The Journey Begins

The journey to Uganda began in 1994.  I came here not knowing what I would be doing exactly, but trusting in the Lord, Jesus, completely.  I came with two suitcases and a heart that was ready for anything.  I had felt the calling to help children in Uganda from the time I was 15 years old.  I never thought I would really do it.
My first day was very memorable.  I arrived in Entebbe, Uganda at 6:30 a.m. and was met by people I did not know that were holding a sign with my name on it.  I was then taken to Kampala to the Church of Uganda (Anglican) to meet with many people and have an orientation and breakfast.  Shortly after I was taken to a bus park and put on the express bus to Mbale with another National (Harriet).  I felt a little bit scared, a little bit excited and somewhat unsure of everything, but trusting God.  It took two hours to fill up the bus before it left for Mbale (now 10:30 a.m.).  I do mean fill up, goats, chickens, all sizes of people and really packed tight!  I sat with my small suitcase on my lap and the others had been put underneath the bus in a storage area.  The road seemed good out of Kampala and there was so much to look at. 
By the time we reached Jinja, I really wanted to go to the bathroom, but the bus would not stop for bathroom breaks.  Finally the girl that was sent with me, Harriet, asked the driver to stop and let me go somewhere.  The bus pulled over to the side of the road and many people got out.  The men just went to the bathroom where they were on the side of the road and the ladies all went towards the trees and bush, so thats what I did and finally felt better.  We then began the rest of the journey. 
I asked how long and they kept saying not long.  I came to learn there is not long, we are about to reach, it is just near and finally we are here!  We turned from Iganga on a road that was dirt and not paved.  I think we were on that road forever!  We reached Mbale at 8:30 p.m. and I was very hungry and tired.  Then we boarded a small car to go to a village called Kamonkoli.  There I stayed with a family that took good care of me.  I shared a room with a bed, a bat, and two other girls (Harriet and Olive) and we talked into the night.  The bathroom was an out house and that was where I bathed as well.  That night as we fell asleep, Harriet woke up scared and I asked what is wrong and she said that there were noises outside, maybe night dancers.  I did not know what a night dancer was - i thought maybe a drunk!  It turns out they are people who worship the Devil and supposedly dance on their heads naked at night.  I laughed and thought they make up good stories!   This was the end of my first day in Uganda.