Crazy Drivers

I've traveled a bit in my life. I know that in many other countries driving is really interesting. In fact, in Mexico I love the challenge of driving a trailer and a 15 passenger van through the narrow streets and cars cutting you off. I've driven in Germany and loved the experience of 150 km/h on the Autobahn, only to be passed by someone going 200 km/h plus. I've driven in Ghana and you have to pay attention and be good with beeping your horn. Yes, every country seems to have its challenges.

Uganda has taken this to another level of seeming insanity! People pass on the inside and outside. They will cut you off. Yesterday we narrowly avoided hitting a man that bolted in front of us and we slid to a stop on the muddy, wet pavement.

People pass and play chicken with buses and semis, darting in at the last minute. In the past two weeks there have been 50 plus deaths in traffic accidents in this city of 2.5 million. That is apparently not that unusual. Pastor John had a colleague killed last week as he was filling his car with gas and a truck went off the street and hit him as he pumped his gas. There was a fire and other cars were hit and all told 6 people died.There were 18 killed the day we got here when a bus lost its brakes and plowed into cars and then into people. There were pictures of bodies on page 2. Yesterday, a young man was hit on the side of the road as he sold charcoal. They put his splayed and bloody body on the front page. These people were just going about their day and did not make it home.

Can you imagine if there were 50 traffic deaths in Greater Vancouver (equivalent population nearly)?

Please continue to pray for us. We are grateful to God for his protection in every and all areas.