reentry

After 4 hours of errands in Fort Portal, we finally hit the road to Bundibugyo. We are so very happy to report road progress! Though the road that now bypasses one of the two major mountain "curves" is not officially open, that does not stop us from using it! After all, even in its unfinished shape, it is much better than the old road.

The construction of the road is contracted by a Chinese firm, so the foremen are Chinese, a rare sight in rural mountainous Uganda. As we drive by them, we greet them with the two words we remember from our visit to China, "Nehow" "ShayShay" (however they are spelled). They usually laugh and wave back.

We often wonder how these communities will change once this major road comes through as a thoroughfare through Congo and onwards. More jobs? More opportunities? More exchange of ideas? Even a bit of interchange between cultures?

It may already be happening as on this drive, when one of the Ugandans working on the road saw us, he yelled out to us "ShayShay". I guess it is true that all white people look alike.

It is never easy to re-enter Bundibugyo. When we walked in our house to find no electricity (thus no internet or refrigeration), no water (or toilet flushing), no propane in the tank (or dinner cooking), and a big dead rat decomposing on our one rug, it was almost enough to make me walk right back out and drive that really bad road again!

However, my heroic husband removed the rat, the electricity soon returned, Travis changed the propane tank, and in the middle of the night, God brought a huge rainstorm to fill our water reserve tank.

Today was filled with unpacking, greeting friends, watching the kids play with their new pet chameleons, participating in the reading glasses distribution, putting 14 days of laundry on the line to dry (and bringing them back in), organizing receipts (scraps of paper are my enemy!) and enjoying a peaceful sunset dinner with Pat Abbott, Lydia, and visiting friend Maureen.

Its good to be back.