Days 1 & 2

It's hard to believe that the team has been on the go for nearly two days, but a quick look at the dwindling supplies of water and food rations confirms that the team is eating and drinking far more than is really good for a normal human being...

Day one started much like any other day - alarm at 4.00am, followed by light breakfast, dash to church, dash to Aldergrove, dash to check in, frantic dash to security, frantic frantic frantic negotiation with the delightful & friendly (sic) staff at security and a final marathon sprint to the gate. Alas...

We needn't have half killed ourselves, as the Lord had arranged for a 1 1/4 hour delay to take-off. Nonetheless, this wee respite allowed the older members of the team to catch what was left of their faltering breath.

Thankfully, the connecting flight in Amsterdam was held back for us, so we had an effortless and speedy transfer to the KLM flight to Entebbe. Primary occupations on the flight were watching films, eating, sleeping, watching films, eating, sleeping, watching... well, you get the picture...

We arrived happy, content and full of the joys at Entebbe, remembering to apply liberal quantities of deet before exiting the plane (I don't think Siobhan and Jess realised just how potent their sprays were, but it provided instant protection from mosquito bites for 280 passengers!). The light mood continued into the night for at least 8 1/2 minutes until the bags didn't appear...

Actually, I exaggerate slightly (actually, I always exaggerate slightly) - we were only missing 7 bags. I suspect this was a swiftly executed form of revenge by the cabin crew for the deet incident as Siobhan's bag has not been seen yet, some 24 hours later! (Update - 5 bags were retreived today (Saturday) and hopes are high for the last 2 arriving on Sunday (apart, possibly for Siobhan's bag - air hostesses have long memories and are slow to forgive - Maureen may have better 'luck')).

I'm glad to report that Moses (no, not that Moses) was there to meet us and safely transported us to our humble abode where we enjoyed yet more food (I see a theme emerging here....).

Today (Sat) has been both relatively relaxing and encouraging. After changing copious quantities of cash at the local shopping mall, we enjoyed coffee, cake, burgers, chips, buffalo wings and coke (I told you a theme was emerging). Suitably refreshed, we made our way to the orphanage referred to in an earlier post (below). Although Mama Flavia was not there at the time, we were made most welcome by the children, and McBlogger was particularly touched (some would say he's been somewhat 'touched' since birth) to find that a few of the children remembered him and others from the team in 2006. BTW, Noreen askes to be remembered to Chris Rose... It was wonderful to see the continued good spirits in these children, particularly their optimism for the future - remarkable considering their often traumatic past.

Team devotions this evening compared the confusion at Babel (Genesis) with the apostles speaking in tongues (Acts), and it was agreed that we wanted to be folks from Acts, where we could clearly share God's love with others.

Anyway, it's now late, so I'm signing off - hope for more tomorrow.

'McBlogger'