Just a few things which are Ugandan :)

I thought I would just review a few daily Ugandan things for you :)

1. The adults here are all referred to as "Uncle" or "Auntie" as a sign of respect. So my name is now "Auntie Sarah." It is delightful :)

2. Every Ugandan child I've met thus far is totally confident in front of a crowd, but the moment I talk to them one on one, it is all mumbling and looking at the floor. Makes it hard to understand what on earth they are meaning!

3. I can talk to anyone here in English, so it has been a challenge to learn any Lugandan. The people are willing to teach, but I have so many opportunities to cop out!

4. When you want someone to move over for you on a bench, you say "extend."

5. To raise the eye brows means "yes," so when I ask the kids a question, most of the time they only raise their eyebrows, so I'm sitting there waiting for them to answer, and they sit there I'm sure wondering "why is this lady still staring at me? I answered her already!"

6. The little kids shout "the visitors!" and come running when they spot one of the missionaries. Love it :)

Those are a few of the things I have discovered thus far in Uganda :) Even more to come, I'm sure!

PS the photo is from our first Ugandan "home," the Matoke Inn guest house outside Kampala. Matoke means "banana"

"God of this *orphanage*"

"You're the God of this city,
You're the King of these people,
You're the Lord of this nation,
You are.

You're the Light in this darkness,
You're the hope to the hopeless,
You're the Peace to the restless,
You are.

There is no one like our God.
There is no one like you God.

For greater things have yet to come
greater things are still to be done in this City.
Greater things have yet to come,
greater things are still to be done here."

We arrived at Jinja on Tuesday to dancing children and drums! It was beautiful, and sometime, when we welcome another visitor, I will have to take pictures. It was the most incredible welcome I've ever experienced!

Since arriving we have:
* learned some of our responsibilities at the orphanage-lots more work there!
* are on our way to meeting over 90 kids! And learning names-augh!
* remembering why I am here: loving the kids for Jesus.
* today we began our nursing responsibilities. We were worried about not having enough work to do-and now I realize that was silly ;)

It is hard to be here. The kid's stories are so intense. It is not fair their little lives have experienced so much already, at age 16 years, 5 years, 5 months...

More to come, but 6:30am rounds are coming quickly!

Arrived in Uganda!

We are here!

First things first: rundown!
* Arrived in NYC, met the rest of the orientation team: 2 other nurses, an electrical engineer, and an occupational therapist heading to Namibia; and a psych major who is staying here in Uganda
* traveled to London where we had an excellent day in town-experienced "the tube" (plus: didn't get lost), Big Ben, the River Thames, a little bar for traditional fish n chips, and the most fantastic British Museum
* overnight flight to Entebee, Uganda! Currently staying in Matoke Inn, just outside Kampala, the capitol of Uganda

We are planning to stay here through Tuesday, when we will go to our final destination: Jinja!

Several things have been done for the first time:
Experienced a boda-boda, a motorbike, sidesaddle. VERY fun :)
Left my hair down all day without styling it.
Used a laptop in Africa.

It is only the beginning of the new experiences :) Hopefully they'll be more exciting as time goes on ;) I look forward to sharing more with you

Mission Verse

"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.
Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.
Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands."
-Isaiah 42:6-8, 10-12

T minus 11.5 hours

Over the past week God has RAINED down blessings! In that time, He has brought in over $3,500 for this trip!!! So...

Here we go!

At 1:10am I am getting on a plane to travel to NYC. I can hardly believe it! I have lots to do, so won't spend much time, but wanted to give an update since I'm not sure when the next time will be I can write.

I am meeting my teammate Meredith Lee in New York, and we'll have 2 days of orientation. Then it is off to Heathrow airport where we'll have a whole day in London town. Then we have an overnight flight to Entebbe, Uganda where the real adventure begins! We will be picked up and brought to the orphanage and we'll meet the kids and the staff. I'm anticipating that will be a very busy time!

So that is about all I know at this point! Please pray for peace as I leave. I am NOT looking forward to this first leg of travel to NY-I will be thinking a lot about what I am leaving behind. So peace that surpasses understanding would be a good thing :)