I ended up going on my rural home stay, just 2 days late. I went to the Dr. last Monday morning and after a very intimidating time (he is a British doctor who thinks he is always right) he diagnosed me with a strained diaphragm...hmm, what does that mean? I had blood drawn, which consisted of a few tears since I hate needles and I had to do it all alone. As soon as we got back to school I was off.
I traveled to Soroti, a warm bush climate to meet my family. My father met us on the road and took us back to the house. He owned 11 acres and had all kinds of different crops including maize, ripes (bananas), oranges, pumpkin, mangos, paw paw (papaya), beans etc. He, his brothers and a neighbor were in a coop to try to harvest the perfect fruits. I told them how my family had a cocktail tree when I was growing up and they were excited to try that with their new seedlings. We also had 40 chickens, 20 turkeys, 20 goats and of course many spiders and cockroaches and massive rats. Their coop had also tried to breed the perfect animals; we had one dwarf goat and one giant goat as a result of their experiments.
My father was a very intelligent man, a head master; however, he was very stuck in the gender roles of many Africans. He told me that the first day I was a guest but after that I was to cook for him and be in the kitchen because that is where women belong. He also took me around to all of the brothers and neighbors to "show me off." He would introduce me to everyone as "his mzungu." After about the 10th house we went to I asked to go home because I couldn't take it anymore, I was more of a prize or show and tell than a person. I felt very subjected by him and by my skin color, more by him than by almost anyone else since I've been here.
On the other hand, I adored my host mom. She was a gorgeous, mother of 8, grandmother of 2 and the sweetest lady every. Many of the neighbor girls would come over with their babies and ask for advice about parenting or how to run their houses. It was a sweet picture to see the young neighbors with their babies, and my old mom with her grand daughter on her lap. She was so kind and tender and had the sweetest smile and laugh. I cannot wait to show you all pictures, she was amazing!
Three daughters lived with them; I shared a mud hut with two of them. Their son Dan, who was about 10 also lived there, he was very smart and spoke great English. Two of the grandkids from 2 of their daughters lived with them also while their parents were working near the Congo border. My favorites were the two grandkids, Tony and Tina; they were the cutest kids I have seen in Africa. Absolutely beautiful, just like their grandmother!
After the home stay, which for me only lasted 2 days, we stayed in Soroti town for 2 days as a whole group. It was a great time of relaxing, playing games, fellowship, laughing and making new friends.
We left Soroti town for Sipi Falls for three days. It was absolutely breathtaking. We stayed at a rest camp in mud houses again but it faced a cliff with a 200 ft. waterfall. On Saturday we got to hike from the very top to the very bottom. At the bottom the mist from the fall was so intense I was drenched for the 2-hour hike back up. I was literally blown away standing looking into the vastness of the waterfall. It was absolutely incredible. I don't know if I have ever been somewhere so beautiful. Again, I can't wait to show you pictures. That evening Grace and I took some time to go out and look up at the stars. There is no power so no city lights. The vastness of the stars took my breath away; it reminded me of this summer with my dad looking at the stars in Ouray, Colorado. We talked about the promise to Abraham that God would make his descendants greater than the number of the stars. It was incredible for me to think that I had seen so many stars this summer but they are completely different than the ones I saw this weekend since I am in the Southern hemisphere. I may feel very small and insignificant but God seemed really really big this weekend.
Please be praying for me over the next 6 weeks, I have 45 days till I come home but it feels very hard right now. Our director asked if it all feels down hill from here but to me it feels all uphill with home being way up a mountain. In talking with my parents I started crying, which I haven't done for over a week, realizing how heavy my heart is. So many hard things have happened here and there is no support from the staff here, no one to process with or to talk things through with. I told my parents, I see starving kids every where, this morning on my way to school 3 men asked me to marry them, a girl yesterday got a very disturbing email from a Ugandan students, and another had one show up to her house, I have felt subjected for 3 months for being a woman and white and have never had someone to come along side me and be there for me. I can't wait to come home but still really want to not waste my last time here.
Please also be praying for Uganda and the Congo, if you have not heard in the midst of election chaos, the rebels have advanced and Goma, the Congo border city to Gisenyi, Uganda. Many Americans have been evacuated and the situation is tense, we are fine here but the situation with the rebels is constantly.
