Once home from my mom’s in San Diego on Wednesday, June 26, we had 36 hours before flying to St Louis to perform Meegan Williams and Ezra Talbert’s wedding. Unfortunately, this brief two-day trip was marked by “if it could go wrong, it did” in terms of air travel, and what should’ve been a easy 5-hour trip (Boston–Newark–St Louis) turned out to be a nightmare of delayed flights, a closed airport due to an emergency landing, canceled flights, and eventually, long after we had missed the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, we caught a flight into Chicago and ended up driving to St Louis at midnight, arriving at 4 am Sunday to make SURE we would be at the 11 am wedding. And did I mention that our luggage never did arrive—until two days after returning home? Fortunately we had a suit bag with us, so Paul’s suit and my dress were in hand, but we were at Target at 8 am Sunday buying dress shoes for the pastor to wear with his suit. Thankfully he was not relegated to wearing his flips!!
But made it we did and we were beyond thankful for the evidence of God’s grace in that near miraculous conclusion!! It was such an honor to celebrate with the Williams family Meegan’s wedding. Grant and Emily started the couples’ study for the New England Patriots back in1999 and asked us to lead it then and the “rest is history.” We became spiritual parents and grandparents for them and have watched Meegan—since she was 2—as she has grown into a beautiful woman with a heart for the Lord. She and Ezra met at Liberty University where both were collegiate athletes (Meegan is 6’ and a volleyball player, and Ezra is 6’8” and plays basketball) and they never looked back. Their wedding was a joyful celebration of God’s faithfulness to two families who are devoted to Him. These are life-changing moments for Meegan and Ezra as they covenant to love one another for the rest of their days, and for their families, who are now bonded for life through the vows of these two. We loved being there and all the angst of getting there was washed away the minute we were together with them.
The precious Williams family
Though a bit warm outside, the wedding was gorgeous and the pastor did a wonderful job. :)
The very happy couple
Sadly, the trip home was also quite complicated due to storms in Chicago, but we did arrive at 2:30 am Monday (still with no luggage) and we just felt very grateful that in 16 years of constant air travel, we’ve had very few such experiences.
We filled the next three days with counseling, meeting up with people, working on family camp plans (our two weeks at Ojai Forest Home begin July 28), and packing for Uganda, and on July 4, we were off. After spending forty Fourth of July’s at Campus by the Sea, we’ve spent the last three abroad: Israel in 2017, Viet Nam in 2018, and somewhere between America and Uganda this year! Except for red, white, and blue M&M’s in the United Lounge in Newark, we missed the celebrations. Maybe next year we’ll plan to be on American soil for this big day!
The nature of this Ugandan trip was slightly different than all of our other trips, as it was “light” on ministry events and heavy on people interactions specific to the CURE Hospital. For several years we have dreamed with Bill and Christi Bachman and their sons, Andrew and Nathan, of going to Uganda together to “introduce" them to the hospital. Finally our schedules aligned with Derek’s (our son-in-law who was the Executive Director of that hospital for 8 years and continues to work with CURE stateside—and the one who would lead the trip). Also able to make the trip were Hannah Wight (whom we had met at the last CURE President’s Weekend) and her son Harris, so we had a “team” of nine on this hospital mission.
Excitement was very high as we gathered the night of July 5th (Friday) in Entebbe after flying in from Georgia (the Wights), California (the Bachmans), Michigan (Derek), and Massachusetts (us!). After a “good” night of sleep, we made the trek to Mbale, stopping only briefly in Jinja for a quick bite to eat…but the almost-9-hour trip was . . . long. Traffic, poor road conditions, and crazy drivers add hours to what should be a much shorter trip. Even still, everyone “rolled” with it and lively conversation helped the time pass more quickly. We were all very happy to arrive at the Mt Elgon Hotel as night was falling (7 pm).
Dinner party at the Mt Elgon Hotel soon after arriving in Mbale with Robbie Keen, director of the NGO JENGA and one of Derek’s best friends. We were all very happy to have arrived safely.
