Here in Uganda we say “well be back” rather than “well-come (welcome!) back.” Makes sense once you think about it. I have always imagined the phrase as welcome back but I think here it was imagined as well come back, or “come back well,” which is sort of an African way of speaking English.

Now that I’ve thoroughly confused you . . . . This was a week of well be back’s for us. After arriving home a little over a week ago and being “well be back”‘d by enthusiastic friends and well wishers ourselves, we jumped right into welcoming others as staff arrived over Saturday and Sunday in time for students to arrive on Monday of last week. I personally welcomed back a great many students as I was in charge of girls admissions at the gate. My first time in this role (there were few female staff around!!) it involved about five hectic hours of checking through student luggage for contraband such as too-short skirts, cell phones and illegal meds. Yes, this was how I said welcome: ” well be back and I am confiscating those high heeled shoes!”

We also welcomed girls back with mandatory pregnancy tests for the first time ever. This after having three girls show up pregnant a few weeks into our last term. The program seemed to go well and was accepted by students and parents. Staff enthusiastically thanked us for taking this initiative.

Several staff did not return, one woman that was a sort of toxic influence after her beau was sacked last year and another new male staff who didn’t seem to be holding up his end of the contract. It’s always hard to see people leave the team but we welcomed some new ones as well. Most exciting to me is our new librarian who is an amazing gift to the school: mature, a degree holder in library science, a woman(!), bright and cooperative. Wow. Praise God with us. One of our weakest areas is that the “reading culture” of the school is quite poor. We are hopeful that Justine will help us coordinate improvements to supporting students and staff in the use of books and reference materials, so important in a culture where students do not own their own copies of books.

In the welcome backs I have been trying to make time to push to the next level in some of these relationships. Confronting my (new?) fear of honesty and the pain that comes with it, I have tended to leave well enough alone. If the staff member doesn’t welcome my relationship I haven’t pursued so much. But I feel God pushing me to love deeper, to love despite the pain. So pray for me especially as I pursue one of our female staff who seems angry with me and has since the beginning of the year. And pray as I advise another staff member who has trouble controlling his tongue!! Pray most of all for wisdom about how much of myself is wise to share with those I am in community with here. I want to dive in, but I am afraid.

I am also exhausted; physical exhaustion is often one of my signs of emotional and spiritual exhaustion. This week I have welcomed back routine; morning exercise and extended time with God. It feels so good; pray for me to be able to wake up each day and have this time with Him.