January has been off to a delightful start. I love celebrating life with my neighbours... so on January 4th Opio, Ochen, and I had a fun time preparing for Vanessa's 20th birthday. The had never seen a glow in the dark stick before, so we were creatively hiding on the veranda when Vanessa came home. :)
I'm glad I get to share a few simple joys with them...
And a banana, chocolate chip, walnut cake also.
Every celebration needs a cake cutting ceremony!
On another note... I go to the post office every day. I call it my husband. O.P.O. (Oh Post Office) because I love to give and receive love. Here is some love that I am sending back to a fun Sunday school class in Ontario.
Feeling young now days!
Last Tuesday I was asked to speak at the PCU youth conference in Kaberamaido. I was told to meet at the church at 8:15 am to meet up with some other church leaders and then I would take them all to the village. Well, of course, when I get there, no one is there, so I was served tea and I waited. It was almost 1.5 hours later, with weak apologies, that we finally departed for the village.
Youth were just gathering together to begin the conference, but we were still waiting for one more lorry of youth to arrive, so we had many presentations and announcements to begin with for the day. And then the winds seriously blew... the tents came down and we had to take time to resettle.
Of course, lunch groceries were arriving on the last lorry, so lunch was late, because it takes a long time to cook dry beans and mingle big vats of posho (cornmeal). I'm still getting used to the cultural norm that visitors get served extra special food... so us leaders also at beef with soup, and cabbage... which delayed lunch until 5 pm.
Another setback for the day was the police. Two officers came and demanded payment for hosting the conference. They were calling them government fees... but this was a church meeting and so we ended up calling the local government security officer to get rid of the police - who happened to be drunk. NO money exchanged hands after 3 hours of debates, which sidetracked and upset many of the leaders.
These are just some of the frustrations that we see or I experience on a regular basis when it comes to doing ministry. But, through all of that... I love it.
When in the village, I am able to listen to the traditional instruments!
And enjoy some dancing too. :)
At that conference I led two sessions. The first session was about the importance of prayer and how God wants us to stand in the gap in prayer. And the second one was again about relationships and worldly issues that youth struggle with regularly.
I thank God for speaking activities.
Some days, I just wake up to dress up! :)
On Saturday I drove to Palisa... and I had a good time seeing all the uses of Papyrus.
It's grown in swamps.
Used for sleeping mats, walls, roofs, and so much more.
Here it is drying in the hot January sun.
Speaking of hot... this time of year is the hardest in Uganda... it is not only hot, but dry, dusty, and too windy. My lips and heels are cracked and I can never drink enough water.
But I shall not leave... Uganda is my home!
