Uganda

After 5 continuous months in Sudan, I was feeling the general dustiness of life. When our teacher training wrapped up, I was ready for a bit of a break, and so last Thursday, I boarded a Uganda-bound plane.

For a couple of nights, I was in Fort Portal, connecting with my teammates plus friends working in Bundibugyo and FP. It was lovely and refreshing, with space for reflection and quiet and time to explore. Plus, Fort Portal now has a pizza oven, homemade ice cream, and Pat Abbott. I was tempted to just move there, but instead continued on to Kasese, where I almost got eaten by a lion.

Ok, actually this lion is just yawning, because he was too lazy to be bothered by us. But still, this was about as close as I’ve ever gotten to lions on a safari. There were four altogether, lazing under a tree, and apparently the ladies at least were getting ready for their evening hunt. Whatever.There’s something so magical about seeing the wildness of elephants and lions, leopards and hippos. I’ve been listening to a new version of “Sparrow” by Audrey Assad, and in all of our game driving, I kept thinking about the line that says, “Why should I be lonely, and long for heaven and home? When Jesus is my portion, then a constant friend I know…His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He’s watching me.”

Tonight I fly back to the US, planning to start a 6 week course in group counseling a week from Monday. And I’m so excited to see my family tomorrow, and to take a continuing ed class to continue to develop my skills as a counselor. But, I also am weary of goodbyes. The ones I say to teammates today, and the ones that will happen in the States when I flit away again in 6 weeks.

As we watched all these amazing animals, I was of course captivated by the lions and elephants. But also by the birds, the tiny pied kingfishers hovering, and the majestic fish eagles swooping. All these birds, filling the skies, so easily missed, so beautiful in their purposes. And each of them is seen and known by their designer. His eye is on every lion, every elephant, every kingfisher, every swallow. And, his eye is on me too,  in the flights and back and forths and changes and helloes and goodbyes.

So here I go, once more, to lugging around trunks and carrying boarding passes and finding my way back to the place I’m from. And even though I’m going by myself, I really don’t think I’m going alone.