Ha! Ha! Ha!

A funny little story... I have to give you a little background first. For one, Linda and I recieved some flavored coffee from some American visitors and one of them is chocolate flavored. I have also started a compost pile. We don't throw away any food items or tea bags, we put them in a bowl outside and add it to the compost. So, onto the story. Today I was hanging out with a bunch of kids outside in the backyard and it was time for them to go home. I walked out to the gate but a few kids were not coming. I heard some noises and then down the driveway came a bunch of kids with what looked like dirt around their mouths. They were spitting it out all over the place! I started to smell chocolate and finally figured out what happened. Some of the boys looked into the compost bowl, smelled the chocolate coffee grounds and decided to try it. I am so glad I cleaned the bowl out yesterday! There were only some coffee grounds and tea bags in it. It was so funny to see the kids coming around the house with the grounds on their faces. They kept saying "but smells nice!"

So much for exciting...

I like to think that coming to my house is fun and exciting but it looks like not everyone agrees...

Can you guess who is faking - #1 Janine, #2 Sipee, #3 Suisse, or #4 Bina?

New Swings

Our backyard has been a sad place for the last month or so because our swings have been broken. We finally got them fixed yesterday and oh what a happy day it was! Their was amass of kids in our house today all waiting for their turn on the new swings. Check out the action in the pictures below!

Looking Smart!

Ileni has started to go to church with Linda and I as well as youth group. He shows p at our house early on Sunday morning all ready to go. Last week his dad told him that he would be getting some new clothes from the nice men's clothing store in town. He talked about it all week and showed up at our house 45 minutes early Sunday morning, dressed up and ready to go. Of course we had to take a picture...

Adventures With One Arm!

So living with one arm is quite the adventure as well as a challenge. Everything takes so much longer and is much more difficult. I can't wash my hair or cook or wash the dishes. Dressing and bathing takes forever and I am constantly droppig things. tonight my arm is hurting because I figured four days after breaking my wrist I should be able to head back to normal life which was quite a mistake. Due to some pain and swelling I am sitting on the couch tonight with my arm propped up and typing with one hand. I am probably going to miss school for the rest of the week. The most interesting part of my week was trying to get a sling for my arm to keep it immobile at school. There are no slings in the entire town. That includes two hospitals, a doctors office and the pharmacy. So this morning Linda and I made a sling out of duck tape, safety pins and a pillowcase!

(first picture) - Plastic bags covering my cast so I can take a shower.

(second picture) - My home-made sling.

Oops!

So I slipped on the stairs at church this morning and totally broke my wrist! I had quite the experience getting it taken care of. First my taxi was kind enough to take me home after I fell and then to the hospital after that. It was his day off. He is a good guy! I wnt to the private hospital where they told me that I had to go to the state hospital for the x-ray. I called my friend who drove me around for the next couple of hours. By now we are quite a group. Linda, two of the youth kids, my friend Frieda and her daughter and my friend Christina (the school principal). So I went to the state hospital which is a bit scary for the x-ray which was taken by a woman in a tank top and sweat pants. After that we were sent to the "consultation" room which is the doctors office in town. We all loaded up in the car and went to the doctors office. We got there and the doctor wasn't there so they called her and she was at the private hospital. So, back into the car and back to the private hospital. Finally we found the doctor who checked the x-ray and put on the cast. An AIM doctor was passing through and he stopped to look at the x-rays as well. In a few weeks the cast comes off and I may need another one for two more months. The whole visit to the emergancy room, the doctor visit, the meds, the x-ray and the cast cost less than $100 american dollars. I was really touched by all the phone calls, visits and sms' from all over the world! I am so blessed by an amazing group of friends. I have had quite a day!

Tea Party

All the neighbor kids were over on Friday, about 20 or so, playing in the backyard. Some of the kids got together and moved the table and chairs into the play house for a tea party. They filled up some cups from the spout and invited the plastic animals for some tea.

Almost made it...

The neighbor boy, Ileni, was over last night to watch a movie. He tried hard but couldnt quite make it through the whole thing. He is cute all wrapped up in my blanket!

Neighborhood Addition!!!!

Our neighbor youth girl, Suisse, has a new baby brother!!! We have been eagerly anticipating his arrival. Linda and I went to visit the five day old boy, Brooklyn, on Saturday. He was beautiful and big! I can't wait to have my own kids one day.

(first picture) - I am holding baby Brooklyn and standing with his mom.

(second piture) - Big Sis Suisse proudly holding her new brother. I hvent seen her much this past week because she has a hard time pulling herself away from home!

(third picture) - He is beautiful!

No words needed...

Check out the Goods!

If you read below these pictures it tells you a bit about my experience with handing out the Christmas boxes to the street kids by our school. Here are just some more pictures of the older kids recieving their boxes and checking out their goodies. It was fun to see some of the American treats that they recieved in the boxes.

Christmas in July!

Samaritans Purse, an organization in the US, sent gift boxes for the street kids that come to the school each day for food. It was one of the best days I have ever been a part of. My church, Eden Bible Church, participated by donating boxes to this ministry before I left. I loved seeing the kids hold their boxes and they were so surprised. Many of them didn't understand that we were giving them to them to keep. Most of them didn't know what to do with themselves once they recieved their boxes. Seeing these kids get something when they are used to nothing was an amazing experience and it reminded me of the joy we can have in the little blessings in life. When I watched these children recieve these boxes, open them and then share there goodies with their parents and the rest of the families, I was so touched. It encouraged me, even here in Namibia, to remember to look at the blessings, both big and small, that God gives me each day. Check out the pictures below of the children on day they recieved their boxes. I love the expressions on their faces, they don't know what to do with themselves! ;-)

Packages!!!!!

