March 8, 2014—Saturday in Ugadna

Our last morning in Uganda at Show Mercy.  We all had packing on our minds, and it was humid as we all moved about packing, cleaning, and getting ready for breakfast.  In our free time, we tried to visit with the interns and the Ugandan staff that we were going to miss so much. It's hard to explain how they became family to us in the short week we were there.  Then we realize how the eleven of us have grown together over this last two weeks, and we know God is the center that has pulled us all together.  It's with a little bit of heaviness that we prepare to leave.  We have until 5, but we all know the day is going to fly by.

Our last outreach this morning was Say No to Hunger.  While it is a weekly event for Show Mercy, it was an incredible first time for us.  We spent time with the kids, every group did a teaching on Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, and it was especially neat for us as we had just visited there a week before, and some of us even  baptized there.    We played, we worshiped, we learned and we fed the kids.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Johnny started with just a few kids, and as soon as they saw the book, he was surrounded!!
This was one of childrens bibles we took with us to give to pastors for their churches.  We made sure to leave two with Show Mercy for their many outreaches they do.  These books will get some good use!

This worship service was identical to our Sunday service, except all let by the kids.  So neat to see!

One of the puppets we donated last year!

The Tippy Tap!  A neat contraption to wash your hands!

These kids eat every bite on their plate.

Another part of our team loving on the kids and Feeding at another church.....

Dani was able to meet Noelene, who her family sponsors through Show Mercy.  It was exciting for them to meet.

The third church Our Team split up and visited  for Say No to Hunger today

Erick spent the day with Pastor Fred, teaching another hermeneutics class for the pastors in the Wakiso district.  He got to ride a Boda boda two days in a row!  He looks pretty cool!



We headed back to Show Mercy for lunch, and enjoyed rice and g sauce, along with some wonderful leftovers from the night before.  Afterward, our task was to finish packing and make sure our rooms were clean.  Our luggage was much lighter coming home, as we only had our own bags and some of them were pretty empty except for souvenirs that we brought.  All of the women left their skirts and leggings as well as most of our shirts, shoes, toiletries, except for our undergarments, and the clothing we wore home. To see what they don’t have, you just want to give it all away to them.  I believe if any of us go back, we know how to pack lighter so we can take more and leave with almost nothing, except of course, the treats from the craft market, and tons of pictures.

Contrary to popular belief, John enjoyed and ate every meal served!
We had an early dinner and spent the last hour, saying goodbye, and getting as many pictures as possible.  The staff was so helpful in getting our bags loaded, making sure we got everything, and of course we have to have fun too!! 

Our pictures at the Medical Center Sign....along with some staff, and some kids that were hanging around. 

 We loaded up on a bus, as the YWAM team (Youth with a Mission) was leaving also.  Goodbyes were harder than we expected, as in just a week we grew to love the people and country we were visiting. 







We had a two hour ride to Entebbe crammed on a bus with seat full, and two without seats, and tons of luggage…it was an experience.
 

(Can you see the luggage piled to the ceiling?!)

Thankfully, the drive was uneventful and we were four hours early for our flight, so had to wait in the Hot & Humid mosquito infested waiting area at the airport.






 Seriously...this guy can sleep anywhere!!
 Once checked through the three security stations we arrived at the gate.  It began to cool down and we were all glad to board the plane and leave the infested airport area!  We are thankful our time at Show Mercy was not miserable with mosquitoes, as we saw very few there.

Our travel time home, starting from leaving Show Mercy, was 30 hours.   Thirty hours of transport by bus, air, and waiting for layovers.

Thankfully we had little time in layover, and those that could sleep while flying were blessed...while those of that couldn't sleep had fun taking pictures of those where were.  There were very few of us that didn't get a "snoozing" picture.  However, we won't share those here, they are for our Uganda team family only!  

We can't begin to describe how thankful we were to arrive in Portland and see our families and/or the O'liels there to transport us home.  Thirty hours of travel is tough on a body!!

As we reflect over these last 16 days....we started out as friends, we came home as family.  We encountered so many fun things together, so many things we were blessed and amazed by and in awe of how powerful our God is.  We saw Him move in so many ways...whether in the villages, the schools, the elderly visits, the Pastors Conferences and even on the compound.  We were thankful to be used by God.  We are thankful to our families for the support they gave, the things they covered for us while we were gone, for the prayers that were spoken on our behalf, for the support our church family has given us to get us all the way to Africa, we are so overwhelmed by your generosity and pray you will understand how grateful we are, and how we so God move mightily in our travels.

Blessings from your Uganda Team,

Pastor Tom, Sherry, Debbie, Stan, Soni, Shawnna, Erick, Dani, Amanda, John & Johnny.