With Open Hands

So it’s been almost 2 weeks since I left for Uganda. It seems like it has flown by already! I figured I’d try to update yall on what we have been up to since we’ve been here.

We’ve been staying at Pastor Michael’s house since we got here. They have been the best hosts I could ever ask for … always so willing to answer any questions and helping us settle into life in Uganda. I keep on joking I feel like all we do is eat. And eat a lot, I can’t ever finish all my food and they keep telling me to eat more. But let’s be honest … you’ve got to ease into a diet of rice and beans!

All last week we were preparing to take the scholarship students back to school. We met with them at Agape Children’s Village and got their lists of school requirements and talked to them about the scholarship program and how they were adjusting in their schools. Lillian (Pastor Michael’s daughter, my roommate, and also the Scholarship Coordinator) went out and bought all the necessary school materials and we put them all in bags with the student’s names on them. We had a little assembly line going in the living room at the Okwakol’s house! Each of them received deodorant, toothbrush/toothpaste, a tub of Vaseline, toilet paper, 3 bars of bathing soap, several bars of washing soap, pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, shoe polish, socks, etc. They also each took a jerry can, some toilet paper, and a broom to be used at the school.

On Sunday we woke up early, finished up some last minute school supply packing and loaded all the bags into the van, loaded our suitcases into the van and headed to church. About halfway through church we had to leave to head to Agape to pick everyone up and take them to school. When we got there all the students began running to the bus with their belongings, their mattresses, etc. We had a quick lunch and in true Uganda fashion left about 4 hours later in a bus packed to absolute maximum capacity with just enough room for everyone to sit.

We drove for I don’t know how long and dropped some of the kids at Bishops where they go to school then continued driving down the bumpy bumpy dirt road until we reached Rena College where the rest of the students were being dropped off. It was pitch dark at this point so we unloaded the bus and helped everyone take their stuff to the dormitories. I don’t know what I was expecting but what I saw sure wasn’t it. It was a huge building split into two different sides. I think one for the older student’s one for the younger students. Each side was filled with three bunk-bunk beds. It just wasn’t homey or comfortable looking at all.

Saying goodbye was harder than I thought it would be. I hadn’t spent much time in Agape Children’s Village. Just the few days we went throughout the week preparing to take the kids to school. But as soon as you meet these kids and began talking to them and learning about them an automatic connection is there and you fall in love with them. So I definitely had tears in my eyes when we were leaving.

After we left the school we drove back to a hotel in Iganda where we (Lilly, Josh, Jason, and I) stayed the night. What an entertaining night! We got there about 10ish that night and had to each get single rooms so we could all be on the same floor. Jason was joking that it was like we were each staying in our own prison cells. We went down had some dinner and just hung out and talked for a while before heading to bed. The next morning (Monday) Pastor Michael, Mama Cossy, Hannington, Mama Florence, and her two daughters met us and we travelled around a little bit. We drove and dropped off various things in different places.

On Tuesday we drove to a village called Apach to visit New Hope Christian Academy. This is a new school that Pastor Michael is helping to start up. It is still in the very early stages, about 115 students meeting in 3 little mud hut classrooms. A brick school building is in the process of being built but is currently at a standstill because more funding is needed to complete the project. When we got there the kids were in their classrooms listening to their teachers. Of course once we arrived attention was lost and a bell was rung and some came out to see what we were doing. After a quick “tour” of the school and meeting those that were in charge we got a chance to hang out with the children. We handed out friendship bracelets and took pictures of the kids. They absolutely love seeing pictures of themselves. We also provided lunch and water for the kids. On a normal day the children bring lunch from home and those that don’t have any food don’t eat.

After our visit we sped off to catch the last ferry before it left. Just envision … being in a hurry, bumpy, pot-holey, one lane for cars going both ways, swampy, dirt roads right after a HUGE downpour. Praise God we made it just as the ferry was getting ready to leave. Props to Hannington our driver who navigates those dirt roads like a champion! We did almost leave Josh though … he was in the bathroom as the ferry was pulling away … he had to run but he made it J No worries Mama Keravouri I made sure everyone was aware he wasn’t on that ferry! So we crossed the Nile River on a ferry … not the kind of ferry I’m used to but it did the job just fine and we drove back to the Okwakol’s house … Oh only about 4 more hours away! I have to say though … as crazy as the drivers are here and as rough a ride it can be on Ugandan roads I thoroughly enjoyed travelling and getting to see parts of Uganda I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to see.

I can’t begin to tell you how blessed I am to be travelling with the guys I am with and to be staying with the Okwakols! They keep me laughing all day every day and I am so grateful to be back in Uganda!

Now were just working on getting all the scholarship students stories typed up (I just finished a couple hours ago) and getting all their school records and information put into binders for each child. And I just finished doing my laundry … which is just as hard as I remember it. Except this time I had a washing machine to do the washing part. I just had to wring, rinse, wring again and hang. And now it’s about to rain … WONDERFUL!

Love Love Love you all and can’t thank you enough for all the prayers!! Next week we are headed to actually stay at Agape Children’s Village for a couple weeks. I’m very excited … I’ve had a chance to meet some of the kids while visiting and can’t wait to spend more time with them getting to know them and loving on them!

LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU J

I know this is long but if you want you can read more about what we’ve been doing and see more pictures on the Embrace Uganda blog. Some things should be posted there as well … www.embraceuganda.org

Some pictures so far: