African Holidays

Seku Kulu Nnungi!! Time really does get away from you out here in the jungle; especially when it’s holiday season. So much has happened since my last post, and I’m terribly sorry that I have not been able to write any new updates.

But, the wait is over. I’m going to try and include as many pictures in this one as possible because I hear that they are worth 1,000 words or something…

The holiday celebrations here in Uganda are so so different from the ones in the States. There’s no electricity in the village so you can forget houses covered in Christmas lights, and snow is out of the question. So, you really have to get your head in the game when it comes to making it feel like Christmas is coming.

We started the season with a great Thanksgiving dinner with the SOS Staff, complete with chicken, mashed potatoes, squash casserole (to replace the sweet potatoes), green bean casserole, rolls, and pies. It was quite the task to cook it all up because we don’t have the modern conveniences from back home, so everything has to be made from scratch, including the onion rings for the casserole, and we can’t use a microwave or hand blender, so those mashed potatoes took some serious effort. But I have to say that the food was spectacular and we loved every minute of the 48 hours it took to prepare. I am so thankful for the family that I have out here in Uganda and their ability to bring a little bit of America to the jungle.

The American SOS Staff minus Laura who was taking the picture, and Nate who is hiding behind the Thanksgiving sign.

Pumpkin pie made from pumpkins fresh from the market.

Caramel Apple pie with homemade caramel sauce. De-lish.

Laura's famous dinner rolls.

The day after Thanksgiving we had a Christmas party at Legacy Christian Academy and the graduation ceremony for the kids. It was a huge event for all the parents in the village and the kids had been preparing for weeks leading up to the day. We had everything from poems to songs, skits, and dances. It was so sweet to see the little African shepherds and wise men coming to see Jesus in the manger built by one of the men in the village. When I wasn’t smiling from ear to ear at the cuteness, I was just thinking about how Jesus came to die for people from all nations. And even though we are all so different in culture, God can still be worshipped in so many different ways. But I have to admit, the African way might be the best…maybe I’m a little biased.

Go ahead, they are absolutely adorable.

My boy Tom. He just passed K-2 with flying colors!

Junior and his sweetie. I think that half the personality in the world was bundled up and put into this kid.

The church has been busting at the seams the past few weeks, we have seen so many new people come through our doors, and the messages leading up to Christmas have been pointed at everyone’s need for a Savior so we are just praying that peoples’ hearts are softened. The Sunday before Christmas we didn’t have Sunday morning church, but instead we had a Christmas concert that night. So, in order to be a part of the community and appease the demands of the villagers, I joined the choir. I had 2 weeks to learn 6 songs in Luganda and Swahili, along with dances. In the beginning I was convinced that I was just going to mouth some words and pretend like I was singing, but then people kept telling me that since I was the only Mzungu (white person) on stage, people would be watching me very closely so I had better get it right. So, I buckled down and I am proud to say that I learned each song along with its dance to the fullest extent. I can’t say that I looked like an African, but I sure sounded like one. In those moments I just laugh and thank God for the opportunity to not take myself so seriously and have fun with my friends. It was a great time. After the concert we showed the Nativity movie and served some popcorn with soda. It was quite the treat. That night might have been one of my favorites so far.

Daniel, Joshua, and Benja. Sunday school is always more interesting when they are around.

All I have to do is sit there and I am instantly surrounded with little hands putting my hair on their head and shouting, "Me a Mzungu!"

In the midst of all these holiday celebrations, one of the couples in our village had their wedding celebrations. Here in Uganda the man has to pay the dowry for his bride and they have to have an introduction ceremony as well as the modern wedding ceremony. The introduction ceremony is when the groom and his clan go to the house of the bride’s father and their whole clan is there and the groom has to be introduced to the bride’s clan or tribe. This is when the groom brings the dowry to the father and brothers of the bride. I was asked to be the photographer for the introduction, so I loaded up with the groom and his family along with chickens, fruit, coffee, and a very large cow and we started making our way to the bride’s father’s house. What would have taken us 45 minutes ended up taking 4 hours to get there because we had to stop so many times to pick things and people up along the way. That’s Africa for you. But we finally arrived; I put on my gomezi (the traditional Buganda dress) and got out my camera to start capturing the moments. What I didn’t know what that the speaker on the groom’s side had decided to make the guest of honor, so I was seated in the front with the groom as his sister and chosen to participate in multiple parts in the ceremony. It was just one other moment when I had to remember not to take myself too seriously. I was standing and sitting, kneeling, dancing, and giving gifts to different people the whole time. But the perk was at the end when I was invited to go into the house and eat the meal with the groom and his family. I have really come to love Ugandan food, and that was the finest of all Ugandan food, so I didn’t mind at all. 

This cow went on a wild ride to the introduction. I'm just glad I didn't have to sit in the back with him...

The gift presented to the bride's father and brothers. I think those poor chickens knew their lives were quickly coming to an end.

At the end of the ceremony, after 3 wardrobe changes, the bride served her groom soda and they danced around a little and then we headed back home.

