Life here has become pretty normal. We've got a routine down. We know our roles. But every once in a while I have a moment when I stop and think, “Holy goodness, I'm in Africa!” One of those moments happened this morning. Caitlin was in the classroom teaching subtraction, Erin was in the office preparing a lesson, and I was sitting on the step outside just watching people live life. A woman hanging clothes on a line outside her mud hut, chickens wandering around freely, a couple of kids chasing each other down the bumpy, red, dirt road, the sun turning my skin pink. In that moment, I had a thought. “I could live here.” The thought startled me and I'm still not sure where it came from, but is made me smile. I'm in Africa.
Saturday was a good day. The three of us visited a family in Budumbuli and I think we all fell in love with them. We already knew the boy from our class. He's lanky with an adorable shy smile. He's one of our brightest students, though no one is quite sure whether he's 9 or 10. He lives with his mom, his brother, and his cousin who is an orphan. His dad died less than a year ago. This family has nothing and yet they have everything. (Isn't that in 2 Corinthians somewhere?) The mother only knows a few words in English because her father didn’t value education. Now she works so hard going from village to village selling clothes to make sure her boys go to school. She knows how to spell the word “Jesus” and she is so grateful that she wrote His name on the walls of her house. Their house, by the way, is a two-room mud hut with a leaky roof and only one bed. But they appreciate it so much. She thanks God for a place to live where the rent is cheep. When we asked if there was anything we could pray for, they didn't ask for stuff. The mother asked for us to pray for peace and her 9 (or 10) year-old son asked us to pray for God to give him wisdom. This family gets it. I want to be more like them.
The older students are now on holiday so we have a new schedule of teaching the young ones on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and teaching the older ones on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. We've gotten to know the younger ones so well. I'm really going to miss them when we leave. But let's not think about that.
I have so many stories I wish I could share with you, but time is running out. We have to get back to Kate before she starts to worry. It's cool how she's like a mom and a friend to us at the same time.
P.S. Katonda bulungi means "God is good." We've been saying it a lot lately.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Kale
So, back to all this heart business…
It would appear that God is doing exactly what I asked him to do. I know, it sounds silly, and maybe a bit arrogant, but when you ask God to make you holy, I don’t think He hesitates to take you up on it.
I’ve been feeling like everything that I dislike about myself is all I see in the mirror. I know that I’m often too stubborn, pretty prideful, and quite swayed by other’s opinions of me. Well, at least I think I know these things, but I’m sure some of you reading this are saying, “huh? I don’t know what she’s talking about!” and to you precious friends, thanks for seeing me as what I can be J. No, really, I feel like I used to be pretty secure in who I am and what I stand for. Now, I feel like I’m all wishy-washy b/c God has been challenging me so much. He’s asked me to not only see the world differently, but also to see people I can’t relate to and often don’t understand as family. Not to mention he’s asked me to leave behind all comfort and all the people whom I know love me unconditionally to pursue a dream he placed in my heart when I was 14 (to come to Africa, that is). It’s an incredible joy to be here and I count it a privilege, but I find myself asking, “how did I get here?”. In the last week I have battled more fatigue and loneliness than ever before in my life. I love getting out of bed in the morning, but by the time we return from the village at night I’m discouraged, exhausted and homesick, - I’m surprised I’m not actually sick. The kids we’ve been teaching are fantastic and it’s no problem seeing God’s hand in every moment here. I don’t feel spiritually lonely (thank, God!) but I feel emotionally lonely, I guess – it’s homesickness in a different light. Please pray and don’t worry b/c God has been faithful in EVERY step of this journey – it’s His path I’m walking and I’m GLAD to be here.
On a lighter note: Clair and I have decided to sponsor a child with Northern Lights. There are 3 names of children still waiting for sponsors that have stuck out to me and Clair has said he trusts me to choose who we’ll claim as our “son”. Yes, they’re all boys and I had the blessed opportunity to meet one of them today. Please pray that God will choose and that he’ll see our money used to His glory.
So, I talked a lot in my last blog about how God is teaching me about family…the other day, Thursday, I think, we had the pleasure of going to one of our students homes. It just happened to be the same home that Clair visited while he was in Budumbuli as part of his cross cultural. I saw a note left by he and his partner tacked on the mud hut wall, and got to hold te Bible Clair gave to the eldest son. It was such a joy to know that God has put both Clair and I in the same people’s lives! When I read a small note clair had written in the Bible, it was as though he was right there with me – I wanted to weep out of joy! I know God has made that connection for divine reasons! He’s so perfect in His work! Now clair and I both have family in
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Mbuzi erya muddo.
