notes from the "american african" :)

I know it has been a while since I blogged about this amazing adventure! A lot has happened since last time so I will try and catch ya’ll up! I officially have 2 weeks left here in Uganda, so on that theme, here is my update in 14 bullet points:

14. I am all healed up from my boda boda accident. All I have to show now from my dangerous time in Africa is a few small scars. I also now wear a helmet, and look even cooler on a bodaJ Here are a few pictures from the accident, and of course a picture of our awesome matching helmets.

Road Rash.

This is the spot on the road where the accident happened. Michael now calls it "Carolina's Place."

13. Dawn has received a few different donations from people at home. We received a donation from some friends of mine in Albuquerque, Ben and Angelica Williams, which bought Dawn its first tank of propane for the stove. This has been such a blessing!

Vaness with her favorite part of the kitchen! Vanessa is also the mother of Victor and Clever, my Ugandan Family!

12. A group of people also sent Christmas gifts to the children. Though not all of them made it here, my greatest thanks and appreciation go to you for going out of your way to bless people you will never meet. The children were so excited to open something that was sent just for them.  Thank you to the Florendos and family, Justine and Andy Williams, George and Tov, Mr. Edelman, and to others who have donated to help these children live better lives.

11. We had a 2 week holiday from work as a precaution for the Presidential and Mayoral Elections. We were stuck in our apt for four days straight- I can say that I got caught up on reading and watching movies! The Presidential elections went much smoother than anticipated, but the Mayoral elections were postponed due to one of the candidates cheating. There has been some unrest in the city because of that, so prayers are still appreciated for peace and safety!

10. I spent yesterday with my Ugandan family. I took Clever and Victor on a walk in our little neighborhood and then we watched movies and ate ice cream. Then we skyped with my Mom, Bryan, and Mariam. We also got to skype with our much missed Heather! They were pretty impressed with how cool skype wasJ

My man Victor on our walk around town.

Hangin' out at Auntie's. Clever wears this the entire time he is at my house.

I have an excuse for my laptop being so dirty...I am in Africa:) Vanessa and I skyping with Heather!

9. Being one of the only “mzungus” in our little neighborhood, I am pretty well known. Walking down the street is always a production of children running after me and people waving and such. But now, since the accident, everyone knows me now as the “cow mzungu.” Awesome. Even people I have not met ask me, “you are the one who got in the accident with the cow.” News travels quickly here. The people are so sweet and are still asking if they can do anything for me.

8. My roommates and I spent a week painting a wall inside the Dawn Centre. It has brightened up the room that the children spend most of the day in, and has become a helpful tool in teaching!

Vera and I trying to use our creative skills.

7. School has started again in Uganda, and I love seeing all of the children dressed in their uniforms walking to school. Children here love school, but it is expensive. If you want a great cause to support, look into sponsoring a child’s education. What a great way to have a huge impact in the life of a child and their family.

6. The church I attend, Calvary Chapel Kampala, has been an amazing part of my experience here in Kampala. It is such a beautiful sight- people from all over the world worshiping God together. One of my favorite memories was the Christmas Eve service. The last song we sang was “Feliz Navidad.” I thought that was a funny song choice, seeing as we are in Africa, but it had this funny way of making me feel at home.

5. One of my favorite boys at Dawn is Joel. He is 5 years old and autistic. He is absolutely precious, but he is very difficult to manage. He does not follow instructions and he has said very few words since I have been here. The only words I can remember him saying are “auntie” and “teacher.” One day I was making sure to take time out to play with Joel and I was chasing him back and forth throughout the daycare tickling him. We played for about thirty minutes when I told him I had to go to the office to do some work. I said, “Joel, I have to go do some work. Thank you for playing with me!” He looked at me and said clear as day, “Thank you Auntie. See you!” One of the best memories!

4. Prayers needed** My roommate, Sophia, was diagnosed with Thrombosis in her arm this week. It has been a very stressful and scary week for us and especially her. She is only 18 and she is waiting to get a flight back to Germany to receive treatment. Please pray for her health, and that she will be able to return to Uganda. Also pray for our other roommate Vera, who is having to say goodbye to us both!

3. I have spent a good amount of time with the staff at Dawn teaching them how to use the internet, more specifically email. I quickly found out how hard it is to teach, especially since using a computer comes as natural to me as breathing. I am leaving them my laptop to use at Dawn for email and research and I am excited to now have a way to keep in touch with all of them! They were all so excited to learn, and were so impressed with how fast I can type. J

2. I am so excited about the Chicken Coop Project. When I was asked at first to head this project I was wildly overwhelmed. How in the world was I going to raise money for something when I was so far away? The fact that with the help of all my dear friends and PHCC, we were able to raise enough money to fund the entire project! (My initial goal was to fund just stage one.) God’s faithfulness is amazing. The coop will be completely built by Monday, and then the first batch of chicks arrive March 7^th. I can’t wait to see it! Thank you to all who helped. You have helped in a way that will continue to bless the children and staff at Dawn.

