Knocked Out in The Nile

Finally seeing how dreadfully slow this internet actually is
here makes me question how lengthy my blogs will end up being, but oh well…here
goes nothing. So we are in Africa. WHAT?! To say it hasn’t hit me yet would be
a lie. I think that time truly passed when I woke up to the sound of monkeys
everywhere, and then there was really no escaping the reality of it once we
came in sight of the Nile. Not only did we marvel at it, we rafted down it! How
many 18 year old girls can say that? Probably not many more than the ones on
this trip. Anyway, I guess I should begin diving into what the title means.
Well…add our raft flipping in a huge rapid, my team members, and a paddle and
the equation leaves me floating in the Nile with blood dripping into my eye
(thankfully the Nile is a Jaws free zone.) Fear not Mom and Dad, it is still
intact and working in proper order. Upon reaching the shore I was greeted by 3
frantic Ugandan men, all eager to help heal my wound in any way they could. I
kindly assured them that I would live, but they persisted to follow me with
concern all the way up the hill to the rafting company’s pavilion, all the
while attracting 4 more worrisome Ugandans on our way. After taking a few sweet
fake fist fight action shots with the injury, I finally got it all cleaned up.
However, the Ugandans genuine anxiety and concern for my safety and health did
not cease until we boarded the buses to leave. This is just a miniscule example
of how big the hearts of these Ugandan people truly are.       

            We came to
this country with an intent to serve everyone in our paths, but to say we have
been “out-served” would be the understatement of the century. Their willingness
to serve not only us but one another is so beautifully second nature. To give a
brief rundown of what arriving at our semi-permanent contact looked like, it
began with a bumpy matatu ride through THE BUSH of Africa, and ended with our
matatu being chased by roughly 50 grinning Ugandan children, screaming with the
purest joy I have ever witnessed. The families then proceeded to hug,
handshake, and bless each of us, grab our bags before we have a chance to, and
bring us all tea with bread. I could tell story after story of the love and
kindness that we have been shown by these people. It never ceases to amaze me
how much they are willing to give, especially when you compare it with how
little they have. Possibly the thing I admire the most is how content and easy
to please these amazing people are. We aren’t walking around handing out food
and money, just handshakes and the gospel, but that is more than enough for
them. I was riding in the back of a truck the other day on Liz and I’s trip
back from town, a girl was carrying 2 pieces of large fruit and I waved at her.
The girl dropped the fruit, started screaming with excitement, clapping and I
kid you not, crying. To see how completely joyous the people here are makes me
sick to think about how ungrateful I have been in my past. When God wakes me up
in the morning with breath in my lungs, I should be content enough to keep a
smile on my face until I close my eyes at night.

            I’ve seen a
ton of beauty here in Uganda. I’ve seen 12 miles of the Nile River and it’s
surroundings, I’ve climbed to the top of a rock mountain and seen miles of pure
African land, I’ve seen the sun setting behind authentic huts, I’ve seen the
clearest night sky you can imagine with stars covering it like a busy canvas,
but still hands-down the most beautiful thing I have seen while being here is
the hearts of these people. There was one woman specifically, her
passion-filled eyes are ingrained in my mind. Once a victim to cancer, she did
not know the Lord but was prayed over by friends who did. She is now an
unquenchable fire, going with us one day from hut to hut, sharing her
miraculous story and proudly revealing her places of healing where lumps once
invaded but not scar-less skin remained. Many of us came here patting ourselves
on the back thinking “Wow, what an awesome Christian I am, spending time and
money to bring Jesus to Africa.” But reality hit us hard, He IS here. And while we have shared the gospel a lot and brought
people to Christ, as far as energetically worshiping God, passionate
evangelism, serving, and loving as Christ did…there is SO much to be learned
from these beautiful people of God.

A few things worthy of mentioning…

-Jordan exclaimed, and I quote “There is nothing I want more
than to be Sandy’s little girl”

-Erika’s bug eating count is currently at 2: 1 moth, 1 inch
worm

-African children LOVE their nails being painted, there is
roughly 30 or more boys in our village rocking hot pink nail polish as I speak.

-Their soccer ball is garbage bags rolled and kept together
by yarn, and with help from some 11 year old friends I can now juggle the trash
bag ball pretty well!

-The clothes American’s donate actually get here, one young
boy rocks his “Brunettes do it better” shirt daily and proudly.

-I had an intense gymnastics war with one 13 year old boy
named Atrobone, but forfeited when he flipped into the air and landed on his
back, turned and smiled at me to do the same.

-The red and black lizards that kill people in the movie
Holes usually keep me company at the squatty potty.

-African potatoes > American potatoes

-I made really good friends with a young chicken on one hut
visit, the owners found it extremely amusing and tried to present me with their
son…

-Several African children can now Bernie!!

-They lovingly force feed you here, so I may come back a new
person inside AND out.

-Megan threw up on a goats head

-Allie and I one night thought Jordan may need a snuggle
partner, so we caught a baby goat and brought it to him in his bed. Jordan
screamed like a girl, so the next day 2 baby goats ended up in the boy’s room
and one pooped on their floor. Job well done.

-My team is full of seriously incredible people. We are a
dysfunctional, crazy, loud family and I wouldn’t trade any of them.