Embrace the Process

Have you ever wondered why God has led you down the roads you've traveled on? Why have you worked the jobs you've worked? Why are you attending the college you're attending (or did attend..or have never attended)? Why do you have deeply rooted relationships certain people? Or for the sake of my blog, why have you traveled to the places you've been?

For whatever reason, I have been missing Uganda like crazy these past two weeks or so, and instead of driving my friends up the wall talking about it, I figured I would go ahead and write a new post and share my thoughts with whoever is interested in reading them. I have been able to talk to a few of my friends who I studied abroad with in Uganda and they, too, are feeling that gut twisting homesickness for the place we all consider a home away from home. It's a hard feeling to explain if I'm being honest. I sometimes wake up thinking I smell Momma Katherine's chapati cooking over the charcoal stove. When walking to class, I often look down and realize I'm not actually walking on those dusty red dirt roads and I'm not breathing in the heavily heated Ugandan air dodging boda bodas. After cooking dinner, I sometimes whisper, "wabale kafumba" (thank you for cooking) to myself and chuckle a bit. My roommates will call me from another room and I often want to yell, "WANGIIIIIII?!!!" just like my host siblings used to do. It's those small things that creep into my mind that always make me sit back and think for a moment just how much of an impact Uganda has on my life.

So I go back to my questions. Why have I traveled down the roads I've been on? Last night I was alone in my apartment sobbing like a baby in awe of how wonderfully my Father has knitted my life together (and I'm not usually a crier, so this was a big deal). In just a short while I'm going to be graduating college and a whole new window of opportunity is going to open up for me. Where will this road lead me? To be honest, I have no idea. What I do know is that each and every road, each and every bump, downhill fall and uphill climb has a very specific purpose for where I'm going. As I rest in those moments when Ugandan experiences fill my mind, I remind myself not of the homesick emotions that try and take over, but of the opportunities and revelations those experiences are opening up for me. The Lord has promises sealed in His heart for me. He has them for all of us (2 Corinthians 1:22). Sometimes it's a challenge to put all our trust in Him, but He is a constant and faithful God who has yet to let me down.  Life isn't necessarily about where we've been. It's about where we're going, and where we're going gives us the potential to see beautiful promises from our Father come to life before your very eyes.

To my USP family, remember the Faith and Action cliche be present? We shouldn't forget about that. Being present means all of our attention is in the here and now. If in the here and now you miss Uganda, then allow yourself to miss Uganda, but I encourage you not to allow it consume you because our time there has such a greater purpose than simply dwelling on the past. Be present in your own life. Enjoy the journey of today. Enjoy the process of reflection, look ahead to the promises of your future and live today knowing that God has His soft, tender hands wrapped around your heart. He is incredibly in love with you and wants more than anything for you to step into your destiny with Him.

Why have we been where we've been? Why have certain people had such an impact on our lives? Because God's love for us is magnificent. It's zealous. It's mind-blowing. It's more than we can comprehend. It's faithful and worthy of our trust. There is always more of it and God is more than willing, in fact, He is yearning! to pour it out over you. The promises God has over your life are found in the process, and if you embrace the process, the promises will embrace you.

 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up;

do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

Ps. If any of you need prayer or want to talk about the process of your journey please feel free to contact me :) I would LOVE to talk to you!


**SEVEN SECOND VERSION!
Why are you where you are? God loves you, that's why! Embrace the journey and know that your future is going to be amazing when your trust is in God.

The Journey of a Thousand.

The saying goes, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." I'm going to take it a step further (pun intended), and say, "The journey of eternity begins with one cry of longing for Father God." 

It's been about seven years since I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, and ironically, it's been about seven months since I first stepped onto African soil. Everyday since my return from Uganda on May 2nd, my thoughts somehow dwindle back to my home in that far away place. The more the days go on, the more I want to talk about my experiences, the more I want to hold onto the memories. It seems to me, though, that the honeymoon stage of being home is fairly over. I feel as though my stories don't want to be heard as much, and most of the stories I have left to share are the ones most special to me. I find it hard to share those stories because I think I fear that no one would understand or receive them or fully grasp the emotions behind the story. Rightly so, though. Uganda is special to me and to those who shared in that time with me. Uganda isn't as near and dear to my family and friends, and it would be plain selfish of me to expect everyone to sit at my feet while I tell stories of a place so foreign and strange to them.

From my first step in Uganda on January 3rd, the journey of a thousand miles began. In my heart, I know that this thousand mile journey is going to be the longest thousand miles of my life. My Uganda journey isn't over. Being back at home, living with my family longer than two weeks in the last two years, isn't easy. So often I wish I could quit and hop on the next plane to Africa. Then I remember the multiple times I wanted to quit in Uganda, too. I remember how it was those moments that made me stronger. It was those moments that refocused my vision. It was those moments that made my experience completely worth it. I have learned the moments that look most difficult, the moments that seem the driest, the moments that have you hanging onto the last thread, are the moments when Daddy God whispers, "Let go, my beloved. I will always catch you."

From one step and a thousand miles to one cry of longing and eternity...

The magnificent thing is that these two concepts or ideas are entangled. When the love of God invades your soul, you begin to live thousand mile journeys from the perspective of life eternal. This brings me to today. I thought my blogging days would end when I returned home, but I'm realizing that I still have much to share and I still feel the Holy Spirit leading me to do so. While I am no longer in Uganda, I still believe I am on that journey. I know I am. For God has given me a job this summer I know I would could not handle had He not sent me abroad.

This summer I am working at a camp with individuals with disabilities. It is a pilot year for the program I am working for so everything and everyone is new, and I have never worked for a program as such. I was a bit nervous going into it, but I knew in my heart God had prepared such a place for me. I work with three co-workers and four children with severe mental disabilities. I would be a complete liar if I said my summer was fantastic because it is far from it. Not only am I still dealing with re-adjustment issues from returning to the states, but I'm working in such a foreign environment with teenagers who have disabilities that I've never experienced one on one before. This summer is very difficult and extremely challenging. At the same time, I would be a complete liar if I told you I went to bed stressed out and exhausted every night. The truth is that I go to bed feeling extremely blessed and excited for the day to come.

Being home is a strange feeling. Work is hard. But every morning, I wake up early enough to spend quality time with my Lord and Savior. Every morning He reminds me that I am His cherished daughter, seated in the heavens with Him (Ephesians 2:6). He reminds me that my circumstances have no affect on His love for me, nor do my circumstances have to have any affect on how His love shines through me. He reminds me that my life is not my own and that I belong to Him. He reminds me that I have a choice on how I want to perceive me day. I have the option of living from the Kingdom. I have the ability to call forth His presence in any and all situations, and He will come in all His love, joy, tranquility and grace. It's a beautiful, beautiful reminder.

When I lived in Uganda God showed me how much He adores ALL His children, no matter the culture, no matter their abilities. He ignited that love in my heart, and this summer I get to allow that love to pour through me. When I find myself doubtful or on edge at work, Holy Spirit tells me to look into the eyes of my students and I don't ever look away without getting a glance of Christ's Spirit deep within them. My students are non-verbal and two of them can't walk, but I know Father God is in awe of them. I look at them and can't help but smile and pray the Lord's love over them with the hope and faith that they feel the Spirit in ways they can feel no other thing.

Father God is so incredibly good. He is so incredibly faithful. I still have to remind myself that my time in Uganda wasn't a dream. It was SO real. Ya know, this journey we call life is quite a trip. Seven years ago, I made the choice to continue my trip with God in my heart. Now I not only receive journeys of a thousand miles, but I receive the journey through eternity. With God, not one step goes to waste. All steps are uniquely and intricately woven together to create a divine path called destiny. I believe we all have one and we all have a faithful loving God waiting for us to reach out to Him. This is but a small yet large, very simple yet complex testimony of God's faithfulness.

