I guess I’ve kind of neglected my blog since coming home! Obviously, I made it back safely to the States. I arrived back home on July 28th. : )
My last week in Uganda was a mixture of trying to recover from the previous two weeks (mainly from lack of adequate sleep) and making sure to say “goodbye” to everyone.
One of the highlights of that last week was inviting three little girls - Dora (grade 7), her sister Prossy (grade 6), and Sheila (grade 6) - over to my house to bake cookies after school. They were SO EXCITED just to come to the house and hang out with us. We made two batches of chocolate chip cookies. They were quite hilarious because they were so curious about all the things in our house. (Their homes are usually one or two rented rooms with very little furnishings and no running water inside.) They explored every crevice of the house and found everything quite fascinating. They also were excited to get to bathe in a real shower! I think that was actually their favorite part of the visit.
I also attended the wedding of our Kampala site manager, Georgina. Ugandan weddings are long, all-day affairs. The actual ceremony always starts at least an hour or two late and consists of singing, a lengthy entrance by the bridal party, traditional exchanging of vows and rings, a sermon, and the signing of the marriage certificate. Afterwards, people slowly arrive at the reception site, but, as in America, the reception usually does not begin right away as everyone waits for the bride and groom to arrive. The wedding was beautiful and happy. We arrived at the church around noon and did not arrive back home from the reception until about 10 PM. However, most of the Hope Alive! staff and some of the students attended the wedding and reception, so it was very nice to be able to spend some fun times with them.
Leaving Uganda again was difficult as expected, though I was happy to be going home. It had been a tiring, but very full and happy, five weeks. I had to laugh when several of the students’ parents scolded me for not staying long enough this time. They all informed me that I needed to get a job that would keep me in Uganda permanently! Ha ha.
I do plan to continue making visits to Uganda until I have a clear vision of where God will place me in the long-term.
Thank you all for your interest and prayers during this most recent venture to Uganda!
Just a quick post to say that I will be leaving Uganda tomorrow (Monday) to return to the States. My time here has been busy, but blessed. I am so grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to visit again. I know that this will not be my last time in Uganda either. I am also grateful to all of my supporters for your financial support and prayer! I could never be here without you... thank you. See you all on the other side... of the pond. :)
God is good. The Park Avenue Team had a very full and very blessed two weeks here in Uganda. They left on Monday to return home and arrived back in the States safely on Tuesday (the 22nd). I thank God so much for giving them the opportunity to come here to Uganda to see the work that Hope Alive! is doing.
During the first week, the team was in Kampala working in the main Hope Alive! office and interacting with the students. In the office, we painted the entire interior of the building to give the walls of the office a nice, clean look. In addition, Mark Sr. and Mark Jr. worked with one of the missionaries to build shelves for all the closets in the office. These jobs had been on Hope Alive!’s “to do” list for quite some time, but the organization was lacking the funds and time to get the jobs done. Thankfully, our team was able to complete these jobs for Hope Alive! in the matter of just a few days!
The team also participated in the weekly Hope Alive! Saturday Club in which the students gather together for activities, food, and Bible teaching. Maria had a blast teaching the Bible class for secondary students. During activity time, Mark Jr. made some fantastic paper airplanes for the kids. Maria also came up with a wonderful, novel idea for an activity: she brought a collection of nail polish and painted many of the students’ toenails! (Both girls AND boys wanted their toenails painted!)
On Sunday, the team attended church at Lugogo Baptist Church. After the service, we were treated to a wonderful lunch of local food by one of the families from the project.
On the Wednesday of the team’s second week, we left early in the morning to drive to northern Uganda for a visit to Murchison Falls National Park and then to Gulu. On the way, we encountered a very serious mechanical problem with our vehicle while we were driving. All I can say is that God’s mighty hand of protection must have been upon us. Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for our safety. See the post below for more details. After dealing with the car problems and then missing the turnoff for the park, we finally arrived at Murchison Falls just before dark… over six hours after our planned time of arrival. The day was very long and strewn with challenges, but there was no complaining and everyone maintained a positive attitude! Needless to say, God was teaching us a lot about endurance on that day. We endured, knowing that God had a definite purpose for our time in Northern Uganda.
