Saying our goodbyes was extremely hard but I think they all did really well. We left Gulu early Sunday morning and drove to go on our safari. The safari was pretty cool seeing animals and all the landscape was a really cool experience. But while we were driving around we got pretty lost and ended up not eating lunch until about 3:30pm which is super late. We were so ready to get out of that car! After lunch we had to take a fairy across the Alfred River then we started the drive to the "hotel" we were going to stay in. They said that it wasn't a very long drive at all but two hours later we still weren't there, it was getting dark, and a storm was coming. Well we finally got there and it was not at all what we expected, I mean don't get me wrong but when they said we were staying in Bodongo Lodge we all were super excited about a warm shower and a nice bed, false. Bodongo is an Eco lodge that is completely organic with outside showers and wooden cabins as rooms. The food was pretty good but being in the middle of the African forest during a rainstorm was not what we expected. When we got up this morning we had a flat tire so Roy had to change it and we didn't leave until 9am. We got on the road to go to Kampala and made it about 45 minutes then the car started making some weird noises so we had to stop and get it looked at. We waited another 3 hours as the mechanics took apart some parts of the back axle
area then put them back on to fix the car. We finally got back on the road to Kampala at around 1 in the afternoon. By 3 the car had broken down again. This time a different tire had fallen off, completely off. And all the bolts holding it on had split in half so we had to take off the hub and do a lot of other stuff to try to get everything fixed. We ended up having to call Roy's friend who lives in Kampala to have him come and pick us up. Luckily there was a man on a Boda Boda who drove by and helped us make the spare tire work enough to make it back to Kampala but we still moved the luggage and all the interns to
The other car. By 6 we were on our way again. This time for good. We finally made it to our hotel in Kampala at around 7:30pm and then went out to eat around 8:30 (after not getting to eat lunch the nice dinner we had here was amazing!) Now we are in the hotel for the night and get to sleep in tomorrow! Yay! Please pray for safe travels tomorrow ad Wednesday and that we have no more drama!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
While in Africa
While here I felt like there were some certain cultural things that I needed to do before I left. Here are those things and my experiences doing them.
1) eat Posho and beans (the typical low income dinner of Ugandans)
2) ride a Boda (motorcycle) to market
3) get a pair of tire flip flops that all the locals wear and literally walk a mile in their shoes
4) dig in a garden and plant something
5) go to a Ugandan church
Ok #1 let's begin with the food. Now in America low income people will eat spam and ramen noodles; here they eat Posho and beans. Posho is basically taking straight maze flower adding water and eating it. We asked our cook to make some and it literally tasted like stale glue, but here it is what they eat every day for dinner. The beans make it a little better but still I can't even imagine living on just that and without my mama's spaghetti. It is so eye opening to see how much good food we have in America and how blessed we are.
#2 was riding a Boda to market. A Boda is basically a motorcycle taxi that will take you wherever you want. I was too scared to ride one by myself for fear of getting lost in town or something so when our cook and housekeeper, Anette, went I asked if I could tag along. She let me and we rode the Boda together, 3 people, 1 long seat, interesting ride. I got very close to the driver because Anette put me in the middle, overall it wasn't too scary and I'm glad I got the experience below is a picture of me on the Boda when we got home. I had fun but I will not be doing that again!
#3 was to get a pair of flip flops made out of old tires, like all the local kids, and literally walk a mile in their shoes. Let me just say that in America I have fairly tough feet and run around barefooted all the time. Here I fail. Just walking to school and back my feet were bleeding and had multiple blisters. I'm hoping that I just need to break the shoes in so I'm gonna try to wear them more (with bandaids). I also have a new respect for how tough these kids are walking around with these tire shoes or no shoes at all. We Americans are so weak here!