We worshiped with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Pearl Haven Christian Center Sunday morning and it was great to be there. They were wrapping up a month long “Global Awareness” focus so we didn’t get to hear preaching from Wilberforce Okumu, the senior pastor we love so much, but it was good to worship and fellowship with our African family. Quite a few of the CURE surgeons and staff “pray” at Pearl Haven and we were delighted to reconnect with them.
The new sanctuary for Pearl Haven is facilitating growth in this kingdom-minded, gospel-driven church.
A rainy afternoon was actually very welcomed as it gave us all “permission” to nap before heading to Dr Emmanuel (Emma) and Florence Wegoye’s home for a typical Ugandan feast. Because Emma and Florence had been at the CURE President’s Weekend this past March, it was a sweet reunion for all of us who had shared that weekend with them. They have become “chosen family” and we are so very thankful to have them in our lives.
The top photo was taken at Dr. Emma and Florence’s home, where we were feted with a fabulous typical Ugandan feast. The bottom photo was taken of our CURE family at Pearl Haven Sunday a.m. after church. How we love these folks!
The three young men on our team, Andrew, Nathan, and Harris, were stellar! Emma and Florence’s kids were treated to energetic outdoor games with these guys, and we’re still not sure who had more fun.
Monday morning arrived and off we went to the hospital, arriving in time for staff chapel. We were immediately drawn in to the sincere and robust worship being led by a group from Livingstone International University and there was no mistaking we weren’t in our home churches!! Derek introduced our team to the staff, who warmly welcomed us, and then we were off to tour the hospital.
It’s so hard to adequately describe an experience as such, because it is such a mix of facilities, people, interactions, tangibles, and intangibles, but on any level, this hospital is a place of great hope and healing, physically and spiritually. The six on our team who were experiencing the hospital for the first time were drop-jawed as they toured the grounds and the wards, and as they interacted with the staff and the patients. This place is a sanctuary of sorts; a place set apart in the midst of a very impoverished area, with doors open to those in need, who find “Jesus with flesh on” in the surgeons who heal physically, in the spiritual care team who heal spiritually, in the social workers who work with the whole family, in the grounds keepers who maintain the sanctuary-esque beauty of the hospital grounds, in the nurses and doctors who support the work of the surgeons, in the cleaners who maintain safe and sterile environment, in the cooks who nourish the mamas and the staff, in the office staff who keep the operation running, etc.
It is impossible to miss the purposes and presence of God in this place and in these people.
After touring the outpatient department, the social work offices, the laboratories, the ICU, the kitchen, and the physiological-therapy clinic, we spent the balance of the morning in the Ward visiting the mamas and babies. The hospital cares for a wide range of children with neurological issues, with the majority of cases being spina bifida and hydrocephalus. The severity of these cases is also across the spectrum from less severe to very advanced. Regardless of where on the spectrum the disability falls, a common thread is that each of the mamas who makes her way to the hospital is very courageous and brave as she has already endured tribal rejection and shame for bearing a “cursed” child and each one is readily embraced here with the love of God. The contrast of experience is lost on no one
It was very humbling to pray with these precious women and very joyful to reinforce the hope that accompanies them coming to the CURE Hospital.
After chapel and before the tour, we gathered for a quick photo of our team with CURE employees.
With very rudimentary kitchen equipment, these cooks turn out three meals a day at the hospital. Here the “chapatis” are being made for the lunch meal and to say we were impressed is an understatement.
We visited with patients waiting in the Outpatient Department, which is the first “stop” when arriving at the hospital.
This little guy—who had been previously treated here for hydrocephalus—was back for a check-up, and he captured all of our hearts with his very winsome smile and outgoing personality.
Nathan and Harris “fist bumped” with him, each time eliciting smiles and laughter all around.
Hannah Wight and Pastor Sam Macho spend time with this sweet mama, talking with her and then praying over the baby.
In the ICU, we observed the very professional, highly skilled doctors and nurses following up on patients who had just come out of surgery.
And finally we reached the ward, where we moved from bed to bed, talking and praying with the mamas. Thirteen-month-old Innocent was admitted Tuesday morning and would have surgery the next day. Though obviously his hydrocephalus is well advanced, there is much hope that his destiny will be changed through surgery.
We were all so touched by the many smiles we exchanged with both babies and mamas. This little cutie seemed unfazed by the seriousness of her condition and was happy to have our attention.
