WE'RE EATING CAKE AND LAUGHING!

Ok, so we are finally here! And yes, I mean finally!!! We left SA on time although they did have to add more fuel before we even left because they were rerouting us around the storm in Chicago! Nothing like starting with a little confidence. Then to make it a little more interesting the air conditioning leaked on us all the way to Detroit. For those of you who have never been to Detroit it makes the SA airport look like Tinker toys. We landed in terminal A (like gate 1) and took out of gate of gate B (like 58). It took forever to get there! By the time we got to the gate it was time to immediately board and off we went to Amsterdam. This flight was over 7 hours long but it went by really quickly. I loved the little TV screen and the choice of movies we got. I watched Valentines Day which I have to say wasn't half back. And they fed us the first of many meals. The only one I ate but they kept on serving it like there was no tomorrow. And unlike the great US of A these international flights actually give you the food for free!!! And then we landed in Amsterdam and continued to walk the airport looking for the next gate. I'd like to tell you this flight went as quickly as the others but with as tired as we all were it seemed to go on forever. I thought I'd been on the plane for hours and when I looked at my watch it had been a measly 30 minutes. Our goal was to stay awake on the last leg and that almost worked. I think I slept about 1-1/2 hours the entire trip. Which actually worked well cause when we got here I was more than ready to crash.

The amazing thing was that with all all footlockers we just waltzed through customs. They didn't open one single footlocker or one single suitcase. And Phil was there ready and waiting for us. We loaded up both trucks (with all the bins on the roof) all 12 of us loaded in and off we went to a new hotel. The one that Phil (our missionary) had reserved gave our reservations away because a larger party wanted rooms. So I understand is how Uganda works... We ate dinner first, than the guys went one place and the girls to another hotel (I guess you could call it that). We had beds with sheets, mosquito nets, and a shower with warm water. What else could we ask for? We woke up to breakfast on the porch (hard boiled eggs and stuff I'd never seen before) then gathered with the guys and headed out for Iganga. What an adventure that was. If you didn't know you weren't in Africa the landscape (just the terrain) is a lot like Texas. Flat, flat and more flat. But the roadside view is very, very different! First, like in Europe they drive on the wrong side of the road, Secondly there appear to be no rules to follow, everyone drives however they want to. Today our driver passed someone who was already passing someone, so we were the second car out with a car coming right at us. There are obviously no zoning rules as it looks like people build houses (if you want to call them that) wherever they want to. Stands just appear on the side of the road, and most of the countryside appears pretty depressed. We stopped along the way to buy chicken on a stick and you would have thought we were a gazelle being charged by lions. The vendors were on us like you wouldn't believe. They were selling everything on a stick (chicken, beef, gizzards, and something that looked a lot like rats). We ventured to the chicken and it was awesome. Then we tried fried bananas. They tasted a lot like platanos for those of you from Mexico and they weren't bad, but not good enough to eat another one. And then the drive continued. So I left my house at 8:30 on Wednesday morning and arrived here at the orphanage on Friday at around 5 pm. Long travel needless to say.

The group has really bonded well which is a real blessing since we've been in cramped quarters and will continue to be for the next 14 days. They are an awesome group and we are going to do amazing things. We start early tomorrow morning and will be working non stop for the duration. Tonight we got to meet some some of the neighboring kids and they were absolutely fascinated by the camara. Everyone wanted their picture taken again and again and again. So now that I have my camera you know that I am in my element.

I had the opportunity to read all your emails and wow is all I can say. I was overwhelmed that so many of you wrote. I really enjoyed reading them on the airplane. I must say my emotions did the best of me. I will update again tomorrow. We are all doing well. Except for complete exhaustion we are all doing well and looking forward to loving on the kids tomorrow.

To my family, I love you and miss you. Sam update me on your interview. Kari good luck with your test on Monday. Cody, and Steve I love you. To everyone else I love you too. Sue