Getting There...

I am typing this from my new home in Kampala, Uganda. *cheesy smile*

Getting here was not easy, but God knows what He is doing. I have seen His sovereign hand at work through the last two days.

Thursday morning, my family brought me to New Orleans to catch my first flight to Miami. Due to bad weather, that flight was delayed, and all flights out of Miami were delayed. Again, God knows what He is doing. The attendant at the check-in desk quickly had me on a different flight to Dallas, then on to London, still in plenty of time to make my connecting flight to Entebbe.

I had to say goodbye to my family... :(

In London, I had enough time between flights to go out and do a bit of sight seeing.

Border Patrol in London was no big deal, and everyone was very helpful. I came to the conclusion, however, that no matter how pretty London may be in some spots, it's far to gloomy in the rest of it for me to ever want to live there. 

My final flight was from London to Entebbe. We boarded the plane right on time, and I quickly made friends with several people that were going to Uganda or on to other parts of Africa for missions work as well. Suddenly, the captain announced on the intercom that we had a hydraulic leak in our engine, and the crew was doing the best to find the one tool that could fix it. I just laughed. The stewardesses came down the aisle offering drinks to those who wanted them. I ordered Sprite, and the boy beside me (his name is Brenn, and he's from Wales) ordered Coke and a Jack Daniels, and then he MIXED them TOGETHER. You can imagine my horror. That's disgusting, and I told him so. He just laughed. Quickly we were talking about my stands on liquor, smoking, etc. Then he asked, "So. You're probably the type that goes to church every week." I laughed and said yes. He nodded, and then said, "I've never been to church." I was sorta shocked, which I know I shouldn't have been; but I asked, "So, do you know what church is?" 

He replied, "Well, yeah. It's about God." 

"But do you know God's story?" I asked.

He shook his head no, and then he asked me to tell him. So I did. And for the next hour, I got to tell the gospel to someone who had never heard it. He asked several questions, even challenged me on a few points, but in the end he said, "I think you might be right." I told him, "I dare you to open a Bible, or even just to ask God to reveal Himself to you. He will. But I'll warn you, it will change your life."

He grinned and said, "Okay. I'll do it."

As the plane finally took off and the lights turned down so everyone could rest, I prayed, "God, the plans you have for me are so much bigger than I think. All this time I thought I was only moving to Uganda for You to use me there; but maybe You allowed a hydraulic leak in the plane's engine so that this boy could hear the good news for the first time." 

I still get goose bumps thinking about it.

We arrived safely in Entebbe, Uganda, two and a half hours later than scheduled. All the same, as I pushed my two buggies of luggage to the arrivals room (that was an adventure itself), I saw a Watoto sign with my name on it. Fred came and met me and helped me push the buggies of luggage out to a van that was waiting for us.

Market on the drive to Kampala

We went straight to the guesthouse, where we unloaded my luggage. One of the girls that worked there offered to make me lunch, and I said yes. However, during the thirty minutes or so that it took to make it, everything suddenly hit me at once: leaving home, exhaustion, frustration of not being able to talk to my family, plus the sudden heat and lack of air conditioning. I got very sick that afternoon, and was very emotional when I got to talk to my dad later. 

Emotional days happen. And then they are over, thank God. :)

Today, I woke up feeling rested. I could keep down my breakfast, and then Fred took me to buy a Ugandan phone, an internet modem, and groceries (all of which were little adventures- they call soda "fizzies"). Then I got moved into my new home, where I live with six other ladies of all ages and nationalities. I got moved and settled, then I went to church with Lisa (from California), Joanna (from Sweden), Jacqueline (from Canada), Lilly (from Virginia), and Amy (from Australia). And what a powerful service it was! Four or five worship songs and then a message about...

God's assignment for you. It was like God sat me down and affirmed me that yes, I am supposed to be here. Yes, He is with me. Yes, it is difficult and will be really difficult at times. But yes, He sustains me. 

I am so thankful to everyone for your prayers. Continue to lift up Brenn, that He would have a personal relationship with Jesus! 

Love you all! <3 Robin

P.S. I definitely have more pictures, I just haven't uploaded them yet. They're coming! :)