July 4, 2009, Saturday
This morning I heard the birds singing before the sun rose but I chose to stay in bed until 8 a.m. again. After breakfast Beverly and I enjoyed taking pictures of the gorgeous flowers and plants in the courtyard of the hotel. We could see the waterfall coming down from the top of Mt. Elgon mountain in the hazy morning distance. The morning was already getting hot by 9 a.m. Marie had a headache so she stayed in the hotel today. We went up the same mountain road today. The vegetation here is so lush especially compared to the dried and brown vegetation that I’ve looked at for years back home. I never get tired of looking at the scenery.
We turned off the pavement around the Sipi Falls area and traveled up, down and around curves on red dirt roads for a few miles. We realized if it rained we wouldn’t be able to navigate the roads back out. The mountain slopes and distant ridges are littered with huts and terraced with gardens. We could see down the steep cliffs to the rift valley below. We arrived at Kabeywa Baptist Church right before noon. We took photos of the new SOK church and then realized they put the wrong name on the church. They put Mountain View Baptist Church. We had singing by the school children that use the church building for a school during the week and singing by the church choir. The church choir from the neighboring Pentecostal church also sang a couple of songs for us. The men played bow harps (musical instruments). There was a large bass one that was also used as a drum and then two smaller ones. The music is very soothing. The cool crisp mountain air was delightful and the presence of the Holy Spirit was in this place.
I wanted to stay there all day.
After the introductions of local and church officials, the team was introduced. Kemper and Jason spoke and then we went outside for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The prayer of dedication and inauguration followed inside the church. Then Beverly got to give a testimony and I taught about God’s love followed by teaching them the ‘I’m a friend of God’ song in English and Lugandan. We concluded with more singing after which the Pastor invited us to his house for food. We walked toward the house which wasn’t far from the church and Peter moved the van. However, he didn’t see where we went, so he kept driving and got lost from us. We had stopped at a school yard to play with the children. Kemper and Jason growled at them and chased them, while Beverly and I spoke with the chairman. He pointed out Mt. Elgon in the distance and said we weren’t far from Mt. Elgon National Park which has wild animals. We never have had time to go to the park in the past and probably won’t this time either, but the views from the top of this mountain where we were standing were breath taking. I’ve decided I’d rather live in the mountains than on the islands. I will be back here in a week or two to teach and show the film.
As we walked to the pastor’s house, we went past an outhouse that had an American flag draped over the thatch wall (it doesn’t have a roof). Beverly and I stopped when we saw that flag. She hung the flag properly and I took a picture. This was our 4th of July celebration in Uganda!!
The pastor served us sodas and cookies, then the main course of peas, matooke and chicken. We ate and visited and Peter never came. When we finished eating some one called Peter and located him so he drove back. I can’t quite figure out why he would have driven far from us because we were just walking. I don’t know the whole story. Jason wanted some avocados from the tree behind the pastor’s house, so one of the men climbed the tree and picked a bag full for us. When Peter returned to pick us up all the food was gone so he only got a soda and some cookies. Two ladies got a ride with us down the mountain road to the paved road. Again my eyes feasted on the beauty of God’s creation. What an awesome day! The ride back to the hotel took almost two hours but I rested while listening to my music on my mp3 player.
We arrived back at our hotel by 5 p.m. which is the earliest we have finished in several days.
Marie had a good day and is rested now without a headache. There was some discussion about where to eat supper. Sunrise is cheaper but this hotel has a better variety. When we found out there is a buffet here tonight that is cheaper than ordering from the menu, the group decided to eat here.
I’m able to journal earlier than 10 p.m. tonight so that will enable me to go to bed earlier than the last several nights.
God is good all the time and today has been especially delightful.