The 4th thing on my Uganda Bucket List was to dig in a garden and plant something in it. When I saw all the people here working in their gardens the first Saturday we were there I decided that I wanted to help! The first Saturday that I had a friend to work with we spent the morning starting up a garden! They all laughed because I worked slow but hard. All the kids were so excited to see a mzungu doing the same work that they do! The first Saturday we took an area where there was tall grass (taller then me), trees, shrubs and lots of other fun plants and she said "here is where the garden will be. I thought she had to be kidding but then she took her hoe and showed me how to dig up trees and slash grass to clear the area. We got the younger kids picking up what we had knocked down and moving rocks, it was actually pretty fun! The next Saturday I went and she said "that is no good, too many rocks and animals already there, we start over." I thought that was great all that work to not even use the area! Oh well it's the fellowship that we had that really mattered! So we dug a new garden and it went a lot faster because it had previously been a garden anyway. It took us about half the time then we were ready to "plant" she just took some beans and threw them around and said "good." I was somewhat confused because our gardens are in lines and organized, then she explained to me that when she bought maze seed then we would plant it in rows and the maze and beans would intertwine, everywhere there wasn't maze there would be beans, pretty smart I suppose! Tomorrow morning we will be planting maze in rows and making the garden look like a real garden! I am super excited!
The last thing on my list was to go to a typical Ugandan church. Most of the Christian population here is catholic so we had a somewhat hard time finding a church that wasn't. Well we found one and I love it! Gulu Bible Community Church is amazing! They are a lot more high tech then any other places here, with microphones, speakers, a keyboard, and a drum set, but that isn't why I like it so much. It is so cool seeing people from all around the world worship the same God with the same passion but in a completely different language! GBCC has 3 morning services; 1 in English, 1 in English and Luo, and 1 in Swahili. We went to the English and Luo service and it was so cool worshiping in both languages at the same time. I have loved going to GBCC and tonight will be going to a Praise and Worship Service, I'm so excited! God is so big here in Gulu!
I think as Americans we have a tendency to see God as an American God, I know I always think that God speaks English and that He focus' on us so much that it is totally normal for us to claim Him . It has been so cool to see that God is working just as much here, across the world, as he is in America. What a hard concept to grasp, the God who wakes my mama and sisters up in Alabama also makes sure that Pamela Peace and her siblings have enough food to survive. Our God is so big and so great that it is impossible to understand! How can the God that cares about me so much also keep this whole big world of ours turning? Mind= blown! It has been such a blessing being here and how God has given us the opportunity to plant seeds in this community, I have loved it here and have definitely been changed for the better!
I miss my mama and can not wait to get home. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the June teams last day in Gulu, we will be leaving for a safari early Sunday morning then staying at the safari overnight. We will drive the rest of the way to Kampala on Monday morning then work with the Street Boys Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. We fly out of Entebbe late Tuesday evening then fly to Brussels, then Frankfurt, then Atlanta! We will be back home Wednesday evening. Please pray for safe travels for us 5 girls who are going home: Me, Jerica Pealor, Emma Jaggers, Kasey Tucker, and Laurel Schweers.
1) eat Posho and beans (the typical low income dinner of Ugandans)
2) ride a Boda (motorcycle) to market
3) get a pair of tire flip flops that all the locals wear and literally walk a mile in their shoes
4) dig in a garden and plant something
5) go to a Ugandan church
Ok #1 let's begin with the food. Now in America low income people will eat spam and ramen noodles; here they eat Posho and beans. Posho is basically taking straight maze flower adding water and eating it. We asked our cook to make some and it literally tasted like stale glue, but here it is what they eat every day for dinner. The beans make it a little better but still I can't even imagine living on just that and without my mama's spaghetti. It is so eye opening to see how much good food we have in America and how blessed we are.
#2 was riding a Boda to market. A Boda is basically a motorcycle taxi that will take you wherever you want. I was too scared to ride one by myself for fear of getting lost in town or something so when our cook and housekeeper, Anette, went I asked if I could tag along. She let me and we rode the Boda together, 3 people, 1 long seat, interesting ride. I got very close to the driver because Anette put me in the middle, overall it wasn't too scary and I'm glad I got the experience below is a picture of me on the Boda when we got home. I had fun but I will not be doing that again!
