Week 2

Hello friends and family!

Another week has flown by, I can hardly believe it. I spent the week getting to know my way around town (all by myself!), getting to know the culture and new way of life, and meeting lots and lots of new people. Luckily, I am pretty good with names. (Side note: I secretly think it's hilarious the amount of people who say they are bad with names. It's funny to me because everyone says it, but they act like they are a rare breed. When, in actuality, 90% of people are pretty terrible at remembering names.)

This week was very fun as well as educational for me. Here are a few highlights:

On Sunday evening, Callie and I took a mass of our IChooseYou kiddos to the supermarket for a treat. Most of them picked strawberry ice cream, but some (the smart ones) chose chapati. In case you are unfamiliar with chapati (I have no idea if I am spelling that correctly), it is a delightful flat bread-like thing. It reminds me a lot of the large homemade tortillas my mom used to make when we lived in New Zealand. You can get it on the street corner for about 25 cents. It is one of my favorite things about Uganda. Seriously, it'll change your life.

I have taken three children to the doctor this week. One had the flu, one had Typhoid fever, and one needs a filling in his tooth. I was very glad to get to know my way around the doctor's office and experience the process you go through to see a doctor. Something I learned: always bring a book for yourself and Angry Birds for the kids, because it can be quite a long wait in there. I enjoy the trips because it gives you one-on-one time with the kids (and they can't leave when they get tired of me asking them questions- they're stuck! Ha!)

I've really enjoyed meeting some other mzungus in the area. We have game nights quite often (I have learned three new games this week. My comfort zone has been stretched beyond it's limits.) I made one pal who lent me his French press, so now I have fresh coffee in the morning! Hooray! I also met an Australian guy at a birthday party, and we had a lengthy conversation about Frozen versus Tangled. As Disney princesses are my specialty, I thoroughly enjoyed this discussion. It was also great to meet someone from Down Under. New Zealand, I miss you.

I've enjoyed working in the office with Sarah, IChooseYou's employee. She has been very helpful teaching me about IChooseYou, the kids, and Ugandan culture. She is even trying to get me to speak a little bit of Luganda, but I have proved to be a disappointment. When people say, "How are you?" in Luganda, I can reply, "I am fine." And that's about it.

On Thursday, I went with Callie and the girls she cares for to a local swimming pool. It was so much fun to see the little girls enjoy the cool water, but I think I may have enjoyed it even more. Swimming has always been one of my favorite things to do. Whether it be a pool, river, or ocean, I'm there. Swimming takes me to this place of childish delight that I can't really explain. It's like the weightlessness of water strips away every care you may have, every worry that weighs heavily on one's heart. It made me think of the time last spring when my family went to South Padre Island for a few days. The first night we were there, my big brother, Taylor, and I ran straight into the ocean without a thought. I swear, we were five and six again. I miss that big guy. He asked me to be his Valentine yesterday. What a cutie.

I received some sad news this week. My step great grandfather passed away after a long battle on Dialysis. We are grateful his suffering is over and he is in the arms of Jesus. Tom was a wonderful man, and he loved my Mama Joe so well. He was an incredible example of Jesus' love, and he will be greatly missed. His funeral was today. I'm hurting over his loss as well as this nagging "I should be there" feeling. I knew that things like this would come along, moments where I question whether or not I'm in the right place, but I didn't expect it to come so soon. I should be there. I should be there for my great grandmother, for my grandmother. I know that my presence would not make a huge difference, but still. I should be there. I should be there because they're mine.

But I'm not there.

I hold on tightly to the promises God has given me. He is good. He has a plan for me and it's a really good plan. He called me here, so here is where I'm supposed to be. That's it. No doubts, no questions. I stand firm on His promises.

"You must go to everyone I send you to, and say whatever I command you."
Jeremiah 1:7

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

What a guy, that Jeremiah. I think we would have been friends.

Thanks for reading. Until next time.

Em