Lastly, if any of you want really cute cards for Christmas or anything, google Cards From Africa. It is a British guy in Rwanda who has employed victims of Rwandan genocide. They are mostly kids who have to support their families. Read the description on their website, they are all hand made and beautiful. Pricey but worth it! Love and miss you all!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
My own "Shack"
I started reading The Shack...yesterday. I'm on chapter like 6 and already I feel a little like Mack
Maybe this is my Shack...maybe I am here to meet with God in a uniquely intimate way. At one point it talks about how he has no understanding of why he is walking toward the shack, his feet are moving but he doesn't want them to be. I felt like that a lot when I was filling out my study abroad application. Then I arrived and there was no turning back. I was captivated and terrified at the same time. But God was ever present. Even now when I feel my "Great Sadness" creep over me God is ever present in a profound way. Maybe the whole purpose of this whole four month adventure is to draw me out alone to have an intimate conversation with me.
As dumb as it may seem, Chris lost his phone for about a week and just found it a few days ago. I couldn't call him when things got hard or I needed encouragement and with the time difference there are hours I simply cannot call. And now with being sick and having the rest of the American students gone I truly feel alone. I have been reading through 1 Samuel, thanks to my mom and dad, and through Psalms. David faced really lonely and hard times with Saul wanting to kill him. There are some heart wrenching Psalms where he wrestles with God and then rejoices a few minutes later. I have identified with David so much lately. I cannot say that I have ever had such a drive and hunger to read the Bible and spend time praying. I feel so lonely sometimes and when there is literally no one to talk to God has always been sitting there ready to listen. He hasn't quite taken the form of God in The Shack but he has been so close.
For any of you who have no clue what I am talking about go to Costco and buy The Shack by William P. Young for $8. Its so good!!
So, I will see you all in about 2 months! God and I have to finish our little hang out time and then I will be right there. I love and miss you all!
Maybe this is my Shack...maybe I am here to meet with God in a uniquely intimate way. At one point it talks about how he has no understanding of why he is walking toward the shack, his feet are moving but he doesn't want them to be. I felt like that a lot when I was filling out my study abroad application. Then I arrived and there was no turning back. I was captivated and terrified at the same time. But God was ever present. Even now when I feel my "Great Sadness" creep over me God is ever present in a profound way. Maybe the whole purpose of this whole four month adventure is to draw me out alone to have an intimate conversation with me.
As dumb as it may seem, Chris lost his phone for about a week and just found it a few days ago. I couldn't call him when things got hard or I needed encouragement and with the time difference there are hours I simply cannot call. And now with being sick and having the rest of the American students gone I truly feel alone. I have been reading through 1 Samuel, thanks to my mom and dad, and through Psalms. David faced really lonely and hard times with Saul wanting to kill him. There are some heart wrenching Psalms where he wrestles with God and then rejoices a few minutes later. I have identified with David so much lately. I cannot say that I have ever had such a drive and hunger to read the Bible and spend time praying. I feel so lonely sometimes and when there is literally no one to talk to God has always been sitting there ready to listen. He hasn't quite taken the form of God in The Shack but he has been so close.
For any of you who have no clue what I am talking about go to Costco and buy The Shack by William P. Young for $8. Its so good!!
So, I will see you all in about 2 months! God and I have to finish our little hang out time and then I will be right there. I love and miss you all!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Or maybe not...
I am the only study abroad student sitting on this campus...a little lonely? for sure! I decided not to go on my Rural home stay...it was a super hard decision, tears are still flowing, but I don't feel like can risk my health that much. So far I haven't seen any signs of improvement with the pleurisy and now I also have and infected lymph node. Which may be good considering I forgot to pack toothpaste :( I will be staying with my host family for this week or until I feel well enough to go and join everyone. I am praying that in the next few days, or tomorrow morning, I can join everyone. I walked to school today in a lot of pain from carrying everything and it was about then that I realized I was probably not going to go. I was so excited for another adventure and something exciting to pass the days, unfortunately, I'm here, alone, no movies, no comfort, no white people even. Wow, I miss home. I really try hard not to count down the days but one thing I have learned very clearly is that I love home, I love being with the people I love and who love me back. I love feeling safe and having things be certain for me. I love American food and warm showers. I love leaves changing colors in the fall and the Christmas spirit.
