It's been about 60 hours since I started a timer on my Ipod as we crossed the Nile River on a barge/ferry to start the long journey home. It took a couple of hours on a dirt road to get out to the highway and made our way to Kampala to meet up with part of the crew that did not go on the safari. The waits and flights were long but took it all in stride as home neared little by little. Parted ways with the team in Detroit as they headed to NC and I to CO.
As with most journies, there were ups and downs but overall it was another good trip and experience. We worked hard, seeing about 1100 visitors to the clinic in four days of clinic. As did last year's team members, everyone clicked. Also, as last year, interacting with the children in the orphanage and the missionaries was a special time. Although I could not recall many of the names I certainly remembered many of the faces.
Like after last year's trip, there will be a lot of reflection on the experience. A lot of things are hard to comprehend / reconcile. The mode of travel for instance. Most of those who came to the clinic went there on foot, some walking a couple of hours and in the heat and/or rain. I do that here on hikes as recreation supplied with water and food; many came to the clinic with children tagging along and with toddlers on their backs. It is literally and figurative a world away and within just over 24 hours I was back on my home turf.
Another tough thing to comprehend is seeing so much poverty there and we have so much abundance here. Somehow people survive what seems to be day-to-day living and not having a lot of resources. It gives hope that the human spirit is so strong, boosted by efforts such as those who support operations like the Good Shepherd's Fold orhpanage - the long term missionaries, short term teams like ours and the folks that provide support.
Thanks to all that have given me support - spiritually and materially.
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