Robbed pt 2

The car ride to the field location was quiet as we each played out in our minds what might happen next. Upon arriving, the Investigator told the muzungus to wait in the car while he and Sidekick interviewed witnesses and tracked down the Suspect. After what seemed like forever, and many elevated and dashed hopes as person after person knew nothing useful, Sidekick finally motioned for us to come. Straining our necks searching for the bags, we were finally rewarded when the Investigator and the Suspect stepped forward with the hoped for purse!!! The Investigator explained that the Suspect had been collecting scrap metal along the road to Kampala and found my purse lying on the side of the road. When he picked it up, he found my license and SIM cards in it and knew this was the purse of a muzungu. He started calling the contacts on the SIM card until he came upon Nat's number, and here we were. Apparently the thieves had sorted through the things taking everything electronic (and Ally's makeup. go figure.) and put the rest of the things back into my purse, abandoning it along their way back to Kamapala. They even were kind enough to remove the SIM cards from my phone, taking the phone but leaving the cards.

The Suspect (now affectionately referred to as Big Lips) offered to take us to the place where he found my purse just to make sure had hadn't missed anything. So we added yet another body to the already full car and drove to the site. As expected, we didn't find anything; but seriously with the way the day was going, you could never tell. We parted ways with Big Lips, dropped Sidekick off at his home, and went with the Investigator back to the police department to finish the task of filing reports which was so unexpectedly interrupted before. The Investigator promised to keep up the search for our things and said it might be possible to track the thieves through the serial number of my stolen phone. My God is a God is a God of miracles, so if He wants to restore those things, it's certainly not difficult for Him!

All in all, we recovered my Bible, all Nat's and my documents, my purse, my house keys, my Luganda material, and Nat's glasses.

The next day I found my backup camera to have disappeared as well, so if you don't get anymore pictures on the blog for a while, you'll know why!

Have I mentioned lately that I love living in Africa?? I know, random time to say it, but it's true. It wasn't so true the day I found my last camera to be gone on top of everything else. That was my first day to really wish I was home. Or really anywhere but here. The constant concern about people stealing from me, or cheating me, or proposing to me (yes I realize that's not usually on the list of a single girl's dreaded events) all brought me to my first true 'I want to go home!' moment. Thankfully, the Lord helped me to snap out of my pity party and the next day I was much better. As hard as this past year has been, it has definitely made me see more than ever that I just love being here. And I'm so grateful. So very grateful that the Lord allows little old me to be His servant in Mbale. Katonda mulungi obudde bonna!! God is good all the time!