The next day at Murchison Falls, the team had the opportunity to see elephant, giraffe, gazelle, buffalo, hippos, and monkeys. In addition, we drove to the top of the falls to take in the spectacular view.
In Gulu, we spent an entire day just visiting the students at various schools. The visit from our team was a treat for these students, as they rarely have people make a special trip to see them at their schools. On Saturday, the team participated in Gulu’s Saturday Program. I gave a short word of encouragement while Mark Sr. and Maria each shared some special songs with the students. At the end of the program, there was toenail painting and balloons! Mark Sr. preached during the “English Service” on Sunday morning in Gulu Baptist Church. And the team wrapped up their time in Gulu with some special visits to the homes of children living within the refugee camp and the nearby village.
I am so grateful that Mark, Mark, and Maria had the opportunity to represent not only Park Avenue, but also Christ Jesus, here in Uganda. I believe that they have their own stories and perspectives to share. If you see them, make sure to ask them about their experiences and how God worked in their lives during their trip!
Thank you to all who have been covering the team in prayer. We strongly believe that God protected us from what could have been a very serious accident on the way to Gulu last week.
During our journey, about an hour and a half outside of Kampala, we encountered a serious mechanical problem with the car. I noticed the car acting a little funny and realized that I needed to pull over. However, in a split second after that realization, we heard a loud bang from the car and then immediately felt the back wheels lock up. We were going about 80-100 kilometers per hour (around 50-60 mph). Obviously, having the back wheels to lock up at such a high rate of speed was not good. The vehicle immediately went into a skid across the road. We slid for about 30 or 40 yards and did a complete 180 across the other lane of traffic (it was a two lane road). (You can see the tire marks on the road in the photo above.) By all accounts, the car should have flipped. In fact, in the moment, all of us in the car believed that the vehicle was going to flip. But somehow, we stayed upright and skidded to a stop only inches from a ditch on the other side of the road. Just a few more inches and the back tire would have slipped into the ditch and turned the car on its side. Fortunately, no cars were coming in the other direction during our skid. And even more fortunately, no one was walking along the side of the road (as is often the case in Uganda) as our vehicle skidded into the opposing lane. The car would have certainly struck any pedestrians. Had we or any other people been seriously injured, there would have been no ambulances, no good hospitals, and no good medical treatment in the vicinity.
We all felt a deep sense of gratitude and recognition of the Lord’s hand in protecting us. As someone later mentioned, the enemy was disappointed. He didn’t want us to reach Gulu. In fact, he didn’t want us to reach anywhere. But God had a purpose for us and would not let the enemy bring harm to the team.
We waited for several hours for someone to come from Kampala with another car for us to use. (Catharine, director of Hope Alive!, graciously allowed us to use her personal car for the rest of the trip.) Our mishap had occurred near a very small trading center on the main road. The local people showed concern and tried to help as much as possible, though they couldn’t do much. We met a young man named Henry who showed us a lot of kindness without asking for anything in return. (Oftentimes, Ugandans don’t have any qualms about asking white foreigners for money or other things because they think that we are all rich.) We learned that he was studying at a theology school in Gulu. I’m not exactly sure why, but I think we believed that perhaps God brought us in contact with Henry for a reason on that day. The team is pictured with Henry below.
Eventually, some other members of the staff arrived with Catharine’s car. We continued on our way to the North while they waited for a flatbed truck to arrive and take the disabled car back to Kampala. Upon investigation, it appears that the mechanical problem we encountered was due to a neglectful job performed by the previous mechanic who was working on the car. Praise God for protecting us!
“Iya yom tutwal me nene.” The translation of this Acholi phrase is: “I am so happy to see you!” I found myself using this phrase often as I reconnected with the families and staff of Hope Alive! Gulu last week. Gulu has always had a special place in my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed once again in the beauty of northern Uganda and culture of the Acholi people.
