Well another week has gone by and unfortunately it is going by too quickly!
On Tuesday, we went to a slum in Kampala and fixed up a well. I used a hoe to shovel out large piles of dirt,grass and trash. It was so refreshing to do hard physical labor with a tangible result for the people in the slum. That afternoon, we walked around the slum and talked to the residents about their needs and spiritual life and prayed with them. Spending time at the slum was incredibly eye opening. Many of the mothers there not only care for their own children, but also raise their nieces, nephews, grandchildren and neighbors children as their own. The selflessness and cooperation is amazing.
Wednesday we started off the day at my favorite project, Katalemwa and I really enjoyed it again. I wish I could describe the joy and smiles on the faces of the children there when we walk into the room, but it is completely indescribable. Later that day we went to a Secondary School and before we started our program, I spent some time mingling with the students. They were all between ages 14 and 20 and were so ambitious and driven. The classroom was crowded and the supplies were ratty, but every student there really valued their education and learning. American students could take a page out of their book.
Thursday we started off at the Babies Home and then Remand Home in the afternoon. At the Babies Home I helped with laundry and the way of hand washing here left my hands bloody and blistered. Yet at the same time, it was refreshing to really put work into something and see the results. The love of the children at the Babies Home and the excitement and hope in Jesus at the Remand Home again left me in awe.
Friday we went to the village and cleared land for the future Training Center. I think I worked the harder that morning than I have worked in a long long time. Everything here just takes so much effort,that you have to really put your heart into everything. Then we walked the perimeter of the land and prayed over the people and land. It was a great day, and we all slept wonderfully that night.
Saturday was a free day so we went into the Market and I bought a bunch of souverneirs!!! Everything was very cheap (which I love) and beautiful! Also, we took public transportation (vans) there, and it was only 1000 shilllings each way (about 50 cents). It was a lot of fun. Then that night, we sat around a laptop and watched the Blind Side and for awhile, it felt like we were all back at home.
Sunday we went to church and I LOVED the praise and worship. Everyone here sings with so much passion and dances around and the focus is really on God, not on how well you sing. Then in the afternoon we all split the price of gas to drive to Lake Victoria and spent the day on the beach. We swam and laid out in the sun and walked the beach and just had a great time relaxing.
Overall, it has been a week full of hard physical labor and lots of relaxation. I am learning so much about the culture and myself. I miss everyone at home, but I'm not homesick. A group of four left today and I realized how grateful I am to be here for two months, I would not have been ready to leave today.
Sorry this is choppy, six people are sitting in the room talking to me and they are lovely.
Love all of you!
Also, special shoutout to my grandma, hope you feel better and I love you!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
The First Week
Oltya! (pronounced oh-lee-oh-te-ah) or for my English speaking friends, How are you?
Sorry it has been awhile since I've updated, I have been incredibly busy, but I'll try and update once a week. For those of you who have been emailing me encouraging words and updates on your life, please continue, I love to read it. Even if I am not replying, I promise I read it.
So where to begin. Most days start out with breakfast and devotion, then we go to a project, then come back for lunch, go to another project and end the day with dinner, devotion and free time. The projects have been incredible. We go to the different projects and typically lead the kids in games, worship songs (I know now many worship songs in Luganda) and a small sermon. While the different organizations we work with are amazing and so essential, unfortunately they are understaffed, so the children are starving for love and attention. The first "real" project I went to was called Kids In Need. It is a rehab center for kids who were living on the street. The children's eyes light up when they see a "mzungu aka white person" even though we by no means deserve the star treatment we get from the kids here. Regardless, because of how highly they see us, we have a huge responsibility to be a good example and a loving heart towards these kids.
Another project I went to this week was Katelemwa, a home for disabled children. This was the most impactful experience I have had here by far. There was a little boy who suffered from some sort of mental and physical disability who was purposely banging his body against his wheelchair over and over making lots of noise. At first I had no idea how to quiet him and thought he was upset. But then I realized while I was holding his chair steady and making funny faces at him to distract him that it was his way of playing. The grin on his face and the smile in his eyes cannot be described, but once you got past his rough exterior,it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen on a child.
Two other projects I went to this week were Sanyu Babies Home and Remand Home. Sanyu is for orphans under age five, and here we helped with laundry, feeding and clothing babies, along with playing with the kids. This site was very sad because when playing with the children, we were not allowed to hold them. The workers were not being cruel by forbidding us to hold the kids, they just knew that if you held one, they would all want to be held and there were just not enough people to meet the kids needs. It was hard to pull the kids off your lap when they snuck on, but it was harder to listen to them cry because they wanted more time with you. Remand Home is a home for juvenile delinquents, most of whom are there for crimes they did not commit. I felt more impacted here than the impact I left behind. To hear 14 year old boys talk about how God changed there lives and thanking God for the blessings they have when they are living in a correctional facility is the biggest testimony to faith I may have ever seen.
