Blog 2

These videos wouldn't load on the last post, and I ran out of time. So, here you go. enjoy! The first two are of some of the other MSTs playing with the neighborhood kids. The last one is some of the kids in Zirowbe waving goodbye to us.

PRAISE THE LORD!
-Auntie Brooke

INTERNET!

Internet is finally working!! TIA ... This post will probably be pretty long because I'm going to try and update everyone on my whole week.

I feel like this week has been really busy. It would probably help if I could sleep through the night, but that has only happened one night, the night I wore earplugs. Every night the dogs battle, Friday always sweeps the driveway early, most of the time the roosters crow, and sometimes a baby cries for 30 minutes. Okay.. enough complaining.

Wednesday we went to Katalemwa, which is the home/hospital/school for disabled kids. This time I got to actually be in the classroom. The kids were precious. I wish we could take pictures so I could show y'all. I could really see myself working there one day. I'm not sure if they're aware of it, but they could really use a lot of help. It makes me really wish that I was like my brother and was really good at writing because places like Katalemwa are not places that I can describe. On our way home the road was under construction, so we had to take the backroads, and I got really motion sick. I had to stay back from the secondary schools, which was a bummer but there was no way I could get back on those bumpy roads.

Thursday on the way back from the Babies Home, our driver got pulled over because we had too many people in the car. I've heard that they get pulled over more than normal simply because we're Mzungus, and the police know we have money. Why does that matter you ask? Well, here you can usually pay them off. If you get a ticket, you have to pay 50,000 shillings, which is like 25 dollars, and you get your license taken away until you pay it. The other option, well sometimes, is to just pay them 25,000 shillings, which is like 15 dollars, so that's what we did. Poor Francis has had a really long week. It started with malaria and an eye infection. He didn't even take a day off with malaria. --- Another one of our drivers got pulled over too for having too many people. Well, the policewoman opened the side sliding door, and pulled on the one Ugandan and said, "Get out!" He just stared at her and just acted like he didn't understand her/didn't really care. Aggrey, the driver, just slowly drove away. haha. Their response was, "We don't really pay tickets here." Golly .. it would be an episode of cops if that happened in America.

We went to Sanyu Babies home this time, which is different from last time. It can hold like 50 children, and it's been around for 50 years. There were two twins there that were 3 months premature (pictures below). The nurses think that they are half Indian, which is why they were abandoned in the hospital. Here, dating an Indian is just unheard of. It's way different from black-white dating in America. There's a good chance that they are HIV positive too. It just breaks my heart .. gosh. The orphange really surprised me. They are very organized and well run. Any kid that can sit up on their own goes to "school," which is just another part of the orphanage. Here, babies are potty trained by age 2 at the latest. They start learning to brush their teeth right about when they get their first tooth. It's craaaazy! -- We went to Remand Home after, and gosh, I love that place. Watching those kids worship is phenomenal. It's not something that can be described in words. After worship, we usually split up in small groups, and hearing these kids' stories and the hope they have is so encouraging.

We have a lady staying with us that has been in Northern Uganda, where the war was a few months ago. There is a woman named Irene Gleeson. You should definitely google her, or try googling cinderella children. wow .. amazing story.

Friday we went back to Zirowbe. Some of us weeded the fields and slashed the grass while the rest of the people helped build them a squatty. A squatty is their version of a toilet, but it's just a big hole in the ground. We're going to build the walls the next time we go. This time we only got the slab done. I got to work in the "kitchen." We just set camp under a big tree and made a few fires to cook. It was sooo delicious! The people in the village were so appreciative, and some of them even took time away from their farming to help. We got to go to one house after lunch that had a 4 day old baby. wow .. I asked the mom how she was feeling because the Friday before she wasn't feeling well, and the dad said she was feeling better since she just had a baby. We looked around and no one saw the baby, so we were hesitant to ask. When we finally did, she pulled back like 5 blankets/pieces of cloth, and there he was! He was completely covered. We all got to hold him, and oh my gosh, he was so cute. I didn't have my camera, but some people did, so I just need to get their pictures. After that we played with the kids. A group of girls braided my whole head .. twice. Well, once fully and then just a few tiny braids the next time. They started by just playing with my ponytail holder, and when I took my hair down, they had so much fun! I think they giggled for a good 8 minutes. We are going back to that village for our "mission week" to bring them goats and build a house for those goats.

Kimpala explodes at night. It becomes soo roowwwddy! I learned that there is a bar right next to us .. literally a foot away from our driveway. No wonder I hear music late every night. I've never left the gated area late, so I never knew that.

