My precious Ashiraf and Olivia! I desperately miss them!

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” 2 Ch. 16:9

It is a bittersweet day for a few reasons. This morning Amy departed for Kampala before boarding her flight home tomorrow night. And then there were four. I didn’t prepare myself to be quite so emotional, but after we all said our goodbyes, I think it really began to sink in that this summer is drawing to a close. This time next week, I will be making my way north to London before touching down in Boston, and the next post I put up will be the final piece to this summer’s journey. As I spoke to my mom a few nights ago, she told me how changed I would be once I return. Since I began the search for a place to spend the summer, everyone says how much Africa will change you. I guess I will see once I resume my American lifestyle, but as of now, I am not sure how it will all affect me. The second day that Sarah and I were here, we both thought it was astounding how quickly we adjusted to our new surroundings. Now, here I am almost two months later, and I find it completely normal to wait on the herd of cows to finish passing before crossing the road or a chicken running through the house. While this aspect of Uganda may seem comical, it still seems shocking to me that I am not stunned by the clear display of utter poverty that surrounds me everyday. Amy and I discussed this last Sunday on our walk, and decided that we both came into this summer literally expecting anything. I’m still not quite sure if that will help or hurt my readjustment period once back home, but I know that the biggest change I have been able to see in myself is the way I see God at work everywhere. I pray that I will be able to continue to savor His observable presence no matter where life takes me. I apologize for the random stream of consciousness, so I will now give you all updates on my past week here at New Hope.

“Dancing round before the Lord of glory, we will dance Hosanna.”

This past Sunday, Amy, Jeffrey and I decided to attend the Namungodi Restoration Church, which Uncle Augustine, who manages micro finance with Kiahana and Sarah, attends with his family. It is only about fifteen minutes on a boda, and upon arrival, Uncle Augustine’s daughter, Becky, greeted us, and led us to the entrance of the tiny sanctuary. The structure of the church services that I’ve attended in my time here are somewhat different than what I’m used to. They each begin with a greeting, followed by several songs, which were lead this week by Aunt Becky, and then the first sermon. Uncle Augustine spoke first, and it was so endearing that either Becky or his other daughter Sarah would translate throughout the service. What an awesome way to minister as a family. After the first sermon, Aunt Becky had each of us stand up and introduce ourselves. It was comical because Amy said she was from “the States,” while I said “America” and Jeffrey said “the US.” Aunt Becky translated all of them in Luganda as USA. A few minutes later, Aunt Becky turned to us again and said she had a “surprise dance,” so naturally, we all thought she was going to dance. Just a side note, dancing is such a huge aspect of Ugandan church services, and I do not merely mean occasionally clapping while swaying. The dances that all of the youth choirs do could seriously be in a music video in America, but it is not offensive or disrespectful in any way in this culture. It’s actually quite the opposite. This is why is came as a shock when we realized that Aunt Becky actually meant that it was a surprise dance that we three were going to perform for the congregation. I’ve never been one to excel at improvisation, but as Amy, Jeffrey and I began to sway side-to-side to the music we gained confidence. Being raised in a Baptist church, dancing has never been a big part of our services, so it was quite an experience to throw off inhibitions and just dance for Jesus. After about 30 seconds, the congregation joined in clapping and shouting and before we knew it everyone was dancing. With each song, there seemed to be choreography, and as the three of us began to pick it up, I started to have so much fun. Though I must admit, there were times when I felt as though I were either in a Michael Jackson video or a tribal ritual, yet it’s simply a part of their worship service here. Once I started singing along, I couldn’t help but catch the contagious joy that everyone had. After two or three songs, I literally thought that I had just finished taebo. Everyone was sticky with sweat and the room was thick with the heat of the morning. After the three hour service had come to a close, and everyone came to greet us, Aunt Becky and Aunt Sarah offered us a soda before we headed back to Busia. On the way to their house to fetch the drinks, Aunt Becky very honestly told us, “Aunt Amy, Uncle Jeffrey and Aunt Hayley, you can really shake.” I nearly had a heart attack, but I must say that service is among my top favorite worship moments in my life.

