From Bundibugyo

Friday I arrived in Bundibugyo and today is the first day we’ve had an internet connection. Actually, we got it working yesterday, but I was at a wedding and missed the hour-long window we have to get online. There have already been many firsts this week as I get to know my new home.

I went to my first Ugandan wedding (only the last 5 hours, as Anna and I missed the first 3 while we were at school. It was a joy to be able to attend, and the guests cheered and laughed when Anna and I danced our way through the gift giving line!)

I had my first Ugandan meal, (at the wedding) and I ate my beans, rice, cabbage, beef, and matoke without any utensils.

I attended my first Ugandan church service.

I made pasta from scratch (I’m not a cook, but I am learning, and have been blessed with roommates who are amazing cooks and are keeping me quite well fed.)

I have ventured into the market a couple times with my teammates (I have yet to venture there on my own though.)

I purchased 2 SIM cards for my cell phone and found one that has good reception in Bundi (email me if you would like my number.)

As I am typing this, I am sitting in my house waiting for a friend of Anna’s to come meet me. I’m hoping to hire her as my language helper. The Ugandans are warm friendly people and are so gracious to me as I can count on 2 hands the amount of Lubwisi words I speak. Just this morning as I was leaving school, some of our Ugandan neighbors gave me a Lubwisi lesson. I greeted them and responded to their greetings with my limited vocabulary…and then they kept talking, telling me how to respond. It was quite funny, but they were happy I was trying. I just have to laugh at myself, and the many, many, many things I don’t know how to do.

I’ve had to learn how to light the gas stove, but I still don’t know how to light the propane oven. I’ve learned to light the propane refrigerator that we use when the electricity is out (which has been more often than it’s been on.) When I arrived here I had this overwhelming feeling of not knowing how to do the most basic things. Incredibly though I feel so at peace here. Of course my team, and especially my roommates, have been a HUGE help. In a place where life is chaotic, stressful, hard, and the need is so great, there are many opportunities to freak out. Travis (my team leader) has granted me one freak out per day. Yesterday the huge millipede crawling across the room didn’t quite cause an all out freak out, just a, “What is THAT!?” and then my roommates proceeded to take care of the situation. I have killed many cockroaches and have grown fond of each and every lizard in my house that eat the many unwanted critters. I’ve received a handful of impali ant bites, and a fair share of noseeum and mosquito bites, and I’m very thankful for cortisone cream and my mosquito net. Today as I was walking a bright green snake darted across the path. I let out a small squeal, and just continued on my way. The feeling of peace I have, the ability to sleep well at night, and the lack of concern about the bugs and critters can only be attributed to God, and confirms to me that this is exactly where He wants me right now. Please pray that when things get chaotic I will be reminded of God’s faithfulness, care, and protection.

Every morning I am going with Anna to Rwenzori Mission School (RMS) to teach Lilli and Patton for the first hour of the day. For at least the first month my plan is to spend all day at RMS on Tuesday and Thursday and study Lubwisi and culture on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Eventually of course I’ll be at RMS full-time and we have 3 more students coming in December.

Thank you for praying for me. Please ask God to continue to give me a sense of peace and calm, and to trust in Him. As I become more immersed in life here I am sure there will be many stressors, but I am trusting that God is at work, He doesn’t need me to be here, and all my strength must come from Him. Please pray for me as I learn to speak Lubwisi., pray that I will make a good Ugandan friend, and pray for team unity and clear vision for our team and for what God wants us to do here in Bundibugyo.