1. These last two weeks are going to be very full, and I know they will pass by quickly. I am very excited to come home, but I am also sad to leave the people I have come to love so much. More, now than ever, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for this experience. I am amazed that God chose me to come here. In my work to help people here I have been blessed beyond measure. I have experienced God like I never have before. These 4 months have been very difficult, not just because of homesickness and not having the conveniences of home, but because God has used this time to change me. Change is never easy, and in my experience comes with some painful looks inside. Africa and Uganda especially, will always be on my heart. One thing that God has taught me here is how to love his people. I want to take that lesson and make it one of my life’s missions’. I want to extend my Father’s love, grace, and mercy to everyone that I meet. And hopefully with every face I meet I will also see the faces of my dear friends in Uganda.

who i get to hang out with everday!

                                                        This is Esther, isn't she precious?

If you are interested in helping children like Esther receive the care, therapy, and education they need PLEASE contact me!

why cows should not be allowed on the road

The transportation in Uganda is one word: CRAZY! There are cars, mututus, city buses, bicycle taxis, coach buses, boda-bodas, and pedestrians all trying to cross the road at one time. From my perspective it looks like there are absolutely no rules, and if there are, nobody follows them. Kampala is a big city, and walking is just not an ideal way to get around here.

The vans are Mutatus. This picture doesn't even come close to depicitng the craziness!

 I have two options when I want to go somewhere. Option 1 is a Mutatu. A mutatu is the equivalent of the city transit or bus at home. They are smaller 12 passenger vans that smash in as many as 18-20 people, and sometimes some chickens too. I find this mode of transport pretty miserable because to get a distance that should take 20 minutes it usually takes at least 45 minutes. When someone needs to get off the yell “Maasawo!” and the driver will pull over. These vans have rows for seats, so for someone to get out everyone in front of them must get out as well. A normal mutatu ride includes if not all than most of the following: sitting on a stranger’s lap, smelling a good amount of B.O. close and personal, getting charged at least double the price as the African passengers, the taxi stopping every quarter mile, at every stop vendors stick their merchandise inside the windows and try to sell sodas, watches, food, and just about anything, the person next to you needs to get out so you have to file out of the taxi and then herd back in, at your destination you look at the time and you are late.

Option 2 is to take a boda-boda. This is a motorcycle taxi. To call a boda-boda all you have to do is make eye contact with a driver on the road and raise your eyebrows. I have been amazed that a driver will respond to this gesture from very far away! I was warned over and over (times a hundred) about how dangerous bodas are. Bodas weave in and out of traffic like they are being chased by the police in an action movie. The roads are terrible, and the possibility of hitting a pothole too hard is pretty high. I have heard a statistic that 5 people a day, A DAY, die in boda accidents. Nevertheless, my favorite way to get around Kampala is by boda. A boda ride is fast because you don’t have to wait for traffic, you just go around it. It is also nice to be on the back of a motorcycle in the heat because the wind is a natural air conditioner. Michael, my boda driver, is a friend that I met as soon as I arrived here. He jokes that he is my body guard, but I really do call him my guardian angel. He has driven me all over the city, he is reliable and on time, and he will come to pick me up no matter what time or where I am. Now that is service! 

Michael and I waiting for "Ente" to cross the road.

What inspired me to write about the transportation in Uganda? None other than my very own story to tell! Michael was taking me into town and we were on the road that headed out of our “zone” or our neighborhood. One moment I was waving at the lady who pumps fuel and the next I was flying off of the motorcycle. What I hadn’t seen was the cow that had charged across the road. Michael slowed as much as possible, but he couldn’t avoid it completely and it hit the front tire. The impact caused us both to be thrown off. I landed on my right hip and then slid for a few feet on my right side. Once I realized what had happened, the adrenaline kicked in and I stood up as fast as I could. I did a quick systems check to make sure nothing was broken and that my head was still attached. Within 30 seconds of the accident there was a swarm of people surrounding us. All of these people knew who I was, in one way or another, and they were all so concerned about me. One man had run to his house to get a first aid kit, while another had brought me a bottle of water. I was absolutely filthy, covered in dirt and mud from head to toe and this is point when I realized I was bleeding pretty badly from my shoulder and hip. I called another boda (yes another boda) to take me home so I could clean up. Michael’s boda was very messed up, and his arm was injured and he hit his head. Michael’s boda is his life- the only income he has. My first thought went to him. What is he going to do? How will he get the money to fix the bike if he can’t work? And how can he drive with a hurt arm? Within a few minutes of reaching the apartment Michael was at the door. Even though his head was bleeding, his boda was totaled, and he had no way to earn money, his first concern was me. He expressed over and over how sorry he was. He explained that he tried his best to fall under me so that I wouldn’t get hurt.

