Kate in Uganda

2012

2012-01-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

A new beginning, a fresh start.

Abounding optimism…excitement…hope.

Everything looks bright and clear.

Fears are quieted, uncertainties forgotten.

Change is possible.

Life will be better.

Goals can be reached.

Adventures await.

Celebration, cheers, laughter, joy.

The clock strikes midnight;

A new year is born.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T06:02:00.001-08:00

I have to admit, it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving to me. At the moment I am the only American working with Hope Alive! (Catharine Coon, our director is traveling in the USA right now and the other mid-termers that I used to work with have all returned to the States). All the usual indicators that help anticipate the big day are absent.

No Thanksgiving ads on TV. No Black Friday deals. No four day weekend.

Instead of cold temperatures and chilly wind, I get sun and a warm breeze. The grass is green and flourishing. The trees are full of leaves and bursting with fruit. Flowers are in bloom.

I’m surrounded by Ugandans to whom ‘thanksgiving’ means a praise offered up to God for something good that has happened or a church service, dedicated to celebrating all God has done, which culminates in the joyful giving of funds or goods for His service.

In fact, though it is Thanksgiving, I’m actually at the Hope Alive! office right now completing my work day. Before you get up in arms about this fact, I must hurry to say that I will be celebrating Thanksgiving…tomorrow. Is it sacrilegious to observe turkey day on a day other than Thursday and by partaking of chicken instead of turkey?

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a strict adherer to tradition. Nearly every holiday (birthdays, Christmas, etc.) has a set of family traditions that have to be done just so, and I fight tooth and nail to preserve them. However, since living in a couple of other countries, I’ve been able to embrace a few new traditions and accept a few changes based on practicality’s sake.

First of all, turkeys here are small, tough, and super-expensive. So, as far as the main course of Thanksgiving dinner goes, I’ve reconciled to myself that chicken is good enough.

Celebrating Thanksgiving on Friday, however, takes a bit more work, and I’m still not quite ready to embrace it fully. Here is my reasoning why: I’m a member of the Kampala Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra is made up of many different nationalities. At the moment, however, I am the only American. We’re preparing for our Christmas concert, which will be this coming weekend. Thursday evening is our dress rehearsal. It is the only day we have to practice in the venue and with the Kampala Singers (the choir with whom we will perform). Rehearsal begins at 6pm, but with evening traffic, the commute there takes roughly an hour. If I were to celebrate Thanksgiving today I would barely have time to enjoy the meal before I rush off for rehearsal. My friends, with whom I am spending Thanksgiving with, graciously suggested that we move our celebration to Friday so that we can have the entire day to relax, eat, and spend time together. After considering the pros and cons to the idea, I got on board with this plan. So, for the year 2011, I am making an exception to the rule. I am celebrating Thanksgiving on Friday. Hopefully this will be a Thanksgiving I will always remember…and an exception that I will never have to repeat J.

Still, I am very grateful for the good friends and many other things God has placed in my life, and for a day to recognize and celebrate them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Village Photos

2011-04-17T11:11:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are some photos of my walk through the village to visit some of our Hope Alive! kids. Since I didn't use my camera that day, these photos are courtesy of Sarah Pisney and Kacie Josifek, my wonderful roommates.

Kacie and I making our way to visit the first home...

This is the first home we visited. Three kids from this family are enrolled in Hope Alive! To show her appreciation for all that we have done to help her family, the mom made us a nice meal for us to enjoy :).

Home #2: The infamous chicken

The best thing about receiving this chicken was the fact that they marched right up to and gave her to Kacie, the vegetarian of the group.

I graciously took the chicken from Kacie, and she became my companion the rest of the time. Sal and I bonded.

Family #3

These two older boys stay with their grandparents, a sweet and caring couple.

House #4: This family had a bunch of new piglets running around - so much fun!

It was a great trip visiting our students!

Footing through the Village

2011-04-07T00:18:00.000-07:00

On the Saturday before I left Gulu, my roommates and I went on some home visits with Justin, one of our mentors. Home visits are always an interesting experience. I enjoy seeing where our students live and what their homes are like. It is also nice to meet their parents or guardians as well as various other family members or neighbors who come to join in the visit. Each visit is a unique experience.

One thing I was looking forward to about this venture was that we were going to walk the entire way. Most Ugandans view foreigners as too weak to do much walking or work. We play into this when we drive our cars everywhere and use modern conveniences to get work accomplished (i.e. washing machine, not having to go fetch water, etc.). I do agree that the average ten year old here is probably stronger than me, due to all the lifting and fetching they do each day, but I also get tired of not being allowed to carry heavy objects and of not being thought capable of walking a long distance, always being asked, “Are you tired?” after only about 15 minutes. So, I was glad that Justin was going to take us deep into the village on foot.

We left the Feeding Centre at the Gulu site a few minutes before 3pm, making our way through the remaining homes located in the old IDP camp. We then crossed the highway, walked through the school yard of Koro Abili Primary School, and began trekking down a village path.

Further and further we walked, periodically turning right or left, following the winding path. For long stretches we were just surrounded by tall grasses, meadows, rolling hills, and trees. As we got closer to places where people stayed, we’d come across areas that had been tilled and planted, with crops like cassava, sorghum, groundnuts, and others growing. People call these fields their gardens, and during this time of year they are busy clearing and working the ground each morning and evening. Work is measured in sticks. A man takes a stick, roughly 6 feet tall, and lays it end over end a specific number of times (usually between 30 and 40). This is the length of the piece of ground he will work that day. The width is normally one stick’s worth. People get up early in the morning, before the sun is up, when the temperature is cool, and work anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on how fast they are, cultivating the land. These crops will provide food, seed, flour, and a little income for the villagers. The soil is fertile and crops grow well. Much land remains uncultivated, and Justin commented to me more than once about how much more land could be used to grow crops if the people had the education, resources, and tools to begin developing it.

Along the way, we would pass groups of people or we would hear them on other paths. They were all quite surprised and delighted to see so many bazungu (white people) out in the village. We got many enthusiastic greetings and handshakes.

We reached the first house we were visiting about an hour after we started walking. Three of our students lived in a small collection of huts with their mother and some other relatives. Their home was placed in such a beautiful and peaceful setting. A huge tree in the middle of the land provided much needed shade and was the place where everyone gathered. We didn’t know this, but Justin had informed them of our visit, and so they had prepared something special for us – a meal. This sweet mom had made us beans, posho, cassava, and even chicken (which is only reserved for special occasions) to honor us for our work with Hope Alive! and thank us for the impact Hope Alive! was having on her children. She kept piling more and more food on our plates, wanting us to enjoy as much as possible, until we were so full we could not take another bite! Communication between us all was pretty limited, as we couldn’t speak much Acholi and she couldn’t speak much English, but with our few words, smiles, and some translation, everything was said that needed to be said.

After this first home, we walked another 45 minutes to reach the next. As we entered into the compound there was a flurry of activity as chairs were gathered and set up for us. We greeted all the aunties, sisters, nephews, cousins, and friends who had come to enjoy the visit. At this house we were given a very important gift – a chicken – to take with us. It was a small, white one, and we were given instructions to take it back to Kampala and feed it, and when it grew fat, we could eat it! The generosity and sacrifice of these people never ceases to amaze me. Out of the little they have, they give and share to show their appreciation and thanks.

It was rather ironic that when they brought us the chicken, they happened to give it directly to Kacie, who is a vegetarian! She promptly passed it over to me, and I got to carry it around the rest of the day. I named her Sal and we bonded. :)

At the next home, we saw two students. They stay with their grandparents who are very old. Their grandfather is not able to walk anymore. The grandmother, we discovered, goes to the church Kacie and I had been attending while in Gulu. She declared straight away that she knew our faces and she was so excited we had come to her home! While there, the grandparents expressed their concerns about the future – how the garden was ready, but they had no money to buy seed, how they were getting so old and they don’t know what will happen to the kids when they die. We didn’t have all the answers for them, but we were able to pray with them and hopefully give some encouragement.

The final home we visited happened to be the home of Justin’s brother and his wife. Justin’s niece is in Hope Alive!. The highlight of this visit was about 20 piglets running around the compound. They were only a couple of weeks old and were adorable! Here again we didn’t leave empty handed. Justin’s brother gifted us with a bag of sim sim (sesame seeds).

From there we began the journey back to the Feeding Centre (about a 40 minute walk). By this time, we had walked about 10k and it was beginning to get dark. I was tired, but it was a good kind of tired. I had gotten to experience a taste of what life was like for these people every day. Each day these students must walk 45 minutes to an hour just to get to school, and when it rains, I’m sure it takes much longer. They must walk a distance just to fetch water. They work the land. They build their lives out in the village. It’s a beautiful area to live, but remote. There is no easy access to medical care. It takes time and a lot of hard work just to survive. But they are making it happen, one day at a time.

(Pictures will follow soon…I have to get them from my roommates because I didn’t use my camera!)

Things I Miss...

2011-04-01T03:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon I came home from Gulu. Sarah, Kacie and I had a nice time fellowshipping one last time with the people from Good News Community Church at Sports Outreach. Then we jumped into the car and headed back to Kampala. The best part about coming home has been seeing all the people that I missed so much while I was away - my co-workers, friends, the students. However, I must admit, I think I left part of myself in Gulu. I really miss it up there! In the next week or so, I'm hoping to write a couple of more posts about some of my experiences, but until then, here's a glimpse of some of the things I miss about Gulu...

…early morning jogs through the village

…walking into town and picking up a chapatti or rolex along the way

…shopping for skirts at the little skirt shop

…picking up a passion juice box

…buying avocados and pineapples from Florence

…chatting with Caroline

…learning Acholi from Concy

…getting to know our Gulu students better

…visiting homes of friends

…the wide open spaces

…huge blue sky

...much more!

Walking into town

One of my most favorite signs at the market.

Florence and her yummy produce :)

The street near my hotel.

In the village, visiting some of our students.

Gulu Week 3

2011-03-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

This week signaled the beginning of the end of my time in Gulu. What a bittersweet week this has been! I have loved spending time in Gulu. When I first arrived, I had a hard time picturing how I would fill up my time. Yet, now that the days are fast coming to an end, I find myself having more things to do than time to do them.

I feel pretty satisfied, though, with what I have done and accomplished. I have learned a lot – about Acholi culture and language, about how to get around town, about the school system up here, about Vocational schools and requirements, and about how Hope Alive! Gulu operates. I have met many new friends and gotten to know old friends better. I have eaten new foods (white ants!). I have established new routines and new relationships with different business people throughout town (i.e. a shopkeeper, a market vendor, skirt seller, hotel staff, food maker, etc.). I will miss this place. It is difficult to leave. Yet I am looking forward to being home again, having a kitchen, and seeing my friends in Kampala once again.

Here are a few pics from the week:

Kacie and I after a really long, dusty boda ride. (We were literally covered head to toe in dust, with it caked on our faces. The picture does not do it justice!)

Me with some new friends - Scovia and Susan - after the midweek fellowship at Sports Outreach.

Kacie trying out her drumming skills.