When we were in Uganda this past April, we spent time with this beautiful Ugandan woman named Rebecca, who poured out her heart to us about the difficulty of her life. A long time employee of CURE, she was widowed about a year ago, leaving her a single mother with four young children (the oldest was 6 years old), and a month after she lost her husband, she lost her father, with whom she had been very close and who was very supportive of her. Sadly, her in-laws had abandoned her after losing their son, so she felt very alone, and had many financial challenges for which she saw no solution. Our hearts were moved by her story and after we returned to the states, we continued praying about how to respond to her need. We shared her story with some friends who had asked specifically about our time in Uganda and they felt led to make a contribution to HIM on her behalf, with the request that we facilitate the transaction on our next trip. Though we didn’t tell Rebecca how much was given, we assured her that for the foreseeable future, there would be enough money for her children’s school fees and for her currently unmet living expenses. We turned the money over to a local NGO which will disburse it as needed.
Again there are no words to describe what it meant to see her response to us as we related to her that some people she didn’t know, nor would likely ever meet, had sent money to her to help diminish her current financial burdens. But you can read into her beautiful smile, which followed her tears, that she truly felt the love of Jesus in a very practical and real way.
Sharing with Rebecca this good news of some financial relief for her was one of the highlights of this trip.
Pastor Fred, in charge of the spiritual care team at the hospital, asked us to do chapel for the mamas in the afternoon, and Paul was happy to oblige. They were hungry for encouragement and hope, and that we gave them through the promises of scripture.
Chapel for the mamas, held every afternoon at 3, began with lively worship, which set the stage for Paul’s devotional.
Paul encouraged the mamas at chapel with hope from the Word of God.
Eight hours after arriving, we left the hospital to return to the hotel, and we were all digesting what we had seen and experienced throughout the day. Our heads and hearts were swirling with questions, sadness, burden, and “what can we do” mixed in with hope and joy for the mamas and babies who were being cared for, as well as utter respect and honor for those serving at the hospital. We’ll all be sorting it out for a long time to come.
We rounded out the day by having Pastor Wilberforce and Sarah Okumu and Mackay and Doreen Mwebingwa (Mackay is our driver and has become a dear friend) join our team for dinner. Great conversations happened around the table and we were inspired to hear Wilberforce’s testimony of coming to Christ and being called to ministry.
Our dinner gathering Monday night with the Okumus and the Mwebingwas was lovely.
We went back to the hospital first thing Tuesday morning where we did “more of the same.” All of our team observed a surgery, either inside the OR or through the observation room, and we were so impressed by the highest level of professionally and skill of the OR personnel, as well as the many reminders that they are doing their work “as unto the Lord.” Prayer is offered before each surgery and worship music is softly piped in to the OR during the surgeries. The two-fold mission statement of CURE is “Healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God” and is fully lived out in this place.
Hannah and Harris Wight, along with Winnie (spiritual care team), pray with Sevia and her baby, Shem, who is recovering from the removal of a tumor in his head.
Sevia’s bright smile and love for worship was an encouragement to all.
This sweet mama was up most of the night with a seizing baby, reading her Bible, and praying for a miraculous cessation of the seizures so little Mercy could have surgery that day. PTL—the seizures stopped and the surgery went on.
Hannah and Harris observed an “ETV” surgery in the OR . . .
. . . while Paul and I watched it from the observation room. I feared being a distraction by possibly fainting.
That afternoon, we went on a “field trip” to do a follow-up visit with Engeny, who had been operated on for spina bifida at the CURE Hospital six years earlier when he was 4 days old. Most spina bifida cases leave the child paralyzed from below the place of the at-birth opening of the spine. In an “unusual” progression, each year this little guy has had increased mobility, from none (he used a hand-pedaled bicycle to get around for his toddler years) to crutches, to now, when he walks unassisted. We all believe he has experienced healing from the generous hand of God, and his Muslim mother believes that as well. Every six months, a team from CURE visits them, bringing groceries and reminding the family of their ongoing care and concern. This mama is convinced that Jesus is in this, but is very private about it, knowing her husband and the rest of her village would not be pleased. We were all so uplifted by the visit. It’s one thing to be at the hospital and visit with children fresh out of surgery, and quite another to see a child six years later whose life has truly been changed both physically and spiritually.
