Excerpt from Uganda
As the sun began to cast a ray or two through the clouds, we were beginning a 45 minute drive to the church deep in the mountains outside of Mbarara. If there is a road in this trip, I have not found it……nor has the driver.Uganda Truck Breakdown My devotion to the weary but excited team was from Ps. 126. We desire to see the captivity of these people turned around.

Nearly 500 people would eventually come to the site for medical, dental or optical treatment.Clinic Crowd A hundred of these had to be turned away. Thirteen hours later a weary but satisfied crew would make their way back to the staging area, the home of ministry personnel. (Can you imagine housing, cleaning and cooking for 40 near-strangers for 4 days?} The labors of today would plow the ground and water the soil for a harvest among the people tomorrow as a series of evangelistic services will be taking place. We left and returned in the dark but very much aware the “the night cometh when no man will work”. We return to the same site tomorrow, leaving at 6:30 AM. Pray for this day of harvesting that our labors will not have been in vain.

An early morning start was to be for naught. After devotions (I spoke on confronting self), we were loaded and “good to go” to the same site as yesterday around 6 AM. On arrival around 7:10, our unloading process was threatened by heavy clouds coming over the mountains which surrounded us. Set up was almost complete, but it would be two hours before significant medical or preaching activities would commence. (Actually, our evangelist was able to begin earlier). A monsoon-type sweeping rain descended for the next two hours. In the departure process, the twelve-wheel truck and two buses struggled on roads that are difficult at best in fair weather. Two times it was necessary for many to push to gain a hill under the flood conditions. We were delivered.After Rain

Several pictures come to mind in reflection. A precious 4-year-old girl in a spotless white dress who crossed the pharmacy dispensing barrier during our ministry in the Kungurii mountains area came to sit in my lap. I plead guilty to making her feel welcome and my two RN coworkers were tickled at the scene. The translator eventually found it necessary to remove her in a stern manner. I had no intention of participating in such a negative exercise. This old man was totally delighted in the attention!

The sweet potato garden hills were so large that I speculated that one such would yield more than my entire garden. Bananas were truly “on every street corner and mountain side.” I have never seen so many.Mountains with Bougainvilla

I confess to being glad to be out from under mosquito nets and 2-3 no shower days. (I enjoyed a cold shower for the first time in years). The MRE’s did not make my “favorite things” list. For non-veterans that’s “meals ready to eat.” I prefer meals more ready than they were.

When reflection illuminates the results, anyone would have to say it was a very small price to pay for the end result. Over 1300 hundred patients, men, women and children were treated. Some received multiple discipline help. All received free pharmaceuticals including a round of worm medicine for each patient. (One or two were seen with worms coming out of their mouth).

Then there was the little girl who just wanted to touch this Bible teacher, pharmacist, porter etc. on his white hair (that is what he has left). Since the average life span in Uganda is 47, many of these people had NEVER seen white hair. I did not see anyone else so equipped in 12 days there. The last Sunday morning before I preached in Masaka, I was introduced correctly as the oldest person in the building. No one else came close!

Pharmacy challenges were uniquely handled. Pharmacy ChallengesSuch items as mortar/pestle and graduated cylinders were not standard equipment….no surprise. A requested medicated topical cream was prepared by crushing the necessary quantity of medication from pills in a small zip-lock bag with a coke bottle. Then it was, of course, mixed into the base. The choice for that was Vaseline petroleum jelly - no problem. For a topical lotion, the same medication was mixed in a hand lotion. Are we getting creative or not!
Worm medicine to be taken by a 19-month old was prepared by crushing the pills necessary and measuring the liquid base (water + a flavored additive) using a specimen bottle. No doubt the American Pharmaceutical Assoc. will moan, groan and contact its legal department over some techniques demonstrated but…well……who’s counting? Some of us worry very little about such when the hand of our God is good upon us and people are being brought into the Kingdom.

And finally, there was the beaming smile on Pastor Stephen’s face following the two days in the mountain area where he is involved in being God’s instrument in the founding the first local evangelical area churc