The ceremony lasted about 4 hours. It starts with the groom’s clan arriving and the bride’s clan acts like they didn’t know he was coming and so when we all walked in they act surprised like they don’t know what is going on. Then the two sides sit to face each other and the groom sits in the back so the bride’s clan has to go and find him and put the proper hat on his head and coat around him. Once he is moved to the front with his sister, the ceremony can begin and different groups of people parade in dancing, gifts are presented, the bride is presented, the dowry is paid, and papers are signed. Basically, the father is selling his daughter to the groom’s clan. Daughters are big money makers over here. I pretty much had no idea what was going on most of the time, but I just did as I was told and took it all in. Ugandans are very expressive and colorful people. They will never turn down a good party and good food.

Fanci and Nsubuga after their wedding ceremony.

Lydia made such an adorable flower girl.

Fanci in her 5th dress of the wedding festivities. Cutting the cake always involves sparklers. I think I like it.

Life has been crazy around here. God has been doing some great things and he has been blessing me over and over again. I am getting to know so many of the people in the villages and they are welcoming me in with open arms. I have come to love these people so much and it didn’t take long at all. I pray that you had a great holiday season as well and were able to remember what a miracle it was for our Lord to leave his throne in heaven and come to live with sinful people like ourselves. Our God is so magnificent and loving. I pray that I can have that same kind of love for the people here in Uganda. Leaving America to come live in the jungle pales in comparison to what God did for us, but I have been so encouraged by his birth this year when I sit and think about it. I pray that God keeps me from forgetting how humble he was and that I would imitate that same humility even when the water isn’t hot, the power goes out, or I am just really craving some Chick-fil-a sauce.

When you can't get that Chick-fil-a sauce a fried grasshopper will do...you have to just go with what you have available on the side of the road.

Village Profile: John Ntenderi

There is someone very special that I would like to introduce you to. His name is John Ntenderi. He is 16 years old and has one of the sweetest spirits in the village.  His dad died when he was 9 years old and so he is left with his mom, step dad and from what I can figure, 8 siblings. He is a hard worker and just finished Primary 7, which is basically like 8th grade. He will begin secondary school in February. John is a smart kid who loves Jesus and is kind to everyone he comes in contact with.

This is the look that stays on John's face most of the time.

Unfortunately, John doesn't get to enjoy most of the things that the other kids his age get to enjoy. He can't play soccer, he can't run around with the other kids, and he has to take it pretty easy when it comes to walking around standing up for too long. John has a swollen right leg that prevents him from doing any of these things and more. It has progressively gotten worse since birth, and because he family doesn't have much money at all, he hasn't been able to have it treated. 

John was one of the first people that I met when I moved here to Uganda in September. He was one of the first people at church in the morning, and came right up to introduce himself to me and ask my name. I couldn't forget the smile of this sweet kid. Later I was told by my housemate that he was in her Sunday School class and was a sweet, faithful kid. Then I noticed that he didn't really go out and play with the other kids and when I asked why they showed me his swollen leg.

It wasn't until one night I was at my house getting ready for dinner, and I heard John outside my door saying that he was hurt. When I went outside he told me that he had fallen off his bike and his arm was pretty bloody. So, like the gifted nurse that I am (sarcasm) I grabbed the medical supplies and cleaned the guy up. It wasn't a horrible cut, but it did need some attention. But, even after I bandaged it up, John was still saying that he was in pain. I asked him what was bothering him and he explained that the compression sock that he had been wearing on his leg in order to help with the swelling had lost its elasticity and wasn't doing anything anymore. So, after checking it out I told him that the next time I was in town I could pick him up a new one. But, I realized that it was only a temporary fix to his problem so I began to do a little research on his problem. 

John after his baptism. He was so excited to finally be baptized.

After Googling his symptoms and checking out what I could on WebMD, which is about the extent of my medical expertise, I figured out that John had a circulation problem and that we should have him go see a doctor so that we could get a proper diagnosis that didn't come from the internet. So off to Kampala we went. This was John's second time to the capitol, and I'm pretty sure that he was thrilled to get to go, even if it was to be poked and prodded by doctors. We spent the day running from one doctor to the next, getting everything from a general check up, to a heart echo, to ultrasounds on his leg. Eventually, we were able to figure out that he has something called Arteriovenous Malformation. Which basically means that when he was born the capillaries in his right leg weren't formed correctly so his veins and arteries aren't connected properly which causes the swelling because the blood isn't being distributed correctly. 

The doctor that diagnosed him gave us a referral to see the top vascular surgeon in Uganda to have a final test run in order to see if it is operable. Since we had just spent about 6 hours going from one doctor to the next, we didn't have time to go and see him that day, but we are going to be able to go in hopefully before Christmas sometime and see if we can get John's leg fixed. Unfortunately, the doctor said that he doesn't think that the swelling will go down all the way even if he can have the surgery because of all the damaged tissue from 16 years of swelling, but some of the swelling with go away and he won't have to deal with the pain anymore. 

He's definitely Ugandan, refusing the fork at all times.

