arm hair, hammocks +sunsets

Hope you all are enjoying your Sunday--perhaps my favorite day of the week here in Uganda. My new Sunday schedule consists of being away from the house from 9am until 7pm, so it's exhausting but very rewarding. Church is always encouraging and convicting (I have never loved a church more than this one). Then I grab lunch at a local joint, followed by spending the afternoon (until 6pm) at nearby slums helping with a ministry to street boys.

We play games, help them wash their clothes (and give them the opportunity to bathe), teach them about the Lord, love on them (my favorite part--tons of hugs every week!!), etc. I was asked by my friend to lead a small group of boys (ages 11-17), and I can already tell I'm going to LOVE it. Today I had a muslim teen in my group; I hope he comes back, because it's an awesome opportunity for him to see Christ in others. Please pray for wisdom for me!

Humorous moment of the day: as I was about to head home, I felt some of the young boys pulling my arm hair! "What are you doing?," I exclaimed. "Auntie, to remember you....to remember you...." So silly! They're not used to seeing arm hair (ugandans have such smooth arms!)

Highlight of my day was the following situation: I was walking with a few of our boys, and a man rolled down his car window and tried "warning" me by saying, "Those street boys--they have bad manners." My response: "I love them. They need LOVE and JESUS." Then one of the boys walks over, sticks his head in the window and tells the man, "I'll pray for YOU!" That put the man in his place! Something we're telling the boys must be sinking in :)

Ok, on another note...

Many of you back home are bundled up in scarves, boots, and skinny jeans. To be honest, I'm jealous--I miss the snow and the cold weather! But I can't complain, especially because we've had some beautiful days here in Uganda recently (65-70 degrees F). Some of my Ugandan friends have been walking around wearing jackets, scarves, and gloves (yeah I'm serious right now...) but this American is embracing the "chilly" weather in capris and tshirts.

This past Friday after work, I had a few hours to relax at home before going out with some friends (every Fri there's live jazz music at a fancy shmancy hotel about 45 minutes from my flat. Can not WAIT to go back. It was phenomenal to enjoy a classy place for freeeee.)

I immediately hung up my new roommate's hammock on our veranda and was asleep within a matter of several minutes. Before I knew it, I was joined by my darling neighbor girl (her mom is the one who cooked those grasshoppers for me back in Nov!) She was overjoyed when I pulled her into the hammock with me....

Welcome to my veranda: my favorite place to drink coffee, think, journal, people-watch (there are always neighbors outside!), etc.

I'm incredibly spoiled by our fourth-floor view of the neighborhood and nearby hills (Last week I moved to a flat upstairs, so it's an even better view!)

Light, subject, composition--SHOOT!

You know the classic game "rock, paper, scissors--SHOOT", right? Well I'm titling this blog post (which is about photography): "light, subject, composition--SHOOT!" Ok it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but it's 1:30am so my sleepy self thinks it's quite clever.

Hopefully you caught the "shoot" pun!

A photo always contains a subject, composition, and light (the word photography comes from two Greek words, which translated means "drawing with light"--just incase you were wondering!)

My goal of the photography class: to equip the 10 Ugandan teens with techniques/concepts which will help them take better photos. I didn't want to bog them down with lots of technical information regarding ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc ("Bueller....? Bueller....?") so instead I took a practical, artistic approach and decided to focus on the creative aspects. I hope I stretched their brains and got them to think outside the box so that next time they take a photo, they really give it thought.

A friend of mine is doing a photo advocacy project with these teenagers (who are actually part of the Dwelling Places program); the teens are photographing their world and telling their stories in the form of a book (the final product). It's my dream to one day do an in-depth photo project with Ugandan kids/teens, but it will take a LOT of thought, planning, and purpose--so it won't be happening in the next few months. For now, I'm just excited I could spend a few hours sharing my passion with some young people.

I couldn't have asked for better students. When I entered the "classroom," I was unsure what their response would be....and I was pleasantly surprised by their enthusiasm! Not only did they have incredible eye contact while I spoke, but as I spoke they also asked various questions about lighting, the rule of 3rds, converging lines, etc. One of the biggest things I stressed to them was: "Please please please do not be afraid to get up close and personal with your subject!" to which one of them replied, "But Auntie, what if it's a dangerous subject--like a lion!?" Those are the Q's you get while teaching a photography class in Africa.

We spent some time outside so they could practice the various techniques I taught them, and I couldn't stop smiling as I watched them get creative and have fun taking photos. As they photographed various things (and each other!) they ran over to me--they showed me their camera, and said, "Auntie look at this photo! What about this one?" and I did my best to point out something positive (many of the photos were excellent) while also offering constructive criticism so they can improve.

