So back to the story; once seated on the public bus we
were pushed into our seats like mashed potatoes. Mary’s face was squished up
against the window. I was in the middle seat “smashed” between Mary and the
young mother with her baby and little toddler.
Now I would get a firsthand insight into the frugality
and resourcefulness of this ingenious young mother. After we “set sail” on our
five hour journey west. Her English was quite good so I started to make
conversation. Having a package of peanut M&M‘s I stared to share the candy with
my new travel companions. The candy was a huge hit. The mother would carefully
give her son one M&M and store the rest away for another time.
Back home in Gaithersburg, MD the candy would have
been consumed in four mouths fulls. Lessons learned. Another Paradigm Shift.
Our bus trip was from Kampala to Mbarara. Mbarara is the next big city to the west
before you take a sharp 90 degree turn north into the Imbanda district and then
onward to the village of Kiburara.
Pastor Moses met us at the bus terminal (think of an
open air market, dust everywhere and the intense Equator sun almost blinding
you). It was reassuring to see Moses face. He was all business, loading our
things into the small four door late model Toyota pickup. We were on a schedule
and needed to get some lunch, do a little shopping before our three hour drive
north.
Lunch was relaxed and we had a chance to catch up.
How were our families? What news was there from the village? Was there any new
information since Mary’s visit 18 months ago? Mary had been in April 2013 with the small SMI
Team, but my last trip was January 2012 (two years).
We each had stories of God’s goodness and
protection, exciting news of newly arrived grandchildren and challenges each
was struggling to overcome.
