Week 5 in Africa

This past week has been so crazy! First of all, Saturday we went white water rafting on the Nile and it was insane! The rapids were all grades 4 and 5, and we flipped a couple times too. The first flip was on a rapid named “The Bad Place” and it definitely was bad…but so so good! As we were getting close to it, some Africans were on the shore watching us saying, “Crazy Mzungus!!” and when we flipped, I understood why we were crazy. The trick to surviving while in the water was to not panic…but every time I tried to take a breath I would get thrown into another giant wave. I was so disoriented that sometimes I would just swim as hard as I could towards the top to try and get a little air. Anyways…that was dramatic, but that was my life for about a minute! =) In the raft next to us, I was talking to a man who was in the Peace Corps, and found out he was from Omaha!! How cool...I met a fellow Husker in the very middle of the Nile! Then that evening we went to the resort/hostel where we stayed the night, and I fell off our triple-decker bunk bed after missing a step, and I hit my head on the bottom of the other bed, about ten feet down. We’re pretty sure I have a baby concussion from it…and I’m definitely still feeling it in my head four days later. The next morning we went bungee jumping over the Nile…so so so fun! Probably not the wisest decision after I hit my head…but definitely worth it!! Anyways…that was my weekend! But don’t be fooled…as much as I wish it was, not every weekend here is like that!

This week has been a good one so far too. Yesterday I spent the day at my internship again, and was attacked by a preschooler. He started out just being playful, but then started biting me and kicking and pulling my hair…and he either didn’t care, or didn’t understand how serious I was when I told him “NO”. So for that whole morning, I was so sick of kids that I decided that I was never having children…but then the teacher gave me a little boy who had been crying, and he fell asleep in my lap for an hour. My heart melted…and now I like kids again. =)

It has been really cool to see the effects of all the programs we support at home, here. That’s a weird sentence…so I’ll explain. I have seen many many shoeboxes packed for Operation Christmas Child, so that has been really neat! But after seeing them…I think next time I pack a shoebox, I’ll put in a little less junk, and more good stuff, if you know what I mean. Soccer balls and stuff like that. Also, I’ve seen a few pairs of the Toms shoes they give away after you buy a pair. They are similar…except have rubber bottoms so they are heartier. So that has been really cool too. Yesterday though, was by far the coolest. Last night we had a “party/get-together with about 20 students at our University who are sponsored by mostly American families through Compassion. Some of them have been sponsored by the same families for up to 17 years, and it is amazing to see the impact it has had on their lives. If their school fees hadn’t been paid for by these families, they probably would have never gotten past grade school, and would now be boda boda drivers or something of the sort. But instead, they are now going to the University, studying Social Work, Computer Science, Law, and other subjects…with a desire to make a difference in their country. I’ve been so used to only seeing faces like theirs on pictures on the fridge, so it was so so so cool to see them in person, and get to know them. They are so full of joy, and so quick to share whatever they have. So as far as I can tell, sponsorship is probably one of the best way for people at home to make a difference here, and in other poverty-stricken countries, as well. It really does change lives, and my friends are quick to testify to that fact. So here’s my plug…sponsor a child, it’s definitely worth it!

I think that I’m finally getting used to the Ugandan pace of things. It’s the hottest time of the year here, so I find myself walking very slowly…but somehow it is still faster than the Ugandans. They say to us, “You Americans walk so fast, but run so slow!” They’re definitely right.

So that is all I have for the week. I pray that everything is going well with all of you at home. Be praying that the relationships we have with the Ugandans will go deeper than just the surfacy stuff…they have so much to teach us. Also pray that God will continue changing and challenging our worldviews…and that we are aware and awake to everything happening around us. It’s so easy to get into our groove, and go numb to the things we see on the streets, and to all the people we meet. Love you all, and I am still so thankful for all your thoughts and prayers!