Monday afternoon, Uncle Ken returned from Kaliro bearing about 30 stalks of sugar cane for the children. I was fascinated to see that it looked very similar to bamboo. The kids were astonished to find out that I had never tasted it before, so within a matter of seconds precious Barbara grabbed a machete and proceeded to strip the bark for me. She carefully sliced it into bite-sized pieces, and triumphantly set it before me. I was instructed not to swallow it, but instead chew it until all of the juice came out. I liken the process to eating and spitting out sunflower seeds, except sugar cane is obviously much sweeter. After Sarah, Amy and I had all been subjected to this lovely treat, I realized that all of the children strip the bark off with their teeth! It was so precious to see how willing the older kids were to help the little ones with their stalk. Naturally, I had to try this out. haha Olivia and Barbara instructed me to clamp onto a small strip and simply rip it down the stalk. After all of the bark is successfully peeled back, you reap the benefits of the softer, sweeter inside, which is composed of many fibers. I don’t know how my body is going to react to American sugar after tasting the wonders of natural sugar cane. Yet again, Africa has spoiled me.


“They’ll call me freedom just like a wavin’ flag.” ~K’naan

Yesterday, I, along with my P6 class, began the search for their performance music, and I was delightfully surprised how quickly they decided on two songs. Sierra and Ben, you will appreciate this. They chose “Wavin’ Flag” and “Oh Africa,” mainly because those were the only songs they recognized from my selection. I am so excited to see how they will enjoy their big moment next Monday. After establishing our soundtrack, we relocated outside to learn the second dance. It’s so adorable how enthusiastic they are to learn something new. Though they really have no concept of what cheerleading is, it warms my heart to see how much joy it brings them to have a break from their rigorous academic schedule. It will never cease to amaze me how interested the children are in learning anything that volunteers want to teach them. I have a renewed love for discovering the little joys in day-to-day life, which is exactly what these children do. I know that I have been the one ‘teaching’ math for the past two months, but I am blessed to say that I have learned more from my students than I could ever teach them.

“There’s only now, there’s only here. Begin to love or live in fear.” ~RENT

I wanted to do something special with each Olivia and Barbara in my final week here, and thankfully I came up with two unique projects. Last Friday, I asked if Olivia wanted to record the songs that we have worked on this summer on my computer, which I hope to turn into a DVD to send her later. I didn't realize what a buzz this would create amongst the rest of the New Hope children. Hardly any of them really took interest in Olivia's daily music lesson, until this past week. Anytime a new electronic is brought to the compound, a swarm of children follow. The first few days I began to get frustrated because they literally would sit on top of Olivia and me to better see themselves reflected in the screen. I understand that this new gadget is intriguing, but I wanted it to be a special time for Olivia. The third day, I realized that the time and attention that I give to the children is far more important than having a perfect video of all of the songs. The children crowding around did not bother Olivia, and I soon invited them to join in on the simpler songs in an effort to be more inclusive. Just knowing that they were somehow part of what Olivia was doing made a world of difference in their behavior. The children were more patient, and when I told them it was Olivia’s turn to sing alone, they waited until she was finished and eagerly anticipated watching the end result. As Beth Moore pointed in out in my study this week, “what fruit is produced when we agree to be teachable!” Patience truly is a virtue, and slowly but surely, God is whipping that aspect of my life into shape. I am so quick to get frustrated when things are not exactly working out, but this past week I have begun to see the beauty that comes out of being molded. I have truly seen many Galatians 6:9 harvests this summer as I continue to build relationships with these children.

Barbara has continued to work on the study guides that I make for her, and each day that she hands it back to me, there is a note from her at the top thanking me for the love I show her. I do not feel worthy of her kind words, but I know that God is using me to impact her life. Therefore, I asked her if she wanted to make special friendship bracelets with me on Monday afternoon. We went into the old resource center, and we carefully crafted beautiful matching bracelets in her favorite colors, pink, green, aqua and white. It was such a peaceful afternoon, and I learned that Barbara has a beautiful voice. As she was waiting for me to finish cutting the pieces of string, she quietly began singing. I cannot believe that I didn’t know before that she enjoyed singing! Although I didn’t recognize the song, it nearly brought me to tears because it was about seeking Christ when you no longer have your earthly family around. I am so pleased that I was able to spend such wonderful quality time with Barbara, and I pray that I will continue to love her as God demonstrates His love to me. Up until this Monday, I had started to anticipate going home because I would let all of my frustrations build up. Whether it was getting more than tired of being ‘hissed’ at, which is the equivalent to the American ‘cat-call,’ stared at, the power going off, and the list continues, yet again, God used the New Hope children to snap me out of my ill mood. As Amy and I talked about last week, we must pray for God to help us live in the moment instead of looking to the future and missing out on the last few days here. I don’t want to leave next Wednesday and wish that I had given more or served more faithfully. God has taught me to vent my frustrations to Him, alone, and His faithfulness will override them as I seek Him. This could not be truer, for He has consistently refocused my attention to where it needs to be, rather than complaining about what I wished would be. Praise be to our God, who is more merciful and patient that I will ever deserve.