In church on our first Sunday in Jinja, we asked the kids in Sunday school who was from Budumbuli. None of them would admit to it. It’s a slum village just outside the city and being someone who lives there automatically gives you a certain stigma. They even have a common saying: “Nothing good can come out of Budumbuli.” Just thinking about that makes me grin. People said the same thing about Nazareth, but something VERY good came out of that town. :o) We believe the same will be true for the village of Budumbuli. We go there everyday, visiting homes and teaching children, hoping that what we have to offer will help them in real ways. I feel honored to work in such a place. The people who are accepted into the Northern Lights program are the neediest of the needy, and I am becoming more and more aware that I am face to face with the “least of these.” Face to face with Jesus. Today, I painted the palm of Jesus’ ahnd and pressed it onto a sheet of construction paper. Today, Erin showed Jesus how to spell the word “brother.” Today, Caitlin taught Jesus how to count by twos. Jesus calls us “teacher.” I admit sometimes when I’m interacting with these kids I find myself frustrated or confused or even grossed out, but… sometimes I feel like I am in the Holy of Holies.
Northern Lights was set up to help kids who need it most. Most of them are orphans or used to be homeless. In Uganda, it’s customary for family members to take in an orphaned child. The child is then provided for, but many times they are not treated well. Instead of being “adopted” as another child, they are treated almost like a servant, someone to cook, clean, or fetch water. Kate and Peter saw this and started Northern Lights to let these kids know that they are special and loved even though they are orphans.
All of the kids in the program are put in school and their school fees are covered, but many of them are stuggling with no one at home to help them. The younger ones only attend school for half of the day, so from 2 to 5 everyday we gather them into a tiny classroom and work with them to give them the extra boost they need to do better in school. Our fiend Esther translates for us. She’s turning out to be such a blessing!
We’ve run into a lot of challenges. We have a group of 19 kids qho range in age from 7 to 13. Some of them are obviously very bright and some of them don’t understand a word we’re saying. And none of us have been trained to teach like this! But we’re learning a lot and we’re getting to know the kids well. We know all of them by name and we’ve been busy evaluating their capabilities. Caitlin has been teaching math, Erin and I tag team with English (which includes a lot… spelling, sentence structure, reading, writing, etc.) and we also do crafts and sing songs. It’s hard coming up with ideas for things we can do that will help them the most because none of us have ever done anything like this before, but the adults here are constantly encouraging us and telling us that what we’re doing is good.
Living with Kate, Peter, and Levi has been great. They’re a lot of fun. Of course, living in Africa always has it’s inconveniences like unreliable electricity. (We’re all hoping the power is back on when we get home today so we can shower. It’s been a while.) But just having power and plumbing is a blessing here. There’s a 17-year-old girl who lives with us named Rowena. She’s a sweetheart. We also have a night guard who patrols the house with a bow and arrow, and we have a dog named Punky. I used to think he was cute, but then he ate a cat. Now the back yard smells like rotting cat.
Keep praying for the three of us. We appreciate it so much! And we love your comments and e-mails. (Rachel… you’re awesome.) Pray for our relationships with each other. Pastor Tim told us something prophetic before we left. He said that this trip would be a journey of freedom for Erin, a journey of holiness for Caitlin, and a journey of maturity for me. That has certainly proved to be true, which means that God has been busy exposing all the ways that we are bound, unholy, and immature. In this process, our flaws become glaringly obvious to ourselves and to one another. We’re doing well. We’ve stayed open and honest with each other, but I’d be lying if I said it was always easy. When two people sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron, there is always some grinding involved.
Also, keep praying for God to reveal to us anything He would like us to know about His plan for the next season of out lives.
Northern Lights was set up to help kids who need it most. Most of them are orphans or used to be homeless. In Uganda, it’s customary for family members to take in an orphaned child. The child is then provided for, but many times they are not treated well. Instead of being “adopted” as another child, they are treated almost like a servant, someone to cook, clean, or fetch water. Kate and Peter saw this and started Northern Lights to let these kids know that they are special and loved even though they are orphans.
All of the kids in the program are put in school and their school fees are covered, but many of them are stuggling with no one at home to help them. The younger ones only attend school for half of the day, so from 2 to 5 everyday we gather them into a tiny classroom and work with them to give them the extra boost they need to do better in school. Our fiend Esther translates for us. She’s turning out to be such a blessing!
We’ve run into a lot of challenges. We have a group of 19 kids qho range in age from 7 to 13. Some of them are obviously very bright and some of them don’t understand a word we’re saying. And none of us have been trained to teach like this! But we’re learning a lot and we’re getting to know the kids well. We know all of them by name and we’ve been busy evaluating their capabilities. Caitlin has been teaching math, Erin and I tag team with English (which includes a lot… spelling, sentence structure, reading, writing, etc.) and we also do crafts and sing songs. It’s hard coming up with ideas for things we can do that will help them the most because none of us have ever done anything like this before, but the adults here are constantly encouraging us and telling us that what we’re doing is good.
Living with Kate, Peter, and Levi has been great. They’re a lot of fun. Of course, living in Africa always has it’s inconveniences like unreliable electricity. (We’re all hoping the power is back on when we get home today so we can shower. It’s been a while.) But just having power and plumbing is a blessing here. There’s a 17-year-old girl who lives with us named Rowena. She’s a sweetheart. We also have a night guard who patrols the house with a bow and arrow, and we have a dog named Punky. I used to think he was cute, but then he ate a cat. Now the back yard smells like rotting cat.
