Hi Friends and Family!

I hope you are all doing great! Can you believe that 2012 is almost over?! It feels like the year just started a couple weeks ago!

Many of you supported me in going to Uganda this past summer. Thank you for your support as I traveled there and stayed for a couple months! It was a great trip, God was glorified, and I met so many amazing people!

Raising Up Hope for Uganda (RUHU) is the ministry that I worked with while I was there. Under the umbrella of RUHU, there is the Children’s Home and the House of Hope. I spent a fair amount of time at both houses, and absolutely fell in love with the kids in both places! The Children’s Home is financially supported by people who have committed to helping the kids on a regular basis. However, the House of Hope doesn’t have anyone to give them the consistent support they need. So that’s just what we are hoping to do!

The kids at the House of Hope come from the streets. Some of them have been abandoned by their parents, kicked out of their homes, lost their parents, or have run away from home because of poverty or bad situations. They have been living in the slums and have been through more than any of us could ever imagine. Patrick, the founder of RUHU, has brought in about 25 of these kids to live at the House of Hope. They are very sweet kids, and are so grateful for a house to live in, food to eat (most of the time), and people to love them. Now they are a family. And best of all: they LOVE Jesus!!

RUHU is a great ministry and they are doing amazing things to help these kids. However, they don’t have very much money. The House of Hope is a rented space that they must pay for monthly. 25 kids is a lot of mouths to feed. Sometimes these kids actually have to go days without food because they don’t have enough money to buy it. I saw in the few months I was there. There are 25 kids here who need to get an education or learn some sort of skill so they can make a living and not end up back to where they came from.

So here’s where you come in. Our goal is to raise $1,000 per month to help RUHU. This amount will cover rent, food, and a carpenter to teach the kids carpentry. We would like for you to pray about sponsoring the House of Hope for $40 per month or even just giving a one-time donation to help these amazing kids! Any amount that you are willing and able to give would be greatly appreciated!

This isn’t an emotional guilt-trip to get you to give money. You really WILL change the lives of these kids. I have seen first-hand how much these kids appreciate the things that they are given, and how much it really does change their lives.

If you decide to give a one-time donation, you will be giving through a non-profit called Beautiful Response. The two volunteers who started this organization support the RUHU Children’s Home, and 100% of your money goes straight to the kids. To give, you can send a check (addressed to Beautiful Response) to:

Beautiful Response
25978 Mission St
Carmel, CA 93923

Or to send your donation electronically, go to www.beautifulresponse.org, (feel free to look at the website), and click the green donate button near the bottom right of the page. There you will find a donation form where you can choose to make a one-time donation or a recurring donation. In the comment box (or memo line for checks), please write “House of Hope”. Also, please email me at kim.perrin23@gmail.com so we have a record of who is giving what. Make sure to include an email address that you check regularly, and how much you are giving.

Thank you so much for considering helping these awesome kids!! :)

Kim

I may not be in Uganda right now, but a part of my heart sure is...

When I left Uganda, I waited and waited for the tears to come.  But they never did.  I waited every time a child asked me when I was leaving, every day that got closer to leaving, every minute I soaked up holding and spending time with the children that I love, knowing that in a few weeks, I would give anything to have those moments back again.  I waited when I packed up my things, I waited when I said goodbye to all of the kids at the orphanage, I waited when Patrick, William, David, and my little brother, Fred, took me to the airport, when I said goodbye to them, when I was walking away, as I sat in the airport, and when I got on the airplane.  They never came.

I left Uganda exactly one month and two days ago.  It feels like so much longer than that.  As soon as I got back to the States, I was catching up with friends, family, and my boyfriend.  I was packing for school, and three days later, I left for school.  Once I got here, I had to jump right into RA training, classes, my practicum at SOAR, and homework.  Now I'm finally getting back into the routine of school.  I'm starting to figure out my schedule.  When to do my homework, when to sleep, when to relax, etc.  Now I have time to breathe.  Time to think. 

The last few days have been so hard for me.  My mind keeps going to Uganda.  It started getting bad a few days ago when I decided to look at pictures and watch videos of my RUHU kids.  My heart broke when I heard those precious little voices.  Cathy was jumping up and down yelling "Mzungu, mzungu! Oli otya!" over and over again until she finally ran out of breath.  Brian was yelling into the camera in Luganda, giving a tour of the Safe House, shamelessly smacking the head of any boy who got in the way, probably saying hilarious things the whole time that I can't even understand.  Honey and Rebecca were telling their life stories.  The little boy (whose name I never learned) was running up and hugging mine, Kristy's, and Vivian's legs like he always did every morning.  Kato and Waswa were being precious (and hilarious) little Kato and Waswa.  All of those beautiful voices were worshipping God while they danced, closed their eyes, and focused all of their attention on God.