I think one of the biggest things God has been teaching me while I am here is that I am NOT going to be a missionary. I love the poor and the hurting. I love to hold starving babies and kiss their matted heads. I love adventures and new things but not for long periods of time, especially when I am so far from people I really care about. This has really solidified my want to be an inner-city teacher and to love on the poor of America. I don't think I will ever not be involved in missions with whatever church I am attending but I do not think I am called to be a missionary, it is hard and they are strong people. I respect missionaries even more now because I know I could never do it.
Now that I have a week of free time I think I may teach my family a little about Halloween and carve some pumpkins! I can't wait to see Faith's face when her pumpkin is lit up! After it is all finished we will probably eat it for supper! Anyway, I hope you all are doing well. I am over halfway done and can't wait to be back with you all!
I think one of the biggest things God has been teaching me while I am here is that I am NOT going to be a missionary. I love the poor and the hurting. I love to hold starving babies and kiss their matted heads. I love adventures and new things but not for long periods of time, especially when I am so far from people I really care about. This has really solidified my want to be an inner-city teacher and to love on the poor of America. I don't think I will ever not be involved in missions with whatever church I am attending but I do not think I am called to be a missionary, it is hard and they are strong people. I respect missionaries even more now because I know I could never do it.
Now that I have a week of free time I think I may teach my family a little about Halloween and carve some pumpkins! I can't wait to see Faith's face when her pumpkin is lit up! After it is all finished we will probably eat it for supper! Anyway, I hope you all are doing well. I am over halfway done and can't wait to be back with you all!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
So long, farewell...for a week
Rural home stays start tomorrow!! We have a midterm early tomorrow morning and then we will set off..there is a lot of excitement and even more apprehension about it. Who will our families be? What type of house will we life in? What type of work will they do? We already know not to expect any electricity or communication with home and to be very flexible. Like with coming here we know nothing about our families, but this time tomorrow we will be sitting a table talking and learning about one another. So, communication will be zero until November 1.
Please be praying for me, it is Thursday evening and I am still not sure whether or not I will even be able to go. I have pleurisy, which is super painful and makes it really hard to breathe. Since I am not known for having the best lungs and I will be stuck in the middle of the African bush I want to be extra careful as far as health. If I am not feeling better by tomorrow morning I will probably stay until next Friday and meet up with the rest of the group at Sipi Falls. I would be super disappointed but I also do not want to risk anything. Please pray for quick healing tonight and for the rest of the week. Please pray for safety to and from Kapchorwa. Pray for a great time with a new family, for new lessons and experiences and new ways of seeing God when we are really on our own (our closest neighbor should be an hours walk away). We will be home on Sunday, November 2! Can't wait for my next blog to update you all on what happened!
Please be praying for me, it is Thursday evening and I am still not sure whether or not I will even be able to go. I have pleurisy, which is super painful and makes it really hard to breathe. Since I am not known for having the best lungs and I will be stuck in the middle of the African bush I want to be extra careful as far as health. If I am not feeling better by tomorrow morning I will probably stay until next Friday and meet up with the rest of the group at Sipi Falls. I would be super disappointed but I also do not want to risk anything. Please pray for quick healing tonight and for the rest of the week. Please pray for safety to and from Kapchorwa. Pray for a great time with a new family, for new lessons and experiences and new ways of seeing God when we are really on our own (our closest neighbor should be an hours walk away). We will be home on Sunday, November 2! Can't wait for my next blog to update you all on what happened!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
So much to talk about
Wow, so much has happened this past week. I have done so many things that I will literally never forget. I will be brief; however, because something more exciting has happened...
First, I killed a chicken. Yes, me by myself cut off a chicken's head. Gross! Then Sam grabbed her by the feet and poured steaming hot water over her body to make the feathers come out more easily. For the next five minutes we pulled her smelly, dirty feathers out. When they were gone she was so naked, I said she looked cold and had goose bumps, my whole family laughed at me! Sam then took out the heart, lungs, liver, gizzard and intestines. Then I had to pull the stomach out through the hole where her head used to be. She actually had an egg she was about to lay and 2 that were not quite formed yet. They say the next time I have to do all the work of gutting her but I think once was enough. Little Elliot (read the Josephina Quilt Story) made dinner for us that night but I had a little trouble stomaching the chicken I had just killed. I only ate a tiny bit and can never look at a chicken in the eyes again. I am so very thankful for our already killed, plucked and gutted chickens that we can find in abundance!
