Worship at Watato and Rural Homestays

*Her cuteness definately makes up for her lack of diapers :P

-So I haven't blogged in a while. These past couple weeks have been crazy.

-Last friday I got to attend an all night prayer and worship time at Watato Church. So much to take in! Ugandans are soo alive when it comes to worshipping. Through dancing, praying as their lives depend on it...pacing (this is where you find a partner, hold their hand and move around the church praying for the topic is called out by the person with the microphone). I met a girl named Happy and got to pace with her :). Some of the things were questionable to me, like speaking in tounges over the microphone without an interpretation...and a lot of emotion.

-There were also a few dances that were fun towards the end that would be considered sunday school worship songs such as The saints go marching down and a Lugandan one that was almost like The Hokey Pokey...but worshiping Jesus lol. I also met a guy who was wearing a Seattle, Wa shirt! I was so stoked that I had to ask him where he got it. I thought maybe he knew someone from there...or visited there... but when I asked, he said he bought it at a shop. Seattle, Wa. shrits for sale in Uganda!! haha. But overall the worship night was a great experience...I was just more exhausted than I have ever felt in my life afterward! After sleeping a good 5 hours on sat. and Sat. night...My body still felt like a cement block on Sunday. I barely did some laundry only to immediately collapse on my bed and sleep throughout the rest of the night without dinner. By Monday I recovered and now full force throwing myself into lots of work we have this week.

-Currently I am reading "A Girl Soldier" which is sooo good. I used to have the hardest time reading books...but here thats like all we do for most of our classes. Read, discuss, and write papers on the books. I am starting to become a book reader :).

-Next week I will not be in access to any internet connection as we will be on our rural homestay trip in Kapchorwa, known as the place of a friend. I am really excited for it. The interns who have been there before said to be ready to spend a lot of time just chillin and talking with your host family. We get to pick a lot of coffee beans :) The view and scenery I guess is the most beautiful land that you could ever imagine looking at, and its very hilly with lots of creatures :).

-Some of the challenges during the homestay will be eating different kinds of foods...and a lot of it...due to a lot of visiting of friends of the family...and sometimes 8 cups of whole milk in one day! And also not being able to run...but I lay this down. Also, another thing is that one of my IMME friends, Amanda, encouraged me as she explained that she doesn't to go into the rural homestay as if it were a challenge to live simply and rural..but to really seek to get to know her family and develop relationship with them and learn their lifestlye. I am encouraged to seek to do the same.

-Its raining today :) I like it because its nice and cool. A good break from the extreme sun and rain means blessings. Many blessings today :P

-Also yesterday I attended a missions seminar taht was about Save the Mothers organization. Dr. Jean Chamberlain lives on campus and has done a lot of work through her organization that she started. Her goal is to eduacate as many people on the importance of safe labor. So many die giving birth.

*4.5 million die of births (mothers/babies) a year
when 2.5 million people die of HIV/AIDS

Check it out : savethemothers.org

I am a Muzungu Runner :)

The ultimate running path.

-Running in Uganda is so different!! I thought I would blog about this love of mine to give you a small glimpse.


-When I first got to Uganda, I asked the USP staff if people run here and where would be the best place. Their response was that not a lot of Ugandans run here and they think that those who do are weird. It makes sense as they said that their reason was the fact that Ugandans don't see the point of "wasting" energy when they could use it for doing productive work.


-But they directed me to the dirt track of the schools. On my first run, 35 hot min. around the track and lots of weird stares directed me to a different location known as Prayer Mountain. This is a road that leads up to the top of a mountain where pastors and people literally get alone with God and pray. Its really beautiful and peaceful! And the top that overlooks all of Mukono town..and Lake Victoria in the distance is sooo gorgeous! ( I have millions of pics that I will bring home to share). :)


- The only thing about Prayer Mountain is that its a mountain... There are a lot of huge hills! And even running up the first one cause’s beads of salty sweat to instantly pour down your face. As one of my fellow American USPer's, Amanda, has put it, "You sweat your body weight". But the joy of reaching the top and the view!! And then the fast down hills and your face now covered in sweat resembling fly tape allows you to catch a few friends and some extra protein if you are breathing hard with an open mouth :P and if you are are lucky you get some salt on top. Maybe even in your eyes :P Mmmmm.
A glimpse of the great view!!