Me with Kato (left) and Waswa (right)

Then came the waterworks.  I couldn't help it.  My heart literally hurts because I have left a part of it there with them.  Since that day, I have gone to bed thinking about them, and woke up thinking about them.  I think about a lot of things.  I wonder if they really know just how much I miss them.  I wonder if they miss me, or if I am just one of those people who came and went, never to be seen or heard from again.  I think about when I will get to see them again (hopefully next summer), and how much they will have grown up by that time.  My heart breaks when I think about how many of the Safe House kids will run back to the slums, what they are going through now, and what they will have gone through by the time I go back to see them.  I think specifically about those special kids who completely stole my heart while I was there: Abu, Cathy, Sumaiya, Fred, Collins, Yurio and Honey.  I think, and think, and think, until my heart can't handle it anymore.

Today I caught myself playing with my bracelets and rings.  To someone else, they are blatantly violating all fashion laws.  But to me, they are the only physical things that I can wear to remind me of the kids no matter where I am.

Me with some of the boys at RUHU.  Honey is the tallest!

Two of the dirty, colorful bracelets made of thread were made by a 16-year old boy named Honey.  We talked for hours about life, the future, Uganda, America, etc.  He was one of the only kids that I could sit down with and have a real in-depth conversation.  He would come up to me and just start conversations with me because he wanted to talk.  He was so hungry to learn new things.  His story is heartbreaking and also eye-opening.  He has so much faith, even after all that he has been through in his young life.  He is so mature and respectful and he is going to turn into such a wonderful man.

Shamim :)

One of the dirty, colorful bracelets on my wrist is from 8-year old Shamim.  She has the most beautiful eyes.  She was actually the first child to ever write a letter to me while I was there.  I didn't even know who she was when I saw her name signed on the letter after someone else delivered it to me.  But as time went on, I got to know her and her wonderful personality.  I had my kids from SOAR and some of the kids from my mom's church write letters to the kids at RUHU before I went to Uganda.  Because so many of the kids had a hard time speaking and understanding English, Shamim would help the younger ones write their letters back to the American kids.  She was a huge help, sometimes even offering to actually write their letters for them (though I said no to this offer).  Shamim is such a fine young girl, and I'm so excited to see where God takes her in life!

Umaru!!

Umaru gave me a metal ring.  All the boys at the Safe House wore these rings, but I have no idea what they really are, or where they got them, but I don't think that they are really supposed to be rings that you wear on your finger.  Umuru is a quiet easy-going 14-year old boy.  He would always try to talk me into bringing him back to America with me.  I told him that I didn't have the money.  I didn't even have the money to fly myself to Uganda and back, but I don't think he really understood how hard it really is to do that, and how much work it took.  But he would beg and beg.  Umaru escorted me to places many times.  When I needed to walk somewhere by myself, usually Umaru was the first to offer to escort me.  We had many good talks while we walked, usually about America and his desire to go.  I tried to get him to understand that just going to America wouldn't make him rich, and that he actually had to work to make money.

Me with Brian (left) and Collins (right)

The ugly, off-white piece of elastic that is tied around my wrist is from precious 10-year old Collins, who also gave me a metal ring that I wear on my finger.  He was always giving me gifts.  He gave me another bracelet, but it broke already.  He also gave me a car that he made just for me, and several letters.  This boy has the sweetest spirit.  He is one of the youngest at the Safe House, and said that he plans on never going back to the streets again.  He clung onto me almost instantly when I got there, and I ended up falling completely in love with him.

My little brother and me :)

My favorite piece of "jewelry" came from Fred, my 14-year old little brother.  (Fred asked me if he could be my little brother, since he didn't have any real family.)  I will never forget the moment when he gave it to me.  A few days before, he had asked me who my real ring was from (the one that I got here in America).  I told him that it was from my daddy, and that I wore it all the time.  When Fred gave me his ring, he took my dad's ring off my finger, and said, "when you see this ring, you will think of your daddy."  And then holding up his own ring, he said, "when you see this ring, you will think of your little brother."  Then he put his own ring on my finger, and then my dad's ring on the same finger.  I still wear it just like that.  I spent a lot of time with Fred.  I almost didn't get to say goodbye to him, but at the very last second, he ended up getting to come with me to the airport!!  On the way, he made me little origami airplanes that I still keep.  He promised me that he would wait for me to come back to Uganda, and that he wouldn't run back to the slums.  I hope and pray that he keeps his promise.  My heart hurts to think about him back in the slums.