 The hope is that John can have the surgery and be able to walk to and from school without being in severe pain, and maybe even play some soccer with his friends. He is such a sweet boy and doesn't let this thorn in the flesh hinder him from loving others and loving God. He has been to my house about 3 times since we returned from the doctors' appointments to thank me for loving him and trying to help his leg. Today he told me that even if his leg can't be fixed he will still be thankful that I took the time to try. I have learned so much from his perspective on life. John has challenged me to see all the ways that I can serve others even if there are ways that they can be serving me. John could sit around and use the fact that it's hard for him to walk as a reason that he shouldn't give of himself to those who could use a little love. There are so many smaller hurdles in my life that I am not willing to jump over in order to love others around me. Some days I wish that I didn't have to walk to bible study because it's hot, or I had a long day teaching. I can say now that when I am tempted to grumble or complain I will remember mine and John's long day in Kampala sitting and waiting all day, and how John never once showed that he was frustrated with the fact that we were not being seen right at our appointment time even if I was struggling to hold my tongue to the assistants working in the office. 

Please be in prayer for John as I continue to figure out how to best help him and get his leg healed. Pray that I would persevere as I figure out how to navigate the medical scene here in Uganda. Pray that John's doctors and surgeon would have wisdom and guidance as we move forward, and that there would be a solution to the problem. And pray that I would learn to never grumble or complain, that I would remember that every day is a gift and a blessing from the Lord.

Color Me Uganda

When I graduated college this past May I was sure that I would never want to complete another assignment as long as I lived. Five months later that doesn't seem to be the case. I miss writing. I have always enjoyed it, and I miss going to the coffee shop and putting in my earbuds, drinking an Iced Chai with 2 shots of espresso, and writing for as long as I needed to in order to get out my thoughts and complete the assignment. So, to fill this surprising void in my life, my super talented and imaginative friend Jackie Knapp (check her out at Paper + Sky) has agreed to give me creative writing assignments while I am here in Uganda so I will have an outlet for my unusual desire to type it out. The one that she gave me first was to write about my experience in Uganda thus far using color. So, here is the first of many creative writing posts that I will be putting on here. Thank you for indulging me while I work through these post-grad dilemmas.

Photo Credit: Jackie Knapp

Color evokes emotion. Color reminds us of things that have since passed. Color associates, clarifies, defines, and binds experiences with feelings that otherwise wouldn’t be expressed. Color captivates. Experiences wouldn’t be as vivid and enriching if they were isolated to a canvas limited to black and white. They would lack imagination and beauty, longing for expression found only in the shades and hues provided through an endless chromatic spectrum.

The world was not created void of color. From the beginning of creation the Great Artist gave richness and intensity to the universe. He molded. He sculpted. He painted.  He crafted Uganda, a country rich with color. Every small experience is engulfed with the richness of the palette of its Master. Imagining the jungles of Rwenzori, the plains of Gulu, or the muddy huts of Moyo would fall short of reality without the influence of the many colors that paint the pictures stamped on the minds of their visitors.
 

Photo Credit: Jackie Knapp

 Red is the dirt packed down by the feet it has carried from hut to hut as it traces its way through its country, marking the paths of the lives that depend on its guidance. That red dirt is carried on the hands of the men who build, the children who play, and the women who dig. White pants are no friend to this red dirt, as soon as it makes its impression and transfers the color onto the fabric, the connection is as permanent as the one between the two people that have made the transaction. The stain runs deep, just like the relationships; never ending, trust enduring, necessity mutual. The red in the dirt represents hard work; it has seen pain and toil, heartache and trouble, tyranny and disaster. It has also seen joy and laughter, introductions and wedding ceremonies, family meetings, and the births of children. Life takes place on this red dirt.

Green is the land that defines Uganda; the land that earned the title “Pearl of Africa”, the land that changes from one district to the next. From the jungles that surround Bwindi, that give home to the gorillas and the chimpanzees, the bush that conceals the villages of Kubamitwe, Swanta, and Busuku to the plains of Murchison and Kibale that hold the beautiful beasts that find rest in Uganda. This fertile, green land provides sustenance for its people. It provides matoke, maize, cassava, and avocado, producing trees for building, and reeds for weaving. This land works as hard at the people who dig it, returning the effort with reward, giving confidence that their work will not be in vain. Life grows out of this land.  

Photo Credit: Jackie Knapp

Brown is the skin that covers the people I love. Dark brown skin that walks the red dirt, digs the green earth, drinks in the orange sun, bathes with the muddy water, and cooks with the yellow fire. Dark brown that flashes by while riding the boda, only for a moment in plain sight, waving, staring, smiling, yelling, “Bye Mzungu!”, and then gone again, maybe never to be seen again. This is the skin that defines the person, that places them in categories of race; the color that has limited and challenged. It’s a powerful color that carries assumptions of intelligence, ability, lifestyle, and deservedness. It’s a color that has taught me more than I thought I could learn; a color that has shattered prejudices and preconceived notions. It’s a color that brings joy in a way that only those who are blessed enough to experience it can truly understand. Life is enhanced by this color.