A few days later, I am healing up ok and am left with a pretty big fear of getting on a boda again, but I know it’s something I have to do. More so I can’t stop wondering- Why did this happen? Why did God let that happen to me? I pray at the beginning of every ride, “Lord, please keep me safe.” Did He not hear me? Or did He just choose to not listen that time? This kind of dialogue with God can often cause frustration, and I was definitely at that point. I know that God allows terrible things to happen to good people, but why?

If you believe that God allows things to happen, then you must believe that there are some things that God does not allow. I went round and round in head about all of these concepts and soon came to understand- God did allow me to get in a boda accident, that much is true. But what part of the story do I not know (or will I never know)? What part did God not allow? I could have broken a bone, hit my head, or even died. Those are all likely consequences of a boda accident, but I came out with just scrapes and bruises. God protected me, so much more so than I can even appreciate. Plus, now I have a pretty awesome story to tell.

9 days of Rwanda

Recently I got the opportunity to travel out of Uganda to Rwanda. I had an amazing time, and I hope one day I can return.

Traveling in Africa is not a carefree adventure. It is not uncommon for the buses to be raided by rebels, or even ransacked by the police. The roads in Uganda are very dangerous and we were also worried about the possibility of an accident, or even the bus breaking down in the middle of the trip. I know a lot of people prayed for me, and for the safe travel to Rwanda and by God’s grace we reached our destination very tired, but safe.

The best purchase I have made...a blow up pillow. This is on the coach bus, right before we left on a 12 hour overnight journey!

Rwanda is an absolutely beautiful country. The landscape is green and very hilly. It lives up to its nickname, “The Land of a Thousand Hills.” It is very different from Uganda. The roads are clean, and you are fined if you are caught littering. The bodas are required to wear helmets, and they even have helmets for their passengers! Rwandans are not as impressed by white people and I enjoyed not being called “mzungu” or being pointed at.

Beautiful! A quick picture I took on our drive to the conference.

The conference was a great and inspiring time. I met some amazing and faithful people who were serving all over East Africa. I was encouraged by the speaker and even met some new friends who live only a few hours from me. I got a good amount of rest and got to have real coffee for breakfast, so all in all it was quite the treat!

Fellow AIMers. We took a boat trip to an island called "bat island."

How it got its name.

Besides losing my ATM card, we have had fun in Kigali. Our hotel was right by the town square and our view was amazing. Rwanda is a beautiful country, very green and very hilly. We also have a shower with warm water!! I took a 20 minute shower and it was a spiritual experience. The hotel runs about $25 a night, so it's a great deal for the money.

View of Kigali from our room 

One day we went to the genocide memorial in Kigali. It was absolutely incredible. It was so well put together and organized. After learning about the history of Rwanda, I am so much more educated on the issues that caused the genocide in 1994. Again, being in the country and city that it happened in is surreal. The pictures of all the victims line the walls, and the rooms that were dedicated to children were very difficult to be in. The memorial is a burial site for a quarter of a million victims. They had actual items from the genocide like machetes, chains, and guns. They showed videos that displayed victim’s personal stories. It was definitely overwhelming.

The Genocide Memorial, the concrete blocks are the mass graves.

We also went to two churches where over 20000 people were killed in the genocide. These churches at Nyamata and Ntarama, are places that thousands of people fled to because they thought it would be safe for them and their families. The churches are now memorials. Inside, there were clothes everywhere, blood on the walls, and rooms and rooms of skulls and bones. The churches reek of a smell that I can only describe as death and true horror. My heart was burdened and heavy for all of the lives that were lost.  Because the churches are a good 45 minutes from town we had to grab a mutatu back to town. We randomly started talking to this guy, Eric,  in the taxi about nothing in particular. He ended up really helping us get around and we wanted to repay him so we asked if he wanted to join us for coffee.  We sat down and we all started talking and getting to know each other more. He asked us what we were doing that day and we told him we visited the memorials. His mood changes slightly and he told us that he was inside the church at Nyamata. We were shocked to hear this since we had just spent all day there, and we asked him if he would be willing to share his story. He was 8 years old and his family sought refuge in this church. He witnessed the murders of over 10,000 people, people who were his family and his friends. He survived that day by the grace of God. . He was so open with his story, which is an amazing part since it is practically impossible to talk to a stranger about what happened- it is very hush hush here. We talked to him for 3 hours about his life, his testimony about when he became a Christian, and his hopes and dreams for himself and for Rwanda. I'm telling you, if we would have actively looked for someone to share their story it couldn't have been more amazing than his. Eric took a few hours out of his day to talk to us, and in return his testimony will inspire me for years to come.  

Some new friends in Kigali! This is Eric's mother and neice. These people are precious.

My time in Rwanda was absolutely incredible and an experience that will stay with me and continue to challenge me. Having the opportunity to even go to Rwanda is amazing, and I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit’s fingerprints were all over the trip. Pray for Rwanda, that it would see true and deep reconciliation. Pray for all of the survivors as well as all who were apart of the killing. Pray that God would do great things for the Rwandan people, that a new sense of hope and purpose would take hold of them.