Uganda on my Mind

I know, I know...This whole posting my journal entries from our trip has taken me a lot longer than I ever anticipated. I have typed them all out, but the pictures take a long time to format. I only have one official entry left. I keep thinking that when I'm done with that I'll post a final reflection of the trip..3 months later, how does it affect my every day life? I guess I have time before I piece that together, but I'm not sure it will fit into words. I can't say that I live every moment of my life completely differently or better, because I'm not perfect and it is all to easy to quickly forget the things I saw. But I think about those kids every day and it fills me with joy.

I just wanted to quick share two things that I found in the last week that especially put Uganda on my heart--

I've been reading 2 Corinthians and each read has been filled with convicting truths and encouragement. This morning though, God spoke through His word by reminding me of the faithfulness and joy of His people in Uganda--

"We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5 ESV)"

This reminded me so much of them! All I can picture is the singing and dancing as they brought up fruit and vegetables and money on Sunday and laid it at the pulpit. All for His glory.

Next is just a fun video I found when looking around for some Swahili worship songs--I recognized this one and was thrilled to find it! The best part is that it's also on the Watoto CD soooo I can learn it in the car :)

Ma-KAM-wa a-SHEEM-way (Praise the Lord!)

"Muzungo! Muzungo!" kids of all ages yelled as they raced out from all directions toward our bus bumping down the dusty dirt road as we drove through their village. It never got old, every morning and night we drove by and every time they loved seeing our bus full of foreigners. The attitude was the same from the adults, no matter how old, they didn't hide their excitement; if we waved, they lit up and waved back. Some children would just shyly stare in fascination, but as soon as we waved, the biggest smiles would cross their dark faces and they would excitedly wave back.

Welcome to my Uganda blog, my attempt at sharing with you as many details as possible about my recent trip to this amazing country nestled in the green hilly mountains of East Africa. I sang. I sweated. I danced. I cried. I laughed. I waved. I marched. I smiled. I walked. I held a million little hands. I loved. I praised. What an awesome God we serve! The people there are beautiful and full of love. They are filled with joy, despite the constant hardships they face and the little they have. They are eager to hear the Gospel and they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

God worked mysteriously on this trip by constantly using our team in ways that we didn't expect. Prayer was our constant support and He answered us immeasurably. His timing of this trip in my life could not have been better and I am so excited to share with you the way He poured out His blessings upon me and our team.

I journaled diligently on this trip and for the next 12 days, I will share my entries with you, starting with Day 1 and moving forward (I am posting them under the date I actually wrote them, so scroll down from here to find them). I did my absolute best to write with my heart and not this blog in mind, and I'll be honest and say that there are a few portions that I'll leave out, but I have full confidence that you will learn from and be encouraged by what I share.

Day 11

10:30 AM (Guest House)

I'm getting baptized today! I was very blessed by Josh's baptism message this morning on my ipod.. What an awesome symbolic moment! I'm a bit worried about the river situation, but I know I'm supposed to do it here and I'm very excited about it! I dreamed about it all night, ha! I think it will just be wonderful to be reminded that my sin has been washed away-my past sins and my future ones. I should feel no guilt because of what Christ did for me. This symbolizes being buried and resurrected with Him! Hallelujah?! Amina!

No guilt in life, no fear in death,

this is the power of Christ in me.

From life's first cry, to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

can every pluck me from His hand.

Til' He returns, or calls me home,

here in the power of Christ I'll stand!

I'm wearing my swimsuit under a black t-shirt and shorts and I think I'm going to wear my tennis shoes to avoid the cow dung to the best of my ability...We are going into Kiburara to say goodbyes after so I'm bringing baby wipes to clean off a bit...

5:55 (Guest House)

Oh, what a day! I am just so thankful God had me wait until now to get baptized. It was an awesome experience and I'm thankful for every moment.

We got there a while before the Ugandans and thankfully beat the cows as well.

It didn't smell too bad today either! I was a bit nervous, not sure why, but I'm sure it was less so than if I were about to go in front of CLC and give my testimony. The weather was perfect- hot with a breeze and sunny.

When the Ugandans got there (2 buses full) we got started pretty quick. There were about 10 women singing with a big drum and many people got in a line.

Jeff snapped this shot--reminds me of baby Moses on the Nile!

To my delight, Nayebaretopista was also getting baptized, so that was neat to share with her.

Moses and Drew did most of the baptisms instead of Isaac, but asked Isaac if we wanted him to do ours. At first we said no, but...yesterday when Isaac was talking about weddings he has done, I had this sudden picture or thought of him doing my wedding someday. It was weird. I used to just assume Pastor Piper would do it and after he stopped doing weddings that Brad would do it, but the last few years after being away from home I've been bummed thinking it may not be a pastor we both know well. I obviously have no idea, but it was a nice thought...which is what I basically told Isaac when we made him get in the water just for us. I said, "just in case you do my wedding someday, that'd be kind of cool." Ha, I don't think he actually minded, but I can't believe I said that to him.

