Adjustment

Our journey from Entebbe was a bit more eventful than the one that took us there… Again, it’s a fast exposure to life and the things that complicate it when in Africa. I found most of it entertaining, typical and even comforting (because it was familiar and made me feel at “home,” again), but felt bad for Megan… Not because it was so terrible, but because it is quite a transition to go from the States to traveling by bus in the middle of Uganda.

Our day started at 5am, when we woke up. Two taxis met us at the house at 5:30 to take us to the bus depot. We got there by 6:15 and were loaded onto the bus by 6:45. But even those few minutes were an experience – what with the 15+ men who crowded around our cars to offer help or profess their love to one of us girls. Megan looked at me and asked, "Is it safe to get out?" I only laughed and said of course! They just wanted to help us with the luggage, so that we would pay them some money!

We got out of the car and after haggling about prices to take the bus and prices for the conductor's men (not the ones who came to our car) to load our luggage into it – we get on. By 8:45 we still hadn’t left the parking lot. Finally though, we started to move, only to find two busses ahead of us that were stuck. One was in a deep ditch that had been created by all of the rains the night before, the other had stalled and wouldn’t restart. It seemed like we watched a group of men try to push that bus forward countless times. It would rock forward seemingly far enough, and then it was like they ran out of strength – and it would roll back. But thirty minutes later the stalled bus was pushed out of the lot and the ditch had been filled with dirt. We traveled for about 10 minutes before we had to stop to get gas. We were still in Kampala. But that is when it was decided that our bus wasn’t able to make the 7 hour journey to the border. So we waited a surprisingly short time for the replacement bus to arrive and RE-started our journey at 9:45. We finally left the city of Kampala at 10am, just under 4 hours late.

The bus ride was long, bumpy, hot, and entertaining. I remained amused by everything until about 3pm, when the novelty / hilarity of it started to wear off. We finally reached the border at 5:45 – 15 minutes before it closed! But Honoré and Noé were there to meet us, help us through the customs and get into Congo. That is where we really relied upon them to carry us through the demands of the immigration agents.

The ride into Congo and to Beni took about 2.5 hours… It was a jarring ride – but that’s to be expected when there are no street lights, no pavement and holes the size of tables and TVs in the road.

In filling out the Visa application forms in the States, we are told to indicate that we are visitors and not working or living in Congo. When we were waiting at the border and speaking to the immigration officers, they asked us our professions – we all answered that we are teachers. A few miles down the road from the border, we were stopped at a check point, where the soldier asked us the same question. He was told that we are missionaries.

It’s interesting to see how quickly our identities changed depending on who was asking the question. In a way, all three of those answers are in fact correct. But it’s a shame that certain people need or want to hear certain responses when asking questions. To remember how to jump through the hoops can be an exhausting task!
It’s good to be back in Congo once again. I’ve missed it a great deal and am so happy to be back. Especially after that long journey – I have felt this release or feeling of, “ah, at last I’m here.” It’s good to be back in my second home again.
Work has started right away, of course. I’ve tried to ease into things… But the work is still there. So in a way, I’m running already!

Thank you for your love and prayers. Our students are doing well and gave me such a sweet and warm welcome. It was so strange to stand in front of them in Chapel on Monday morning. It had been over four months ago where I did the same thing… Wishing them success in their exams, telling them I love them, and promising to return again. Well, I am back and expressing to them the greetings of so many of my family and friends. To hear that there are people and churches praying for them in the States – I cannot explain their joy. So thank you.

It has also been exciting to hear them asking about the Kipepeo scholarship program… Soon it will commence so that everyone who has supported a student or part of a student’s school fees – they will soon receive your gifts. Which means that they will soon begin to work! I’m excited to see the progress of the Program and how our beautiful property line has developed.

The internet has been horrifically slow lately. We aren’t sure what the problem is… But when it is working better – I will be sure to upload photos for you all to see.

With love and prayers for peace,
Bethany