A Blessing In Disguise

"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all of creation."

Mark 16:15

Yesterday, as I was journaling outside of our room over-looking the Nile River, I began to realize that I have been more homesick than I ever thought I would be. I knew I would be at some point in time, but not so soon and not this much. I figured after two years of praying and God making it evident that I am supposed to be here that I wouldn't be so homesick. So, why am I?

The Lord quickly answered that question yesterday. There is a purpose.

Things have been slow the past week and a half. I have been busy with getting adjusted to living in Uganda, learning the culture, adjusting to time change and jet lag. Maybe I am just homesick now because what I will be doing hasn't begun yet? Maybe the homesickness will fade away once the kids return from Christmas break? I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy and thankful I am here. The Lord is evident all around me, and He has already begun to do great things. However, I realize that half of my heart is back at home.

Yesterday, I realized how much I miss my family, my friends, and the girls I coach back at home. And I realized that being around my family, friends, and the girls I coach at home brings just as much happiness in my life as the kids, families, and friends here in Uganda do. I enjoy showing the love of Christ within me to my family and friends just as much as I do to the people here in Uganda. I love ministering and loving on the kids I coach at home just as much as I love ministering and loving on the kids here in Uganda and at Upendo Christian. I remember being at home and longing to be here in Uganda. There was never a day that I didn't think about being here, and now that I am here I feel the same about being back home at times. 

So, I guess you could call it a torn heart. Half of it is at home with family and friends, and half of it is right here with the people of Uganda. I count it all as a blessing though. Simply because, the Lord has blessed me with having love for more than one place. He has blessed me with loving more than just one group of people. He is stretching my love for Him outside of my comfort zone and into the world. I realize that this is an example of Christ's love for us. He wrecked my heart when I first came to Uganda, but it was all for the better. I am learning to take Mark 16:15 more seriously than I ever have before. I am learning that, the Lord hasn't called us to one certain group of people to spread the Gospel to. He has called us to go into the world. GO. INTO. THE. WORLD. 

There you see it. There you see the purpose of having a "torn" heart. It's a blessing in disguise..

I long to show the love of Christ to everyone. Am I called to stay in Uganda past 6.5 months one day? Maybe. However, I do not know that just yet. What I do know is I was called to return to Uganda now. In other words, I am to focus on what the Lord has for me right here right now. It is over-whelming realizing I will be here for 6.5 months, but I am at peace knowing the Lord has big plans! I am at peace knowing that it's a good thing having my heart in two different places at once. I have longed to be here and stay here for a length of time. I have longed to love on the people of Uganda and make new relationships and spread the Gospel here in Uganda. And here I am now, right where the Lord wants me to be! I mean, who knows, my heart might be split into more than two pieces one day? Wherever I am, wherever I go, and wherever I am called - I will always follow Him. After all, we are supposed to go into the world and spread the love of Christ, right? 

- Kaitlyn

A Not So Normal Christmas

Spending Christmas in Uganda is never something I would have ever imagined myself doing. Especially Spending Christmas in Uganda, without family, is never something I would have ever even thought of doing! No, it hasn't been the same as it usually is with family and the usual Christmas traditions, but it has been a very unique Christmas for me..

This past week, Aly and I have been doing all we can to make it feel like Christmas. It has been so hot the past week that it is so hard to get in the Christmas spirit. When we are cleaning, cooking, or even just hanging out around the house, we are playing Christmas music. For the past week it just really hasn't felt like Christmas. However, that quickly changed the day we sat underneath the big tree in front of our home. Sitting there, we both wrote out a list of things that makes it feel like Christmas at home. Christmas trees, decorations, Santa Clause, Christmas lights, cold weather, hot chocolate, and every year family traditions.. the list goes on. After writing out the list, Aly began saying how we (our society) has turned Christmas into something it's really not. Many people in the world know about Christmas, but more than many people do not know the true meaning of Christmas. We make Christmas out to be all about the lights, the Christmas trees, Santa Clause and traditions, but that isn't at all what it is about. It is about Christ's birth. Once I realized that, being away from the normal has made me truly stop and think about what Christmas is really all about. In fact, the very first day of Christmas, the morning of Christ's birth, there weren't all of the Christmas traditions. There wasn't a Christmas tree full of lights and ornaments. There wasn't Christmas lights on the stable. There wasn't Christmas cookies, family all around the table eating a Christmas meal, and no where in the Bible does it say "Santa Clause" was there! Then it started to truly feel like Christmas. At home, we do talk about Christ's birth, and we do read the story of Christ's birth.. but which do we really spend our time putting emphasis on? The traditions or the true meaning of Christmas? Family or Christ's birth? Do I wish I was home with my family and the every year family Christmas traditions? Of course. But, do I really need all of that to have a wonderful Christmas? No. Because it isn't all about everything we have made it out to be. So, here is a look into what my Christmas has been like..