Here's an honest statement: For the first time in my life, I don't know the next step for my destiny. It's a scary thing for me. I've ALWAYS known the next step..or had a pretty good idea what it was going to be. But what I do know is that my times are in the hands of a God who will never let me fall. I do know that more than anything I want to see God's kingdom invade every heart beating on this earth and raise every dead spirit. I know that the earth is covered in God's fabric of love and more than anything I want to minister and share that love with all people. I may see my life dimly at the moment but I know darn well God's will and God's way for my life has got to be brilliant. Everyday He blows me away. I have an eternal journey ahead of me, and that's an incredible promise to hold onto.

My prayer for all of you is that you take each step of a thousands miles and ask God to show you how it looks from the eternal perspective. It's a beautiful thing, I'll tell ya that much :) If you haven't cried out for God, invite Him in. If you're feeling dry, ask for a drink from the living waters. Allow Daddy God to awaken a love in you more ravishing and extravagant than any love you have ever felt. Pour out your desires on Him and then go read Ephesians 3:20.

From eternity, God dreamed of you. From eternity, He loves you completely.



SEVEN SECOND VERSION!
God is faithful. God is kind. Ask Him for a perspective shift and see your life anew!

So Now What?

I have been contemplating whether I should go head and post one final blog on the aftermath of my Uganda experience, or if I should let it be as it is. My grandfather had mentioned he was hoping I would have posted just one more because he felt like something was missing. So I prayed about it, and I felt Holy Spirit siding with my grandfather. For one last hoorah, here is (most likely) my final blog post.

I have officially been home for a week and one day. During my last few weeks in Africa, I spent time in Rwanda learning about the 1994 genocide, the reconciliation process and the beautiful vision for the country's future. That experience in itself deserves its own blog topic, but I'd rather keep that experience to myself and share as I'm asked or led. For my final days back in Uganda, I spent hours with my amazing peers and staff discussing re-entry back to the good ol' US of A. We were warned about reverse culture shock and had the opportunity reflect on the last four months of our lives, thinking deeply about the good moments, the bad moments and our spiritual journey. One question they warned us about on re-entering was the ever-so-famous, "How was Africa?!" As a statement to all of you, that is an EXTREMELY loaded question and one I quite frankly do not have to answer to. I have no idea how Africa was or is. I have seen only a slight piece of the puzzle of Africa, but of course when I'm asked that famous question I don't respond with an, "I don't know" or "Are you nuts?! I have no idea how Africa is you dummy!" Instead I have landed on this response, "Africa? I'm not sure, but have you ever ridden a roller coaster? My experience in Uganda was kind of like that. There were many ups and downs, twists and turns but I rode the ride with my hands up. I had the time of my life!" Indeed, I had the time of my life.

I just spent the last few minutes reading back through on all my previous blog posts, and I'm realizing that writing this one isn't so easy. It's one more end to my experience that I have to face. It's a harsh reality, yet I'm realizing it's also serving as another beginning to a new season and time in my life. So now what do I do? I have to remind myself that the last four months of my life were real and I wasn't in some cave hibernating and dreaming of a foreign place. I walked the red dirt roads. I ate mass amounts of bananas. I became part of a new family. I went to school and had some ridiculously great, ridiculously bad and some straight up ridiculous experiences. In short I think I have to do three things.

First, I have asked the Holy Spirit to help me store these last four months in a treasure chest and keep them locked up in my heart. I am the key holder and I know that at anytime, I will be able to open that chest and look upon the treasure inside. I will be able to take out some of those treasures and share them with others. I will be able to keep in the box what I feel needs to be kept in the box. Most importantly, I will be able to open the chest at any time and look back on those treasure pieces and thank my Father for the precious gifts He has given me. After all, "every good and perfect gift is from above," (James 1:17) and I am beyond blessed by all the good and perfect gifts inside my heart.

Second, I have to move on. I have to move on, but I do not have to forget. As I said, I am the key holder to my treasure chest of blessings. I believe my time in Uganda was a time of commissioning. Remembering how I got to Uganda, I am reminded that God had called me there. "For such a time as this." Of that, I am 100% confident. Even during the first half of my semester where I spent more time crying than I have in my entire life, I never doubted God's voice calling me to that place at that time. Words of gratitude cannot be expressed to all of you who sent prayers my way during that time. In part, they served as fuel to keep my pressing into the Lord's heart. There is not one moment I have of regret. For whatever reason, it was written in the books that I would study abroad in Uganda and I doubt not that God has a brilliant reason for doing so. I have been commissioned to fulfill the rest of my destiny in Him. Uganda has become a part of me and I am ready to break through the walls of that experience, store the treasures in my chest and dance my way through the rest of life's journey.

Finally, I have to put to practice what I have learned. This has and probably will be my biggest challenge simply because I have learned A LOT. I have learned about poverty and development, compassion, American identity, crossing cultures, community and smaller things such as how to chop vegetables correctly and hand wash my clothes. Apart from those things, I believe the biggest lesson I have learned is a lesson that goes far deeper than the words of this post. I believe the biggest lesson I have learned is a lesson in perception. I have learned that how you perceive yourself and how you perceive the circumstances you find yourself in is detrimental to the outcome of your life's journey and walk with Christ. It's the perspective of the Kingdom that gives you the best outlook. First, it's important to know you're a child of God and if He doesn't have you wrapped in in the comfort of His hands, He has a tight grip on your back so you don't fall. Second, Colossians 3:2 tells us to keep our eyes on things above, not things of the earth. In my experiences, bed bugs are of the world. I learned not to focus on those. Sickness is of this world. I learned not to focus on that. On the other hand, Jesus died on the cross and claimed victory for all the ages to come. I have learned to put on the lens of victory and view my life from that perspective. I can't lose if victory has already been won, and my circumstances do not have to dictate my life. If I am choosing to be a child of God, I learned I better start acting like His daughter. Thankfully for me, that means I have a choice to choose joy and a choice to rejoice in ALL situations. So many days and moments throughout my time in Uganda have been shaped by that lens. It's a whole new way of life when you choose to side on God's victory. It's a life of unending joy and receptivity to God's freely given gifts.

Being home, I ironically get a feeling of homesickness quite often. I wake up some mornings and wonder what happened to my mosquito net or the roosters outside (despite the fact that I wanted to strangle those things most mornings!). During the day, I miss the craziness of my friends and the stillness of being present in Uganda. I find myself cringing inside when I hear complaints about the shower water not being hot enough or the grocery store being out of a certain kind of cereal. "If only they knew.." I think to myself. Overall, the opportunity to spend four months studying abroad in Uganda was a humbling experience and a gift of many treasures that I would love to share deeper with anyone wanting to listen. So now what? Now I set my fears, worries and obstacles on the side of the road and walk the path of victory all while holding tight the key to my chest of goodness.

As a final "pull-it-all-together," my URL link is entitled pslam27thirteen. So...
Psalm 27:13, "I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

I have but tasted and seen the slightest goodness of the Lord while in Uganda. I am so ready to share those riches with you (I am home all summer, so don't be afraid to contact me!) and beyond ready to taste and see the goodness in store for me. Like David, a man after God's heart, I too am yearning for more of Him. My confidence lies in Christ Jesus and I'll be darned if I don't see more of His crazy love in this world.

With my love and an abundance of thankfulness, I pray that God may bless you all in return for your prayers, thoughts, cards and packages that brought so many smiles and encouraging moments to me. To all my friends and family in Uganda this remains: one faith, one hope, one love...forever in my heart.



Seven Second Version!
I'm back in 'Murica and I am beyond blessed by my experiences in Uganda. Wanna hear more? Get in touch with me!