#3 was to get a pair of flip flops made out of old tires, like all the local kids, and literally walk a mile in their shoes. Let me just say that in America I have fairly tough feet and run around barefooted all the time. Here I fail. Just walking to school and back my feet were bleeding and had multiple blisters. I'm hoping that I just need to break the shoes in so I'm gonna try to wear them more (with bandaids). I also have a new respect for how tough these kids are walking around with these tire shoes or no shoes at all. We Americans are so weak here!
The 4th thing on my Uganda Bucket List was to dig in a garden and plant something in it. When I saw all the people here working in their gardens the first Saturday we were there I decided that I wanted to help! The first Saturday that I had a friend to work with we spent the morning starting up a garden! They all laughed because I worked slow but hard. All the kids were so excited to see a mzungu doing the same work that they do! The first Saturday we took an area where there was tall grass (taller then me), trees, shrubs and lots of other fun plants and she said "here is where the garden will be. I thought she had to be kidding but then she took her hoe and showed me how to dig up trees and slash grass to clear the area. We got the younger kids picking up what we had knocked down and moving rocks, it was actually pretty fun! The next Saturday I went and she said "that is no good, too many rocks and animals already there, we start over." I thought that was great all that work to not even use the area! Oh well it's the fellowship that we had that really mattered! So we dug a new garden and it went a lot faster because it had previously been a garden anyway. It took us about half the time then we were ready to "plant" she just took some beans and threw them around and said "good." I was somewhat confused because our gardens are in lines and organized, then she explained to me that when she bought maze seed then we would plant it in rows and the maze and beans would intertwine, everywhere there wasn't maze there would be beans, pretty smart I suppose! Tomorrow morning we will be planting maze in rows and making the garden look like a real garden! I am super excited!
The last thing on my list was to go to a typical Ugandan church. Most of the Christian population here is catholic so we had a somewhat hard time finding a church that wasn't. Well we found one and I love it! Gulu Bible Community Church is amazing! They are a lot more high tech then any other places here, with microphones, speakers, a keyboard, and a drum set, but that isn't why I like it so much. It is so cool seeing people from all around the world worship the same God with the same passion but in a completely different language! GBCC has 3 morning services; 1 in English, 1 in English and Luo, and 1 in Swahili. We went to the English and Luo service and it was so cool worshiping in both languages at the same time. I have loved going to GBCC and tonight will be going to a Praise and Worship Service, I'm so excited! God is so big here in Gulu!
I think as Americans we have a tendency to see God as an American God, I know I always think that God speaks English and that He focus' on us so much that it is totally normal for us to claim Him . It has been so cool to see that God is working just as much here, across the world, as he is in America. What a hard concept to grasp, the God who wakes my mama and sisters up in Alabama also makes sure that Pamela Peace and her siblings have enough food to survive. Our God is so big and so great that it is impossible to understand! How can the God that cares about me so much also keep this whole big world of ours turning? Mind= blown! It has been such a blessing being here and how God has given us the opportunity to plant seeds in this community, I have loved it here and have definitely been changed for the better!
I miss my mama and can not wait to get home. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the June teams last day in Gulu, we will be leaving for a safari early Sunday morning then staying at the safari overnight. We will drive the rest of the way to Kampala on Monday morning then work with the Street Boys Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. We fly out of Entebbe late Tuesday evening then fly to Brussels, then Frankfurt, then Atlanta! We will be back home Wednesday evening. Please pray for safe travels for us 5 girls who are going home: Me, Jerica Pealor, Emma Jaggers, Kasey Tucker, and Laurel Schweers.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Age does not matter
Coming into this internship I was a little apprehensive because all the other girls were in college and I had literally just graduated from high school.