Then this weekend we all piled into a bus to "find" a circumcision ceremony. We traveled about 4 hours to Mbale, which is a beautiful area in the shadow of Mt. Elgon. We met with a Christian man from the Bugisu tribe who explained, in detail...for 2 hours. He had "pre-arranged" for us to watch a ceremony at 4 that afternoon. I cannot and will not go into detail at all about what happened. It was by far the most intense experience I have had since I have been here. I am more than willing to talk about all the emotions and the whole experience but I want to do it in person when I come home. Not all of Africa, or any of my experience has been like that so I still want time to think it over and convey it in an appropriate light. So, ask me more when I come home...I can say I am sort of glad I went but will never go again!
Ok, so the good news! Chris found out about Costa Rica on Friday. I was super nervous and didn't know what to expect or even what I wanted. So, God decided at 4 that morning it was time to have a chat. I prayed and prayed it over and just asked God to give me comfort either way. If he was accepted it was an amazing opportunity for him but sad that we would be apart. If he was rejected I would be so sad he wasn't able to go but happy to be together again. I really started to pray that in either situation God would help me to respect and honor Chris. That no matter what the outcome I would think of him first and set my emotions aside so I could support him. This wasn't as simple as I may have just put it; I lay in my bed crying for over an hour and a half. I was crying and asking why God has to ask for so much, why can't life just be easier? Sometimes I feel like God asks for so much and doesn't realize how hard it is. The more God asks for the harder it gets, I want it to be easy and comfortable again. With transferring to Biola and then coming here and now Chris maybe going to Costa Rica...why can't it just be easy? So in the midst of not understanding and hurting, I prayed for the peace that God can see my future and Chris' and that his way is higher than mine. As I was praying I kept asking why? why? and I could hear him say "My way is higher than yours, trust me with this, give me your heart I will not fail you." That morning Chris and I talked for about two hours and I told him I supported him either way and was praying for us. I told him I was proud of him and so lucky to get to walk this part of our lives together. I anxiously awaited the call and at 8:30 that evening I got the call. HE IS IN!! He is so excited and I am so proud. I am still sad to be away for another four months but when ever will we have opportunities like this? He has added a Spanish minor and so far loves it so this opportunity is wonderful and will probably help him to get into the nursing program! And, if I can figure it out financially, I will probably visit him for Spring Break!! So I am still sad but so excited for him!
Again, as I was praying through this situation I was listening to Bebo Norman and the song that stuck out the most was...
Yes I Will
In the passion of Your sacrifice
I saw the prophecy fulfilled
The Healer of the world, the wounded Christ
I heard You say, come follow me
So I will, yes I will
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
I will follow you
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will
Follow You Lord. Follow you, I will Yes I will
On the sacred path, You bled for us
Scorned and broken, up that hill
How terrible the cross, how glorious
I heard You say, come follow me
So I will, So I will, yes I will, yes I will
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
I will follow you
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will
Follow You Lord. Follow you, I will Yes I will
Will I stumble in the darkness?
In my weakness, when I feel afraid
Hear me Jesus, Hear me Jesus, when I call Your name
Oh help me Lord, won't You help me Lord
Please help me Lord
Would you help me Lord
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
I will follow you
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will
Follow You Lord. Follow you, I will
Help me Jesus, when I feel afraid
Jesus is calling me to follow him all the way up that hill...to leave it all behind in search of him. That doesn't mean forgetting about it but just surrendering it into his hands. In this situation I need to leave it in Jesus hands and follow his call. If he can sacrifice his life, I can sacrifice comfort and 4 months of living close. So...Chris is off to Costa Rica and hopefully I can visit, I am trying to trust God in the midst of it being hard.
In other news, this Wednesday marks half way of this whole experience. Please pray that I will enjoy this last half and homesickness will stay at a good level. Please pray for Chris and I as we prepare for more separation. Please pray for me because I have some sort of flu thing and haven't eaten much in 2 days. I am starting to look forward greatly to being home and seeing familiar faces! I miss you all so so much!
