This would be the genesis of a desire to go back to Africa

I need to thank Catherine Hoover for the excellent post she made from her teams experiences in the spring of 2013 for the SMI trip. She was very generous letting me copy her post here to my blog. I think it is important to see the connections, to connect the dots as it were, of the relationships that have developed here in the states as well as those special friendships that have been forged with our dead friends in Kiburara western Uganda.

Because Mary was a part of that team it was our first experience as a couple being separated by eight thousand miles on an international trip. It was also unusual in that Mary was "invited" with only about two weeks notice. Not enough time to get nervous or have second thoughts.

The most nerve racking part of that trip for me was the limited communications, especially during the Boston Marathon bombing. We had several close running buddies in the race that day, and I wanted her to know they were all accounted for and that they were safe.

Mary's 2013 trip was also significant in several other ways. First, this was an unexpected windfall, because we were not able to go with the team in January like we had in previous years. Secondly, she would be a part of a small 3-4 team. Past trips to Uganda were always with 15-25 muzungu, all different ages and nationalities. Being a smaller more agile, and mobile group they were able to go deep into the capitol, go shopping in the market and meet the locals one-to-one. We didn't know it at the time but this would be the genesis of a desire to go back to Africa, just the two of us.