Uganda Day 3
It has certainly been a long couple of days. Today is the 24th and I honestly feel like I lost two days in there somewhere, but I am in Uganda at Uganda Christian University and safe. It is so beautiful here! This morning I woke up to the sound of birds, granted I didnt sleep great but hopefully, will better tonight when I spend the first night with my host family.
There will be more later, on to orientation stuff!
24.8.11
Of Planes.
Uganda Day ½
It’s about 11:40 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the location of our lengthy layover. Our flight from New York got in about 8 AM local time and other than one girl forgetting her passport on the plane, thus far, our trip has gone off without a hitch. (Our next flight leaves at 14:00) For those of you who have not experienced a fifteen hour plane ride, IT IS LONG. So far I’m pretty awake even though it’s about 5 AM at home. I slept-ish on the plane, and have met most everyone.
I am excited. I really am. I’m still pretty nervous. There is still so much of this trip that is unknown and uncertain. As for the friend thing, it’s going ok…I’m so worried that I will not connect really deep with anyone. But then the still small voice in my head reminds me that I haven’t even known any of these people for more than 24 hours, and still we manage to laugh and revel in the fact that WE ARE IN AFRICA!
The airport is pretty cold. It’s funny to be in Africa, but be cold. I guess that just goes to show how much I am aware of the continent of Africa. I mean South Africa is pretty far south, and apparently, they had snow recently.
It’s about 11:40 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the location of our lengthy layover. Our flight from New York got in about 8 AM local time and other than one girl forgetting her passport on the plane, thus far, our trip has gone off without a hitch. (Our next flight leaves at 14:00) For those of you who have not experienced a fifteen hour plane ride, IT IS LONG. So far I’m pretty awake even though it’s about 5 AM at home. I slept-ish on the plane, and have met most everyone.
I am excited. I really am. I’m still pretty nervous. There is still so much of this trip that is unknown and uncertain. As for the friend thing, it’s going ok…I’m so worried that I will not connect really deep with anyone. But then the still small voice in my head reminds me that I haven’t even known any of these people for more than 24 hours, and still we manage to laugh and revel in the fact that WE ARE IN AFRICA!
The airport is pretty cold. It’s funny to be in Africa, but be cold. I guess that just goes to show how much I am aware of the continent of Africa. I mean South Africa is pretty far south, and apparently, they had snow recently.
19.8.11
A Little Bite of the Big Apple
Yesterday was a long one. Wes and I left home at 5:30 and arrived in New York at 10 pm. The drive went so well and the scenery was spectacular. We stopped in New Jersey for dinner and we were asked if we would like the check before we got our meal. The area up here is beautiful! Let me tell you, I have never been to such a beautiful train station!
The actual station
the view from the platform.
We are staying up out of the city with some distant relatives of my mom's who are wonderful hosts! Today we went to the Statue of Liberty and were rained on while waiting in line to get on the ferry, Ellis Island was also on the docket, WTC memorial and site
(which now just appears as a large construction site so we were not able to get a great view of it),and then we went on the New York Water Taxi and got a tour of the bay and up the Hudson with views of the Brooklyn bridge and such, we got off at the Intrepid Air & Space Museum, and for our last adventure we went to the New York skyride (a simulator that exhibits the sites of New York city, and in our opinion was hardly worth the $42). After that we dragged our tired feet all over midtown Manhattan trying to find a sit down pizza place, but all we could find were places with pre-made pizza, and thus, we settled on Friday's. I'm pretty sure both of us got pretty close to sleep on the train back up the Hudson.
Wes and I at the Statue of Liberty.
Her presence exceeded my expectations.
The processing room on Ellis Island. 12 Million Immigrants passed through this hall. Can you imagine the turmoil, the joy, the fear, and the noise?
A random strike going on by the Ground Zero site. By the way, if you do not know what they are planning for a memorial for 9/11 you should check it out. Its pretty sweet and scheduled to open on the 10th Anniversary in September.
Today was a draining day and my feet are throbbing. This city is spectacular, but so large. And today we only covered very little ground. Tomorrow promises to be another day of chaotic exploration and tired feet.