Red is the blood that flows through the bodies of the people who call Uganda their home, who know no other home. Who fight and struggle to make their home one that they can grow and flourish and provide for the children that God has given them. Their deep red blood is thick and strong. It survives when most would collapse, claiming victory at the end of each day, rejoicing upon waking each morning. This red blood is rich in culture and customs; rituals that have withstood the test of time, corrupt government rule, war, and tribal rituals. Customs that expect you kneel when addressing an elder, that offer food even when it’s the last of your food, customs that require elaborate weddings, and burials attended by the entire village. This blood makes up these people, people loved by God, people who survive against evil, people who have a way of taking ownership of a person’s heart in a way that is unrivaled by most. Life flows out of this blood.

Uganda is a country rich with color that touches the soul and enlivens the spirit.
 

Source of the Nile in Jinja

Life As A Foolish, Weak, Lowly Vessel of God

Elisa, John, Kazibwe, and I lovin the church-wide fellowship.

Matoke, beans, rice, greens, and posho. Servin it up Ugandan style.

Anette, a teacher at our primary school was baptized at our 4 year anniversary.

We made a mail run today. By we I am not including myself. It would be more accurate to say that we sent for the mail. You see, there is no mailbox here in the village. The mail comes to the post office in Luwero, the nearest town about 35 minutes from Kubamitwe, and it sits in our PO Box until we send for it and a boda man brings the whole lot of letters and packages, sans junk mail because paper isn't wasted here in Uganda on super saver coupons.

The rambling about our means of mail delivery is to say that today was a very special mail delivery day because it brought me three sweet letters from three special people. Two were from aunts of mine just writing about how they are praying for me and all that the Lord is doing in their lives back home in Georgia, complete with some much appreciated VIA Packets. The other was from one of my dearest friends, Lizzie Griffith. We had agreed before I left that we would write each other while I was gone, the old fashioned way. I'm pretty sure the agreement was based on our mutual love for adorable stationary, but a deal is a deal, and I am much appreciative of this said agreement.

I opened the letter with a smile on my face because if it was nearly as funny as our text messages that I have been missing dearly, then I knew that it was going to be a good read. And the letter didn't disappoint. I will admit, it made me miss home a bit, but the end of the letter was the best part. The Lord had used 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 to encourage Lizzie recently and she was inspired by the Spirit to share it with me, so I have chosen to share it once more, probably the millionth time it has been shared since Paul was inspired to write it to the Corinthians hundreds of years ago:

"For consider your calling brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'"

This encouragement could not have come at a better time. Much of what I have been doing the past few weeks is considering my calling. I am going to be honest and admit that there have been more than a few times that I have asked myself, "What am I doing here?" and "How am I supposed to make any sort of difference when there is so much to be done?". I am not the most talented, I am not the smartest, I am flawed, I am easily discouraged, and there are more times than I can count that my faith is not strong, but rather it falters and I choose to turn to myself rather than the Lord.

This verse was exactly what I needed to read when I opened one of my first letters here in Uganda. Consider your calling…consider that God has chosen what is weak to shame the strong, consider that God has chosen what is low and despised so that we will not boast. He gave us Christ Jesus, who became wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. What more do we need? There is no requirement that I be the best communicator, that I know how to handle every interpersonal situation that arises, or that I have the ability to review all conversations and relationships with perfect discernment. The requirement is that I proclaim salvation that comes through Jesus Christ and allow the Lord to work through me so that all of my boasting and bragging can be on the things that God is doing through me and the people I get to serve with here at SOS Ministries.

Speaking of bragging…

We just had the privilege of hosting a team from Placerita Baptist Church and Legacy Christian Academy in Santa Clarita, CA for a week and with their help we were able to plant over 200 fruit bearing trees at the houses of the students that attend our primary school here so that they can grow, harvest, and share some of the fruit with the school to supplement the students' lunches. We built a kitchen for a mother in a neighboring village so that she can provide food for her children even when it is raining outside, avoiding cooking over an open fire in the pouring rain. A full size soccer field was built enabling SOS to host the local villages' soccer games and use them as an opportunity to share the gospel with the athletes. There was  a date night at the church for 35 married couples who had most likely never been on a date before talking about how marriages are created by God to represent Christ and the Church and couples are to complete one another and help each other love Jesus more. We celebrated the 4 year anniversary of Community Bible Church of Kubamitwe, serving a celebratory lunch to over 500 people from the surrounding villages. And lastly, witnessed 14 baptisms from different believers in the church who had recently accepted Christ as their Savior or had chosen to make their profession of faith public after many years of salvation.

Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. He has been so kind to the ministry of SOS here in Kubamitwe, the surrounding villages, and in the churches all over Uganda. Many meetings have been taking place between SOS and the leaders of the Baptist Union of Uganda which oversees over 1500 churches all over the country. God is at work here in Uganda. He is calling the Church back to himself and using many men and women to bring truth to churches that are lacking anything similar to that.