Here's a quick run down of a very few of my favorite moments!

"My Father Betrayed Me," but LOVE NEVER FAILS!

In just two weeks, I will be leaving for Rwanda to spend 10 days learning about the genocide that occurred there in the 1990s. From Rwanda I will spend 2 days debriefing the semester at a guest house in Uganda, and then I will be flying home. This may be my last blog post due to not having internet access, so I want to leave you with some of the thoughts and emotions I am sifting through as I prepare to face an old yet very new reality back home in good old Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

What do you say to a little girl who tells you to take her back to America with you as she willingly has no problems leaving her family behind, if she in fact does have a family? What do you say to a young woman who asks for your left over clothes and tells you she feels betrayed by her father because he promised her a good life yet can’t provide food for supper? What do you say to the little children who just told you how they were abandoned and left on the streets to fend for themselves, some at the age of four years old? What do you say to your host family when you tell them you won’t get malaria because you buy medicine to protect yourself while your host cousin is in the back bedroom with the exact disease you’re protected from? What do you say to your roommate when she tells you she’s having a bad day because someone made a comment about her dead brother? What do you say to the people of a nation who witnessed their family and neighbors being hacked to death by machetes during a 100 day genocide?

I have in fact faced all of those encounters. I don’t know what it’s like to live a poor lifestyle. I don’t know how it feels to be betrayed. I can’t empathize with my roommate because I have my entire family, with good health, waiting for me to come back to our home. I can’t begin to fathom what it was like for the people of Rwanda during the genocide when their flesh and blood was being murdered in masses, inside of churches, thousands of bodies rotting in the streets. I have never suffered. I have found myself looking into the ugliness of life, but I have never lived in its midst. I have an escape. I get to walk away knowing I have a home, a safe, healthy place waiting for me. I get to walk away knowing I am part of a country, part of a culture, where there’s more than enough. I get to walk away.

How do I process that? Is there any blame on my behalf for the life I’ve been living in America? I spent three months living out of a suitcase. I’ve been bathing in a bucket, the same bucket I use to wash the seven outfits I’ve been wearing for the past three months, and I still have more than enough.

A young girl said to a friend of mine, “I can’t do miracles because my skin isn’t your color. You can do miracles because your skin is white. Your skin is better than mine.” I saw a child about the same age as my little sister back home who was playing on a dirt bank naked as a button, and as she slid down the bank the dirt covered her bare behind. A young boy asked me for 3,000 shillings (about $1.50) just so he could afford primary school. How do I handle these situations? What’s the best way to respond? There’s a bit of shame and guilt that fills in my heart, but I know those emotions are not mine to bear. I have to do something, but what do I do?

I question how I’m supposed to react to these things. I question how I’m supposed to act once I get back home when just thinking about stepping foot into Wal-Mart gives me anxiety. I question myself with how I’m supposed to relay all I’ve experienced that are found under the surface level happenings of my trip. Uganda is beautiful and God’s presence is here. There are happy children and not all of them are starving. There are medical clinics and homes for the orphaned children that are run beautifully, but that doesn’t mean life is all palm trees and monkeys around every corner.

Giving money to the beggars isn’t the solution. Telling the hungry child that God is with them doesn’t satisfy the hunger in their stomachs. Feeling sorry for the sick and wishing they had better health services isn’t going to solve anything. I question what the solution is. What can I do? How do I respond? As I spend time pressing into the Lord’s heart, I can only think of one thing: love. I believe the best place to launch is to set fire to the world through the love of Christ. Compassion. That’s the ticket..or so I believe. Our words do carry power, but sometimes actions truly do speak louder than words, especially when the orphaned child doesn’t speak English. For whatever reason, God has given me the life I have, yet that does not mean he loves me anymore or any less than the homeless HIV patient.  Throughout the gospels, Jesus was filled and moved with compassion. He laid hands on the lepers and met with the woman at the well who wasn’t seen as worthy. Who am I not to do the same? I am not too good to hold the hand of the woman with AIDS or to hug the small child who just crawled out of the slums. The material things my American culture has given me are not going to change the world. While I believe those blessings have been given for a reason, they are not the end all and be all. I believe the correct response is to live a servant’s life loving humbly and furiously. Please read the definitions of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. It has become my challenge to walk in that love and to remember that love never fails.

It is going to take me a long time to process all I’ve experienced during the last couple of months. Love may or may not be the answer, but that’s the conclusion I have come to so far. I want to share my experiences. I want you to know the good, the bad, the ugly and all the joyful things I’ve experienced. I’m an open book and I promise not to hold anything back! I will freely and gladly share whatever you ask me to share, but I only ask that you take what I say with a grain of salt because my experiences are solely based on a 4 months’ time during a study abroad trip. I didn’t come here on a missions trip and 4 months is not nearly enough time to sum up all of Africa, let alone Uganda. I only know in part. There is much for me to share and I am more than willing to make time for you, and I’m sure as I continue to process, I will have even more insight for you in the time to come.

So what do you say to the little girl who tells you to take her back to America with you? Or to the woman who feels betrayed by her own father? Or to the sick and hungry? I believe you say nothing. You hold the child’s hand while you walk down the street and you hug the young woman. You sit among the sick and hungry and when it’s time to say good-bye you leave with the hope and faith that God’s love has already overcome.

 

SEVEN SECOND VERSION!

To solve pain, sickness and suffering, I believe loving humbly is the answer. If you want to hear about Uganda, holler at me! Actually you should probably facebook me or something because I don’t think I could hear you hollering at me all the way in Uganda. Hopefully I’ll get to talk to you soon! Blessings!

Everyday Blue Skies and Rainbows

Eighty two. Eighty two days I have been in Uganda. Thirty five. Thirty five days until I leave Uganda and head back home to the US of A. One hundred and seventeen. One hundred and seventeen days is the exact number of days I will have spent in Uganda. In the long scheme of things, I wonder how long one hundred and seventeen days really is in comparison with the rest of my life. While at times it feels like forever and a day, I really don't think it's a long time at all. In fact, I believe these one hundred and seventeen days are serving as a commissioning time. They're preparing me for my future and the numerous days to come. I have learned to enjoy the present, taking life day by day, enjoying every moment. I know God's plan for my life is brilliant, and right now I am marveled by my journey thus far.

I have been requested to share with you all the happenings of my every day life. In case you were not aware, about a month ago I had to move out of my host family's home and move onto campus. That was a very emotional time for me because I came into this program expecting to spend all four months with my family. The concept of family is very close to my heart, and while my family in America is everything to me, I discovered I have been blessed with an amazing family in Uganda. It wasn't easy to move onto campus, but as always, God works all things out for the good.
I am living with a beautiful Ugandan woman named Hilda in Florence Dorm on campus. We're slowly learning about each other and I am getting to experience different aspects of Ugandan culture. The adjustment was more difficult than I imagined and campus life is completely different from life with a host family, but I am proud to say I have gotten the best of both worlds.

Every morning I wake up around 6:45, get myself dressed and head to the track with my friend Carissa to get a morning run in. As we struggle to wake ourselves up and fat kid jog around the track, we get to inhale the nice fresh Ugandan air, and by nice and fresh I mean the smell of the sanitation plant located near the far corner of the track. Mmmm! I also find myself getting dizzy as I have to keep my eyes on the ground for fear of falling in a hole or slipping on the red mud. For anyone watching us, we probably look like circus animals! All is good though..we get a lot of laughs each morning! After our run, we head to the dining hall, or the "DH," for some breakfast. Breakfast consists of milk tea and 2 slices of hard bread. Butter is spread only on one side of the bread, so I you just dip the other piece into the tea and add some flavor. Tuesdays and Thursdays we get a hard boiled egg and a roll..with no butter, but still, the egg is a nice treat! After breakfast, we head back to the dorms, take a cold breath-taking shower and get ready for class.

