Sorry I haven’t been keeping up on the blogging lately. Been busy and trying to spend as much time with the kids as possible. We will be leaving Agape Children’s Village on Monday and heading off to Kaihura, the village I stayed in last summer. I am very excited and very eager to see the kids there again!!

Quick run down of what we’ve been up to the past few days …

Today (Friday) we walked to the Centre at 8:15, missed the taxi, waited an hour for the next one, packed like sardines in the taxi … literally at one point there was a man sitting in Josh’s lap, long legged Cooper was shoved in the back between sneezing/coughing children, I had one butt cheek on one seat and one on another seat which weren’t the same height, sideways hugging the man next to me. It was awkward! We kept stopping and would all pile out to let someone get off at their stop then pile back in and add a few more people. Picture this: 14 passenger UGANDAN van … key word here UGANDAN … not as spacious as an American van … 18 people and 5 chickens in a box.

Regardless, we arrived safely and began craft shopping. On Friday’s in Kampala they have a craft market … similar to the flea market at home I guess. All the vendors come out and set up tents and lay their stuff out. It’s really sort of neat because a lot of them are usually sitting at their tent actually making the crafts right there for you to see. It started raining so we took a break, waited out the rain at Lillian’s fiancé’s photography studio. Went out to another craft market, bought some more things then we met up with the Kinton’s for lunch. They are an American couple who have been to Uganda several times. Donnas runs an adoption agency called Amazing Grace, and has helped several couples in the US adopt children from Uganda. It was nice to meet with them … they have been on a trip with Embrace Uganda previously and are familiar with the villages where we work.

Traffic in Kampala is no joke! It is simply dead stopped at certain times of the day and as we were leaving to come back … it was that time of day! It’s fun to watch the street vendors walk up and down between the cars and the boda boda’s weaving in and out trying to sell all kinds of stuff. Usually they try and sell sunglasses, movies, maps of Uganda, little toy bicycles made out of wire, etc. We watched one lady negotiate over a bag of green peas for like 5 minutes while the man tried to convince her they were the best ones … she finally gave in and bought them. Another man tried to sell Cooper some sunglasses … he pretended to be blind and the man tried to convince him he needed the sunglasses anyway. Meanwhile, the 5 chickens mentioned previously are in their now breaking box in the back of the car. They start flying around, I start freaking out … it was fun!!! As I type this I swear I can still smell those chickens, the stench is stuck in my nose!

As soon as we got back to Agape, several kids came running out of the house next door telling us dinner is ready for us in House 1 and we need to go there immediately. We didn’t even know they were preparing dinner for us … we went as quickly as we could and had an amazing dinner. This past week we’ve been eating in each of the houses. The house Mama’s have been so good to us and have been feeding us the best food. We’ve had fried chicken, fried potatoes, rice, matooke, beans, chicken, posho, pork, chapatti, rolex (chapatti with eggs inside J) I’m sure I’m missing tons of stuff but I swear every time we finish eating they are already trying to feed us again.

Let’s see what else … we’ve been painting the inside of the church, Josh and Jason have been climbing trees picking “Jambula” ... I’ve no idea how to spell it but that’s what it sounds like. They look like a cross between olives and grapes and taste disgusting. But, everyone here LOVES them. I’ve tried them a couple times … must be an acquired taste!! We’ve also been picking mangos (or mongoes if your Ugandan) There is a boy here in House 4 named Julius who gives me a mango he picked every single night after dinner. I’m gonna miss that!! We’re going to have to find the mango trees in Kaihura!! I’ve been painting nails with all the kids … although I was just informed last night that they aren’t allowed to have their fingernails painted at school. I’m just hoping they plead that the muzungu made them do it so they don’t get caned!!! And we had a movie night the other night. Mark and Vicki have a projector so we hooked up the computer and showed the kids Happy Feet. We made popcorn and kids were sitting all over on the floor watching … it was a lot of fun and they seemed like they enjoyed it! Been playing lots of Uno, and helping one of the older girls Joyce string beads at night for some purses she is making.

We’ve just been busy loving the kids here and having fun with them, playing around, laughing, talking, teaching each other, and getting to know each other better. I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come to Agape and can’t believe we’ve already been in Uganda for a month. It’s like we’ve become part of these kids’ families and I don’t know how to say goodbye. I don’t want to leave!!

I hope you will all be praying for us and for the village as we leave. I think leaving is always hard for everyone, I know we don’t want to go, we’re going to miss these kids and Mama’s so much. And I know the kids aren’t ready for us to leave. We’ve had so much fun together and I know it makes them so happy and gives them hope when we’re here.

