Unexpected Blessings

After the conflict in Mundri last May, most of my friends remained in Mundri once they could return to their homes. However, a few weeks after the fighting ended, I received a call from my friend, Vivian and she was not in Mundri. Vivian and I became friends because her shop in the market is close to my language helper, Mary's shop. Vivian speaks English, so I started sitting with her if Mary was ever running late and we would converse in English and speak some Moru.

When I received the call from Vivian after the conflict in May, I was confused because she called from a Uganda phone number instead of South Sudan. After talking for a while I came to learn that she had walked to Uganda to escape the conflict. It was very hard to understand her on the phone, so I'm unsure on the details of how exactly she walked to Uganda, but she told me she was at a refugee camp in Uganda and planned on staying there until the war stopped in South Sudan.

Fast forward a few months and we found ourselves in Arua, Uganda. While talking to the Moru community in Arua, they told us about two refugee camps they visit when they are able to. It immediately made me think of Vivian, so I called her and asked if she was at one of these two camps. It turned out that she was at one of these camps! She was at a camp that is located off the main road that goes from Kampala to Arua. When I found this out, I knew there had to be a way that we could visit her on our next trip to Arua.

Vivian and I in Bweale, Uganda

The very next week we had to return to Arua so Will, Justin and Shawn could fly from there to Mundri. On our bus ride from Kampala to Arua, we arranged to meet Vivian in the town where she is staying. Communication tends to be difficult in Africa and a quick, "I'll just meet you on the side of the street and it will be easy" never seems to go as planned. However, after only about an hour of having to wait in a random town along the drive, we were able to meet up with Vivian! It was so exciting to greet my friend, whom I had worried about and been praying for, in person. Isn't it amazing how God arranges meetings like this?! This is a friend I didn't expect to see again until we return to Mundri again some day and yet, she happened to be in a location where we could see her along our journey. Praise the Lord!

Please pray for Vivian and the many other South Sudanese Refugees who are currently in Refugee Camps in Uganda (and surrounding countries). I am so grateful Refugee Camps exist and know they serve a great purpose. However, they are temporary fixes and often provide for difficult living situations. Please pray that Vivian and the other refugees would have their needs provided for and trust the Lord for strength and provision each day.

Elephants off the road to Arua

Just because God is amazing, He not only provided the opportunity for us to see Vivian on the drive to Arua, but He also allowed us to see a whole herd of elephants off the side of the road! It was amazing!We have seen elephants in Africa, but only at zoos, and Elephant Orphanage and a safari. There was something about seeing them roaming freely on the side of the road that was extremely exciting. It reminded me of how creative God is and reminded me to enjoy this adventure He has placed us in.

I was really dreading the drive to Arua. It is about 8 hours and we go through a lot of construction and some bad roads. However, after seeing Vivian and spotting elephants, I arrived to Arua with a huge smile on my face and so grateful for God's provision. With not being able to go into Mundri with the men, having the opportunity to see Vivian felt like an incredible gift. It was a blessing to see a friend from Mundri in person and visit with her briefly. This journey made me grateful for this adventure God has us on. I'm grateful for the unexpected blessings He provides and constant reminders of His goodness and provision.