Keep praying for the three of us. We appreciate it so much! And we love your comments and e-mails. (Rachel… you’re awesome.) Pray for our relationships with each other. Pastor Tim told us something prophetic before we left. He said that this trip would be a journey of freedom for Erin, a journey of holiness for Caitlin, and a journey of maturity for me. That has certainly proved to be true, which means that God has been busy exposing all the ways that we are bound, unholy, and immature. In this process, our flaws become glaringly obvious to ourselves and to one another. We’re doing well. We’ve stayed open and honest with each other, but I’d be lying if I said it was always easy. When two people sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron, there is always some grinding involved.
Also, keep praying for God to reveal to us anything He would like us to know about His plan for the next season of out lives.
my heart is at home
so, i know that kathy and erin are both updating and kathy has been so good at doing all the functional updates about what we're actually doing...i wanted to take this time to give a little "heart-to-heart" about our time here.
i told Clair in an email recently that my heart feels at home here. He and I have been thinking a lot about coming here after our wedding to be missionaries. we were even offered a bit of a partnership with some missionaries here - it's very unofficial, but still a possibility. anyway, we've been praying fervently about that and i've been doing so b/c i definitely want what God wants more than what i want. the problem that i'm finding is whether or not waht God wants and what i want could be the same. i'm so afraid that i'm only hearing God say "yes" b/c that's what i want to hear. maybe He's saying no and all my imaginings are drowning Him out? well, Erin reminded me this morning that i may be only hearing Him say "yes" b/c he acutally IS. my, what a novel idea...so, please pray for discernment and that my eyes will always be on Him.
I've realized that so much of our time here has seemed kind of disconnected...i mean, i know we're here with purpose, but i'm still in the process of searching out God's heart, not just about coming here full time, but about the purpose of our time here. i'm begining to realize that our "because of ubuntu" blogname really is prophetic...(check out the post about what ubuntu means to understand a bit more about my thoughts)
anyway, i think that God is teaching me to see all people as family. i mean, just he other day i saw some people at church, random people that i don't know at all, and i was filled with such overwhelming compassion that it almost brought me to tears. it felt like the way it does when you see someone you love after a long absense...like it will feel to see my parents and future hubby at the airport in a month. i can't explain it, but Ugandans are my family and this beautiful, social, loving, culture is my home.
ugh! our time is short...i meant to write so much more, but this will have to do for now. feel free to post questions or comments - we appreciate them! i'll continue this thought at a later date...
sula bulungi :)
i told Clair in an email recently that my heart feels at home here. He and I have been thinking a lot about coming here after our wedding to be missionaries. we were even offered a bit of a partnership with some missionaries here - it's very unofficial, but still a possibility. anyway, we've been praying fervently about that and i've been doing so b/c i definitely want what God wants more than what i want. the problem that i'm finding is whether or not waht God wants and what i want could be the same. i'm so afraid that i'm only hearing God say "yes" b/c that's what i want to hear. maybe He's saying no and all my imaginings are drowning Him out? well, Erin reminded me this morning that i may be only hearing Him say "yes" b/c he acutally IS. my, what a novel idea...so, please pray for discernment and that my eyes will always be on Him.
I've realized that so much of our time here has seemed kind of disconnected...i mean, i know we're here with purpose, but i'm still in the process of searching out God's heart, not just about coming here full time, but about the purpose of our time here. i'm begining to realize that our "because of ubuntu" blogname really is prophetic...(check out the post about what ubuntu means to understand a bit more about my thoughts)
anyway, i think that God is teaching me to see all people as family. i mean, just he other day i saw some people at church, random people that i don't know at all, and i was filled with such overwhelming compassion that it almost brought me to tears. it felt like the way it does when you see someone you love after a long absense...like it will feel to see my parents and future hubby at the airport in a month. i can't explain it, but Ugandans are my family and this beautiful, social, loving, culture is my home.
ugh! our time is short...i meant to write so much more, but this will have to do for now. feel free to post questions or comments - we appreciate them! i'll continue this thought at a later date...
sula bulungi :)
Monday, July 14, 2008
Loving It Here
We’re safe and sound at our new home in Jinja. Kate and Peter are great and they’re taking very good care of us. Their son, Levi, turns 1 on Wednesday and he’s indescribable adorable. So far, we’ve just been getting settled and brainstorming about how things are going to go for the next 5 weeks. I love it here. Jinja is beautiful and it’s great to be out of the big smelly city of Kampala.