Depending on the day I have anywhere from zero classes to three classes. In general the classes here are much easier than classes at Messiah, but I feel I am learning more during my semester here than I have during my time at Messiah. I am learning more about life as a whole rather than text book facts. Tuesdays and Thursdays there's community worship for about an hours starting around 12 (African time). At 1:00, lunch is served. Rice is served at every meal besides breakfast. Sometime there's mashed, cooked bananas at lunch, but not always. There's a food called posho which I find repulsive, but the Ugandans love it. It's basically flour and water and corn..I think. It looks like a white sponge. Sauce is also served at every meal. Sauce is either cow peas, meat sauce, beans or g-nuts. G-nuts are my personal favorite. They're very similar to peanuts, but they're red in color. They mash them up, add some water and it produces a nice purple mush of stuff! I have also learned to by spices at the market such as garlic or chili powder to add some flavor to the rice. After lunch, I spend most of my time doing homework or walking into town if I need to buy anything. There's also a nice little fruit stand on campus where I can buy a bag of the world's best fruit for 1,000 shillings (about 11cents). Once in a while I like to treat myself to that.

I finish doing work around 6:30 and head to dinner around 6:45. Dinner is usually the same as lunch. There's always rice and sauce. As an added bonus, there's usually either irish potatoes or sweet potatoes and a VEGSTABLE!! Praise God! After dinner, it's chill time. I hang around the dorms and spend time getting to know the other USP students the Ugandans living in my dorm. We have evening fellowships certain nights of the week and other nights we watch movies or just hang out. Anywhere from 10-12 I end up falling asleep.

Everyday is a new day and a day in which I can open my eyes and see the bright blue sky. It has begun raining during the week and this past weekend on my way to a field trip with my art class I saw the most beautiful rainbow. The colors were so bright and in that moment I was reminded of where I am. I am presently in Africa where the colors of life are exploding in my soul. I would have never imagined that God would call me to Africa at such a time as this. Africa seemed so far in the future for me, but what's time in the kingdom of heaven? As I look out the window and look at the sky, I am so thankful for my everyday life here. While it may not sound so exciting, there's something new in each day that illuminates with God's magnificence. Eight two. Thirty five. One hundred and seventeen. They are just numbers to me now. I find that I'm mostly focusing on the colors of life rather than the hours, days, weeks and months. It will be a bitter sweet good-bye for me when April 30th rolls around and I come home. Until then, I am enjoying everyday life in Uganda and I hope you are able to get a little insight as to what that may look like.

As a heads up, my next blog topic will most likely discuss what to expect from me when I do return home. I am borrowing this idea from a friend: if you want to hear my stories, set up a coffee date with me. If you don't like coffee, you can drink something else, but I am so coffee deprived it's unreal! Anyone who wants to chat, I will make time to do so. What I mention in my blog and what you may see on facebook are only a slight reflections of my experiences. There's much more to be said and many emotions to share that are found behind the scene. I can't promise that I will tell you what you want to hear, and I can't really tell you all about Africa. What I can do I share with you about Mukono, Uganda and my journey over the last four months. I pray God's blessing over all of you and thank you for your support during my time here. Your thoughts and prayers have made my time here beyond anything I could have imagined.



SEVEN SECOND VERSION
I just raddled on about my everyday life here and explained that my life is revolving around colors rather than the ticking of the clock.

Surrendering to a True, Raw Compassionate Mindset

"When Jesus was moved to compassion, the source of all life trembled, the ground of all love burst open, and the abyss of God's immense, inexhaustible, and unfathomable tenderness revealed itself."

-Henri Nouwen, Compassion

 

 

          For the past few weeks, my core class entitled Faith & Action has been reading through a book called Compassion by Henri Nouwen (among other authors) and discussing the deep but familiar concept of compassion. After reading the book and spending these last few weeks diving further into the idea, I have discovered that my view on compassion was so elementary and so off focus from what I now know and understand. While I believe compassion is an all or nothing kind of life-style, I think it is a simple and easy concept...as long as you are willing to go all in and find yourself wrestling with many uncomfortable situations. How much of yourself are you willing to give up to follow this way of life? How faithfully do are you willing to follow in the footsteps of Christ? Where are you going to turn when the way of compassion brings you face to face with ugly and tragic situations? Essentially compassion is love, right? How can loving others be so difficult? After all, it is one of the greatest commandments. I believe compassion, true, raw compassion is about total surrender. Compassion is about letting go and letting God. Compassion is about filling yourself completely with Christ's love and saying yes to the struggles and obstacles that come along with walking in that love. Compassion is a beautiful thing, but I've learned it requires more than sending a sympathy card or taking the time out of you busy day to pray over the sick.

 

           In the first chapter of the book, the authors focus on "Emmanuel," God-with-us. When talking about those longing for compassion, the poor, the sick, the unfortunate, the lonely, the depressed, God is with us. The authors write, "It does not mean that God solves our problems, shows us the way out of confusion, or offers answers for our many questions. God might do all of that, but the solidarity of God consists in the fact that God is willing to enter with us into our problems, confusions and questions." I believe God is an all powerful, all loving God, but I also believe He is a God who wants His children to seek after Him, receive His gifts, and find comfort in His outstretched arms. I have learned that this concept of Emmanuel is the basis for entering into full compassion.

 

          The book continues to reflect on the life of Jesus, and how he was moved with compassion. Christ's love is what led him to perform the miracles and healings he did. He didn't so such things to become popular or to gain recognition. He did those things to reveal the nature of God the Father and display the love found in his heart. Jesus went and humbled himself to be with the sick. He went to the diseased. He suffered and took on persecution because of his great love and compassion to the poor. For example, you can read the story about the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus went to the woman who was drawing water from the well and immediately he asked her for a drink. Jesus leveled himself with the poor woman and asked her for the exact thing that she was in need of. He was moved into compassion and used his love to lead her closer the God. Christ suffered and paid the ultimate price. He took all the ugly, all the stings of life and hung them on the cross with him. He felt our pain. He didn't rise above it. Jesus Christ lived a humble life of servanthood. He experienced humiliation and degradation to have his heart poured out over all the people of the world.

 

          What if we all lived a life like Christ? What if we all loved the way he loved? I believe that if we live the life he lived, we too need to enter into periods of suffering and pain, all while remembering Emmanuel.  The book talks about competitiveness and how most often people enter into situations and instead of humbling themselves they automatically assume they are of higher levels or of higher power than the people they are seeking to help. Most people have a competitive nature and can't help but walk into situations assuming they're the savior and can't wait to gain recognition for the great works they've done. Did Christ look for recognition? No. He looked to love and to bless the hopeless. None of us are saviors. None of us should be seeking a pat on the back for giving a homeless man a few bucks. To simply be among the poor, the sick, the sufferers, to give them your time, to humble yourself as a servant, a friend, to be a present day Jesus..that's what it means to be compassionate.

 

          Being truly compassionate, walking in the way of love like Christ did opens you up to vulnerability. It opens you up to an unknown realm. It takes you to a place of surrender where faith, patience and humility become key virtues. Being truly compassionate, moving into action, requires you live among the least of these. It requires you to live among the least of these, not visit for a short time and go back to living your life of luxury. Imagine yourself being among the least of these? How would that change your everyday life? It sure as heck doesn't entail you laying on a nice beach chair as you dig your toes in the sand listening to the sound of the ocean. A life of compassion may lead you to live in raw, dark poverty. It may require you to walk hand in hand with the sick. It may require you to step out into faith and trust that God's love is all you really need.