Aly and I had the privilege of sharing an American Christmas tradition with these sweet girls, Michal, Maureen, and Sharon. These three girls are staying at Upendo over Christmas break. We have been every day without power, but thankfully we have a gas oven and were able to make and decorate Christmas cookies with these girls! We had such a blast. In the midst of it all, I realized that if it weren't for Christ, there would be no way we would have ever had this opportunity. Because of Christ, we are unified in Him, and able to be together as one in Him. The girls loved the cookies, and it was a time full of fun, laughter, and fellowship with one another and Christ. Not to mention, they also were away from their families for Christmas.

Now, because of wonderful parents that I am blessed with, Aly and I traveled to Jinja yesterday for Christmas. We are at a lodge with access to internet. I am so thankful for it, because I was able to Skype my family yesterday, and will be able to for the next couple of days. It has been a time of relaxation, processing, and blogging of course! Last night we were able to make hot chocolate, look at videos of Christmas lights on youtube, and watch the Nativity movie. This morning, on Christmas day, we opened presents from family that were sent with us. 

So, no it hasn't been the usual, normal Christmas that I usually have. But, it has been a very unique and amazing Christmas. You really appreciate Christ's birth and all that you are blessed with when you take a step out of the every year traditions. Praying that everyone takes time on this day to take a step back from the craziness of Christmas, and realize that we have been truly blessed by Christ's birth! Merry Christmas!

- Kaitlyn

More Than I Expected

I finally made it! And below is a picture of the night I landed in Uganda, Africa...

The Lord never promised it would be easy. In fact, He said that it wouldn't be easy. It is never easy stepping out in a leap of faith, and following the Lord to wherever it is He has called you go. I am now one week into living here in Uganda, and I can honestly say it is a lot harder than I expected it to be. Yes, I knew it was going to be hard. However, it is a lot harder in different ways than I expected it to be. I expected home-sickness, tiredness, weariness, and jet lag. Life in Uganda is nothing like life at home..

Above is a picture of Aly and I's home. If you notice, the windows are all open due to no air conditioning. At night we have to shut them to keep out the mosquitos that carry malaria, and sleep under mosquito nets. Here lately it has been very hot, because it is about to be in the dry season of Uganda. For the past 3 or 4 days we have been without power. We went to the market to buy some food a couple of days ago, and all of a sudden the power went out! So, we had to shop in the dark. And when we were eating dinner one evening, the power went out and it was pitch black in the house. All we could do is sit there and laugh, and look for the lanterns in the dark with flash lights! You would think not having power, and windows open during the day isn't such a bad thing. However, when you lose power all day almost every day, you worry about the refrigerator that has food in it. Sometimes the meat goes bad and we have to throw it out even if we just bought it that day..

The green bucket is our "washing machine".  We spent all morning and almost afternoon cleaning the house. I realized how easy we have it at home with our washing machines and dryers! The bucket holds a few pieces of clothing, and you have to turn the knob on top for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how dirty the clothes are. It has been quite an experience, and very tiring on my back and feet. Not only do we have to hand wash clothes, but also towels, sheets, bed spreads, dishes, etc. It takes so much longer cleaning here than at home, because you have to do it one thing at a time. After we are finished with washing, we hang our clothes to dry on the line outside in our yard which usually takes up most of the day.

The picture above is a picture of our filtering system. Filtering water usually takes about 30 minutes. We have to filter it for cooking and having water to drink in general. The water that comes from our faucets is not clean water, and needless to say, I have forgotten that quite a few times when I go to brush my teeth and end up soaking my tooth brush in hydrogen peroxide. The other day, Aly and I were sitting down eating while filtering water and totally forgot about it. There was water all over the kitchen floor! Again... we just had to laugh! This has also been a learning experience. At home, you never have to worry about shower water getting in your mouth or not being able to brush your teeth with the faucet water. I never realized how much of a habit it is..

Going into the city is a huge difference than just driving into town at home. There are people who cover the streets, and who will actually walk right out in front of you if you aren't being careful! There are boda-bodas (motorcycles) that squeeze in wherever they can find to get by quicker. Usually the boda-bodas have anywhere from 1 to 3 or 4 people on them! Craziness! Not only are there tons of people flooding the streets, but traffic jams are horrible. I think I might have saw one traffic light, and that is about it! It is very polluted and dusty within the city. 

With all of this to say, adjusting has been very tiring. A lot more tiring than I had imagined, and I realized a lot of it is still jet lag and adjusting to the 8 hour time change. However, the Lord has been working within me throughout this past week. He has taught me that even during laboring at the house, the craziness of the city, and the adjusting to a completely different culture, I am to always glorify Him. He has placed me here to be a light to others, and to look to Him in everything I do here. I have learned that when I feel lonely or out of place, He is always there to pick me up and keep me going. When I am home sick and nothing feels right, He is there to help me through the day. I have already begun making new relationships, and growing in the ones I already have. I am so thankful the Lord has placed Aly in my life, because if it weren't for her either.. I would be a complete mess right now! Even though our work has not quite started yet, He is preparing my heart for what is to come when the kids return from Christmas break. I know that what He has in store is something huge, and it is only a matter of time before His plan is revealed!

- Kaitlyn