Some Shots and Other What Nots

Gulu has been a temperature change for us.  The days are much cooler... okay, 25-30 degrees and it rains a lot!! We sometimes even have two comforters on our bed.  I know, we are crazy, but I do crave the heat!!

Here was the evening sky when I went for a walk with a friend.

Recently someone was walking around town with a big bucket of grasshoppers. Moses pulled over immediately to buy one of his favorite delicacies.

And they I turned it into a gourmet breakfast for him.

Bacon wrapped yumminess!

Like everyone else in most of the world... technology has been important for our communication and ministry this year.  But our cell phones are getting tired.

I love it when our friendly electrician drops by... his truck makes me smile.

There is a school/office on our compound, so sometimes I walk to work.

There are people to meet, financial accounts to take care of, and books to edit and organize.

Last week we traveled to Soroti for Module 2 of the Timothy Leadership Trainings.  It was too short of a trip, because so many people wanted to see us, and we were super busy organizing all the participants.  We were also overseeing the finances, shopping, and kitchen.  

41 participants shared and studied about Stewardship. We would love you to pray for all the action plans that the participants have written.  They have 3.5 months to implement some change either in their families or churches in the area of Stewardship.  For example, setting a church budget, looking after the land, our temples, valuing time, and so much more.

On Saturday night we were invited over to a new friend's house... it was such a cool Sinterklaas party. People from many tribes and nations were there to chat, feast, share, laugh and celebrate.  We thank God for the new community we are finding ourselves in here in Gulu.

Sunday afternoons we often head over to the World Embrace property for sports and exercises.  I enjoy participating in an aerobics, walking, stretching class.  And Moses is feeling young again after playing football (soccer) and sometimes rugby.  

Moses was in goal... when the rains came pouring down!!

 

Many evening we play cards... I love hanging out with this dude.  Life is good.

November News

One of the joys of living in foreign countries, is meeting people from even more countries.  Recently Moses and I met an awesome family from Argentina.  Moses is taking photography lessons from the son... and we are both studying Spanish one class a week.  Why not learning something new during these Covid times?!

We've been cherishing our time with this family and we invited them over for Sunday lunch.

They honored us by sharing Argentinian mate, a beautiful culture... which is shared amongst close friends and family. 

Such a cool custom... drinking from a private cup with a straw and strong herbal tea leaves.

Fellow servants of the Lord

Sharing conversation and a meal.

We got a new puppy - names Luna.  Bolt loves having a new playmate!

We got an awesome package in mail... and then... 

Sent out loads of mail ourselves!! Hopefully people get their Christmas letter on time.

Bolt and Luna are becoming better friends every day!

Moses and I snuck away for one night for our ONE YEAR anniversary.  We live only 70 km from Murchison Falls National Park... so we took the time to hang out with God's creation.

Slept in a safari tent!!

While Bolt guarded the home front.

He's keeping a close all on all the action

And he gets along well with our local friendly electrician.

Let's just say there has been a lot more computer work during this season of quarantine and laying low.

Shake a paw

Bolt won't let you out of the house without getting some attention!!

Thankful for each new day!

Crafting some encouragement...

And sending out love.

And now back to the anniversary celebrations... hanging out on the Nile River.

God's glory was surrounding us everywhere!!

Okay, we splurged and stayed in a luxury safari tent...

And we loved it!

While sleeping in, we could watch the rapids on the river.

All night long we could hear the rushing waters roll past the tent.

And the hippos played in the water while we ate our breakfast on the verandah.

15 km from the park entrance we found a tower of giraffes.  

Such majestic creatures!!

"Hey tall friends!"

And of course... we love singing together at home... and sharing videos with a couple of our churches in Ontario.  

 

Highlights of Sept/Oct 2020

 

The past few months have been a little bit of a slower pace, as this Pandemic continues to run the race, but here are some shots of what we've been up to recently:

I was invited to share a 40 minute presentation on how to active Disciple kids.  I didn't focus on any tools or resources, but our heart, attitude, energy, and integrity as we approach children with the Gospel and our lives.

Our friend Felix, an Anglican priest, came over for a few days and we spent a lot of time in worship!

Termites took over our electrical wiring, but within a day, we believe we have remedied the problem for now.

The season of masks!  Not our best look.

Moses dyed my hair burgundy...

The final result!

I ate Canadian Thanksgiving all by myself.

Delightfully though, Reynold and Kathy Mainse, along with their daughter, Elizabeth and David Lee, invited us over a week later for a proper Thanksgiving.  Thanks Reynold for sharing these 3 pics. :)

We tried to find all the Canadians of Gulu...

And shared a wonderful evening!!

Sharing an Argentinian tea infusion called "Mate" with my new friend Ruth. 

We hosted Ruth and her family last Sunday and I happily stuffed cannelloni for them while Moses roasted our favourite pork!

Sports Ministry - as a tool for outreach - is where I spend a lot of time in online workshops.  I'm not the biggest sports person, but I do love kids and sharing Jesus with them. And helping others, developing leaders to do the same.

Bolt is resting by our bedroom window, to catch some inside coolness as it's hot outside.

Christmas cards are getting ready to be sent out.  I've been enjoying some art classes lately in order to get to know more people.  

Moses and I spent some time on the road, living out of suitcases... we spent time in Soroti and Kampala... we were invited to be a part of a time of prayer/fasting for a business in Kampala.

More results from a water colour painting class.

We've been recording songs to send back to a church in Ontario, to use in their online services.  It's been a blessing for Moses to get to know my church culture.

Moses is a man of prayer, for which I am truly grateful!

I just liked this pumpkin!

So, the past two months have been harder for me physically as well... I first had malaria, then a short while later Typhoid and other complications, but I thank God I feel strong once again.

Not the closest shot... but Moses has been getting to know some men in Gulu - through Thursday and Sunday sports.  Rugby is a bit rough, but on Sunday he scored his first goal... for a win!!

After many days of being trapped in the house, due to the crazy long rainy season of Gulu... I told Moses that we needed to go for a drive and see something.

We drove 25 km towards South Sudan to visit a very emotional historical site... Fort Patiko.

Here there was serious slave trade happening for 19 years.  Ugandans were being shipped of to the Arab world.

Thankfully Sir Samuel Baker came here, an explorer from the UK, and was able to put a stop to all the slave trade here.

I love the colours!

This church is located beside the main market in Gulu town.

A pretty sight to behold!

But God's glory shines brighter!

One last class that I took was baking and cake decorating.  Now, I bake all the time, but it was neat to learn the local way of baking over a sigiri, a small charcoal stove.  You put a big pot, filled with sand, on the fire... then, you place your smaller baking dish into the hot sand or ash, and cover until baked.