(DISCLAIMER: Some of you may not want to read this paragraph because it does entail some details of what happens to your body when you’ve been in Africa). Today (Saturday) the team helped with a debate at a local school. When the dogs started barking at 4:30 this morning, I realized that I felt really really sick. I decided to stay back, and it was a goood thing. Let’s just say that there is nothing left inside of me, digested or just eaten. I will forever be so very, very thankful for running water when I am sick. It’s pretty rough throwing up and then having to go to the water source to fill a jerrican and then walk all the way back with it to dump the water in the toilet so that it will flush. I hate asking for help, so today has really challenged me. I tried getting out of bed to help with my new mosquito net (it’s a 4 corner net, so no more bites on my knees! Praise the Lord!), and I couldn’t even sit up. That was at the peak of my fever, so I’m sure that had a lot to do with it. So I had to ask for a lot of help, to say the least.. especially because my stuff was everywhere since this week was so crazy, so I couldnt tell anyone where anything was. God sure is teaching me a lot about asking for help here, which we all know is much needed.

Sunday: I woke up this morning and felt much better, but I’m still not 100%. I ate some peanut butter crackers that I found in my purse, and they didn’t feel great, but they’ve stayed down so far. I FINALLY got a shower... and yes, it’s been awhile. We didn’t have running water Friday night, and I was so exhausted that I just went to bed. Then, Saturday showering was definitely not a priority. I even got to wash my hair, which hasn’t happened since Tuesday. Yeah, gross, I know. Don’t judge me. It actually didn’t look that dirty. Jayan’s comment to me last night was, “We’re Ugandans. We can’t tell.” Haha. I was planning on washing it before now, but African water and viruses had other plans for me.

We are leaving for the safari tomorrow, so I won’t have internet access again for a few days. We get back Thursday afternoon at some point, if everything goes as planned. Pray for traveling mercies! I’ve heard it can be a rough drive.

So, today we washed the dishes in rain water that was collected from the roof. Actually, we washed them and then rinsed them in the rain water. “Welcome to Africa.”

One verse that Benon shared the other day that really stuck with me was Hebrews 12:7: " asdf" dThe kids here look up to us and look up to our faith. Is mine really something worth modeling after? That's the question I ask myself. In America, people watch me simply because I claim to be a Christian. What are they seeing? Should they really be modeling my faith?

Fun Facts:

- Ugandans do not sit cross legged. They sit with their legs to the side.

- It is really rude to talk to a Ugandan while they are eating.

- It is not normal for girls to play football/soccer here. So, when I told them that I wanted to play with them, they were shocked that a Mzungu girl knew how to play soccer and could actually keep up.

- When Ugandan girls fight, they start by taking off clothes because skirts are so easy to yank off. So, sketchy boys love to watch girls fight.

- Some moms put their babies on the sidewalks at night so that people will drop money for the child. The one that I saw wasn't even crying. He was just sitting there. gosh .. I was in shock.

Loran and a sweet, sweet boy from Zirowbe.

The kids waving goodbye to us. I'm so pumped to spend a whole week with them!
Some of the cute girls that braided my hair .. twice. The second time they only did a few. I think that the week I am there will be spent with my hair braided.
The yummy lunch they taught me how to cook. :)
Myself and Aisha at the Remand Home - one of my favorite places to go.
One of the twin boys at the babies home on Thursday.
One of the many kids that greets us in the driveway with the biggest smile when we get home.
Eddie and Brad! The little kids LOOVE Brad!
Two of the village kids. Their belly button is like that because they were probably delivered in the village, which means they just used wire.
Two of the girls I met when we were playing basketball.
we drew such a large crowd when we played basketball.

TIA

Sorry for not posting. I am alive and well .. well kind of. I have some nasty African virus, but I'm slowly getting better. I'm hoping by tomorrow I will be 100%. My stomach is still a little uneasy, and I'm really weak, but I can see progress. It's spreading throughout our team, so please be in prayer about that. I have been typing about our week on a word document, but I'm at an Internet cafe. Once we get internet back, I will make a really long post.

PRAISE THE LORD!
-Auntie Brooke

Thank God for TUESDAYS!

So, I just wanted to let you know that it's the first time I've been legitimately full from a meal. woooh! Praise the Lord! Sure, I was hungry an hour later, but at least I got to see what it feels like to be full.