I figured that I would wear all of this "jewelry" while I was there in Uganda, and then take it off once I got back to America.  But I can't bring myself to take them off.  They don't match any outfit, they are dirty, and they probably look ridiculous, but I have such happy memories every time I look at them, and I don't want to take them off.

The bracelet from Honey, and ring from my dad and Fred :)

One bracelet from Honey, one from Shamim, and two rings from Umaru and Collins.

Wise, little Pauline holding Baby Miracle

I think I have cried every day since that first day that I watched the videos.  My heart is torn in so many ways.  There are people and kids that I love like crazy here, but my heart also longs for my RUHU kids.  I remember one of the first days that I was in Uganda, I was really sick.  A big part of it was probably because of the change in diet, schedule, continents, etc.  But I also think that part of it was that I was really homesick.  I was really missing my boyfriend and my family.  I was lying on Momma Faith's bed trying to rest, when I received the wisest advice I think I've ever heard.  9-year old Pauline came into the room and asked how I was.  I told her I was ok, just a little sick, and she said these three things: "Don't lose hope; God knows you; it will be ok," and then she walked out.

Now, here I am lying on my own bed in my dorm room, homesick for the kids that I love so much in Uganda.  I am a little selfish, because I am worried that they will forget me.  I am worried that something will happen and I won't get to see them again.  I am worried about their safety.  But I have to remember that God is holding them close to his heart; and he is holding me close to his heart.  I have to remember Pauline's words: "Don't lose hope; God knows you; it will be ok."

Back in America...

Well, I totally failed in keeping up with my blog over the summer.  But now the trip is over, and I just wanted to write a little bit about what I learned from the trip, and the things that I will take away from it.

This summer was such a blessing to me. Saying that I was sad to leave is a huge understatement! Saying goodbye to the kids that stole my heart over the two months that I was there was beyond hard. But it was time to go, and I know that I will see them again!

Some of the orphanage boys :)

Thank you so much for supporting me financially, with prayers, and with letters.  I was so encouraged by your monetary donations, the letters that I looked forward to reading every day, the gifts, and the words of encouragement through Facebook, my blog and email! God definitely used you to make some awesome things happen!  He worked in so many ways, and glory was given to him as well!

This summer, I was a teacher, student, friend, sister, nurse, servant, honored guest, and most of all, ambassador of God.  While I was there, the kids got new mattresses, a few new bunk beds, new clothes, new shoes, new toothbrushes and toothpaste, letters from their American friends and sponsors, and much more! They met and loved many volunteers who came in to help them out, and they were so appreciative of them. I watched them praise God like no other child or adult I have ever seen here in America. They know Jesus. And it's awesome. There are so many stories to share, pictures to show, and memories that I will never be able to let go of.  I could write all day and never be able to finish telling you about my experience, but for now, I will just write about the lessons that I learned:

Ugandans are super respectful.  I have never met people who are so respectful and so grateful in my life.  Compared to American kids, these kids have nothing, and so when they receive something, or know that you are there to love or help them, they are so appreciative for it.  They know to respect adults.  They know to respect their parents.  Also, there were many occasions where a random person would just thank me for coming to help “their people”.  I felt a little awkward because I know that I am not doing much except following God’s will and loving as much as I can, but the fact that they appreciate it so much is what really stood out to me!

Beautiful Cathy

It’s not all about “stuff”.  The kids at the orphanage had almost nothing compared to the kids here in America.  The kids at the Safe House have even less.  They have very few toys, they sleep crowded in rooms in metal bunk beds and foam mattresses (sometimes up to four small kids to a bed), concrete walls and floors, eat beans and rice/posho almost every day, have no washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, or electric stoves, and yet these are the happiest kids I have ever met.  They have so much joy that is unexplainable except that it can only come from God.  We don’t need “stuff” to make us happy.  The latest iPod or the newest car will not make us happy.  They actually crowd our lives and can distract us from the most important things in life.

With that being said, never take anything for granted.  For a while, I struggled with feeling of guilt because I have all of this “stuff” at home, while they have almost nothing.  But I came to the conclusion that while these things are not necessary for happiness, it isn’t wrong to have them as long as you don’t become dependent on them.  It’s ok to appreciate a washing machine, electricity and running water.  But if for some reason, we lose access to those things, we shouldn’t freak out because we no longer have them.  We have to remember that there are people who live without them at all.

