two hours by mechanical problems and so we arrived in Uganda at 7:00 AM Monday morning rather than the scheduled 5:40. Kelli Hancock was waiting for us, having arrived the day before. The two hours delay, however, made our timing perfect to be caught in the worst thunderstorm I can remember just as we were loading our eighteen bags and nine carry-ons into the three vehicles that would take us to Mbarara. The rain was coming down in buckets and was being blown horizontally at about 40 mph. All of us were soaked to the bone. Six hours later we were in Mbarara, and by 3:00 PM I was teaching the first session of the pastors’ conference. All our luggage arrived intact. I wish I could say the same about my brain. It was a struggle to get through the first session and workshop, but I guess I did.

After dinner at the Pepper’s home, and a little orientation to the week, our team went to the Rikhea Guest House where we are staying. In no time, I was in a cycle of sleeping deeply and waking unexpectedly. That continued until 7:30 this morning when I woke out of a dream in which I was having lunch with Don Bateman. He was asking why I was not in Africa and I was explaining that I had been there, but had to return to preach on Sunday, but I was going back on Monday. He wanted to know why I had scheduled the trip that way, and I could not explain.

After breakfast at the guest house, Patrick and I left with Barry Wilks to return to the church for a day with the pastors. I taught two sessions today and led two workshops on preparing sermons. Patrick led two workshops on preparing teaching outlines. Melinda began her work with the Go Make Disciples, making greeting cards. Pamm stayed home to finish preparing for her women’s Bible Study, which is going on as I write (6:15 PM). Diana, Jenna, Courtney, Kelli, and Andrea made Words of Hope visits to AIDS patients. I have not yet heard the details of how everyone’s day went, but we will debrief in a while. All are in good health, keeping positive attitudes, and are gradually adjusting to the time difference.

Today I met Pastor Mahekenya Joseph (photo above). He is Congolese, and a refugee from the latest war. He and his wife and five children have been living in a refugee camp not far from Mbarara for three and a half months. He has started a church in the camp that is thriving. He told me his story and showed me photos of his family. The photos from his home in the Congo show him proudly standing with his family in front of their vegetable garden, holding some of the produce – beets, carrots, cauliflower, and corn large enough to make a Texas farmer envious. The smiles on their faces contrast with the somber photos of the same family taken in front of the white canvas tent that has become their home in Uganda. Joseph is a carpenter. He also had photos of the beautiful furniture he had made back home.

Thank you for your prayers. We have only begun the work here. More tomorrow.