First, I killed a chicken. Yes, me by myself cut off a chicken's head. Gross! Then Sam grabbed her by the feet and poured steaming hot water over her body to make the feathers come out more easily. For the next five minutes we pulled her smelly, dirty feathers out. When they were gone she was so naked, I said she looked cold and had goose bumps, my whole family laughed at me! Sam then took out the heart, lungs, liver, gizzard and intestines. Then I had to pull the stomach out through the hole where her head used to be. She actually had an egg she was about to lay and 2 that were not quite formed yet. They say the next time I have to do all the work of gutting her but I think once was enough. Little Elliot (read the Josephina Quilt Story) made dinner for us that night but I had a little trouble stomaching the chicken I had just killed. I only ate a tiny bit and can never look at a chicken in the eyes again. I am so very thankful for our already killed, plucked and gutted chickens that we can find in abundance!
Then this weekend we all piled into a bus to "find" a circumcision ceremony. We traveled about 4 hours to Mbale, which is a beautiful area in the shadow of Mt. Elgon. We met with a Christian man from the Bugisu tribe who explained, in detail...for 2 hours. He had "pre-arranged" for us to watch a ceremony at 4 that afternoon. I cannot and will not go into detail at all about what happened. It was by far the most intense experience I have had since I have been here. I am more than willing to talk about all the emotions and the whole experience but I want to do it in person when I come home. Not all of Africa, or any of my experience has been like that so I still want time to think it over and convey it in an appropriate light. So, ask me more when I come home...I can say I am sort of glad I went but will never go again!
Ok, so the good news! Chris found out about Costa Rica on Friday. I was super nervous and didn't know what to expect or even what I wanted. So, God decided at 4 that morning it was time to have a chat. I prayed and prayed it over and just asked God to give me comfort either way. If he was accepted it was an amazing opportunity for him but sad that we would be apart. If he was rejected I would be so sad he wasn't able to go but happy to be together again. I really started to pray that in either situation God would help me to respect and honor Chris. That no matter what the outcome I would think of him first and set my emotions aside so I could support him. This wasn't as simple as I may have just put it; I lay in my bed crying for over an hour and a half. I was crying and asking why God has to ask for so much, why can't life just be easier? Sometimes I feel like God asks for so much and doesn't realize how hard it is. The more God asks for the harder it gets, I want it to be easy and comfortable again. With transferring to Biola and then coming here and now Chris maybe going to Costa Rica...why can't it just be easy? So in the midst of not understanding and hurting, I prayed for the peace that God can see my future and Chris' and that his way is higher than mine. As I was praying I kept asking why? why? and I could hear him say "My way is higher than yours, trust me with this, give me your heart I will not fail you." That morning Chris and I talked for about two hours and I told him I supported him either way and was praying for us. I told him I was proud of him and so lucky to get to walk this part of our lives together. I anxiously awaited the call and at 8:30 that evening I got the call. HE IS IN!! He is so excited and I am so proud. I am still sad to be away for another four months but when ever will we have opportunities like this? He has added a Spanish minor and so far loves it so this opportunity is wonderful and will probably help him to get into the nursing program! And, if I can figure it out financially, I will probably visit him for Spring Break!! So I am still sad but so excited for him!
Again, as I was praying through this situation I was listening to Bebo Norman and the song that stuck out the most was...
Yes I Will
In the passion of Your sacrifice
I saw the prophecy fulfilled
The Healer of the world, the wounded Christ
I heard You say, come follow me
So I will, yes I will
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
I will follow you
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will
Follow You Lord. Follow you, I will Yes I will
On the sacred path, You bled for us
Scorned and broken, up that hill
How terrible the cross, how glorious
I heard You say, come follow me
So I will, So I will, yes I will, yes I will
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
I will follow you
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will
Follow You Lord. Follow you, I will Yes I will
Will I stumble in the darkness?
In my weakness, when I feel afraid
Hear me Jesus, Hear me Jesus, when I call Your name
Oh help me Lord, won't You help me Lord
Please help me Lord
Would you help me Lord
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
I will follow you
Follow You Jesus, all the way up that hill
To the cross where the river runs
Crimson even still, yes I will
Follow You Lord. Follow you, I will
Help me Jesus, when I feel afraid
Jesus is calling me to follow him all the way up that hill...to leave it all behind in search of him. That doesn't mean forgetting about it but just surrendering it into his hands. In this situation I need to leave it in Jesus hands and follow his call. If he can sacrifice his life, I can sacrifice comfort and 4 months of living close. So...Chris is off to Costa Rica and hopefully I can visit, I am trying to trust God in the midst of it being hard.