Well God has proven to me that age is not an issue when it comes to sharing His Word. Yesterday when I was at school waiting for music class to start and the same man who had noticed my tattoo started up a conversation across the table with all the teachers there to listen. He said "when you leave I want you to leave your bible with me." Well I explained to him that my bible was a gift and that I was extremely attached to it but that if he really needed a bible then I could try to find him one, turns out he already had one and just wanted mine because of all the sticky notes and highlighted verses. Well in Uganda tattoos are pretty rare so all the other teachers wanted to see too. After they saw I quoted the verse then pulled out my bible to show them the passage (Jeremiah 29:11). They were super receptive and passed the bible around flipping to different tabs that I had already made for quick access and then they began to discuss the gospel.
Well some of the teachers were asking me things like "how do you become a born again Christian in America?" and "what do you think heaven will be like?" How was I supposed to know the answers to these questions, I'm not in seminary, I'm not even in college yet! Well God literally put the words in my mouth and I have no idea what I said the answers to the questions they had were but they seemed like the right answer.
God totally put the words that he needed into my mouth and let the Holy Spirit work through me. After the questions were answered I told them my testimony and they sat quietly and listened, then asked some simple questions that didn't add up because of cultural differences. They had a really hard time understanding forgiveness and understanding the legal system, I did my best to explain but it was a pretty hard thing to do.
I am so excited that I had the opportunity to share with these teachers and even more excited when they were all done with the conversation and asked how old I was. When I replied with 18 they were in awe, how could such a young woman have so much to say about her God? Well good question! I have no idea what all happened in the conversation but it was definitely not me and all the Lord! It was super exciting and I know that is why God sent me to work in the school!
After music class was over some students stayed behind and began singing some of the praise and worship songs that we sing at church here on Sunday's so I was able to share "musical scripture" with them and they were so excited to hear me sing to the Lord with them! It was so exciting and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be there!
Please pray for the last week that the June interns have here in Gulu and pray for happiness and not too much sadness as we prepare to get home. All of the relationships made are seeds planted and pray that God sends some people to water those seeds now that they are starting to sprout!
Well God has proven to me that age is not an issue when it comes to sharing His Word. Yesterday when I was at school waiting for music class to start and the same man who had noticed my tattoo started up a conversation across the table with all the teachers there to listen. He said "when you leave I want you to leave your bible with me." Well I explained to him that my bible was a gift and that I was extremely attached to it but that if he really needed a bible then I could try to find him one, turns out he already had one and just wanted mine because of all the sticky notes and highlighted verses. Well in Uganda tattoos are pretty rare so all the other teachers wanted to see too. After they saw I quoted the verse then pulled out my bible to show them the passage (Jeremiah 29:11). They were super receptive and passed the bible around flipping to different tabs that I had already made for quick access and then they began to discuss the gospel.
Well some of the teachers were asking me things like "how do you become a born again Christian in America?" and "what do you think heaven will be like?" How was I supposed to know the answers to these questions, I'm not in seminary, I'm not even in college yet! Well God literally put the words in my mouth and I have no idea what I said the answers to the questions they had were but they seemed like the right answer.
God totally put the words that he needed into my mouth and let the Holy Spirit work through me. After the questions were answered I told them my testimony and they sat quietly and listened, then asked some simple questions that didn't add up because of cultural differences. They had a really hard time understanding forgiveness and understanding the legal system, I did my best to explain but it was a pretty hard thing to do.
I am so excited that I had the opportunity to share with these teachers and even more excited when they were all done with the conversation and asked how old I was. When I replied with 18 they were in awe, how could such a young woman have so much to say about her God? Well good question! I have no idea what all happened in the conversation but it was definitely not me and all the Lord! It was super exciting and I know that is why God sent me to work in the school!
After music class was over some students stayed behind and began singing some of the praise and worship songs that we sing at church here on Sunday's so I was able to share "musical scripture" with them and they were so excited to hear me sing to the Lord with them! It was so exciting and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be there!