- I have found that the best time to run here is at 5:30pm after classes and when it is just getting cool and a beautiful sunset for the eyes :). And plus since I have to be home and 7pm every night, it give me just enough time to get back, throw on a skirt, grab my books and walk back. (Even though lately I have been thirty min. late each time :S)


-Funny comments from people while running: The kids all yell-Hi Muzungo! followed by, Bye Muzungo!! Muzungo! Muzungo! And the older people give me weird glances..I don't know what they are thinking...I figure that because I am white and running makes me doubly weird. But my Ugandan papa also told me that in Uganda, if you are walking past someone and don't say hi, acknowledging their presence they they think there is something wrong with you. Sooo with running...I pass twice as many people...so I do a lot of pausing my ipod and waving and saying hi. Its good though because their facial expression of ..I don't know what they are thinking...and weird stares...instantly changes to friendly faces of acceptances and hellos :)


-People also have said things like well done! well done! and We support you! Keep going! One person also once said, "Are you ok? How come you are in such a rush?" Lol. Also, the other day some one yelled something that sounded like hot dog! Hot dog! But I don't think that was what they were saying.


- One time I got to the top of the prayer mountain and came across a house. A man was in his garden and he stopped me. He cut down a huge chunk of his jack fruit and held it out to me as a gift. I wasn't sure how I was going to run with it....but jackfruit is SOOOOO goood and I didn't want to be rude by declining his gift..so I accepted it. He wrapped it in banana leaves and tied it up crazy well and I went running down the mountain carrying a chunk of jackfruit and dropped it off at our IMME quarters. My family enjoyed the special treat that night :). You have to try it :)


- Another funny thing. My Ugandan mama has me iron everything! Even my running clothes and pajamas. And this weekend she looked at my dusty running shoes, and told me that every weekend I need to wash them. It takes soo much work! I wanted to fight her on it by telling her that they will just get dirty again...so I would rather not..and that new looking running shoes is actaully not that cool in America...hahaha but decided that I would probably be a better thing to respect what she wanted for the long run. CRAZY! So I am running with perfectly pressed running clothes these days and brandnew looking running shoes. :D


-Also another thing I have learned. DON'T RUN IN COTTON SHORTS!! I only brought one pair of none cotton shorts... and regretting it. I get a good case of "It looks like I wet my pants." :P


- Even more on running. My Ugandan papa once told me, "Megan the one thing I like about you is that you run and exercise." I was still getting to know them so it left me thinking, aw man, thats the only thing? hahaha, I know its not, its just how he worded it. My papa also said that because he is over 40 his doctor told him that he can't have more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day! I think teaspoons are actually tablespoons...but still...thats like how much I have in one latte! Americans are also known as the 'people of sugar' here. :P Wahooo go us!

-Last night, I had a small fight with my mama. I came home from a long 3 day weekend trip to Luweero and had planned to go running when I had got home. Usually, at home in America, this idea would be normal. I would come home throw on my running shoes, go out for an hour then be back in time for dinner and a shower. However, as I explained that this is what I was going to do...my mama declined my longing to go after three days of not. She said that weekends are family days and since I have been gone, I was going to learn how to make chappattis instead. I was suprised by my reaction to this rejection. I literally had to go in my room and have a chat with God to surrender my will and not have a bad attitude. It ended up being good. I learned how to make a Ugandan food, went to the market and enjoyed other fellowship with my family and was able to go for a wonderfully beautiful...hot morning run :)

* So thats running in Uganda :) In all its BEAUTIFUL. hot. Refreshing after sitting in classes all day...and its A LOT different which makes it FUN. Hopefully I will have more to add as time goes on.

Walking home sunset :)

PICTURES!!!

Ugandan Smores!!!

ONE OUT OF MANY PICS FROM OUR PHOTO SHOOT :p

(My siblings new greatest hobbie is performing dramas and dances that they learned from sunday school when I get home from school. Of course I don't mind :)

Our weekend trip to Luweero. This is a group picture after Catholic Mass and some of the congeration. The kids were the cutest! (Look at the little guy in the brown suit posing. :)

I think three is the ultimate max that is going to load today.

