In Adjumani in one piece!

So we arrived in Adjumani. Finally. Thanks for your prayers.

Basically this is what happened. We made great time all the way through Gulu, and arrived at our first stuck lorry at around 2pm. Our bus was nominated to pull the lorry out of that first pit, but snapped the first industrial strength chain. When we got that lorry free and took off, I thought “Well that wasn’t so bad. I don’t what the fuss was all about!” Then at 2:30pm we pulled up behind another bus stopped behind a lorry stopped behind an army truck stopped behind thirty-nine other vehicles. One of the men got off the bus saying, “Well, everyone pick their spot. Looks like we’re sleeping in the bush tonight!” Jeremy, Lexie, and I played hearts under a tree that smelled like urine while Edwin started making phone calls for an alternate vehicle. Eventually, around five hours later, after several moments of false hope where the original vehicle would get free only to be replaced by the second or third vehicle following, our rescue vehicle arrived. The bus driver assured us that our luggage would be left for us at the Adjumani office when the bus got free, and we climbed into the back of the truck for our two hour ride to Adjumani. At first it was kind of nice. It was a nearly full moon, with loads of fireflies out and frogs singing, and not too cold. Then, about one hour in, the cold started seeping into my bones, the spare tire that Lexie was sitting on started to cut off the circulation to her legs, and Jeremy had been thrown into the side rail of the truck so many times that he had given up trying to stop it. We pulled into Amazing Grace Orphanage at about quarter to nine, and were greeted enthusiastically by the staff and children who had been praying for us since they heard we were stuck. We slept long and hard that night in whatever we were wearing on the bus and Edwin went to retrieve our bags before we got out of bed, so we barely even missed them.

Yesterday we spent hanging out around the orphanage, making ourselves at home, and last night the children welcomed us with songs and introductions and formal greetings from the staff. We introduced ourselves, and distributed the gifts that had been sent by friends in the States. The girls each received a set of underclothing with their names embroidered on the slips, an article of clothing, and either a package from their sponsor or another gift. The boys each received a pair of boxer shorts with their names embroidered on the leg, an article of clothing, a model kit, and a few also received a gift from his sponsor. The secondary school kids each got a calculator, just in time for them to start exams on Monday. Oh, and there was the always-welcome candy donated by Mama Lyla.

Thank you to the sponsors, the Main family particularly for donating the art supplies and model kits, Mike and Jeannie Ross for the calculators, the Berean team for the under clothing, and the youth group in Spokane, Washington that collected the clothing!