Please be in prayer for the people of Uganda, for the Baptist Union, for the people of Kubamitwe and the villages that surround it, and for all of us here at SOS. Pray that we can have love for all that we come in contact with, that we aren't overwhelmed by the need, and that we can find our strength from the Lord when our bodies and minds are tired.

I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 again and praise God for his kindness in using those who are broken and incapable for the advancement of his Kingdom, and pray that he will show you how you can be used to further his Kingdom wherever he has you today.

Work Visa. Bed Bugs. Stolen iPhone. Rejoice. Repeat.

Learning to trust the Lord and see evidences of his grace in unwelcome situations is a lesson I seldom pray to learn. I understand the passages in the Bible that talk about rejoicing in your suffering, but I have never been inclined to pray for suffering. The last month here in Uganda hasn’t been what I would call “suffering” because I have been loving it so much and enjoying the time that I have here. But, I will say that the past two weeks have seen some very unwelcome situations.

Since I am going to be staying here for a year I have to apply for a work permit here in Uganda. The good thing is that I am not going to have to worry about applying multiple times while I am here, but the down side is that the process to be granted a work permit is a long one that requires a lot of persistence and patience with the Ugandan government and their employees.

The first step in this process is acquiring a background check, or as they call them, Certificates of Good Report. So, I go to the Interpol office in Kampala – a 3 hour trek from my village on bumpy roads – and wait in line just to get to the front and then find out that the lady has decided to go to lunch, which means that she may or may not come back, it really just depends on her mood for the day.

After learning this I emphatically expressed to the man working in the tent – yes, the office was in a tent – that I was from Luwero, and I had to come a long way to get here, so it would be great if I could be helped.

Well that caught his attention right away. He said he was originally from Luwero as well and he would love to help me. This turned into him running me around from one tent to another and getting all of these different people to weigh in on my situation which resulted in me needing to go to the US Embassy for an American Certificate of Good Behavior, then go to the bank and pay my fees and then come back to Interpol so that they could give me a Ugandan Certificate of Good Behavior.

My mind was spinning at this point. Which I guess he saw as his opportunity to get my number, because he then asked that I put my name and number on a piece of paper and he would contact me. So naturally I thought that it was official business so I took the bait, wrote down my information, and off I went flagging down the first boda man that I could find.

As soon as I arrived at the Embassy and survived the pat down at the gate I was greeted by a man who didn’t speak English – really? – but I continued to proceed to ask how to get my Certificate. He tried to communicate to me, but didn’t know enough English to answer my question, so he just handed me a piece of paper that told me to make an appointment for another day.

Discouragement was setting in pretty hard at this point.

Back on the home front, I am currently dealing with a bed bug situation that steals away hours of my sleep every night. We are waging war against these pests and while I think that we are gaining ground and seeing some progress, it’s still hard to wake up in the middle of the night itching and seeing 1, 2, sometimes 3 hours of sleep just disappear right before your eyes. But that’s the price you pay when you live in the bush and have an open door policy to whoever wants to stop by.

Then there was the trip to Kampala this past Saturday. All of the girls were going in to celebrate Laura’s birthday at a hotel pool then grab dinner. The trip started off with our brakes going out 20 minutes into the 3 hour trip, which meant that we had to drive slowly until we could make it to the mechanic. The Lord was gracious and we made it safely, but instead of waiting for the mechanic to fix the car Laura, Jackie, Bekah, and I decided to grab bodas to the hotel so we could go ahead and swim.

Naturally, my boda man was faster than the rest – I think it was his silky red shirt with the popped collar – and he took me on a route that I had never been before and before I knew it my friends were nowhere in sight. I was certain that he was taking me to some back alley to take all my money and leave me to fend for myself, but it turns out that the robbery wasn’t going to happen on the boda. He just wanted to take me the “beautiful route” by Lake Victoria. So, really it turned out that it was a really enjoyable ride and I arrived at the hotel right when my friends got there and we were all relieved that I hadn’t been abducted.

But soon after arriving at the hotel to swim I realized that sometime between entering and swimming for a bit that my iPhone had been stolen. I have no idea how it happened, and I don’t have the slightest clue as to who could have done it. All I know is that for 3 days now it has been in the hands of someone else and I will never see it again.

I had two options: I could make a big scene and ruin Laura’s birthday for everyone or I could just accept the fact that it was gone and move on. I realize that it’s a huge bummer that the phone is gone, that I can’t text my family and friends anymore, and I can’t Instagram (which is just so much fun), and that’s money that I can’t get back. But, I think that it’s really going to help me focus on my life here and not spend so much time trying to be in two worlds at one time. I think this can be a huge lesson in finding my satisfaction in God and not allowing it to ruin my attitude, upset me, or even worse, have a bad view of Ugandans, viewing them as thieves. But rather I should stay focused on why I am here: to love people and tell them about Jesus, and they don’t require I have an iPhone to do that.

God is good to teach me through things like this. He is good to give me opportunities to trust him. I’m not perfect and I can’t start to count the 1000’s of times I have responded wrongly, but I think God gave me grace in this situation to remember how blessed I am to be here and serve him and the people of Uganda. And that blessing comes with some bad knocks along the way, but not without his grace to press on.