We are staying up out of the city with some distant relatives of my mom's who are wonderful hosts! Today we went to the Statue of Liberty and were rained on while waiting in line to get on the ferry, Ellis Island was also on the docket, WTC memorial and site
Today was a draining day and my feet are throbbing. This city is spectacular, but so large. And today we only covered very little ground. Tomorrow promises to be another day of chaotic exploration and tired feet.
15.8.11
Looming or Luring
8 Days until Uganda!
I am excited, honest, I am. I am nervous. I am unsure and laid open. I feel like a shell cast upon a beach by the waves. Waiting. Blanched. Drying in the sun waiting for my next purpose to arise. However, unlike this shell I know where I am going, but the outcome is far more uncertain.
For this trip, we are required to read "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. The story, thus far, is about a family who travels to the Congo as missionaries and all their misadventures and misunderstandings. The book also treats God in a strange light. Like a big puppeteer in the sky with somewhat of a vindictive motive. Caught in the middle of an uprising the father, a very strong willed and self proclaimed righteous man, demands that his family remain behind as the rest of the westerners return home on the suggestion of governments and organizations. His faith makes me question at what point should he just throw his hands up and say, 'Ok I give up. I'm going home God'. Is this man correct in his stubbornness or just crazy? But so far a good book. You should read it. Question the solidity of your faith and at what point should we pick up that cross and carry it home?
As my trip squeaks closer and closer my lists grow in number. Some shrink while others grow exponentially. The list of things to buy has begun to dwindle, but my list of things to accomplish seems to multiply like rabbits. And with tomorrow becoming a visit Chicago day, I am left with the solitary idea or proposition of Tuesday. There is still so much to do, and yet it still seems so unreal.
Random things that must still be accomplished:
-Photocopy passport
-PACK! (certainly the bane of my list)
-Get a haircut
-Spend quality family time
-Finish all my various projects that have been started this summer
-Find time to sleep
The weather has been simply perfect lately, and for that I am so grateful. Yesterday, I spent a beautiful day, even if it did rain for 10 minutes or so, at the muddy Mississippi with Wes, my wonderful boyfriend, Michael, and Julie. My siblings are home frequently and spending time with them is a great delight. Life is sweet. Summer has calmed down significantly and it lingers with the simple afterglow of joy.
Thanks be to God for his wonderful gifts of weather and time. God, give me the patience and the strength to do all I must to be ready for this trip. Give me the faith of a child.
(The Hebrew Characters for Amen)^
I am excited, honest, I am. I am nervous. I am unsure and laid open. I feel like a shell cast upon a beach by the waves. Waiting. Blanched. Drying in the sun waiting for my next purpose to arise. However, unlike this shell I know where I am going, but the outcome is far more uncertain.
For this trip, we are required to read "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. The story, thus far, is about a family who travels to the Congo as missionaries and all their misadventures and misunderstandings. The book also treats God in a strange light. Like a big puppeteer in the sky with somewhat of a vindictive motive. Caught in the middle of an uprising the father, a very strong willed and self proclaimed righteous man, demands that his family remain behind as the rest of the westerners return home on the suggestion of governments and organizations. His faith makes me question at what point should he just throw his hands up and say, 'Ok I give up. I'm going home God'. Is this man correct in his stubbornness or just crazy? But so far a good book. You should read it. Question the solidity of your faith and at what point should we pick up that cross and carry it home?
As my trip squeaks closer and closer my lists grow in number. Some shrink while others grow exponentially. The list of things to buy has begun to dwindle, but my list of things to accomplish seems to multiply like rabbits. And with tomorrow becoming a visit Chicago day, I am left with the solitary idea or proposition of Tuesday. There is still so much to do, and yet it still seems so unreal.
Random things that must still be accomplished:
-Photocopy passport
-PACK! (certainly the bane of my list)
-Get a haircut
-Spend quality family time
-Finish all my various projects that have been started this summer
-Find time to sleep
The weather has been simply perfect lately, and for that I am so grateful. Yesterday, I spent a beautiful day, even if it did rain for 10 minutes or so, at the muddy Mississippi with Wes, my wonderful boyfriend, Michael, and Julie. My siblings are home frequently and spending time with them is a great delight. Life is sweet. Summer has calmed down significantly and it lingers with the simple afterglow of joy.