Eight days until I am clinging to my family, and my dogs! Please pray that I will finish out strong in serving the Lord here in Uganda.

My prayer is that you all will faithfully serve the Lord where He has paced you this week. It is so amazing and refreshing to see what He can and will accomplish.

Love and miss you all.

"Freely You gave it all for us, surrendered Your life upon that cross. Great is the love poured out for all, this is our God" ~Hillsong

"Your grace beyond reason has paid for our freedom, we're made alive in You." ~Hillsong

July 2-13

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July! I know that it has been quite some time since my last post. The power has been out for the majority of the past week due to blown transformers in several areas of the country. We were without water for a little over a day, but praise be to God, it came back on a few nights ago. Bear with me as I embark on many tangents, but I have so much to tell you all. This was my first 4th outside the US, but I must say that it is one that I will remember for years to come. All of the volunteers went out to dinner and came back to make pancakes for desert. They were so delicious. After a rather comical conversation around the breakfast table, Kiahana and I realized that not many people were actually 'free' in 1776 in the sense that is celebrated today. This thought stayed with me throughout the day, and leave it to Beth Moore, my Bible study was tailored to freedom. Only this was a different form than the holiday celebrated each year in America. It focused on Moses' faith throughout the Israelites' slavery in Egypt and the keeping of the Passover. Oh, what sweet deliverance was given to the Israelites so long ago, and this was just a taste of what was to come. Christ is our sweet Passover lamb, who willingly served as the atonement for our sin. I will never look at independence, or rather dependence, the same. Our God is so symbolic, and I just love the fact that this lesson happened to fall on the fourth of July. I am not only so very blessed to be an American, but more importantly, a child of the One who was the fulfillment of the Passover. I believe that the band Starfield puts it best. "This is my declaration (of dependence), more of you, oh God, and less of me” I hope you can draw a few parallels of your own as you reminisce on the great freedoms we are afforded as Americans, and better yet, all of the freedoms that come from God's great mercy.

This past weekend, Sarah and Kiahana left for Jinja to visit the Jewish tribe that lives there. Jeffrey also joined the rest of his UNC interns in Jinja, where they rafted the Nile, while he rode a four-wheeler alongside. Amy and I decided to stay in Busia, and it turned out to be such a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. On Saturday morning, the two of us decided to make pancakes and scrambled eggs for everyone. Amy knows how to make pancake batter from scratch, so while she was busy mixing away, I cracked the eggs. It’s so interesting how normal it seems to me to cook everything outdoors with chickens strutting around my feet. It was extremely fun! Everyone, except for Amy and I, likes their eggs barely brown, so they thought that Amy and I were crazy for all but burning our eggs. Uncle Ken’s two sons, Jordan and Elijah, go to school near their grandmother’s home about an hour away, and they periodically visit on the weekends. They arrived on Friday evening, and it was so hilarious to see how they approached the pancakes on their plates. We cut them into bite-sized pieces and sprinkled sugar and pieces of bananas on top. The closest thing to pancakes in Uganda is chapatti, so naturally the older Elijah now calls pancakes, the “chapatti of the US.” It was very interesting to see how everyone ate all of their eggs and bananas before they ventured to taste the pancakes. I guess I’m not the only picky eater. haha Once they tasted them, they were definitely a hit though. On days when the sun is out, Amy and I will lay out for a spell after lunch, which is such a common activity in my mind. Everyone around the house and the children that visit Uncle Ken’s house can find no good reason why anyone would want to ‘sleep in the sun.’ On several occasions, we have been asked if we are sick, and my favorite response from Irene was “I will pray for you.” They honestly have no idea why we would want our skin to be darker. It’s so interesting to see how small a thing such as skin color can differentiate amongst cultures. On Saturday night, I took Happy Feet over for the children at New Hope to watch after dinner. I often wonder how much of the language they pick up on from the movies that volunteers show them, because they always laugh at the most interesting parts. The day after they watch a movie, Olivia and several of the other girls will reiterate their favorite parts. It is so hilarious to see how they interpret the movies, but I am overjoyed that they truly light up when they are recounting a storyline. Sunday afternoon, Amy and I decided to explore one of the side roads near the orphanage, and ended up going on a two-hour excursion through some of the most beautiful Ugandan countryside that I have seen yet. We came upon the secondary school that the New Hope children attend after P7, barely escaped death by a herd of cows and almost forgot the way home because all of the dirt roads started to look the same. It was an amazing walk though, as we reflected on all that God had been doing over the past few weeks and discussed C.S. Lewis, Beth Moore and Francine Rivers. I am chopping at the bit to be able to read “Redeeming Love” and “Captivating” when I return home. I truly thank God for allowing all of us volunteers to get along so well. I have learned so much from all of them, and am already dreading the next two weeks where we will all have to say our goodbyes.

I must admit that I am becoming spoiled. This past Thursday, Amy and I discovered that a pineapple is only 1000 shillings, which is the equivalent of about 40¢. This is the same price as one apple here, so you can imagine our excitement! Since then, we have purchased one everyday for dinner. Thus far in my twenty years, I have never tasted such a fresh fruit, and it's so much fun to cut. My favorite part is the slice from the bottom, because it’s the juiciest in my opinion. I will greatly miss this treat when I go home, because let's face it, pineapples don't fare too well growing in Belmont. :) On Monday evening, Uncle Ken and Aunt Susan returned from visiting their daughter in Jinja, and brought a truckload of pineapples, bananas, maize, mangoes, rice and jackfruit for New Hope. It was as if it were Christmas morning to see the look of excitement on all of the children’s faces. Jackfruit is perhaps the largest fruit that I’ve ever seen. It’s slightly larger than a watermelon, and has the consistency of a slimy wax. I finally overcame my fear of the texture and tasted a piece at dinner that night, and I must say the flavor is absolutely divine. Jackfruit tastes like a cross between strawberry-kiwi and a citrus fruit, although it’s not tangy or bitter whatsoever. It would make a wonderful juice, except for the fact that it has no juice at all. I wish I could bring one back to everyone, but I don’t think the airport would appreciate that. It’s quite interesting to see how my cravings for food have changed since I’ve been here. My first few weeks, I wanted Coke and Snickers terribly, and now I’ve gotten into the habit of eating an apple for both lunch and dinner, devouring peanut butter and of course my pineapple.

“How can I keep from singing Your praise?” ~Chris Tomlin

Yesterday was a great day. As I went to have my music lesson with Olivia, she informed me that Uncle Mark wanted to learn the songs that she has learned too. Uncle Mark is the one who investigates a child's living condition when they are being considered to live at New Hope, and he is so good with the kids. After Olivia had to return to class, we spent the next half hour singing “Shout Unto God” and “The Same Power” by Hillsong. It was actually precious, because he said he had always wanted to learn how to sing. Later that afternoon, Olivia and I reconvened, and soon after Uncle Mark joined. He handed me a notebook and asked if I would be wiling to write down the lyrics to the songs we had worked o, as well as the artist. He said that he hopes to sing in church one day. I think this definitely put into perspective just how blessed I am to have gown up with such a strong presence of music around me. From playing the piano with Grandpa guiding my fingers, to singing in various choirs and in church, I have always had music. I hope that I never take for granted just how precious a gift it has been to have such incredible teachers throughout my life. I pray that I will be able to adequately serve Olivia and Uncle Mark over the next two weeks, and help them as much as possible in their endeavors to learn ‘music.’

During my math lesson with P6 yesterday afternoon, I had an epiphany. I have been teaching them about one cheer a week since I have been here, and they eat it up. It is so refreshing to see them take a break from their rigorous academic schedule to have fun. I have them for two hours straight yesterday, which I think it way too long for a 12-year old, let alone me, to pay attention. I made a pact with them that if they wanted to, the Monday before I leave they could have a performance of all of the cheers they have learned. An eruption of excitement broke out among all of them as I lead them outside for fresh air. Last week, I promised to teach them a dance, so I taught them one of my short sideline basketball dances. I think I could have literally just stood there and clapped my hands for 4 eight counts and they would have been satisfied, because I have never seen a group of students so eager to learn a dance before. I had taken them behind the pig house at the far end of the orphanage so we wouldn’t distract any of the other classes. My efforts were in vain, because soon there were little heads that kept poking around the corners to see what P6 was learning. They convinced me to take our lesson into the old resource center, in hopes of keeping this a secret. I cannot wait to give you all a full synopsis of their performance in a week and a half.

I now have an update on the sewing course. After deciding to just wait on Uncle Ken to return to bring up the sewing course, because he spends most of the week doing advocacy work promoting children's safety in Kaliro, I received a response about the supplies yesterday. Uncle Ken requested funds for the various supplies, and was turned down for the time being. I know that if it were meant for me to teach sewing, then it would work out. I believe that this may actually be an answered prayer though, because most of the women could not speak English. In my final two weeks here at New Hope, I am going to draft up specific directions for operating the machines and create a few simple projects that a beginner can easily pick up on. After I make sure that the directions are easy to understand, I am going to have one of the adults on staff here translate it into Luganda. This way, whenever the supplies are made available, they will have directions in their native tongue that the women can easily access. Please pray that the women who applied for the course will not be too disappointed that they were not able to begin as soon as we all had hoped. I am leaving it in God’s hands, and going to do my absolute best to come up with lessons that will hopefully equip the women with the basics skills that will bring in more income.

“I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.” ~Psalm 77:11

I am ecstatic about this week in my Bible study. I have timed it so that my last study will be my last night here, and oh, how God is using each week’s topic to pertain to my daily life. This week’s study is entitled “Believing God Has Been There All Along,” and it focuses on remembering God’s presence in your life from birth instead of dwelling on painful and destructive memories. I must admit that I am approaching it as putting unto paper my safari, which you will remember is Swahili for ‘journey,’ with God thus far in my life. Beth has structured it so that each day’s Faith Journal section will focus on a certain fifth of your life. The first day was naturally the first fifth, in my case from birth to four years old, and she had me describe my spiritual heritage and how God used my extended family to influence my beliefs. It seems like one would obviously remember how, as a toddler, your family influenced many of your behaviors, but by the end of my Faith Journal I was in tears. It was incredible to recount how God placed such wonderful grandparents in my life to mold and shape my climate of faith. I cannot remember a time when Grandpa, Grandma or Mawmaw weren’t praying with me, for me or engraining me with Christian values. I am so incredibly blessed to have had a stable support system from birth. I cannot wait to continue down this safari and recount all of the Godstops along the way. Back to God’s impeccable timing, this past Saturday, Barbara handed me a letter. This is very typical to receive from New Hope children, but this letter was quite different than the rest. She is honestly one of my best math students in P6, but she wrote me asking if I could explain how she could “know math like I do.” I wrote her back saying that I could make her study guides for each day, and her response completely astounded me. She said she would love study guides, but she went on to say how I have helped her forget the death of her father. Later that day, I received yet another letter from Barbara, only this time it wasn’t addressed to me, but my family. She asked me to give it to them upon my return, and it explains her story and how she ended up at New Hope. I did not expect this whatsoever, because it’s not very often that the children volunteer information about their traumatic experiences. She has faithfully been doing the study guides, and she seems so full of joy now that she has opened up to me. I pray that I will be able to love her as Christ would have me to, and point her to Him. I hope to be able to share with her scriptures from my Bible study this week, so she will be able to recall Godstops in her past. He is always faithful, and I just pray that she will be able to feel His presence in her daily life. Please pray that I will be able to be a beacon of light to Barbara over the next two weeks, and that she will grow closer in her walk with Christ. These children never cease to amaze me. I do believe that I’m going to hold American children to the New Hope standard when I return because they are simply extraordinary from their manners to their selflessness. I will never forget them as long as I am still alive.

I cannot wait to see all of you! You are in my prayers! May you reflect God's faithfulness in your life this week! You will be astounded as the Holy Spirit reveals memories to you.

Love and miss you!

"Above all the earth, Thou art exalted!"