Jess and I went last. I walked into the water (without my shoes) and Moses asked me my name and said the words while Isaac was praying as well.

They dunked me (mouth and eyes shut!) and that was it! All kind of a blur, but I was thrilled!

Everyone was cheering and singing and giving me hugs when I came out. Lani was crying. Jess went next and then Isaac prayed for us. Just such a blessing. I always wanted to be baptized in a river/lake like in the Bible and for there to be singing when I came up like at BBC, and God took care of all of that for me :)

I can't be certain, but it appears they are doing a bit of the traditional dance Edson was trying to teach us yesterday ;)

These brothers were such a blessing to us as translators on the trip!

The changing was humorous as Drew, Isaac, and Jason walked us back into the bush and then stood post on the "path" while Terry and Lani held up colorful African fabric around us.

The cattle soon entered the water right where we had been and it was all quite surreal. It is rare, but I guess last year there were hippos in the area, oh and the monkeys were in the trees for us!

(Isaac actually informed me that rather than just taking a nice swim here, Simon was actually searching the water for hippos! Apparently that's what they do to check the water....one person just swims around willing to be a sacrifice if there ARE hippos nearby!...I'm not sure Paul was aware of this ;)

We rode back to Moses' for a last lunch and all too quickly it was time to say goodbyes. I guess it was maybe a good thing, but only Nayebaretopista was around of my favorite friends. She is 11 and her sister is 10. She just sat holding my hand, quiet as normal other than little bits of soft singing. I showed her the video of her baptism and that got a smile. I told her I was praying for her and I would miss her. She kept asking me to give her my pen, which I didn't get until I left that maybe she wanted to write something for me, so then I felt bad. I got on the bus and saw her covering her face and wiping tears, to that made me tear up. Lots of people were there hugging and it was neat to see the conversations happening and the quick/strong friendships that have formed. It really felt like only yesterday that we were awkwardly getting off the bus for the first time and not quite sure what to do.

The excitement of us driving through the villages never did fade so we still got bright smiles and waves as we drove back to the guest house. I bathed and then sat down watching the sunset with Jeff, Gavin, and Isaac as we waited for dinner. Meanwhile, Drew and a crew were driving into the boonies trying to barter for an old metal Coke sign off one of the buildings. Drew had his eye on one in Kiburara, but the owner wasn't home. Moses thought it was quite strange that we would want an old rusty sign, but we explained that in the US people decorate with that kind of thing and they can be quite expensive!Some guy told Drew and crew to follow him all the way to his home only to discover that he had a new plastic Coke sign that of course Drew wasn't interested in buying. Alex (the translator) was NOT happy.

I stuck with french fries and mango for my last Ugandan meal to avoid problems on the bus ride. A couple of us played Phase 10. I was winning until they skipped me the last couple of rounds and Gavin came out on top! I had a terrible time falling asleep, but oh well.

Day 10

4:00 AM (Guest House)

Oh man, I have not been sleeping well tonight and just woke up wide awake and can hardly swallow. Probably the massive amounts of dust I've inhaled the past few days, but I think I have a bit of a fever. I'll be honest though, better this than hanging over the toilet, which was my biggest fear on the trip! Mat just texted me though (yes cell service, but no phone calls and I only have my phone on at night for my alarm because it ruins the atmosphere and is $$) and it was perfect timing to have a friend praying for me! I want to be well for church in the morning and worship with these people! Gavin, Jeff, and I are just going to Kiburara for church (everyone is divided up and I'm slightly bummed I can't go to a village church since we've been here all week, but I also feel like it will be like a home church since now I will know so many people!)

....As I lay here I can hear the wild dogs howling and the rooster has already started to crow. I also haven't shared about the Muslim calls to prayer we've heard early some mornings. Kind of eerily beautiful, and ironically it reminded me of a military cadence which, I think, sometimes are musical and kind of pretty!

Sunday Evening (Guest House)

I'm not sure what made me sick today, but after my poor night of sleep I don't feel great. My fever is at about 100 and normally they don't let you come out if your sick, but Isaac let me since it is Sunday. I'm wondering if maybe it is because of the Meflo (malaria meds) because apparently that messes with people and maybe weakens the immune system a bit, but I'm quite achy/sensitive to touch and my stomach felt fine but the second I looked at the toilet I threw up (didn't tell anyone but Jess that!).