Gulu was quite the experience. Things are much more peaceful than we imagined. There’s been so much progress since the current peace talks have started. (Honestly, Kampala was more dangerous than Gulu.) Only now and then would we see subtle reminders of the fact that the place has been in turmoil for over 20 years. Things like… a huge sign warning you to not touch or step on unknown objects with a picture of a land mine. Or the old, run-down railroad tracks that the war put out of business, or houses that have no doors and you can see grass growing inside. Obviously the IDP camps we visited were big reminders too. A lot of the people are starting to leave the camps now that the war looks like it might be over. (By the way, there’s a chance that a peace treaty might be signed while we’re here, which would be amazing!) But most of the people don’t have anywhere to go. Many of them left their homes many years ago and their land has now been taken by someone else. There’s talk that the land disputes that are erupting may turn into yet another war. So the camps are still populated with thousands of people crowded together in very poor conditions.
One of the most amazing moments so far on this trip occurred in one of the IDP camps. As we were walking through, closely followed by a band of about 60 enthusiastic kids, we were told that there was a sick man in one of the huts and we were asked to come in a pray for him. He was lying there in the dark, skin and bones, his belly bloated and sweating. And our translator informed us that he had heard the gospel many times and he was now ready to accept Christ. We got the honor of being the midwives, in a sense, just to be there beside him during his rebirth into the Kingdom. It was amazing. We prayed for healing as well. He and his wife have five kids.
We also got the chance to visit Lacor (pronounced La-CHO) Hospital in Gulu. There was a man there with really bad ulcers, and lying in the bed next to him was his son, dying of AIDS. They are the son and grandson on a pastor we met in an IDP camp. We prayed for them brought them gifts (as is the custom when you visit someone). I wish we could have stayed longer and just sat with them.
We visited the hut of another woman in Gulu who has AIDS. Her health isn’t too bad right now, but she is all alone. We brought her some food and basic health items. She said she gets cold at night and has no blanket. I wish we could have brought one to her. It’s amazing to me how blessed people are by a visit and a kind gesture like a handshake (which are cooler in Uganda, by the way) and a prayer in an unknown language can be such an incredible blessing to these people. They are so much more relational than we are.
One night in Gulu, and guy named David sat and talked with us. He reminded us about how relational their culture is and how that’s why what we’re doing matters so much. He said it would be easy for people like us to just send money, but what people really want and need, money can’t buy. He told us a story that he said is commonly told in Uganda about a rich man who left his village and frequently sent money whenever someone from his village was facing something difficult. Then, when his own son died, the people of his village pooled a bunch of money together and sent it to him. “Who will help me burry my son?” the man asked. The people replied. “The money will burry your son.” “Who will be here to mourn for my son?” the man asked. “The money will mourn for your son.”
I love this story because it gives me a way to answer the people who ask me, “Wouldn’t it be better to just take all that money for plane tickets and send it over to help the people?” The truth is… giving people money only goes so far. Sure, God can bless it and use it to do many wonderful things… but love is what really changes the world. And sure, you can love by giving money… but you can also avoid loving by giving money. For me and Erin and Caitlin, love compelled us to come here and meet these people face-to-face. To do anything else would be to deny our love for them.
Since the internet is slow here, I’m not sure if I’ll have time to add Sanyu Babies Home to our “ministry links” but here’s the URL: http://www.mikwano.org/sanyubabieshome/4520569480
I think that’s what it is anyway. I don’t have the time to sit here and let to load. I’m hoping that there’s pictures on the site so you can see the kids we have come to know and love. Another one of most amazing moments was when I made Frieda smile. She’s one of the babies at the home. She was new when we got there and she has been neglected and abused. She was very tiny and malnourished and she never smiled or even interacted with people at all. I came and just sat next to her on the floor every morning. Any sharp movements would cause her to recoil, so I would slowly move my hand closer to hers. I’ll never forget the first time she reached out and took my hand. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her smile. Please pray for this little one. I didn’t get to see her the last day we were there because she had to be taken to the hospital for her fever.
Northern Lights Ministries is the one we’ll be working with for the remainder of the trip, so check out their website to see what it’s about.
Gulu was quite the experience. Things are much more peaceful than we imagined. There’s been so much progress since the current peace talks have started. (Honestly, Kampala was more dangerous than Gulu.) Only now and then would we see subtle reminders of the fact that the place has been in turmoil for over 20 years. Things like… a huge sign warning you to not touch or step on unknown objects with a picture of a land mine. Or the old, run-down railroad tracks that the war put out of business, or houses that have no doors and you can see grass growing inside. Obviously the IDP camps we visited were big reminders too. A lot of the people are starting to leave the camps now that the war looks like it might be over. (By the way, there’s a chance that a peace treaty might be signed while we’re here, which would be amazing!) But most of the people don’t have anywhere to go. Many of them left their homes many years ago and their land has now been taken by someone else. There’s talk that the land disputes that are erupting may turn into yet another war. So the camps are still populated with thousands of people crowded together in very poor conditions.
One of the most amazing moments so far on this trip occurred in one of the IDP camps. As we were walking through, closely followed by a band of about 60 enthusiastic kids, we were told that there was a sick man in one of the huts and we were asked to come in a pray for him. He was lying there in the dark, skin and bones, his belly bloated and sweating. And our translator informed us that he had heard the gospel many times and he was now ready to accept Christ. We got the honor of being the midwives, in a sense, just to be there beside him during his rebirth into the Kingdom. It was amazing. We prayed for healing as well. He and his wife have five kids.