On Thursday, Sarah came to visit from Kampala!

Thursday night we had dinner with some of the Hope Alive! staff. It was a nice time of fellowship, appreciating all these men and women do and the impact they have in the lives of so many students.

To Capture a Smile...

2011-03-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

I don’t know how many Americans know this, but most of the world does not like to smile in photos. This was true in South Korea, and it is true here in Uganda as well. If you show the average person two pictures of themselves – a serious one and a smiling one – nine times out of ten he or she will choose the serious one as the favorite.

Americans, however, have an obsession with smiling. Serious photos give us the wrong impression – making us think the person is angry or sad. The non-smiling face hides how much life and joy abide in a person.

I went to Hope Alive!’s Saturday club yesterday, and one of my main objectives was to get updated photos of all the students so that we can issue the kids new Hope Alive! id cards and also send photos to their sponsors. Usually we take two photos – the kids can be serious in one, but in the other they have to smile. We do all kinds of things to get them to smile – make faces, tickle, laugh, etc. Sometimes the kids that are watching are the best help. However, the cameraperson aka me has to be ready to catch the perfect moment when the beauty of a genuine smile shines through.

Here are a few photos to illustrate my attempt:

Gulu Week 2

2011-03-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been in Gulu for two weeks already. This last week has been full of a variety of activities. One of the most important happenings of the week is that the rains came!!! Starting on Tuesday, it has rained almost every night. Besides cooling off the extreme heat, the rain is needed for the people to grow their crops. Planting season has already been delayed a few weeks and everyone is anxious to get their seeds sown. Please pray for a consistent and good rainfall in the next weeks and months!

On Wednesday, Kacie and I joined a group called Sports Outreach for their midweek fellowship. Sports Outreach is a great organization that works in many areas: church planting, medical clinics, nursery school, farming. It seeks to go deep into the village and help communities become self sufficient by

them farming skills and equipping them to raise pigs or goats or cows. It’s a neat ministry and the people who work there are full of joy and passion for the Lord.

The midweek fellowship brought together people from three different communities in which Sports Outreach works. We sang and danced, prayed together, and listened to the sharing of the Word. Afterwards some of the women came together for some fun in football. Because the center operates a nursery school, some of the kids were still around waiting for their parents to come pick them. I took the opportunity to hang out with them for awhile. Communication between me and them was pretty hilarious. In my limited Acholi, I tried to convince them that my name was Kate and not Munu (white person). I was not successful :). But we had fun together.

This week I also helped Kacie do some health exams on some of the students at our Feeding Centre. Kacie took care of all the real medical things, but I enjoyed helping out where I could: measuring height, weight, etc. I even learned how to measure visual acuity with an eye chart!

Afterwards we enjoyed eating lunch together. Some students from the nearby schools come to the Feeding Centre each day for lunch.

On Friday, I was able to visit a couple of schools that our vocational students are studying at. This is Morris and he is studying Carpentry and Joinery at Minakulu Technical Institute. I enjoyed finding more information out about the school as well as seeing the different classrooms and training areas. Morris even showed me a chair that he is working on building

FACES OF GULU

2011-03-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

(Photos by Kacie Josifek and Kate Segrin)

LIFE IN GULU: Week 1

2011-03-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Last week, my roommate Kacie and I drove off on an adventure! Our goal: to spend the entire month of March in Gulu, working with our staff and students at the Hope Alive! site up there. Gulu is a great town, a lot more manageable than Kampala. The people are friendly, and there's much more foot traffic than cars on the road. It's the end of the dry season, however, so the weather is extremely hot and dusty.

We're staying at the Gulu Churchill Hotel, and I have to say, it has the best staff of any place I've every stayed at in Uganda. Each staff member is warm and personable. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome. They do their jobs well and seem to enjoy working here.

Here are some photos commemorating the past week:

Kacie and I settled in our room.

Last Saturday, we had a parents' meeting at Gulu site. Before the meeting began, however, Kacie and I enjoyed playing with Akena Daniel, our mentor Concy's 3 month old baby boy.

Parents are gathered together periodically throughout the year. Announcements are given and Hope Alive! policies are shared. Questions are answered, and parents are encouraged to take responsibility for their children and establish good relationships with them.

Making dinner in our hotel room!

Tuesday, 9 March 2011, I got to take part in the dedication of two wells. Kacie's church in the U.S. had raised funds to restore some broken wells here in Uganda. Partnering with Living Water, Kacie was able to pinpoint wells that were in need of repair in the areas where our students live. Both of these wells serve about 600 people each. While they were broken the people had to walk a long distance to another well, or use swampy water (as seen below). A group of people gathered together for the dedications. They were so kind and grateful for the well. I felt honored to be there and glad to be part of something that had such a practical, but profound impact on people.

Kacie sharing about her church with everyone.

Me, Kacie, and Peter (the guy from Living Water who actually repaired the well) pumping water.

One Year

2010-07-29T02:37:00.000-07:00

July 21st marked my one year anniversary of returning to Uganda. Because of this, I decided I would choose a few pictures from each month of the past year as a way to walk down memory lane.

JULY 2009
Here I am newly arrived in Uganda. This is my first day at the Head Office. After greeting everyone, they proudly showed me to my "new" office - under the stairs :)

Staff Fun day at our house.

AUGUST 2009
Celebrations for my 30th birthday:
-Eating dinner in town with Dorothy, Sarah, and Lonnah
- Kate, Kate, and Cate
-Learning to dance :)

Trip to Murchison Falls with Calista, Catharine, Sarah, and Stephen

SEPTEMBER 2009
Making samosas!

OCTOBER 2009
Hanging out at Saturday Club & Puppet practice

Sarah's birthday

NOVEMBER 2009
Plaiting my hair...9 hours of sitting and having my hair yanked this way and that...still, I liked the result!

DECEMBER 2009
Talent Show in Masaka...these guys are amazing dancers!

Christmas Puppet Show & Puppet Team

Christmas morning...Kacie and I with our lovely ficus tree!

JANUARY 2010

Laura, Kacie and I atop Mt. Sabinyo

Recovering on Bushara Island

Celebrating Kacie's Birthday

My friends and I also sang a special in church
"The Revelation Song"

FEBRUARY 2010
Gulu Trip:
playing basketball

hanging out

Shem and I

Fun times with the students:

MARCH 2010
Saturday Club: Kacie's hand washing lesson

Mid-Termer Retreat in Jinja

APRIL 2010
Visit to the States!!!! Time with family and good friends.

MAY 2010
Students were on a holiday break between terms one and two. During that time, the secondary students campaigned for the chance to be elected to the student Leadership Team. Here you see one of the speeches that was made, students voting, and the newly elected Leadership Team.

I won a contest!

Sarah, Richard, and I

I ran my first 10K race with Kacie

JUNE 2010
Fun at the zoo and beach

Health Checks in Gulu

Staff Fun/Work Day

JULY 2010
Teacher training & coaching classes

Wow, it has been quite the year! I wonder what adventures are in store in the years to come?

Airports, Emotion, Life, and Adventure

2010-04-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

Airports are places where opposites meet and constantly mix together. They are places of reunion and departure, business and leisure, busyness and boredom. Deep emotions—joy and anticipation, sorrow and grief—are expressed and shared. So many different kinds of people are brought together in one place (the man on a business trip, the soldier returning from active duty, the family heading for vacation), yet for the most part, each person is wrapped up in his or her own thoughts, completely unaware of the hundreds or thousands of others passing by.

Living and working overseas has given me the ability to do much travel. Because of this I have visited my fair share of airports. My favorite part of the airport is the arrival area. Whether it is me getting picked up or me doing the picking, this area fascinates and entertains me. For domestic flights, the arrival area is right at the Security Check Point–an interesting collision of joyous reunions with sorrowful goodbyes. For international flights, it happens in an area following immigration, baggage claim, and customs.

Sliding, frosted glass doors separate passengers from those picking them up. An open space of about 20 meters is cordoned off to hold the crowds at bay. Those lined up include indifferent men and women holding up signs with peoples’ names on them, taxi drivers eager to secure a fare, and family members or friends straining to see their loved ones. The latter is my favorite group by far. I find it great fun to watch these people jockey for the best position at the front of the crowd, just behind the barrier. Some even duck under the retractable band to gain a few more inches. As the sliding doors begin to open and close, revealing exhausted passengers and their luggage, the atmosphere begins to spark with excitement and anticipation.

Each time the doors begin to move, sounds of several groups of people collectively sucking in their breath fill the air, each person wondering, hoping, pleading that this, this might be the one they are waiting for. Then, after the person or group is revealed, the tension dissipates in one mighty release of air as the greeters sigh deeply and try to reign in their disappointment.

Once that prized person is spotted, however, there is no stopping them. Through the barriers they fly with shouts of greeting, cries of exclamation. The open area sets a perfect stage where which we all witness these tender or triumphant reunions: hugs, kisses, tears, smiles, laughter. Not all the reunions are exuberant. Some are quiet or shy, somehow more touching with the amount of emotion communicated in a soft word or gesture.

For me, after spending some months abroad, the arrival gate is what I long for the most. I know my family will be there to greet me, to shower me with hugs and kisses and cries of delight. My nephews and niece will swamp me and almost knock me down in their enthusiasm. My parents and grandparents will try to hold back their tears. We’ll be together again and my heart will be full to overflowing.

On the other hand, the departure area is the place I dislike the most. It is business-like and efficient. Airport personnel check tickets and IDs, lines zig-zag up to security screening devices, passengers place their luggage on the x-ray belt and walk through metal detectors, carry-on items are collected and passengers head to their departure gates. The detached environment represses the deep emotions experienced by those trying to catch their planes. For some, it is just another day, another business trip, for others, a spark of anticipation for an exotic destination. For still others, it is a tearing away from loved ones, a place of deep sorrow and goodbye.

It is here where I set off on another adventure, but it is also where I leave so many precious people behind. Usually a feeling of dread starts building itself in the pit of my stomach a few days before I must leave. On the drive to the airport, this rock solidifies itself so much that I can’t eat and can hardly make conversation. My self-control is stretched to the max as I try to quell the emotions that threaten to overwhelm me. After checking in and receiving my boarding pass, my family and I inevitably head to the waiting area and try to make the most of our last minutes together.

This time is a kind of slow torture—the kids playing on the play structure and we adults struggling to maintain a normal atmosphere, trying not to think about how this minute or the next will be our last together for a very long time. What I hate the most is having to go alone. In my perfect world, somehow these two places that I call home (Oregon and Uganda) would meld together. My family could somehow come with me and we could all be together. I could daily be apart of my niece and nephews’ lives, watching them change and grow as each moment passes.

“Why must I constantly be split in two?” I ask myself.

Following Jesus is not all fun and games. It requires sacrifice and trust. Many years ago when I was faced with the decision of whether to go teach in Korea or not, I felt that God had His hand extended out to me, asking, “Will you go on an adventure with Me? Will you trust Me? I promise your life will never be the same, and oh, the things you will experience!” I said yes then (a very hesitant and uncertain yes, I have to admit), and my life has definitely gone in a direction I never expected it to.

