Checklists...

So I took my first private chartered jet ride today..ok, maybe it wasnt' exactly it a jet, but it was just ryan and i and the pilot. the plane was a single engine plane with a total of 6 seats, including the pilots. our luggage was stored directly behind us (no need to worry about our luggage getting misplaced on this flight!), and we had to wear headphones due to the noise. it was pretty sweet, and only a bit unnerving for about 3 minutes during turbulence. ryan was kind enough to laugh at me...ok, well maybe just grin, but he didn't mind the turbulence at all.
prior to take off, the pilot said he was going to pray. he said he has to actually, it's on his checklist! and it actually is! (it's a mission organization called Mission Aviation Fellowship that charters the flights). I thought to myself, if prayer is on the checklist for a mere 2 hr flight, how much more should prayer be on our 'checklists' prior to a 24 hr day filled with all sorts of unknowns- stressors, commutes to work, interactions with family, strangers, friends, co-workers, etc, etc and all the while having an enemy who wants to sneak in and thwart the good plans God has for us on that day. Pretty sure I'm going to continue putting prayer on the top of my checklist after this little reminder! May I not move a step until I've sought the Lord's guidance and protection!

In other news, we are now in Sudan, landing on a dirt runway, having to fly low over it first to clear off the people and the cattle. no joke. we then went into the town to see a few things; gotta say, not a fan of the downtown. there was garbage and waste everywhere and it was hard for me to enjoy the trip due to all the waste and the not so pleasant aromas. we visited the 'hospital', again not impressive. very primitive, saw no workers or nurses, just people lying on beds. medicine is very scarce here so sometimes families have to actually go out and buy the medicine and bring it back to be administered. crazy.

Good news that we just found out tonight: 47 members of the LRA (Lord's resistance army) -who was responsible for the brutalization of the northern Ugandan people and who had abducted the precious children we had visited in Uganda - they just surrendered stating they felt no purpose or direction for their work anymore. Praise Jesus! Also, 40 children who had been abducted were released back home to their families! Tonight those precious babies will be back in the arms of their parents! Praise Jesus!

Pray for the continued disillusionment of the LRA and the return of ALL the precious children!

Love you guys! thanks for continuing to pray!
don't know when i'll update next. in two days we're going to a remote village for the weekend and i definitely won't have computer access then. we'll see. bye for now!