The close of another week is here, and I literally can’t
believe that three weeks from tomorrow we will be boarding a plane to come back
to America. I am not going to lie, the idea of getting to see my sweet family,
friends, boyfriend, church family and sorority sisters excites me!.... but the
void I am going to feel in leaving the children I teach, the Ebys, this
culture, this country, is immeasurable. Although, let me tell you, food might
be the only thing that can really make Mary and I leave Uganda.:) Everyday we
go running we talk about the food we miss! We are always looking up different
recipes to make (usually involving oatsJ),
my pinterest food board has increased by like 100 pins as I am CONSTANTLY
looking at pictures of American delicacies, and I even dream of food: pancakes,
sweet tea, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, chocolate
covered strawberries, zoes salads, street café, Pannie George’s ( a restaurant
in Auburn). It’s almost become a little ridiculous! Ha as I am thinking about
this now, this is so not important to anybody really, but thought instead of
sharing my heart today, I would share with you the thoughts of my stomach!
Anyways, totally going to diverge off of the subject of food
seeing how it is SO unimportant, and instead tell you about our past week! We
have had a wonderful 4th week, and as always, God has continued to
bless our efforts and our relationships here. Teaching Top Class becomes more
fun with every morning, and I am so proud to officially know all of their names
finally! I am getting very close with Teacher Dorkus as we spend each day
grading and preparing books with one another, and I love asking her about her
childhood, her family, culture, and anything else I can to gain insight from
her. The kids continue to steal my heart away as we sing, dance, laugh, clap,
read stories, spell, count, and just love on each other. I can’t believe I am
only getting 10 more days to teach them. It will be a very emotional day that
Friday that I see them last. I never knew I could become so attached in this
short of a time. Although I love them all, I have become particularly fond of
Silver, Rino, Alliya, Patricia, Anisha, and Smile. These children have filled
my heart with so much joy and I thank God for the promise of Heaven, because
Lord willing, even if I never see them again here on earth, I will be given
eternity with them.
Mary and I led our bible study with the older girls this
week on “love”, and what that looks like as a godly young woman. We focused on
the greatest example of love that we have been shown, Christ Jesus and His
death for us. But then we also dove in to how our greatest love and passion
should be living for Christ, and how to check our own lives on whether or not
Christ is at the center, and if we are loving as 1 Corinthians 13 tells us to.
What a wonderful opportunity to help them grow, but also be reminded of these
truths and challenges for our own lives also. I pray that these girls see the
brokenness of Mary and I both, but the power and strength that God is able to
display through our weaknesses. He is so so good.
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| Our Fearless Teahers: Jennifer, Dorkus, and Jovis |
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| Eager to Ride their First Rollar Coaster! |
Most exciting of this week though was WONDER WORLD!! On
Friday, the five of us baby class and top class teachers took 34 students to
the amusement park here, Wonder World. We arrived at school an hour early (at
8) like instructed to, because we would be leaving around 8: 30. That of course
was without taking Ugandan time into consideration, so we actually were picked
up by the bus at 10:30. We loaded everyone on the Zana church bus and drove
about 30 minutes to this so-called park, one that I had zero expectations
about. As we pulled up, it was a little different than our typical Disney World
theme park, but it looked full of exciting rides nonetheless! We unloaded
everyone, once again 34 kids, aging from 2-8 years old. After eating our snack
in the parking lot, we proceeded inside, where we helped the kids board their
first ride, the Caterpillar Rollercoaster! Watching the children was absolutely
priceless. Some were laughing, yelling, loving it. And others were crying,
going ballistic, begging to be let off. Needless to say, it was the only ride
of the day for some of the younger ones after such a traumatic event!
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| All Smiles! |
We spent the whole day leading them from ride to ride,
laughing with them, hugging them, holding their hands, taking TONS of pictures
of them, keeping up with them, counting heads every two minutes, correcting
them, telling them “no” to the ice cream cart or going down the water slide.
Most of all, I got to feel like a mommy for a day, and I absolutely loved it.