Some of the Safe House boys :)

There is so much suffering in this world.  I cannot even begin to describe to you the suffering that I saw in Uganda.  Yes, there is suffering here in America.  Kids are raped and abused, spouses are unfaithful and leave, people die, and trust is broken.  But there, that’s everyone’s story.  At least everyone that I was working with.  There are 50 kids at the orphanage.  Every single one of them has been abandoned, abused, and/or has lost at least one of their parents.  There are 23 kids at the Safe House right now.  Every single one of them has lived on the streets and has been cut by knives, beaten, hungry, and/or raped.  They all have such dark pasts.  And they didn’t deserve to be treated the way that they were treated. My heart breaks at the thought of an 8-year-old boy named Collins living on the streets by himself and being cut by a knife on his arm.  My heart breaks when I think of sweet young girls like Mercy, Gloria, Sarah and Brenda living on the streets and getting raped at night, and then talking about it like it’s just an everyday thing.  My heart breaks when I hear that Denis thinks that witchdoctors killed his dad, and he’s afraid that if he goes back to his home village, they will attack him, too.  My heart breaks at the thought of a 6-year-old girl named Rebecca being tied up in a tree by her step mom and beaten like a piñata until she couldn’t even walk, and then expected to go fetch water.  My heart breaks when I am looking at the many, many scars on 14-year old Fred’s body, and all he says is “the lady that raised me was not a nice lady” when I ask him where they come from.  When I see small children sitting on the sidewalks in Kampala because their parents force them to beg when they don’t have any money for food, my heart breaks.  When I see crippled people, or old ladies sitting the in the sidewalks doing the same thing on their own will, because they have no other choice, my heart breaks.  When I look at the huge scars on the side of 3-year-old Cathy’s and 8-year-old Sumaiya’s faces and bodies, because a fire broke out when their mom had left them home alone in the slums to go work as a prostitute, my heart breaks.  This only scratches the surface of the amount of pain and suffering that I saw there.  And I didn’t even see all of it.

Derrick's friends and family worshipping God -- AMAZING!

God is present in every aspect of life.  God revealed himself to me so much while I was in Uganda.  I’m sure he does that all the time for me, but maybe I just didn’t open my eyes to see it until I was there.  Even in the little things in life, he shows himself.  I’ve learned just how important it is to make God the number one priority in life.  The Ugandan people relied on God so heavily that it completely put me in awe.  The Ugandans have realized that we all need a Savior, and we have to rely on God, because he is the only one who can come through for you and can give you hope and joy in such bleakness.  I pray that I can learn to rely on God as much as Ugandans do.

The last lesson (that doesn’t seems so important when compared to the rest, but is still important) is that cultures are very different.  I learned that the way we do things in America is not the case everywhere.  There are differences in mannerisms, language, food, dress, and simple tasks.  It was so interesting to learn about and experience the culture of Uganda.  I love different cultures, and I hope that I can continue to learn about Ugandan culture, as well as the culture of other people groups in the world.

This trip was not a once in a lifetime trip.  There will be more.  I want to do everything that I can to help the people that I fell so in love with.  I thank you so much for your support, but I also want to ask you to join me in helping them.  This organization is doing their best to provide the basic needs of these kids, and they need support!  If you are willing to help, I would really appreciate it, and so would the kids!  I will keep you updated on the needs as they arise!

Thank you so much for all of your support so far!

This is Africa...

Well it's been a while since I've written last!  I'm sorry about that! Things have been so busy, and our power goes out randomly, so it's been hard to keep up with the blog.  The past two weeks have been full of fetching water, bathing in a small basin, teaching, random power outages, hugging, being called "mzungu", kids falling asleep in my arms, giving out letters to the children, eating chapatis, mandazis, and rolexes, meetings, working on administration stuff, and trying very hard to communicate with kids and people who don't speak very much English.  To say the least, it has been a busy 2 weeks!  I could talk about so much, but I'm going to try to narrow it down a bit.  There aren't really any pictures, because I don't have time to take them and put them on here.  I'm in a bit of a hurry...