We also got the chance to visit Lacor (pronounced La-CHO) Hospital in Gulu. There was a man there with really bad ulcers, and lying in the bed next to him was his son, dying of AIDS. They are the son and grandson on a pastor we met in an IDP camp. We prayed for them brought them gifts (as is the custom when you visit someone). I wish we could have stayed longer and just sat with them.
We visited the hut of another woman in Gulu who has AIDS. Her health isn’t too bad right now, but she is all alone. We brought her some food and basic health items. She said she gets cold at night and has no blanket. I wish we could have brought one to her. It’s amazing to me how blessed people are by a visit and a kind gesture like a handshake (which are cooler in Uganda, by the way) and a prayer in an unknown language can be such an incredible blessing to these people. They are so much more relational than we are.
One night in Gulu, and guy named David sat and talked with us. He reminded us about how relational their culture is and how that’s why what we’re doing matters so much. He said it would be easy for people like us to just send money, but what people really want and need, money can’t buy. He told us a story that he said is commonly told in Uganda about a rich man who left his village and frequently sent money whenever someone from his village was facing something difficult. Then, when his own son died, the people of his village pooled a bunch of money together and sent it to him. “Who will help me burry my son?” the man asked. The people replied. “The money will burry your son.” “Who will be here to mourn for my son?” the man asked. “The money will mourn for your son.”
I love this story because it gives me a way to answer the people who ask me, “Wouldn’t it be better to just take all that money for plane tickets and send it over to help the people?” The truth is… giving people money only goes so far. Sure, God can bless it and use it to do many wonderful things… but love is what really changes the world. And sure, you can love by giving money… but you can also avoid loving by giving money. For me and Erin and Caitlin, love compelled us to come here and meet these people face-to-face. To do anything else would be to deny our love for them.
Since the internet is slow here, I’m not sure if I’ll have time to add Sanyu Babies Home to our “ministry links” but here’s the URL: http://www.mikwano.org/sanyubabieshome/4520569480
I think that’s what it is anyway. I don’t have the time to sit here and let to load. I’m hoping that there’s pictures on the site so you can see the kids we have come to know and love. Another one of most amazing moments was when I made Frieda smile. She’s one of the babies at the home. She was new when we got there and she has been neglected and abused. She was very tiny and malnourished and she never smiled or even interacted with people at all. I came and just sat next to her on the floor every morning. Any sharp movements would cause her to recoil, so I would slowly move my hand closer to hers. I’ll never forget the first time she reached out and took my hand. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her smile. Please pray for this little one. I didn’t get to see her the last day we were there because she had to be taken to the hospital for her fever.
Northern Lights Ministries is the one we’ll be working with for the remainder of the trip, so check out their website to see what it’s about.
Settled in Jinja
Hey Everyone,
I’m sure you’re all wondering whether we made it back from the North alive. We did It was a fantastic experience; we were up there two and a half days and with the exception of that half day, we spent our time in the IDP camps (Internally Displaced Persons) which is where the gov’t forced the majority of the Acholi people (90%) when the LRA attacks were really in full force – somehow, they thought it’d be a good idea when in reality, they put a large number of people, with a lot of kids, in a very secluded area, surrounded by bush where the rebel army hid…yeah, you can see how I feel about it. We took lots of pictures and video, and I look forward to being able to share those with you all.
We are no safe in Jinja and it’s just as wonderful as I remember it. Kampala, to me, was like any major US city, only covered in about 3 in. of red dust – full of smog, stop and go traffic all the time, dirty, smelly, loud, and easily induced motion sickness. So, needless to say, I’m really glad to get out of the city itself. Jinja is smaller, but still a big city only spread out. We’re staying with friends who’ve made wonderful efforts at making their home our home. Already we’ve had very normal foods here – chocolate chip cookies, egg salad sandwiches, and more to come. We’re being very well taken care of, more than the last place.
We’re working on ironing out a schedule but we’ll be in a slum village 5 days a week, sometimes 6, doing “coaching” or tutoring, teaching, and pretty much whatever else we’re needed for. It’s here that I knew my talents and knowledge of English would come in handy – I will mostly be working with kids to teach them to read. I love being a part of increasing literacy where literacy is not to be found. I’m really excited to be able to really offer something here – not that I didn’t before, but I think it’s different.
The sad thing about being in Jinja is that we’re far from some amazing people we met. Our friends, Faith and Ben, have been the ones who really took care of us while we were in K’la. We’ve grown to know and love them dearly – Faith a recent college grad who’s from Kenya working at the church we were apart of while there, and Ben is getting ready to enter into Bible college to become a pastor, and what an incredible pastor he will be. So, being here makes us all a little sick for the home we found in them.