Thanks be to God for his wonderful gifts of weather and time. God, give me the patience and the strength to do all I must to be ready for this trip. Give me the faith of a child.
8.8.11
Speechless.
14 Days until Uganda
2 Weeks? 2 Weeks! I cannot believe that in two weeks I will be boarding a plane to Uganda. To Africa! I'm not really even sure what to say. It always seemed so far off in the distance. Sure, I would get there someday, but not anytime soon. But then again...life seems to have a way of sneaking up on me and TADA! here it is. I mean two weeks is a sizable chunk of time...right? For some reason I feel like the sand is running far too quickly out of my hourglass.
Last night we had some family over to celebrate my birthday and my venturing out into the vast world. About when everyone started to leave and was like, 'Take care of yourself', 'Have a safe trip to Africa', and such niceties that I began to realize that this would be the last time I would see some of them until Christmas after my trip. That was a shocking revelation.
I still have much to accomplish. I feel as though the summer were lopsided. Like a teeter-totter with a heavier person on one end and a significantly lighter one on the other. There is shopping to be done, packing, last minute get togethers with friends, quality sibling time to be spent, finishing up various creative pursuits, and packing...I guess I should learn to balance better. To put equal sized responsibility on both sides of my teeter-totter.
I do so enjoy being responsible and the freedom that comes, but sometimes I wish I could drop it all and just have fun. To cast caution to the wind and dance.
As it says in Jeremiah 31:12-14:
Praise be to God the sustainer of my soul for he provides comfort and joy!
Just a fun fact for those of you wondering...Uganda is about 8 hours ahead of central standard time.
2 Weeks? 2 Weeks! I cannot believe that in two weeks I will be boarding a plane to Uganda. To Africa! I'm not really even sure what to say. It always seemed so far off in the distance. Sure, I would get there someday, but not anytime soon. But then again...life seems to have a way of sneaking up on me and TADA! here it is. I mean two weeks is a sizable chunk of time...right? For some reason I feel like the sand is running far too quickly out of my hourglass.
Last night we had some family over to celebrate my birthday and my venturing out into the vast world. About when everyone started to leave and was like, 'Take care of yourself', 'Have a safe trip to Africa', and such niceties that I began to realize that this would be the last time I would see some of them until Christmas after my trip. That was a shocking revelation.
I still have much to accomplish. I feel as though the summer were lopsided. Like a teeter-totter with a heavier person on one end and a significantly lighter one on the other. There is shopping to be done, packing, last minute get togethers with friends, quality sibling time to be spent, finishing up various creative pursuits, and packing...I guess I should learn to balance better. To put equal sized responsibility on both sides of my teeter-totter.
I do so enjoy being responsible and the freedom that comes, but sometimes I wish I could drop it all and just have fun. To cast caution to the wind and dance.
As it says in Jeremiah 31:12-14:
They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,
the young of the flocks and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more.
Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the LORD.
Praise be to God the sustainer of my soul for he provides comfort and joy!
Just a fun fact for those of you wondering...Uganda is about 8 hours ahead of central standard time.
5.8.11
Dreams and Aspirations
17 Days until Uganda
I was sitting in Wes's car last night listening to his little cousin talk about her dream house and her dream job. She wants to study elephants in Africa, but is afraid of the big poisonous snakes. I couldn't help but smile. She's a cutie, but why am I so fast to discredit her dreams and assume that they will not come true? Dreams are so vital to life and childhood. Growing up I wanted to be a vet, granted I did not follow that but who am I to say that studying elephants in Africa is not an attainable goal? I mean someone has to do it, right? God gives each one of us dreams, and some are lucky enough to get to follow through with them.
And who am I to doubt the dreams that God gave?
Just some food for thought....
I was sitting in Wes's car last night listening to his little cousin talk about her dream house and her dream job. She wants to study elephants in Africa, but is afraid of the big poisonous snakes. I couldn't help but smile. She's a cutie, but why am I so fast to discredit her dreams and assume that they will not come true? Dreams are so vital to life and childhood. Growing up I wanted to be a vet, granted I did not follow that but who am I to say that studying elephants in Africa is not an attainable goal? I mean someone has to do it, right? God gives each one of us dreams, and some are lucky enough to get to follow through with them.
And who am I to doubt the dreams that God gave?