Living in Uganda has definitely gotten me out of my comfort zone.  There are so many things that I do and don't even think about in America.  Or sometimes I even dread doing these things in America.  For example: washing clothes.  Sometimes I put off washing clothes when I'm in America.  It seems like such a big chore, and sometimes I just don't want to do it.  Somehow, I get the idea that throwing a load of laundry into the washer, putting in detergent, switching it over to the dryer in 30 minutes, and then folding it is a big job.  I have no idea what I was thinking.  Here in Uganda, you wash your clothes by hand, and it's an all-day long job -- sometimes even a couple days depending on how fast the clothes dry.  First, you have to fetch enough water from the well to do all your laundry.  Second, you fill a small little basin full of soapy water.  Then, you stuff as many clothes into that basin that will fit.  And you start washing.  For the clothes that are somewhat clean, you just rub them together for a long time, dunking them into the water every half second.  (They have this method of washing clothes that they have mastered.)  For the clothes that have stains, or are dirtier, you use a brush to scrub them clean, then wash them normally in the soapy water.  After you wash each piece of clothing, you ring them out and throw them into a basin with fresh water.  Then you wash all of them in the new basin (without soap) and ring them out.  Again, they go into another basin with fresh water.  This is the rinsing process.  You continue this until all the soap is out, then you hang them on the lines to dry.  After you finish, you have a lot of basins with dirty water, a broken back, and a lot of wet clothes on the line.  So far, anytime that I try to help the kids wash clothes, they laugh at me, because I don't know how to do it.  This kind of makes me feel like a little kid.  I want to help, but I don't know how to do it right!  But what gets me the most is that I have never seen a kid complain about washing clothes.  They do it like it's just a part of the day, because it is!  If you don't wash your clothes, you wear dirty ones all the time.

Showering is another thing that I took for granted in America.  Sometimes, I would be so tired that I just didn't want to shower.  It would be so nice to have those moments back!  Now, not only do I not have hot water, but I don't have running water.  So anytime that I want to bathe, I have to make sure that I have enough water to do it.  Here is how I wash my hair: I pour about 2 inches of water into a basin (that is sitting on the ground), turn my head upside down, and dip my head into the water.  Then I have to use a cup to get all of my hair wet.  Then use shampoo rinse it the same way.  Bathing is just an awkward and cold process.  Let's just say it's not my favorite thing to do.  I will definitely appreciate warm showers when I get back to America.

Also, power outages here are no big deal.  The only electrical things that I use are the lights, the Wifi (which I now have access to!), and an outlet if I need to charge my computer or camera.  When the electricity goes out, it doesn't really affect me anymore.  If it's dark, I use my flashlight.  If I can't use my computer or the Wifi, I write in my journal, read my Bible, or go to sleep.  It's really not a big deal.  And it happens so often that it's no surprise.  One time when the power went out, I started thinking.  If a whole town lost their power in America, everyone would be in panic mode.  It's like we don't know what to do when the power goes out in America.  The internet, the TV, the radio, the video games, the lights, the heat, the air conditioning, the landlines, the kitchen appliances, the washer and dryer, the hot water; they all go out!  And we have no idea what to do when that happens!

I haven't even mentioned running water itself, clean drinking water, real indoor toilets that flush (not squatty potties), dishwashers, good school supplies for the kids, books that aren't falling apart, paved roads, mosquito-free and bug-free buildings and rooms, comfortable beds, dressers and closets, brooms with long handles, real mops, microwaves and ovens, frozen dinners, and the list goes on.

All these things are things that we take for granted in America.  I'm not saying that these luxuries that we have in America are bad, but they become bad when we become so dependent on them that we don't know what to do without them.  When we lose access to these things, we need to remember that there are some people who have never even had them in the first place.  And they are surviving perfectly fine without them.  We should be able to do the same.  Personally, living without the luxuries that I grew up with has been a great experience for me, and I'm realizing how much we shouldn't depend on those things.  Like I said, Ugandans live without most of those things, and they have more joy than anyone that I have ever met!  Even if we lose every luxury that we have, God is still there with us, and nothing can change that.  That is the most important thing.

Speaking of the people who live without certain things, I have found that Ugandans are probably the friendliest people I have ever met.  Some of them will go out of their ways to help each other and us.  I can't even count the number of people who have been so hospitable to me.  And they start from a young age.  Literally every time that I finish a meal at the orphanage and the safe house, one of the kids takes my dish from my hand and goes to wash it immediately.  They always make sure that I have food to eat.  The older boys are always eager to escort me when I am traveling to and from the orphanage and safe house, so that they make sure that I arrive safely.  Two days ago, a boy promised Zhanna (one of the other volunteers) that he would give her jack fruit (really good Ugandan fruit) the next day.  Yesterday when we passed his house, he and his family were standing outside eating jack fruit.  He greeted us and told us to wait.  Then he went inside, and brought out a huge chunk of jack fruit that he had set aside specifically for Zhanna.  He went out of his way to serve her.  I have gone to fetch water a few times, and each time, I haven't even had to get the water.  I always have to wait in a line to get to the spring, and someone in front of me gets my water for me without even hesitating.  One of my neighbor/daycare kids, Viola, even carried my water all the way back to my room for me!  Another time, as we passed the spring, David asked some random person to fill up my jug and bring it to my room because we were in a hurry.  He did it immediately with no question.  How many people in America do you know who would do that?  There are also the people that we pass on the road that smile and say hi or "oli otya" (how are you?).  One day when I was in Kampala, a random lady that was sitting beside me went on and on about how grateful she was that I was here to help them out.  I really pray that God shone through me to her.

