A Familiar Place

Greeting from Kampala, Uganda! I arrived safely on Tuesday night with no problems or complications. The past few days have been filled with an abundance of hugs and smiles as I have joyfully reunited with all of my friends and coworkers, as well as the Hope Alive! students, here in Kampala.

Some noticeable changes have taken place in the past year since I left. Kampala has sprouted some new shops and buildings, as well as a sudden proliferation of police presence in the busy streets. The project also has changed in the past year with new staff members, a new office, and some new students. But despite the changes, in many ways it feels as though I never left. I am staying at “my” old house, and it looks the same. I was able to slip right back into navigating the crazy streets of Kampala (and driving on the left side). And when interacting with my friends and the Hope Alive! staff, our relationships feel just as familiar as when I was here last. All in all, I feel that I am back in a familiar and beloved place.

Since I arrived, I have basically been reconnecting with students and their families as much as possible by visiting homes and schools, and spending time with the staff at the Hope Alive! office. On Saturday, the Kampala site had their weekly “Saturday Club” in which the students gather together for Bible lessons, activities, and food. My former karate students put on a special presentation for everyone in honor of my return. It was impressive! They demonstrated basic Isshinryu karate punches and kicks, and even put together pre-choreographed “fights” to show how one would use their karate skills to defend themselves.

On Thursday night, I attended a movie showing at one of the major churches in downtown Kampala with some friends. It was a “welcome back to Uganda” experience as we took a crowded taxi downtown to the church amidst rush hour traffic. Then, we waited outside until the doors opened… at which time people thronged into the church trying to get a seat for the movie. (Not a good seat, just a seat.) Most of the people in our group (including myself) ended up sitting on the steps in the aisles of the church. We were in the balcony section. As I sat on the step and looked around at this rather large church, packed with people sitting in the pews and the aisles, all I could think about was the chaos that would ensue in the event of a fire or a terrorist attack. That’s a western mind for you! None of the Ugandans seemed to be worried about the overcrowding though. : )

This week I will be continuing to solidify plans for the Park Avenue short-term team that will be arriving next Tuesday. I will also be traveling up to Gulu on Wednesday and returning to Kampala on Sunday. I hear that everyone in Gulu is very ready to “receive” me, so it will be exciting and interesting to see the reception there.

Thank you for checking here for my updates! God has certainly blessed me with this opportunity to return to Uganda. Many Ugandans have expressed their surprise and delight at my return. I think many Westerners visit, but very few return. I am realizing that simply my presence here again speaks volumes to the Ugandans about my sincerity, love, and commitment to them. Thank you all for supporting me and helping to bring me back to Uganda.