God has given me grace to persevere through the work visa process, grace to wake up after a sleepless night battling with bed bugs and still have energy to face the day with excitement, and grace to remember that my iPhone is not meant to be a source of joy in my life. God’s grace has been evident these past 4 weeks and I am learning more and more how to lean on him and not on myself, in the good or the bad.

Really, losing my iPhone solved a little situation for me because the nice man from Interpol wouldn’t stop calling me and trying to find where I was staying, so now when he calls my number he’s only going to get a message telling him that the number is out of service. Praise the Lord, crisis averted.

God’s grace is sufficient for me; his power is made perfect in my weakness. So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insult, hardships, persecutions, and calamities, for when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

One Week: Under the Belt, Or Maybe Head Scarf

Well, I have finished my first full week here in Uganda. I arrived here late Thursday night on the 12^th, but Friday was really just a rest day and then Saturday I spent most of the day settling in and walking around the village and the S.O.S. property. So much has changed since I was last here! It’s really encouraging to see the ministry grow so much in only 2 years! Speaking of growing, as I getting over jet lag on Friday, one of the kids came running to tell us that they had found 2, I repeat, TWO, 7 foot green mambas in the village in a tree above a man’s hut and he had knocked them out of the tree with a rock and smashed their head with a shovel. So naturally we went running to see them. When we got to the house a boy had them both tied to the back of his bike and was dragging them around and the other kids were chasing after him. Pretty typical… Of course I was bullied into touching them, I didn’t want to, but I also didn’t want to look like a big mzungu wimp. It was quite the welcoming to the jungle to say the least.

On Saturday I headed out to Kamapala, the capitol, with Shannon, the 3 of the 4 Hurley boys, and Obote, one of the students living with the Hurleys, to watch the boys play in a baseball game. Basically, they had heard about this team and they wanted to play, so we went to Kampala to check it out. When we showed up there were about 4 teams there and they were playing tournament style and the team that the boys were playing on was getting ready to warm up to play against this other team from the city. It was really bizarre because I never thought that I would be going to baseball game in Uganda, soccer is assumed, but not baseball. The boys did great, considering that they were playing with kids much larger than them and they had never practiced before, and their team even won their game!

          Even though they didn't really have all the supplies they needed and most of them weren't even wearing shoes, they had a great time and it was a ton of fun to watch!

During the day when I’m not playing with 7 foot mambas or going to Ugandan baseball games, I am a homeschooling the Hurley kids. There’s Elisa (14), Ezekiel (11), and Ethan (10), and Evan (7). Let me tell ya, it’s a really humbling experience when you get a 9^th grade algebra problem wrong, or you have to read the lesson over again because you can’t remember the process of photosynthesis. It’s a real temptation to just tell the kids that they are never going to use that stuff again, but I just have to fight the urge and tell them how important it is to know the difference between chlorophyll and chlorine. The first week has been a lot of fun, and we are really getting into the groove of things.

 Elisa was busy being diligent with her work, so she couldn't make it for the class picture.

After school is finished for the day, I move onto the other tasks that I have to complete. I am helping out the primary school here on the property, Legacy Christian Academy, and that is really neat to see what a quality school they are running here in the middle of the bush. It’s so great to see these kids get such a good education that teaches them about Jesus at the same time. Please remember them in your prayers as they continue to education 100 kids this term and more to come in 2014!

On Mondays after school I meet with a lady named Felistas. She is my translator for my Thursday bible study and we meet together on Mondays to go over the study that we are going through. It’s a really great opportunity because while she is helping me out I am able to disciple her and walk with her through Scripture. Tuesdays and Wednesdays I go to bible studies with other women led by different people here at SOS and Thursdays I jump on a boda boda (basically a low powered motorcycle) and head about 20 minutes away to a neighboring village called Bukyeke and lead a bible study there. I have been told that the numbers can vary a little, but I can expect to see Edith, Patrick, Justine, Hezron, and Lydia there every week. Out of those five people only Justine is a believer. Edith is an Anglican, Patrick is a Catholic, and Hezron and Lydia don’t claim a religion. This last week when I went they had so many questions, especially Patrick, and are so open to the Gospel. Please be in prayer for this bible study as we go through Romans and they can see that Christ is the only remedy for their sin. It’s such a sweet group of people and I am completely overwhelmed with excitement to study Scripture with them every week. Sundays are spent with a group of Muslim kids in a village about 30 minutes away teaching them stories about Jesus. Their parents are mostly Muslim, but in this culture there isn’t much accountability as to where your kids are during the day, so they are free to come to bible study without their parents caring. It’s great to spend that time with them playing games and memorizing Scripture while they learn about a greater God than Allah.

 

All in all, this first week has been such a great start to an exciting year. I am so thrilled to see how God is going to work in my life and the lives of the people that I am around. I know there are going to be challenges along the way, but I also know that my God is bigger than those challenges and I have a lot of people praying for me back in America. Thank you for keeping up with my blog, and I would love to hear from you and what is going on in your life on the other side of the world! Feel free to email me at journeysofamzungu@gmail.com. Thank you for reading and keep your eyes open for more news about what is going down in the bush!