 

"Here we see what compassion means. It is not bending toward the underprivileged for a privileged position; it is not a reaching out from on high to those who are less fortunate below; it is not a gesture of sympathy or pity for those who fail to make it in the upward pull. On the contrary, compassion means going directly to those people and places where suffering is most acute and building a home there. God's compassion is total, absolute, unconditional, without reservation. It is the compassion of the one who keeps going to the most forgotten corners of the world, and who cannot rest as long as there are still human beings with tears in their eyes. It is the compassion of a God who does not merely act as a servant, but who expresses the divinity of God through servanthood."

 

 

          Compassion is a beautiful thing, both in giving and receiving. It's a hard thing to surrender to, but when you look into the eyes of the least of these, you will find Jesus. He's there. He's with them. He's with you. He's in you. His love is completely mind-blowing and completely unfathomable. I realize I may have been a little radical or extreme describing the places compassion may take you, but the truth is compassion may actually take you to those places. As Christians, I believe it is our duty to return to others the love that Christ has freely given us. John 16:33 says, "In this world you will have struggles, but take heart I have overcome the world." The Bible says we will have struggles. We will face challenges, but God has overcome the world and through His spirit inside of us, we too have claimed that victory. Walk in love. Live compassionately. Surrender to God and embrace the tenderness of your Father's heart. 

 

 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 

 

 

 

 

Seven Second Version

Walk in love and be among the least of these. Compassion is more than sending a sympathy card in the mail.

 

 

 

PS. I come home sweet home in 50 days!

 

          

Lesson Learned From African Time

All my life I had an agenda. I set goals for myself and I made sure I reached them. I set expectations and always needed to know what was ahead of me. Except for that time in the 6th grade when I wanted to be a lawyer, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. As I began to grow in Christ, I realized my passion for teaching is far more than wanting to have high school students learn about social studies. I believe my passion for teaching is rooted in ministry. I want nothing more than to speak Christ's love into the life's of others and inform them of the truth behind the gospel. I want to see the kingdom of heaven come to life on earth in a powerful and radical way. I want to see joy explode in children and help set them up for their destiny with their father. I have no idea when, where, or how that is going to play out in my life. I have no idea what my ministry is going to look like. For the first time in my life I don't have a plan, and God is telling me to be patient. His timing is perfect.

Being in Africa has taught me that it is ok not to have an agenda. There's a phrase here that says, "there's no hurry in Africa." Taken literally, no one and nothing is ever on time here so it's a pretty humorous statement. But when I think about where I am in life, where my passion lies and wondering how it's all going to be possible to achieve my own destiny in Christ, I'm reminded through the African culture that there is no hurry. This semester in Uganda has taught me to enjoy the present. I don't know the answer for my life, but I do know who the answerer is. God has my life mapped out so perfectly. For the first time, I don't know what's going to happen next. I don't even have a summer job lined up, but God is preparing an amazing opportunity for me at home this summer. While I am still agenda minded, I am ok with the unknown, no expectations. I know who I am and I know whose I am, and through that I know God is going to far exceed any dream, goal, or plan I have for my life. I know my final destination and I know my God is ever so faithful. There's no hurry, and I have finally submitted to that. As I continue to pray for patience, I trust in Jesus Christ to lead me down the path that has been set up for me from the creation of the world.


April 5th is my last day of classes. April 17th, I leave for Rwanda and April 30th I fly back home. With just a little over a month's worth of class time left, I realize my time here is very short. I don't want to miss out on a single moment that God has prepared for me. While I am coming to terms with an unknown future, I am also coming to terms with what it means to be fully in the present. This semester has presented me with some of the hardest, most emotionally draining times of my life, but somehow the good Lord has still overpowered those moments with joy. I am so happy to be where I am. I am so humbled and so blessed by this experience. In fact, I wouldn't change a thing, not even the hard times. Through those times, I have drawn closer to the heart of Christ and He has seated me on the shores of grace where the waves are so powerful and so beautiful.

So what does it mean, then, to be in the present? African time and their idea of presence has pushed me to think about this question. To me, being in the present is soaking in my surroundings. It's enjoying the company of those around me, even if my mind is reverting to things outside of my current place. Being in the present is finding Jesus in every person, every object, every gust of wind, every raindrop, every ray of sun or reflection from the moon. It's submitting yourself to uncertainties. It's surrendering previous thoughts and emotions and choosing joy because through Christ, I have the ability to change any atmosphere. Being in the present is a gift. It's scary because if I'm fully in the present, I don't know what is going to happen next. Being in the present is surrendering and trusting in God having hope and faith that He truly does have my life in the palm of His hands. Being in the present is a beautiful thing. It has taught me to let go and to simply live.

 

"This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." 1John 3:19

I pray that all of you may find joy in the unknown and rest in the presence. God is faithful and God is good and I am blown away and humbled by his grace. Live life as Christ has prepared it for us. It's a beautiful thing.




Seven Second Version
The unknown is scary, but God is in control. The present is here and now and finding peace in the here and now is finding a place of rest in Christ.

Riches That Can't Be Purchased with Money

When you think about Africa, what are the first few things you think of? Maybe you think of the Lion King! Maybe you think of grass huts and traditional rituals. Maybe you think of starving children. Maybe you think of a dark or dirty place where you one day wish to come and transform via some amount of money to end poverty. Maybe you think of epidemic diseases and death, or maybe even a place that needs to know how to become better followers of Christ. If I am being honest with myself, these are some of the many things I have thought of before spending this semester in Uganda. I pray and hope that through my sharing of this past week, all of those thoughts are transformed and you will be able to recognize that while many Africans may not have much materialistic things to offer and while disease and poverty strike much of the African population, many people here have riches in their hearts and spirits that cannot be purchased with any sum of money or wealth.

For those of you who were unaware, I have spent the past week in a beautiful village seated in the hills of Mount Elgon. I lived in Kaptorwa village with a family of 7. I lived with my host father, Daniel and mother, Patricia. They are the proud parents of Eric, Sara, Selina, Aggrey, Fiasco (true story!) and Norris. My home was a semi-permanent home made of sticks, mud, water, cow dung and ashes. My family owned one cow, a few pigs and many chickens. There was no electricity, so the sun, moon and stars were my only source of light. Food was gathered from the grounds and trees surrounding the home and was cooked over the fire. Water was fetched from an underground pump about a 10 minutes walk away and milk was collected from a family friend about a 20 minutes walk away. I have learned that village life isn't easy, but it's beautiful and I admire the village folk very very much. To describe all the events that have happened to me this past week and all the emotions that have come along with it is impossible to cover in a blog topic. If you wish to learn more, feel free to facebook message me or ask me about it when I return. To sum it all up a head of time, this week has renewed my mind and reshaped my heart, opening my eyes to God's presence, protection, and magnificence. For now, I am going to give you just a few scenarios that thought me about "riches that can't be purchased with money."