There have been changes in Gulu since last year. For one, the IDP (internally displaced persons) camps are finally being dismantled. Just within the last decade, these camps had been named the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Now, the land that used to house thousands of internally displaced refugees is starting to return to its natural state. There have been over two years of peace. The peoples of northern Uganda feel secure enough now to leave the camps and return to their homes in the “village”. For the first time in two decades, they can “dig”, or farm, their own land without fear of attack from the rebels. Children can once again walk to school without fear of abduction and conscription by the rebel army. At Koro Abili IDP camp where Hope Alive! works, all that remains of the once numerous huts are piles of bricks now sprouting cassava or maize. The only people still remaining in the “camp” are the elderly and the orphaned who have no place to go and no one to care for them.
A return to traditional life is obviously good for the people. However, change always brings new challenges. Though the people are happy to once again be growing crops on their own land, many are finding that their initial crops are not fruitful enough to feed their families. Consequently, a fair number are already suffering from hunger. Hope Alive! is also facing many new challenges as our students leave the camp and go back to the surrounding villages. In the camp, our students were all centrally located and easily tracked. Now, many have returned home to their various villages, all of which are scattered and often a fair distance from Koro Abili. Visiting and checking up on the children has become a challenging task as the Hope Alive! staff must walk or ride their bicycles long distances to seek out the students. We also have about 60 children who are part of child-headed households. These children have no adult guardians and cannot return home because of their inability to support themselves in the village. For now, those children will remain in the camp close to the Hope Alive! Feeding Center where they can be easily monitored.
Additionally, you can see in the photo above that the Feeding Center was given a basketball hoop! It was fun to see the staff and students learning how to play. In the picture, our assistant site manager (who actually plays basketball) is teaching the other mentors how to shoot the ball. None of them have every played the game before. Even the children are really practing and learning the game. Some of them are becoming quite proficient with their dribbling skills... which is very impressive when they are dribbling on dirt and grass!
On a separate note, the Park Avenue Team arrived safely on Tuesday with all of their luggage. My life has been very busy since then, but it has been an excellent time so far! Praise the Lord! Another post about that in the future…
Greeting from Kampala, Uganda! I arrived safely on Tuesday night with no problems or complications. The past few days have been filled with an abundance of hugs and smiles as I have joyfully reunited with all of my friends and coworkers, as well as the Hope Alive! students, here in Kampala.
Some noticeable changes have taken place in the past year since I left. Kampala has sprouted some new shops and buildings, as well as a sudden proliferation of police presence in the busy streets. The project also has changed in the past year with new staff members, a new office, and some new students. But despite the changes, in many ways it feels as though I never left. I am staying at “my” old house, and it looks the same. I was able to slip right back into navigating the crazy streets of Kampala (and driving on the left side). And when interacting with my friends and the Hope Alive! staff, our relationships feel just as familiar as when I was here last. All in all, I feel that I am back in a familiar and beloved place.
Since I arrived, I have basically been reconnecting with students and their families as much as possible by visiting homes and schools, and spending time with the staff at the Hope Alive! office. On Saturday, the Kampala site had their weekly “Saturday Club” in which the students gather together for Bible lessons, activities, and food. My former karate students put on a special presentation for everyone in honor of my return. It was impressive! They demonstrated basic Isshinryu karate punches and kicks, and even put together pre-choreographed “fights” to show how one would use their karate skills to defend themselves. On Thursday night, I attended a movie showing at one of the major churches in downtown Kampala with some friends. It was a “welcome back to Uganda” experience as we took a crowded taxi downtown to the church amidst rush hour traffic. Then, we waited outside until the doors opened… at which time people thronged into the church trying to get a seat for the movie. (Not a good seat, just a seat.) Most of the people in our group (including myself) ended up sitting on the steps in the aisles of the church. We were in the balcony section. As I sat on the step and looked around at this rather large church, packed with people sitting in the pews and the aisles, all I could think about was the chaos that would ensue in the event of a fire or a terrorist attack. That’s a western mind for you! None of the Ugandans seemed to be worried about the overcrowding though. : ) This week I will be continuing to solidify plans for the Park Avenue short-term team that will be arriving next Tuesday. I will also be traveling up to Gulu on Wednesday and returning to Kampala on Sunday. I hear that everyone in Gulu is very ready to “receive” me, so it will be exciting and interesting to see the reception there.