This morning we went to a school called "Victory School" to do a program and to feed them porridge. It was in a little town named Benda. The porridge that the kids get is sometimes their only meal for the day. They were sooo thankful for something that most American kids would never even dream of eating, myself included. We had A LOT of fun doing the program with them too. There's a video at the bottom from this morning. Someone parked their boda boda behind our van so that when we left we would hit it. We barely tapped it, and they raised a huge hoorah. They didn't want any money .. just to cause trouble. Usually people would do it for money, and that is how they make their income.

After lunch we went to a secondary school to do a program. We usually stay about an hour because we have to catch them on lunch break, and that's the only bad part. After we are done, the kids give everyone a huge hug and laugh with us and tell us "thank you so much for coming!" The secondary school I went to is actually BHS. Their colors are also blue and white! How fun is that!

After that, we went to Kids in Need, which is a rehabilitation home for street boys. I LOOVED it there! The Ugandan guys have so much fun there .. kind of like at the Remand Home. There's a video at the bottom. I didn't capture the rowdiest of it either. The boys were so precious and were so thankful that we were there. The staff there always lets the neighborhood kids come and play when we are there, which is so fun. Roger told one of us his story. Both of his parents were killed in the war, so he went to live with his aunt and uncle. One night he decided to sleep at a friends (keep in mind, this is all out of his mouth, so facts could be missing, but maybe not), and when he got home, his uncle said that if he is man enough to sleep at a friends house, he needs to get out. So, he lived at the taxi station for awhile, and some of the taxi drivers told him about Kids in Need/Shalom, and he has been there ever since.

Fun Facts:

- The hygiene and sanitation here is waaaay different. Not washing your hair for 4 days is normal. People are actually shocked when I do wash my hair. Dishes that are "clean" here would never, ever be clean in America.

- Majority of the staff members here were and still are sponsored by Compassion International. The pictures you see of the little kids .. yeah, that was our leaders a few years ago.

Some of the kids at Kids in Need waving by to us. They usually chase our car out of the neighborhood.
This is Garfield. Please pray for him. He is about 8 years old, and he sneaks out at night to go to the clubs .. seriously. He also loves shiny things. He kept trying to take my rings off my hand. He also wanted me to give him my bracelets, watch, etc.
Watching the God's love skit.
At Victory this morning, the little kid put his hand in mine and just stared at it and rubbed it. It was the cutest thing. He never said anything to me .. just placed his hand in mine.
So .. most mannequins in America are really skinny, and that is "ideal." The mannequins here have big hips. Sure says a lot about the culture.
This was on the wall at one of the secondary schools.
This is at Benda, where Victory is located. This is part of the brewing process in Uganda.
This sewage was by the school too. It was probably the nastiest thing I have ever smelled.

I guess nose picking is universal. :)
Some of the precious kids at Victory.
So, I have a better picture of this, but downloading and arranging pictures is a pain on blogspot, so this one with the hand will have to do. It's Francis, one of our leaders, playing drums for the kids while a little girl "helps" him.
Isn't she beautiful? I think she is one of the kids that is waiting to be sponsored with Empower a Child. Speaking of, it's only $30 a day, and ALL of the money goes to the kids. It helps with school needs, medical needs, spiritual needs, and basic needs such as mosquito nets, blankets, etc.
Some of the porridge that we made for the kids.
Boiling the water before we made the porridge.
Yeah, this is the scaffolding that they use in Uganda. Thank God for safety codes!
You can't really see it, but that drain has a little drip of water coming out of it. That is their "clean water."
This is the primary school's kitchen.
This is just a little glimpse of what Benda looks like.

Videos of our day with the precious children.

Song Practice and Slums

This morning was a little slow, and I didn't sleep well, so let's just say it's a long morning. I decided to not sleep with earplugs last night, so the vicious dogs woke me up. This morning we had a planning meeting and then attempted to learn some songs. The ones that were Lugandan were pretty rough. Jonah laughed the whole time.

This afternoon about 5:00 we went to the slums. I will let the pictures tell the story. It just baffles me that I sleep under the same stars as the kids here and serve the same God. Their lives are so difficult. They walk miles for water and then carry the 8 pounds back when they weigh about 50 pounds themselves. Things are just so different .. Visiting the village and "the slums" is just one of those things that pictures don't do justice.

Verse of the week: Psalm 16:11 - " You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Fun Facts:

- The Ugandans LOOOVE Obama.

- The Ugandans we work with tried to sell us for 500 shillings, less than 25 cents. One guy told them no because he didn't think we could cook. haha

- The electricity went out for the first time tonight in the middle of writing this.