Since 2001, I have had the opportunity to see the world (South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Great Britain, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda). I’ve been to many different countries and experienced many different cultures. I’ve realized how much greater God is than I can ever hope to imagine or comprehend. The variety of peoples, cultures, traditions, animals, and plants that He has created is amazing and overwhelming. Each one reflects part of who God is and what He loves. Ten lifetimes would not be enough to learn all there is to know about God just from His creation.

In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.” My “family” has increased by leaps and bounds since leaving the U.S. God has blessed me richly with deep friendships—brothers and sisters, mothers, and children—and I would not trade them for anything in the world. I’ve seen God work in amazing ways: meeting needs, changing lives, and drawing people to salvation. My own relationship with God has been strengthened and expanded beyond my expectations.

And so, though my heart may break every time I stand on the other side of Security, stretching on my tip toes to gain one final glimpse of the people I care most for in the world, I know that it is worth it, and I’m so glad I said Yes.

Let it Rain

2010-03-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

I am a Portland girl, born and raised. As such I have experienced a lot of rain in my lifetime. Oddly enough, I love it. No matter where I am in the world, rain reminds me of home. When the clouds build up, the sky turns grey, and the temperature cools off, there is a freshness in the air, and I can tell a rainstorm is coming.

I don’t own an umbrella and never use them if I can help it. I don’t mind getting my head and clothes wet. In fact, one of my favorite things to do is go puddle jumping ☺. Even at 30 years of age, I am not too old to run through the rain!

The sound of rain is one of my most favorite sounds. It’s soothing and comforting and makes me want to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. I love hearing the plink, plink, plink of rain on the roof, the pitter patter of drops splashing through the leaves of trees, the pounding of a downpour, an overflowing gutter.

Here in Uganda, storms arise and pass through quickly, sometimes lasting an hour or two, rarely longer than that. And then the sun breaks through. Rainy season has come once again, so I get to enjoy my rain nearly every day. Many mornings I wake up to rumbles of thunder and pounding raindrops. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

When it is raining, I find myself singing songs like, “Lord, let your love rain down” and “Let your mercies fall from heaven, sweet mercies fall from heaven, new mercies for today, shower them down Lord as we pray.” Rain is a physical reminder for me of God’s care for the earth and its inhabitants. It nourishes, it causes growth, it is necessary for life. I picture rain as God’s goodness, love, and mercy flowing over me, washing me, bringing renewal and refreshment, helping me grow, giving me life.

All that being said, while living in Uganda, I have been confronted with a couple of other things that rain brings: mud and disorder. A couple of areas of Kampala routinely flood every time there is a hard rain (which, during the rainy season, means a couple of times a week). When it rains here, everything runs even later than usual. Events and programs get delayed or postponed (“disorganized” as they would say here). Students arrive late for school, employees delay to go to work. For Hope Alive! this means that our Saturday clubs and other programs end up beginning an hour or more past their normal starting time.

I never used to understand this and would become somewhat irritated by everyone’s lack of “time keeping”, until one day I went to visit a couple of our Hope Alive! students when it was showering outside. Most of our students live on Naguru hill, a place where all the walking paths and areas outside of homes consist of packed dirt. When it rains, these areas turn into a muddy, slippery mess. On my short visit, even though I navigated my way as carefully as I could, I nearly fell several times and my shoes became literally caked with mud. The realization finally struck: No wonder the students remain indoors until the rain has stopped before coming to church for Hope Alive! events. I would too, if I lived where they do.

Traveling anywhere in the city is tricky. Walking is the most common form of transportation, but mud, puddles, and the danger of being splashed by passing vehicles makes walking difficult. Those taking taxis (Kampala’s bus system) find themselves being charged higher fares on rainy days and having fewer taxis to choose from. The only other alternative is motorcycle (boda boda) travel, which is wet, muddy, and slick.

Thinking of all this has brought another realization to mind: Where and how I’ve grown up has given me the luxury to be able to enjoy rain. Having sidewalks to walk on, cars to ride in, and a solid roof over my head have allowed me to experience more of the positives than negatives of rain.

So now, mixed in with my enjoyment of rainstorms are thoughts of those whose struggles increase with them. As I smile in the mornings over the sound of rain, I take a moment pray for those whose houses may be flooding and for our students who brave the downpours to reach school on time. I am continually reminded that God’s mercies are new each day, His faithfulness is great, and I still invite the rain to pour over me.

January and February Fun

2010-02-21T01:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of what has been happening in the last month or so...enjoy!

BREAKAWAY: our holiday program for our students

getting ready to show the kids a movie...while I was getting this set up, I started showing pictures to a couple of kids...that quickly turned into a huge crowd...the scene was captured by my roommate, Sarah :)

Meanwhile...my other roommate Kacie, along with some helpers, began doing medical assessments on all the Hope Alive! students...taking their blood pressure, temperature, measuring height/weight, etc...all to develop the Medical portion of Hope Alive!

SPECIAL IN CHURCH: yep, my friends and I sang a special in church last month, "The Revelation Song." I was a bit nervous beforehand, but things went well.

LETTER WRITING/SCHOOL SUPPLIES: on the last Saturday of January, all the kids gathered together to write a letter to their sponsor and receive school supplies for the upcoming school year. I love this day! It is fun because nearly all of the students are able to attend. I like seeing what they all choose to write to their sponsors. It gets chaotic while handing out supplies and things, but it is great.
(Many of these photos were taken by my roommate Sarah!)

Yes, he is holding up a notebook with Obama on it! All the kids wanted Obama notebooks.

TRIP TO GULU: It's the dry season in Uganda, and the further north you go, the hotter it gets. Gulu was hot. (Usually at or above 90 degrees at night in my hotel room). Most of our time was spent in meetings, checking on how things were going at the Gulu site and making decisions about how to bring coaching classes up there as well as how to best serve the kids now that they all live in scattered locations (Previously, all the students lived in the IDP camp. With peace coming to the region, the camp has closed and all the kids have moved back to their villages...it's a real challenge to maintain close contact with them...one that's still being worked on). We did have time for fun and also got to hang out with some of the students, which was great too.

Gorgeous sunset!

Trying to stay cool--notice the cold water bottles placed behind their necks. It was a great cooling off method.

Gotta love those fish faces :)

Playing some basketball with some guys and girls that Shem (our assistant site manager) helps coach...it was my first time wearing trousers in Gulu--wow!

MISCELLANEOUS FUN PHOTOS:

Some Things You Just Don't Expect

2010-01-24T05:29:00.000-08:00

*getting a driver's tan on your RIGHT arm because the wheel is on the right side of the car
*traffic police stopping a car that tried to cut into the right turn lane, and actually making him back up and go straight! (my roommate and I cheered)
*getting razzed about the cleanliness of your car, purse, shoes, etc.
*learning how to make tortillas, salsa, and all kinds of yummy foods from scratch
*food cravings for things like grapes, cottage cheese, and graham crackers
*wearing sweats when it is over 75 degrees in your room :)
*getting super excited to see fog
*finding lightning bugs in Uganda!
*wearing skirts all the time and not minding it so much
*having words like 'hoot', 'somehow', 'indicator','slope down', 'stuffs', and 'slowly by slowly' become normal, everyday vocabulary

Fun times in Uganda

A Trip to the Salon

2009-11-13T06:34:00.000-08:00

Ever since I came to Uganda, I have wondered what it would be like to have my hair braided African-style. Ugandan women like to get their hair plaited (braided). There is an almost endless variety of ways to do this: three strand braids, twists, different sizes of braids, different colors of extra hair added, different lengths, different designs, etc.

At school, children are required to have short hair, so you can always tell when holidays have begun because all the girls will arrive with new hairstyles. Then, as soon as students graduate from high school, nearly all of them keep their hair continually plaited.

When asking them about their hair, I have heard stories of having to sit for hours for the process to be completed. They also told of having their hair pulled so tightly that they would be unable to smile or laugh for a few days without having to grab their head in pain. Even so, I remained curious.

Then, in October, I gained a new roommate, Kacie. She had had her hair braided before, during her travels to Mexico and Haiti, and she definitely wanted to try it here as well. Her enthusiasm spread to me and our other roommate Sarah and propelled us into making plans.

Friday, November 6th was the day. Our friend Georgina helped find us a salon that had experience plaiting Mzungu hair, since our hair is much more slippery than Ugandan hair. We were also warned that it would take longer because our hair is so different.

After riding in a taxi that wove its way through downtown, morning traffic, we arrived at the salon. It was 9:30, and the day was bright and sunny, full of possibility. Our salon had the perfect name: Patience.

It took a few minutes to get everything set up, but soon I was introduced to my stylist. Her name was Hadijah. There were only 2 chairs available for the braiding, so I sat on the floor. Hadijah was an expert braider. Her fingers flew!

I found that the process is a bit more complicated than I had imagined it would be. In order for the hair to stay braided longer, fake hair is added to the real hair. This is done by grabbing a small section of real hair and wrapping the fake hair around it at the roots (a rather painful process). Then the hair is braided. Since the fake hair was longer than my own hair, I ended up adding length to my hair as well.

Sarah and I were having small braids done. Kacie, however decided on a twist.

Hadijah steadily worked on my hair from 10am-2:30pm, when we took a lunch break. The process seemed to be going well. During that time, my friend Shammah stopped by to keep me company. She joined me on the floor and distracted me from the endless tugging.

Here's Sarah at lunchtime :)

My favorite part of the day was when I had to go use the bathroom. The salon didn’t have a bathroom in it, but its customers are free to use a bathroom nearby. Unfortunately this meant that I got to walk outside the salon, past many small stores and customers, up a flight of stairs, and into the restaurant where the toilet was located. It was the entertainment of many ☺. As I passed a couple of people on the stairs, they both burst into laughter at the strange looking mzungu going by. It was awesome!

My hair reminded me of an 80s punk rocker.

Sarah and I

At this point, I was pretty convinced that we only had about 2 hours to go. I thought that we'd be done by 4 or 5pm at the latest, and I started making plans in my head for what I would do that evening. Oh, how wrong I was!

The braiding continued...and continued...and continued...it seemed like the process was never-ending. My scalp was hurting, my back was sore, my legs kept falling asleep, and still the braiding continued...

Finally, 9 hours after beginning, Kacie's hair was finished! The final step was to dip the ends in boiling hot water. That would help them not come undone.

Here is Kacie with Georgina. They both have the twists in their hair and now call themselves twins!

Once Kacie's hair was done, all the ladies that were working on her came to help me. This is me with Hadijah. Ruth is in the background, finishing up some ends...

It took another hour, but then I was finished as well! It felt soooo good to stand up and stretch! One crazy thing that happened: as they were finishing trimming up some things, the lady accidentally cut my ear! It bled and bled and bled! They were all worried. Luckily, I didn't even feel it.

Kacie and I

So, after I was finished, everyone moved to help Sarah...it was quite a crowd!

11 hours after we began, we were all finished...phew! What a day. We came in sunshine, missed a huge rainstorm, left in the dark.

I don't know that I want to sit that long again, but it's been fun having my hair this way. I'm a week into it and still enjoying it.

