Halfway

Can you believe this, 4 months down and only 4 left to go! Time really does fly the older you get, so Grandma and Grandpa have said, and I agree. Well let’s recap shall we? I left home October 10 and arrived in Africa October 14th! We have said hello to our good friend Nadine, and goodbye to Michelle, Marie, Anna, Meghann, and Rhonwen :(

We have gone rafting down the Nile River, seen the Source of the Nile, relaxed in Kampala, and have gotten to know Tororo well. I’ve conquered being gone for my birthday, Christmas, and New Year’s, sounds silly but its an accomplishment. We have completed the baby room mural, and are now working on a couple other projects, such as: helping with the structure of Smile’s education program, helping organize their sponsorship program, and creating a website!!  We have made good friend with Jigga, the supermarket owner, Fred from the Post Office, all the workers at the Crystal who are our first ‘Uganda family’, Beatrice from the internet store, Edith at the bank, Topista from the tupperware store, Harriet a seamstress along the street, Stella another seamstress on the street, Gabe our favorite boda man, and all the workers at Smile. Some days the saying from Cheers is true ‘where everyone knows your name”, Tororo feels a bit like home.

So now that we are at the halfway point I wouldn’t say its all down hill from here, as in an easy ride! But these are some things I am looking forward to. Helping Smile as much as we can before we leave, loving on these kids, building relationships with the staff, visiting AIM’s boarding school in the Riff Valley of Kajobi, Kenya, Mom and Dad coming to visit!!!!!!!!:) (I can’t type enough exclamations for that) and stopping through London to visit Holly (my current teammate, she is leaving a couple days earlier than Sarah and I) on our way home!

Uganda is known as the ‘Pearl of Africa’ which makes a lot of sense for me because God has sure been polishing the pearl, that is my heart. He is teaching me more and more about myself. It is hard to explain. He is teaching me to truly trust him with EVERYTHING, to not give him limits, believe in all His promises, and to believe in the gifts and talents He has blessed me with. I can really do ANYTHING with God. He is currently teaching me about ‘Rest’. Which has been frustrating because in my human mind it doesn’t make sense to travel across the world to help people and serve God but need rest. Yes, I understand that I need rest in order to help others but you know what I mean...right? I am slowly grasping this concept, resting in Him. I feel that he means we need to honestly and truly give ALL anxieties, worries, and concerns to Him. So we can ‘rest’ in His peace, daily, all day. Wow, that’s a tough one. Especially since I couldn’t get anymore anxious about grad school. God always has perfect timing.....ugh, I should know better! haha.

And of course the thoughts of what will life be like when I go home, what is next, and what is the purpose of me coming to Africa for 8 months for, continue to float in my mind from time to time. But I’m also slowly letting those go, God will show me in His time.  Thank you for all your support, reading my blog, and your prayers! God has overwhelmed me by the support I have been given.