 It’s also malaria season … several of the kids have been sick with malaria. Bless their little hearts, they look so miserable. In fact, one little girl, Rita has had it twice since we’ve been here. She came and sat with me at church last Sunday just sweating and shivering with a fever, she slept through the whole service. Please pray for health and protection for all these children!

Sorry this was so long … again!

LOVE YOUUUUUU!

Painting the church ... with branches!

Playing Uno

Joyce preparing matooke

Julius

Josh chopping firewood

Picking mangos

Another one of those days where I just feel so blessed and happy to be here in Uganda with kids running all over the place and doing things the hard, yet simple way.

Woke up this morning … a little late … and had Jackie help me wash my clothes. I had been putting it off for a while so I had a whole lot to wash and knew it was going to take forever. Plus, I’m terrible at washing clothes by hand. I had to hire help and she was so gracious and willing to help me. We started with 2 basins and ended with 6!! They don’t like to waste water, so when the rinsing basin becomes too soapy you fill another basin, when that one becomes too soapy you pour it in the one before it and so on. And between all my clothes and hers we had a number of basins and a lot of wringing and rinsing, wringing and hanging. I have blisters … enough said!

About ¾ of the way through I was summoned to house 8. Christina came and told me I was needed immediately. I couldn’t even finish my rinsing duties. What for? FOOD. I was hungry though so I wasn’t about to pass it up … Ugandan tea and chapatti. Two of my favorite things J Then of course an impromptu “sermon” from “Pastah Coopa” with “Deacon Josh” reading the scripture … hahaha. I was impressed … look out; Cooper may be a preacher by the time we return to the States with Josh his praying wingman.

After my afternoon tea and chapatti, I finished helping with the washing and headed down to play some Uno with some kids. I forgot how much I loved this game … we played for like 2 hours. Ended up just being me, Josh, Jason, and Sam around the table getting pretty competitive. Can’t forget the home made potato chips from Mama Grace!! So good … I will be asking her to make some more of those!

We walked to Mama Grace and Eva’s new house … only about a 5 minute walk from Agape. This is where she stays during the holidays when the kids who do have living relatives leave to visit with them. We hung out for a little bit … I played ball with Gideon … Mama Grace’s grandson and we watched the end of Ice Age on TV. Please just picture a room full of adults laying on the floor laughing. Only in Uganda.

I promised Jackie I would let her look through my nail polish and paint her toes. So when we got back I brought it out. Immediately there were about 10 kids painting their nails. Boys and girls!! I swear tomorrow the principal at the school is probably going to come looking for me. I obviously brought all the nail polish to share but, my idea was to have a girls night … movie, popcorn, paint nails. That’s not quite how it turned out but everyone had fun anyhow!

Finished off the night with dinner at House 8 … delicious rice and beans. Sometimes that’s all you need! And they make it taste so good!! And a good couple rounds of Uno with my Uno buddies in House 2.

I’m going to bed tonight feeling so blessed to be here and so satisfied. I really appreciate days like today. I can’t explain it … but I love not being in the US, living my normal rush about everywhere sort of lifestyle. It’s so nice to take it easy and just enjoy the company around you and having fun all day long.

You know what else I love. The way in which people here praise God ALL DAY LONG and you can tell they really mean it. I am still in awe when I go to one of the houses for praise and worship with them before dinnertime. Even the youngest kids are sitting there with their eyes closed looking up to heaven PRAISING God for all he has done for them, is doing for them, and they trust will continue doing for them. There are three kids in particular that literally made me cry one night. Rita, Richard, and Gloria … they are all between 4-8 years old I think. They were singing a song about the Lord being their everything, providing for their every need and they were singing their hearts out … they were giving it absolutely ALL they had. I picture them in my head every time I pray and thank God for the things he has given me and blessed me with each and every day.

On Monday Mama Vickie and I went to Teacher Lawrence’s P2 Class and taught a story from the Bible. We taught from Luke 9:10-17 about the feeding of the five thousand. There were a few things Lawrence wanted us to focus on … in particular blessing and thanking God for the food you have before you, also the importance of sharing with one another, and trusting that God will provide for us even when we think it is impossible. 

The children who live in the houses here at Agape Children’s Village have House Mama’s who cook their meals for them and always make sure they are being fed, thanks to the help and support of those supporting ACV. But, the other children at the school who don’t stay here don’t always know when or where their next meal may come from. Because of this, there have been problems when lunch time comes around; there is always pushing and shoving and kids getting hurt to be the first in line.