I truly cannot believe that the month of June has passed by so quickly. This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to go on safari with Sarah, Jeffrey and five of the other Chapel Hill volunteers from other organizations. I have so much to say, but am not quite sure what to delve into first. I want to thank those of you who are patient with me and take the time to read all of my wandering thoughts and endless details of this trip. It means so much to actually have an audience that is willing to take the time and effort to read what I have to say. On Friday morning, we set out for the matatu park in Busia. It actually filled up quickly, and before I knew it, I was on the way to Kampala, which is the capital of Uganda. Around 2 pm, we arrived at the Logago stop, where we ate the most American food that I have had in quite some time. I ordered a cheese pizza, and it was quite interesting. Instead of the traditional tomato sauce that I am used to, there was hot sauce under a layer of cheese and onion. The crust was phenomenal though! From here, it was a short ride on a boda boda to the Red Chilli Hideaway, which is the campsite that we booked the safari through. Upon entering through the gates, I was somewhat surprised to see a random assortment of ‘muzungus,’ with accents ranging from British to Australian. A large mass of tan and black fur lay heaped in the floor of the lobby, which I discovered was actually an extremely overweight dingo-looking dog. He was quite friendly. A black and white three-legged cat also accompanied the dog in the lobby. I was quite content to be around familiar animals once again. After checking in, we were guided to a dorm with 9 sets of bunk beds, and all of which shared one bathroom. It reminded me of the camp buildings in movies. Several tents were scattered around the campground, as well as many luscious fruit trees, including banana and mango trees. It felt as though I had just walked into the jungle that Timon and Pumbaa live in. As Sarah and I were waiting for the other volunteers to arrive, we discovered a family of tiny monkeys living behind our dorm. There were ten or so, and they were so social. I am sure they are used to having many people, accompanied by their cameras, crowded around them, because they seemed to pose for us.

Safari: Swahili for “Journey”

I have had what I will go so far as to call a small obsession with animals for as long as I can remember. My mom can attest to this claim, as she witnessed on numerous occasions my costumes and animal behavior as a small child. Needless to say, I was quite enthusiastic to be embarking on a real life safari in the grasslands of Africa. Early Saturday morning, the eight of us boarded our very own safari van and left Kampala for Murchison Falls National Park, which is approximately four hours Northeast of Kampala. After stopping for lunch, which I must take a moment to say that a playlist of Beyonce was airing on Uganda’s version of MTV at the restaurant that we stopped at. Even half a world away, I can’t seem to escape just how influential American culture is on the rest of the world. Whether or not I think that is a good thing, I will not dive into at this time. As soon as we turned off of the main road into the gates of the National Park, the atmosphere seemed to change instantaneously. There was nothing but thick forest on either side of the dirt path, with no sign of mud huts or children screaming ‘muzungu!” After a few minutes of driving, our van halted as a family of baboons was perched in the center of the path. I could not believe that they were even real. They took their time to clear the path as we began to move again, but at that moment, I began to feel as if I were truly on a safari, and this wasn’t even our game drive! J Over the course of the next hour, we continued to drive deeper and deeper into the brush and see countless baboons peering into the windows as we passed. Finally, we arrived at the Red Chilli Rest Camp, which I would call home for the next 48 hours. There was literally a large tiki hut, under which the kitchen was located with several tables and chairs surrounding it. Four warthogs were lying under the shade of the hut as we walked towards it! Pumbaa! It was quite surreal to say the least. After a quick orientation, in which one of the “Red Hot” employees informed us to keep all food in the kitchen for the warthogs and hippos would most definitely destroy our tent to get to any scraps during the night. As if that shouldn’t scare us, the brochure for the safari actually states that if you see a hippo coming towards your tent, do not call the emergency number for there is nothing they can do… Exciting? I think so! Haha It was mid afternoon by the time we all settled into our tents, so I had plenty of time to reflect on the breathtaking scenery before my eyes. Directly in front of the tiki hut, there are several chairs facing a horizon of the entire park with the Nile River bisecting it. I sat staring out into what reminded me of the Pridelands in the Lion King for the next few hours and journaling just how fabulous God’s creation truly is.