Other than that, things are going well. We met up with and spent more time with a friend from last year, Sam, have enjoyed a number of treats – ice cream – and are doing well health-wise and financially. It’s incredible how much God’s blessed the money you all have given to us. It’s like the fishes and loaves stories in the gospels…He’s really multiplying it…for real (Caitlin knew she didn’t have any more American money on her, but Kathy and I did. Then when we went to re-count the money, there was an extra $100 in Caitlin’s stuff!)
So, thank you all for being with us. We do miss you, but it doesn’t feel real that we’re almost half way through the trip. Keep praying with us and that the changes and transformations God wants done in us come to pass. We all just want to see God move in us and thru. us.
Blessings to you all.
With love,
Erin
I’m sure you’re all wondering whether we made it back from the North alive. We did It was a fantastic experience; we were up there two and a half days and with the exception of that half day, we spent our time in the IDP camps (Internally Displaced Persons) which is where the gov’t forced the majority of the Acholi people (90%) when the LRA attacks were really in full force – somehow, they thought it’d be a good idea when in reality, they put a large number of people, with a lot of kids, in a very secluded area, surrounded by bush where the rebel army hid…yeah, you can see how I feel about it. We took lots of pictures and video, and I look forward to being able to share those with you all.
We are no safe in Jinja and it’s just as wonderful as I remember it. Kampala, to me, was like any major US city, only covered in about 3 in. of red dust – full of smog, stop and go traffic all the time, dirty, smelly, loud, and easily induced motion sickness. So, needless to say, I’m really glad to get out of the city itself. Jinja is smaller, but still a big city only spread out. We’re staying with friends who’ve made wonderful efforts at making their home our home. Already we’ve had very normal foods here – chocolate chip cookies, egg salad sandwiches, and more to come. We’re being very well taken care of, more than the last place.
We’re working on ironing out a schedule but we’ll be in a slum village 5 days a week, sometimes 6, doing “coaching” or tutoring, teaching, and pretty much whatever else we’re needed for. It’s here that I knew my talents and knowledge of English would come in handy – I will mostly be working with kids to teach them to read. I love being a part of increasing literacy where literacy is not to be found. I’m really excited to be able to really offer something here – not that I didn’t before, but I think it’s different.
The sad thing about being in Jinja is that we’re far from some amazing people we met. Our friends, Faith and Ben, have been the ones who really took care of us while we were in K’la. We’ve grown to know and love them dearly – Faith a recent college grad who’s from Kenya working at the church we were apart of while there, and Ben is getting ready to enter into Bible college to become a pastor, and what an incredible pastor he will be. So, being here makes us all a little sick for the home we found in them.
Other than that, things are going well. We met up with and spent more time with a friend from last year, Sam, have enjoyed a number of treats – ice cream – and are doing well health-wise and financially. It’s incredible how much God’s blessed the money you all have given to us. It’s like the fishes and loaves stories in the gospels…He’s really multiplying it…for real (Caitlin knew she didn’t have any more American money on her, but Kathy and I did. Then when we went to re-count the money, there was an extra $100 in Caitlin’s stuff!)
So, thank you all for being with us. We do miss you, but it doesn’t feel real that we’re almost half way through the trip. Keep praying with us and that the changes and transformations God wants done in us come to pass. We all just want to see God move in us and thru. us.
Blessings to you all.
With love,
Erin
finally, an update from Cate (aka Caitlin, but that's to hard for a Ugandan to say)
We’ve finally arrived in Jinja – our last and final destination before the airport at Entebbe to go back to the states. It’s hard to believe our time in Uganda is already half completed. We finished our time in Kampala with a wonderful “farewell day” – black tea in the garden with our wonderful friends, Faith and Ben, who have become such a deep heart blessing to us, and an evening out with crazy ol’ Sam whom Erin and I met last year. We went to dinner and then drove around town in the evening sharing stories and laughs. I’ve been so blessed by our time in K’la that I almost forget it’s a city, and I’m a country girl – I should hate the city, right? Well, it’s part of Uganda and just as much a home for my heart as the rest of this nation has so sweetly become.
Jinja is a quite little town in comparison to the hussle and bussle of K’la streets – no jams, less loud music, and boda boda drivers who go much slower (to my chagrin, I’d like to add J ) – for any of you who don’t know, boda bodas are little motor bikes we can hire to take us places, like a yellow cab in NYC only much smaller, and I can ride a few miles for $1. We’re out to experience Jinja all on our own today – it’s so liberating to be independent! We feel like the last organization we were with while in K’la kind of stifled our desires and dreams. Even our trip to gulu was marred with late-ness (beyond even what Africans would consider appropriate), and we constantly felt like an inconvenience…needless to say, I intend on writing a letter or phoning someone in the states who can make some changes in their program before I suggest that organization to anyone else. I think we overpaid for what begrudging service we received. But, I all fairness, their organization is going through a lot of changes and we didn’t know much about them before all this started. Rest assured, beloved family, friends, supporters, and prayer-warriors, God’s $$ is going to the right places. We are making stewardship a key goal of this trip – your help has gone to great organizations, even if cultural differences make things difficult.
