Who says?

Who says you can't be a blessing to children in Uganda from your living room in America?

A few weeks ago on my blog, I explained how my friend, Lauren, decided to contribute to Dwelling Places. She's been making/selling these purses (<---click there to go to the website and order! :) 100% of the money ($20 per purse) goes to DP. Thank you SO much to everyone who has ordered one so far....when you wear it, don't be shy--please spread the word about the beautiful children at DP and encourage others to get involved (sponsor a child, buy a purse, etc.)

[Lauren and her adorable son.....he doesn't do the sewing, but I'm sure he cheers her on :) ]

The money has been accumulating in my bank account, and I've been waiting for an opportunity to use it...the opportunity came this week!

I found out that some of our kids were unable to go back to school on Monday (here in Uganda, the holiday break lasts until Feb.) Why did they have to stay behind when the rest of their friends went back to school? Because they didn't have sturdy shoes that the school requires of them (they were either lost, stolen, etc over holiday break.)

I checked my bank account and had the PERFECT amount (thanks to everyone who bought purses!) so that was all the confirmation I needed. One of our staff members went into the city that same afternoon and used the money to buy shoes for the kids.

Because of your generosity, those kids were able to start school today instead of sitting around for a number of days wishing they were studying again. The kids were SO happy when I told them about Lauren's purses...I gave them a serious talk about how they MUST be responsible with these shoes because God has provided them (and someone in America spent HOURS making purses to make it possible :) They nodded in agreement and clapped enthusiastically when they found out they'd be starting school today.

[The kiddos!]

Please let this encourage you--you CAN be a blessing to children in Africa even without traveling here. One small, creative idea may spark a way that you can get involved with ministries like DP even from your own home.

Now that I have seen... [Rwanda]

Now that I have seen, I am responsible

Faith without deeds is dead.

I will tell the world,

I will tell them where I've been

I will keep my word

I will tell them,

Albertine

Brooke Fraser//"Albertine"

Singer/song-writer, Brooke Fraser (you may know her from Hillsong United) traveled to Rwanda and met a young girl named Albertine, who was orphaned by the 1994 genocide.

Brooke was so deeply touched that she wrote a song to share with the world...I am echoing her thoughts: "I will tell the world...." I met a young man who miraculously survived a very violent, bloody event during the genocide. One of the most moving, powerful testimonies I've ever heard. And I've been sharing his story with friends/family back home, co-workers and friends in Uganda, etc. Sharing such stories (especially through the use of media) is a great reminder about the world that exists outside of our bubbles...With his permission, I hope to blog again soon and share his story with you all.

This music video was recorded in Rwanda, and having been there two weeks ago I absolutely loved watching it. I hope you do as well!

(Random side note: 2 minutes and 28 seconds into it, you'll see a bicycle boda. I rode on the back of one through the gorgeous, Rwandan countryside. The hills were a bit scary, but I got some great photos and Flipcam footage! The first two photos below were taken while I was on the back of the bike...)

Two young friends, fetching water in gerry cans...not an easy task, especially in heat.

10,000 people were murdered here at this church during the Genocide.

Today it is a Genocide memorial site.

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!