Reunions

This is going to be a big week for me in Uganda.  I have been purposefully keeping an internet lid on the biggest part of my substantive work; I hope I can lift that lid this week.  I am meeting with the judges in the Criminal Division of the High Court on Tuesday as they are considering the proposal that my colleague (and former student, Shane Michael) and I have pitched to them.  I hope to be able provide the full details by the end of the week.  I would be grateful for your prayers on this.  If the proposal is granted, it would mean a bit of a paradigm shift in the juvenile justice process here in Uganda, and much for the better.

Henry’s first week of school came to an end this week and things are continuing to go very well.  In fact, I drove out to see him for a few minutes today to deliver some additional clothes he learned he needs and some additional school supplies.  Not only was it a good week for Henry, but it was a good week for his school – the final S6 national exam results (the test Henry will take in two years – he is just starting S5) were released, and his school finished first in the entire country.  While this school has enjoyed the reputation for the being the strongest in Science, the first place overall finish was a huge boost.  We continue to be thankful that God opened this door for Henry.

And speaking of Henry, we got an unexpected bit of surprise news when we learned that my little brother’s wife’s father (Jerry’s father-in-law, Kelly’s dad) has requested that we purchase two piglets for Henry’s family and name them Bryan (for Kelly’s dad) and Brent (Bryan’s brother).  We notified both Henry and his sister, and they were thrilled. I am going to add some Mobile Money to my phone and send them the money to buy the pigs.  (If you don’t know what Mobile Money is, then read my previous post on the subject).

This past week also brought a couple of long-overdue reunions.  I had gotten to know Jesse Rudy, the Kampala director of IJM, Uganda, during several prior trips to Uganda, and we hadn’t yet reconnected.  This reunion happened at a really cool restaurant as we discussed a really cool opportunity with other really cool people.  I had met the Dean of Regent Law School a few times previously at Christian Legal Society gatherings, but we had never really had a chance to talk on a deeper level.  That changed on Thursday night.  Dean Brauch, his wife, and another Regent Law Professor came to Kampala to meet with another one of my friends, Brian Dennison, an American lawyer who works with Uganda Christian University.  The purpose of the trip was to explore the possibility of a Regent/UCU partnership the result of which would be that Regent students (and likely students from other schools) would come to Uganda beginning next summer to study and do internships.

We met at a restaurant that had some serious game.  Serious game.  I ordered the platter with Kob (antelope), Wildebeest (beat’s me), crocodile, and ostrich.  Unfortunately, there had been a run on crocodile and ostrich that evening, so they were substituted out for some other leftovers from a lion kill of some sort.  All of it was excellent.  The conversation and discussion about connecting American law students with opportunities to serve Uganda’s legal system was outstanding.  I will be praying that this partnership comes to pass.  I am confident that if it does, there will be an opportunity for Pepperdine students to join in the fun.

This next week will also bring another reunion with someone I have only met once, but who our family (and Twin Family) are eager to meet – Katie Davis.  More on this amazing young woman later in the week.

Finally, I have been growing increasingly comfortable driving here.  So much so, that yesterday I relaxed a bit too much.  As I was traveling down a one-way street, I turned right onto a two-way street.  I hugged the sad-excuse-for-a-curb and continued up the right side of the street.  Unfortunately, a matatu (local mini-van taxi) also preferred that side of the street from the other direction.  We both slammed on the brakes and disaster was narrowly averted.  On the bright side, I think I now know how to say “Great American Satan” in Luganda.  All in all, I consider this to be a net positive.