Lubwisi New Testament Celebration Journey: An Interlude (part 6)

In between the rich intensity of Bundibugyo and the peaceful reminder of old friendships at Kingfisher, we Myhres spent a day (and two nights) at our old favorite campsite 2 in Queen Elizabeth National Park.  This trip (like the rest of our life actually) always contains a tension of serving our team as Area Directors and acknowledging that for us and our kids it is a sort of homecoming and part of the core of our life.  And that the 12 days this journey will take is also 12 days we have with Jack and Julia and some of them with Acacia, no small thing.  And we knew that the spiritual and emotional intensity of being in Bundibugyo followed by the pouring out which will occur in the Kule Leadership Retreat tonight and tomorrow in Fort Portal necessitated an intake of breath in the middle.

So we pushed on out of Bundibugyo Sunday evening, barely in time to arrive at the park as dusk deepened to full darkness.  We set up tents by the light of a blazing fire and spent some time in thankfulness and reflection over the past week.  As sprinkles began to fall we scurried into our tents for a night of crashing rainstorms, cozy and mostly dry.  The next day and following morning were classic camping-trip joy.  Riding on the roof rack , the wind of our motion refreshing in the dawn and dusk light, scanning for animals.  Nervously watching elephants tussle with each other and rip branches from trees as a massive herd flowed around the landrover.  Cutting up the fresh avocados we bought on the roadside and cooking flat bread on a stone heated in the fire for an afternoon snack.  Spreading out blankets and reading in the shade at our campsite.  Listening to hippos snort in the night, then catching one waddling through the bush in the early morning.  Seeing Jack, Julia, and Acacia relax into the familiarity of being together, giggles and stories and back-scratches and teases abounding.  Setting up our segeli to make coffee and eggs and bacon in the middle of nowhere on a game drive.  Feeling sorry for two male lions surrounded by three tourist vehicles; they looked bored and barely raised their heads as the shutters clicked (it was almost the only time we saw another soul).  Breathing in the quiet of being immersed in creation.

I always remember Job when we camp in the bush—all the answer God gave to the why of his suffering was to point out the wonder of creation.  God is god and we are not, and that’s a good thing to remember in the middle of this journey.