Its Saturday finally, and everyone in Uganda is getting ready to wind down and cozy up under mosquito nets with the smells of burning garbage lingering in the pitch dark air due to a black out (but thank God for generators!!). This weekend has proven to be quite a busy one. A busy, tiring, and awesome one! One filled with new experience after new experience.
On Friday, I taught the kids (both baby and top class joined) for chapel time! I taught on the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. (There were maybe 40-50 kids so I was VERY thankful to God that they weren’t crazy! And they actually listened!). I had to repeat myself a LOT, so that they would understand, “Jesus raised WHOM from the dead?? LAZ-A-RUS.. Lazarus… lazarus.. ALL TOGETHER NOW, LAZ-A-RUS!” ß just like that. Besides teaching on that day, Friday was especially crazy because one of the teachers couldn’t make it, which left only two of us teachers against a whole pack of ravenous wolves… hahaha! We had the kids paint that day, which split us teachers up, leaving me with the majority of the class that wasn’t painting. My secret was all in the candy! HAHA. I’ve learned, that these children will do ANYTHING for a piece of candy. They’ll actually listen to me! I also use singing songs to get their attention… and that is SOO extremely fun! Africans really know how to worship, so the kids are used to it and they REALLY sing and participate loud!
Then Friday night came slowly but surely. All the Presbyterian churches in the area gather together sometimes to put on something called an “over-night”. Basically a full night of worship and prayer. No sleeping… at all. Hahahahaha!
· Worship in Africa is very active to say the least. They dance, they will exclaim, they’ll even run during worship time. So, I’ve had to adjust and be flexible in this sense. If I just stand there I will stand out even MORE than I already do!!
· The prayer time is COMPLETELY different. Something that will take a process of me adjusting too. They’re idea of praying in a group is people pacing throughout the church, praying out loud, all at once for 40-60 min straight. Its quite distracting to me, because I am SO not used to it… at times it can even frighten me, because everyone gets so loud.
Despite all the new/strange experiences I underwent, I personally got to spend some sweet much needed time talking to my Father and unleashing my cares and worries to Him. God is everywhere, and foreign countries may have completely different ways of worshipping God, but its all directed to ONE God (hopefully), and He cares for our heart worship to Him, no matter in what way we do things.
After that whole feat of struggling against sleep, we got home at 6 in the morning wiped out and ready to stretch out onto our beds and sleep. And OH did I sleep, but I think my body is telling me I need some more ;).
Recently I read a chapter in a book on serving, and was harshly reminded of my purpose here again (it’s a daily reminder)! Motivated by what my Savior and Lord did for me on the cross, and can I not serve Him with joy? Its hard at times being here, and serving with the right motives… I don’t automatically wake up everyday ready, and EXCITED to serve God and the people here. One thing I’ve realized when coming here, is that I’m still living my life, and I still struggle with certain things, and it will still be hard --- even harder at times! But it just means that I constantly need to be in His word, and talking to my Father, being reminded daily of who God is and what He did for me and how I don’t deserve any of it. It’s amazing that I even have the ability to serve the almighty God, here in Africa. Or wherever I may be. One quote that just spoke the truth to me was this, “Surely the more we love God the more we will live for Him and serve Him, and the more we love others the more we will serve them.” I am weak… and I am so easily shaken in and of myself, I can’t do anything. But, God is strong, and through Him alone can I be made strong, and able to take on the hardships and temptations that I face every single day!
Thank you all for your prayers, and continuance support while I’m here in Africa. Until next time…
BABY & TOP CLASSES
KIDS PAINTING HUTS
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