Lynchburg College--Anna's Well 2011

Well, it's Monday evening and we are two days away from our departure, which is very exciting!  I'm halfway packed, but have the rest of my things scattered on the floor of my room ready to be placed in my bag.  I'm trying to pack much lighter than in my previous two trips.  We will see if I am as successful.

As I was driving down the road this morning to work, I began thinking about Uganda and the world that I would be traveling in a few days from now.  The road and landscape would be much different.  Tall buildings won't fill the sides of the roads.  The roads won't be paved.  They may not even be completely filled in, but contain pot holes of various depths.  There would be very few stoplights and not street lights.  Instead of just cars lining the roads, there would be people and cars EVERYWHERE.  People walking in and out of cars to cross the street and to sell things.  It's truly a remarkable thing to see.  Food stands would cover the sides of the roads where we have sidewalks.  There will be vegetation around depending where we are.  As a more rural farm country, Gulu will have lots of grasses, trees, fruit fields, and vegetable fields.  The buildings are replaced with earthly products.  In the more urban Kampala and Nairobi, there will be more buildings and modern reminders.  As those images came flying to me this morning, my sense of excitement and anticipation grew.

I am eager to begin the journey with this group.  It is going to be a magnificent experience for everyone involved where physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual stretching will occur on a daily, perhaps hourly, level.  I cannot wait to be surrounded by the pure joy and peace that emits from many of the people we will encounter.  Be prepared to touch and be touched by so many lives.  Until next time...

Catherine Adams