We are now halfway through this year's outreach. The past three weeks have flown by! And, honestly, I cannot believe all we have done.
Last week, we left Soroti town to go to the bush. The bush of Africa. It was like a dream come true and really, it was so much fun. We bucket showered under the African sky- the stars were way too gorgeous- we used the field as a toilet for peeing and we pooped in a pit. It was literally a pit. I had malaria for the whole time we were there and then a couple of days before that as well, but I could not let it get me down for long! Not when the whole world was out there calling my name. The village was beautiful and sunsets were beyond gorgeous. We went and did door to door evangelism and saw many come to Christ and others understand that God is not religion but relationship! We were stared at ALL the time and honestly it was a point of frustration. I did not like feeling like I was an attraction at the zoo or something. It was so much fun. And now we are back in Soroti town and will be having a party for all the full-time workers at the baby home. Pray that the time goes well and that they really do feel refreshed and loved. :)
We had arrived in Abeko. My first thought as I looked at the little grass hutted church was "home". Not in a negative way at all, but in a "I'm exhausted. I have malaria. And I want to sleep and not eat lunch or drink any mango juice" kind of way. There were already people crowding around the place and I really did just want to cry from the pain and exhaustion, but I knew I couldn't.
We had a quick lunch and I quietly crawled into the truck's backseat and fell asleep (wearing my hoodie in the African heat!). I woke up to children singing. The team had started the first day's program and had not wanted to wake me up. One of my co-leaders came outside of the church looking rather stressed. Uh oh.
"What's wrong?"
"It's a disaster," she cried. My first thought was to find someone who knew the culture. It surely could not be a disaster if we were doing what God had said to do. We found the youth pastor- God, help me remember his name! "Simon, what do you think of the program?" (There were three Simons- which I did not know at this point- but this happened to be one) "Oh, it is very good. I think they like it." I smiled at my friend. It was fine, we just did not understand the culture.
Last week, we left Soroti town to go to the bush. The bush of Africa. It was like a dream come true and really, it was so much fun. We bucket showered under the African sky- the stars were way too gorgeous- we used the field as a toilet for peeing and we pooped in a pit. It was literally a pit. I had malaria for the whole time we were there and then a couple of days before that as well, but I could not let it get me down for long! Not when the whole world was out there calling my name. The village was beautiful and sunsets were beyond gorgeous. We went and did door to door evangelism and saw many come to Christ and others understand that God is not religion but relationship! We were stared at ALL the time and honestly it was a point of frustration. I did not like feeling like I was an attraction at the zoo or something. It was so much fun. And now we are back in Soroti town and will be having a party for all the full-time workers at the baby home. Pray that the time goes well and that they really do feel refreshed and loved. :)
We had arrived in Abeko. My first thought as I looked at the little grass hutted church was "home". Not in a negative way at all, but in a "I'm exhausted. I have malaria. And I want to sleep and not eat lunch or drink any mango juice" kind of way. There were already people crowding around the place and I really did just want to cry from the pain and exhaustion, but I knew I couldn't.
We had a quick lunch and I quietly crawled into the truck's backseat and fell asleep (wearing my hoodie in the African heat!). I woke up to children singing. The team had started the first day's program and had not wanted to wake me up. One of my co-leaders came outside of the church looking rather stressed. Uh oh.
"What's wrong?"
"It's a disaster," she cried. My first thought was to find someone who knew the culture. It surely could not be a disaster if we were doing what God had said to do. We found the youth pastor- God, help me remember his name! "Simon, what do you think of the program?" (There were three Simons- which I did not know at this point- but this happened to be one) "Oh, it is very good. I think they like it." I smiled at my friend. It was fine, we just did not understand the culture.