We loaded into the bus and all went our separate ways. I finally snapped a picture of the "Afreca!" sign for Amanda and the ride in was still like our first with the excitement and waves we saw from the people on the road. As Gavin, Jeff, and I walked to the church, we felt pret-ty alone. Not in a bad way, but we normally have our whole group and it appeared that the youth/pastor's conference really brought up the numbers of people around, so with that over everything seemed pretty empty.

There were only about 10 people in the church and they got up and started singing. We thought they were maybe "rehearsing," but nope, they just started and by the end of the service it was pretty full! I was pleased to see Corinne and her sister were there and so were Susan and hers, so that was nice since they always warm my heart. Unfortunately I really wasn't feeling well so that marred the service a bit, but it was still neat to experience. Jeff preached a short "Bible Study," there were announcements, and lots more worship and dancing. Somewhere in there a guy in his 40s made us move to the front row of lawn chairs (as opposed to the wooden benches). He also set my bag on a chair and when I later put it back on the floor, he came back up and moved the chair in front of me and put my bag back on it. He was so eager to serve us, even if this simple gesture was completely unnecessary!

I felt kind of bad that I had put it back on the floor...I was also bummed I didn't get to sit by my girls! They shooed the kids off the chairs, but Corinne managed to sneak onto my lap a bit. Gavin was totally on fire and clearly filled with the Holy Spirit and afterwards a young man came up to be saved-there was much singing and rejoicing over him! They also had different groups come up and sing random songs; I wish I had felt better because I would have gone up to sing!

My fever hadn't broken by lunch, but thankfully we went back a bit early and had a restful afternoon. Drew and Isaac went to Moses' radio show and we all gathered around the radio "Fireside Chat" style and heard them present the Gospel. Pretty cool and that night Moses received a call from a woman wanting to give her life to Christ and then 2 hours after her her husband called to do the same thing!

My fever finally broke by dinner and I enjoyed hearing Drew's love story. Essentially he started liking his wife 5 years ago on this same trip to Uganda, asked her out 3 weeks after that, and 2 1/2 months later took her to meet his family and ended up proposing there with a ring his dad carved and added his grandmother's diamond to the night before because he couldn't find another one unique enough to give her! By the next year's trip to Uganda, they were married. Crazy, eh!? Anyway though, it was nice to hear about. I never got to thank Drew for what he said after Whitney shared her testimony yesterday, but I really appreciated both of them sharing. I've really been thankful for our team members sharing their testimonies on this trip. Without going into too much detail on here, I'll just say that time and time again we have all been saved by grace and none of us is perfect. So many different bad situations, you name it, it happened to our group, and it is encouraging to see that a) God's power surpasses Satan's every time, but b) (and more selfishly)-even Christians struggle! No one is perfect and I thank God I don't have to be either! Sometimes you gotta just be reminded of that because it is easy to think that the Christians around you are all much more "holy" than you. We're all sinners. We all need grace.

Day 9

Today is the last day of the youth conference. We had a powerful time of prayer before leaving this morning and I've continued to be encouraged by the Church in Acts--

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue
to speak your Word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was SHAKEN, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with all boldness." (Acts 4:29-31)

I don't think I have mentioned the way they sometimes pray, but they all do it out loud and it is pretty awesome. I'm not sure how many languages are coming from the congregation, but the Holy Spirit is definitely moving!

After lunch there was a concert to promote a new CD a group form the church made. It wasn't exactly as I expected because I think they were lip singing with their own CD (thank you, MTV), and they were using it as a fundraiser so they would have an artist come up and they wouldn't get off the stage until someone had given them $$...

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot to share about the dancing! So Dennis, the translator/MC for the concert called up an American to dance. I thought they were going to teach us a dance, so when no one volunteered, I went up. To my surprise, it was not a lesson, but a dance-off! Ahaha! Everyone knows I don't like to dance (k, maybe not this team from CLC, but all my other friends!) and rarely do, but I went up there and danced. The entire room of beautiful Ugandans and my team laughed at me, but I couldn't stop smiling. I'm not quite sure why it was so funny, I was doing the dances THEY taught me ;) Dennis declared me the winner and said I had to give a victory speech and all I could truly think of was "to God be the glory!" There were no other words.

Gavin went up later to dance and then a big part of our group went up and did the Electric Slide to some of their music. They loved it and I think were quite impressed that Muzungo could actually pseudo-dance in sync. Little did they know that this is only after years of practicing at weddings and gatherings and they picked it up, probably better than us, by the end of the 10 minutes. Edson came up to teach us a traditional dance that was crazy jumping that many of the older people came up and joined. It basically just filled my lungs with dust which probably is what got me sick!

Quite the view from the church building!