Please pray for the last week that the June interns have here in Gulu and pray for happiness and not too much sadness as we prepare to get home. All of the relationships made are seeds planted and pray that God sends some people to water those seeds now that they are starting to sprout!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Meet Pamela Peace
The house we are staying at in Gulu is within walking distance of a village. We went out into the village to start making friends and at first I struggled, everyone else was making friends and beginning to poor into them with the Word. Two weeks went by and I still haven't made any friends. Some of the girl decided to walk their friends to school and home after so I thought I would tag along. Well as soon as I did, Pamela found me.
At first she introduced herself to me as Juliet, then someone else told me her name was Penelope, then she finally told me that her name was Pamela Peace, which is the best name for her. After walking in silence for two days we finally began to talk.
She is 15 years old and both of her parents are dead. She has one brother named Jasper who is 16 and they both live with her aunt and her 4 children. Pamela helps care for Brenda (11) Prose (8) Fiona (4) and Juliet (1 1/2) . She works wherever she can on the weekends to raise money to pay her school fees. She also has her own garden in which she plans on planting beans and maze when she can afford the seed. She gets up early each morning to get herself and her siblings ready for school and then walks to school with me.
On the way to school we list out all the things that God has blessed us with. Her favorite answers are energy, legs to walk, hands to work, ears to listen, and eyes to see. She is so excited about everything the Lord has given her and her smile proves it!
On Saturdays we work in the garden then read the bible. Last Saturday we spent two hours working on math and English. She wants so much to succeed in school but struggles. Whenever she has extra time she studies, but extra time is rare to find.
She has taught me so much just by spending time with her. Her joy radiates through her smile and she is so excited just to be alive. We have had such a good time getting to know each other and she has shown me so much! In my last week here I am so excited to spend as much time with her as I can. Girls will be girls and here is a picture of the two of us laughing at something funny Fiona said.
Please continue to pray for her as she works for the money for next terms school fees and pray that her joy radiates through everyone that she sees here in Gulu, she has so much going for her and just needs someone to remind her of that!
At first she introduced herself to me as Juliet, then someone else told me her name was Penelope, then she finally told me that her name was Pamela Peace, which is the best name for her. After walking in silence for two days we finally began to talk.
She is 15 years old and both of her parents are dead. She has one brother named Jasper who is 16 and they both live with her aunt and her 4 children. Pamela helps care for Brenda (11) Prose (8) Fiona (4) and Juliet (1 1/2) . She works wherever she can on the weekends to raise money to pay her school fees. She also has her own garden in which she plans on planting beans and maze when she can afford the seed. She gets up early each morning to get herself and her siblings ready for school and then walks to school with me.
On the way to school we list out all the things that God has blessed us with. Her favorite answers are energy, legs to walk, hands to work, ears to listen, and eyes to see. She is so excited about everything the Lord has given her and her smile proves it!
On Saturdays we work in the garden then read the bible. Last Saturday we spent two hours working on math and English. She wants so much to succeed in school but struggles. Whenever she has extra time she studies, but extra time is rare to find.
She has taught me so much just by spending time with her. Her joy radiates through her smile and she is so excited just to be alive. We have had such a good time getting to know each other and she has shown me so much! In my last week here I am so excited to spend as much time with her as I can. Girls will be girls and here is a picture of the two of us laughing at something funny Fiona said.
Please continue to pray for her as she works for the money for next terms school fees and pray that her joy radiates through everyone that she sees here in Gulu, she has so much going for her and just needs someone to remind her of that!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Evangelism via tattoo
Well originally I got my tattoo as a reminder for me, when times got rough I could look down at my wrist and remember "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. Well apparently God has some bigger plans for my tattoo.
Today I was in music class next to another teacher who was just sitting there listening to the music, he looks over and catches a glance of the "J" underneath my watch and bracelet, then he points to it and asks me to show him. He asked what it stood for and so I said, "it is a bible verse that reminds me that God has my life in control". He proceeds to pull out a notepad and copies down the "Jer. 29:11" and says "for me to look up when I get home" I replied with quoting the verse and pulling out my bible and showing him so he could write it down.
