This month, my team gets the privilege of working with Pastor Joseph with his church [Christ Ambassadors Church] and school [Champions Primary School] in Mukono, Uganda.
Fun fact: Mukono means 'hand' in Luganda, the local language
The school just let out for holiday a few days before we arrived and most of the kids are gone for the duration of our stay. So sadly, no school for us. [Although, Team Tumbler was rejoicing since we've been doing A LOT of teaching over the last several months and much appreciated the break from teaching, especially since none of us are teachers…]
That being said, we haven't been terribly busy. It is a nice break to not have hours and hours of ministry. It is completely different from the 12 hour days we were working in Malaysia….
With not having a lot of ministry, I have had a lot of free time. [and thus why I haven't really blogged much this month. I feel like there isn't much to talk about…].
I have continued my learning on the ukulele
I have made lots of bracelets
[my string stash is becoming quickly depleted…]
I've been able to run and swim for exercise more regularly than ever on the Race.
I have picked up drawing again [something I don't do very often and when I do, it takes me a looooooooooooong time to finish anything… it's the perfectionist in me, I guess]
But my most cherished time out side of ministry was spent getting to know the two girls that live with us at Pastor's house. Their names are Agnes [whom we call Aggie] and Peace. They are in their late teens, although they try to tell us they are 39… They help cook for us and also help at the church, teaching sunday school classes and anything else Pastor Joseph and his wife, Freida, need help with.
Aggie (she doesn't like her picture taken, so this is the best I've got)
In the past, we've joked about how Michelle always becomes best friends with people so quickly to the point where they ask to speak with her and only her about things. Well, this month I got a taste of that; and enjoyed every minute of it!
In our chats and hang out sessions,
we've had dance parties [apparently they think I can dance…],
Luganda lessons [which ended when I was trying to repeat a word they were saying and apparently said something that had to do with fornication… not the word I was going for…. I actually don't even know what word they were trying to teach me…],
teaching them how to make bracelets,
learning about all of Aggie's children [her sunday school kids] and all about the annual Bible competition they compete in, even though they are much younger than the competition,
and shared stories of home and family.
They are so funny. It is so great to be able to joke with them, something I feel like I haven't been able to do in most cultures, not sure if they would get the joking or not. But Aggie and Peace can joke with the best of 'em!
So I guess you can say that my "ministry" for the month has been forming friendships with Aggie and Peace. This is the first time on the Race that I have really invested in any deep relationship with any of the people we've met. I've been skeptical of what God could really do in a month, so I guarded myself from the pain of saying goodbye; it's not painful if you aren't close to the people… But last month between the Parent Vision Trip and debrief with K squad, I felt like God was challenging me to step out and make those relationships. It was like He used the PVT to say, "Look what I did in 5 short day, can you imagine what I could do in 30?"
So I took the challenge. And man, do I love these people! Pastor Joseph, Freida, Peace, Aggie, Joshua…
It's gonna be hard to leave, but I think these short few weeks we were here, we were able to minister to them and help mend wounds they've received from past teams they've housed [not just from WR/Passport]. If that is all that was accomplished this month, Praise the Lord!
But Praise the Lord that so much more has happened this month!
So much more than words could express.
So much more than we will ever know!