In other news, this Wednesday marks half way of this whole experience. Please pray that I will enjoy this last half and homesickness will stay at a good level. Please pray for Chris and I as we prepare for more separation. Please pray for me because I have some sort of flu thing and haven't eaten much in 2 days. I am starting to look forward greatly to being home and seeing familiar faces! I miss you all so so much!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Lions and Elephants and Hippos, Oh MY!!
Yes this weekend I went on a Safari! What and amazing experience. We roughed it a little and stayed in tents in the bush next to the lake. That was good and bad, the hippos then had free reign over our area. Each night as we were climbing into our tents a hippo would walk right through the campsite. They are big awkward animals but they have huge teeth and can run up to 35 miles per hour so I chose not to mess with them. Usually there was a littler one and a bigger one who would stroll on by munching on the grass.
The first morning we woke up and left at 6:30, the first thing we saw were tons of warthogs and some cod. Then some elephants, they are huge! We could come within like 20 feet of them, which is amazing but a little scary because at any moment they can get mad and charge the van. We had rented a pop-top van so we got to sit on the roof and observe the animals. Later after driving for about 2 hours we finally saw two lionesses! It was so amazing to see wild animals that are that huge. It made me really feel like I live in Africa. We were only out for about 3 hours but got to see so much.
We came home and I got to rest and sit on a beautiful porch for 5 hours watching hippos swim in the lakes. It was literally the first chance I have had to sit and rest. I was able to journal and read my Bible. I actually felt a little refreshed after 5 hours of nothing!
Then we left again for an evening safari from 4:30-7:30. We right away saw a herd of elephant and one of them had a tiny baby that could fit under her legs. It was super cute! We then saw many more cod, water buck, water buffalo and warthogs but we really wanted to see more lions. Our prayers came true when we noticed about 6 lionesses lying underneath a tree. After about 5 minutes we realized there were 2 little cubs wrestling on the ground! We watched them for about half an hour. We were about 100 yards from them, which was close enough for my comfort, but our driver assured us that we were safe; lionesses take a long time to make decisions apparently.
Overall the weekend was an amazing time to rest and regroup for another week. It is often hard though to do these things alone. Before I left Chris told me to take a picture with Simba but to not touch the hippos, when I saw both I thought of him. I thought how much my dad would love to sit and watch the sunset with me and how much my mom would have loved to sit with me on the porch and soak it all in. I thought about how much my sister would have loved to sit on top of the car belting out The Circle of Life song with me. All these experiences are so fun but they are somewhat dampened when someone you love is not next to you sharing it with you. I have told Chris many times how much sweeter these experiences would be if he could do it with me. I wish I could see their faces as they take in the joy of life. I wish I didn't have to tell my family and Chris about this but that they could actually do it with me.
On a more positive note...I promise next week's post to be very entertaining...tonight I am going to kill a chicken for dinner and this weekend I am going to a circumcision ceremony in Mbale!! It should be fun!
Please be praying for me, these past two weeks have been very hard. I am probably the most homesick I have ever been and life is just getting difficult. I have been told that these are generally the hardest weeks but that doesn't make it any easier. Chris will find out probably tomorrow whether or not he was accepted to study abroad next semester in Costa Rica, which would mean another 4 months apart. I am missing our anniversary on the 31st and am just struggling with being so far from him. Life here is not much different but it is still just as foreign. There has been little comfort (I actually ate raisins last night which was a huge treat!). Please pray that at this time I would be able to focus on why I am here, that God would meet me in my loneliness and show me himself more and more. Please pray for a wonderful time despite wanting to be home so badly.
On a side note...the sunrise was spectacular this morning. It was bright orange and the whole sky was lit up. I walked extra slowly so I could watch it all!
The first morning we woke up and left at 6:30, the first thing we saw were tons of warthogs and some cod. Then some elephants, they are huge! We could come within like 20 feet of them, which is amazing but a little scary because at any moment they can get mad and charge the van. We had rented a pop-top van so we got to sit on the roof and observe the animals. Later after driving for about 2 hours we finally saw two lionesses! It was so amazing to see wild animals that are that huge. It made me really feel like I live in Africa. We were only out for about 3 hours but got to see so much.
We came home and I got to rest and sit on a beautiful porch for 5 hours watching hippos swim in the lakes. It was literally the first chance I have had to sit and rest. I was able to journal and read my Bible. I actually felt a little refreshed after 5 hours of nothing!
