It was the day before Stephen’s flight to USA. My back pain was killing me as I was busy sorting out the last details that needed to be addressed before Stephen got on the plane in Entebbe the following evening. I was packing and weighing his bags. The friction between us was tangible but I was determined not to allow anything disrupt the goal I had set out to accomplish 14 years ago. I had accidentally torn the jacket Stephen was expecting to wear to travel and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife.
It was the middle of the night and the notices from KLM were binging, prompting him to check in for his flight. I woke and silently followed the prompts on Stephen’s phone while he looked on. The next morning we woke up and ate breakfast in complete silence. Stephen who is always reading news on his phone, turned off both his phones completely. I drove to Entebbe with only a niece accompanying us. Stephen’s closest brothers were informed of his plans to leave the country only a day or two prior. Even though the flight was at midnight and the distance to the airport was only an hour, we left at noon. Kampala traffic slowed us down and we snacked on roasted grasshoppers from a vendor who was navigating the freeway. We checked into a hotel. The niece and I, we braced ourselves for any nonsense and fake emergencies that might come at us from our phones. Stephen took a nap. While he slept, I took his phone and ensured I could track him on google maps. I knew I couldn’t inform him of what I was up to but I also knew I needed to keep my eyes on him with the lawyer’s phone number on hand in case of any issues with customs and immigration at his final destination.
One day later, the niece and I poured over my phones google location tracking as Stephen entered the MSP’s immigration line. We watched with baited breath as the dot on google maps moved from one space to another. We sighed with relief as the dot moved toward the arrivals and baggage claim. I sent a quick text to my relatives and friends who were there to receive him. We slept peacefully as photographic evidence of a successful operation came back.
I have always been enthralled by action packed, spy and espionage movies but even more so childhood stories of smuggling bibles into the USSR. I never imagined my own life would play out along the same storylines. Yet, where characters in James Bond narratives seem to be fearless heroes overcoming obstacles without hesitation, flaw, or thought of failure—real life, action and spiritual espionage is quite different. The cracks and brokenness of humanity are evidence to and a place for God‘s grace to become tangible. James Bond may be a thrill to watch and forget but the story of David is one to identify with and remember. If we look at the Psalms, David’s story rings real and David’s God a faithful presence.
Psalm 59:16 I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Shared Frontiers, Uganda 