July 22 - It's flight day

 Ministry Partners,

Today is flight day and the route home is far better than the one when I came, from Entebbe to Amsterdam to PDX. 

 I had requested wheelchair assistance on all legs of  the trip due  to my back and hip issues but there was none when Aaron and I arrive at the airport but a young man took my bags and helped me through security and to the counter. That's when the fun began. Although Aaron and I had weighed both of my big bags and my carry-ons both for pounds and for kg and though they were fine both bags were 1+ pounds over so as I am trying to open and remove enough so the bags would pass I had a hot flash so bad I thought I was going to pass out and had to asked for a chair. Now I must say I must have been an interesting sight. Finally the bags passed and my carry-on is over weight but they let go and is a bit heavy for me to handle but I would make it work. I asked the man who checked me in why he did not give me my boarding pass for the Amsterdam-Portland leg and he said he could not do that and I also they had not provided a wheelchair for me as I had requested one on all the legs of the trip. He pointed to an area across from him and the young man moved my chair there for me to sit, which I did.

After some time another man from the check-in desks came a asked for my boarding pass and disappeared with it. I was getting concerned as I watched him go to a number of different check in desks and have a conversation with different people working there. After quite some time he returned and said I would have to get my boarding pass for the Amsterdam to Portland flight when I get to Amsterdam.

Finally another young man came with a wheelchair and took me through immigration and another security check where a woman checked/searched me for everywhere except my ear canal!!! I was at the gate when the young man that pushed me here took my passport and boarding pass to get me checked in and talk about concerned when he did not return fora bit and then he was back with everything ready. The tip I gave him was well worth it.

As I waited there were few people also at the gate when someone of another religion walked straight up to me and informed me he was a ........ and asked me what I was doing in Uganda. He then told me he of all the places he liked to vacation, Germany, Greece, ect.. I told him of the prisons we had just visited and that it was important that the prisoners knew that God loved them regardless of what they had done and that the religious head knowledge they had was not enough to save them as Eph. 2:8&9 says salvation is not by our own work but a free gift of God. With that he turned on his heal and walked away. Hummm!

The flight was fine and I actually dozed some but was disappointed that although when I booked my tickets I requested wheelchair assistance and when I boarded in Uganda I reminded them that I would need assistance in Amsterdam there was no assistance when I landed there. And  cannot tell you how long I waited for help before finally arriving in the wheelchair assistance lounge for my 6 hour layover.

I got my new boarding pass so hopefully the rest of this journey will go well. I am ready to be home.  

That none would be lost,

Arlene