Then we left again for an evening safari from 4:30-7:30. We right away saw a herd of elephant and one of them had a tiny baby that could fit under her legs. It was super cute! We then saw many more cod, water buck, water buffalo and warthogs but we really wanted to see more lions. Our prayers came true when we noticed about 6 lionesses lying underneath a tree. After about 5 minutes we realized there were 2 little cubs wrestling on the ground! We watched them for about half an hour. We were about 100 yards from them, which was close enough for my comfort, but our driver assured us that we were safe; lionesses take a long time to make decisions apparently.
Overall the weekend was an amazing time to rest and regroup for another week. It is often hard though to do these things alone. Before I left Chris told me to take a picture with Simba but to not touch the hippos, when I saw both I thought of him. I thought how much my dad would love to sit and watch the sunset with me and how much my mom would have loved to sit with me on the porch and soak it all in. I thought about how much my sister would have loved to sit on top of the car belting out The Circle of Life song with me. All these experiences are so fun but they are somewhat dampened when someone you love is not next to you sharing it with you. I have told Chris many times how much sweeter these experiences would be if he could do it with me. I wish I could see their faces as they take in the joy of life. I wish I didn't have to tell my family and Chris about this but that they could actually do it with me.
On a more positive note...I promise next week's post to be very entertaining...tonight I am going to kill a chicken for dinner and this weekend I am going to a circumcision ceremony in Mbale!! It should be fun!
Please be praying for me, these past two weeks have been very hard. I am probably the most homesick I have ever been and life is just getting difficult. I have been told that these are generally the hardest weeks but that doesn't make it any easier. Chris will find out probably tomorrow whether or not he was accepted to study abroad next semester in Costa Rica, which would mean another 4 months apart. I am missing our anniversary on the 31st and am just struggling with being so far from him. Life here is not much different but it is still just as foreign. There has been little comfort (I actually ate raisins last night which was a huge treat!). Please pray that at this time I would be able to focus on why I am here, that God would meet me in my loneliness and show me himself more and more. Please pray for a wonderful time despite wanting to be home so badly.
On a side note...the sunrise was spectacular this morning. It was bright orange and the whole sky was lit up. I walked extra slowly so I could watch it all!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Monkeys and pygmies and an earthquake!
So for a more in depth update. This weekend we drove 13 hours to Western Uganda to visit a doctor in Bwindi. Unfortunately the doctor was stuck in Kampala so we met with a man named Richard. On Saturday morning he showed us around the hospital and then took us on a 4o min hike up a beautiful mountain to build a mud hut!!! Before leaving I literally almost ran into a monkey in a tree, Richard brought out bananas and I got to feed a wild monkey! The little one reached down from the tree and took it right out of my hand. However, I held out a banana to a big monkey and he ran at me, which scared me, so I screamed and threw the banana at hime! We were told we were going to be working with the Batwa people; they are pygmies who are some of the poorest in the area. They had already built some of the framework but our job was to tie the rods together with banana reeds. It was a tedious but so fun process. It was great to finally get to be used, I feel like so often we hear about different missionaries and we hear about the different projects but the problem is that we never actually get to do the projects. I worked along side many men and women who were so thankful we came to help. They loved that we could actually tie the knots that were up high; an average height for the pygmies is about 4 1/2 ft. tall. We took a few hours to tie the knots and stopped before mudding the house to eat some lunch. After the Batwa had finished their lunch of posho, and we had finished our lunch of cheese sandwiches, we began mixing mud. We mixed so much I felt like we could have mudded over 3 houses but since I am so inexperienced I did not know it was only enough to make the corners of the one house we had begun. After we were finished they performed a dance for us. One little girl broke out of the group to grab one of us to dance with...she came right to me!! We all really love dancing with the people here. I know this may be hard for some of you to imagine but I do dance often here! Afterward a man named Bernard showed us how to make fire by rubbing sticks together, it actually worked! Then he showed us bowls, hand carved gorillas and necklaces we could buy. Of course I did, I really like to buy things from people I have a relationship with so there is a story behind what I bought. Overall the day was amazing. Then that night, as we were all peacefully sleeping at 3 AM another earthquake!! It was really small, I was actually the only one who felt it so I woke up the rest of my cabin so they could feel it too! Apparently earthquakes are rare here but I've been in 2 in less than a week! SO FUN!!