At 6:30 the next morning, we embarked on our game drive. After boarding a ferry to get to the grasslands on the other side of the Nile, I had the unforgettable experience to see the sunrise over the Nile with hippos in the near distance wading in the swallow water’s edge. It was difficult to believe that this wasn’t a dream. Soon, our driver lifted the top of our van in order for us to experience a 360-degree view of the grasslands, and my mind began to play the instrumental music of “The Circle of Life”. I’m sorry to keep referencing Disney, but it’s the only thing that I have to compare, because truly for the next three hours, it was as if I had a behind the scenes look at a live taping of the real Lion King. Although, I did not actually see any big cats, I was enthralled at the stunning scenery of Ugandan Cobb, Waterbuck, water buffalo, warthogs, hippos and even giraffes grazing in the heat of the morning sun. We took a stretch break half way through the drive at the edge of a watering hole. Several groups of hippos were snorting and splashing around. It was so interesting to me that they spew water as if they were whales. Though our group was only about five yards from these massive animals, surprisingly I was not afraid. Hippos only charge if they feel threatened. I was so busy taking in the scenery that I did not take too many pictures. Of all the unforgettable moments on the safari, the giraffes were definitely my favorite part. One giraffe was standing directly in our path as we pulled up, as if to aid us in snapping the closest possible picture of the elegant animal. It is simply incredible how graceful they were despite their staggering height. Their necks were so supple, and they all seemed to be very family oriented. My pictures will never be able to accurately portray all that I took in during those few short hours. As we neared the end of our drive and were about to once again board the ferry, I was blessed to be able to see a herd of elephants coming to take a water break about 50 yards down the bank of the Nile. Absolutely incredible!

That afternoon, I got go take a boat cruise on the Nile towards Murchison Falls. There was lightning in the distance as we boarded our metal boat… Safe? Probably not, despite the assurance from our driver that is was perfectly safe. Oh Africa haha. As the rain gently began to create ripples in this ‘mighty river,’ I could almost reach out my hand and touch the various hippos that gave our group strange looks as we drifted past. I must admit that the first Nile crocodile that our guide pointed out on the nearest bank made me have a flashback to the few episodes of “Swamp People” that I have seen. I know that gators are somewhat different from these terrifying animals, but I could not help but imagine the Louisiana hunters with their thick accents having a field day on the Nile. Oh, reality television, how would we all procrastinate without you? haha I learned that if you see a lone water buffalo on the banks of the river, it has probably been forced to leave the rest of the group due to its old age. I can officially say that I have witnessed the circle of life, in all of its wonder and harshness. The halfway point of our cruise was the waterfall. I must note that Ernest Hemingway took an air tour of Murchison falls, and his plane actually crashed twice during the course of his visit. It’s so interesting to think of all of the history that this river has witnessed. To prevent us all from getting drenched by the mist off of the waterfall, our boat coasted to a stop at a nearby island of rock about a quarter of a mile from the bottom of the falls. It was a stunning sight, as I scrambled a top the nearest rock to get a better view. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, taking in God’s creation in all of its splendor. As we headed back to the dock, we spotted a lone elephant drinking from the river! Our guide was gracious enough to spend a few extra minutes allowing us to take in the magnificent animal. I was informed that many bull elephants will take their water break alone to defend a certain part of their territory. Oh, “how wonderful, how marvelous and my soul shall ever sing!” I cannot state it more eloquently.

“If I were to look for you, what would I find?” ~Taylor Hogan

Monday was my last day in Marchison Falls National Park, and oh, what an experience I had in my final hours. After packing all of my belongings, our van left for a hike to the top of the falls. We were dropped off by our driver at the top of a hill with an incredible overhead view of Murchison Falls. I wasn’t exactly sure how close we would actually be able to get to the rushing water, so I took many pictures right away. After a few minutes, a tour guide who proceeded to take us on a short hike directly to the source of the falls met my group. I have never been quite so terrified, yet awestruck at the same time by such a sight. The churning river is forced into a narrow passage before exploding into a magnificent waterfall to join the river below. We were close enough to feel the mist billowing off of the water. I took several videos in my attempt to capture a few moments of what was such an incredible experience. As we continued along the path adjacent to the falls, I looked back to be met with one of the most beautiful rainbows that I have ever witnessed. What an amazing way to conclude a fabulous weekend. After spending half an hour being captivated by the sheer beauty of this place, we headed back to Kampala.

