Before we left Arua for Soroti we had two unplanned days so we all packed into the 4WD and drove for 3 hours to Murchison Game park the largest in Uganda at 4,000 sqm. We spent the next two days sitting on the roof of the car desperately looking for lions. On day 2 we had one of the rangers come with us but all we found was a carcass from the last nights kill. The park was beautiful though and we saw quite a few elephants and herds of giraffe. The park is divided in two by the nile and we went on a cruise up stream to see the waterfall, on the way we saw lots of hippos and crocodiles. On the way back a storm was brewing and the sky started turning black – I love a stormy sky so enjoyed taking it in and getting a few shots on the camera.

The day after we got back from safari we left for Soroti. We stayed here for two weeks and helped out with some of the ministries here. One of them is a bank, or rather 50 banks! It is a savings and loan program and they help small communities, of around 30, to start a bank where they make weekly, mandatory deposits. If they have an emergency they can borrow money for it (interest free), but they have to pay it back. They can also take loans for businesses that they want to start or expand, these they pay interest on. The bank runs for around 18 months at which point it is dissolved and the profits split amongst its members. If they choose they can then start the bank again. This is a great way for the people to start saving money and enables them to deal with uncertainties better as well as improve their income through business. YWAMs involvement is only in making sure they run the bank according to the rules and getting more people started up. It is a pilot program at this stage but it looks like they are going to start implementing it in more places.

Last Sunday we were invited to attend a wedding. Three couples from the local baptist church were getting married, they had combined their services and celebrations in order to cut costs as it is quite expensive to put on that kind of event. It was not your normal mass wedding though as each person was already married – they just hadn’t had a ceremony before. In fact they had all been married at least 20 years! There was another twist as well, the ceremony was followed by an ordination of 14 local pastors who were to become reverandts. And not only that but it was also the churches 13th anniversary, so that was also celebrated. We arrived for the service early as we were told we would be running a kids program beforehand – as is so often the case we were given inaccurate information and that did not happen, so instead we waited patiently for the service to begin. At around 9am the MC announced that “the program would begin at 10 which means 11 sharp”. We were relieved when it did in fact begin at 10 but were somewhat concerned that it was not finished at 3pm. We were promised about an hour and a half earlier that we would be picked up in 20mins. When we called to find out where our ride was we were asked whether we wanted to wait until they served lunch! Unsurprisingly we left as soon as possible!

We have also been helping with a mobile clinic. This involves sitting on the back of a ute for an hour and a half getting covered in dust and a sore bum, after which we count out pills for prescriptions which a nurse writes after asking the patient what their symptoms are. It is a really basic level of care, but it is a lot better than nothing. The most common thing to treat is malaria and worms.

There is a pre school, a primary school and two orphanages that YWAM runs, so we have been painting swings and slides and merry-go-rounds. Their playground is now much more colourful. The girls have been helping out at the orphanage with night shifts. I have no desire to work with babies but thankfully there are plenty of girls who go gaga over them!

On Monday we took another bus. This time to Kampala where we got a taxi to drive us the last 40km to Entebbe. Along the way we got a flat tyre, this was the first problem we have had with any vehicle we have been in – quite amazing considering how hard they have to work here. We got out of the van and saw there were a bunch of kids around so we started playing games with them and shared some stories and encouraged them with their dreams. It was really cool because our official outreach time was over, but it felt like the natural thing to do in that situation. I am happy about that.

We spent our last day in a guest house in Entebbe. It was pure luxury – indoor hot showers, flushing thrones and WI-FI internet!! We spent the day debriefing and reflecting on our time here. Then on Wednesday we made the 8hr flight home.

It is good to be back but it is a little sad that this time is nearly over. It has been an amazing learning and growing experience that I would thoroughly recommend. The challenge now is to continue living out what I have learnt. I have a pretty clear idea of where I am headed from here which I will tell you about in the coming weeks. For now though.. goodnight.