We started out by having all the kids sit in a circle, which I’ve learned is an almost impossible task when there is a “muzungu” in the room J Haha. But it was a success and I began reading the verses from the Bible as Teacher Lawrence translated then Mama Vickie read and showed them an illustrated version of the story.

We brought bread and sardines to practice what we read. We cut pieces of bread into 5 “loaves” and cut two sardines into pieces and passed them around. Each child took one piece of each and there was even extra to spare.

At the end I was able to give out some crosses that a friend of my grandmother’s gave me. Her name is Mary Kelly and she makes these crosses and gives them to people going on mission trips to give out to those they meet and interact with. I thought this was a great time to give these crosses out so hopefully these kids will be able to look at the cross and remember the story from the Bible and hopefully share it with their friends and family who will be wondering where they received the cross.

                Short, sweet, and to the point!! Haha … figured I’d spare yall the extensive reading that my blogs tend to turn into. The three amigos are having an AMAZING time here at ACV being with the kids. I just got back from teaching the kids how to play Uno and go fish. It was a good night.

LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU ALL!! (Cravens, Crowders, and Webbs... if yall are reading this I've been thinking about you!! Wish yall could meet all the kids here and play with us)

I love days like today! We have been staying in Agape Children’s Village since Monday and it has been exactly what my heart needed. I have been waiting since the day I returned home from Africa last summer for this. The children shouting “muzungu” and all running to hug you and fighting to hold your hand, the praise and worship in the evening and the dance parties on porches at night, the non stop laughter. (for instance: as I type this Cooper is in the shower singing at the top of his lungs!!)

Today was the perfect day. I walked up to the school this morning … I’ve been wanting to go sit in and watch the “baby class” (age3-6 … God Bless Teacher Josephine!!) just to see how a typical day goes here. When I got up there, they were just getting ready to go for an hour break. 30 minutes to go play outside and 30 minutes to eat lunch … if you brought your cup for porridge that is! I asked her if I could come back at 11 when they would resume lessons. She asked me if I was ready to teach and lead part of the class … I probably looked at her like she was crazy but told her I would be back. I quickly ran back down to the house and asked Mama Vickie if she would come back up with me and help. She agreed and we taught the children to play duck duck goose, sang some fun songs (hokey pokey, telephone to Jesus, head shoulders knees and toes, Father Abraham, bubble gum song, Jesus loves me, etc). It was so fun to see the excitement on their faces and to hear them laughing and having a good time. It was also nice to take a burden off of Teacher Josephine; she is sick with malaria and was clearly not feeling well enough to teach all those children.

Next I headed down to Mama Grace’s House, House 2 to hang out with some of the children. I brought some coloring pages and crayons with me (Thank you Hannah, they love the pictures and they actually DO know the Disney characters!!) At first it was just Paul, Gideon, and me. Paul is 5 years old and Gideon maybe 2. We colored for a while and I even taught Paul how to write his name. Mama Grace was so proud!! Eventually there were about 10 children gathered around the table coloring their hearts out. And they were all so excited to show me the finished product!!

By this point, I was beat. And it was only 2:30 … YIKES! So I went to go hang out with the boys. Jason and Sonny were playing speed, a card game … with 1000 Shillings on the line! And Josh had his iPod out playing his favorite Bob Marley. I LOVE hearing the Ugandans singing along to American songs … so funny! Then we sat and shelled beans for about 2 hours. Or as a Ugandan might say … removing their jacket. It was actually really fun and oddly relaxing and we’ve been invited to come eat as a reward for our work Haha! Once again, they are always trying to feed us.

We also walked down and found a mango tree and knocked some fresh mangos off the tree to eat. And by some I mean a whole basket full and by we, I mean one of the little boys came with us, climbed the tree until he disappeared and shook the mangos off the tree! And we did ask permission from the owner of the tree first. Not even Trader Joes can beat mangos straight off the mango tree.

Then for dinner Cooper made baked spaghetti, by headlamp, because the power went out. All the kids stood outside the kitchen window talking to him while he cooked. It was so sweet.

I love days where you have so much fun doing the simplest things. I’ve laughed more today than I have in a long time.  I wish everyone could experience a day in Uganda and learn to appreciate the simple things in life. It’s the small things that make my day every day that I’m here. I love you all and I miss you all so much but I sure wish everyone could come see me here instead of me coming back home!!

Duck Duck Goose, Mama Vickie in the middle

Paul with his pictures!

Coloring in House 2

Josh, Sonny, and Cooper

Taking the beans out of their jackets. Haha

Look at all those beans!!

Finished Product