A Table Prepared Before You
A visitor to the village is highly respected. My host father told me on many occasions that my presence brought them much respect from the other tribesmen. My father's phone was ringing nonstop by family and friends because they wanted me to come and see their home. Notice I didn't say they wanted to come to my family's home. They wanted me to visit theirs. Most of my mornings, then, were spend walking across the village to meet and greet member's of my family's clan. Many of the houses I visited were semi-permanent like my own. Some of the houses were grass huts and none of them had electricity. To the typical western mind, these people were very poor, possibly surviving on only a dollar a day. Their clothes weren't something any of us would by at the local mall. Their feet were dirty from not walking in shoes and their hands were callused from all the daily labor. But the people I encountered at Kaptorwa were some of the most kind-hearted, genuine, compassionate, hospitable people I have ever met. They would milk their cow and prepare tea for me. They would slaughter their chicken to prepare meat for me to eat. While the woman would be slaving in the kitchen, they would open their small homes for me to eat in their living room. A giant table was always prepared before me, and eating only one plate of food wasn't acceptable. Before the meal, a prayer was always prayed to bless the food and to thank our Father for giving resources to prepare it. Whenever I would try and thank the families for having me, they would return with even more favor and thanksgiving for being able to have me as their guest. As I made my way from family to family, my physical eyes were seeing their suffering and their lack of all things so easily accessible in the states, but God reminded me to look at more than worldly things. As I made my way from family to family, I saw the joy in their spirits as they prepared a meal in the small, mud made kitchen. I saw the gratefulness in their eyes as I went back for more cabbage and beans. I saw their genuine humility as they asked me to simply pray for them so the Lord may grant them a chance to one day build a permanent home. I saw love in their hearts as they, too, prayed a blessing over me. I have never been touched by so many families as I have this past week. I left asking myself this one question, "Who am I to judge and feel bad for the looks of these people, their homes, and their lack of materialistic things when they have just laid down all they have to prepare a table before me?" Hospitality is a rich that can't be purchased with money but can be found in places where you may least expect it.

When Presence is Enough

 

Throughout the day, when I wasn't hiking, climbing, exploring the village or visiting with neighbors, I was sitting. Sometimes I was sitting alone and sometimes I was sitting with family or family friends who knew no English. Often, I found myself sitting in complete silence with only the sounds of nature ringing in my ear. Frankly, I had no reason to get up and move because I had nothing to do and no where to go. I would often find that the people I was sitting with were quite content to sit in silence. My host father would later tell me that those I were sitting with were very pleased that I spent time with them. My presence was there and that was enough. In my mind I would be thinking, "Why in the world did they enjoy spending time with me? We didn't do anything. We sat there like a few bumps on a log." By the end of the week I stared enjoying sitting in silence and with people who I communicated very little with, if I was able to communicate at all. I found that in those times I was able to appreciate the gift of presence and use that quiet time to pray for that person and ask the Holy Spirit to show me what he loves about that person. What I began to be reminded of is that all the people of this world were made and created in the image of God. We all behold special characteristics of him. That means that if so many people enjoy the presence of another, even if that means being present in silence, no speaking, no distractions, just being, then God also enjoys presence. I was reminded that God also loves when we sit and spend time with him. We don't have to have any agenda. We don't have to have conversation. All I have to do is be present with my heavenly Father. Through the silence and the act of simply being, I was reminded that presence is enough. I was reminded that God sheds light through his people and if presence is enjoyable to those made in his likeness, then he too enjoys presence. Presence is a rich that can't be purchased with money but can be a gift that is given whole heartedly and mean more than any gift purchased with tangible cash.









Faith and Hope for a Future

 

 

My very last night with my host family, I was put in charge of the fellowship my family has before hitting they hay. I had a gift of a Willow Tree Angle entitled "Beautiful Wishes" that I wanted to give to my family, but I wanted to find the most meaningful way to present it to them. I decided to have everyone in my family go around the circle and give me one wish they have for their lives. As we sat outside in the kitchen lighted by a kerosene lamp, I was moved and touch in such a beautiful way. Many of my family members wished for these grand and extravagant plans. As I was listening to their biggest dreams, a part of me was thinking there is no way these are all going to come true. How was I going to react when they were finished? I couldn't tell them that one day the wishes would become their reality because I honestly don't know where God is going to lead them. I was on the verge of tears when my mother made a few wishes. One was that she prayed God would listen to their prayers and give them a hope for a good future. She wished for faith that God would outdo all the wishes her children had mentioned. Then God told me that he absolutely adores my host family. He has a very special plan for them and he will never leave them dry. I was reminded of the verse found in Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.." God is going to blow those wishes out of the water and my family is going to dive into the shores of grace. Faith and hope are riches that can't be purchased with money, but can be found in the heart of the Lord. My family has such a beautiful wish and their trust in God is one to be admired.

 

 

When you think about Africa, what are the first few things you think of? For me, I think of many things. I think of how Africa is a grand part of the world and God has got the whole world in his hands. I think about those starving children and how sitting in their presence means more than any toy that can be bought for them. I think of the warm welcomes and the hospitable, non-judgmental spirits of the Christian population. I think of how the Lord has given such faith and such favor to the people. I think of how God is very very present here, and how through simple things he manifests himself and wait to be found. I think of when God is seen and how breathtakingly beautiful is. Africa has many third world countries that desperately need radical transformation, but when I think of Africa I think of the people who I have encountered and how humble I am be the blessings they have poured into my life. The Africa I think of is a part of the Lord's heart that is exploding with compassion and a place in the world where material possessions is far from being rich.





Seven Second Version
Africa is way more beautiful than you think. There's more to the heart of Africa than the poverty you may see with your physical eyes.

Where Ever You Are..

Dear Family and Friends,

I apologize for my lack of blogging, but I have been on quite the emotional rollercoaster. If you have been following my blog posts, you know that I recently dealt with a huge bed bug problem and some sickness. I was bug/sickness free for about a week and low and behold those lil buggers (no pun intended) came crawling back. I started getting bit again and soon enough I got sick again. I actually think I was getting sick due to the bites. That seems to be the only logic reasoning. I talked to the staff members of my program right away and they told me I was not allowed to stay with my host family until the problem was solved. I spent 3 nights sleeping on campus until the exterminator went to my host home and sprayed all my stuff real good (or so I hope!).

This past Friday was my last night sleeping on campus. I woke up early Saturday morning to head into the capital city, Kampala, to meet up with Watoto Ministries. My good friend and I were going to visit my grandparents' sponsor child. When I woke up Saturday morning I heard news of a family emergency back at home. My family is everything in the world to me, so hearing this news was not pleasant to say the least. I began thinking to myself, "You have got to be kidding me! Bed bugs, sick, no sleep, and now this?!" I was very angry and very upset, but I turned to God and put the situation in His hands. I prayed and prayed and said, "God, I know you are my comforter and I surrender my life to you. I am not angry with you for these struggles, so help me to grow closer to you through these times." I prayed healing over every situation in my life and thanked God for all the blessings despite the obstacles.

I truly believe Satan runs in frustration when you can find peace in Christ among the trials the enemy tries to tempt you with.

Anyways, at this point I was a wreck. While I focused on God, I still had thoughts of disappointment and worry. What was happening with my family at home? Will this bed bug situation ever be taken care of? What if the bugs have spread through my whole house here in Uganda? My family has very little and these bugs could potentially force them to leave their home. Is that my fault? I felt horrible because I hadn't been spending time with my host family because I have a 7pm curfew. Was my family upset with me? ...All these emotions began to flood my mind.

My Saturday continued and I hopped on a taxi with my friend to head off the Watoto. During that time, I fully surrendered everything to God. There was nothing I could do in any of the situations I was experiencing. At that moment, I was on my way to visit with an orphaned boy and his orphaned siblings. Who was I to complain and be angry with all that was happening in my life? I realized I am blessed beyond many measures and at that moment, I chose joy again. My heavenly Father was right beside me through everything. My dwelling place is in Him, and in Him is love, joy, and peace. It turned out that Saturday was one of my favorite days in Uganda thus far. My visit to Watoto far exceeded my expectations and on our way back home, my friend and I had real chicken and real French fries! Praise God!

I once heard a quote that says, "Where ever you are be all there."

I am here in Uganda, so as I look past all the complications I have been experiencing, I have decided to be all here. It's time for me to embrace all God has for me and keep my eyes fixed on the prize- the overflow of love and joy and excitement my Father has in store for me. In doing so, I have taken a couple of leaps and bounds in terms of cultural embracement.

