Questioned...

I walked to town today, and on the way, I decided to take some pictures for you and my family, so you could see small parts of Arua.

Thankfully, I still have them on my camera, and I will post them although I know you don't believe me because I never got the termite video loaded (but I am going to visit a high-speed internet connection one day).

Anyway, walking down main street, I took a couple of photos of people on the side of the road and on the road. All of a sudden, to my left, a policeman touched my arm and asked me to follow him. We turned back up the street and entered a gated area.

Inside the gated area, I was asked to sit in a chair that was by a desk in a little watch tower while another guy padlocked the gated area shut. He wanted to know what I was taking pictures of, so I told them I was taking pictures for my mom so she could see where I lived. He wanted to see.

I showed him the golf course, the scenery, the people, and then I said, "I did not take a picture of your police station." He said, "This is not a police station. This is a bank. The bank of Uganda."

I assured him I didn't take any pictures of the bank, and after seeing all the proof, he said I could go. I thanked him in Lugbara, and all the men (the four who had gathered around my digital) laughed. I then answered some more of their questions in Lugbara, and they were thrilled. So they quickly took the padlock off and let me go.

I walked like nothing had happened down to the Chinese grocery store to buy some milk, water bottles and a bar of soap. On the way home, I walked to the woman's ward of the hospital and I handed out water and prayed with everyone in the room. All the beds were full, and there was not a nurse in sight caring for anyone. In case you've never seen a "hospital room" in Africa, it is one large room with as many beds as they can fit. This room had about 20. I ran out of water before I made it around the room, so I just prayed with the ones that were left. I would ask their name and speak what little Lugbara I know.

One lady who spoke English knew I had no more water but she wanted something else from my market bag. I told her I had milk, and she said she would take it (of course). Then I walked to a lady and prayed with her. She started telling me something, but I didn't understand. Another translated with one word: soap.

She wanted soap.

I told her that God had me buy soap just for her, and even though she didn't understand me, I had to say it out loud because I was so overjoyed.

What are the chances that my son would have accidentally knocked my washing soap bar down the toilet earlier that week?

What are the chances I would have soap in my bag?

Pretty good, I'd say.

I had asked God to meet people's needs through me today, and I had asked Him to lead me where He wanted me to go.

It was a good morning. I'll take being questioned by the police any day as long as it can end up like this one.