He asked "where I went to pray". The people here have a hard time grasping the concept of praying all the time anywhere you are, they don't understand that you do not have to be in a church to pray. Well my response was "oh I pray everywhere, all the time" he was somewhat confused and so I began to explain that you did not have be in a church building for God to hear your prayers. It was a somewhat short conversation but turns out we go to the same church here in
Gulu.
I love how God used a tattoo, that some people were not too happy about me getting, to start a conversation with a complete stranger in the middle of a music class! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good! I just thought I would share that quick story that made me smile!
Love,
Mattie
Today I was in music class next to another teacher who was just sitting there listening to the music, he looks over and catches a glance of the "J" underneath my watch and bracelet, then he points to it and asks me to show him. He asked what it stood for and so I said, "it is a bible verse that reminds me that God has my life in control". He proceeds to pull out a notepad and copies down the "Jer. 29:11" and says "for me to look up when I get home" I replied with quoting the verse and pulling out my bible and showing him so he could write it down.
He asked "where I went to pray". The people here have a hard time grasping the concept of praying all the time anywhere you are, they don't understand that you do not have to be in a church to pray. Well my response was "oh I pray everywhere, all the time" he was somewhat confused and so I began to explain that you did not have be in a church building for God to hear your prayers. It was a somewhat short conversation but turns out we go to the same church here in
Gulu.
I love how God used a tattoo, that some people were not too happy about me getting, to start a conversation with a complete stranger in the middle of a music class! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good! I just thought I would share that quick story that made me smile!
Love,
Mattie
Monday, June 18, 2012
The universal language
"Music is the universal language" I have heard this many times and began to study and believe it with all my heart. Now that I am in Africa, where they speak a different language everywhere you go, a couple of things remain the same: Music is everywhere, and God speaks every language. One afternoon we were going to the local school to walk the kids home and as soon as we get there I hear the most beautiful voices that I have ever heard. Of coarse I start freaking out and want to figure out where this chorus of angels is coming from. I asked our friend and security guard Willie to go into the school with me and figure out what was going on.
When we walked in a teacher was there to greet us and when I explained to him that I was studying to be a music teacher in America he was more then eager to point me in the direction of the 'music room'. When I walked past about 200 little brown faces looked up at me with eyes filled with joy as they sang. The teacher came out to greet me and we discussed how I had heard the wonderful music from the street and just had to come check it out. He proceeded to invite me to come and observe his classes every afternoon and to help the students prepare for a music competition that is in 2 weeks, of coarse I said yes!
The next afternoon I went to the school and figured out that I had a whole lot to learn. They do not read the music staff (treble and bass cleft) that we do in America. The teacher said that that is taught in upper level college courses (which blows my mind). They read a type of music called solfa which I had never seen before, thankfully the first class I was sitting in on was explaining how to read and count the music. I was extremely nerdy and took lots on notes, then went home after and studied and I now understand how to read it!
It is so exciting to see God working in all parts of the world through something that I love so much! I am looking forward to working with the teacher and students in sharing Gods gift to us through our voices!
Please pray for the school and the teacher and the students that I will be working with, let them see past the color of my skin and into the music and love in my heart.
Thank you so much for reading!
Love,
Mattie
When we walked in a teacher was there to greet us and when I explained to him that I was studying to be a music teacher in America he was more then eager to point me in the direction of the 'music room'. When I walked past about 200 little brown faces looked up at me with eyes filled with joy as they sang. The teacher came out to greet me and we discussed how I had heard the wonderful music from the street and just had to come check it out. He proceeded to invite me to come and observe his classes every afternoon and to help the students prepare for a music competition that is in 2 weeks, of coarse I said yes!
The next afternoon I went to the school and figured out that I had a whole lot to learn. They do not read the music staff (treble and bass cleft) that we do in America. The teacher said that that is taught in upper level college courses (which blows my mind). They read a type of music called solfa which I had never seen before, thankfully the first class I was sitting in on was explaining how to read and count the music. I was extremely nerdy and took lots on notes, then went home after and studied and I now understand how to read it!