It was so beyond wonderful to spend a day with the children outside of the
school environment. I was filled with such joy as I watched their faces light
up with every ride, every sight they saw, and the soda they so enjoyed at lunchJ After hours of running
and playing, we waited outside for the bus to come pick us up at what was
supposed to be 4:00. Of course, he was there at 5:30. We loaded the 34
exhausted, some sleeping, many hungry, children onto the bus and made our way
back home after an unforgettable day.
The thing I am most amazed by is how God once again just
shows me His faithfulness and love. On Thursday, I had been a little bit
homesick at night. It is now a month since being home and with those I love,
and I was feeling a bit sad. I woke up Friday and was praying during my quiet
time that I would remember God’s promises. I know that dwelling on God and
having Him as the center of my heart and mind produce joy and contentment. I
also know that God says He will never forsake me, He is always present no
matter where I am or what I am doing. With both of those being said, I know
that I can be joyful and content no matter what because I have the love of God
at all times! I watched God give me a day like yesterday that I will never forget
with these children I love dearly. As we rode home yesterday, I looked around
at 34 little faces (many asleep on my lap), and thanked God for them. I looked
out the window at a country that speaks more of God’s creativity and beauty
than any other place I have ever seen. I saw people and a culture that are full
of graciousness and compassion, and that I am blessed to even get to be a part
of for a small time. I saw God once again showing me that HE alone is joy and
happiness. He is ALL I need, because He gives the greatest blessings I could
ever imagine!
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| Three of My Absolute Favorite Kids: Silver, Anisha, Rino...I Will Cry When I Leave Them |
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| My Precious Anisha Loving the Swings |
On a funny note, being at the park did have it’s interesting
moments. At the first ride, the Ugandan worker there handed Mary and I his card
and asked if we could meet him Saturday to hang out. He also said he would be
coming to the states soon and wanted to know if maybe we could meet up. Ha, we
were both like “ummmm…I don’t think that is going to happen, sorry!” Then at
the next ride I had a man hand me a little girl and hold up a camera to take a
picture of us. I said, “Sir, I don’t even know this little girl, she doesn’t go
to Zana.” He knew that, but still pressed for the picture. It wasn’t that he
wanted it of the little girl, he wanted it of the American, me. This trend
continued as countless other male teachers approached us asking if we could
come teach at their schools also, or if we could send friends back from America
to teach for them. To all these requests and questions, I finally learned to
say the word “NO” quite fluidly;) The funniest part was too, that we were
almost part of the fair as a spectacle for the other school kids at Wonder
World. I forget that we stick out like a sore thumb sometimes, because to our
children we are just “teacher KK and teacher Grace”, but the other hundreds we
were constantly waving and yelling “Muzungu, Muzungu!!” All of these events
added up made for a day I will never forget, and one I am more thankful to have
experienced than words can say.
We are looking forward to church tomorrow, and praying that
God allows us to continue to seek Him in all we do with these last 3 weeks.
That we will not be complacent ever, that nothing will feel “comfortable”
necessarily, but that we would be given opportunities to be bold and courageous
for Him everyday! Please keep Mr. Dave in your prayers also as he begins his
return for home from Atlanta tomorrow afternoon.
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| My Favorite Man in The Entire World! |
Lastly though, it is almost midnight here, and therefore it
is Father’s Day already! I wanted to say Happy Father’s Day to my own dadJ Dad, I hope you have
the most wonderful day, and I am sorry that I am once again gone on this
special day for you!;) I hope you know how much I absolutely adore you though,
and how much I tear up from happiness at the thought of getting to see you in
three weeks. I can’t begin to express my thanks to you in letting me take this
trip and being such an encouragement throughout it all. I will never be the
same because of this opportunity. Not a day goes by where I don’t thank God for
your leadership, strength, work ethic, providing for our family, humor, love,
zeal for Christ, and most of all your example for me of what a godly husband
and father look like. I pray fervently that God gives me a husband who fears
the Lord like you do, and I thank you for loving me unconditionally everyday.
You are my dad, the first man I ever loved and the longest lasting of my loveJ I hope you have a
blessed Father’s Day, and even though I am 8,000 miles away, know I am thinking
about you, praying for you, and can’t tell you enough how much I love you.
KK
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| Adorable Alliya and Rino Posing:)...couldn't make this one fit up top, but too cute to cut out! |