We also went into the village one day which was completely different than the city. People smile in the city, people are out and about in the city, and while people are very poor, it does not compare to the poverty of the village. We went around in small groups and asked individual families what supplies they needed (mosquito nets, mattresses, jerry cans, etc) and we plan to bring them those supplies soon. Also we saw the site where EAC is building a training center for the village. While the despair in the village was rampant, when talking to the residents, a gleam of hope could be heard in their voices. I cannot wait to go back to the village for future projects and really lend a hand.
Lastly, from Saturday morning until Monday afternoon I left with a small group on Safari!! It was a five hour drive to the National Park, but we hiked down to the waterfall (which was an amazingly strenuous, but rewarding experience), drove around the park and took a boat ride in the Nile. We saw hippos, giraffes, lions (we got within 20 feet of them!), crocodiles, warthogs, elephants, antelopes, monkeys and water buffalo. The land was absolutely breathtaking and seeing God's creation at its purest was unforgettable, but I am excited to be back here as a volunteer, instead of at the park as a tourist.
I love each of you and miss you, and I'll leave you with this scripture I've been reflecting on.
"And we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit"-2 Corinthians 3:18
Sorry it has been awhile since I've updated, I have been incredibly busy, but I'll try and update once a week. For those of you who have been emailing me encouraging words and updates on your life, please continue, I love to read it. Even if I am not replying, I promise I read it.
So where to begin. Most days start out with breakfast and devotion, then we go to a project, then come back for lunch, go to another project and end the day with dinner, devotion and free time. The projects have been incredible. We go to the different projects and typically lead the kids in games, worship songs (I know now many worship songs in Luganda) and a small sermon. While the different organizations we work with are amazing and so essential, unfortunately they are understaffed, so the children are starving for love and attention. The first "real" project I went to was called Kids In Need. It is a rehab center for kids who were living on the street. The children's eyes light up when they see a "mzungu aka white person" even though we by no means deserve the star treatment we get from the kids here. Regardless, because of how highly they see us, we have a huge responsibility to be a good example and a loving heart towards these kids.
Another project I went to this week was Katelemwa, a home for disabled children. This was the most impactful experience I have had here by far. There was a little boy who suffered from some sort of mental and physical disability who was purposely banging his body against his wheelchair over and over making lots of noise. At first I had no idea how to quiet him and thought he was upset. But then I realized while I was holding his chair steady and making funny faces at him to distract him that it was his way of playing. The grin on his face and the smile in his eyes cannot be described, but once you got past his rough exterior,it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen on a child.
Two other projects I went to this week were Sanyu Babies Home and Remand Home. Sanyu is for orphans under age five, and here we helped with laundry, feeding and clothing babies, along with playing with the kids. This site was very sad because when playing with the children, we were not allowed to hold them. The workers were not being cruel by forbidding us to hold the kids, they just knew that if you held one, they would all want to be held and there were just not enough people to meet the kids needs. It was hard to pull the kids off your lap when they snuck on, but it was harder to listen to them cry because they wanted more time with you. Remand Home is a home for juvenile delinquents, most of whom are there for crimes they did not commit. I felt more impacted here than the impact I left behind. To hear 14 year old boys talk about how God changed there lives and thanking God for the blessings they have when they are living in a correctional facility is the biggest testimony to faith I may have ever seen.
We also went into the village one day which was completely different than the city. People smile in the city, people are out and about in the city, and while people are very poor, it does not compare to the poverty of the village. We went around in small groups and asked individual families what supplies they needed (mosquito nets, mattresses, jerry cans, etc) and we plan to bring them those supplies soon. Also we saw the site where EAC is building a training center for the village. While the despair in the village was rampant, when talking to the residents, a gleam of hope could be heard in their voices. I cannot wait to go back to the village for future projects and really lend a hand.
Lastly, from Saturday morning until Monday afternoon I left with a small group on Safari!! It was a five hour drive to the National Park, but we hiked down to the waterfall (which was an amazingly strenuous, but rewarding experience), drove around the park and took a boat ride in the Nile. We saw hippos, giraffes, lions (we got within 20 feet of them!), crocodiles, warthogs, elephants, antelopes, monkeys and water buffalo. The land was absolutely breathtaking and seeing God's creation at its purest was unforgettable, but I am excited to be back here as a volunteer, instead of at the park as a tourist.
