Alive at 25!

Just another "quick" update on my life instead of just my thoughts:

God has really been challenging my flexibility! I have always been a flexible person, but that is always challenged in East Africa. Here it is better not to plan some things – at least have a general idea, but nothing dependent upon time. This last week I experienced many of my “plans” squashed.

However, the Lord has also given me peace in the storms. A friend from Kenya came to visit last week and it was so good for my soul. She really was an encouragement; just being around her again and sharing my life with her was a huge blessing. At times, my American “plans” took over too much and created stress when things changed, but God really used those times to make me think about what was MORE important.

I was “planning” to travel back to Kenya with my friend, but things happened. I cannot say much, but we have had a lot of problems with my passport and things. Because of that, I wasn’t able to travel to visit my beloved friends in Nairobi or Kisumu, and my heart was a little discouraged. Making a decision to at least travel to the boarder, my friend and I started the journey to meet my team leader in Jinja. In transit, my phone was stolen or dropped and then stolen. Thankfully, it was a simple phone and not worth much, but it did hold all of the contacts I have gathered in the last 4 months. God provided me with a run-in with my team leader (she didn’t know we were meeting her there because I obviously could not call her), and my friend and I were able to resume our trip. It was my miracle for the day – only the Lord could have orchestrated that. He took care of me well, and I am so thankful that nothing major happened. I am still here without a scratch. Mukama yebazibwe! Praise God!

Yes, I didn’t get to go to Kenya. Yes, my phone was stolen. Yes, some plans were shot down. But God really allowed me to feel His peace despite all of the unknown. God always has a reason for changes in plans or interruptions in life. It is our job to be attentive to His voice as things happen.

So I escorted those traveling to Kenya (my team leader and friend) up to the small, rural town of Tororo, Uganda. There I stayed with two AIM nurses and got to see their ministry with Smile Africa (provides housing, education, and health services to street children). There I learned a little about the ministry and life in Tororo – there are many tribes and they mostly speak Swahili (my brain was confused)! It was so nice to be away from the city and in a setting I am more comfortable with.

My 25^th birthday was also spent there. The girls we stayed with were SO wonderful and really made me feel special. It was a day full of lovely, yummy comfort food, holding babies, playing with kiddos, talking with the older girls at Smile, and watching Sound of Music. How can that not be a great birthday? My heart was full.

When I visit the Sunday school at church, they always have the children give testimonies on what God has done in their lives over the past week. Almost every child will say, “I thank God for the gift of life.” I hear many adults give the same testimony as well. At first, it made me giggle and I thought it seemed a bit shallow. However, I was reminded one day that so many human beings never make it passed a young age – even those in the womb are cut short from being born. Not many can say they lived to be 25 years old. Who am I that I am different? On that note, I thank the Lord for the gift of life He has given me. It is never to be taken lightly.

Prayer:

See previous post.

Luganda:

Neyanziza – the way people in the Baganda tribe say “thank you”.

Culture:

My dear Ugandan friend gave me the Ugandan birthday gift last night – pouring water over my head. It is not a traditional way Ugandans celebrate birthdays, but it has become the norm over the last 15 ish years. She was sweet about it – talking softly, washing away all of my old years so that I could face this new one with new eyes and praying that God will grant me more blessings. However, if you spend a birthday in Uganda, make sure you bring a change of clothes. I am dodging people from church for a couple more days hoping they forget to dump the bucket of water over me….

Photos:

I’ll post some as soon as I get a chance to put them in my computer and edit.

Settled

Inside this house of mine, I am free from trying to fit appropriately into a foreign culture. My mind is free from constant observation, translation, communication, and monitoring every action and word that comes from my being. I can be American in all its ways; who God chose me to be. Inside the house, I can meditate and process everything I experience outside these walls and iron barred windows – all those sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings. Now outside this house, I have finally felt that Uganda is now my home.

 The first month was exciting, lonely, and challenging. The second; frustrating, bewildering, and complex. The end of the third month and the beginning of my fourth? Settled. I feel settled. Finally comfortable in my own skin, in Uganda – as an ambassador for Christ in another cultural setting. I am able to observe and know for sure what is needed in all areas where I have influence. I know how I can show who I am while being culturally sensitive and appropriate. I am learning how to assert myself in this new way of life where many people cannot be trusted, and I have a better idea on what battles to fight or let go. As much as I miss the people back home, I really feel like my home is now in Kampala.

My heart is at home here. I still have challenges, but now most everything is familiar and “normal”. Some challenges don’t seem to feel as big as they used to be.  Finding my way around Kampala using public transportation? Normal. Seeing large vulture-like birds (almost scary looking) hanging around trees or parks? Normal. Being bombarded by street vendors shoving their items in my face? Normal. Taking an hour to complete a task that would only take a few minutes in the States because you meet friends along the way? Normal. And maybe that is why I am not updating people as much as I used to; everything is now a norm for me.

And with that can come apathy. Apathy happens too easily. I think it has been a struggle of mine. I’ve seen it in my relationship with Jesus and in other aspects of my life. That being said, I think I’ve become too comfortable about some things here in Uganda and things right outside the door of my western-style house at Kyambogo University:  Outside my door, I see children and adults picking through trash piles. Outside my door, there resides visible corruption and apathy capturing thousands of people into the vicious cycle of poverty. I hear tales of children taken never to be seen or heard from again. The bodies in the gutters of Kampala streets. Beggars on the street pleading with you – whether their words are true or not, it is still difficult to see. There is so much around to break my heart that I think it numbs me. It has become normal.

Now I ask, what does God want me to do about it? How does He want me to continue living in this context and still be a good steward of what I have? How can I live without apathy? God has all of those answers, I know, and following Him does not mean I should be comfortable. So how am I going to listen to His Spirit and be attentive to His commands? There is constant learning and I am so very thankful for His grace and mercy while I am still growing in Christ.  

Prayers:

-School starts up again Monday after my three-week holiday. Pray for a smooth transition back into a new term.

-Safety is always needed in this faster pace city – especially while I am traveling.

-My relationships with those around – that God will guide my conversations and speak through me.

-That I will always, always run to Him for everything – missing family & friends, wisdom in all things I do in respect to culture, etc.

-Like I said, I have been missing people back home more than usual. It is a weird sort of loneliness – I have many friends around, but there is a need for hugs from all of you.

-One of the teachers at ECLAC told me that his wife gave birth to a healthy, baby boy! After many complications with her pregnancy, not being paid at work, I am SO thankful to the Lord for blessing this man with a healthy baby. To be honest, I would have been emotionally crushed if anything had happened to the baby or his wife.

Miscellaneous: 

-I’ve been a little lazy with language lately! I want to step up my game and learn as much as possible while I am here.

-I helped with the secondary school program for Compassion International last week a little. God really has allowed me to take more initiative there, especially since I was one of the only younger volunteers around to help.

-After thinking and praying about it, I will be joining the worship team at church. I hang around church so often that one of the pastors approached me and told me that she wants me involved in a ministry. God surely dropped that one in my lap!

-Easter was lovely. I spent the morning at church and then went to visit a fellow AIM friend who lives close by. She left for home at the end of April, as her term had ended, and I miss having her around. Not very many people to vent to now.

              
Culture:

I have really had to work on acknowledging everyone and making sure I greet everyone around that I know. Ugandans always acknowledge everyone in the room or in the immediate area – especially if they are in a familiar area.