How to Efficiently Pack for a Year of Travel (and still keep your nail polish)

The weeks and months leading up to my trip I spent many nights searching and Pinteresting different packing lists and ideas on how to pack for a year in a Third-World Country. Not to discredit those who have put out different lists and ideas, but I didn't quite find what I needed. There were some great ideas and some lists that covered different things that I hadn't thought of yet, but all in all I was still left a little confused and left wondering what I was really going to need.

[caption id="attachment_419" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Do I really use all of this in a year?![/caption]

Granted, every country is different and everyone has different things that they "can't live without" for a year. I am just going to confess and let you know that I spent about 7 pounds on nail polish and polish remover. I know that 7 pounds may not seem like a lot, but when you are only dealing with 190 pounds, every pound is a hot commodity. Regardless, my fingers and toes are going to look fabulous! (Which can really make a difference when the rest of you is pretty run down by the elements.)

So, here are some tips that may help you out when you are about to relocate for a year and don't have a lot of space to deal with and need to make the most of with what you do have.

The first thing that I would suggest doing is write out everything that you think that you will need. I made an Excel document and wrote the item and then the quantity out next to it. For me, it was easiest to categorize everything so that it would be easy to find when looking over again. Also, it helped me to think through different items while thinking through it in categories.

This process took about a month to finish. I made sure that I started it out far enough in advance that I would have time to edit the list and think about more things, and also when shopping for the items it gave me time to wait for different things to go on sale or find coupons to save me some money.

This is what I came up with:  Long Term Packing List

Let me explain some of the things on the list.

Storage bins: These are just the cloth ones that can lay flat when you fold them down. I found them at the Dollar Tree and they are going to give me a way to organize my clothes and other toiletries when I get to the place that I am going to be living. It is a cheap and lightweight way to ensure some organization in your new home.

Scented candles: This is a total preference thing. But where I am going (Uganda) they do not have true seasons. Personally, I look forward to Fall more so than Christmas or my birthday. So, since I am not going to be able to experience the changing leaves or the apple cider this year, I am going to have to substitute it with some wonderfully scented candles that will make me feel like I am carving pumpkins and about to take a hay ride.

Soap: Normally I choose to use body wash instead of bar soap, but bar soap weighs way less than body wash and is much less expensive as well. So if you think that you can part with your silk-in-a-bottle you will really benefit in the long run.

One thing that I used that is not on the list is compressible ZipLock bags. While don't save you on weight at all, they do save you some space. I chose to go with the ones that can be rolled to let the air out so that I am not dependent on a vacuum cleaner, but depending on where you are moving you may be able to get the ones that can have the air suctioned out of them. Because let me tell you, rolling those things flat is no small feat. It took me and my dad to get them all down and we had to go get a massage afterwards to work out the kinks that had make themselves at home in the very middle of our backs. But the good thing is that I can go wherever the wind blows and not be tied down to a vacuum. That's liberating.

When packing your clothes into the compressible bags, roll them first. Roll them tight and roll them neatly. They are going to get a little wrinkled being in the airtight bags for about a day of travel, so don't add to the mess with a poor roll job....if you know what I mean.

[caption id="attachment_420" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Roll them. Roll them good.[/caption]

You want to make sure when you are packing things that you take them out of their packaging and throw that stuff away. That is just wasted space and weight. ZipLock bags will quickly become your best friend and can be reused when you get to your destination. I would also recommend putting anything that can leak into a bag of some sort because if that thing gets all over your stuff that is just one thing that you are going to have to deal with when you get off your plane and are tired from traveling.

When you start packing into your bags, separate your things evenly into your bags. Don't put all of your pants in one back and all of your underwear in another. Because what will happen is the bag with your underwear will get lost and you will have to go commando for a few days until you can find it. Or worse, the bag with your pants will be MIA and then you will just be embarrassed...or extremely immodest. So, save yourself a lot of trouble (and funny looks) and split it all up so that you can be sure that you will have a little bit of everything.

[caption id="attachment_421" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Split 'er up boys.[/caption]

Usually, you are allowed a carry on and then a "personal bag". Most often these things are never weighed, they are just concerned with them fitting into the overhead compartment. What a good friend of mine told me was that I should pack a smaller rolling suitcase as my carry on and then take a backpack as my personal item. In order to pull this off you will just need to have confidence and a smile, but it will buy you anywhere from 20-40 more free pounds in your luggage which is gold when you are traveling for a year. Just assure the person checking your bags that your backpack is your purse or your personal item. Don't be rude, that never helped anyone, but don't be a push over either. This could really work in your favor if they take one of your carry on bags and put it under the plane for your flight or even better, they check it through to your final destination and then you don't have to worry about it for the rest of your trip. Just be sure that bag doesn't have anything important in it that you will need for your trip.

I fly out to Uganda in the morning. I am so thankful that I am getting this opportunity and that I am packed and don't have to worry about it anymore! I hope that this post has been helpful for you, please comment if you have any questions.

