Thursday, 12 March 2015

Chaundra's First MAF flight!

What an incredible experience...  I was offered the chance to ride along with one of our pilots (Matt was on Daddy duty) to be able to understand what Matt does everyday, meet the people on the flights and on the airstrips, and I made it (barely!) back to Kajjansi without using my airsick bag!

Sunrise over the planes at Kajjansi Airfield, approximately 7am.

Early morning over the Nile river - you can see one of the airstrips we use just off the river.  The rapids were impressive, even from above.

My pilot for the day, Dave Forney.

Our day started by flying a Dutch missionary from Kampala to Moyo.  She has been making the commute every 3 weeks or so as she visits her teenage sons in boarding school in the city.  Along with her husband, they help run an orphanage in Kajo-Keji, South Sudan.  From Moyo, it's about 3 kilometres to the South Sudan border, where she will have to cross the Nile by boat before continuing on to go through immigration.  I admired her strength in being able to do the trip so often, and it was so apparent that she loved her work in South Sudan, so much so that the commute was nothing to her.  She was amazing!

Landing in Moyo, 3kms from the South Sudanese border.  You can see our Caravan's shadow over the fields :)

Unloading in Moyo, and picking up two more passengers for another destination.

The Moyo terminal and bathrooms.

From here we took off again, flying about an hour east to the Karamoja region.  We flew along the South Sudanese border, so for a while I had South Sudan on my left and Uganda on my right.  What a cool feeling!  The terrain became desolate and dry so quickly, I couldn't believe it!  This area of Uganda hasn't had a drop of rain since November.  The riverbeds were completely empty and there was hardly a speck of green to be seen.  In Karamoja, we dropped off some World Vision staff who will be working in the region for the next while and were met by some boys from the Karamoja tribe.  They had been herding their cattle but like to meet the planes to collect empty water bottles from the passengers :)

The villages in the Karomoja region almost look like alien formations from far above.  So beautiful!

The Karamojong people are a herding tribe in northern Uganda.  These boys all wear the traditional dress and carry long pointed sticks that they use to control and defend their herd, and also use them as makeshift tools for numerous other things - kind of like a Leatherman.  They love to have any extra water bottles from the aircraft.

The boys loved having their pictures taken and then laughing at themselves when they could see them after.  I'm sure they were arguing over who was the most handsome!

The World Vision truck was waiting for us at the airstrip as well.

Our welcoming committee!

The herders have started to dig down into the dry river beds to find moist soil or water for their herds.  They cover them with brush when they're done to try to keep other animals from taking advantage.  You can see a few of the makeshift wells in the picture above.

A closer view of one of the intricate villages in the region.

Last October, this river was full and the land was lush and green!  We are all praying for the rainy season to come soon.



From Karamoja, we headed even further east, to Moroto.  Moroto is about 2 kms from the Kenyan border, and the winds coming in from Kenya were intense!  I guess this is just all part of the dry season here.  The mountain behind the airstrip had a red haze around it from the blowing dust.  Here we dropped off two workers with Concern Worldwide Uganda.  These guys are helping people produce sustainable livelihoods, like proper farming and irrigation techniques, and how to sell their harvests at fair market price.  The winds created quite a few bumps on the way in here, and I think we were all pretty happy to be on solid ground for a few minutes!

The Concern Worldwide vehicles waiting for their passengers in Moroto.

The layer of dust lingering just above everything - even making it hard to breathe in the heat and wind!

Ladies in Moroto carrying jerry cans of water on their heads.

And then we were off!  Bumping our way back to Kampala, crossing over the Nile a few more times and spotting parts of Lake Victoria, turquoise and green swamps, mountains, valleys and deserts.  Uganada is such a beautiful and diverse country, and I know the people living here are as enchanting as the landscapes.  

As we were coming into Kampala (feeling pretty squeamish by this point!) Dave was willing to fly me over the kids school, Rainbow International School and our house before arriving safely back in Kajjansi.  I managed to snap a couple of pics while grasping my airsick bag!

Co-Pilot for the day.

Rainbow International School - You can see the three long buildings, parking lot, soccer field and pools.

Our house is in this picture...  from the bottom centre it is the second house in from the main road!  I wish I had a way to mark it for you.  

I've always had a respect for what the pilots do here - but it was great to see all the work that goes into one trip on one of our planes.  Not only do they keep us all safe in the air, deliver the passengers and cargo; they are in and out of the plane more times than I can count all day.  Checking fuel levels, loading bags, installing the tail stand and many, many other things, and they do it all with a word of prayer to start the day and a smile on their faces.  

Thanks Guys!  

And thanks to the endless teams that make these flights happen:  our aircraft engineers who keep our aircraft safe and reliable, we couldn't do it without you!  To our flight followers at the office here in Makindye, who volunteer their time to keep track of us and make sure we are safe.  To our ops teams who make our bookings and weigh our cargo, and many, many others here and at home who make these amazing flights possible.  






Sunday, 1 March 2015

Homesick

Uganda is breathtakingly beautiful.  Usually, after the kids go to school, I sit on my front steps and listen to the birds chirp, the palm leaves rustle in the wind, whilst the hustle of Makindye Hill goes on outside my gate.  The weather is great - neither too hot or too cold, and recently after a long dry season, we’ve had a few refreshing and rejuvenating rains.  I have banana trees in the back of the yard which yield lots of good eating.  Leftovers go into many different forms of cakes, breads and pancakes, with some still around to give away.  My husband is doing what he loves and what God has called him to do.  My children are thriving here, each one growing in leaps and bounds and understanding more Luganda everyday.  I have to admit, life is really sweet.

Our kids in the Mpigi Forest, Uganda

But today has just been one of those days…  maybe jumpstarted by a boy up and sick to his stomach all night - but all of a sudden the rustling palms sound like crumpling cardboard and the hustle outside the gate sounds like a riot, and I swear to you, if I ever see another banana again, I may just scream.  

Beam me up, Scotty!  I’m homesick.

I’m homesick for family.  For sleepovers with grandparents and coffees and ice creams with friends.  The moments in the summer where we stay up late around the fire and time stands still.  That first magical snow of winter when i want to just linger outside until my fingers are too cold to feel. 

I’m homesick for walks to the grocery store, and the bus stop and for raking leaves and sharing treats with neighbours.  Roadtrips to the rocky beach (my favourite) and tomatoes from my garden.  I’m homesick for Nana’s biscuits, with baked beans and ham and heck, even lobster.  

Friends in our treehouse in Canada

I fear the moments my kids are missing are those magical moments of childhood that we can’t get back - so I’m homesick for those, too.  

But instead of feeling sorry for myself, I will focus on the here and now, and the things that are nearest and dearest to me, Matt and my three beautiful children.  All I can say, is that You are all  I need, and I trust Your plans for us.

You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands. psalms 16:9

Before this, I have never felt such happiness and sadness, joy and frustration, independence and loneliness, adventure and fear all coming at me at once.  But I do know that never before this very moment have I felt that I am exactly where I am supposed to be…  living in the palm of God’s hand.  

Us! - Summer 2013 on my favourite beach in Saint John, NB

Charlee - Doing what she does best, inspecting babies!  Uganda, 2015

Fred - Doing what he does best. finding treasure wherever he goes!  Uganda, 2015

Theo - A little bit of mischief :)  Fredericton, NB Summer 2014