Uganda Oyee!
I don’t know what this means, but everybody has been saying this all night at the Cranes Game. The Cranes are Uganda’s soccer team, and tonight we beat Niger, which means Uganda qualifies for the Africa cup…I think. Greg and I were able to go with a few other people, and the game was fun, but getting out of there was way more fun. The stadium is kind of outside the city, and all the way back to the city on the matatu (taxi) from the stadium was just one big giant party all over the place. Everybody was so excited, and people came out to watch all the people leaving the stadium walking and driving home. Everybody was yelling and cheering, and traffic was bad because the streets were blocked with people celebrating. It was awesome.
I hope everyone is doing well. In these past couple of weeks all the other eMi interns have arrived, and Greg has begun regular work there and I have been continuing on at Heritage. In my opinion, life here is much less stressful than in the states, but that may just be because I have 8 kids at school instead of 170. All my students are great kids, and it is a real joy to be able to teach them this year.
I am really enjoying teaching at Heritage, it is a great place to be. The staff there is very nice and helpful to new teachers. The staff is made up of probably about 60 % nationals, and 40 % other. The principal is British, but we follow an American curriculum.
Greg is actually working for Heritage, too…sort of. He has been assigned by eMi to survey Heritage, because they would like to build a new wing for their high school. They have a high school, but the school is growing quite a bit and will not be contained in the present buildings for long.
We are much more comfortable with getting around now then we used to be, which is very nice. We are still looking for a church, but we think we may end up at a church called Calvary Chapel. Apparently there are Calvary Chapels in the U.S., but I have never heard of them.
We are also getting to know more Ugandans, and understanding the culture and country a little more. And in Uganda right now, there is something going on that needs prayer. November is bringing with it something called CHOGM (cho-gum). I don’t know what chogm means per say, but I do know that it is when the Queen of England is coming to Kampala along with a lot of other foreign diplomats and dignitaries. So because of this 3 day event, Uganda is trying to “get ready.” While getting ready, they are doing things such as road repair(this is good), rounding up beggar children in the town centre and sending them…who knows?...and kicking people out of their stands used to sell things if they’re structure is not permanent (these are bad).
This is sad, and I would ask that you would pray for people that are having their lives and livelihood affected by this.
Last weekend we were able to visit an orphanage called Watoto (meaning children in Swahili). It is sponsored by Kampala Pentecostal Church (KPC) here in Uganda, (which is probably the biggest church in the country), and we went so eMi could look around to see how they built it and how it was laid out. KPC goes and searches the whole country and tries to find children who are the most destitute and have the least likelihood that someone will take care of them, and they bring them to Watoto to live, be loved, and get an education. They have 3 orphanages around Kampala, and they are all very good homes for these children. Watoto also has a children’s choir that travels the world performing. Please pray for these children that they would grow up to loving God and praising him.
There are many orphans here, largely due to AIDS. I know you have heard this of Africa, but it becomes much more of a reality when you are here, and you talk to so many people who are affected by this. Please pray that more and more children would find homes, and that people could have their lives emotionally and physically healed.
Pray for Greg and I, that God would use us here, and that we will make sure and listen to him so that we follow his will!
Namboole Stadium in Kampala. Yes, if you look closely, you will see a man with a big flame caused by lighting hair spray or something on fire.
Watoto
This is also at Watoto. Another child is taking the picture (those kids sure love cameras), and I told the boy in my lap to make a funny face. I love this picture.
This is one our way to Mabira Forest, a rainforest outside of Kampala. We were able to go there last weekend. This forest has a lot of controversey surrounding it, as the President wanted to tear down 1/3 of it for sugar plantations, but the people of Uganda did not like that. So that plan has been put off, or possibly stopped for good.
Here's a huge tree in Mabira forest!
Here's the nile river in Jinja, right after it comes out of Lake Victoria.
This is our apartment. Across the street is a cell tower with a very loud generator, which is actually quite nice because it blocks out the dogs fighting that used to wake us up every night.
Chickens! I love all the barnyard animals that run around.
A monkey in Mabira forest. He wanted food.
A Maribou stork. These are trash birds that are extremely numerous in Downtown Kampala. They have got to be the ugliest things I've ever seen. They probably stand about 3 or 4 feet tall.
Thanks for reading and praying! We love to hear from you! |
