After a busy weekend I am back in Jinja and tucked safely and comfortably back in my hotel room. It was tough to leave the team behind in Kampala, as they ready themselves for the long flights and re-entry back home, but the 2 hour drive for me helps me let go of that part of the trip and refocus on the plans for this week as I fly solo and Janet and I, like a couple of girlfriends, set out our goals for the week.
Saturday morning we left the hotel about 8am...headed to get gas, when one of our guys stepped out the van and took a picture of a billboard. He was quickly approached by a group of military policemen with big ol' guns and pulled aside. Dann did a couple of quick push ups to inflate his muscles and headed over for support. Oh I kid, there were no push ups involved and their AK47's seemed completely un-effected by the show of strength. (For the record, I fell in love with that man and his macho all over again). There was some surrounding of the IPHONE and its owner and some talking and pacing, general posturing.and a very nervous 10 year old in the van. Soon enough Chris our driver walked over and we watched one of the guys walk off to the side with him. Chris came back to the van, with a disgusted look and said "Mama Jodi, you know Uganda is corrupt". "Yes Chris, how much do they want?" "40,000" I already had "100,000 in hand in anticipation. Before anybody gets sticker shock..that translates to $12. It was far more like kidnapping for ransom than any real possibility of arrest. Why would I take of photo of a guy getting arrested for taking a photo? You need to know how important you are to us! I risked my life really so that you'd be entertained...or it could be that I don't always think straight in the midst of drama.
We picked up Janet and carried on towards Kampala for the next two hours. We arrived at the hotel and had a quick meeting with our attorney in preparation for next months trip with EMI.
The team read letters from Chayah Children over lunch.
We changed into our wedding clothes, including these custom dresses
 | |
| I asked Janet how people would tell us apart in these matching dresses..."Obviously, our hair is different!" |
and walked up the hill to Namirembe Cathedral for Solomon's wedding. Solomon has made a few blog posts in the past. He is on the board here and has been invaluable to us over the past few years. It seems that whatever challenge we have or next step we are preparing for, he has researched it or has some prior experience that helps us navigate through. We have heard him talk about Carolyn for several years and watched the progress In the many gifts that were required of him in order to pay the very high bride price to Carolyn's parents. There is royalty in her family, maybe that had something to do with it, but the love and commitment he had in paying for the girl he had fallen in love with, reminds of Jacob and Rachel. We were reminded this week that Solomon was rescued as a young boy after being found as a house servant, by a woman who had come from the US to teach Children's Ministry leaders here.
"Orphan boy marries princess" could be the headline in the newspaper. The bible would classify it as a wonderful story of redemption. The life that the enemy would have planned for a tiny child was changed by God through the heart of a tender, obedient and courageous woman.
The ceremony was traditional and the reception was beautiful. Dancing and speeches and festivities and gifts. Through all the beauty, my eyes and heart were fixed on the groom, knowing that his God has truly given him "exceedingly, abundantly more that he could have every asked or imagined!" (1 Corinthians 2:9) It really is his way and we were so so blessed to be invited to witness it.
We all stayed for most of the evening and were planning the sort of slipping out kind of exit Duh! How do the only white people and a group of 10 at that, just sort of slip away? Excuse me, but even waiting until the sun went down did not help our Lily white selves slink away. A few of us did stay behind for the speeches and were able to speak a blessing over the bride and groom. Oh we wish them such commitment and steadfastness, joy and perseverance. I would about give my right arm for a couple to hold fast and believe that God really does know the
way for marriages and families, both here and at home, but Chayah children need to see something other than polygamy and infidelity in marriage...they need to see an example and have hope that obediance to God's design can work in the real world. We want it for them so badly. We want them to anticipate that, plan for that, choose their mates with intention and have a great confidence that their lives can be different. It makes our prayer for Solomon and Carolyn that much more important and personal.
Its difficult to wrap up the day any other way than to say for the 9th consecutive evening, we fell in to bed with a perfect mixture of gratitude and exhaustion. Its our way when we are here, and we are grateful for health and strength and the opportunity each day brings to push beyond comfort for the sake of the one that always placed compassion over comfort and service ahead of slumber.
Family back home is on our mind. Please pray the team back home safely.
No comments:
Post a Comment