The drive back went well, we made good time to Msindi, made a couple of stops at garages for cold drinks and the loo.
We had arranged to meet a man called Patrick in Kampala the Provost had contacted him because some of us wanted to buy stoles. Also Moses was going to meet us as the family had a gift for us.
As we approached the northern suburbs of Kampala in the late morning, we were turned back because of a road block, boulders had been placed in the road to stop the traffic entering the city.
There had been protests on Monday reported on the TV and some rioting. We were told things were heating up and we needed to make a detour.
The drivers did not know the back roads, a taxi van pulled up and a man jumped in the first vehicle to guide us through the back streets.
The protest was against the government and rising petrol prices.
Tony Tim and Sonja were in the front vehicle, Becca Suzanne and I in the rear, we also had a local lady travelling with us back to Kampala from Murchison.
The road was terrible, we kept loosing sight of the other vehicle.
We eventually caught them up, there were crowds of people in the road, a riot was breaking out and our vehicles were being targeted.
Paul our driver reversed away from the danger, but the front vehicle was mobbed. We watched on as the crowd surrounded the jeep, we were very scared.
Simon the front driver made the decision to drive through the crowd - they got out the other side, but we were left not knowing where they were or if they had made it through, we could no longer see.
Paul our driver was very concerned about driving us through.
By this time we were texting like mad, praying hard. Becca had a scripture Lk 4: 28-30
Sonja had prayed and rebuked the spirit of violence as they drove through.
Paul had to pluck up courage- go for it - and drive us through... There was no other route.
As we drove through the crowd seemed to part - we were not mobbed or stoned (which Paul had feared would happen)
We caught sight of the lead vehicle but we seemed to be going on a different road to them.
We drove through the city to the Entebbe side where we pulled up to drop the lady passenger off.
I was quite shaken - we all were.
We drove on to a hotel near the airport. Paul kept assuring us "they cannot take this road".
The mob had thrown things at the first vehicle, Praise God they were not hurt.
I could not talk to Tony on the phone, I waited untill we got out at the hotel...
Simon had been less informative to his passengers than Paul had to us, I think this made matters worse, certianly for me anyway, that we knew what might happen.
Needless to say we did not meet Patrick or Moses, we rang to check they were ok.
We were told there had also been riots in Mukono. We prayed that Simon and Paul would get back safely.
They rang later to tell us they were back and safe.
Paul and Simon were very brave and we have a lot to thank them for.
God was watching over us all. By His mercy and grace we were protected from harm.
Being at the hotel was bizarre, people were in holiday mode, when just up the road tier gas was being let off..
We were all pleased to board the plane at 11.30pm..I think the fact that we had time to sleep and time in Amsterdam helped us to process the events of the previous day before arriving back in Bristol.
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