Before I launch into the blog, just a bit of a status update. My computer's USB ports seem to be on their last legs, sometimes letting things be connected and sometimes not. During those "sometimes not," I'm unable to utilize my external hard drive or pull pictures from my camera. That issue, in conjunction with infrequent and agonizingly slow internet and no electricty at my contact's house will make photo blogs a tedious and probably impossible venture. That being said, I'll endeavor to post one when I have enough material to merit one and the means to do so.
Our squad spent a few days in Nairobi, Kenya doing our eight month debrief, which consisted of being poured into by the squad leaders and World Race staff members Noe (field support) and Mark (logisitical coordinator). More than that, it was a time to refresh ourselves and spend some time talking about our months and decompressing. Those coulpe days were some of the best on the Race for me. I've never felt so full spiritually or so at peace with the growth that I've experienced and the wisdom that I've accrued, if I can be so bold as to claim it.
Further, teams changed at the conclusion of debrief. It was bittersweet leaving the friendships that I've gained, particularly Channele Givargis, if she doesn't mind the shout out, but our team desperately needed to change. Channele and I despised each other at training camp– serious loathing, but now I consider her one of my closest friends and confidants. I've been placed with Wade Carlton (L), Paul and Katrina Annunzielo, Dan Lidwin, Kearston Armbrust, and Erica Floyd.
Wade's leadership style is something that I've been hoping to be paired with since the beginning of the Race. He leads at a distance, which places not only the freedom, but the responsibility on his members to step up and take some initiative. He doesn't funnel us or contain us; he treats us like adults and that is welcomed. Moreover, he's an Auburn grad, which can only help.
In Kempala, Uganda, we spent a couple days with the squad for some R&R. We met a group from Penn State who were traveling through Africa, who told stories of rafting that only made me more excited to go. We also met a group of teenagers from Ireland on a trip called World Challenge. From what we saw, they pitched their tents in the lawn of our "3-star" African hotel, and spent one night eating pizza and soda, being exceptionally rude, and leaving the following morning. It seemed like quite the "challenge," but oh well, who am I to judge another's adventure.
We arrived in Mbarara (there may be more or too many "ra's" in there), and we are staying with a man named Pastor Solomon. In the one and a half years that he's been here, his church has grown from three members to 150. His ministry ranges from hospital, school, door-to-door and soccer ministry, and it's shaping up to be a great month.
I celebrated my birthday in Uganda!! The girls bought me some Twix and Coke as gifts and at night they had also bought a chocolate cake with rock hard icing they had been assured was "fresh." It was so hard they couldn't put the candles in it, so, I had two bananas with 12 candles in each. It was a really great gesture. Twenty-four years old… I'm so OLD!
Two days after we arrived (night of the 8th), a group called Passport: Expedition, which is a trip orchestrated by AIM, joined us. They range from ages 18-21, and are led by a former World Racer and Passport leader (24), and a former Passport member (21). Their trip is a dramatically condensed version of the Race, going to three countries in two months, but much of the same issues revolving around community and ministry arise. It has become a sort of personal ministry to use the opportunity to pour into them with some of my own experiences with a modicum of wisdom. I feel drawn to their demographic, those on the cusp of adulthood, and it is, for many of them, their first time away from home. Still, they're incredibly young, especially one of their leaders, so you have to give grace to people who are unyielding because they think it's expected of them.
We'll be working in conjunction with Passport most of the time, up until they leave on the 24th. We have already spent two afternoons doing hospital ministry, which presented overcrowded and understaffed conditions, as well as a palpable heaviness and sense of surrender that I hadn't experienced. The patients, healthy ones, seemed to expect to die more often than they expected to live.
In many instances, marginally sick patients were in a bed right next to someone dying of AIDS or meningitis, or someone suffering from malaria, without even the attempt at hygiene in the form of a partition. Not the mention the drops of blood on the cement that paved the way into those sick rooms, or the buckets of fluids that accompanied each bed. In the infant wards, we prayed for a newborn who already had AIDs from his mother while being born, and one woman quite literally gave birth in the waiting room because there was no room for her. Toward the end, a small number of us went into the ICU, where we prayed for people involved in moto accidents, and one man filled an eerie silence with his last, struggling breaths.
Needless to say, it was an intense experience, but its amazing to see hopelessness banished with a prayer, and a dying man find peace by your company in his final moments. I envisioned us walking into a darkened room and lighting a small candle, and then another, and then another. It is a powerful feeling knowing that you are shining God's light into a situation where the darkness is so thick you had doubts you could breach it, and filling yourself with the joy of the Lord when thoughts of inadequenacy and lack of impact attempt to rob you of your passion.
We are aiming to leave either the 26th or 27th, and plan to raft the Nile and bungee jump. The Nile trip has class-5 rapids, which I'm seriously excited about conquering. I found out that I'll miss seeing Marki Manby who will be in Uganda with Jesse, which is a shame, but only a couple months until I see her whole family back in the States! I'm hoping to post some pictures at some point, but give grace and be patient, the odds are against me! Love you and miss you all, thank you in advance for being a constant encouragement to me.
