The village. The village. The village. Where to begin. I will start by saying this is probably the first time that I have gone a week without showering, shaving, or putting on makeup. Of course that's not the only thing this is going to focus on, but I consider it a huge accomplishment to take that out of my mindset. Those things weren't even options for us this week :)
We tackled a lot. We cleaned 2 wells, planned a program for the school children and planned programs for the village children who aren't in school, ministered and prayed with families, and had fellowship together. I will honestly tell you that going to the village was not my favorite thing. I struggled this week just feeling feeble and weak. I'll start from the beginning....
The first day at the village we set up our campsite and played with some school kids before heading into the village to evangelize and pray with families. Our campsite was a little bit of a walk away from the trade center where to went to put on a program for the kids and meet their families. The roads aren't in good condition, but it was so much fun walking by all of the huts and the children coming our screaming "Mzungo, Mzungo, BBYYEEE!" I learned a new words, although I'm not sure I know how to spell them, but it's Hello, how are you? and I'm fine in Luganda. Also, thank you and you're welcome. I knew thank you, but you're welcome I never knew before. I have decided to try and learn the most Luganda I can before I leave since I'll be here for 15 more weeks. It will definitely come in handy.
Being with the kids was definitely my favorite part of the village. We did programs with them much like we do in Kampala. On Thursday I did a bible lesson with them from Matthew not the sick woman who touched Jesus' cloak to be healed. I felt really compelled to tell that story, even if it was to little children, so they can start to understand how faith in Jesus can change your life!
The hardest part of the week was definitely the manual labor. We cleaned 2 wells and walked back and forth multiple times to fill up our jerry cans for water. The first day was fine. Our well was smaller and we had a team of about 16 people working on it. The wells are different than you would think. We had to clean them completely out, so that any new water that filled from the well under it would be clean. The first well hadn't been cleaned in 10 years. It was motivating to see our team slashing the tall grass from all around it and the mud come out as buckets of smelly mud passed through our assembly line. The local villagers came to help and laughed at one point in irony saying that the grass we were cutting down was where they came to pray to the rain gods. We made it a point to let them know about the Almighty God who would provide their needs and I silently prayed that God would speak to them through that well. It rained every day this week. So much for grass rain gods. I leaped for joy inside and out each time it rained because I knew that was a prayer answered for so many people who wanted to testify to these villagers!
After working hard on a well all day, we ran out of water and had to make a trip, mid-day, to the well. It was hot and I was personally exhausted from hauling mud up and down a huge hole. Filling up the cans is a long process. It takes your whole body to pump it out. When we came in the middle of the day, children came from all over with their cans to come be near us. I felt a little like the Samaritan Woman. People were literally stopping their bicycles and boda-boda's and just staring at us at the well. They would say things in Luganda, stare some more, and leave. I know they were enthralled more than anything, but it was weird to just be stared at by adults. It has motivated me to learn more Luganda!
It was also at this point that I was reminded of something God has been teaching me through this whole process. Jeremy and I spoke about my weaknesses before I left, just how I knew God was going to continue breaking me down, and I was ok with that because less of me means more of him. Well, that afternoon I wanted to carry a jerry can by myself. It's a 5 gallon jug, I think, and I'm not a strong person at all. The women and children do it here every day. If they don't have a bike they carry it by hand or on their heads! I struggled to get back to our campsite and when I finally did I broke into tears. It hurt so bad and I felt so weak and insecure. I kept reminding myself that people do this every day, all around the world, and I prayed to God for strength. Afterwards I took a moment to really just reflect on how God uses moments like that to speak to us. I knew carrying the water would be hard, but I didn't realize God would be reminding me of my weaknesses as I walked alone down the red dirt road.
Yesterday was my worst day. We worked harder than Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We wanted to finish the well. It was taking a lot longer than usual. By noon my shoes weighed 10 pounds, so I took them off (please, don't freak out) and I worked barefoot. The smelly mud felt so good on my hot feet. After about an hour of working without shoes the inevitable happened. I cut my foot. It wasn't bad. A rock, I think, just took the skin off the top of my foot right between my last 2 toes. It hurts likes a blister, but it was awful walking around with dirt just pounding it. Pure torture. To make things worse, I got heat exhaustion and almost passed out in the middle of the well project. It was so hot, the hottest day yet, and there was 1 tiny tree for shade, and we had just run out of water. It was an awful feeling, but my team helped my stay calm and my friend Katy walked me back to the camp site to rest, eat and drink. Another team member, Megan, cleaned my foot and bandaged me up. I seriously have the best team, ever.
Earlier that morning I couldn't sleep and got out of my tent to read a little bit before projects. I started reading the book of Philippians and I came across this part of scripture:
"7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
I can honestly tell you that this week was terrible for me, wonderful and terrible at the same time! As I read this scripture I really meditated on how I need to press on. I don't like being in the village, but I know without a doubt that God called me to Empower-A-Child and that includes going to the village. So I will press on to the goal. I haven't figured out everything I'm supposed to learn yet, but I am sure God is preparing my heart for what he has planned for me!
I am thankful for the people in my group. They have all taught me so much about faith, encouragement, and love!
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