Just some food for thought....
3.8.11
Of Ends and Beginnings
A series of countdowns:
3 Days until my birthday (Oh my goodness...20 is old.)
14 Days until Wes and I leave for New York
19 Days until I leave for Uganda
My days and weeks have consisted of various lists and countdowns. There always seems to be something else that I must do. But Praise God all my summer classes are over. This relieves a great deal of stress from my life. But oh there is so much left. The stress has not set in quite yet, but I presume it will be along shortly...unfortunately.
Recently, I have reading in Corinthians and I keep coming back to this verse:
I love the words in this verse. stand firm. courage. strong. love. This verse encompasses everything that I want for my trip. I want to stand firm in my faith and I want people to see a difference in me. I want them to see Jesus in me. I want to be courageous for his mission. I want to jump into the ministry in Uganda and not be worried about my physical self, but only be concerned with the glory my father receives from it. Strong, strength, I pray that God will give me the strength to accompany courage and draw me closer to him and the woman he is making me. And Love.
'The greatest of these is love' (13:13). I want to be able to say that I loved all the people I encountered and loved them not for what they did for me but for who they are to my Jesus, my Lord.
God is so good and so faithful. I could write out lists of the things that I worried about for this trip. And he has stilled all of those fears in one way or another. But yesterday I was reminded of a great blessing that he gave me. Last semester I was talking with the international studies director and he was congratulating me on getting into the program and then he mentioned a scholarship. A scholarship that I was not even aware had existed, but had been applied to my financial aid and allowed me to travel to Uganda cheaper than to spend another semester at LeTourneau. The faithfulness of God is unending. Thank you Lord for unseen and unsolicited blessings!
But you know it always comes around to why me? Why was a blessed with such a beautiful family? Why do I have such wonderful friends? Why has God chosen me to go to Uganda? Why has he poured so much into my life? Why did he place me in a Christian family who would raise me in the way I should go? Why me?
Sometimes it floors me how much the Lord blesses me even when I spend so little time thanking him or being his hands and feet. What does it look like to live with reckless abandon in pursuit of God?
Great is HIS faithfulness!
3 Days until my birthday (Oh my goodness...20 is old.)
14 Days until Wes and I leave for New York
19 Days until I leave for Uganda
My days and weeks have consisted of various lists and countdowns. There always seems to be something else that I must do. But Praise God all my summer classes are over. This relieves a great deal of stress from my life. But oh there is so much left. The stress has not set in quite yet, but I presume it will be along shortly...unfortunately.
Recently, I have reading in Corinthians and I keep coming back to this verse:
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love." ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
I love the words in this verse. stand firm. courage. strong. love. This verse encompasses everything that I want for my trip. I want to stand firm in my faith and I want people to see a difference in me. I want them to see Jesus in me. I want to be courageous for his mission. I want to jump into the ministry in Uganda and not be worried about my physical self, but only be concerned with the glory my father receives from it. Strong, strength, I pray that God will give me the strength to accompany courage and draw me closer to him and the woman he is making me. And Love.
'The greatest of these is love' (13:13). I want to be able to say that I loved all the people I encountered and loved them not for what they did for me but for who they are to my Jesus, my Lord. God is so good and so faithful. I could write out lists of the things that I worried about for this trip. And he has stilled all of those fears in one way or another. But yesterday I was reminded of a great blessing that he gave me. Last semester I was talking with the international studies director and he was congratulating me on getting into the program and then he mentioned a scholarship. A scholarship that I was not even aware had existed, but had been applied to my financial aid and allowed me to travel to Uganda cheaper than to spend another semester at LeTourneau. The faithfulness of God is unending. Thank you Lord for unseen and unsolicited blessings!
But you know it always comes around to why me? Why was a blessed with such a beautiful family? Why do I have such wonderful friends? Why has God chosen me to go to Uganda? Why has he poured so much into my life? Why did he place me in a Christian family who would raise me in the way I should go? Why me?
Sometimes it floors me how much the Lord blesses me even when I spend so little time thanking him or being his hands and feet. What does it look like to live with reckless abandon in pursuit of God?
Where, O death, are your plagues?
Where, O grave, is your destruction? ~ Hosea 13:14
Great is HIS faithfulness!
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