I hope everything is going well for you guys in the states. :)

Also, if you have a sponsor kid...write letters! As many as you can! It means the world to them! I will write more on this later...but visiting Compassion kids this weekend and hearing and seeing how sponsor programs work, made me realize the significance of a personal letter to a child.

Uganda Update

-This last Tuesday was a holiday (Presidents Day). I spent the day watching War Dance and hearing one of the Ugandan Staff’s Testimonies. Then 8 hours of sitting on the cement watching Cats and Dogs, Cat in the Hat, part of Kung Fu Panda, and some of their soap operas (their popular tv here). The reason for this extreme measure, especially since I usually can’t watch one movie without falling asleep, was getting my hair braided. Its sooo intense. I now have twice as much hair and different reactions from people :P. Some American students say that I look like a true hippy…others say that I look like a native…and my Ugandan family says that I look very smart (meaning good looking)and my little sister says that I look very beautiful :). However, I have been getting different looks and stares from the Ugandans that I don't know how to interpret yet :S. I think I like my new style, it is taking some time to get used to though.


-Last night I taught my family how to make s’mores. They loved them! But even the kids said that they were sooo sweet. Haha what kids say things are too sweet? My papa said that now he has to drink a lot of water, because the more sugar you eat the more water you must drink..


-Since yesterday, little Docus (1 year old Ugandan sister) has only wanted me to hold her, feed her and play with her J. She is terrified of her mom because she went to the salon and got her hair cut to get ready to start her teaching job on Monday. I feel bad for my mama because I can tell that she feels such rejection from her little daughter. It reminds me of the time in Mexico when my mom woke up terrified of me :P.


-This morning after having a cup of chai, I helped the house maid wash the dishes. In the middle of them, I pointed at the water and asked her what the Ugandan word was for it. She told me Amaiza (not the right spelling.) So I repeated it, and the whole family started laughing historically. My siblings were jumping up and down and repeating the way I pronounced water. I was soo clueless as they were rambling in Lugandan. My papa came out hearing the commotion and started laughing too. Apparently the word water sounds like faeces (poop) if the ending isn’t accented right. Haha, I think I will not attempt to ask for a glass of water in Lugandan at a restaurant until I practice how to say it correctly.


-I had a Ugandan pancake yesterday. They are more like fried cookies. It consists of cassava flour (green banana flour) and menvus (yellow bananas). You roll the dough out and cut it in little circles, and cook it in hot hot oil for 5 min. So many things are cooked it oil here!! It kind of tasted like fried banana bread.


- I think I am currently learning major patience still with the pace of life, and that its not about me, and how people react to me, but Christ, and bringing Him glory in every action and word of my day. Another piece of humble pie please?
-This weekend is our trip to Lluweerow. Playing with compassion kids and eating dinner with Ugandan missionaries. :)

-P.S. I have the cutest little nephew EVER!!! :)

(Caption blogging style is from the all knowing, butterfly catcher, elephant giver, Nate Ssepuya.)

*******My pictures won't load today :( ********

New Eyes and His Truths

"God is sooo good! He takes our earthly views and emotions towards life trials and turns our focus towards his heavenly perspective. We only have to ask for eyes to see. I forget that I am blind without Him."- Yesterdays facebook status :P

-So my last blog was definately about my great feelings of homesickness. However, I praise God as I can say that he has completely heard my cry and has greatly changed my view on Ugandan life.

- That friday night as I got home exhausted, I took a bucket bath and waited til 9:30 pm when the food is usually ready. I didn't feel like talking and trying to communicate a lot that night... so I didn't. I just ate in silence..(as its pretty normal here anyways). I felt like going staight to bed but my Ugandan papa said that we were going to have a prayer meeting first.

-He shared Isaiah 44:1-5. Usually as we have prayer meetings they are half in Lugandan so that others in the family could completely understand as well. However...tonight it was different. He broke the 5 verses down all in English as he focused on me. The longer he continued on the more piercing were the words to my heart. And when he had me read it... I knew it was God truths tugging at my heart at that moment. Not to mention that the rest of the family fell asleep in the middle of his breaking down of scripture haha.

