Pancakes, Praise, and Pizza

Iganga. Day 2...or is it day 3? Either way, the saga continues! I don't think my new Riverside family realizes just how long winded this gal can be when I was nominated as blogger this morning. So get comfy, you might want to grab a snack and some water.

This morning we were greeted by Colton helping make banana pancakes to the musical stylings of Jack Johnson. That's right folks, Banana Pancakes. Double thumbs up.

Sunday. Worship day! After our lovely breakfast, donning our Sunday accoutrement, we piled into the vehicles. Aza, one of the boys who's crippled from Polio, had been left behind and needed someone to push his wheelchair. Brian promptly volunteered and started the trek towards the church. After we were all finally locked and loaded and headed down the way, we came upon Brian and Aza. Susan promptly raced toward Brain's, ahem, rear, honking. Completely unphased, he promptly sat on the hood as she came to a stop. When they started up again, Aza started turning the chair back and forth so they moved in a serpentine pattern while Brian stuck out his tukus and wagged it about. I'm scarred for life. Thank goodness we were headed for church. Everyone in that car, not to mention within visual distance, needed LOTS of prayer. It became follow the leader. Get a picture: wheelchair, Brian (whose hips don't lie), and a car following very closely, honking the whole way; are you with me here?

Africa Riverside church is part of the school, New Grace, and the service was amazing. I've never seen worship like that. And it had nothing to do with the singing, dancing, clapping, prayer, or sermon, it was their hearts. What a contrast: those with comparatively so little had the most passionate, heart-adoration in their worship of our Lord. The minute the entire congregation sang together, I instantly had a vision of worshipping together in heaven. This visit isn't really a visit; it's an introduction. These are brothers and sisters we'll spend eternity with. I cried. I did that a lot today. I shared during our morning devotion that God continues to bring perspective to my heart. It's a common saying that for those who are lost, this life is the most heaven they'll ever see, while for those who are saved, this is the most hell they'll ever see. What an amazingly vivid picture that is here. That made me the first cryer of the day. And thus, the blogger. Watching them, it's evident the joy of the Lord is their strength; He is their comfort, their provider, their all in all. Here it's more than a concept, more than a Bible lesson. It is very literally visible in their daily lives. In short, church was wonderful: singing, dancing, preaching, sweating, crying, sweating, praying, did I mention sweating?

Next on the agenda? Lunch. We had an extraordinary treat; Phil and Susan took us to a local resort to eat, and word had it that the whole fish was the way to go. Several of us, including me, went for it. I took pictures, and I'm very sad our internet connection prohibits uploading. I can just imagine y'all reading this as you're enjoying breakfast, and BAM! Fish head. Sadly, that awesomeness cannot come to fruition. It. Was. Delicious. We had an opportunity to eat, relax, an enjoy the scenery of the resort.

Susan requested homemade pizza for dinner, and a rumor was spreading that Nicole had the 411 on making some. So we headed into town on the way home to pick up ingredients. The market, which was more like a large convenience store, was an experience; mostly local stuff, and several name brands – even Johnson & Johnson bath products. No mozzarella, so sharp cheddar fit the bill. Let me tell you, Nicole was sweating the thought of making said pizza from scratch. Not Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade, homemade homemade. She worked tirelessly for hours prepping all the toppings: bell peppers, mushrooms and Iganga breakfast sausage, and making and cooking the dough. I swear I saw her twirling that dough like a native Italiano. Mama mia! I don't know what she was so worried about; mega awesome pizza.

We spent time with Phil's kids and the neighborhood kids; lots of games, and tickling, and laughing, and hugging, and pictures. Colton and Ryan even had the kids singing “I want candy!” at the top of their lungs. Awesomeness.

After such a day, I was sure it was done and I sat to start my blog. Then I heard guitars and singing. Colton, Liz, Kayla and I went out front to discover Ryan sitting in a group of kids in the almost dark, singing with them. We joined in the fun. The girls got us to sing and dance with them. They tried to teach me a dance they do. They laughed hysterically. I can't imagine why, it was perfection. There were two little girls that I put my arm around while we sat and sang, and they didn't let go. They clung to me so gently and lovingly. I had my arm around the torso of a smaller girl, probably 7 or so, and she just kept rubbing the hair on my arm with her hands and face. I'm sure she was just fascinated with a hairy muzungu, but it was so sweet. I used to do something similar to my Mom when I was little; I loved to rub and smell the hair on her arm. You guessed it, I cried as stealthily as possible when I made the connection.

When our time was over, I came inside and started the blog. I got about as far as church when Phil called us out to come and see the dancing. All of the girls were gathered on their back porch singing and dancing so energetically. Which might I add just proves my theory that we're all born with an allotted amount of energy and expend the vast majority of it in our youth. Blake was cutting a rug when I first arrived (I ran for my camera as quickly as possible), then they began selecting us to take turns, yours truly included. Such fun, it was. We were all hootin' and a hollerin' and dancing away. Don't worry, blackmail-worthy photographic evidence will make it back to the states.

Since this will likely be my only blog, I have one final thought. As we all sat around the table tonight, cutting yarn for VBS crafts tomorrow, prepping medical charts, uploading pictures, and me blogging away, I realized something; we are all exhausted long before 8:00PM, but we continually stay up until almost midnight. It's not just the activities or preparations, it's the fellowship. It's the time we have together that we can talk and laugh and recharge. God is so good. He put together a motley crew of Jesus-lovers who love each other too. Each and everyone of them have indelibly marked me, and I can only hope I do the same for them. We genuinely like and enjoy one another, and that's quite a statement.

Africa is not what I expected in almost every way; I have so much yet to share, but that will have to wait for another time. Although I'll be coming home after a while, most of my heart will stay in Africa.

Everyone sends much love, hugs, and kisses to everyone back home. Thank you for holding the rope while we got in the basket. We love you!!!

~Amanda