Back to the Life

Exactly what I was expecting when we returned to Uganda, I’m not sure. Our lives are full of little oddities that are easy to forget when we are away, and so remarkable when we return to what we call normalcy. I did not expect how quickly I would be able to slip back into the Ugandan English, which was almost impossible to produce on demand when someone requested it in America. I came into the house for lunch today and immediately realized how much I had missed the daily ritual of rice and beans. As we were packing, we lamented the limited space we had, how many things we needed that we would have to leave behind. As soon as we arrived in our home here, we lamented how much we had brought. So many things we should have left in San Diego.

Most important has been the flood of familiar faces, and the anxious awaiting to see individuals whose paths we have yet to run across. Worship on Sunday was inexplicably refreshing, and the fellowship with our Karimojong neighbors was very sweet. It is good to know that we are loved and that they are excited to see us back. Chloe had a singularly negative impact on Sunday School attendance as she passed Carmel around to all the women who were there.

To our disappointment, the rainy season has delayed a bit this year and is only just starting to arrive, meaning that our days are the worst combination of dry season heat and wet season humidity. It’s a rough welcome, but we are slowly adjusting back. Carmel has never been here before (except in utero) and so these adjustments have been quite overwhelming to her. Don’t believe the hype about how great it is traveling with a newborn. Contrary to popular opinion, they don’t spend all their time sleeping, they spend most of it preventing you from watching movies and eating your dinner. Really, though, she had quite a time to get here and has been a trooper. Pray for her as she adjusts and as we try to keep her healthy and safe. We are blessed to be back and hope to update you regularly.