Trick or Treat

2009-11-04T03:34:00.000-08:00

So, it totally doesn't feel like Fall here...how can it when the temperature never goes below 70 degrees? The sun is great, and the rainstorms are fantastic (awesome downpours with thunder and lightning), but I have to admit that I miss the changing of seasons. I would love to take a walk in the park right now, enjoying the crisp, cool air, and taking in the trees with red, yellow, orange, green, and brown leaves. I would also love the opportunity to rake up those leaves into a humongous pile and run and jump in them with my nephews Elijah and Micah! I would even love the chance to wear long sleeves and a jacket :)

Anyway, last week my roommates and I realized that it was almost Halloween! Halloween isn't really celebrated here in Uganda, but we decided to celebrate it as best we could. First stop? the grocery store. Bazungu (white people) don't usually buy pumpkins, and the fact that we bought 4 pumpkins had a few puzzled stares coming our way. Now, pumpkins here are not orange. They are white and green. So, we got 2 green ones, a white one, and one butternut squash.

My neighbor, Catharine, joined us for the carving extravaganza, bringing along a few carving tools. We had to throw all of our strength into the carving, because Ugandan pumpkins have very hard, thick outsides. Oh, and did I mention that our electricity kept going in and out, so part of our carving was done by headlamp?

Pumpkin prep: getting it all clean

Sarah and Catharine digging in

Kacie, hard at work.

The finished product!

Sarah, imitating her pumpkin's expression :)

Catharine and her pumpkin

Kacie's Mr. Lunt

The carving took place on Friday night. On Saturday, we continued the celebration by roasting the pumpkin seeds, making and decorating cookies, receiving visitors, and going trick-or-treating. It was a great Halloween!

Our visitors: two explorers passing by

Super Kate, Kacie the Couch, Sarah the Ant Slayer

Masaka

2009-10-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got to go to one of my favorite places on this earth: the equator. Yeah, I know it’s just an invisible line that encircles the planet—well, not completely invisible…in Uganda there is a line, painted across the road!—but for some reason, I love the knowledge that I’m crossing from one hemisphere to another. And, it’s especially cool that I can stand in both hemispheres at the same time!

I crossed over the equator on my way to Masaka, traveling with Catharine and Sarah. It was my first time going there since I’ve been back in Uganda, and I’ve been longing to go. Masaka is about 2 ½ hours southwest of Kampala. It is a small town, and the journey down there is beautiful. The way is marked by rolling hills, a variety of trees, papyrus, and lots and lots of green. I love having a chance to get away from the city. The climate is a bit cooler there too, which I definitely enjoy. (I even wore a fleece and socks one night!!!)

After we arrived, we visited the primary school where most of our students attend. I am forever fascinated by how school is conducted here…but that is material for a future blog☺. We then had lunch with the mentors, and I had some very sweet reunions with them.

Saturday was a special day. Besides attending Saturday club and seeing how things are run there, we also were able to meet and take photos of twenty boys and girls who were being enrolled! How exciting it was to see these fresh, new faces; some little and some big, all somewhat unsure and nervous, but hopeful, daring to believe that they would no longer have to worry about school fees and that they’d have a place to belong. It was also neat, too, to watch some of the older Hope Alive! students take time to greet these new ones and make them feel welcome.

Catharine talked with the new ones for a bit, telling them about Hope Alive! and letting them know how glad we are to have them be apart of the project. God definitely has heard the prayers of these children and their families, and He has enabled us to be the help they need. What a privilege and a blessing! Thank you to all who are involved in sponsoring children, whether through World Vision, Compassion, Hope Alive!, or somewhere else. You have no idea how much change it brings to one child, forever impacting their families, their communities, their future.

Hello to 30!

2009-08-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

My birthday was a wonderfully fantastic day. The weather was beautiful and sunny. I took the day off of work, so I had a nice, easy morning. My parents and grandparents both called to wish me a happy birthday, and it was nice to hear from them. I spent some time in the Word and talking with Jesus, I read, I opened up the gifts my mom had sent with me (totally breaking tradition!), and got ready for my party ☺. I’m not one to usually throw myself a party, but I thought that this year could be an exception.

The party was at 3pm. Nearly everyone I invited was able to come: the Hope Alive! staff, my neighbors on the compound, and a few friends from church. We hung out for awhile, had cake, brownies, and ice cream, and then played a game (the animal game is the best game ever!). It was so nice to spend time celebrating with my friends. In the evening I was able to check my email and received many, many, many birthday greetings from all my wonderful friends and family back home. I went to bed exhausted but happy. I really didn’t want the day to end. Being 30 isn’t all that bad ☺.

Lonnah, Me, and Dorothy

Richard, Alfred, and Patrick

Chris and Abby

Birthday Brownies!

Plus Cake--chocolate cake with chocolate/peanut butter frosting...can't get any better than that!

Yes, I do light my own birthday candles!!!

Look at that smoke! I am so old!!!

The three Kates: Kate Amony, Kate Segrin, Cate Coon

Roommates

THE ANIMAL GAME!!!

Shammah and I

Dorothy, Alfred, and Miriam

So, Ugandans can't do anything without dancing...so, here is Richard making me dance.

Patrick and Andrew

Shammah & Kate

Chris, Stephen, Richard, and I

Farewell to 29

2009-08-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

So, I love my birthday. I would have to say that it is the best day of the year. In fact, on any given day I can probably tell you exactly how old I am and how long it is until my next birthday. This year was a big one…hitting the big 3-0. I’ve been preparing myself for this for the past few years, so I was just about ready to leave my twenties behind…well, kind of.

Before I could officially say goodbye to my twenties, my roommate, Sarah, and two other friends, Lonnah and Dorothy, thought that I needed to experience a few more things. They planned a “last hurrah” kind of evening. The theme? Kate’s Amazing Race.

I had several tasks to accomplish in a certain amount of time, maneuvering my way through different parts of the city. Luckily, I was free to ask my Ugandan friends for help and use them as translators when necessary.

We began with a taxi ride downtown to the Old Taxi Park. This was only my second time riding in a Ugandan taxi, definitely an experience in and of itself. Taxis are large minivans. Each taxi has a driver and a conductor. They have certain places where they stop to pick up passengers, and in order to make their trips worthwhile, the taxis wait until their vans are mostly full before proceeding (this can take some time if you are one of the first to board). The conductor uses hand gestures to indicate where the taxi is heading (those are the most confusing things to decipher, I think.) With Lonnah and Dorothy’s help, we found a taxi headed in our direction and got on board. To my surprise and chagrin, my seat was wet—I don’t want to even know why, so I scooted as close as possible to the absolute stranger beside me ☺. We got on about 4:30pm, which meant we were heading through crazy traffic into crazier traffic downtown (yay!).

Me, Lonnah, and Dorothy in the taxi.

After arriving in the taxi park, in which taxis were packed in like sardines (along with many people and vendors somehow squeezing in the open spaces), we headed to an outdoor market. My next task? Spend 5,000/= (about $2.50) as quickly as possible. I walked into a jewelry shop and bought a ring for 500/= and a bracelet for1,000/=. In the middle of this shopping spree, my roommate and I took a few minutes and to get pedicures ($.75 each). The guy did an amazing job. Afterwards I bought a small purse for 2,000/=. But even with all my purchases I had 1,500/= leftover!

Buying my ring

Getting my nails done :)

The finished product!

Next thing? I ate some sugarcane. I don’t know why I hadn’t eaten it before, especially since it is so delicious!

Task #4? Find my way to Owino Market and go inside. This time my friends wouldn’t help me with directions, so I had to ask a random person on the street.

Owino is the largest outdoor market in Uganda. It is insanely huge and crowded—narrow walkways in the midst of hundreds of stalls piled one on top of another, filled with anything you could possible ever want or need (shoes, clothes, belts, purses, etc.). It is easy to get lost inside. The people selling things are constantly calling out to you to get you to stop and look at their merchandise. Many even will grab your arm and pull you aside. Since this was my expedition, I was leading the way, which meant that I was able to take the people by surprise and get through quicker. My roommate Sarah wasn’t as lucky. She was grabbed and pulled this way and that ☺. We both got a few marriage proposals in the midst of this—some guy called me his wife and Sarah had someone say she was his size—but we emerged unscathed.

In front of Owino...getting ready to go inside

Task #5? Find my way from Owino to Café Pap, the restaurant we were eating dinner at. Once again I got no help from my Ugandan friends, who totally knew the way. Well, I can’t say no help. Every once in awhile, they’d remind me to ask someone for directions, which really meant I was nearing a place I needed to turn or something. One guy I asked for directions wanted to tell my friends, but I had to say with chagrin, “They know where they’re going. They want me to find it on my own.” And I did!

Dorothy, Me, Sarah, Lonnah

We had an awesome dinner at Café Pap, talking and laughing with one another.
My final task? Take a boda boda ride (motorcycle taxi) back to the church. Lonnah and Dorothy found us a couple of bodas and off we went. The ride was fun, even though it was dark outside. The way bodas weave their way through traffic is amazing. Along the way, our boda drivers asked Dorothy to get them some mzungu (white) friends. My driver said that he wanted me—lovely.

Anyway, it was a great evening—tons of fun. A great way to finish off my twenties.

From Home....to Home

2009-07-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

Change is not something that comes easily to me. In fact, I usually resist it with great fervor. For example, in June my grandparents announced that they were replacing their back screen door. Pretty inconsequential, right? Not to me. This screen door has been there for as long as I can remember. The handle and lock are extremely hard to maneuver, and I have many memories of fighting with it in order to either lock or unlock it ☺. But, even though it has caused me problems throughout my childhood and adult years, the house wouldn’t be the same without it. So, I protested its removal. My grandparents listened to my cries, but decided to go ahead with their plans anyway. I didn’t know exactly when it was being done, but one day I came home and found, to my surprise, their door in my bedroom! My dad had helped replace it, and they all took pity on me and decided to give it to me ☺. There it has stood next to my bed for the past several weeks. My dad has told me that he’s going to get rid of it now that I’m in Uganda…we’ll see
My lovely door:

Anyway, one of God’s great ironies in my life is the fact that He has directed me to countries and peoples far from home. Each transition has brought with it much change. The past weeks have been both difficult and wonderful. I have been able to spend time with many friends and do some fun things (go to movies, pick blueberries, go out to coffee, etc.) I’ve also gotten quality time with my family—my parents, siblings, grandparents, niece & nephews, aunts & uncles, and cousins. Some of the time I wasn’t able to enjoy myself because I was consumed with thoughts of my departure, but mostly I was able to relax and make some cherished memories.

Meeting high school friends for dinner at Mcmenamins :)

Sister Time

My Grandparents

Family Beach Trip--Lincoln City

My wonderful niece and nephews!

On Monday morning, the day I left, I woke up early and was unable to get back to sleep, overwhelmed by the thought of leaving. I went into the living room where my dad was and he asked if he could pray for me. I sat next to him as he prayed, touched and grateful for his words, and I felt a deep peace come over me, settling my nerves, calming my thoughts. This was what I had been preparing for, and it was time to go.