For starters, when my friend and I went to Kampala, we took a taxi all by ourselves! We're big girls now. I have also began helping my host mother cook on a regular basis. I've moved past peeling potatoes and onto slicing onions and tomatoes! Go me! I am beginning to eat like a Ugandan, or trying to. Last night for dinner I dumped my fish sauce over my cooked bananas and ate all the sliced pumpkin they gave me. It wasn't the most appetizing, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I no longer screech when I see a cockroach. In fact,  I even kicked one out of my room without going to fetch my younger brother for help. I was very proud of myself in that moment. Finally, the most embracive thing I have done is get myself a weave! Against my mother's wishes, I went Sunday with a friend and sat on the floor for 7 hours while they yanked and pulled at my scalp. In the end it was worth it..so long as my hair doesn't fall out in a few weeks!!

Coming into this study abroad experience, I never thought I would be facing the obstacles and challenges I am. I thought I would have trouble with communication and every day western life depravities, but never the things that have been thrown on my plate (and no, I'm not talking about the food!). Overall, though, I think the biggest challenge has been keeping my eyes fixed on the Lord through all of this. It would be so easy for me crawl in a little ball crying and letting out all my angry emotions. I chose not to take that route. I chose Jesus, and He has yet to let me down. I believe God rewards those who seek His face. He never said that following His will would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it. If I were offered a plane ticket home right now, I wouldn't accept it. I have a purpose here and I am experiencing the goodness of the Lord in ways I know I couldn't at home in the states. Where ever I am, I need to be all there. I am in Africa. I am in Christ and Christ is in me, so let's do this thing! I say yes to everything God is doing in my life. Together, there is no obstacle we can't over come. This is a 4-1 battle. It's a battle against myself, my Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit against one enemy, and through Christ, I already claim the victory!

 

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again rejoice." Philippians 4:4

This verse doesn't say to stop rejoicing in hard times. It doesn't say to take a break from worshiping. It says to rejoice, and just in case you forget, rejoice again. It's time to continuously rejoice and be present where ever I am. I have about 3 more months in Uganda and I'm all strapped in and ready to take on the rest of the ride.

I am incredibly thankful for all my friends and family that have been with me along the way thus far. Your prayers have been such a blessing. I pray all those blessings would be returned to you! I will be heading off to my rural homestay this Friday in Kapturwa, so one the return I will inform you all on that stay! Until then, may God be with you and always remember...

Seven Second Version!
 Umm...Where ever you are, be all there! Jesus rocks! Duh.

 

Lord of the Dance

From last weekend, when I was infested with bed bugs and puking my guts out, to this weekend when bed bugs are no where in site and I finally finished my plate at dinner, I can not for the life of me describe to you the love and all out joy that comes from the Lord when you keep your eyes focused on Him.

 

One of my favorite worship artists, Steffany Frizzell, sings a spontaneous song called "Lord of the Dance." Half way through the song, a pastor from Bethel Church speaks about how the Lord audits our steps, but sometimes our steps aren't forward. He says that sometimes our steps are audit in a dance. Sometimes the Lord just wants to dance with us. After a few weeks of adjustments, struggles and obstacles, I have decided that I no longer want to walk through this experience. I want to engage in a beautiful, fun, long lasting dance with my Father.

 

I am in Uganda. I am in Africa- a place my heart beats for, a place the Lord has promised me. Why in the world would I spend this time thinking about how much I want a good cup of coffee from a Keurig or a slice of pizza or a pillow that doesn't feel like a bag of coal? I am in Africa! Praise God!

 

In the song that Steffany sings, the pastor also says that there is no dance that the Lord can't dance with you. You can spin and twirl. You can swing and shuffle. Heck, you can even do the hokey-pokey if you really wanted to! I've realized that the angels and heavenly chorus are always singing. The music coming from the kingdom never stops. So why does my dance with Christ ever have to stop? Even through periods of struggles or downfalls, the Lord can keep dancing with me. He can hold me in His arms and comfort me. In times of joyful jubilation, He can dance with me like I am 4 years old spinning so fast that I can't stop from laughing! I have realized that it's time to join in with angels and begin to dance the best Father-daughter dance imaginable.

 

The Lord has blessed me so well with friends I have made on this trip and with the host family He has so carefully and perfectly placed me in. Walking home with friends is one of my favorite times of day. We laugh and laugh and laugh some more. Friday evening I shared with my brothers and sisters and some neighborhood friends gifts my American family had sent for them. The smiles and excitements on their faces was priceless. Then I had an amazing opportunity to cook and American meal for my family..and again, more neighborhood friends. I made spaghetti (from scratch, might I add)! Everyone loved it! Or so they said. They went back for seconds and some for thirds, so I'm guessing I did a half decent job. It was such a blessing to be able to provide for my family and new friends in such a simple way. Finally, Saturday morning I woke up early and taught the little kiddos some American games, like Simon Says, Red Light Green Light and Tag. We played for over two hours! I cannot stop smiling. God is so good! I even went into the capital city with some friends and had a cheeseburger and fries today!!! Praise sweet baby Jesus!

 

The Lord of the dance. It's a whirl of a ride, but one I can guarantee I will not regret. Listen for yourself and see if you can find time to dance with your Father.

(The link is right here! Hopefully it works!)

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQzlJ-GexVk

 

 

Enjoy these smiling faces and God Bless!

 

 

 

 

 

SEVEN SECOND VERSION!

     Listen to "Lord of the Dance" by Steffany Frizzell and god dance with Jesus. 



When Problems Rise, God Rises Higher!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

 

 

 

Scenario Number One:

      Since the first week of arriving in Uganda, I have been getting eaten away by bugs. My entire body is covered in bites. Everyday I seemed to be getting more and more. I applied bug spray multiple times a day, but that didn't seem to help. This past Thursday night, I woke up at 1:30am and discovered a small bug crawling up my arm. I began searching my bed for more bugs and found three more just like the one on my arm. I captured them in a small plastic bag and was told Friday morning that I had bed bugs. The interesting thing is that no one else in my family has bites nor have they ever had a problem with these bugs. Apparently bed bugs are a huge epidemic and my mother was told it wouldn't even be safe to bring my suitcase home. It is extremely difficult to get rid of such bugs in the states with the heightened technology let alone getting rid of the here in Africa. I was highly concerned and was at a loss of what to do to get rid of them.

 

 

Scenario Number Two:

       I found the bed bugs Thursday night and so Friday night, my friend Andrina and her family so kindly allowed me to sleep at her house for the night. In the morning, I was going to start scrubbing all my belongings and spray everything clean. Not even half way through the night, I had to wake Andrina up to escort me to the latrine (bathroom) outside. I no sooner made it outside and started throwing up. From Friday night until Sunday morning I was extremely sick. I couldn't drink water without getting an upset stomach let alone look at food. Consuming any type if food this whole weekend was a huge no no. I felt very weak. I wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep, but I couldn't because of my bug problem.

Meanwhile, my family woke up at 5:00am Saturday morning, carried out everything from my room and began scrubbing it all in boiling hot water. When I came home and they found  I was sick they wanted nothing but to comfort me. My sister offered me her bed. They made me food, despite me being able to eat. Thankfully, my brothers and sisters were able to eat it for me. All day long they catered to me. I started to doze off on the couch and my mom even told my sisters to go outside so they don't desorb me. My parents had an event to go to during the afternoon and weren't expected to return home until later in the night. They arrived home a little after 7 just because they wanted to make sure I was doing well. Two of my friends from America bought me juice from the market and came over to sit with me as well. I was a mess all weekend. While I was a sick mess and in the midst of an extreme bug problem, I had amazing family and friends there to pray for me and comfort me.

I felt so bad because I couldn't help clean my things or help with chores around the house or even eat the food or drink the tea they prepared for me. If I wasn't sleeping or talking with my mom on the phone, I was reading my bible and spending time in prayer.