I giggled quite a lot when I saw one of the boys grab an innocent chicken passing by; the boy lifted the chicken high above his head and then took a photo. He certainly took my advice seriously when I spoke about taking creative angles of the subject! :)

My point-and-shoot camera has not been used in a while, but I brought it along today and handed it over to one of the kids to use. I'm not sure which child took this photo of their friend, but I'm proud of them for demonstrating the "rule of thirds" which they learned about in class. (Placing the subject on a horizontal or vertical "third"--not in the middle of the photo.)

This One's for Africa...

As Shakira sings in one of her hit songs, "this one's for Africa...." Lauren, a friend that I've grown up with, is a talented and creative individual. She's sewing purses and giving 100% of the proceeds to Dwelling Places (the ministry where I'm volunteering in Uganda.)

Check them out--how cute are they? And Lauren will even customize the lining of the purse for you; you can choose the pattern that you want! Click here to visit her Etsy site. This would make a fantastic gift (for you or a friend ;) and hey, you're helping street children in Uganda as well! So no need to feel guilty while you shop.

I am so touched by Lauren's kind heart and generosity, and thank you to everyone who has already purchased a purse!

On an unrelated note, one of my favorite things about my daily life in Uganda is riding boda-bodas ("bodas" for short.) They're definitely not safe, but when you're caught in a traffic jam in the city you are VERY thankful for bodas (they weave in and out of the traffic--no need to wait :) Another missionary took this photo when he visited Kampala. This is in my neighborhood, on my way to work. You can't see his face, but that's Robert--my trusty boda driver and friend. I honestly am going to go through major withdrawal when I'm back in the states--bodas are a blast! (hmmm maybe I'll have to buy a motorcycle ;)

I just returned yesterday from 9 days in Rwanda which was fantastic. I'm way behind on blogging and sharing photos with you all---I still have lots of great shots from Kenya!

For better or worse...

"The need is great—and not just in Africa.” --Those were my ending words in a newspaper article that I wrote for my hometown newspaper right before Christmas. I encouraged people to love and reach out to those around them who are struggling.

I finished writing it, and literally three minutes after clicking “send” and emailing the article to the editor, I stumbled across the blog of a family friend who lives in that very town.

As I started reading Sandy’s blog entries, I gasped and couldn’t believe what I was reading.

This young, vibrant family has suddenly been thrown into the middle of a very dark, terrifying storm: Sandy’s 46-year-old husband, Curt, has been diagnosed with Alzheimers.

Curt has been a teacher for the past 25 years, but several weeks ago he had to stop teaching. I know his students loved him and will miss his presence at the high school; one of my teen girls at HOHC last year had Curt as a history teacher at the time and she highly respected him.

I can’t imagine how difficult and challenging this journey will be for this family (they have two teenagers: ages 13 and 16), but I know one thing: they are 100% relying on God to carry them through. Instead of cursing God, they are still saying “blessed be the name of the Lord;” I can’t tell you how encouraged I am by this! Many Christians turn their back on God during trials like this, but Sandy and Curt know that true peace and strength can only come from Him.

Here’s an excerpt from Sandy’s blog. She writes:

“I am the type of person who carries a flashlight, a tape measure, a pocketknife, and clorox wipes in my purse with me. I am always prepared for everything, I plan for things, I think ahead…..BUT having a husband who has Alzheimer’s at age 46 is NOT something I ever planned for, or ever prepared for…

…I have come to ACCEPT this diagnosis. I don’t like it, I don’t understand why it is happening to us….BUT it is what we are dealing with and I refuse to confront it with a negative attitude…

I am not prepared for this journey we are on….but amidst such difficulties I am amazed at the PEACE I have come to know!! God has truly granted me that peace during the storm of this life.”

Ask yourself….would you have the same attitude and be able to rely on God for your strength? I know how I would WANT to react if I were in Sandy’s shoes, but I don’t know how I would actually react. I watched my grandfather endure Alzheimers for several years, and it was incredibly emotionally draining (my mom and grandma set wonderful examples, the way they loved + cared for him.)

While reading Sandy’s honest and emotional blog entries, it’s evident to me that she meant the words “….for better or worse” when she stood beside the love of her life and recited her wedding vows.

Please please please, if you live locally and know this family, extend a loving hand to them and see how you can be a blessing to them. They’re an incredible family, and I’ve SO enjoyed getting to know them over the last 8 years or so. (My family met them when their son and my brother played on the same baseball team. I enjoyed babysitting their kids when they were younger—their son even gave me a drum lesson once when he was about 9 : )

As Christians, we are meant to live this life TOGETHER—not alone. So reach out to friends (and even strangers) around you who are in the middle of difficult situations.

Above all, pray for Sandy + Curt and the kids each day as they adjust to a completely new way-of-life.