At the airport, I checked my bags and then met my sister Karen and her kids in the food court. Kim & Ty and their crew showed up a bit later, and we all moved down to the waiting area near security. The kids quickly took over the play structure and looked like they were having a blast. We took many pictures and held on to those last few precious moments. As I was going through security, Anne and Kelly arrived. I was sad that I wasn’t able to hug them goodbye, but glad to see them one last time. I put my carry-on through the X-ray machine, choking back tears and hearing many small voices crying out, “Goodbye Kate!” After I was through, I walked up close for one final look and wave, and then I cried my way to my departure gate. They were already boarding, so that provided me with a good distraction.

The plane soon took off, and we were on our way! When I left for Uganda the first time in November 2007, I remember being incredibly nervous and thinking to myself, “What am I doing?” This time, however, my thoughts were, “Here we go again, God!” My flights were long, but uneventful, and 23 hours after leaving Portland, I landed in Uganda. All of my luggage arrived (yay!), and as I walked out of the airport, my friends rushed forward in a loud, embarrassing greeting ☺.

Wednesday was a day of reunions. It was so fun to reunite with so many friends! My co-workers had decorated the reception room at the office with many signs of welcome. They even designated me a new office to work in ☺.

My new office :)

I have been surprised by how normal it feels to be here. In some ways I feel like I have never left, and it has been easy (thus far) to slip back into this life. The welcome I have received has been even warmer than the first time I came. People are so glad to see me and grateful God has brought me back. I am looking forward to getting back involved in ministry.

Life since August

2009-03-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

I love pictures, and so I thought I'd show everyone what the last 6-7 months of my life has been like with a bunch of photos. Enjoy!

SUMMER:
My parents and I drove up to Timberline Lodge one day at Mt. Hood. It is so beautiful up there!

Hanging out with Tammi before she and her family moved to China.

My Dad and I went on a hike to Serene Lake. We enjoyed gorgeous scenery, but also got eaten by about a million and one mosquitoes!

Lunch at my sister's house with my grandparents and all the great-grandchildren that live in town.

Fun with the Satterthwaites: Jackson & Olivia, Drew, and Lincoln

My 29th Birthday!

Camping with my Dad at Snow Mountain

FALL:
My friend Connie getting baptized!!!!

Trip to Colorado to WorldVenture Headquarters to help with the Hope Alive! walk-a-thon

My mom's 50th Birthday celebration:

My awesome students in Rm. 23:

Changing leaves:

Halloween!

WINTER:
Snow, Snow, and more snow! The biggest snowstorm I have ever seen in Portland...18 inches dumped. Awesome!

Christmas celebrations. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day we were without electricity--no lights, no heat, and no running water....hence all the hats and warm clothes...our family Christmas was a few days later and was a blast! Lots of kids and chaos, but lots of fun too :)

Megan and Phil's Wedding: At the beginning of January, I took a trip to Akron, Ohio to see my Ugandan roommate Megan get married. It was a fun occasion. Many people who had been in Uganda were able to come so it was like having a mini-reunion!

Pajama Day & Valentine's Day celebration at work:

Great Times with my niece and nephews: Elijah & Micah, Drew, Lincoln, and the twins

Catching up with College friends: Shelby and Kathleen, Deanna and Hannah

On the Road to Return

2009-02-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

Uganda has burrowed its way into my heart and has not let go. So, I am headed back! I am now once again endorsed by WorldVenture as a mid-term missionary to go to Uganda and serve with Hope Alive!--a relief organization that seeks to bring the healing hope of Jesus to the hurting children of Africa.

This time my service will be for two to three years. I am excited to rejoin this amazing organization and get further involved in the cultures and peoples of Uganda. I will be living in the same house and working in the same context. My main areas of involvement will be with the tutoring program, Saturday and holiday clubs, and administration.

The two roommates I had in Uganda have both returned to the States, but I am happy to say that two other ladies (a nurse and an administrative assistant) are making plans to come to Uganda, so I'll have two roommates once again!

So, what is my projected leaving date? I've been asked to try to be there by mid May.
Pretty exciting stuff! More updates to come!

Goodbyes....and Hellos

2008-08-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been back in the States for two weeks now. I wanted to share some photos of my last few days in Uganda, my trip home and layover in London, and things that have happened since my return.

The students in Kampala had a party for my roommate Megan and I on our last day of
Saturday Club. This is a group picture of everyone who was there that day, along with the cake that my friend Renee made for us.

Here is a close-up of the cake. Megan and I are wearing T-shirts that the kids signed for us.

Many of the students and staff rewrote the words of a song and sang it to us.

Fun pictures with my friends.

Brenda, Hope, Ruth, and Esther

Bruno, Carol, Rashid, Kate, and Molly

Megan, Brian, Safari, Eddie, Me, Charles, and Francis

Megan, Andrew, and I

On my last day of work, I brought my fish "!" to the office to give him to my friend, Richard.

Proud new fish owner!

On Sunday, at church, I was able to see many friends one last time and say goodbye.
Monday morning came all too soon and too early. (I had to be up by 5am!) I had no problems getting checked in, and wasn't charged anything for my one overweight bag (Yay!). On the flight from Entebbe to London I was able to sit with some old family friends who had been in Uganda on a missions trip for the past month. I had an overnight layover in London, so after checking into my hotel, I rode the subway into town and had some time to see the sights.

Trafalgar Square

Another side of Trafalgar Square with the church, St. Martin of the Fields, behind it.

Looking towards Parliament from Trafalgar Square

Big Ben

Self-portrait in front of Parliament

The River Thames

Westminster Abbey

Cute Restaurant with beautiful flowers

For dinner that evening, having not eaten fast food for 9 months....of course, I grabbed a Happy Meal from McDonalds! It tasted great! Gotta love french fries.

The next day, I flew from London to San Francisco, and then from San Francisco to Portland. At the airport I was greeted by many friends and family. I had expected to see my parents and maybe my sisters, but was surprised by seeing my grandparents, aunt and uncle, and several friends from church. I was tackled by my three oldest nephews :) and I was able to greet my new twin niece and nephew for the first time! It was a wonderful homecoming.
During the last couple of weeks I have taken time to get used to many different things...we drive on the right side of the road here, roads are wider and not full of potholes or speed bumps, people follow the laws while driving and don't honk their horns very often. I am also greatly enjoying eating things like berries, peaches, pears, grapes, and ice cream and chocolate! I'm finishing up my last few requirements for my Master's Degree at Western Seminary and am excited for it to be completed.
I've gotten to spend time with my family as well. I'm amazed at how much all of my nephews have grown!

My twins: Olivia and Jackson

Drew, Lincoln, and I

Elijah

Micah

It is nice to be home, but I am definitely missing Uganda. We'll see what the coming weeks and months bring...

Plastic Skating

2008-07-22T07:57:00.001-07:00

Only in Africa could you find ice skating on something other than ice. My roommate Megan and I just went ice skating on a floor that was some kind of plastic. It was crazy...definitely more difficult to skate on...very slippery. I felt like I was five years old again, learning to skate for the first time. It was quite the adventure!

June Events

2008-07-08T02:58:00.001-07:00

The month of June went by quickly. The two major things that happened were that my friends Katie and Joy visited me (yay!) and that we moved offices.

Having Katie and Joy here was so much fun. They got to see my life in Kampala as they took part in Saturday club, coaching, and other office activities. We also did some fun things, such as visit the source of the Nile River down in Jinja and go shopping at the Equator. It was great to be able to share everything with them.

Katie and Joy working in the office

We're at the source of the Nile River...where the river leaves Lake Victoria and starts its journey toward the Mediterranean Sea.

Katie and I relaxing on the roof of my house.

Standing at the Equator

As far as moving offices goes…it is something that has needed to happen for a long time. We had been in a two room office located next to the church, but we were bursting from the seams. The new place we have is a two-story house with tons of space! We’re still in the process of settling in but are enjoying having room to spread out in and space to store all our supplies. It is a big answer to prayer.

Hanging up curtains

Brian, GJ, and Richard

Andrew and Dorothy in the empty old office.

Megan and I working at our new desks.

Passion Conference Kampala

2008-06-03T05:33:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I attended Passion-Kampala, a conference aimed to inspire University students to live for glory of God. Thousands of students attended the two day conference held on the sports field on the campus of Makerere University, the largest university in Uganda. Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and Charlie Hall led us in some amazing worship. It was awesome to see so many young people singing their hearts out and dancing before the Lord. Louie Giglio and Francis Chan spoke to the crowd, challenging us to say, “Yes, Lord,” in every area of our lives, to remember that God designed us with a purpose in mind, to be wholly devoted to serving Jesus, and to realize how big God is, how small we are, and how awesome it is that God knows our name and wants to use us.

Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin leading worship

Some of my friends

Jennie, Dorothy, and I

Coaching

2008-06-03T05:29:00.001-07:00

Over the holiday I also met with students twice a week for coaching (tutoring) classes. I always enjoy working with small groups of students. It is exciting to see them catch on and understand concepts and ideas they have been struggling with.

The Primary students

me with Lillian, the second grader I’ve been working with

Some of the secondary coaching students

Breakaway

2008-06-03T04:55:00.000-07:00

The students had four weeks of holiday during the month of May; the break between first and second term. Holidays are always busy, but fun, because we get to see the kids a lot more. For Breakaway this time, we wanted to do some new things and not just follow the same pattern we have been. We were able to take the kids on several outings.
(1) Our first trip was to visit our new office. It is located in Naguru, an area close to where many of our students live. They loved exploring the place! We enjoyed some cookies, played games, and watched a movie while we were there.

Relaxing on the lawn outside the office

Playing games

(2)For out next outing, we went to a park: Kiwatule Recreation Center. Parks are rare here. Kiwatule is privately owned and costs a fee to enter. There are several areas for people to gather in. The main places of attraction for the students were the play equipment, the swimming pool, and the field. It was neat to see how much even the older students enjoyed doing things like swinging on the swings, going on the teeter totter and merry-go-round, etc. The park even featured a train ride which circled the premises twice.

Sofia, Brian, and Phiona on the swings

Fun on the Merry-go-round

Eddie, Prossy, Sheilla, Charles, Sofia, Paula, Ruth, and Safari posing with the frog

Train Ride!

Our Group

(3) We stayed at the church for our next meeting and did a couple of fun activities: tower building with spaghetti noodles and toothpicks (to illustrate how we as believers are being built into a spiritual house and that we are all important and interdependent on one another) and we also made cards using banana leaf fibers.

Asedri, Denis, Charles, Andrew, and Megan proudly showing off their tower

Making Cards

(4) Next we had a photo scavenger hunt. The students were split into 3 different groups and were given a list of 10 things they had to get photos of…Here are some of the things my group had to do…

crammed into an ATM booth

With a picture of President Museveni

Pumping Petrol

With the Uganda Flag

(5) Our last trip was to take a tour of the Coca Cola Factory—the largest one in Uganda. It was neat to see the huge conveyor belts full of bottles at every step of the process: getting washed, being filled with coke, putting the cap on, etc. Cameras weren’t allowed on the premises (I actually had to turn mine in to security before I could go in), so I only got one group picture of us all:

Meet "!"

