I was greeted by an emerald green snake with cobalt blue eyes and a long thin blue tongue. Hardly bigger around than a pencil, the snake was several feet long. He was strikingly gorgeous and inviting - I wanted badly to pick him up.

What a fascinating start to our time remembering a decade of marriage, celebrating our anniversary May 29th, at Semuliki Safari Lodge. I believe ten years of a solid marriage is no small feat - especially where we find ourselves now, cultivating love, commitment and mutual respect amidst the hard and sure arrows of the Enemy.

This charming and deceptively inviting snake greeted us as we entered our luxury tented cabin - combining the simplicity and romanticism of a tent with the luxury of a real bathroom. Surprisingly, our tent held a Rutooro name meaning, “the place of witch doctors” or “the place where people die when they drink the water.” I am still puzzling over that name and over the snake who greeted us and the extent of the spiritual oppression that pursued me during our two days away. Some missionaries here say that any area where we take a stand is where we will feel the greatest attack. In the last few months I have helped both my female workers legally begin their escapes from abusive marriages and polygamy. Perhaps that is another piece in the puzzle.

Semuliki was startlingly luxurious - not so much in the accomodations as in the stillness - we shared the huge dining and sitting room, the small but brilliantly blue pool and the lovely grounds with only one other couple. Each and every gourmet meal felt hand made just for us and was served by an attentive waiter with every beautiful detail. Being able to lie pool side, soaking up sun and swimming beside David without any prying eyes was truly satisfying. Taking complementary game drives without any tourists, forest walks with just a guide to ourselves, watching monkeys in the our trees in the early mornings with no sounds around us - this was true luxury. It felt as if this small and sparkling gem of a place was left here just for us.

David painted me a beautiful picture of our surroundings - while I shared my beauty with him as his muse. We read several books each, soaked up the amazing bird life and ate and drank tranquility for two days and two nights.

Thank you God.