Anyway, our time in Jinja has already been such a blessing! I came “home” to Kate and Peter’s to find a note Clair wrote to me while he was staying at their house in May – and what perfect timing! God is soo good to bring encouragement from a trusted source in my hardest moments! I’ve been feeling pretty low lately just because we’re half way through the trip and its beginning to feel like the Enemy hates our work here – of course, he always did, but the battle has been refreshed recently. Keep praying, family, we’re keeping our heads up and our eyes and hearts set on Christ, but we’re getting tired! God is good and He has brought us sooo far – his love is what helps us persevere! We are conquerors in him!
Something else exciting to be praying about – while Clair was here in May and June, he spent time in a village called Budumbuli working with an organization called Northern Lights Ministries, which is the same organization we’re working with right now. Kate and Peter are the leaders and founders of this ministry and while Clair was here, they discussed with him briefly about us returning to Uganda someday to help them run the ministry. As it turns out, the church which supports the ministry from the States has been saying for years that they need “another Kate and Peter”, well, maybe a “Cate and Clair” will have to do! Clair and I are seeking God’s heart on the idea, because we would much rather have His will be done rather than our own. We would appreciate any of you who will come alongside us in this plea for discernment and a deeper knowledge of God (for both Clair and I) so we can know if God’s wants us with NLM in Uganda.
Well, I’ve certainly written enough for now – one more quick story, tho…
On Sunday, we visited a church and the service was spoken mostly in the local language here – Lugandan. It’s difficult to understand even when Ugandans translate into English b/c of the heavy accent and bad sound system. So, while Kathy, Erin, and I were trying to listen and not melt from the heat, Kate leans over to us and asks if we want to go greet the Sunday School class. We decided to sneak out (as only Muzungu people can!) and went to hear the children sing songs and to introduce ourselves. I actually taught them a new song – one that I quite dear to my heart b/c my beloved 6th grade wildfire girls made it up. I taught them the song about Proverbs 3:5-6 - I think it fits my life now quite well:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make your path straight.
Jinja is a quite little town in comparison to the hussle and bussle of K’la streets – no jams, less loud music, and boda boda drivers who go much slower (to my chagrin, I’d like to add J ) – for any of you who don’t know, boda bodas are little motor bikes we can hire to take us places, like a yellow cab in NYC only much smaller, and I can ride a few miles for $1. We’re out to experience Jinja all on our own today – it’s so liberating to be independent! We feel like the last organization we were with while in K’la kind of stifled our desires and dreams. Even our trip to gulu was marred with late-ness (beyond even what Africans would consider appropriate), and we constantly felt like an inconvenience…needless to say, I intend on writing a letter or phoning someone in the states who can make some changes in their program before I suggest that organization to anyone else. I think we overpaid for what begrudging service we received. But, I all fairness, their organization is going through a lot of changes and we didn’t know much about them before all this started. Rest assured, beloved family, friends, supporters, and prayer-warriors, God’s $$ is going to the right places. We are making stewardship a key goal of this trip – your help has gone to great organizations, even if cultural differences make things difficult.
Anyway, our time in Jinja has already been such a blessing! I came “home” to Kate and Peter’s to find a note Clair wrote to me while he was staying at their house in May – and what perfect timing! God is soo good to bring encouragement from a trusted source in my hardest moments! I’ve been feeling pretty low lately just because we’re half way through the trip and its beginning to feel like the Enemy hates our work here – of course, he always did, but the battle has been refreshed recently. Keep praying, family, we’re keeping our heads up and our eyes and hearts set on Christ, but we’re getting tired! God is good and He has brought us sooo far – his love is what helps us persevere! We are conquerors in him!
Something else exciting to be praying about – while Clair was here in May and June, he spent time in a village called Budumbuli working with an organization called Northern Lights Ministries, which is the same organization we’re working with right now. Kate and Peter are the leaders and founders of this ministry and while Clair was here, they discussed with him briefly about us returning to Uganda someday to help them run the ministry. As it turns out, the church which supports the ministry from the States has been saying for years that they need “another Kate and Peter”, well, maybe a “Cate and Clair” will have to do! Clair and I are seeking God’s heart on the idea, because we would much rather have His will be done rather than our own. We would appreciate any of you who will come alongside us in this plea for discernment and a deeper knowledge of God (for both Clair and I) so we can know if God’s wants us with NLM in Uganda.
Well, I’ve certainly written enough for now – one more quick story, tho…
On Sunday, we visited a church and the service was spoken mostly in the local language here – Lugandan. It’s difficult to understand even when Ugandans translate into English b/c of the heavy accent and bad sound system. So, while Kathy, Erin, and I were trying to listen and not melt from the heat, Kate leans over to us and asks if we want to go greet the Sunday School class. We decided to sneak out (as only Muzungu people can!) and went to hear the children sing songs and to introduce ourselves. I actually taught them a new song – one that I quite dear to my heart b/c my beloved 6th grade wildfire girls made it up. I taught them the song about Proverbs 3:5-6 - I think it fits my life now quite well:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make your path straight.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Crazy Week
The internet is really slow in this café and I feel like I have so many stories to tell. Where in the world do I start?