2008-06-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce everyone to my fish. His name is “!” (You pronounce “!” by inhaling a quick breath, like you’re surprised.) I call him Muchomo for short. He is a goldfish, and has lived for 5 weeks already! (My track record with fish is not the best, so I’m pretty excited that he’s lasted for over a month). “!” is a happy fish, swimming around both night and day.

Hope Alive! Talent Show

2008-04-29T06:34:00.001-07:00

Three foundational beliefs of Hope Alive! are
1) Every person is uniquely created
There is no one else like you…ever. God thought about you before he created the foundation of the world.
2) Every person is deeply loved in Jesus
It is impossible to be loved more deeply than we are already loved right now.
3) Every person is specifically gifted
God gives us gifts—things we are specifically good at and enjoy doing.

Last Saturday, we put on a Talent Show. This was in celebration of the end of the school term, but also was an opportunity to showcase the talents that God has given our students. The day was filled with fun, excitement, and activity. The show was a complete success! The students wow-ed us all with their amazing acting, speaking, singing, and dancing abilities.

Here are a few pictures of some of the things the students did:

puppet show

karate demonstration

skits

singing groups

traditional dance

And even a fashion show!

It was a great show. We all had a good time. I am so proud of these kids!

Fish Feast

2008-04-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I was in Masaka, a city 2 1/2 hours to the southeast of Kampala. HOPE ALIVE! has a site there, and my colleagues and I were putting on a 2 day mentor training. We had a great time together, getting to know one another better and learning about communicating with children, what mentorship is all about, how God views children, etc.

On our way back to Kampala, my roommates and I decided to engage in an adventure.
Along the road between Kampala and Masaka are shacks that sell fish. The people that sell the fish stand there waving fish out onto the road, trying to attract customers. It is not unusual to see a cars with fish tied to the front, pass you by.
So, Megan, Holly, and I stopped at one of these stands and bargained for some fish. We bought two talapia for 22,000/= (about $15 or so). The men then tied them to the front of the hood.

The fish produced a powerful odor, so we were careful to keep the air circulation coming only from within the car :)
The drive home was mostly uneventful. One funny thing that happened, however, was that when we got into Kampala, we were pulled over by a policeman. As we were stopping, we noticed that the guy was laughing. He told us that he pulled us over because our front license plate was hidden by the fish, but we think that he just wanted a chance to talk to some mzungus (white people) and that he thought it was pretty funny that we had fish attached to the front.

Well, none of us really knew what to do with the fish, so when we got home, we asked our gate keeper, Biaggo, to help us. He scaled it for us and cut it up into big chunks. It was a nasty job because every fly in the city was attracted to us. Swarms of flies surrounded us and made piles on every piece of the fish entrails that it could.

Our neighbor, Brad, has a grill, so we "invited" him to dinner (and asked if he would grill the fish!). This turned out to be more work that we anticipated, as the fish kept falling apart on the grill.

Brad and his brother Grant grilling the fish.

In the end, we were had a wonderful fish feast, and we enjoyed our adventure!

Holly, Brad, Megan, and Grant enjoying the meal

Cooking with Friends

2008-04-29T05:38:00.000-07:00

Last week my roommates and I invited some of our Ugandan friends over to have a cultural cooking exchange. We have been wanting to learn how to make Ugandan food, and they like to learn how to make American food, so it seemed like a good trade.

After everyone arrived, we got right to business. All of us pitched in and took part in making the different food items, so we could all have the experience.
For our meal we made:
*chapatti (similar to a tortilla)
*pilau rice (rice with pilau masala seasoning and other things)
*beef stew (which is really pieces of beef cooked in a broth)
*kalo (a dish made by tribes from the north; it is made by mixing
millet flour into boiling water)

Cutting up vegetables

Me, rolling out my chapatti

Holly stirring the beef stew

Kate pouring the millet flour for the kalo

Megan stirring the kalo

Cooking and hanging out together was a lot of fun, full of laughter. When everything was ready we sat down to enjoy the fruits of our labor, and boy was it tasty!

For dessert, we taught them how to make Apple Pie (can you get more American than that?). It turned out nicely too.

Dorothy, Shammah, and Holly putting together the apple pie

Some things I learned about the Ugandan cooking style that differs from Americans.
*Ugandans usually cook using a charcoal stove
*Ugandans cook wearing a wrap around skirt they call a “lesu” –this is specifically a work skirt.
*They don’t use recipes that are written down. They have the ingredients and measurements all up in their head, learned from experience.
*American measuring devices (1/2 cup, teaspoon, tablespoon, etc.) don’t match with Ugandan, so we used regular spoons and drinking cups to measure things out.
*Ugandan recipes are never call for exact amounts; they just eye things and add in more as needed.

Me, Kate, Dorothy, Miriam, Megan, Shammah, Holly

Refreshment in Turtle Bay

2008-04-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile it is good to get away, to relax, and have a bit of good old fashioned fun. And that is just what I had the opportunity to do. My mission organization, WorldVenture, held a Spiritual Life Conference in Malindi, Kenya at the end of March. Missionaries from Uganda, the Congo, Kenya, and South Africa all came together at the Turtle Bay Hotel located on the beach by the Indian Ocean for some refreshment and encouragement.

Each morning we met together for a time of singing, prayer, and Bible teaching. Our speaker, Brent Slater, did an amazing job of teaching us from the Psalms and the book of Jeremiah, challenging us to have a singularity of devotion to the Lord, spend time in His Word, use it correctly, and allow it to motivate and drive us.

Our meetings ended at lunchtime each day, and then we had the afternoons off. My afternoons were spent lounging on a beach chair, swimming in the incredibly warm Indian Ocean, going kayaking, paddle boating, snorkeling, playing volleyball, reading, and much more.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that I got to ride a camel as well!?!?!

Here are some more photos of my time there:

Massai tribal dancers that performed for us. They have huge vertical leaps!

After eating a wonderful pizza dinner, all the mid-term missionaries serving in Uganda got together for a photo op.

Faye and I with our Sand Turtle, Thelma Connie.

Enjoying the sun!

The Turtle Bay conference was awesome...something I really needed. I am so glad I got the chance to go!

Graduation Party

2008-03-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ugandans celebrate major events with much pomp and ceremony. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity of attending a Ugandan graduation party with my roommate Holly. The party was for a friend of ours—Agnes and her sister. Agnes works as a waitress at Rwenzori Café; a place we frequent for good food and an internet connection. It is through our many visits there that we have gotten to know her.

The party was held at her home. The invitation said that the party began at 2pm, so naturally Holly and I planned to arrive by 3 or 3:30pm. As we drew near, her house was readily recognizable. Big tents and tons of chairs were set up in the yard in front of the house. Lots of people were sitting down but there were still plenty of empty seats available for guests yet to arrive.

After parking, Holly and I were immediately surrounded by some of Agnes’ relatives and greeted warmly. Being the only two mzungus (aka white people) at the gathering, we wanted to slip into the back somewhere to sit, but they would have none of it. Instead they led us in front of the crowd to some empty seats. (It’s not like we don’t stand out already!)

The event began with a priest leading a special service on behalf of Agnes and her sister. During the service, a special offering was taken for Agnes and her sister. They both stood up front holding baskets, and anyone who wanted to give them something came up front and put it in their baskets.

After the service was finished, the emcee and deejay took over. Agnes, her sister, and their two attendants took their places at the head table. Then the greetings, introductions, and speeches began. Everyone was speaking Luganda, so Holly and I were pretty much in the dark about what they were saying. A little ways into things, however, one of the speakers switched to English, saying, “And we want to especially welcome our two sisters of a different color. As you can see, not many of them come to these gatherings, so they must be good friends to join us today…” Of course every eye was on us at that point ☺.

Agnes then sent a friend of hers to come get us and take us to sit up front! We had seats located right behind the main table. At first I thought it would make us more conspicuous, but it ended up being nicer, a little out of the way.

All the important people in Agnes and her sister’s lives gave some kind of speech: her mom, grandmother, aunts, uncles, sisters, friends, etc. Music was played during every transition. When it was time to give them graduation gifts, the line of people stretched long and the pile of presents grew to a huge mound. One of my favorite parts to this was that there was a bubble machine blowing bubbles over the crowd ☺. A meal was served, and it was quite a feast; with several different types of meat, vegetables, rice, fruit, matooke, and more. It was enough to serve the 80-100 people who were there to celebrate. After the meal there were more speeches. Agnes and her sister spoke. Holly and I were invited to speak as well.

The formal aspects of the celebration lasted for several hours. Holly and I had to leave at around 8pm. By this time it was dark, lights were lit, and the dancing was just beginning. I’m sure the party lasted late into the night. I’m glad I got the chance to participate in this part of Ugandan culture.

Visit from Home

2008-03-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

I received the best Valentine's Day gift ever this year...a visit from my parents!!!! Yes, both my mom and my dad went and got a thousand shots, began taking malaria prevention medication, and undertook the extremely long trip to come to Africa. It was so nice to see them and show them where I live and work.

Here are some of the fun things we did:

Picnic lunch outside my house with my roommates and neighbors.

We went to a show at the Ndere Center, and they performed many traditional dances.

And, what would a trip to Uganda be without going to Murchison Falls?

Mom and I in front of the Falls

Our Game Drive and Boat Cruise

Saturday Club with the Kids

Even though I was ecstatic that my parents were here, I was surprised by how excited the Ugandans were that they came. When I introduced them at church, everyone let out a big cheer! That was neat to see. All in all, it was a great trip. I am very lucky to have such wonderful parents!

January Happenings

2008-02-03T04:32:00.001-08:00

January has been a busy month, and I’ve actually spent most of it in Kampala. I have had a lot of interaction with the students of Children of Hope in Lugogo. December and January are their summer vacation months, which means they are around a lot more. It has been great getting to know them better. Here are some of the things we did:

Breakaway/US Team:
This is a holiday club that met twice a week. During this Breakaway we studied about the life of Joseph in the Bible, and we also played some games, did crafts, and sang songs. For part of Breakaway, a team from the US was here. They had a blast with the kids.

Coaching:
I began a coaching (tutoring) program for the kids during the month of January. We met twice a week for 2 hours each time to study math. There were a steady group of about 6-8 secondary students and 8-10 primary students attending. Two other people volunteered to help with the coaching. I enjoyed this interaction with the students.

Saturday Club:
Every Saturday the kids come to the church for a Saturday program. We serve the kids both breakfast and lunch, and in between there is Bible Study, Karate class, crochet class, and a puppet class.

Puppets:
A little over a week ago, I had the privilege of taking a puppet team to perform at an event called Celebrate Kids. The puppet team is made up of Children of Hope students as well as some youth from Lugogo Baptist Church. They performed a song and a skit, and they highly entertained all the kids there.

Zoo:
We took a field trip to the zoo last week. It was a fun trip. Almost 60 kids came along. Many of the students had never been before. When we arrived we took a tour of the grounds, seeing white rhinos, zebras, chimpanzees, a lion, ostriches, hyenas, water buffalos, wart hogs, and more. Our tour guide was informative and engaging. After lunch, the kids had a choice of whether to go on a boat ride or donkey ride. They had a blast on them.

