Last week we left Malaysia to embark on a whole new adventure on a whole new continant. We flew from Kuala Lumpur and spent the night in the Doha, Qatar airport. I watched the sun rise over the desert as we boarded the plane for Entebbe, Uganda. I was so excited I couldnt't sleep the whole plane ride even though I had only two hour of sleep the night befire.
As soon as I landed the destinct smell of Africa fulled my nose and and I had to pull my sweatshirt out of the bottom of my backpack for the first time in four months. I knew I would love Africa from that moment on. I also was a little intimidated by it. I have dreamed of going to Africa since I was a little girl. Uganda is a beautiful country with the friendliest welcoming people you will ever meet, but it is always a little intimidating coming into a completely different culture and living in
countries that have had such difficult pasts.
We had a four day debrief in Entebbe, Uganda right on the shores of Lake Victoria. We were constantly bombarded by curious African children and the stares from adults that usually accompany a group of 38 Americans with 40 lb packs.
The church across the street welcomed us in with open arms as soon as they found out we were a mission group. They invited us to their services where we danced and sang. They had special performances for us that included break dancing and backflips off of the windows.
Debrief also included squad-wide skit wars. I am happy to report team BMB (my team) won with our interpretation of Bear Grylls. Our grand prize was a live chicken which we named Big Bertha. However, I have a feeling she was dinner the next evening.
Our seven hour bus ride to Kigali, Rwanda on the fourth of July ended up being fourteen hours between closed roads, the bus driver getting lost and crossing the border in the dark and having 50 some backpacks thoroughly searched. Welcome to Africa!
This month we also have two people from The World Race Exposure program staying with us. This program allows people to get a small taste of what The World Race is all about as they stay with a team for one month and participate in ministry, team time, and daily World Race community so our team expanded from 7 to 9 this month.
Our ministry this month is working with Gospel Center church. We are mostly doing door to door evangelism and preaching 7 services a week. It has been an amazing experience getting to meet people in the community. I got my first marriage proposal today. I was offered one cow, but I said no because I think I am worth at least three. Most are very eager to talk about Jesus and are hungry for salvation. Many people we have talked to have lost many family members in the genocide of 1994. I am realizing that I have so much to learn from these people and how little of life I have actually experienced.
I am excited to bring you more stories from Rwanda!