What are some travel and packing tips that you have picked up on over the years?

Don't forget to subscribe to Journeys of a Mzungu and look for more tips and tricks to make globetrotting easier for everyone!

Bless Her Heart (and other reactions)

The countdown keeps getting shorter and shorter. I am definitely in the single digits now (6 days) and the closer that it gets the more I can't believe that I am actually going to be gone for a year, living in Uganda, and working with SOS Ministries. I have come to realize that whether or not I can wrap my mind around it, that doesn't slow down the time before I get on an airplane and fly 8,000 miles away from home.

The reactions that I have gotten from people as I have prepared to leave have been all across the board. It's really funny to think about. My friends are usually not very surprised that this is happening. Most of them just respond with "It's about time" or "I was wondering when you would do something like this". The nurse that stabbed needles into my body to make sure that I didn't contract some life threatening disease while I am away called me "brave". That's right, apparently I'm brave. Oh, and a courageous independent woman. That made me laugh a little.

The lady off Craigslist that I bought some luggage from said that she would never do something so dangerous. While, the woman at the bank told me that God would be over my shoulder the whole time telling people not to touch me. Yea, you read that right. It was awkward. Definitely one of those instances where you just smile a little and agree with whatever the person is saying.

Really the only positive reaction that I have received from a stranger is the one that I got from my oral surgeon before he ripped all four of my wisdom teeth out of my head a couple weeks ago. He said that it was really awesome and I should go on a gorilla trek while I was there. But really I think he was just trying to talk about something other than the fact that I had just passed out from the IV that he put in my arm and he was going to have to stick me again for the 3rd time. It was awful, really awful.

-- In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I have this intense fear of needles. As soon as I think I have gotten over it God humbles me again and the doctor pulls out the smelling salts to bring me back to reality. It usually makes for an embarrassing story that basically just ends with people laughing at me and shaking their head because I will admit, it's sad. --

Basically, over the past few months as I have prepared to leave I have had people generously give me money and supplies to support me in my move, I have had people warn me that bad things are going to happen if I go, and I have had people just kind of proverbially, pat me on the head and think to themselves "bless her heart". The point is, I don't really feel like a brave, courageous, independent woman. I am not really scared of whatever is going to happen. And I am not moving to Uganda to have some sort of adventure that I can blog or Instagram about; although I'm sure plenty of things will happen that will make for a good story!

Really, what I feel is complete thankfulness and excitement for the opportunity to go and learn about missions and ministry in another culture, and I am ready to do whatever God is going to have me do whether or not it is glamorous or anything to write home about. I have wanted to do something like this since I became a believer, but quite honestly I never really believed I would get the chance.

I know that this next year is going to change me as a person one way or another; I really don't see how it couldn't. But what I don't know is how. Another thing that people usually ask, with good intention, when talking about my move to Uganda, is "what are you going to do when you get back?" Well, the beauty of it all is that I really don't have any idea. And while that would usually really stress me out and send me into some sort of controlling conniption, it has become the source of so much freedom and comfort. I can find peace in Deuteronomy 31:8 which says, "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Do not fear or be dismayed. Not only is is a command to have faith, it is a comfort to know that we will never be forsaken by God and that should cause us to never worry or doubt.

God is already in Uganda, he always has been. God is in America, he always has been. The Holy Spirit is in me, since the day he redeemed me and made me his. I can rest in that knowing that my future is secure in Christ and that includes this next year in Uganda and the years that the Lord gives me beyond that.

I am deeply thankful for everyone's prayers and support. This time of preparation has been such a blessing and I hope you will continue to remember me in your prayers as I am away. I hope to update this blog every couple weeks or so. You can subscribe by entering your email on the sidebar and the updates will just be sent to you. Easy enough! Please keep in contact with the email address attached to the blog under the "Contact Me" tab, and I can't wait to hear from you and see everything that is going on in your life over this next year!

50 Days!!

There are only 50 days left until I am on Ugandan dirt again! I am so excited and anxious at the same time. This planning process has been so fun and so loooong! I think I can start to sympathize with pregnant parents now that are waiting for their baby to get here. Some months seem to fly by while others seem to creep along like they are never going to end. Regardless, part of me can't believe that I am less than 2 months away from leaving. I have so much anticipation in my heart. I have been reading back on my journal that I kept the last time that I was there and it is so crazy to see how much the Lord used to teach me so many things about himself and ways that I needed to grow in my walk with him. I am beyond excited to go back and serve with SOS Ministries again and see how the Lord uses their ministry to sanctify me and make me a better minister of the Gospel.

Please continue to pray for me as I prepare to leave. There are quite a few things that have yet to be done and I have a very busy schedule up until then. Pray that I will use my time wisely and make the most of these last weeks with me friends, family, and church. It is so hard to stay focused on things here in the States when my heart is most definitely already in Uganda. So, please pray that I will be all here at all times while I count down the days until I fly out on September 11th.

If the video is being weird just click on the YouTube button and watch it on their website. I am going to try to get it fixed, but I guess that's what I get for not being a techy....