God's Provision:
       I am 100% sure that God has called me here to Uganda at this time. I have never been so sure of anything in my whole life. He has so much in store for me here. The Bible says that every good and perfect gift is from above and it doesn't take an Einstein to recognize that bed bugs and sickness aren't a good or perfect gift. John 10:10 says that the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. To me, I think my weekend issues seem to fit more into that category. As I spent time in the word and praying, God reminded me that he cares and comforts me even more than the ways in which my family and friends were comforting me. God loves me so much and would not have sent me to Uganda to make me sick or cause any other problems. I am walking in my destiny and Satan is trying to snatch that away. I refuse to keep my eyes focused on these earthly problem. I fix my eyes to the heavens and I know that God has the power to transform anything. "Do not be anxious." "Rejoice always." "Present your requests to God." "..a peace that passes all understanding."

     This morning I woke up a still a little sick. By the time church was over, I felt so joyful and healthy! I don't have any new bug bites! I was able to eat breakfast and drink tea! I am not bound by sickness and God power is greater than my mind can comprehend. When you stay fixed on Christ, Satan knows he doesn't even have an opportunity to mingle into your life. There's a joy and peace found in the Lord that can't be found anywhere else. Today, I feel so incredibly loved. I feel so secure in the place where God has sent me. Tomorrow can worry about itself. I know my God and I know of the works he is capable of doing. It only takes a little faith and little drawing near to the heart of our Father to shut the Devil down. Today, I will rejoice, and if I ever find myself troubled, I will again rejoice, thanking God for all of His goodness.

Per usual, I know many of you have been praying for me and  I am so incredibly thankful. I am praying for you all daily! Stay loved and stay blessed! ....And don't forget to rejoice!

Also, for everyone's pleasure here's a glimpse of my 4 year old sister dancing. She's usually much more into it, but she got a little camera shy :)

SEVEN SECOND VERSION!
My weekend sucked. Sick. Bed bugs. But God is faithful, always faithful. When you rejoice in Him, nothing can get in the way of his peace and blessings.

A Walk In My Ugandan Shoes...

I've been in Uganda a little over 2 weeks now. While I am finally starting to grasp come cultural concepts, others seem as far fetched as finding a Dunkin Donuts around the corner of my house, and no one in Uganda even know what Dunkin is so you could see the potential problem here. Before I go on to explain some of those cultural details, I want to tell you how my typical day looks.

From Sun up to Sun Down

     - I wake up at 7 in the morning, get dressed and head outside to brush my teeth. Then I walk back inside and get ready for tea time (breakfast). My breakfast is served with tea and varies from the world's best eggs to bread with butter or peanut butter to "donuts," which is basically a kind of cake.
     - After tea I head off to school. It's an all up hill walk which usually takes me about 12 minutes unless I walk Ugandan speed. Then, it takes a little closer to 20 minutes. I mostly have classes in the morning. Lunch is served at 1 (beans, rice, matoke, and pineapple if we get lucky!). After lunch, if I don't have class, I do some homework or walk to the market. I return home anywhere between 6 and 7.
     - As soon as I get home, I bathe before the sun goes down. Then it's tea time again! After tea, I hang out with my family, neighbors, or other relatives. Sometimes, I even help cook dinner! (I hope you're proud of me Mom!!) Before dinner, we gather together as a family and read scripture and pray. For all my family and friends, my host family here always prays for you! Dinner is served anytime between 10 and 11. After dinner, I brush my teeth and head into my room to get ready for bed.

On Tuesdays, my day is a bit different. At 1:30 I leave campus and go to my practicum site. My site location is called Off-Tu Missions. It's a mission organization ran by Germans. The goal of the mission is to take children off the streets in Uganda and give them a Christian environment to live in. Some of the children were abandoned as infants while some slaved daily to find work in the slums to eat left over food from the plates of local resteraunts. The organization is also closely connected with local churches and community events. My first time at Off-Tu was last Tuesday. In America you often see commercials or compassion adds for children such as the ones found in this organization. It's one thing to sit in your home, on your comfortable couch and see the faces of these children through the screen of your television, but it's a completely different atmosphere when these children are actually sitting on your lap sharing the true heart-felt stories they call their lives. My job at Off-Tu is to be involved in as much as possible, playing with the children and getting involved in schools, churches and the community.

  **AS A PRAYER REQUEST**
    The children at Off-Tu are very few compared to the children that are still abandoned and left in the slums of Africa to fend for themselves. If you happen to get a chance to pray for the children of Off-Tu and those not fortunate enough to be pulled from the slums, I would greatly appreciate it. One day justice will be served for these kids, but for now, all they need is love and for some, the only love they'll encounter is the love of Christ. Thank you.


Before I go home, I do have some goals that I want to incorporate in my typical day...
     - I want to be able to fist bump the security at the entrance gate to campus. So far I've only gotten to greeting them in Luganda.
     - I want to be best friends with the ladies at the fruit stand. They give you the best fresh fruit salad for only 1,000 shillings..which is less than 50 cents!
     - In Uganda, the phrase "What's up" is typically only used for people who have "swagger," so I want "what's up" to become a normal greeting in my family.

Cultural Confusion

Many times I find myself conversing with a Ugandan and have to use all the power that's within me from getting up and leaving the conversation. In one of my classes, I've been learning about the way Africans view themselves. They have a spiritual connection with every living and dead thing. For everything that happens, there is an internal motive behind it. For example, I heard a story about a tree falling on top of someone's car here in Mukono. The American response would probably be something like, "Oh dang! That person has really bad luck!" But here the typical response would be something like, "Oh wow, he must have done something to make the ancestors mad!" or "A witch doctor must have put a curse on him.." The way African perceive the world in which they live is extremely spiritual and some what philosophical. I am partially really intrigued by it but mostly I am utterly confused.

 

This view of oneself plays out in many of my conversations here with Ugandan people. For example, so many people have asked me if Obama was really a devil worshiper. My 17 year old sister accused Hannah Montana of being a devil worshiper as well. Many believe American hip-hop music is music worshiping the devil. Also, the terrorist attacks of 911 were brought up and my sister said that America must have done something really bad to make the possessed men drive planes into those 2 tall buildings. As I try to explain that Obama and Hannah Montana aren't in fact "devil worshipers" I see confusion all over my family's faces. It seems that here, there is a strong distinction of either being Christian or being of some dark forces from either the devil or your dead ancestors. Even typing out this blog post, I am finding difficulty in explaining the cultural differences. I feel like I could spend the rest of my life living in Africa and still not fully comprehend the cultural lenses they are looking through.

 

Apart from the view of oneself, there are many English phrases which have totally different meaning in Uganda that caused for much confusion my first week or so. For example..

 

     -"Let me come" = "I'll be back"

     -"No, That's ok" = "Yes" or "Good"

     -"What course are you taking" = "What is your major"

     -When you ask someone how their day is and they respond with "fine" it really means they've had a great day.

     -There's also no such thing as saying "hello" in Uganda. People will automatically ask "how are you"

 

As the days continue to fly by, I am finding more and more joy in being here. While it is still a rough road, God has and never will give me more than I can handle. I want to challenge you all to think of the blessings you have in your lives, and when you feel you have little or feel you need more, remember that the fact that you have a home with walls and windows with glass, a bed, cold water and family and friends that love you. Here in Uganda, the people realize they may not have much, but they do know they have the presence of the Lord and that He is with them daily. I've been realizing that the presence of the Lord is truly all we need. No "thing" can compare to what the Lord has done and given to you. I am praying for you all daily. I miss and love you!

 

 

SEVEN SECOND VERSION!

I have a daily routine. Pray for the children. Ugandan culture is mad weird.