Before I came on this trip, I had my SOAR kids (and some kids from my parents' church) in America write letters to all of the kids in the orphanage and the Safe House.  I have been spending individual time with each of them and letting them read the letters, and then write another letter back.  I just finished going through all of the Safe House kids, and I have never met more appreciative kids in my life!  You can just see their eyes light up when they first see the picture of their "new friend."  You can watch them smile as they read the letter (usually through translator Aunt Allen, who has been a huge help!).  And some of them love to ask questions about why there is a Mugandan (Ugandan person) in America or if they really sat down to write this letter specifically to them.  Some of them desire to meet their new friends so badly, and they beg to be able to skype them (which I am working on now).  Some of them even ask their friends to come to Uganda, or to help them get to America!  I feel so blessed that I get to witness such joy in these kids when they realize that they are loved by people who are thousands of miles away.  I wish I could be as appreciative as they are!

Some quick updates about my experience in Uganda: I have fallen in love with the foods chapatis (kind of like a tortilla, but better), kicomando (beans, Irish potatoes, and chapatis), rolex (cooked egg, green peppers, and tomato rolled up into a chapati), and mandazis (fried bread).  These are all pretty much unhealthy foods -- no wonder I like them so much!  We have even made friends with some of the shop workers who make these foods because we buy them so much!  Also, all the drivers know where we live, so when they drive us home, we don't even have to tell them how to get there!  They just know where the mzungus live, and they see to it that they get us there as safely as possible.  I am learning my way around Bulenga, which makes me feel a little more at home (even though it is not my home).  This weekend, I am going to a village called Palissa with Vivian (one of the other volunteers) to visit one of her friends.  We will be there until Sunday afternoon/night, so I'm excited about that trip!

Please pray for the kids at the Safe House and the orphanage.  Also, pray that we can get things accomplished here at RUHU and help them run more smoothly as an NGO.  God is doing some awesome things with the kids and with this organization, and I am so excited to see where it goes from here!

First Week...

Well finally, I am able to get some time to blog!  The first week here has been such an eventful week.  I’ll try to tell most of it.  Be prepared, it will be a long one!

I think my favorite thing about Uganda so far is walking along the streets.  There are sooo many children, and if you know me at all, you know that I love children, especially black children (there happens to be a lot of them here in Uganda).  When we walk through the streets, almost every child stops what they’re doing to wave and say “Bye, Mzungu!” which is Luganda for “Bye, white person!”  Some of them even run up and hug us.  They get sooo excited when they see a mzungu!!  Almost as excited as I get when I see a black kid!! (Those of you who know me well know what I mean.)

I also love going to Kampala.  Downtown Kampala is super busy, and people are everywhere.  It’s almost overwhelming, but exciting at the same time.  There is no such thing as personal space in Kampala.  And there is almost no order when it comes to driving and crossing streets, so traveling anywhere is crazy, especially in Kampala.  Basically, whoever can get there first has the right-a-way (this includes pedestrians).  Also, there are boda-boda’s (kind of like a motorcycle taxi; it’s a very convenient way to travel) that are zooming in and out of traffic all over the place, so when you cross the street, you have to be extra careful because they come out of nowhere!  So you can imagine what it’s like.  It’s really entertaining!

            
Oh, and I eat very well!  In Uganda, it is rude not to finish your food, and Momma gives me so much!!  One of the first days I was here, she said she was going to make me fat by the time I leave, so she expects me to eat a lot.  I thought I ate a lot before I came to Africa.  Apparently I didn’t.  It is so hard to finish it all.  But the food is good!  I’ve only tried one thing that I really didn’t like.  It was some kind of fruit (po-po maybe?), but I also tried jack fruit (I’m not really sure if that’s right, but that’s what it sounded like when someone offered it to me) and I loved it!!  Usually for the meals, there is rice with some kind of vegetable for a topping.  She also made potato soup, which was really good!!  I actually drank coffee a few days in a row!!  The entire cup!! (Again, those who know me well will understand how big of a deal this is.)

