Hello friends and fam! Sorry that I did not blog last week. I get overwhelmed with everything that happens and then I don't know what to pick to write about and then the next thing you know, I have no blog, lol. So let's go through some highlights! And in regards to the blog title, it may have been a ploy to get you to read this blog, but these stories may change your life, lol, so read on!
1. We are starting a bible study with some high school aged girls at Fountain High School here in Lira. We went there last week and since it was our first meeting, not all the girls were there, so the bible study turned into an impromptu worship session. It was awesome! I love the passion that the African people have when worshiping. They dance, they sing at the top of their lungs, and they do not care who may be staring.
2. We have a new main form of transportation and it's called shoving 13 people into a pick-up truck with 9 out of those 13 people riding/standing in the back of the truck. I am usually one of the people standing, and while this is slightly terrifying on bumpy African dirt roads, it's also one of the funnest things I have ever done in my life.
3. We are starting to work at the church everyday now. I work in the Compassion office. Compassion is a program that Victory Outreach Church runs. The program is for children that are either orphaned/poverty stricken and provides them with school fees and basic necessities like soap, Vaseline, etc. I work in the filing office with some other girls on my team. We file financial forms, medical forms, basically whatever they throw at us. It usually turns into a jam session blasting some Broadway tunes or T Swift while we file. It tis' great!
4. Oogali/Posho is not my favorite food in the world. It is a new food that we ate at the church this week and it has the consistency of home-made playdoh, but it's slightly sweet. It's an African staple, but I think it will take me some getting used to. But it was a reality check for me once again of just how spoiled I have become in America with all the food options, all of the time.
5. I will never ever again complain about doing laundry in America. I did laundry for the first time in Africa and it took me 3 hours to do a third of my cloths. First you have soak the clothes for an hour. Then you must rinse and scrub every item by hand. Then you wring out every item and hang them to dry. It's a tiring process and these African women do it every day. Amazing to me!
6. I shared some of the songs I have written with my teammates and put chords to them! This is a very big step for me because I am not a sharer with anything. I don't like sharing my songs, I don't like sharing my feelings, but the Lord has really been growing me in that aspect of myself. I am also leading a song in church this Sunday, so that should be fun! I am slightly terrified, but I know that Lord has my back, so it's all good.
7. I love it here. It's hard and I am uncomfortable and the Lord is constantly reminding me that I have nothing to offer these people on my own. The only thing I have to offer is the Lord, and I am learning that that is enough. It sounds bad even as I write it, that I have to learn that the Lord is enough. But when you are surrounded by so many little children and adults with physicals needs, it is hard to fully realize that their spiritual need is so much greater, but I am getting there.
I think that's it for now. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more adventures in Uganda!
Peace and Blessins!
Sarah
