DHL and Surprises

Usually when I pick up packages on the airplane and take them back to Bunia, they're covered in tape and the boxes look like they've been used and re-used for a very long time.  So, when a nice box comes along, it grabs my attention.  This one had the familiar DHL logo on the side, so I took special care not to damage the contents.  Arriving back in Bunia, I noticed a man walk up and pick up the DHL package and walk away.  He had a yellow shirt on and I figured it must be the Bunia DHL delivery man.  My suspicions were confirmed when I saw his bright yellow delivery vehicle...a bicycle!  I wish I had my camera.  Next time I see him, I'm taking a picture!

Surprise #1:  Meet the newest member of the family, Lucy.   She's a puppy from one of our friend's neighbors.  Everything happened kind of suddenly.  Joy and I had been talking about getting a dog down the road eventually, after things settled down a bit and we got into a routine here.  But wonderful opportunities don't always wait for the most opportune time.  And after we saw this little cutie, we just couldn't pass her up!  She's the most mellow puppy I've ever known, and luckily she's just Kaitlyn's size too.

Surprise #2:  Did you know that on top of volcanoes, civil unrest, and the most thunderstorms out of any place on earth, they also have earthquakes.  No really, it's true.  We had one a few weeks ago in the middle of the night.  Nothing huge, but it got my heart going pretty good.  It wasn't violent, just a strong back and forth motion with a loud, shake all the china, bang at the end.  Normally that sort of thing wouldn't get me going too much, but when your house is made of sand and water, it makes you stop and think for a minute.

Surprise #3:  One of my co-workers says to me, "Hey, did you hear any shots last night?" "No," I replied.  "Oh, well Joe the national worker who lives really close to you said he heard a lot of gunfire last night, and this morning he confirmed that there was a bunch of shooting going on not too far from your place around 11pm."  "Oh, that's interesting.  Nope, didn't hear a thing, I was fast asleep from a hard day's work!"  It's moments like these that I thank the Lord our house is made of sand and water!

We spent the last week in Kampala, Uganda, where I began my maintenance orientation with our chief mechanic.  I am a firm believer in a good strong maintenance program, especially when I'm flying over many miles of thick jungle :)  We were also able to get some shopping done for things we can't get here in Bunia.  We are starting to feel at home here, and once again we find ourselves beginning to take root; they say once you've lived in Africa, it will forever be in your blood.  And I'd have to say, I think they're right.