This past week was our busiest so far. We spent every morning at Sanyu Babies Home. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday we spent the afternoon teaching kids basic computer at the orphanage. On Wednesday afternoon, we were in charge of about 55 kids for an hour. We told them the story of Abraham and Isaac, played games, and taught them songs. It’s been a lot of fun, but we’ve also had some tough challenges.
Friday was our last day with the babies. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I spent most of my time with one group of about 14 babies (the ones who can sit up on their own but can’t walk yet). I could name them all for you. I got to know their personalities and I could identify their cries. I miss them already. And I feel like we’ve been through a lot with the staff there. While working at the home, we lost one baby to meningitis. I don’t think I could put into words how hard it was to see his tiny casket. He was only 4 months old. The three of us had a good cry that night. Especially Erin . Death hits her so hard. It makes sense though since she has such a mother’s heart. Who knows the value of life better than a mother?
It’s so good to be here with these girls. They’re the best friends in the world and I can’t imagine being here with anyone else.
I got into a boda accident! Ok, not really. Actually, I was on the back of a boda and we were going down the hill to the pastor’s house and the boda just kind of tipped over. I was riding side-saddle (with a skirt on) so it was easy to just hop off before the boda hit the ground. It wasn’t really a big deal at all. I didn’t even get any Africa dirt on my skirt, but my boda driver was really, really embarrassed in front of the other drivers. Poor guy.
Keep praying for our health. Particularly our bowels. :o) Not to get too specific. I’ve been getting dehydrated very easily, which is easy to fix but it’s still annoying because that also makes me get motion sickness easily. I’m ok…. But I could be better.
The biggest reason I wanted to post today is that we’ll be needing prayer coverage. We set out for Gulu tomorrow morning! We all have a feeling that our trip to Gulu is one of the biggest reasons we’re here. We’ll mostly be ministering to people in the IDP camps where 90% of the population of Northern Uganda have been forced by the government to go and live in really bad conditions. We should be safe. The peace talks have been going well so far. There haven’t been any LRA attacks in a long time, so we’re not worried about anything like that. But it’ll be a long journey (6 hours on really bad roads) and it will be emotionally hard, I’m sure. We travel on Monday, then we’ll be there Tuesday and Wednesday, then we travel back to Kampala on Thursday. We have Friday to rest, then we head to Jinja on Saturday.
Thanks for your prayers.
This past week was our busiest so far. We spent every morning at Sanyu Babies Home. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday we spent the afternoon teaching kids basic computer at the orphanage. On Wednesday afternoon, we were in charge of about 55 kids for an hour. We told them the story of Abraham and Isaac, played games, and taught them songs. It’s been a lot of fun, but we’ve also had some tough challenges.
Friday was our last day with the babies. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I spent most of my time with one group of about 14 babies (the ones who can sit up on their own but can’t walk yet). I could name them all for you. I got to know their personalities and I could identify their cries. I miss them already. And I feel like we’ve been through a lot with the staff there. While working at the home, we lost one baby to meningitis. I don’t think I could put into words how hard it was to see his tiny casket. He was only 4 months old. The three of us had a good cry that night. Especially Erin . Death hits her so hard. It makes sense though since she has such a mother’s heart. Who knows the value of life better than a mother?
It’s so good to be here with these girls. They’re the best friends in the world and I can’t imagine being here with anyone else.
I got into a boda accident! Ok, not really. Actually, I was on the back of a boda and we were going down the hill to the pastor’s house and the boda just kind of tipped over. I was riding side-saddle (with a skirt on) so it was easy to just hop off before the boda hit the ground. It wasn’t really a big deal at all. I didn’t even get any Africa dirt on my skirt, but my boda driver was really, really embarrassed in front of the other drivers. Poor guy.
Keep praying for our health. Particularly our bowels. :o) Not to get too specific. I’ve been getting dehydrated very easily, which is easy to fix but it’s still annoying because that also makes me get motion sickness easily. I’m ok…. But I could be better.
The biggest reason I wanted to post today is that we’ll be needing prayer coverage. We set out for Gulu tomorrow morning! We all have a feeling that our trip to Gulu is one of the biggest reasons we’re here. We’ll mostly be ministering to people in the IDP camps where 90% of the population of Northern Uganda have been forced by the government to go and live in really bad conditions. We should be safe. The peace talks have been going well so far. There haven’t been any LRA attacks in a long time, so we’re not worried about anything like that. But it’ll be a long journey (6 hours on really bad roads) and it will be emotionally hard, I’m sure. We travel on Monday, then we’ll be there Tuesday and Wednesday, then we travel back to Kampala on Thursday. We have Friday to rest, then we head to Jinja on Saturday.
Thanks for your prayers.
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