Saturday, June 28, 2008

African Safari

Hey Guys! We just returned from our Safari/Nile boat trip. We had a nice safari. We saw girraffe, elephants, waterbuck, baboons, warthogs, about a million different types of antelope, water buffalo, and hippos, and probably one or two things that I have forgotten to mention.

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We had to leave for the lodge we were staying at at 4:30. Yes, in the morning. I slept for a while, but when I woke up there was this beautiful sunrise (Finally, Daddy!). Too bad I wasn't able to get a better picture!!!





Our first stop was Murchinson's Falls. All of that water is so incredibly powerful. It made me feel really small when I stood next to it. It was truly awe inspiring.





Of course I had to have my picture taken next to it!!!



To travel across the river,we had to ride on a ferry.



I didn't get a very good picture of it, but I did get good pictures of the animals that were waiting for us on the other side!






We ate lunch at the lodge. By the way, that place was AMAZING!!! Everything was really nice. I was also waited on hand and foot. I've thought about calling home and telling my mom what they did for me, an how maybe she could kinda do the same thing... But I doubt she would appreciate it.


The safari started at four, and it was led by a guy named Henry. I already told you about everything we saw, so I guess I don't need to do that again!



The safari was pretty nice, but it lasted for somewhere around 5 HOURS!!! We didn't get home until nine, and considering that it is fall here, it gets very dark, very early. I went to sleep as soon as it got dark! I kind of wanted to stay awake, but it was dark, so we couldn't see any animals, and I was also very tired. Oh well!!!



I'll write about the Nile trip tomorrow. It is very late.

I know this has nothing to do with the safari, but I just had to add this in!!! Gene was looking through Ben's pictures the other day and he came across this one and showed it to me. It is so sweet!!! This little girl ran up to me the moment our team started walking up the road, and she wouldn't let go of my hand! She was so cute. When other kids would come to me and try to hold my other hand she would pull me away from them as of to say "Get your own Mzungu!!!"


SO ADORABLE!!!!
O.K. I'm finally signing off now.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Learnin' To Love

Hey there everyone. I've gotta keep this quick, because I have to wake up at 4:00 tomorow morning!!! I just wanted to say something really quick about today's adventures.

Today's subject is love. We studied it when Gene did devotions tonight. The question was "How are you going to take the love that you have learned here back to your town, and apply it to your everyday life?" And we aren't talking about the sappy love that we all cry over in romance novels and chick flicks. It's kind of hard to explain this type of love to those that haven't experienced it in a way that I have here in Africa. But, I will try my best. It's the kind of love that you can find in one of the best hugs you have ever recieved from woman excited beyond words. It's when a little girl comes racing up to you, just so that she can hold your hand. It's why a single parent living with AIDS wakes up every morning to feed their kids, so that the children will live for one more day than they did yesterday. It's why widows would give an entire GFR team several weeks worth of work in the form of baskets, just to thank them for visiting their village where one woman and her children are sponsored. These people are so easy to love. They want my love. They NEED my love. And they want and need to share theirs with me. It is a sort of love that I have found only here in Africa. Almost like something that we Americans used to have at one time, but lost it somewhere along the road. That is the type of love that we are called by God to give to everyone.

1 John 3:18-20 (The Message)

My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is
the only way we'll know we're living truly, living God's reality. It's also the way
to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For
God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do
ourselves.

This verse kind of hits two points at once. For the first part, it means that when we put our words into actions, then they become true and real. For example: Pertend that you told all of your friends that Coke is your most favorite drink in the whole entire world. However, none of them ever saw you drink Coke, and you had a Pepsi in your hand all the time. Would they believe that Coke was your favoritest drink in the world because you said so, or would they believe that Pepsi was your favoritest drink in the world because you constantly had one glued to your hand? The same is true with loving. Are you going to talk, or are you going to love?

The second part says that When we let true love live through us, it pushes away the negative thoughts that can make us unable to live in the way that God wants us to. When we can't even love ourselves, how will we ever be able to love on anyone else?

Well, now that I've taken forever to explain the type of love I have gave and been given for the past week and a half, I'd like to share with you what my answer was to the question that Gene asked us. It took me a while for me to come up with it because it is a really tough question!
It is so easy to give my love to the people here because they are willing to accept and reciprocate it. Back home, there are lots of people that are very difficult to love. Whether it be the stinky kid in the hallway or the one the looks down their nose at everyone, we are called to love them. Desirable or not. What I decided was that it has to be a continuous effort each day to reach out and care for those people. I am going to have to ask God to teach me how to love those specific people. I'll also have to ask for the patience to deal with them!!! I don't think that it will be a thing easily forgotten because of love that has been given to me. Here in Africa.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

A Little Too Late

Well, I finally have a blog. I should've gotten one earlier, when I had things to write about. Tomorrow is our last work day. I guess I'll try to write as much as I can then!!! Today was an optional day. I still had some gifts to buy, so I stayed behind and walked around Kampala with Michelle. There is nothing significant about walking around down town, or spending money, but God has odd ways of showing his face, even in what seems to be the ordinary. We saw a lot of people begging on the roadside. They were so worn and broken. They didn't have the strength to even ask for money. They sat until someone would see them in their pity, and press a few shillings into their outstretched hands. Many of them were too twisted to sit up. They would never see or feel the joy of walking. When we went by, all I could do is feel sorry for them. I could never imagine living that sort of lifestyle. Would my loved ones put me out to beg each day because I was too much of an eyesore? Too expensive? Too hard to take care of? Too sad to look at? Of course not. They would want me to be better. They would love on me. Had any of those people ever felt love ever before? It wasn't until later that I thought of a bible story that relates to what I experienced today exactly. It's the story of Bartimaeus, found in
Mark 10:46-52. Here it goes:

46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a
large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus was sitting by
the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he
began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48Many
rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of
David, have mercy on me!" 49Jesus stopped and said "Call him." So they
called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling to you."
50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said
"Rabbi, I want to see." 52"Go." said Jesus, "your faith has healed you."
Immediately he recieved his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Wow. What an amazing experience for Bartimaeus (Let's just call him Bart). Can you imagine what it was like? Put yourself in his sandals for just a minute. You had heard that this Jesus guy had performed some major miracles. He raised people from the dead, turned water into wine, taught the lame to walk. Surely he would be able to heal your own eyesight. You can't believe it when you hear that he is walking your way. You yell "Jesus! Son of Nazareth! Come and heal me!" Others surrounding you are embarrassed. They know that Jesus doesn't need to deal with such petty things. They think that the rich and important take first priority. You scream even louder. No one is going to keep you from Jesus. Suddenly, you hear his voice. You stretch out your hands to him, running your hands over his face, memorizing every detail with your fingertips. You tell him that you want to see more than anything in the world. Instantly, a bright light fills your eyes. You blink into the sunlight, and suddenly his face comes into focus. Jesus is the very first thing that you see. "Because of your faith, you have been healed." he says. Do you mumble a thank you and then trudge on home? NO!!! You jump up and shout "Hallejluiah!" Then you do a dance because you are so happy. What a beautiful blessing!!!

I hope that by now you kind of grasp what I'm getting at. The people I saw in downtown Kampala are all, in some way, Bart. They are hurt and broken and they have no hope. The story of Bart was special to me, because despite the fact that the story occured over two thousand years ago, the same sort of broken people are still needing the same savior.

Thank you to all who chose to read my entire ramble. It took me a while to sort my thoughts out into words, so I really hope ya'll enjoyed it.