It is so exciting to see God working in all parts of the world through something that I love so much! I am looking forward to working with the teacher and students in sharing Gods gift to us through our voices!
Please pray for the school and the teacher and the students that I will be working with, let them see past the color of my skin and into the music and love in my heart.
Thank you so much for reading!
Love,
Mattie
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Hey I know you!
There is a team from Cornerstone Church in Auburn that is made up of 6 AHS Class of 2012 graduates and 2 adults that came to visit us! It was so cool to see familiar faces even though we are so far from home! I knew of a couple of people who were in the team but I did not have all the details until they were at our house! There were three students that I have grown up with since elementary school, the two adult leaders are family friends, and every other team member I have had in classes throughout Auburn City Schools. It was so wonderful to have that fellowship here and made home seem not so far away. The interns split into groups when the team got here to take them to different parts of the village next door. Rebecca and I took Michael Hutson and Caleb Heaton to the rock curry to help and let's just say we all got a slap of reality! We are so weak! Even Caleb, a football player, and Michael, a triathlon athlete, could not carry half as much as the Ugandan women could! Caleb said "my man card has been revoked" and it was so true! These women were carrying so much with the least bit of trouble and they would just laugh at us when we tried! But oh did we try! We worked alongside them and did our best, as they continued to laugh. We all have a new found respect for these people who work so hard for so little and do it with a smile on their faces, it is a humbling experience to say the least.
On the way to find some other people to work with we passed the bore hole where everyone gets water, they fill up these extremely large cans of water and carry them back to their huts on their heads without spilling or breaking a sweat. It is so funny how hard we Americans try to help but we end up spilling and just making a mess, no wonder they look at us as weak muzungus, that's exactly what we are!
We have tried really hard to break some of the stereotypes that are placed on white people and I think that we have by doing out best to work alongside them, trying to learn their language, and asking them to teach us. Missionaries can not come in and just think that all of their western ways are right and that the locals have no idea of what is going on, these people are extremely talented and do not need us to come in and do things for them, they need us to come in and fellowship with them, wether that is breaking rocks or just sitting and talking that is what the people really need.
As we were taking all of my friends around they realized how quickly relationships could be made and how easily it is to find something to do, these people are more then happy to teach us if we are willing to listen and learn.
It was so wonderful seeing all of my friends and it made the homesickness a little more bearable, also people commenting on my blogs and writing on my Facebook wall has helped so much. It is a great feeling knowing that people back home are still caring and praying for me.
Thank you so much for reading and thank you to the Cornerstone team for coming to visit and for bringing me much needed cold supplies, y'all are the best!
Love,
Mattie
On the way to find some other people to work with we passed the bore hole where everyone gets water, they fill up these extremely large cans of water and carry them back to their huts on their heads without spilling or breaking a sweat. It is so funny how hard we Americans try to help but we end up spilling and just making a mess, no wonder they look at us as weak muzungus, that's exactly what we are!
We have tried really hard to break some of the stereotypes that are placed on white people and I think that we have by doing out best to work alongside them, trying to learn their language, and asking them to teach us. Missionaries can not come in and just think that all of their western ways are right and that the locals have no idea of what is going on, these people are extremely talented and do not need us to come in and do things for them, they need us to come in and fellowship with them, wether that is breaking rocks or just sitting and talking that is what the people really need.
As we were taking all of my friends around they realized how quickly relationships could be made and how easily it is to find something to do, these people are more then happy to teach us if we are willing to listen and learn.
It was so wonderful seeing all of my friends and it made the homesickness a little more bearable, also people commenting on my blogs and writing on my Facebook wall has helped so much. It is a great feeling knowing that people back home are still caring and praying for me.
Thank you so much for reading and thank you to the Cornerstone team for coming to visit and for bringing me much needed cold supplies, y'all are the best!
Love,
Mattie
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