On Sunday we woke up early, drove for 40 min and then hiked about an hour to church. There was one point where I literally could have thrown a stone and it would have landed in the Congo.
The service was a usual Anglican church service with its little African twists like auctioning off food for the offering. We went to a man named Erik's house for lunch and then walked back to the bus in the rain.
On our drive home we got 3 flat tires, stopped for 3 hours for lunch at our driver's mom's house. She had made the absolute best beans ever! All in all it took over 17 hours to return which scared our host families since we did not return until midnight on Monday night. This was my favorite weekend of our whole time. It was amazing to be able to get out of a classroom and actually serve people. I loved holding a little Batwa baby named William who peed all over me and dancing with the sweet little girl. I love the people of Uganda, God has made them so uniquely in his image and he portrays himself in such a beautiful light through them.
For those of you who do not know, for years there has been great conflict in Sudan, Congo and Uganda. Joseph Coney and his rebel army the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) have been trying to over throw the government. Unfortunately he recognized that some of the most efficient soldiers are child soldiers. Many boys are abducted to be soldiers and girls are used as sex slaves. We are talking little kids, like 7 or 8. He has gained power over the years and it is a pretty big conflict now. For over a year peace talks have been occurring but not much has changed. Where we stayed this weekend was right in the middle of some of the problem areas, not at all as dangerous as Northern Uganda, but there were rebel soldiers in the hills of Bwindi. This weekend it really hit home for me the plight of these people. It was one of the first times I felt unsafe but I was in a locked cabin with many people and only stayed for 3 days. What if I lived here always? The kids and families affected have really been on my mind since we came home.
Please pray for the situation with the Congolese rebels, the LRA and the people of Northern Uganda. If you do not know much on this situation please watch the Invisible Children video and do research. Child soldiers need our prayers to help this conflict end. Please pray that the peace talks will become successful, over 90 kids were abducted from Uganda in September. Please pray for each and every child who has been abducted, pray for their freedom and restoration. God is big, so much bigger than Joseph Coney and his army. God is bigger than the damage that has been done to this country and to the lives of everyone affected. Please pray for healing and restoration in Uganda, Jesus is here and alive and at work!
On Sunday we woke up early, drove for 40 min and then hiked about an hour to church. There was one point where I literally could have thrown a stone and it would have landed in the Congo.
The service was a usual Anglican church service with its little African twists like auctioning off food for the offering. We went to a man named Erik's house for lunch and then walked back to the bus in the rain.
On our drive home we got 3 flat tires, stopped for 3 hours for lunch at our driver's mom's house. She had made the absolute best beans ever! All in all it took over 17 hours to return which scared our host families since we did not return until midnight on Monday night. This was my favorite weekend of our whole time. It was amazing to be able to get out of a classroom and actually serve people. I loved holding a little Batwa baby named William who peed all over me and dancing with the sweet little girl. I love the people of Uganda, God has made them so uniquely in his image and he portrays himself in such a beautiful light through them.
For those of you who do not know, for years there has been great conflict in Sudan, Congo and Uganda. Joseph Coney and his rebel army the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) have been trying to over throw the government. Unfortunately he recognized that some of the most efficient soldiers are child soldiers. Many boys are abducted to be soldiers and girls are used as sex slaves. We are talking little kids, like 7 or 8. He has gained power over the years and it is a pretty big conflict now. For over a year peace talks have been occurring but not much has changed. Where we stayed this weekend was right in the middle of some of the problem areas, not at all as dangerous as Northern Uganda, but there were rebel soldiers in the hills of Bwindi. This weekend it really hit home for me the plight of these people. It was one of the first times I felt unsafe but I was in a locked cabin with many people and only stayed for 3 days. What if I lived here always? The kids and families affected have really been on my mind since we came home.
Please pray for the situation with the Congolese rebels, the LRA and the people of Northern Uganda. If you do not know much on this situation please watch the Invisible Children video and do research. Child soldiers need our prayers to help this conflict end. Please pray that the peace talks will become successful, over 90 kids were abducted from Uganda in September. Please pray for each and every child who has been abducted, pray for their freedom and restoration. God is big, so much bigger than Joseph Coney and his army. God is bigger than the damage that has been done to this country and to the lives of everyone affected. Please pray for healing and restoration in Uganda, Jesus is here and alive and at work!
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