A Little Entry...

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Nothing like kids to make everything good again.

Woke up this morning not feeling all that great…didn’t help that there was a traffic accident in the middle of the road by the bakery making me have to drive extra to find a space to park. I was already on a time crunch. Once I picked up Mary, Sharon, Sarah and Melissa we traveled mostly in silence to Tegot. Yesterday’s adventures and not good sleep together made me just not feeling it. We did stop at our prayer tree and we prayed. It is always good to walk in some covering. ;)

Simon is still very ill – we all ordered him to stay home and not even think of coming into work. Which was good for him…stressful for us. I wasn’t sure how things were run at Saturday Club and foolishly assumed Sarah and Melissa were going to run with it. Little did I know that they never ran Club, they just came and helped where needed. Another staff person ran it before who no longer is with us and Simon JUST recently took on the Club. Ha – didn’t know that. So we really didn’t have anything planned except for snacks. Good one. As we were trying to plan quickly, the kids sat in silence eating. WHAT?! I am so not used to kids in a class QUIET! (Yes, PCLA students, this is a reference to you!! Love you dearly, but boy are you all LOUD ALL THE TIME!!) We played a game of 7-UP and then I taught a Bible lesson – Genesis chapter 1. We did pictures and talked about it. It all worked and the kids enjoyed it and participated. God is good! Thank you Jesus for answering that prayer! All went smoothly.

After they were done copying the notes from the lesson we played outside. Started a game of Human Horseshoe – of course, but then each of us adults hangout in different areas doing different things with the children – tag, dancing, sitting, talking, etc. It was fun. I worked with little Piloya Mercy (we have three!!) who really needs some extra love and attention emotionally and academically. So we practiced the nukuta (alphabet) and writing her name since she is P1. Oh boy, did I fall in love with that little one!!! She worked so hard and tried her best all throughout. Even when kids were coming and hanging out with me she still tried diligently. I loved the fact the kids wanted to be around me (I kind of moved to the side so the kids wouldn’t bother us, but they did anyways). My little Scovia, Gloria, Felix and a new friend, Taxi Morris hung out the whole time with other visitors passing in and out. Taxi Morris – oh goodness is he special! He kept on screaming at me taxi – so I decided to call him Taxi Morris. He responds. He is a little spitfire! He always has something sassy to say…though I don’t know what he is saying I just know. And I can just tell on Felix’s face that he is saying something sassy. It is funny; Felix will look at me like I should scold Taxi Morris or just check to see if I did understand what he said. So I give the teacher face and Taxi Morris stops and Felix agrees with me. It is funny. Teacher face goes a long way.

Our last ten minutes together, the students started teaching me Acholi words. I have to say, I learned more in that ten minutes than in my three weeks!! I will get the kids to teach me more…the cool part is that I can actually spell the words out when I hear them. I know how the letters work and sound in Acholi!! YAY!!!

I have decided that I want to buy as much of my produce, beans, rice from the Tegot Market. The families we work with sell their harvest here and it is a great way to invest in the families we love! I did visit and purchase my first items at the Gulu-town Market – an avocado and mango. I am definitely going to try my best to make some guacamole and chips while I am here! I did notice that there were some vendors who were nice and helpful and then there were some who were not so friendly and tried raising prices on us. I think it will be neat to get to know the vendors whom I will buy food from. It might be a neat little ministry in of itself. As scary as I thought it would be, it really wasn’t all that bad…as long as I don’t go near the fish again (which I won’t have to – all produce is in another section…by the meat. At least it doesn’t smell as bad). I am excited to eat my mango and avocado tomorrow.

And the electricity is cutting off….hmmm….maybe not. At dinner tonight the electricity went off…it was interesting eating in absolute darkness…food tasted the same. Ok, so it is now flicking on and off. Anyways, we did find out from our friend Steven that the power gets cut off when high rain and winds are on their way to make sure things don’t start on fire or get destroyed. Still flicking…what in the world. Where am I again? Ha. It is all good. Remember, I have full power on my phone and computer so I don’t have to worry about it going crazy if power goes off…
Found out today we will have our first National Training in the next two weeks or so in Gayaza…sad it will be there, but glad I get to see Matt and Brecka!!!

Praying on direction still…still see need to build relationships and do potential mentoring . Also, seeing a GREAT need to help students who are far behind. I always had a heart for children who struggle with academics. There are no special needs or Title I programs here…maybe I can formulate that. Brainstorming ideas here, of course. Nothing concrete yet.

Did realize my favorite two subjects to teach are again..drum roll…math and Bible.

I am so grateful the LORD walks with me. Any time and every time I have a question or concern or just have a plain fit…He is faithful to walk alongside me and show me better. He does show me better every time…and I know it. But sometimes I want to fight it. I like to get a pair of boxing gloves with God every once in awhile…of course I lose…but for some dumb reason I still try. His plans are better than mine. I could never have imagined a ministry and the preparation for the ministry could so lovingly and sternly guide me closer to God. He teaches us so then we can teach others. How I am grateful His plans for me here are greater than I could have ever imagined back home or anywhere else. I am a new person in Christ. Wow. Let me say that again: I am new person in Christ. Nothing old must remain and all new must be formed. Who would put new wine in an old wineskin?

About 99.999999% of the time I have no clue what people are saying around me. But I love the language. I love the people. As a sign of excitement, women will scream at the top of their lungs like a yelping almost. It sounds weird if you never heard it before (they use it in praise!) but it is so beautiful and exciting. It makes me kinda feel like when the people were screaming “Hosana!” when Jesus was riding into Jerusalem. I bet it was pretty close to it.

Today, I miss my cats. I know, it is weird, but they snuggle when I am home…I hear that Kefa is being nicer to Bobby and Stryder and Tavi are normal…for them. I wish there was a way I could have them here…

I hear the church I will attend tomorrow morning has some good worship…PG!!