My first week with my kids is over. I mostly laughed really hard all week, but I also learned a lot. You’re forced to be creative when working with people who don’t speak the same language as you, but that is taken to a whole new level when those people are children under 10 whose attention spans are under 10 minutes. I feel like a little kid again because I play outside and get dirty all day until it starts to get dark and then I have to go home. It’s actually not the playing outside that makes me dirty…I brought mostly white shirts and when I walk into the day care room every morning I immediately receive more hugs than most people probably get in a month. Since it’s their beautiful dirty little faces that are making my white shirts brown, I’m fine with it. Plus as some of you might know, I regularly spill on myself like a toddler so I’d be dirty anyway.
Even though I wish I was seeing those little dudes every day I’m excited for this weekend to explore more of Gulu and hopefully take some good pictures. I’m also going to spend some more time searching through the main market…I might bring back some prizes for some of you if you’re lucky. I’ve been to the market twice now and I got lost both times. I honestly don’t think I can blame my sense of direction though, because I’m pretty sure the Ugandans that sell stuff in there deliberately made it like a maze so they could laugh at the lost munus (white people). My first trip to the market I got the biggest avocado I have ever seen. I thought it was a small watermelon when I first saw it. I’ll definitely take a picture next time I get a monster avocado. The second time I got some bread and apples because I brought some peanut butter. I came home empty handed. Don’t worry, I didn’t get robbed or mugged or anything, but I walk through this park area called Kanyagoga to get to where I live and there are so many kids that were asking me for something to eat. I almost started crying because some of the children looked as if they hadn't eaten in days and were far too young to be left alone. I asked myself, "Why isn't someone caring for them?" I immediately realized that I am part of the hands and feet of Christ Jesus and that I could care for them even if just this one time and even in such a small way as a piece of bread. And I know in my heart that the God who made those children will always be their refuge and strength. They all shared the bread and apples and I went through the evangecube with them. I’m almost positive they didn’t understand a word that I said, but who knows maybe God was really speaking to them through the pictures. I hope I get to see those kids again. Camp Life’s main goal is to transform the nation of Zambia one orphan child at a time and I truly believe that is possible. I believe that kind of transformation is possible anywhere and I pray for it all across the world. May it be on earth as it is in heaven.
"We do indeed have a God of resurrection, a God who can create beauty from the messes we make of our world."- Shane Claiborne
Although there are certain people that have tried to remind me that I'm not invincible, I've never been more reminded of my humanity than while being here this past week. I get hot and tired and hungry all to a degree that I am forced to remember that I cannot live this life on my own. I am so thankful for those reminders. Also, there is now absolutely no doubt in me that God made us to be in community and fellowship with others. I consider myself a definite people person and here I've been blessed to spend all day long with children that I have so quickly grown to love as I love myself. However, when the day ends I usually find myself eating dinner alone by candlelight (because of the lack of electricity, not because I'm trying to be romantic or speak to the dead or something) and I have had to pray so hard against the feeling of loneliness. Jesus was often alone but never lonely. May I live as He lived.