-" The Lord says, listen now, Israel, my servant, my chosen people, the desendents of Jacob. I am the Lord who created you; from the time you were born, I have helped you. Do not be afraid; You are my servant, my chosen people whom I love. "I will give water to the thirsty land and make streams flow on the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on your children and my blessing on your desendents. They will thrive like well-watered greass, like willows by streams of running water, one by one, people will say, 'I am the Lord's'. They will come join the people of Israel. They will each mark the name of the Lord on their arms, and call themselvevs members of God's people." -Isaiah 44:1-5

-Since friday night, I have been craving rice and beans instead of having to force them down. :)

-This weekend a few of us got to go to Kampala, the big city here and visit Watato church. A good sermon on waiting for God to come back and reminder of what we are called to do as his people as we wait in hope. I also think God granted me a special treat of having a nice big green salad and a iced carmel latte after church while visiting with Jonathan Beggs. :)

- We also had a small dance party on the drive back to Mukono to the song, 'Im trading my sorrows' (if thats the name) :P So much fun with my Ugandan friend Nester as well!

From the right side of the table around the order goes, Nester (Awesome Ugandan friend), me, Jonathan Beggs, Paul, (aw man, I forgot her name), and American friend Jenna.

"God is sooo good! He takes our earthly views and emotions towards life trials and turns our focus towardss his heavenly perspective. We only have to ask for eyes to see. I forget that I am blind without Him."

*Weekend highlights...God opening my eyes...bought stuff to make smores with my Ugandan Fam...my siblings danced for me. They are soo crazy!! This morning, my little one year old sister Docus let me feed her for the first time and getting to wear mashed banana this morning :P... and today I am getting my hair braided :D

-Thanks sooo much for following my blog! Miss you all :)

Homesickness already?

Yes, it has come already. Today as we only had one class and the rest of the day I must admit that I miss my home life. Having rice and beans and matoke for lunch and dinner two times a day for 2 weeks has now switched from a nice change and adventure to a loss of appetite, and lots of long calls lol :( . I didn't think it would be hard to give up my normal nutrition habits. I miss having different meals. Cold salads..fresh veggies and colorful meals. My body is having a hard time adjusting and it makes me feel gross. And the heat and not being able to run as often as I would like combined makes it hard as well.

Its also difficult trying to communicate differently all the time. So much effort and soo much time! Today I feel Ugandan anit-social. My flesh is screaming to just not socialize today and to stay bound to as much American life (Facebook, communicating with people back home, and blogging...or just reading and homework.) I wish I could have been there as my mom was talking Allie through her pregnancy and watch my parents expressions as we all eagerly awaited little Henry's birth. I miss home. I miss familiarity.

I apologize for writing about homesickness soo soon but I promised God that on this trip I will try to be as honest as possible about my emotions, feelings, and reactions to Ugandan life this semester, and currently, this is my status.

I am so thankful that I am here at this time though. God has already been teaching me a lot, and even through these current feelings, I am learning more about myself and feel myself growing. Lately, my greatest challenge here is not rushing everywhere. I am American, therefore I am always on the go. Africans take the time to pace...they seem to always have the time for you. They walk so leisurely that its hard to get used to...especially when I want to still fit so much in my day here. My goal for while I am here is to let go off rushing...let go of being so progamatic, and to put people first.

Class Schedule in African Time

Monday:
12:00-1:00 Faith in Action
4:00-5:00 African Literature
5:30-6:30 Lugandan Lessons

Tuesday:
10:00-12:00 Health and Wholeness
12:00-1:00 Community Worship (Chapel)
4:00-5:00 Intercultural Missions Ministry Emphasis group

Wednesday:
8:30-10:30 Health and W

holeness
11:00-1:00 African Traditional Religions
2:00-3:00 Intercultural Missions Ministry Emphasis group
3:00-4:00 Faith in Action

Thursday:
11:00-12:00 African Traditional Religions
12:00-1:00 Community Worship
2:00-4:00 African Literature

Friday:
Cohort Group 2 – 11:00-1:00

*Friday to Sunday are travel days or spending time with our Ugandan families.

Luweero trip = January 29-31 (Hanging out with Compassion kids and dinners past missionaries and current missionaries)

Rural Home stay= February 19-26

March 12-13 = Jinja (Nile river and hopefully rafting!!)

March 26-27 = Rakai

April 22-March 3 = Rwanda

*Ugandan Address: Megan Hall: Uganda Study Program: Uganda Christian University : P.O. Box 4