I love each of you and miss you, and I'll leave you with this scripture I've been reflecting on.
"And we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit"-2 Corinthians 3:18
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The First Days
Well I'm here!!!
The flights were long (an 8 hour flight to London and another 8 hour flight to Entebbe, then a hour drive into Kampala). I had a long layover in London, so I wandered the city aimlessly and took pictures of what everyone else took pictures of around me and had a great time. It was an adventure to say the least.
When I arrived, I was so incredibly jetlagged and had had about 2 hours of airplane sleep over two days, but it was morning and our schedule was full. It was a long day because of that, but I fell in love with this place instantly. The children are absolutely the best part, they are so loving and beautiful and fun. The culture is so pure and honest, it is a refreshing change. I feel at home here already.
I live in a very westernized, nice house, so that is good. The running water is currently out of order though, so I have officially "done my business" in a squatty potty (aka a hole in the ground) and I've showered in a bucket (which was suprisingly refreshing). There is no air conditioning, but the building stays pretty cool. The food is very bland and starchy,which is actually really good. The other volunteers are incredible and a lot of fun to be with. About half are from "Western countries" such as America, Canada and England and the other half are Ugandan. It feels like a family.
Overall, while I miss all of you so much, I could not be happier to be here. God is already changing and reforming my heart so much, and I can already see the impact God is having on the people here through me and the EAC team. Please keep me in your prayers. Oh and email me, I love hearing from you, even if I don't reply!
God bless,
Hannah
The flights were long (an 8 hour flight to London and another 8 hour flight to Entebbe, then a hour drive into Kampala). I had a long layover in London, so I wandered the city aimlessly and took pictures of what everyone else took pictures of around me and had a great time. It was an adventure to say the least.
When I arrived, I was so incredibly jetlagged and had had about 2 hours of airplane sleep over two days, but it was morning and our schedule was full. It was a long day because of that, but I fell in love with this place instantly. The children are absolutely the best part, they are so loving and beautiful and fun. The culture is so pure and honest, it is a refreshing change. I feel at home here already.
I live in a very westernized, nice house, so that is good. The running water is currently out of order though, so I have officially "done my business" in a squatty potty (aka a hole in the ground) and I've showered in a bucket (which was suprisingly refreshing). There is no air conditioning, but the building stays pretty cool. The food is very bland and starchy,which is actually really good. The other volunteers are incredible and a lot of fun to be with. About half are from "Western countries" such as America, Canada and England and the other half are Ugandan. It feels like a family.
Overall, while I miss all of you so much, I could not be happier to be here. God is already changing and reforming my heart so much, and I can already see the impact God is having on the people here through me and the EAC team. Please keep me in your prayers. Oh and email me, I love hearing from you, even if I don't reply!
God bless,
Hannah
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Preparation
Hello friends and family,
Well I have five days left until I head out to Uganda for two months. I am in the process of packing, shopping for essentials and saying goodbye to friends and family (which is the hardest part!). Obviously, I could not be more excited to see what God is going to do to me and through me while I am serving abroad, but I cannot deny the nervousness I am also experiencing right now. I have no idea what to expect and I do not think I could ever be one hundred percent spiritually ready for this, but at the same time, I think this is the best condition to be in because it gives God the most room to work. I know I am safe in God's hands, which comforts me, yet at the same time, I cannot help but stress out over the small things, such as the mechanics of layovers and wondering how often I will shower. However, some verses I have been reflecting on the last couple weeks have been keeping me grounded and focused.
"My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty. I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore."
-Psalm 131: 1-3
Thank you for your support and continue to keep my in your prayers.
I love each of you,
Hannah
Well I have five days left until I head out to Uganda for two months. I am in the process of packing, shopping for essentials and saying goodbye to friends and family (which is the hardest part!). Obviously, I could not be more excited to see what God is going to do to me and through me while I am serving abroad, but I cannot deny the nervousness I am also experiencing right now. I have no idea what to expect and I do not think I could ever be one hundred percent spiritually ready for this, but at the same time, I think this is the best condition to be in because it gives God the most room to work. I know I am safe in God's hands, which comforts me, yet at the same time, I cannot help but stress out over the small things, such as the mechanics of layovers and wondering how often I will shower. However, some verses I have been reflecting on the last couple weeks have been keeping me grounded and focused.
"My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty. I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore."
-Psalm 131: 1-3
Thank you for your support and continue to keep my in your prayers.
I love each of you,
Hannah
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