at the source of the nile - three weeks in Uganda

Here is what I will remember:

In the north:

generous spirits of welcome and friendship;

a different rhythm of life

(early energy in the morning,

days full of walking, talking, eating, feeling, exploring, thinking, being…

and then satisfied sleep);

seeing-smelling-feeling the warmth of sunshine, the freshness of a hard rain, the growing of termite mounds and fragrance of flowers.

Oh, the connections with land, heart, community.

On the road to Kampala:

a bumpy bus ride with amiable companions, holding a sleeping child,

swaying to pot-holes and upbeat music;

the gift of a young mother’s openness, sharing hopes and fears about the future, smart strategies for protection and a glimpse into the suffering of her family;

the market visiting us through the high windows at every stop

(chickens joining the company, roasted cassava, salty groundnuts, street meat and cola filling bellies).

Oh the warmth of travellers on a shared journey.

In the heart of the city:

faster rhythms of the market (filled with fresh fruit, fabric and fish);

the cacophony of matatus, boda bodas and people honking, swerving, bustling;

a call to prayer from Gaddafi Mosque,

the jubilation of choir girls as they prepared for Easter Sunday;

connections with a dear couple whose love for each other and humanity radiates peace and integrity.

Oh the beauty of journeys overlapping and beckoning.

Three weeks feels both short and long for this journey,

for exposure to such intense beauty and pain.

I leave this rich red earth with much love and gratitude in my heart, and a prayer for healing across this land.