As we were visiting with the mama and little Engeny, Paul had been lured outside by curious little village children who were wide-eyed seeing this band of “Muzungus” arrive. Around 20 children had gathered around him so he took the opportunity to teach these non-English speaking African children “If you’re happy and you know it…” and “The Butterfly Song” which they happily performed for us when we finished our indoor meeting. He looked like the Pied Piper and I mused….you can take family camp from the man, but you can’t take it out of the man.
Our team with Engeny and his mama and sister, Peace, and with Simon Peter, who serves on the CURE spiritual care team.
Peaking from inside the house, through the window opening, I saw Paul singing with the children of the village.
The children LOVED singing “The Butterfly Song” for us!
Bill Bachman entertains the children by taking a selfie with them.
Though we didn’t get to connect with everyone in our brief visit to Mbale, we were thrilled to catch up with John and Farouk, who live on the property Derek and Julie used to occupy. John is the guard/grounds keeper and Farouk, his son, helps him out. Farouk—who was our grandson Nathan’s best friend from birth to age 2—and John are faithful, hard working, gentle men. We all love them so much. It was great to see them.
John and Farouk are some of our Mbale favorites.
That evening, we had the privilege of dining with some really great folks who serve with CURE. Dr. Peter Ssenyonga, the Medical Director and chief pediatric neurosurgeon here, shared his testimony of wanting to be a truck driver when he was 6 yrs old, and his eventual journey to becoming a leading pediatric neurosurgeon. He is an uncommonly humble man for one of such great accomplishment, skill, and devotion, and it was abundantly clear that his driving passion is serving these children because of his love for Jesus. We heard Dr. Justin Onen’s testimony, which sounded quite similar (except the truck driver part), as well as his wife Joan’s journey into pediatric medicine as a pediatrician in private practice. Her brother’s death at age 4 when Joan was age 6 profoundly influenced her decision to become a doctor and her love for the Lord and using her gifts and passions for His purposes set her trajectory. Charles Howard, who served as the first Executive Director of CURE Uganda (2001–2007) and who now serves as Operations Director of CURE Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida, also shared his story, which started in Swaziland where he was born into a missionary family. Also at the table was Dr. Frank, a pediatric neurosurgeon from Ghana, who is spending several months at the CURE hospital being trained in the ETV/CPC treatment for hydrocephalus. This treatment was developed at this hospital by Dr. Ben Warf (the founding pediatric neurosurgeon of this hospital) and Dr. John Mugamba, and leaves the child with "hydro" non-shunt dependent. Doctors from around the world are trained here. We were all deeply moved to hear how God had directed the paths of each of these highly gifted, unusually skilled people to bring them together at this world-changing hospital. Such a great night!!
Dinner at the Mt Elgon with (far left) Dr. Peter Sseyonga, Charles Howard, Dr. Frank, Dr. Justin, and Joan Onen.
Our final morning at the hospital started with chapel, and Paul and I were honored to bring a word of hope and encouragement to this hard-working staff. How we love them! It was a sweet time of fellowship and we were so grateful for the opportunity. Then to the ward for a final visit. Christi Bachman had brought a bag of suckers (along with a myriad of other treasures) to bless these dear people—and the smiles on the faces and the enthusiastic consuming of this unusual sweet affirmed her wise choice. The mamas especially loved them!! We tearfully prayed with and hugged good-bye our friends and then hit the road for Murchicson Falls for safari.
Though the visit was short, in just over 48 hours we all felt we were leaving “different.” Each of us were impacted in “unique-to-me” ways, but we were all impacted, we trust, in life-changing ways. The processing and sorting out will go on for a long time for sure, and God will use this experience for each of us differently, but we know He will use it for His purposes and for His glory.
This young man knew exactly what to do with his sucker!