I recieved my first packages from the US! It was an exciting day. I recieved two packages from my Aunt Lori and a package from a friend from Central Bible, Heather. It was so fun to see all the great things that were sent. All the youth and kids came over to see what we had. They loved the "American" candy like M and M's and Snickers!!!

(first picture) - Here I am with my first set of pakages. They all came on the same day. It was like Christmas in July!

(second picture) - Check out all my goodies!

(third picture) - My neighbor Isak getting in on all the goodies. Isak as the best smile in the world! He quite enjoyed the snickers. :-)

Perfect Ending to a Perfect Day

What better way to end a fabulous day in Uganda than to go out to a fabulous Chinese resteraunt for dinner! Amber (on the left), Linda (on the right) and I went out for dinner our last night in Uganda. I met Amber New York before heading to Africa. We roomed together in New York and Kenya. She generously allowed Linda and I to stay at her place while we were in the city. It was great to see her again. Amber is the accountant for the entire East Africa Region of AIM. We talked about meeting up in Zambia at Victoria Falls in December with a couple other missionaries and taking the train from Zambia to Kenya. Anyway, it was a great dinner and a great way to end the day and to end the trip!

Escort for the Day

My good buddy Mirro was my escort for the day. I have stayed in contact with Mirro the most in the past four years. I met him the first year I was in Uganda, he was one of the youth at the camp I helped at. He took me all around for the day visiting people, going to Bethany Village, visiting his friends and keeping me safe on the matatus (taxi). He helped me get around and made sure when we rode the boda bodas (motorcycle taxi) that we had good drivers and good prices. He carried my bag, took me on a tour of the island, kept me safe in the taxi park and pretty much anything else I needed. I had a great time seeing Mirro again and appreciated so much having him take me around for the day. The pictures below are of us traveling around. The last picture is Mirro's friend Jean who he wanted me to meet. It was a great day!

"A Word From the Lord"

While I was at Bethany Village on the island, I met some of the school children. One boy in particular left quite an impression. He was thirteen years old. So, I greeted him in Luganda and asked him how he was doing and his name and all that. Then he looks at me and says, "Can I give you a word from the Lord." I said, "Sure." Then this boy starts quoting scripture to me. It was really cool and really funny. Below are some pictures from the lake as well as a picture of the little preacher.

Old Friends

While I was in Uganda, I had one free day that I scheduled to visit some old friends. It was so great to get to go back and see some friends and see how they are doing. I was really touched at how many people remembered me and I was really encouraged to see them and talk with them.

(first picture) - Here is Moses and his wife Jamima. I am not sure how to spell her name. They both work in the offices for Africa Renewal Ministries (ARM)

(second picture) - Here is me and Joshua. Joshua escorted me a lot the last time I was in Uganda. He recently got married. He now works with the ARM childrens choir.

(third picture) - Here is Richard and me. Richard has the best smile. He works for Ggaba Community Church. He has got to be one of the happiest people I have ever met!

(fourth picture) - Here is my buddy Alex and me. Alex also works for ARM. He was giving a group of short term missionaries from the UK a tour around Bethany Village and Ggaba. He is moving to Portland, Oregon to go to Multnomah Bible College. That is crazy that he is moving to my hometown. I told him I would give him all the places to go.

(fifth picture) - Here is Pastor Peter. Pastor Peter is the pastor for Ggaba Community Church as well as an adminstrator for ARM. I spent a lot of time with him and his family in my previous trips. I stayed with his family and spent Christmas with his family one year. It was great to see Pastor Peter again.

What A Difference Four Years Makes!

While I was in Uganda I was able to visit Ggaba community and Bethany Village on the island. These are the two places that I spent most of my time at during my previous trips four and five years ago. It was amazing to see the changes. The most exciting thing was to know what the vision was four years ago and to see it actually happen. It is also exciting because this organization is African, not American, based. It is run by Ugandan nationals. The pictures below show some of he changes that have been made. Most of the buildings are new.

(first picture) - A picture of Bethany Village where I helped with youth camps. Behind the trees are cabins for the youth, new toilets, a large group area and cooking facilities.

(second picture) - In Ggaba town, the newly built secondary school. The last time I was there it was only tin shacks with a hope of being a school. Now it holds a few hundred students from the community.

(third picture) - Out on the island in Bethany Village, a new primary school.

(fourth and fifth picture) - One of the orphan houses on Bethany Village. There are now twelve houses. Each house has a set of parents and about ten or so kids living there. They are set up to allow the orphans to live in a family environment. They have over 100 orphans in these houses.

Preschool in Uganda

I was able to visit a couple of preschool classrooms while in Uganda. All the preschools are run by Africa Renewal Ministries and Ggaba Community Church. The first two pictures have show two different classes with anywhere from 40 - 60 preschool kids that are from three to six years old. I though 15-20 was a big class! The last picture is of the youngest and smallest class with only about 15 kids but they are about two and three years old. It was a lot of fun to visit. When I came in the classes all stand and said "Good morning! Thank you for coming."