Christmas--Africa style!

Stripped.

That's the adjective that keeps running through my mind to describe Christmas time in Uganda.

Why "stripped" you might ask?

"[stripped]: having or containing the bare essentials, with no added features or accessories..." (dictionary.com)

This is the first Christmas in my life where I haven't heard a single child talk about Santa. I also have not heard ANYONE talk about Christmas sales or buying the hottest new toy for their child.

Christmas time in Africa seems so much more....focused! Focused on the baby who was born in a smelly, dirty barn. To be our Savior. Don't get me wrong, (some) families here exchange a few gifts. And they eat lots of yummy food. And they celebrate with music, dancing, etc. And there's nothing wrong with that; this is a joyous holiday! But my point is, the Christmas season is much more "stripped" than what I'm used to seeing in the U.S. (sidenote: I do REALLY miss snow and gorgeous Christmas lights in the neighborhoods....!)

At the beginning of this week, I was sitting in my apartment with all the doors and windows wide open...the fresh breeze was wafting through, yet I was still soooo hot even in a tank top/shorts (sipping lemonade trying to cool off!) So I knew I had to get involved with some Christmas-y activities to get in the spirit! Watoto's Christmas Cantata was incredible....It told the nativity story yet with an African flair (I'm so glad they didn't overly westernize the production!) African dancing and beautiful singing = fabulous. Check out this photo from Watoto's website...

The other week, I helped throw a Christmas party for about 60 street boys (who live in the slums.) I have recently started helping another missionary with her weekly outreach in the local slums. I can't even describe how fulfilling it is to love on these boys! They had such a blast at the Christmas party. I was asked to share the Christmas story, and although I was a bit nervous, I prayed that the boys would understand and receive the hope that only Jesus can give. Several boys accepted Christ at the end--totally a God-thing.

It started REALLY feeling like Christmas on Thursday, when Julie (another missionary who recently moved into the same apartment complex) and I spent allllll day baking Christmas cookies which we handed out to the kids/adults in our neighborhood this morning. Our power went out last night, so I had to frost the sugar cookies (with my homemade pepperminet icing. yum) by candle-light at 11pm....oh, Africa. (We also didn't have running water the last 8 days. But as of today, we have it! Just in time for Christmas....now I can wash clothes, wash dishes, wash my hair.....yaaaaaaay!)

It "cooled off" to about 60+ degrees, therefore I take any chance I can get to wear a hoodie! [Baking is so much more fun with music. Thanks to Brett, I've had Dave Barnes' Christmas album on repeat since November. FANTASTIC music.]

I hope all of you are enjoying your Christmas Eve. I sure did! I attended a Christmas carol service at my church and brought a few of my Ugandan neighbors along which was fantastic. As I sat in the service and listened to a Ugandan guy play "Silent Night" on his saxophone, I was overcome with such joy. Yes, of course I miss my family and our Christmas traditions! But without a doubt, I know this is where I'm supposed to be. I'm excited to experience Christmas in Africa tomorrow with my dear friend/co-worker; her family has invited me to celebrate with them--Ugandan style! :)

I'm not sure why, but I keep thinking about the role the Shepherds played in the Nativity Story. I love the fact that they were the first to hear the news of Jesus' birth....the shepherds weren't wealthy; they weren't well-respected by others. They were truly common people. Yet God wanted the angels to appear to them FIRST. Also, I've never thought about this until this year--but the shepherds were the FIRST missionaries! After worshipping baby Jesus, they returned to their village/homes and told everyone about what they had seen.

Merry Christmas, dear friends!

8 Things You're Not Likely to See in the States...

I've been writing a monthly column for my town's local newspaper (back in PA), so this is the one I wrote for November. It gives a colorful glimpse into my daily life and the crazy things I see in Kampala!

8 Things You're Not Likely to See in the States

After five months of living in Kampala, Uganda, the unique, quirky cultural things I witness around me become more and more normal. Yet for you reading this in Pennsylvania, this is not the norm, so please be entertained by this glimpse of Ugandan “normality.”

You name it, a Boda can carry it!

Bodas are a motorcycle form of transportation, but they carry much more than just people. I’ve seen bodas transport a large bed (frame included), crates and crates of bottled soda, a refrigerator, and my personal favorite: at least 20 chickens. Don’t tell PETA! Since the chickens weren’t even flinching, I thought they must be dead, but my Ugandan friend assured me that they were still alive and kickin’. It was quite memorable to see chickens strapped to a Boda, tied together like a bouquet of flowers. That can’t be comfortable or enjoyable.

Communicating Via Eyebrows

When conversing with a Ugandan, you must be astute. If you ask them a question to which the answer is “yes,” then there’s a good chance they will give a simple eyebrow lift instead of verbally answering. Amazingly enough, this also comes in handy if you need to signal a Boda for a ride. A quick eyebrow raise and they somehow see it from down the street!