I must give you all an update on Joe. The night before I left for the trip, I received the wonderful news that Joe would be returning to New Hope. His father is not able to adequately care for him, so he would be bringing him back at some point during the weekend. Although, it saddened me that his parents had to give him up, I thought that this was an answered prayer for Joe to come back to New Hope. After returning to New Hope on Tuesday night and discovering that Joe had not yet returned, I received yet more news concerning the matter. Sometimes God uses what seems to be the most heartbreaking of circumstances to reveal His sovereignty in the mightiest way. Joe will not be coming back, but this is good news. Although I truly believe that New Hope is such a wonderful, Christian environment for children to grow up in, it is not the ideal situation. By the grace of God Almighty, it turns out that Joe has an aunt, who is an accountant, in a nearby village whom has opened up her home to raise Joe. She has a housekeeper that will care for Joe while she is at work, and she has two small children of her own. Everyone at New Hope has been assured that this is the best possible situation for Joe to find himself in, and I must say that I agree. This does not mean that I will not miss his beautiful smile, but it’s so refreshing to have such a praise report to tell you all.

“You will never have anything more contagious than your joy” ~Beth Moore

It is with great pleasure that I get to give updates to you all about my Bible study because I truly receive a fresh word each and every time I open my Bible lately. My efforts to explain all that God is teaching me through this study simply do not do it justice. I will give my best attempt though. Last night, I was reading about God’s covenant with Noah. Of course I immediately drew a parallel to my adventure with God’s great animals only a few short days ago, but as I continued the study, Beth Moore drew her own. She was actually on a safari in Africa when she wrote this day of Bible study! I cannot even begin to describe the chills I got just thinking about how perfect God’s timing is and always has been. Beth wrote this study in 2004, and now seven years later, God is using her experiences to coincide completely with mine. Oh, the elation is indescribable! Then I thought back to the rainbow at Murchison Falls, and was overwhelmed how closely God was relating this study to my life. This weekend I listened to two more clips of Beth Moore. The first was while I was riding to Murchison on Saturday, I listened a clip from “Breaking Free Revised Edition,” in which she spoke about 1 John 4 and God’s love. The second was on the way back to Kampala on Monday, and it was about joy. I honestly have not yet been able to get through one of these clips without tears flooding my eyes. In the first clip, Beth described a sunset that was completely overwhelming on her way home, and she could hardly contain her joy when she realized that it was directly over her neighborhood. I understand her feeling exactly, because that’s how God has been in my life over the past week. I cannot escape His love, and why would I want to? Then Beth described how she cried out to God “why are You so nice to me after where I’ve been in… my life?” and the response was “don’t you tell Me you love me, say ‘I love You too.” For God is “the initiator and the only reason [we] can love [Him] is because [He loves us].” I cannot explain why this touched me so deeply, but yesterday, I brought this back to mind and it kept me from giving into the enemy’s desire to steal my joy. The second clip was from “Stepping Up,” and Beth spoke about how contagious one’s joy truly is. When you see someone filled with joy that only comes from God Himself, you cannot help but want to join in. Oh goodness, I can hardly type fast enough to tell you about it.

Yesterday was my first day seeing the kids after five days away. I must say that I missed them more than I thought I would. They welcomed me with open arms at 7:15 in the morning, as class was about to begin. I’m not sure if they were simply happy to see me or what, but that was the best class that I have had yet. We ended class with a new cheer, just like every week, and I walked back to Uncle Ken’s house in the best mood. During the morning break, I went to sing with Olivia and went back to the house. The power was off when we came back on Tuesday evening and remained off all day yesterday. My computer was dead, as was my iPod, and I decided to just journal instead. About this time, I started to give into my petty complaints. I don’t know why, but my mood quickly downward spiraled. I started worrying about how I was going to get to the airport at the end of July and everything else I could possibly worry about. I knew that if I continued to meditate on these negative things, I would only get overwhelmed about things that I can do nothing about today. After talking to my mom, I felt much better, and I wrote everything down in my journal. All of a sudden, I was reminded of Beth’s words from the Breaking Free study, and from that point on, I began to see God everywhere. I hung out with the kids before dinner, and then wrote down more lyrics for Olivia’s song collection. After being reminded that “God is love” and He cannot be anything less, my outlook on the day was completely rejuvenated. From then on, my joy has gone through the roof. I started off the day reading Romans 4, which describes God’s covenant with Abraham and how through our faith, we are covered as well. All day today, from the children’s beaming smiles to the sunshine, I have been constantly reminded of how good my God is. I know I just used a lot of words to say a little bit, but I am merely trying to expound upon the truth that God’s love surrounds each and every one of us.

I pray that you all will know how deeply God truly loves you and that your joy will be contagious!!

I love and miss you all!