Thank you for checking here for my updates! God has certainly blessed me with this opportunity to return to Uganda. Many Ugandans have expressed their surprise and delight at my return. I think many Westerners visit, but very few return. I am realizing that simply my presence here again speaks volumes to the Ugandans about my sincerity, love, and commitment to them. Thank you all for supporting me and helping to bring me back to Uganda.
Greeting from Kampala, Uganda! I arrived safely on Tuesday night with no problems or complications. The past few days have been filled with an abundance of hugs and smiles as I have joyfully reunited with all of my friends and coworkers, as well as the Hope Alive! students, here in Kampala.
Some noticeable changes have taken place in the past year since I left.Kampala has sprouted some new shops and buildings, as well as a sudden proliferation of police presence in the busy streets.The project also has changed in the past year with new staff members, a new office, and some new students.But despite the changes, in many ways it feels as though I never left.I am staying at “my” old house, and it looks the same.I was able to slip right back into navigating the crazy streets of Kampala (and driving on the left side).And when interacting with my friends and the Hope Alive! staff, our relationships feel just as familiar as when I was here last.All in all, I feel that I am back in a familiar and beloved place.
Since arriving, I have basically been reconnecting with students and their families as much as possible by visiting homes and schools, and spending time with the staff at the Hope Alive! office.On Saturday, the Kampala site had their weekly “Saturday Club” in which the students gather together for Bible lessons, activities, and food.My former karate students put on a special presentation for everyone in honor of my return.It was impressive!They demonstrated basic Isshinryu karate punches and kicks, and even put together
pre-choreographed “fights” to show how one would use their karate skills to defend themselves.
On Thursday night, I attended a movie showing at one of the major churches in downtown Kampala with some friends.It was a “welcome back to Uganda” experience as we took a crowded taxi downtown to the church amidst rush hour traffic.Then, we waited outside until the doors opened… at which time people thronged into the church trying to get a seat for the movie.(Not a good seat, just a seat.)Most of the people in our group (including myself) ended up sitting on the steps in the aisles of the church.We were in the balcony section.As I sat on the step and looked around at this rather large church, packed with people sitting in the pews and the aisles, all I could think about was the chaos that would ensue in the event of a fire or a terrorist attack.That’s a western mind for you!None of the Ugandans seemed to be worried about the overcrowding though.: )
This week I will be continuing to solidify plans for the Park Avenue short-term team that will be arriving next Tuesday.I will also be traveling up to Gulu on Wednesday and returning to Kampala on Sunday.I hear that everyone in Gulu is very ready to “receive” me, so it will be exciting and interesting to see the reception there.
Thank you for checking here for my updates!God has certainly blessed me with this opportunity to return to Uganda.Many Ugandans have expressed their surprise and delight at my return.I think many Westerners visit, but very few return.I am realizing that simply my presence here again speaks volumes to the Ugandans about my sincerity, love, and commitment to them.Thank you all for supporting me and helping to bring me back to Uganda.
The time has finally arrived for me to journey back to Uganda. I will be departing for Uganda on June 22nd and will return to Florida on July 28th.
Three members of Park Avenue Church will also be joining me from July 6th to July 21st. Pray for their safe travel and for their hearts to be prepared as they come to minister with Hope Alive!.
I will hopefully be keeping in touch through my blog while I am in Uganda, so check back here if you are interested in reading updates.
They were SO EXCITED just to come to the house and hang out with us. We made two batches of chocolate chip cookies. They were quite hilarious because they were so curious about all the things in our house. 
(Their homes are usually one or two rented rooms with very little furnishings and no running water inside.) They explored every crevice of the house and found everything quite fascinating. They also were excited to get to bathe in a real shower! I think that was actually their favorite part of the visit.
Afterwards, people slowly arrive at the reception site, but, as in America, the reception usually does not begin right away as everyone waits for the bride and groom to arrive. The wedding was beautiful and happy. 
We arrived at the church around noon and did not arrive back home from the reception until about 10 PM. However, most of the Hope Alive! staff and some of the students attended the wedding and reception, so it was very nice to be able to spend some fun times with them.
a special place in my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed once again in the beauty of northern Uganda and culture of the Acholi people.