          
The orphanage is great.  I love the kids there so much!!  Most of them are so respectful and sweet.  For the most part, they have very good behavior, and they amaze me at how kind their hearts are.  Of course, they are still kids, and they have their misfits, but they can all be very sweet most of the time.  Their kind hearts remind me so much of Jesus’ servant-like attitude, and they are only kids. Also, the way they worship is mind-blowing.  They are all so in love with God, and they wholeheartedly and unashamedly worship him.  We could all learn a lesson from them.  When I am at the orphanage, I teach English, Math, Social Studies, Science, Reading, and Writing to Primary 3 students.  I’m really not a good teacher, so I don’t think I do a very good job, but I do it because they need a teacher.  I pray that God will get the glory somehow.  Most of the kids in the P-3 class are community kids, not the orphanage kids.  Here is a picture of some of the P-3 kids during class.  They all use this one desk, with no chairs, and one torn up textbook. (We have a group here working next week who will be fixing up the orphanage which is an answer to prayer!  Please pray that the kids will get more tables and chairs, and maybe even textbooks at some point!):

 Here is a picture of some of the kids at the orphanage:

I have to admit, I do have a few favorites at the orphanage.  They are Catherine (3), Abu (5), and Sumaiya (8).  They are all three siblings. Abu was the first to win me over.  He is missing his top front teeth, and his smile is to die for.  I first fell in love with him at church on Sunday when he fell asleep in my arms, and held on to me so tight.  However, he loves to pinch other kids and try to choke the little ones sometimes, so he has a little bit of a wild streak in him, but I think he is just in desperate need of attention.  I can’t help but love him!  Here is a picture of him:

Catherine and Sumaiya have scars all down their left arms, on parts of their faces, and some other places on their bodies from a fire.  And I have never seen more beautiful girls in my life.  The day I found out that Abu had two sisters, I fell in love with them, too.  About 30 minutes after Aunt Allen told me they were siblings, Sumaiya came and sat down next to me and started talking to me, completely out of the blue.  I didn’t try to go talk to her first, she just came to me.  We just sat there and talked for a really long time, and that’s when she won me over.  She was so sweet, mature and intelligent, and she spoke English very well, which made our conversation easier.  Here is a picture of Sumaiya washing clothes, (which is her favorite thing to do!):

While Sumiaya and I were talking, it started raining, hard.  So we went into the classroom and Abu, Sumaiya and I stood in the doorway and played in the rain for a while.  (I halfway pretended that I had adopted them and I was just playing with my kids haha) I loved it.  When it slowed down a little, we went inside the house and that’s when I fell in love with Cathy.  I started playing with her, and she didn’t really leave my side for the rest of the night.  She also fell asleep in my arms last night, and she was with me pretty much all day today, too.  She has such a sweet personality, just like Sumaiya, and is learning to talk very well, just not in English. :) Here is a picture of Cathy:

Here is a picture of Cathy and Abu together.  I haven’t gotten one with all three of them yet, but I will :)

I have only been to the Safe House a few times.  The Safe House is a safe place for former street kids to live.  These kids were taken in off the streets by Patrick to get away from homelessness, hunger, begging, stealing, drugs, and bear traps (yes, I said bear traps.  Some people put out bear traps in the slums to catch the street kids and put them in jail, because the kids are “nuisances”).  The kids at the Safe House were also very respectful!! They are mostly boys, except for two girls: Sarah, and Mercy.  Here is a picture of them braiding my hair (btw, before I knew what they were doing, they had put grease in my hair.  I only found out because I started smelling it.  It took me all week to wash it out of my hair):

Here are some of the boys from the Safe House:

A couple days ago, two of the boys ran away.  Apparently this is nothing surprising, but it was a shock to me because to me, it seems like a big deal.  What broke my heart most was that they came to the other volunteer Zhanna and I before they ran away, and one of them, (a 10-year-old boy) told David (the public relations guy who works here) that he just wanted to go back to the streets and die.  I couldn’t even imagine in my mind a ten-year-old saying something like that.  But he did.  So they have gone to the slums, and one more boy ran away yesterday, so please pray for them.  Patrick says most of them will come back, but we have to let them go, even though it’s so heartbreaking.

The slums.  Wow.  They are just like in the movies and pictures.  Trash piles everywhere, dirty half-naked kids everywhere, random people and kids sleeping on the sides of the streets, raggedy shacks used as houses, drugs, prostitutes, etc.  It is real, and it is devastating.

