Well, I am almost certain no one reads this any longer, since I have been home from Uganda for nearly eight months now, but for some reason I decided to update. So here are my thoughts on the last 8 months:
God always has a plan, and His plan always works out.
That really about sums it up. I came home from Uganda unexpectedly, and for quite some time, I wanted nothing but to be back in that beautiful country, the culture that undoubtedly will hold a place in my heart forever. It was a struggle to find friends, to feel connected, and to re-associate myself with the American culture. I missed everything about Uganda--from the food to the friends to the crazy boda rides through traffic. I still do. I believe part of me will always miss that place. However, very soon after I came home, my mom had shoulder surgery and could not cook, clean, shower, dress, etc. She needed extra help, and because I was home early, I was able to provide that help. Soon after that I became reacquainted with some old friends at church, made some new friends, and began to live a "normal" life again. I applied for over thirty teaching jobs, and one random organization that serves developmentally disabled adults. Not one of the 30+ teaching applications lead anywhere, but God lead me to the organization for the disabled adults. I was skeptical at first, but it was a job, and I needed one. Despite my doubts, I LOVED the job from day one. Sure, I got bit and hit, had things thrown at me, and had my hair pulled, but I love it. Yesterday that company closed, but God provided again, and I'm currently still working with the same clients at the new company.
My heart ultimately longs to be back in Africa, but in the meantime, I'm thankful to have wonderful friends and a job that I look forward to each day, and I am most of all thankful that even when things don't work out as we expect them to, God's plans are perfect, and He knows what He's doing.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
I don't have much time, as internet access for me is now VERY limited. I'll just highlight a few stories since the last time I updated.
-Went to Jinja for an intense, but amazing retreat and stayed in a hut right next to the Nile River. My matatu (15 passenger, but actually usually more like 20-23 passenger taxi van) had an accident on the way back. Glass shattered, people screamed, I got out and took a boda boda the rest of the way :)
- Graded over 3000 questions on final exams. The students actually did somewhat decently. Some failed, but some passed, which was a nice surprise :) They must have at least learned something!
- Had a wonderful Christmas with WGM missionaries and an amazing Christmas production at a church in town.
-Spontaneously decided to take a trip to Kenya with my roommate. One Saturday over break we decided we didn't want to sit at home all week, so we bought bus tickets to Mombasa, Kenya. We left Monday evening at 6pm and arrived Wednesday morning at 5am. Yes, it took 35 hours. The police stopped our bus for a safety check an hour outside of Nairobi, and apparently our bus was not safe. So for 9 hours we sat in the middle of what seemed like a desert, burned our skin, and eventually ended up spending the evening with some of our WGM missionary friends, then bought a new bus ticket and left at 10pm that night for the rest of the journey. We stayed at a "swamp-like" area the first day (Mombasa is on the Indian Ocean and is BEAUTIFUL--if you know where to stay and are willing to spend more than $5 per night)! We slept in a HOT tent full of bugs and decided to try a new place the next day. We found a place for pretty cheap right on the beach. Stayed there on New Years Eve, watched fireworks, and listened to obnoxious loud music all night long. We left at 6am Friday morning and got back to Kampala at 11:30am Saturday. It was better than staying at home for the week, and now we can say we've been to Kenya :)
-Completed the first two weeks back at school. I'm not sure teaching is for me. It's better than it was before, but I'm still not sure. We shall see.
-Don't have much internet access anymore. I can only use the internet on the computers at school, which are ridiculously slow and sometimes the internet there doesn't work. Don't expect as many blog entries from me :-(
-My classroom door seems to break every other day. In the past two weeks, I have gone through four keys. One benefit to not having glass in the windows is I can just pull the bars off the window and climb in that way, which I had to do, oh, maybe 25+ times this week. It's quite humorous, and slightly annoying.
-Moved into the new house, and got the new roommate. She's wonderful! The new house has an incredible view, and my room is blue with giant purple polka dots. LOVE it :)
- Didn't have water, internet, phones, or an unlocked classroom door at school today. Such is life in Uganda.
- Tricia, my sister, arrives TONIGHT and will be here for a MONTH working at a clinic in town. I'm pretty excited to see her, and to go on safari with her!
My time is nearly up. If you feel led to pray, pray for school, teaching, health (it's good for now!), adjusting to the new home, and for life in general. I still LOVE Uganda, but need to really spend time thinking about decisions for the future. To stay or not to stay, to teach or not to teach. Thanks for your prayers and support!
-Went to Jinja for an intense, but amazing retreat and stayed in a hut right next to the Nile River. My matatu (15 passenger, but actually usually more like 20-23 passenger taxi van) had an accident on the way back. Glass shattered, people screamed, I got out and took a boda boda the rest of the way :)
- Graded over 3000 questions on final exams. The students actually did somewhat decently. Some failed, but some passed, which was a nice surprise :) They must have at least learned something!
- Had a wonderful Christmas with WGM missionaries and an amazing Christmas production at a church in town.
-Spontaneously decided to take a trip to Kenya with my roommate. One Saturday over break we decided we didn't want to sit at home all week, so we bought bus tickets to Mombasa, Kenya. We left Monday evening at 6pm and arrived Wednesday morning at 5am. Yes, it took 35 hours. The police stopped our bus for a safety check an hour outside of Nairobi, and apparently our bus was not safe. So for 9 hours we sat in the middle of what seemed like a desert, burned our skin, and eventually ended up spending the evening with some of our WGM missionary friends, then bought a new bus ticket and left at 10pm that night for the rest of the journey. We stayed at a "swamp-like" area the first day (Mombasa is on the Indian Ocean and is BEAUTIFUL--if you know where to stay and are willing to spend more than $5 per night)! We slept in a HOT tent full of bugs and decided to try a new place the next day. We found a place for pretty cheap right on the beach. Stayed there on New Years Eve, watched fireworks, and listened to obnoxious loud music all night long. We left at 6am Friday morning and got back to Kampala at 11:30am Saturday. It was better than staying at home for the week, and now we can say we've been to Kenya :)
-Completed the first two weeks back at school. I'm not sure teaching is for me. It's better than it was before, but I'm still not sure. We shall see.
-Don't have much internet access anymore. I can only use the internet on the computers at school, which are ridiculously slow and sometimes the internet there doesn't work. Don't expect as many blog entries from me :-(
-My classroom door seems to break every other day. In the past two weeks, I have gone through four keys. One benefit to not having glass in the windows is I can just pull the bars off the window and climb in that way, which I had to do, oh, maybe 25+ times this week. It's quite humorous, and slightly annoying.
-Moved into the new house, and got the new roommate. She's wonderful! The new house has an incredible view, and my room is blue with giant purple polka dots. LOVE it :)
- Didn't have water, internet, phones, or an unlocked classroom door at school today. Such is life in Uganda.
- Tricia, my sister, arrives TONIGHT and will be here for a MONTH working at a clinic in town. I'm pretty excited to see her, and to go on safari with her!
My time is nearly up. If you feel led to pray, pray for school, teaching, health (it's good for now!), adjusting to the new home, and for life in general. I still LOVE Uganda, but need to really spend time thinking about decisions for the future. To stay or not to stay, to teach or not to teach. Thanks for your prayers and support!
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