Into The Mountains...

In the great winding Rwenzori mountains of Uganda near the boarder of Congo we set out to reach two remote groups of Jehovah's Witnesses. Along the 6 hour arduous journey from our home in Mbarara, we caught site of some of the captivating wonders of creation. We climbed up and dipped down the nearly untouched mountains like a roller-coaster. From our view few sites are as beautiful, especially when you come from the flat US state of Florida.

Rwenzori Mountains- towering almost 17,000 feet into the sky.

The first group met in a modest school house in a district called Bundibugyo. Small children peeked through the wooden beams and makeshift windows studying our mysterious white faces. After some persistent hand-calling they shyly shuffled in to hear Steven deliver the talk.  

The second group in Bugado gathered together in a simple mud Kingdom Hall. By this time the sun grew strong and our bodies grew weary. Sleep was tempting, just to close our eyes a few minutes... However the effort to keep ourselves upright on the rickety wooden benches was enough to keep us from dozing off.

These kind friends warmly welcomed us with love and appreciation. We went there to encourage them, but we came away feeling so encouraged ourselves. The effort, expense, and sometimes risks they take to show their love for God remind us of the important words of Jesus at Matthew 19:26 "with God all things are possible".

Well, our trip into these jungle like mountains was one of the most exhausting days we've had. We left feeling totally beat and sapped of all physical, emotional, and mental energy.  When almost everything around you is unfamiliar your brain is in overdrive just trying to process it all. But the feeling that follows (at least the next day when we've somewhat recovered) it's euphoric! That kind of joy stays with you forever. Needless to say this adventure goes down in history as one we won't forget. Everyday in Uganda is like on the job training. We're learning precious lessons and gaining lasting memories. We know we can't do this forever, but until it's over we're grateful for each moment.