The Truth Hurts

Ugandans can be very blunt about things that we Americans tend to sugarcoat. For example, if they think someone is gaining weight, they’re not afraid to tell them. But that’s also because, in general, they mean it as a compliment. If someone is large in size, it shows they eat well which means they most likely have money.

Of course, it’s not ALWAYS meant as a positive compliment. A few weeks ago I walked out of my apartment complex to a little shop across the road to buy some eggs. The following conversation took place between the shop owner and customer (both Ugandan women).

Customer: “Hello, I’d like to buy some posho” (a local food).

Shop owner: in a critical tone of voice exclaimed, “You’re THAT size and you want to eat posho?? Don’t you care about your figure?”

I felt quite awkward and just stood there twiddling my thumbs, wondering what would have happened had the conversation taken place between two Americans!

Unbelievably Cheap Produce

Kampala’s fresh, local fruits and vegetables are spoiling me. Not only are they incredibly cheap to purchase, but they taste far better than what I buy at the grocery stores back in the U.S. When the pineapple truck pulls onto my dirt road, I eagerly choose a ripe one for approximately 50 cents, depending on its size. Tomatoes cost about 8 cents apiece, mangoes 10 cents, and a large avocado is no more than 20 cents.

Ugandan Men are Not Shy

To state the obvious, women from western cultures stand out here. When such women walk down the street, Ugandan men often shout bizarre things like: “Come here, my wife!” (usually their voice rises about three octaves which never fails to make me giggle.) I’ve been “proposed” to multiple times, and my American friend almost sold me off to a young man for three cows (as a practical joke, of course.)

I’ve found that ignoring is usually the best policy, but if I’m in a feisty mood, and they overstep their boundaries, I’ll tell them, “Tonta wanya!” which is Luganda for “don’t disturb me” and that usually does the trick.

African Time

It didn’t take me long to realize that if an event (a work meeting, a wedding, etc.) is scheduled to start at a certain time, it most likely won’t. If you’re lucky, it might begin 30-60 minutes after the original start time. The culture here is laid back, so if you’re running late, most likely everyone else is, too.

As I write this, I’m wondering why I leap out of bed and rush to get to church on time, because the reality is it “begins” at 10am but at that time there are only the other Westerners (who are time conscious) and a handful of Ugandans. By the time our 40 minutes of worship is over, then MOST of the congregation has arrived.

Run, Don’t Walk

At times, I think it’d be safer to walk blind-folded across a New York City street than to dodge the taxis, bodas, trucks, and people in downtown Kampala. When crossing the downtown city streets, you literally have to run or you don’t stand a chance. My trick to surviving is to find a Ugandan who is crossing and then follow in close proximity. They’re more aggressive and much better at crossing the busy streets.

You need it, the taxi park has it!

In the city of Kampala, you will find two separate taxi parks. Each contains a maze of hundreds upon hundreds of taxi buses which is a common form of transportation here. But you can shop while you sit inside the taxi and wait for it to depart. Vendors forcefully shove their goods through the window in hopes that you will make a purchase. Craving ice cream? Need a book that translates Luganda to English? Want some apples or bananas? You can buy it all through your taxi window!

[Just a small portion of the massive taxi park--each time I leave the city to head home, I weave my way through the organized chaos!]

[Cheap veggies/fruit at the market!]

Look at that smile! [video post]

A few months ago, Dwelling Places assigned each staff member two children as part of the "holistic care program." (We have hundreds of children on our program, but many of them don't live nearby--either at boarding schools, with foster families, or even with their own families in villages. So the Holistic Care Program is for the DP children who live nearby.) The goal is to give the children one-on-one time on a weekly basis: to encourage them spiritually, love on them, etc.

I was extremely blessed to be assigned Filbert (the handsome boy in the video!) and his older sister, Balbina. (Their younger sister, Emai, is also on our program and is a doll!!) Their story really touches my heart....their father died several years ago in the village, so then the mother brought the kids here to Kampala. They ended up on the streets, which is when DP rescued them. Unfortunately, their mother fell sick and died exactly 2 years ago (shortly after Christmas.) Even though his mom's death was extremely difficult for Filbert, he is living his life with enthusiasm. I'm incredibly proud of him, because he came in #3 in his class (the best school around) this past term; he's incredibly bright, and I can't wait to see how God continues to use Him in the future. His smile and loving hugs always brings joy to my days.

My family recently started sponsoring Filbert, so he made this video for them to say hello and Merry Christmas! I wanted to introduce Filbert to you all, as well.

And remember, DP still has children who are waiting to be sponsored! Contact me if you're interested (only $25 a month.)