There are a few things I have learned over the past two months of living in Uganda.
#1. Time is irrelevent here.
#2. Being called Mzungu by small children who jump up and down and run into your arms never gets old.
#3. When it rains, roads become mush yet people still try to drive up giant hills and get stuck.
#4. Soccer games here are the most fun and involve lots of cheering.
#5. There is a 15 degree change in temperature between shade and sun because we are right on the equator.
#6. Ugandans know nothing about their weather and predict it wrong every time.
#7. Hanging out of a sun roof going 70 mph down a highway is perfectly normal and fine to do.
#8. High school boys are the best to hang out with ever.
#9. Ugandans cannot play basket ball.
#10. Matoke equals death.
This past week has been the most random and adventurous week this whole trip. On Tuesday Meghan, Amy, Shelby, and I went on a road trip to the Rawandan boarder. The whole way there and back we were told to stick ourselves out of the sun roof and "take snaps" of Uganda. We ended up loving the ride while on top of the van and each took turns enjoying the view.
On Thursday, as a team we were going to go to the Rukingiri water sanitation plant. It ended up raining very hard and our bus got stuck on a big hill, so what did we do? We walked up the hill in the pouring rain with mud up to our ankles. We got to the plant and we climbed up a mountain together; the girls were all wearing skirts. It was a muddy struggle but somehow worth it. When we make it to the top, we looked at a tank that held water, then we went straight back down and walked back to the bus and went home. During this adventure I kept thinking that there was no point to that whole day, but then I realized how much the team had to work together to accomplish the hike.
Fridays are our off days but the boys from the school had a soccer game so a few of us decided to go. I got to hang out with the boys outside of school and support the Makabore team. Every goal they made created an eruption of cheering and dancing. After the game I went back to the school and played volley ball and talked to the boys. I love being able to spend my time laughing with and ministering to the boys. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my day.
Last week I prayed for strength, endurance, and joy. I have never felt this alive in my whole life. God has given me all of the strength, all of the endurance, and all of the joy. Everyday He gives me a new journey, a new way to bring glory to Himself. Each day I find a new reason why Uganda has captured my heart. Recently they have been the beauty that this land holds, the gracious people I have met, the masses of children that run into my arms, and the smiling faces and laughs of the boys at the school. I couldn't have asked for a better life here.