Back to school preparations:
*Shoes: Each student gets a pair of new school shoes at the beginning of the school year. All last week we took different groups of students to a shoe store called Bata to get them shoes.

*Letter writing: Students write their sponsors at least three times a year—once at the beginning of each term. First, the kids write a rough copy of their letter. This is looked over by one of the Children of Hope staff to correct spelling/grammatical errors, and then the student writes their final copy. As a reward for their hard work, the students get to enjoy a pop and biscuits.

*School Supplies: After their letters are written, students are given their school supplies. This usually consists of pens, pencils, drawing book, graphing paper, a ream of printer paper (to be given to the teacher on the first day of school), and some booklets.

*Haircuts: All the schools require the students (boys and girls) to have their hair cut short at the beginning of the term. On Saturday we brought in a barber to cut the kids’ hair. I think he got more than he bargained for as over 40 kids were there to receive a haircut!

Rafting the Nile

2008-01-08T02:22:00.000-08:00

A little known fact about Uganda is that the Nile River originates here. It begins in a city named Jinja and travels northward across Africa, eventually going through Egypt and emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The river is vast and beautiful. Parts of it flows quickly, other parts are smooth and calm.

During the past few days all the WorldVenture missionaries living in Uganda have met together in Jinja to share where they are at and to cast vision for the next few years of ministry. Although happy to attend most of the meetings, I was able to ditch out one day in order to go rafting ☺.

The Nile is an interesting river. The stretch that I rafted on contains many rapids—from class 2 rapids up to class 6! Most of the rapids, however, are not formed because of rocks. Instead, the rapids are formed because of the amount of water that is fighting its way along the riverbed. The rafting trip was an all day experience, and we were able to navigate our way through 10 rapids, half of them level fives.

We sat eight people to a raft, plus our river guide. My friends Holly, Megan, Phil, and Deborah were in the raft with me as well as three others who were from the UK. Our guide’s name was Juma. Big J (as he told us to call him) has been guiding for over 10 years and grew up here in Jinja.

At the beginning of the day, everyone donned on life jackets and helmets and then loaded up the rafts. We spent some time practicing how to row together, how to get in and out of the raft, and what to do if the raft flips during the middle of a rapid. Once our guide was convinced we were ready, we set out.

Right before we reached a class 3 rapid, Juma asked us if we’d like him to flip the raft for us. Nobody really responded with a yes or no, so he concluded that the decision was up to him, which basically meant he was going to flip us! So, we rowed hard into the rapid and then hunkered down in the middle of the raft to ride out the waves. When a big wave hit us, Juma manipulated the raft a bit and over it went!

There is nothing like the feeling of falling out of your raft in the middle of a rapid. It is terrifying, exhilarating, disconcerting, and exciting all at the same time! I landed in the water to the right of the raft and then had to focus on timing my breaths so that I could breathe in between waves. I bobbed along for only a short while before one of the kayakers (who travel with the rafts) came near to rescue me. I got on the front of it and he paddled me back to the raft. It was great!

We only flipped our raft one more time during the rest of the trip. It happened on a class 4 rapid and was completely unexpected this time. We were about halfway through this rapid when two big waves crashed into us. We weathered through the first wave, but the second just threw the raft right over. Everybody made it back safely to the raft once again.

One of the biggest rapids we went through was called Big Brother. It begins with a two meter drop off, after which are 5 big waves that hit you one right after another. It was quite a rush. My raft made it through the whole way, but one of the other rafts flipped! This was probably my favorite rapid.

The last rapid of the day is called “The Bad Place.” It is a class 5 rapid that comes directly after a class 6 rapid. Rafters aren’t allowed to go down class 6 rapids, so we got out of our raft and walked alongside the river for a bit. Now, the Bad Place consists of a 2-3 meter drop at the end of which a huge wave barrels into you—guaranteed to flip your raft. If you paddle hard enough you can make it past the hole and go down a channel that is only a class 4. Here you have a fifty-fifty chance of making it through. But if you don’t paddle hard enough, you slide into the Bad Place and flip. A third option is to go the safety boat route and skirt along the edge of it all down a class 3 channel. I hate to admit it, but our raft opted for the class 3 channel of the river. If we could have been sure we’d make the class 4 channel, we probably would have done that, but nobody wanted the guaranteed flip.

Anyway, I had an awesome time rafting, got sunburnt, of course, and am extremely tired and sore today. But, given the opportunity, I would jump at the chance to do it all over again.

Our rafting group (L to R): Andrew, Katherine, Phil, Me, John, Juma, Holly, Deborah, and Megan

Murchison Falls

2008-01-08T01:50:00.001-08:00

Murchison Falls National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Uganda. It is covered in savannah grassland and savannah woodland, and it houses thousands of wild animals. Five of us traveled to Murchison, spending 3 days and 2 nights in the Sambiya Lodge. We stayed in three lovely cottages—circular stone huts—which were great.

Highlights of the trip:
*Riding atop our car—a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado—in order to see the landscape and animals more clearly

Holly, and I, then Jonathan, Holly, and I.

*Seeing tons of animals: giraffes (my favorite!), lions, elephants, monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, antelope, the Ugandan Kob, water buffalo, warthogs, and more. It was absolutely amazing! There is nothing like watching a line of giraffes casually walk across the road or stand eating right next to you!

*We came across a female lion and her cubs right after the female had killed a small kob (an animal like a gazelle). We drove our vehicle within five feet of them as they were lying in the grass, eating their breakfast! I was sitting on top of the car with two of my friends, and it was so crazy that we could get so close!

*Murchison Falls: This park has a gorgeous waterfall. The water of the Nile river rushes over the falls with such force, spraying huge amounts of mist up into the air. It is a beautiful and awesome sight. I was able to stand in a spot so that it felt like I was almost in the midst of the waterfall—it was coming over some rocks right near me, but it didn’t reach where I was standing.

Megan, Holly, and I in front of the Falls

Murchison Falls as seen during the boat tour I took.

*I was able to watch the last sunset of 2007 and the first sunrise of 2008!

This is where I rang in the New Year. My friends and I all drank sparkling peach and apple cider as the clock struck midnight. I didn’t get to see the ball drop in Times Square or bang pots and pans (as is my family’s tradition ☺). Instead, I was outside, with amazing stars and fireflies for company.
Happy 2008!

Christmas Activities

2007-12-26T00:25:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! Celebrating Christmas in another country has been a similar experience, yet different. First of all, Uganda is heading into their dry season, which means that the weather is getting hotter all the time (not your typical Christmas weather). That makes it especially strange to me to see Christmas trees and blow up Santas being sold by street vendors as we are driving around. Some stores are playing Christmas music and selling the typical Christmas decorations: lights, tinsel, ornaments, etc. The selection is notably scaled down from what you’d find in the States.

At my house, my roommates and I have put together our own Christmas trees. One was more a Christmas bush, the other is kind of like a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, but they’ve got character!

The Christmas Bush

Charlie Brown Tree

I’ve been part of several Christmas celebrations over the past week: Children of Hope Christmas party with the kids, COH staff Christmas party, and the Kampala WorldVenture missionary Christmas party.

At our Christmas party with the kids of Children of Hope, we helped decorate the church. Ugandans like lots of color in their decorations…and we definitely made the church colorful!

I also baked 4 dozen sugar cookies for the kids to decorate and eat. When we were telling the kids what to do, we discovered that they had never decorated Christmas cookies before! It was fun watching them pile frosting on and get creative with how they decorated.

At our staff Christmas party we sang Christmas carols, played a game, and ate a ton of food! I always like hanging out with everyone outside of the office. It gives us a chance to connect on a different level and enjoy each other’s company.

The highlight of the WorldVenture missionary gathering was decorating Christmas cookies. Each person drew a name out of a bowl and then had to decorate their cookie to look like that person! It was quite entertaining!

Here is me with my cookie look-a-like.

We also played some games, sang carols, ate food, and watched, It’s a Wonderful Life.

On Christmas, I went over to a friend's house for breakfast, and then I attended a Christmas service at church. Afterwards, I spent time with my roommates and other friends. We made a ham dinner (quite a feat I'd say!). We opened presents, and had a nice time just being together. I also got to talk with my family in the evening.

Holly, Jonathan, Catharine, Kate, Megan, and Phil

Being away from family has caused me to look closely at why we celebrate Christmas. As nice as it is to spend time with family and friends, sing songs, give & receive gifts, decorate like crazy, and eat a ton of food, it truly is about the birth of Christ. God valued humanity so highly that He came to earth as a baby—to experience life as a human. His time on earth, culminating in His death and resurrection, made it possible for us to have a relationship with God. On Christmas we celebrate the fact that Jesus was given to us by God—such a supreme act of love and provision of hope. I pray that the peace and joy of the Lord may fill you on this special day!

Gulu

2007-12-16T20:49:00.000-08:00

On December 3-7 I traveled up to Gulu with five other members of Children of Hope in order to put on a training for the Mentors up there. Gulu is about 200 miles north of Kampala, and because the roads are so bad, it takes nearly 6 hours to get there! The roads are filled with potholes and speed bumps. In some stretches the potholes are so numerous and deep that you have to slow down to a crawl to get through them. You are constantly driving on all sides of the road in order to avoid as many potholes as possible! Speed bumps are used to control traffic. Often, at the beginning and end of towns there will be a couple of HUGE speed bumps to make sure you don’t fly through. Unfortunately those speed bumps are not well marked, and we have hit a few at full speed—talk about getting jarred a little! One part of the road has almost 200 speed bumps (my roommate Megan counted them), each spaced about 30 feet apart. I’m not sure why there are so many, but it definitely adds to the adventure of driving.

Gulu is a town that has been deeply affected by the rebel group, the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). The LRA has raided villages, kidnapping and killing many as well as stealing all the food. Thousands and thousands of people have fled their homes and been relocated to IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps in pursuit of safety. The IDP camps are crowded places to be. Huts are built nearly on top of one another. Clean water, food, medical care, and other basics are not always available. Thankfully, the situation has greatly improved in the last couple of years, with the LRA involved in peace talks. People are hoping that the fighting might be finally over at last and some are thinking it might be safe to begin moving back to their homes. I am praying that they are correct.

Children of Hope has a site in Koro Abili, one of the IDP camps located about 3 miles outside of town. We have about 170 kids who are sponsored in the project, half of which come from child headed households (families in which the oldest child is taking care of his/her younger siblings because their parents have died). Children of Hope owns a piece of property in Koro and has built a feeding center there. This feeding center serves the kids two meals a day: breakfast and dinner. (The schools give the kids lunch each day.) On the weekends the feeding center and its surrounding field is used for a Saturday program for the kids. Each day, the area is open to the kids to come and hang out, play football (aka soccer), and relax.

Some kids hanging out at the feeding center.

We did a two-day mentor training. Mentors are at the core of Children of Hope.

