The Ride..

I was sitting at the ABC guest house waiting on my ride to Yekepa feeling refreshed and ready to go.  I knew the drive would be long and I just wanting to be there and have it behind me.  Yaelu, the driver, had said the roads are in better condition than the past few months.  “Better” is a relative term for this drive.  Yaelu had spent the morning getting the brakes fixed in the truck and it was now approaching noon.  Obviously, I was pleased he was fixing the brakes, but I also knew the probability of leaving at that time would have us driving in the dark.

The roads were not the worst they have been, but the worst I had experienced.  In spots there was mud piled along side the road in the same manner you would see snow higher than the windows of the car after a snowstorm.  Potholes that could swallow cars.  I literally saw a full fuel tanker get swallowed by a pothole bounce into the air with light between rear tires and ground (reminded it was FULL) and proceed to have the rear end ripped out (at this point I was very happy we had new brakes).  

Ten and a half hours later, 2 flat tires and 4 hours driving in pitch black night, we arrived safely at ABCU!  Pulling into Yekepa, I could not see anything past the headlights of the truck, but I felt like I was arriving at my second home.  Even though I could not see through the darkness my surroundings felt familiar, and I was at peace knowing we had arrived safely.  Thank you God.

I went to chapel this morning and was greeted by many of the students and faculty.  Its always fun to return after being away and catch up with all those here.  Fortunately I was able to meet with my entrepreneurial students in person for class.  A welcome session after so many online interactions this semester.

Power and Internet are the big issues plaguing the campus.  Fortunately I brought some tools to help improve the internet quality.  The power I can’t do much about.  We are limited to about 12 hours per day of power and it really limits what can be done in an electronic world.  Praying there are options in the near future to get off the generators and onto the grid the mining company is building for the community.

As I write this I am sitting in the living room of the house where I am staying.  I have the lights out to try and reduce the number of bugs.  Up on the ceiling are fire flys and if I imagine its almost as if the stars are twinkling in the sky.  My kids would love it.

Already missing my family.  The girls had a gymkhana Sunday, Peyton took 4th and Reese took 1st.  They both amaze me and I love watching them ride and their passion for horses.