Our send-off from one of the best places on earth. You see in this photo Simon Peter (far left), who serves on the spiritual care team; Rachel, who is the head cook and has served here for 10 years; Dr Emma, the newest pediatric neurosurgeon to join the team (but who began at CURE Uganda over 10 years ago and did his neurosurgical training in So Africa for CURE); Bernard, who serves on the grounds crew and has for almost 20 years; and Winnie, who also serves on the spiritual care team. Every one of them does their part to make this a place of peace, where the love of God is found.
Off to Murchison Falls we drove, home to one of the two major game reserves in Uganda. Over bumpy roads (though much improved since our last safari, 4.5 years ago) and through many “trading centers” we drove, arriving almost 9 hours after we left. During the final hour of travel we were on the reserve, so we were served a few “appetizers” of animal sightings at a distance as we drove to our hotel.
There are no shortage of baboons here and I could watch them ALL day. They feed my lifelong love for all primates.
Up bright and early Thursday morning, the 11th, we feasted on a full spread of the incredible majesty of God’s creation as seen in nature. Herds of the Uganda kob, waterbuck, warthogs, Cape buffalo, hartebeest, etc., were easily seen, along with elephants, giraffes, baboons, and monkeys, but we were also gifted to see a leopard lounging in a tree and 5 lions sleeping in another tree. I’m not “lyin’”… both of these were very rare sightings. Add to that the crocodiles and hippos we saw on the Nile cruise, and dozens of beautiful birds and fowl, including fish eagles, numerous species of herons, the Ugandan crane, and many guinea fowl, and we were mesmerized. The “awe” moments were unending and gratitude for the creativity of God was overflowing. We’ll have these images in our minds and hearts forever (with the help of a few thousand photos taken between us).
Baboons affirm family solidarity in so many ways.
The elephants . . . spectacular. We saw them, heard them, smelled them, and also could’ve watched them all day.
We especially loved watching the birds “hitchhike” on the back on the elephants.
This photo doesn’t begin to capture the delight in our hearts as we experienced this incredible day on the savannah.
Lions!
A leopard! Derek said it was the first time he’d seen one on a safari.
We saw an amazing number of these graceful, beautiful giraffes inhabiting the savannah and no matter how many we saw, we were captivated by them.
Here we are standing at the top of Murchison Falls, where the longest river in the world comes to a narrow passage, where hundreds of thousands of gallons of raging waters thunderously cascade through. Quite a remarkable phenomenon and we were all so glad we got to see it.
Later that day we went on the Nile Cruise and enjoyed sighting crocodiles, hippos, fish eagles, kingfisher birds diving for fish, herons of all sorts, and the Nile below the falls. Absolutely delightful!
Just a bunch of hippos hanging out.
Our final photo in Murchison: our “family,” forever bonded by these amazing days together.
Our farewell committee was a group of vervet monkeys, well outside the park, who gave us one last photo op.
These guys were incredible during the entire week, but especially on safari, as they took the back seat of the vehicle . . . which took the most bumps. Great spirits, no complaints, fully engaged. Very hope-giving.
Our really last photo of our team along with Mackay and Julius, who safely and carefully transported us for 4 days through the wilds of Africa. We were all so grateful for them.
I’m writing as we fly home, redeeming the almost 30-hour trip back to Boston, but even more trying to capture thoughts and reflections while they’re fresh. I’m finding that a bit overwhelming as there are SO many yet unprocessed and I’m guessing it will be awhile before the most important take-aways settle in to their rightful place in my heart, mind, and life.
For now, I’m content with knowing that what we saw, felt, smelled, thought, and experienced has made each of us different. We shared around our “last supper” table Saturday night before we dispersed some of our reflections, and the distillation of what we all were taking away is that life is relationships. It’s human touch and smiles. It’s caring for one another. It’s recognizing and affirming the dignity of each human, of each “image bearer of God” and being Christlike as we interact with one another. It’s identifying the counterfeits which capture our imaginations and seduce us in to believing that material goods will satisfy our souls, the pursuit of which often costs us the relationships we claim to value. It’s seeing unmitigated joy on the faces of ones who live with so little, and who, by North American standards, live with such deprivation, and yet who often exude joy and contentment elusive to many who have more than “enough.”
We left being made aware that often our sense of “enough” is quantified by the tangibles in our lives. Our African family affirmed that their “enough” is genuinely found in Jesus.
Life changing.