Here is Catharine, the director of Children of Hope, sharing with the mentors the background, history, and vision of the project.

They spend the most time with the children and have the most influence on them. We want them to be able to do the best job possible to affect the kids for good. We talked about things such as: what Children of Hope is all about, how to have a personal relationship and personal devotions with Christ, mentorship, the Biblical view of children, how to communicate with children, and some basic health/first aid training.

Here are some of the mentors discussing things in a small group.

Practicing how to wrap a sprained ankle.

The mentors drank in all the information and were excited about all they had learned. I enjoyed meeting the mentors and getting to know them a bit. They taught me some Luo, the language that is spoken up there. A couple of days after Christmas I will be heading back up there again, and I’m looking forward to meeting the kids and spending time with them.

Driving

2007-12-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is right, I have started driving in Uganda! Very cool! I had my first driving lesson on Sunday, December 2nd. My roommate Holly took me to a quiet neighborhood so I could get used to things a bit. Driving on the left side of the road is strange! When you make right hand turns you have to cross traffic, but with left hand turns you don’t. The blinkers are located on the right side of the steering wheel and if I’m not careful I turn on the windshield wipers instead! After driving for awhile around the neighborhood, I drove home. It was a light traffic time of day, but even so, I think I did pretty well. I didn’t hit anyone or anything at least. Look out Kampala, here I come!

On Parade

2007-11-29T03:19:00.000-08:00

Africans are fascinated with foreigners. Everywhere we go, be it Adjumani, Rwanda, or even Kampala, people (the kids especially) come out of the woodwork to line the road and watch us pass by. Shouts of “how are you?” constantly follow us. Groups of kids come tearing out of the brush in order to catch a glimpse. They are constantly smiling and giggling, and when we smile back, wave, or respond, “I’m fine. How are you?” it makes their day. I feel like I’m famous or something. It’s rather fun.

Cockroaches

2007-11-29T03:17:00.000-08:00

Do you all know that cockroaches can fly? Well, I didn’t. Not until tonight, that is. I was minding my own business when, out of the corner of my eye, I see something fly into my room by my garbage can. Thinking it was a moth who had lost its way, I get up and look around but can’t find it. Later, I’m hand-washing some of my clothes and I hear a sound from my garbage can. Oh, I think, the moth must have flown into the garbage can. So, I gallantly decide to take the moth outside and let it go free. As I am carrying the garbage can over to the door, what pops out, but a ginormous cockroach! It surprised me so much that I practically threw the can out the door! The cockroach landed on my screen door, and then proceeded to fly BACK inside. Totally freaked out now, and very thankful to be wearing flip flops, I smashed him as fast as I could. Now, as the adrenaline fades, I’m wondering…are there more? Do cockroaches travel alone or in groups? Will I wake up in the middle of the night with a cockroach staring me in the eye? What other creatures are lurking around that I haven’t seen yet? The fun things you discover while living in Africa!

Escaping CHOGM...Visit to Rwanda

2007-11-29T02:55:00.000-08:00

CHOGM stands for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. The Queen of England, 5,000 delegates, and 30,000 other people were expected to invade Kampala on November 23-25. Mass preparations have been done to welcome everyone: new hotels, road improvements, etc. These meetings happen once every 2 years in different locations. Uganda is making the most of her opportunity. Because of this, all is chaos! Last Thursday and Friday were declared national holidays. The streets of downtown were shut down. Some residents were told either to plan on staying inside for the entire time meetings are going on or to leave, because no one is coming in or out once things begin. Traffic, which is normally a nightmare, was going to become even more unbearable.

So, I escaped. Catharine, Megan, Holly, and I went down to Rwanda for a week in order to avoid the mess. We stayed with some missionary friends who live down here: the Bennetts. The trip from Kampala, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda takes roughly 10 hours or so. We split it up by making several stops along the way.

Our first stop? The Equator!!! Yes, I can now say I have been to the equator. I have stood in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere at the same time!

Crossing the border was an interesting experience. There was no warning that the border was approaching, we just kind of came upon it. There wasn’t even a sign once we got there; just a bunch of people, parked cars, some guards, and a gate across the road. Getting through the border took several steps: Ugandan immigration to get our exit stamps on our passports, Catharine had to prove ownership of the car, Rwandan immigration to get an entry stamp, and another building to buy insurance for the car. Luckily we made it through relatively quickly and with no problems.

Rwanda is a beautifully complex country. Kigali is a bustling, growing city. The countryside is full of green, rolling hills with farms in the valleys. The people are friendly and welcoming. Yet, the genocide of 1994 still greatly impacts the country, though they are trying to heal, move on, and leave it all behind. Genocide memorials are everywhere…in nearly every place a huge massacre occurred. I was able to go to two of these memorials: the main one in Kigali and a small one at a church in a town called Nyamata. Both were sobering and deeply impacting. The memorial in Kigali gave an overview of the history of Rwanda and the events that led to the genocide. There were pictures of those killed, clothing and other possessions, skulls and bones, and mass graves where many are buried.

Mass graves where the remains of many are buried.

At the church, 5,000 people were slaughtered: men, women, and children. Many things have not been altered: the doors that were wrenched open, the holes in the ceiling from bullets and grenades, broken windows, bloodstains on the altar and walls. It was hard to be in a place where so many lives were brutally taken. Even now I can’t comprehend the evil, the pain, the horror, and the devastation of the genocide. Entire families were wiped out. People are still discovering the remains of those who were murdered. Rwandans wear purple as a memorial. They also proclaim, “Never again,” as a kind of theme. I continue to pray for their healing, reconciliation, and restoration.

On a lighter note, I greatly enjoyed my time in Rwanda. I celebrated Thanksgiving while I was there (with turkey, pumpkin pie, and everything). The friends we were staying with hosted the meal and invited over many other missionaries who live in the area. The house was packed with people and food. Even though I was far from family it was neat to see God provide other friends with whom I could fellowship and celebrate.

I was also able to travel out west to a beautiful lake, Lake Kivu, and spend a couple of days relaxing and hanging out. The town where we were staying is located by an active volcano. I was able to see the steam rising from the volcano during the day and see the glow of it at night!

Holly, Me, Catharine, and Megan enjoying the beach at Lake Kivu

And, now that it is after Thanksgiving, I have been singing Christmas songs and watching Christmas movies. I have to admit, though, it is strange to be singing, “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas,” while it is eighty degrees outside. I might have to change it to, “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas” or something…

Adjumani

2007-11-17T05:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I hit the ground running. On Friday I flew in a little 6 seater airplane with Catharine, Megan, and Francis up to a town called Adjumani. The flight up was beautiful! Uganda is so green. Normally we would drive, but it has been raining heavily in recent weeks and the road is in terrible shape, strewn with cars and trucks that have gotten stuck. The trip should be a 5-6 hour drive, but the by-pass road that now has to be used would take us 12-14 hours! So, we were very glad to be able to go by plane.

The town of Adjumani grew up around the Sudanese refugee camps. There are perhaps 20 in the area. The city only provides electricity for 4 hours a day: from 7-11pm. Children of Hope has a site up here. Almost 150 students are enrolled in the project. While here we met with the site coordinators, the mentors, and some of the students. I am glad for the chance to meet the students and get to know them a bit.

Things take longer here in Africa. I’ve attended several 4+ hour meetings! Relationships are extremely important here. So, in meetings, things happen deliberately. Much time is given so that everyone has the opportunity to speak and share their ideas/concerns.

In Uganda, things are pronounced and phrased differently: At our hotel, Catharine is staying in a Suite (pronounced ‘suit’). I had fish fillet for lunch (fillet is pronounced as it is written, not with the usual –ay ending). When you walk somewhere, it is said you are “footing” it. A taxi is called a “special hire.” Cell phones are called “mobile” phones. You don’t say you attend a church, instead you say you “pray” at such and such a church. You don’t turn right, you “branch” right.

I've Arrived!

2007-11-17T05:04:00.002-08:00

In case you didn’t know, Uganda is far away! And it takes a long time to get there! Praise the Lord, though, that I had no problems during my travels. I flew out of PDX at around 3:45pm. Some close friends and family came to see me off, which was neat. As I was packing I had thought that I would have to pay for one of my bags because it was over the weight limit. At the check-in counter, I found out that both my bags could have been 70lbs, so I didn’t have to pay any extra at all! Yay! My bags were checked all the way through to Uganda, so I didn’t have to worry about having to maneuver them all by myself.

On my long flight to London, I had a great talk with the lady sitting next to me. She was from Denmark, and through discussing my work in Uganda, the door was opened to talk about many spiritual things. It was so neat to have the opportunity to be a light for Christ right away. My relationship with Jesus is the reason that I am here in Uganda. Christ has given me life, hope, and purpose. He has instilled in me love for kids and given me the opportunity to be His hands and feet to serve the kids in Uganda.

In London I was able to meet up with a family who are also WorldVenture missionaries. The Davis’s have 5 children, the oldest of which is six years old—talk about a complicated journey. With the juggling of strollers, carseats, and lots and lots of bags, not to mention keeping track of energy-filled little ones, this couple was amazing!

I was able to sleep for a few hours on this leg of the flight, which is a praise because usually I am unable to sleep on these long flights. I arrived in Uganda at 8:30am on Wednesday. I stuck with the Davis family, and because of their large family, one of the workers decided to help us out. She got all of our passports and took us to the FRONT of the immigration line. We got everything processed quickly and then went to claim our luggage. Both of my bags made it!!! Yet another answer to prayer. Several people were outside to pick us up (including Megan, my roommate), so we loaded up the luggage and began the hour long drive to Kampala.

Uganda is beautiful! It is the end of the rainy season so everything is lush and green. There are many varieties of trees and flowers. The dust has a reddish tint to it. Driving is an adventure. Ugandans drive on the left side of the road. I keep trying to get in the passenger side of the car, which just happens to be the driver’s side here. ☺

Before going to my little home, I drove with Megan to check out the missionary guest house and the offices of Children of Hope. I got to participate in the weekly Wednesday pizza feast and meet the other people who work there. They all gave me such a warm welcome. They had the office decorated with balloons and welcome signs. It was so neat.

After lunch Megan took me home. My place is cute. It is located at the back of the house that Megan and Holly (two other interns) share. I have my own room, bathroom, shower, and kitchenette. I’ll share the kitchen and living room with Megan and Holly in the big house, but I’m also thankful to have my own little area. I’ve done some unpacking, but still have more to go. I am extremely tired, but am trying to last until nightfall to hopefully get my body to transition to Ugandan time (11 hrs. ahead of Portland). We’ll see how long I make it.☺

The outside of my house.

My entrance in the back.

My bedroom.

The kitchen area.

My bathroom and shower.

Greetings!

2007-10-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

Hello all!
This is my first attempt at a blog, and I'm hoping all will go well. I'm heading to Uganda soon...only four days before I depart! I am excited about the adventure ahead of me but have a lot to do. The next few days will be filled with packing, packing, and more packing, as well as spending as much time as I can with friends and family. God has been faithfully guiding me throughout this whole process, providing for my every need. I can't wait to see the amazing ways in which He will work in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Until next time...