With Love from Elgin: Me + Uganda = Happy 1 month!

I've been in Uganda for 4 weeks now, it's not officially a month yet. I am counting the days until I come home, but also not focusing too much on the huge to-do list that awaits me. Besides, you want to know about the village, not my future plans! :)

The village was more wonderful this time than before. One thing that is beginning to encourage me is that the kids are really starting to know me. I definitely have my favorites:

Me and Bogare in the hammock at our site.

Mathias (Masias) just brings joy to my heart.

Marvin is one of our favorites. He knows all of our names and spends so much time at our camp because he stays right across the road. He's a precious gem!

These girls are 2 of my newest friends. The are sisters and the live just right in the village where we do our programs. Their smiles light up my life and Barbara (in the blue) made a huge impact on my heart this week.

Fiona. I love her. She was my first little village friend! She sings loud and proud to every song and proudly holds my hand when I'm in the village.

This is Shakira. Her dad, Luke, lets us stay on their property to camp. She's the oldest girl in the family and is just a delight. She has a great personality, smiles all the time and just loves well.

I have bittersweet emotions about the village. This week was so fantastic, but had it's equally discouraging moments. Our first day, Tuesday, we set up camp, ate lunch and it started pouring down rain. The storm felt like it was right above us and it was probably the scariest storm I've heard...maybe being in tents in the middle of a village made it scarier. We played cards and just had fellowship together while the rain passed by.

The next morning we walked to our well, which has been the longest walk so far to any well I've done. It was an overcast day, which is so exciting! We pounded away at the bamboo and overgrown grass that covered the area. In an hour it looked dramatically different. To clean the inside of the well we form assembly lines. I always feel bad that I don't get muddy but I keep the buckets away from my body. That strategy not only keeps me clean but works my muscles! :) We worked from 8:30 until 11:45 that day. When we got back to camp I noticed all the blisters on my hands. I had what I can only describe as a double blister on my right ring finger that was starting to get infected quickly. As I kept watch over my finger, I bathed myself with baby wipes and took care of the 7 other "boo boos" I had all over my body. I have 2 on my right leg, 2 on my shoulder, 1 on my toe, one on my left middle finger and and one on my left foot: I quickly became a sponsor of bandaids, or on this side of the world, plasters. After a much needed rest we headed to the Trade Center for our kids program.

When we started our walk down the road we noticed all of the kids sitting in the school yard. All of a sudden they came running through the gates to walk with the Mzungos (Ma-zoon-goos) down the street. This is where I first met Barbara. I saw her looking at me through the gate earlier in the day and she ran right up to me, grabbed my hand and just smiled our whole walk to the center. As we were walking along I hear "Hillally" and I look up to see my sweet Fiona running to me! She ran out of her house and grabbed my second hand. I can't describe how that moment felt and how thrilled I am to have a handful of visits to the training center left!

At our program I helped Jonah lead praise and worship. We took turns alternating singing and teaching them songs. We taught them 2 new songs and they caught on really well. Usually our programs go like this: introduce everyone, do praise and worship songs, play a game or two, teach a lesson and goodbyes. During games Jonah thought it'd be a good idea to have a dance contest with the kids. He called out the kids who thought they were great dances and we all sang the chorus of "Waka Waka" over and over again while they danced. After the Ugandan children danced he called all of the Mzungos up to dance. I hate to toot my own horn, but after a long, exhausting dance contest I came out the winner! The mothers in the village came over to watch what all the fuss was about and during the contest were giving me dancing tips and tricks! It was precious!

The next morning we checked my finger and Douglas, our leader, decided it wouldn't be smart to get my open wound in the well water because of parasites. So I became the official photographer of the day. My Thursday curse continues. It felt so discouraging watching everyone working in the hot sun, but I filled water, took pictures, and just tried to encourage everyone. We, thankfully, got our well done on Thursday. We thought we'd have to work through Friday afternoon. Our team did an awesome job working together, encouraging each other and getting it done! We had some onlookers, local children and women, who came to see what the action was all about. Our final product:

The well will hopefully stay clean for a while. Benon said it motivates the villagers to keep the areas clean if they see the work that we put into it. This well filled up the quickest out of all of the wells. After we finished the well we went back to camp for lunch and to rest. After day 1 of cleaning the well the encouragement always boosts and everyone really motivates each other to get the project done!

We went back to the trade center that evening for another program. I helped Jonah lead praise and worship again. It's so fantastic dancing and singing around the circle and seeing the children light up when you pick the songs they love most! When we walked back I dropped Barbara off at her house. A few minutes later I hear "Hillally, Hillally" in a sweet, high pitched voice (almost mimicking) and I turn to find her standing behind me with a corn on the cob in 1 hand and a jerry can in the other. As we pass the well she drops her can off and continues walking me back to me campsite. She then proceeds to break her corn in half and gives it to me saying, "Eat." It was such a generous offer. I don't know her family's situation, but it was just so nice of her to share her snack with me. I feel like because they don't have a lot, when they give something, it says a lot about them. I am so excited to continue coming to the village to spend more time with her!

Our Thursday evening was also incredible. After dinner we went down the road to a neighbor's house. He had asked if we would come and pray with and over his family. His father died about 2 weeks ago and has been haunting his dreams. He had 4 children, I believe, and 2 of them were sick. One of the sick children has an incredibly swollen belly. He sat in my lap and it was an awesome night of praise and worship and prayer. I got to lay my hands on this child and just pray for his future, his health, his family, everything I could think of and then raise my voice with everyone else and pray for their family. It was amazing to have so many different people, from different parts of the USA and Uganda, being united in prayer to our heavenly Father! You couldn't help but feel the spirit fill us all with His presence as prayers were said in English and Luganda. It was in incredible way to end the week!

This is the boy who sat in my lap during prayers with his family. He had something on his tongue. He wasn't being mean. He's such a sweet boy!

When you have so many amazing things happen, when you feel the spirit fill you so much through the love of these children, the appreciation of their parents or families, and the fellowship you have as a team you forget that you haven't showered in a few days, you've been slaving away in the sun, playing with kids, haven't slept well, etc. Gabe did devotions one night about the strength of God and how he gives strength to His people when we need it. I think the village is definitely one of those places. Where does the energy, love, excitement, anything come from? It comes from the Lord!