I've
been in Uganda for three weeks now! In some ways it feels like I
never left. In other ways it feels like a completely different place. I made a
conscious effort not to have expectations for what things would be like when I
got back. I knew that everything would be different; after all I was coming
back to a (semi) new roommate, new job, and a lot of changes in my personal
life. There was no way for me to prepare for what I would feel and how I would adjust. I made a choice long before I left to trust God. A choice to believe what he says and to trust where he leads.
It all still feels really new. There is no denying that everything
really is different now, and the Lord is giving me such grace through it all. I’m
still sifting my way through some of the pain from the way I left. Just today I was walking through Namatala and along the way I saw so many of the people that I used to work with and still love deeply. It has been bittersweet reuniting with all of these people and then having to explain why I left without saying goodbye and why things are different now. I wasn't ready to go when I left and I definitely wasn't ready to go without saying goodbye when I knew I wouldn't be working with them after I came back. That wasn't how any of it was supposed to happen, but it did. I have a different job now. I love them deeply and no one can ever change that, but I won't be working with them daily anymore. That is a really hard reality for me, and the Lord is navigating these foreign waters with me with his unconditional love and sweet grace.
Praise God for his good and perfect gifts in the midst of the bittersweet. I love my new job
and all of the people that I’m working with! It’s so neat to have a team of
expats to work with as well as a whole office full of Ugandans! Everyone has
been so welcoming and I’m starting to find the groove of things in the office.
I’ve learned who everyone is and what their job is and I love getting to know
the people I will be working with.
On
my first day in the office I was given a tour of all of the different offices
and what each of them do. When I got to the women’s office, which is the office
I will be working in, everyone was introduced to me. When I introduced myself
everyone began saying, “Yes! We have been waiting for you! You are the one that
does crafts! We are so glad you are finally here!” It was a bit of a surprise
since I was thinking I would mostly be working on a nutrition project, but it
was so sweet to know someone had talked me up WAY too much and that they were
so excited to have me. My job has expanded already and I love it! I love
knowing that my dreams are being encouraged but also having the opportunity to
do things I’m good at and things I love.
We
have team dinners every Monday night. I have a team now! And I love every
single person in it. Team dinners are just dinner and quality time together, no
work, and they are usually hilarious! Within the Jenga volunteer group there
are at least 5 different countries represented and countless different accents.
We inevitably spend a good amount of time discussing what we each call
different objects and the different expressions we all use. It amazes me how
hard it can be to understand a conversation with a person that speaks English!
My friend Grace is from Manchester, UK and sometimes when she speaks I question
whether or not she is speaking English. She also does an AWESOME southern
accent impression. I think she may have watched Sweet Home Alabama one too many
times! (Also, apparently “awesome” is an American word only. The jokes are
endless.) My friend Rhonda is from northern Ireland and when she said, “cow” I
had no idea what she was talking about. I think she added a couple letters and
syllables in there. Definitely not English! (I’m only teasing. Love you
Rhonda!) It’s a blast every day with this team. I’m so thankful for them!
Every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning is spent with the whole Jenga staff in
worship and prayer. That has been such a blessing. It is so neat to be a part
of. It is so sweet to see all of the Jenga staff and volunteers, close to 50
people, worshipping the lord in unity with the purpose of making his name
great. Three times a week we all gather together to refocus on the goal. We
aren’t just here to build things. We aren’t just here to help women save money
for their future. We aren’t just here to educate and feed children. We aren’t
just here for the countless other projects Jenga has. We are here to make the
name of The Lord great! I’m so blessed to be part of a ministry that puts Jesus
first always.
I
had such a sweet reunion with my kids and my sweet friend Annette that loves
and cares for them as if she is their bio mom. Alepele was the first of my kids to see me and she came running to hug
me. Cheede heard her yelling my name and came running behind her and jumped
into my arms! It was so perfect and sweet. Ana had just woken up when I arrived so she was still half asleep when she saw me. She just cried and put her hands out for
me to pick her up. My sweet baby girl didn’t understand why I left and I hate
that she had to try to process it all in her precious little mind. I’m praying
that she will understand someday and forgive me. I’m soaking up the time I have with her now! If I didn't know how precious it was before, I definitely know now. Solomon still isn't walking but he did recognize me and he let me hold him without crying! My sweet boy is still too small. Much too small. Please continue praying for him and for total healing.
There is so much more to tell you! I can't wait to tell you about my new friends, reunions with old friends, and give you more details about what it is exactly that I'm doing. For now I should probably sleep. We pulled an all-nighter for the super bowl last night and now I am exhausted! (9 hour time difference = watching the super bowl at 2 am. I didn't get home until 7am!) Thanks so much for all of your prayers! See you back here soon!
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