One of the girls had an LSU shirt that they donated. How fun is that!!
This is a framer for sure. All of God's little angels praying with us.

haha. This is Collin, one of the founders of Empower a Child. Don't worry. He doesn't normally wear women's clothing. :) He is probably one of my favorite people.. for real. I wish y'all could all be here to meet him!
The little girl would not let Molly go.
looove it!
They love to laugh!!
just a glimpse of their home.
another picture of their home.

Our reminder of how big and creative God is that we get to see every night.
This is Benon enjoying my hammock. Benon is one of the most joyful people that I know. He had malaria my first few days here, and I had no idea... MALARIA! He always has a smile on His face and always makes everyone feel so welcome and loved. I feel like there is so much I can learn from him. He is truly filled with the Holy Spirit.
This is very typical in Uganda. People herd their cattle across main roads regardless of how busy they are.
This picture starts the ones that I took from the slums.
They LOOOOVE their picture being taken! I think they love seeing it on the camera more. Think about it though, they never get to see themselves in the mirror.
Meet Vivian. :)
Their only source of income is these little "stoves."
gosh .. this just breaks my heart. "Lord, break my heart for what breaks Yours."
This little kid was scared of Mzungus. haha.

I have sooo many more pictures from today. I'll probably post a few more tomorrow, or I may just make a post of just pictures.

PRAISE THE LORD!

-Brooke

Yesu Ni Wangu

Our morning started with singing "Yesu Ni Wangu. Wauzima Wamilele" (Jesus is mine forever and always) right along with all the Africans. Church here is about two to two and a half hours long. It was pretty rough simply because I had a hard time understanding everything that was going on, and yes, it was in English. I realized that it is a time for lots and lots of community and church announcements. Think about how hard it is to make announcements about the community when most people don't have phones or TVs. Minus the length, it was about the same as church in America. I can't really tell you what I learned because I had a hard time following. :/ I did do some scripture memorizing during it though, which I feel was pretty productive.

This afternoon was spent relaxing and napping (with earplugs)! Between the road, the other MSTs, the chickens outside, and the little kids playing, earplugs are a necessity. Maybe now is a good time to learn not to be such a light sleeper. It's kind of like survival of the fittest .. my body will crash eventually even if it's really loud.

Tonight we went to the Cultural Center and had dinner and watched traditional Ugandan dancing. It was about 3 hours long, and they did dances from all over Uganda. Jonah, one of the Ugandans, sat by me and kept me updated on everything. While the girls and boys were changing clothes, the MC would crack jokes about Africa and wow .. they were even funny to Americans. Jonah decided that I was an African simply because I had big hips and a big butt .. hmm .. interesting? -- EAC is building a training center kind of close to the village of Zirowbe, and Jonah's vision is to have that kind of thing there to help raise funds.

My friend Stefanie and I decided last night that we were going to memorize a verse a week while we were here. I feel like that's more than practical. Any suggestions? Satan used scripture to tempt Jesus, and Jesus then used scripture to stand firm, so I need to make more of a conscious effort to do that. We did a time of verse sharing last night, and one of the ones that really hit home was, "For we cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:20) I think that's going to be the theme of my trip.

Fun Facts:

- Ugandans think that white and Asian kids are the cutest thing EVER! Jonah went crazy at how cute the little Asian kids were.

- The Ugandans get asked at least 3 times a week if we can be bought. (The other day a taxi driver asked Ivan if he was really rich because he had so many white girls in his taxi. (we use old taxis as our vans). When he said no, the taxi driver proceeded to try and convince Ivan to sell me).

Of course, we danced with the kids that were there. They were all soooo cute!
We went into town yesterday afternoon to just walk around the downtown area, and we took a taxi to get there. Every taxi driver was trying so hard to get us to ride in his taxi. They have a driver, and then they have a "conductor." The conductor just sticks his hand out the window waving if there is an open space. To catch a taxi, you just wave back, and they pull over wherever you are and then merge back into the "lane" without even glancing to see if anyone is coming. I guess it wouldn't matter because it wouldn't prevent them from merging anyway.
We went to this cafe in the city, and this was sitting on the table. How weird is that. Not only is it only from America, but it's from home sweet home LOUISIANA! Collin, one of the Ugandans, really likes fleur de lis.

These videos are just some of the ones that I recorded tonight. I have lots and lots more that I would love to show you!

Tomorrow is a day of planning. I don't do well in meetings, so that will be quite interesting.

PRAISE THE LORD!

-B