So we have finally booked our flights!!! We go from 22nd July to the 13th August (as we're adding a personal safari to the end) with the rest of the team returning on the 9th.
Another of our church family (whose husband used to work for BA) also managed to help us on this and saved us £500 on the total ticket price!
Now that the flights are booked the prospect of the trip has become VERY real..!!!
Many people around us think we’re crazy for taking the children - others are really supportive and many we know in missions have said we'll have a blast and having seen footage and looking on websites we are sure we will!
Our 2 eldest (8 and 6 yrs) are moved by homeless people on the streets and by the NSPCC ads etc on TV. They sense the injustice of the suffering of people and are moved to make a difference. I know of no better way of them becoming advocates of other children that meeting, playing and making connections with the children at Watoto.
Of course there are some dangers - malaria is one and rabies when we go on safari - though these can be managed and I don't believe any dangers to be any worse than in this country. Just turn on the news or go out in a city centre on a Friday or Saturday night at 12am and you’ll see some messy humanity. There are places to go and places not to go in any city and there you'll also find hurting humanity - the same in every country.
Our minds are focused on the safety of our family and team. We have asked the advice of friends of ours who lived in Kabul during the Taliban days whilst working for Tear Fund. The Dippers are now back in the UK and Andy works for Release advocating and acting on behalf of Christians imprisoned and tortured for following Jesus.
When our children come home from school (and after they have done a chore at home!) they are keen to research on-line such topics as Ugandan dress, money, animals, weather, population etc etc. Nikki has bought a large poster board so they can print pictures out and create a large poster of everything they have found out about Uganda - I've just bought a Ugandan flag which we're going to hang on the wall and use as a prop for photos to fundraise with!
They’re generally excited to be going to Africa to play with and help other children (though not looking forward to the mosquitos and jabs!). Ruby is happy because she knows she is going to make friends and Samuel is blissfully unaware!
I cannot say that we’re without some excited nerves - I wonder about the idea that Christians need to feel “peaceful” about something before they step out. Surely if we are stepping out into the undiscovered we’re unlikely to “have a peace about it”.
We’re aware that our flesh wars against the Spirit so we’re not expecting to be without a sense of tension, which will motivate greater planning, awareness and observation until we are settled and we finally know that which is at present unknown.
We have researched the political situation in Uganda also - there were riots in Kampala last September caused by the government banning the movement of the Kapaka (Bugandan traditional king) from freely entering an area in which he is popular. Speculation is that the Kapaka’s trip and the ban were politically motivated with an election approaching in 2011.
Anyway, all is peaceful now and Lonely Planet explains "...and the capital Kampala is safer and friendlier than most in Africa. Winston Churchill called it the ‘Pearl of Africa’. He was right."
We cannot wait!
