Rebecca's Road Trip

"I never knew someone would care about what I would want to do and do it with me like this, " she said.

The vehicle had been loaded in the dark.  The day held a lot of promise, but also a lot of questions with some potential answers that could change the course of her life.  There was no way her family would allow her to make the journey without them.  This was HER road trip.  This was her time.  This was her adventure.  But, we were also her family and it was imperative that she knew and believed her life and future were priority to us.

Let the adventure continue.

Our daughter, Rebecca, had just returned from four years of scholastic life in America.  We encouraged her to apply for education in the States due to her passion for medicine.  Because she missed taking biology in secondary school she did not qualify for nursing school or any medical program in Uganda.  She would have to repeat TWO YEARS of high school in Uganda just to make up that missing class of biology.  It seemed like the educational structure in America could be a bit more student friendly ... which it proved to be.

Rebecca received two Associate Degrees last May with a major in Biology ... of all things.  However, to continue her pursuit of a Bachelors Degree was cost prohibitive for us.  When she failed to have the money for her Fall tuition at Portland State University, she was given a 15 day period to leave the USA to avoid violating her student visa.  This is the short explanation for her return to Uganda on September 11, just 10 days ago.

There was a very short moment of hesitation in Rebecca's mind as to whether should should continue her education in Uganda, but her desire to become a doctor quickly erased that hesitation.  She became assertive in wanting to see if she could join classes with the first semester students in the best medical schools in Uganda.  I began to call my contacts and see if we could connect with administration or faculty with both Mbarara University (public) and Kampala International University (private).  Soon we were knocking on all doors we could find to see if any would allow Rebecca to enter classes late.

First stop on Rebecca's Road Trip

Both universities are located in Western Uganda, but all encouragement seemed to direct us back to Kampala.  We were told that Rebecca would have to apply for an equivalency certificate from the Uganda National Council of Higher Education.

The crazy thing (Rebecca ventured to call it a bit insane) was that we were willing to drive in the dark from Jinja to Kampala on Thursday morning and be the first to go through the open doors of the National Council of Higher Education.  We actually had hope that we could take a letter of recommendation with us to the west and we could convince the registrars of both institutions to grant Rebecca acceptance.

We arrived very early, but discovered that the powers that be would have to verify that Rebecca had actually received those degrees as well as certified copies of her transcript.  She had unofficial copies of her transcripts, but the degrees had not been produced and mailed out before she left the States.  All of those requirements could be met, but seemed like they would delay Rebecca's enrollment until next year.

Rebecca immediately wrote a letter requesting equivalency (accepting her transcripts as qualification for entrance into medical school), made copies of her secondary national exam results and other required documents, with the hope that the Council would email the universities with recommendation for acceptance.

The immediate decision, by consensus, was to continue on to Western Uganda to at least visit the institutions and discover if it was possible to obtain admission forms.  But, first, we needed fortification for the journey and we headed off to breakfast in Kampala while we were still there.

It was as if all six of us arrived at the same sense of how meaningful this experience was.  Rebecca, her brother, Robert, her nephew, James, our driver, Meddie, and her parents all seemed to be encased with joy about being a significant part of this pursuit of the Lord's leading in Rebecca's life.

"My kids make me really happy," Mom said.

It was agreed that this was REBECCA'S ROAD TRIP and each of us were honored to accompany her and advocate for her as she pursued her dream to become a doctor.  At one point, I told her, "This day is all about you."  She just smiled in appreciation.  But, later, I had to revise my statement to, "This day all about God and Him giving you direction in your life," to which she gave a bigger smile.

Grateful for the great road between Kampala and Mbarara, we arrived on the campus of Mbarara University in time to connect with Dr. Herman, with whom both Rebecca and I had phone calls, as he promised to campaign the Admissions Office for enrollment.  As answers began to blend from all sources, it was obvious that Rebecca would have to wait for the next semester as students are facing mid-term exams next week.

Mother and daughter have grown so close through this.

After a full day of travel (260 miles), business with the National Council of Higher Education, meetings with personnel at Mbarara University, it was time to check into our hotel and look for some dinner.  The beauty of traveling together, eating together, experiencing life together is that it has a bonding effect on those that love ach other like we do.

There is nothing like family.  It seems a bit unique that parents around 70 years of age would have children from another continent and culture and would be helping one of them enter medical school.  I had this deep sense of awe at the imagination of God to put all of us together and for each of us to treasure the gift that He has given us to be family.

Waiting together for admission forms

As we visited over our late dinner at Cafe Havana, we expressed our gratitude to the Lord for this amazing experience.  Our confidence was high that Rebecca was at least going to be admitted as a first year medical student in January ... and we were so happy!  We agreed that we would sleep well, prepare for the next day and make the hour journey north to Kampala International University to see what they would have to say regarding Rebecca's admission.  I had been in contact by email and phone with a lady within admissions and she told us to come early morning and meet her there.

Rebecca, who eats like a bird, found matoke (a food made with steamed bananas) on the breakfast menu and consumed two ample helpings in preparation for the assessment she would make at KIU.  We set off with wondering how this private institution of higher education would compare with the public one we had visited the previous day.  And, in fact, after our contact ushered us past the long lines in the admissions office and upstairs to the Chancellor's office, Rebecca's mother asked him, in a delicate way, why our daughter should attend his medical school when others were available within the nation.

It was an honor to meet with the Vice Chancellor, who introduced himself simply as Patrick.  He took time to answer all of our questions, discover where Rebecca was academically, and encouraged us to apply for admission and begin classes on January 6, 2019, requesting her to come and make the medical school number one in the nation.

Rebecca's road trip ... something we will never forget ... an honor to be a part of her blessed life.

He had his secretary escort us downstairs to the registrar and put us in the front of the line.  Everyone was gracious and the registrar gave Rebecca instructions and warned her that the admissions committee could take up to three months to consider her application.  We then were sent from her office to the Fiance Office to purchase the application and registration forms.

We all left Western Uganda with a curiosity about what Rebecca would decide regarding a place to spend the next five years of her life.  Upon inquiry she responded, "I need some time to think and pray about it."

We began the long journey back to Jinja with some questions still unanswered, but knowing at least that it is Rebecca's intention to spend the next three months with us in Jinja and then begin medical school in January.

I wouldn't have missed the experience for the world.  Our family and its future are in His hands.  In reality ... it's His road trip that we are on.