Sorry it has been so long since Ive posted…
Internet + 3rd world country + living in the bush = bad news bears!
It’s Time for an Update
-we left Kenya January 3rd
-drove 12 hours (with stops) to Kampala, Uganda
-we were supposed to drive straight to our ministry site the next day, but several people were sick and we decided to wait a few days
-it was about 8 hours from Kampala to our current location…
Where am I?
I am in Gulu, Northern Uganda. Actually, in a small “village” called Keyo outside of Gulu. We are about 70 km as the bird flies from Sudan (as we’ve been told). If you’ve ever heard of Invisible Children and the child soldiers…this is the place. The leader of the LRA came from Gulu. There has been no fighting in the last 2 years and he is currently not in Uganda.
We are living in a schoolhouse building in our tents. There is no running water (bucket showers and trips to the well for water), nor electricity. We live next to an IDP Camp (Internally Displaced Persons-like a refugee, but local). There are tons of young children everywhere, most of them showing the pooched bellied signs of malnutrition. There are huts everywhere in the camp, this is where the people live. Everyday we do children’s programs in the field and/or go visit people in the camp. The other day, as 2 of us walked around making friends, I was introduced to pounding millet and peeling cassava. Hard work!
I feel safe and we are doing well. I’m pretty dirty (4 or 5 layers I’d say), but that’s to be expected. More blogs are to come on Keyo.
Changes
My team is currently conjoined with Team Transformers this month in Uganda. Because we have no males on Hephzibah we are currently split into 2 different teams for the month so their 2 males are each on a different team. Audrey and I are now with 4 new teammates.
This is actually just practice for us, as at debrief at the end of the month we have been told some changes will be made to the squad. Our squad leader, Allison, will be passing the torch to a new leader, some positions will be shifted and some new leaders may be picked. All part of the growing process as we learn to keep an open palm with everything given to us. Please pray for our coaches, Gary and Lisa Black, and Allison as they make the tough decisions. And please remember us as we may face new teams, stretching times, and new situations.
Love you!
