Safely in Kitgum

Thankyou to all who have been praying for us travelling on these roads. They are in a major state of disrepair. It really helped to have the 4WD we had used on safari to negotiate about 150km of dirt track which is the main road from Gulu to Kitgum. We set off this morning and almost left behind a critical piece of luggage --we have been tormenting Andrew R ever since that he was left in charge of packing EVERYTHING into the car this morning !  Fortunately as we got to the Park gates they told us we had left something behind-- it had money and passports in it !  Thanks again for prayers !
I think we have all felt today that we were transported through time and space from one world to another in the minutes it took to drive down the 15km entrance to the Chobe Lodge where we stayed overnight. The lodge is new and very beautiful , being perched over a picturesque reach of the Nile river where  the rapids are. There are hippos and warthogs and monkeys all around and we stayed in cabin style tents which were great although we were warned not to go out walking at night but to ring 0 for a golf buggy to take us to the main complex--cool !
We have received a warm welcome here at Childcare Kitgum Servants and are settling into our dormitory, unpacking our gear and getting oriented. We have electricity and internet access which seeems bizarre given the lack of basic sanitation, water and shelter iin the wider communiity here . There are so many contrasts here with the 21st century pushing its way into a culture which has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. For instance, on the way here we passed two bullocks pulling a plow and beside us an old busted up cattle truck filled to over capacity with people and goods and then seconds later a jaguar car passed us on the dirt road with two well dressed people on board . How crazy is that ?
Well, today is the beginning of the real reason we are here, to get involved in the Kitgum community and assist  Irene Gleeson and the local people  with improving health care quality and accessibility here. We'll keep you posted !