It's a new season, yet again on the World Race.
Here's a little bit of an update of the last 2 weeks.
[Saying bye to the 16 boys in the orphanage]
[We had the opportunity to visit Lake Victoria]
[Team Siloam Crossing the Equator]
Team Siloam left Shekina Glory Missions in Kitale on May 31st. We set off for an eight hour bus ride to Nairobi to meet with the roughly 40 other squad mates to begin our eight month debrief. The last time we had a debrief was in Cambodia after month four on the Race. Our debrief involves the squad coming together, having people come and provide some encouragement and guidance for our squads, and meeting with each team individually, corporate worship, and a time to unwind and reconnect with other squad mates.
[Saying goodbye to our Kenyan family.]
[Dad & Mom]
Debrief was awesome to say the least. Honestly, I wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but after the first night, I found out that it was exactly what I needed. I had been feeling more homesick than ever in Kenya and really exhausted from the non-stop ministry during the last eight months. It was good to just stop and refocus, refreshed, and re-energized from the Lord. The next three months can drag, and I could coast and just 'get it over,' or I can choose to change my attitude. I chose to re-claim my joy in the Lord and finish strong. We must choose our perspective and actions in everything that God places in our hands.
[B-Squad]
[Gotta love this guy… Noe!]
On the last day of debrief, we met at the front of Milimani Backpackers to say goodbye to Noe and Mark who had flown in from the stateside to be with our squad. Before they left, we were gathered for… team changes.
We had been on our original teams for 3 months, and out current teams for 5 months. With only 3 months left in the race, we had been pretty set on finishing with our current teams.
So we thought…
There were seven teams, down from eight when we started in October. Two team leaders had stepped down from leadership, and only one was replaced.
After the first team was called, we had seen one change… then Kenra began to read the names off her list, and I was the first name read. After all was said and done, no team had remained exactly the same. Team Siloam had remained the same, minus myself and Brian added.
As I looked at my former team mates, I was so shocked with the change, I may or may not have cried. Though I was sad to leave my old team, I know that this new team will further challenge me. We grow in different ways through relationships with different people; everyone has something to offer.
And so… here's my new team.
[Team Selah]
[Me, Leanna, Heather, Kenra, Caitlyn, Becca, and Brandon]
Here's our first team picture. We crossed over the equator on the way to our ministry site… 10 hours away.
Prior to the team switches, I had been asked to lead the squad with the other Dan from Nairobi to Kampala. So, we had the privilege to be promoted for a few days from team members to squad leaders. So the two Dans successfully led 40 people across the Uganda border, leaving no one behind.
[Potty breaks in the Great Rift Valley…]
And now we are in Rukungiri, working with the North Kigeze Diocese, specifically with the Makobore High School of roughly 400 boys. We will be preaching on Sundays, sharing our testimonies, leading morning devotions, playing sports, and building friendships with them. We will spend about three weeks here.
Signs of wisdom, guidance, and encouragement are nailed all over the school grounds.
This one has to be my favorite so far…
A house to ourselves, running water, and electricity (most of the time) are things that we have been blessed to have this month. We get to cook our own meals this month, something I haven't done daily in a long time. This living situation is definitely one of the best ones I have had while on the Race to date.
[WR Swagger]
Ugandan culture is one that places a strong emphasis on greeting people, like literally every person within an earshot. Long (sometimes awkward) handshakes are definitely a must, unless you have the desire to offend. Holding hands and even interlocking fingers ('interdigitating' as we called it in training camp) is not uncommon between friends. I never held my guy friends hands while walking around the town, but here it's normal. So, if you're one of my guy friends at home and I hold your hand while walking next to you, don't freak out, it will probably be because I'll have been in Africa for four months before coming home…
These next few months are gonna fly!
[Uganda is 'The Pearl of Africa']
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Stay Tuned for more updates.
God Bless!
– Dan²
