It's Like Disney World!!....Ugandan Style:)

    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 4^th 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.

Our Fearless Teahers: Jennifer, Dorkus, and Jovis

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!

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!

Three of My Absolute Favorite Kids: Silver, Anisha, Rino...I Will Cry When I Leave Them

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.

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 

Adorable Alliya and Rino Posing:)...couldn't make this one fit up top, but too cute to cut out!