Susan :)

Nayebare Topista

We headed back then and had dinner after bathing. Ha. I marveled, yet again, at how wonderful my basin of hot water felt! I'm sure it won't take me long to take real showers for granted again, but seriously I guess I can't imagine always bathing this way, even if it can feel good here! I guess if you are this dirty, anything can feel great!

Despite the striking resemblance to peanuts, I believe this is coffee. Not positive, but

whatever it is--they would lay their produce out to dry in the sun.

Mmmm, fresh bananas.

Yet another beautiful view from Kiburara.

Worship!!

I had seen the Watoto Children's Choir (which we drove past in Kampala!) several times growing up at Bethlehem and Calvin. Therefore, I knew going into this trip that worshiping with the Ugandans would probably be my highlight, I was not disappointed! I love the picture drawn of Heaven that is every tribe and tongue praising Jesus. Every corner of the earth, from Minnesota, to Virginia, to Maryland, to Uganda, all of us will be together in Heaven worshippig together! Singing with the people in Africa gave me just a tiny glimpse of what that joy will be like. I can hardly wait.

Just wanted to share a couple of the songs they taught us and we taught them. Lord-willing I'll go back someday and be prepared with some of their favorites!

There is Worship Today in the House of the Lord

There is worship today in the House of the Lord

there is worship today in the House of the Lord,

there is worship today in the House of the Lord,

Hallelujah today in the House of the Lord!

(Singing)

(Dancing)

(Muzungo!)

(Clapping)

(Sitting...get lower and lower, but not actually sitting)

(Resting...aka laying down!)

I will Sing Hosannah

I will sing Hosannah,

I will sing Hosannah,

Sing along for the sound of glory,

I will sing Hosannah!

(Dance)

(Clap)

(etc...)

Hakuna Wakaita

Similar to the Watoto Choir/BBC version

Hallelujah

You are worthy

You are worthy

You are worthy

You are worthy

(Hallelujah)

(I will love Him)

(He is holy)

Sanctuary

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

Pure and holy, tried and true,

With Thanksgiving,

I'll be a living

Sanctuary, for you

Song we taught--

Soon and Very Soon

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, we're going to see the King

(No more dying there, we are going to see the King)

(No more crying there, we are going to see the King)

We are Marching in the Light of God

We are marching in the light of God,

We are marching in the light of God.

We are marching in the light of God,

We are marching in the light of God.

We are marching, marching, (we are) marching, Lo-oord,

we are marching in the light of God.

We are marching, marching, (we are) marching Lo-oord,

we are marching in the light of God!

(Singing)

(Dancing)

(Clapping)

(Stomping)

(Loving)

Lord, I Lift Your Name on High

Day 8

Morning (Guest House)

We woke up this morning to the birds singing again and the roosters crowing. I was a bit more prepared for the youth conference and all of the preaching today-it went all day!

Peter was sick so I kind of lead worship. Oh the joy I had singing and dancing with the Ugandans! They loved We are Marching in the Light of God and Isaac said it was more involved than they have been in our worship in the past. It was so wonderful!! Sue and Jeff were down the street in the school and they said they could hear the church rocking! By the end we were all pretty out of breath and sweaty, ay yi yi, this beat out show choir or I am totally out of shape, because I could hardly even sing! Later the girls showed me some of their dances so then I had something to attempt other than freestyle (this is a good thing!).

After lunch Paul spoke and I was pretty sleepy. Somehow these preaching days are exhausting even though I'm sitting most of the day! Paul ended with a "surprise" of calling up me and John (their worship leader) to come and sing "Hallelujah" together. It was cool. It was also humbling because the keyboarder was trying to play along and was in the wrong key sooo we sounded off. Oh well!

I almost forgot the skit! I'll be honest, my heart was not overly in the practices for skits. It is interesting how God changes where we are called cuz' in the past I was all about drama, but I was so busy before this trip that I couldn't make the practices and on the trip my heart just hasn't been in it. Thankfully God's plan prevailed. Andrew wrote the skit on our flight and I think the reaction to it was much better than we ever could have anticipated. Basically there was a witch doctor (Jess) and 3 people in distress who go to the witch doctor and magic helps them for a little while, but soon a demon latches on to them with string and they are in bondage to the witch doctor. (This sounds crazy as I write in back in the U.S., but these people really have felt the weight of bondage to evil spirits!) The skit was silent but we had some dark music playing. Then missionaries came out on the stage with Bibles and the Ugandans immediately all started clapping and when Jesus defeats the demons the people cheered and clapped! It was almost overwhelming. Awesome to see how a silent skit can reach across the language barriers and so powerfully impact people.

Next, Andrew shared his testimony again and presented the Gospel. Moses had all the pastors sit in for the skit as well and many said they were very blessed by it all.

We went back to the Guest House, ate some delicious "french fries" and mango (no meat tonight...) and played some Phase 10. Slept great!