America has no idea what is going on in the world.  We are so blinded to this side of poor.  Before I came to Africa, I was already frustrated with how materialistic and greedy America was, but after seeing the slums, I realize just how greedy America really is.  There are not many that are poorer than those in the slums.  And the poorest of poor in America is nothing compared with them.  We need to stop being so greedy in America, and start sharing with the poor like the Bible illustrates (read about how Jesus lived the early church lived in Acts 2:44-45 and 4:32-34).  Even the Christians and churches in America are greedy.  And I’m not talking about giving 10 percent and then feeling like we’ve done our part and go on living comfortably.  I mean giving to the point where we have only what we need, so that those who don’t have what they need can actually survive.  Do you know that most of the street kids are on drugs and sniff glue just to drown out their hunger?  Here is a picture of one of them:

If Christians and Americans would share their wealth, everyone could have enough.  It amazes me how rich, yet unhappy, America is.  It seems like everyone is wanting more, more, more.  And I have been guilty of it as well.  We are never satisfied.  But I have met more truly happy people here than I ever have in America.  I know very few people in America who are happy the way that people here are happy.  Here in Uganda, they are so full of joy.  They are thankful for what God has given them, and they are content.  We could learn a lot from the people here.

There was a positive side of going to the slums, though!  At one point, we turned a corner, and there were about ten to fifteen little kids.  As soon as they saw us, they started yelling “Mzungu, Mzungu!!” and running towards us.  I was tackled by about 7 of them and most of them followed us as we walked throughout the entire slum.  It made the experience a little less depressing.  Here is a picture of them swarming us:

Well, I didn’t mean to write a novel, or for it to turn into a “let’s bash America” speech, but I just wanted to get out everything that I’ve been feeling since I’ve been here. 

Please be praying for the kids, especially the Safe House kids and the kids who are still on the streets.  They desperately need Jesus and they need love.  So many of them have been hurt badly, and so many things and people tell them that they are not wanted or loved.

Please pray for Uncle Patrick, Uncle David, Uncle William, Momma (Faith), and Aunt Allen.  They are working so hard to take care of the kids, and all of them have such big hearts.  Pray that God will continue to use them in mighty ways and that he will encourage them when things get hard.

There will be some more volunteers coming within the next few weeks, so please pray that God’s will will be done when they come and that God will use them to make his name great.

Lastly, please pray that God will use me to accomplish his will, whatever that may be.  I just pray that God’s name will be glorified whether I am sick, healthy, exhausted, full of energy, dead, or alive.  If I do not bring glory to God’s name or do what he calls me to do, then my life is a waste.

I hope everyone is having a great summer!  Bless you if you read all the way to the end :P

24 hours...

Well, I am down to 24 hours!!  I feel like I have been packing and getting ready for this trip for weeks.  I can't believe I'm actually going out of the country for almost two months!!  I'm starting to get a little nervous about traveling by myself.  But I'm praying that God's will will be done, no matter what.

Like I've said before, I don't want to just go on this trip so I can feel good about myself, but I pray that God will break me, and mold me into the person that he wants me to be.  And I pray that he will move me to live like Jesus did, instead of how I want to live.  Most of all, I am still praying that God will get the glory.  He deserves ALL the glory.  He is God, and I am just a sinful girl trying her best to follow him.  I hope that I never forget that.

Also, please pray for me as I deal with jet lag because it's a 7 hour difference (yuck).

I'll try to blog again when I get there!! :)

Getting Ready...

I am 13 days away from flying out for Uganda.  I am so beyond excited!! :)

I have always been passionate about children, especially children who are below the poverty level, or who come from broken homes.  When I was little, I always said that I wanted to be a missionary when I grew up.  It absolutely broke my heart every time I heard about kids who didn't have parents, food, water, etc.  But it broke my heart even more to think about them not knowing Jesus. 

For those of you who don't know, I will be spending about seven weeks in Uganda, at an orphanage called Raising Up Hope.  I will be spending time with the orphans who live there, spending time with former street children at the Safe House, doing street ministry, and doing village outreach.

I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to go and serve him in this way.  I am so humbled that he would even want to use me to tell others about himself.  I hope and pray that the next two months (and the rest of my life) will be all about him, and that he would be glorified in every situation.  I don't want this trip to be about me.  Though I know I will have many stories to tell and hundreds of pictures to show, I don't want this to be about me "feeling good about myself."  I also don't want to go into this trip with the mentality that I know best or that I am going to teach someone something that they don't know yet.  I hope that I can be a learner, and I hope that God, not myself, is glorified with every person that I come in contact with, and with every person who reads this blog.

Please be praying that God will get the glory out of this trip.  Pray that his will will be done, no matter what the cost.

Thank you to anyone who has supported me financially or by praying.  Thank you for allowing God to lead you to give or to pray so that one more of his followers can do work for his kingdom.

:)