July 7

Happy Sunday.  We had a full day today.  After breakfast we went to church and when I say went to church I mean WE WENT TO CHURCH! We joined the high school at 8 am but they had already started their praise and worship.  It was over an hour of singing and dancing and it was beautiful. We didn't even need a sermon after that. Aubra, Esther, and Kylee were asked to join in and they  got up with the worship team and danced their hearts out.  We aren't talking 3 minute songs.  More like 15 minutes and our girls hung in there. I will never hear the song Yes Lord the same way again.  When they sang I'm no longer a slave to fear I am a child of God I was teary eyed.  I think of the fear I had stepping out of my comfort zone to come to a country I had never expected to visit and what a blessing it has been. I thought of the fears these students may have and how God is there for them too.  I stood between Aubra and a sweet Ugandan high school girl and thought 2 high school girls, 2 very different lives, 2 totally different cultures and yet they were praising and worshipping the very same awesome God.  You can't help but sense the presence of the Lord.  The worship is so joyful and sincere and you see the joy in the faces around you.

 

After that we headed out to see the baboons in their native habitat.  It was about 1 ½ hour ride towards Kenya and they are on the side of the road.  When we saw a group we pulled over and fed them bananas.  Did you know there are 4 different kinds of bananas?  Learned that in our cooking class but I digress. Sue being the team leader she is made us all get out of the van to feed the baboons. The girls loved it and Aubra, Craigg and Sue let the baboons take the bananas from their hand.  Brave or crazy? You decide.  I tossed my bananas and hopped back in the van.  They made me nervous.  I like animals but from the car window is fine with me.  

 

Next we headed to Jinja to shop.  That was fun and everyone had fun checking out the stores and buying for family and friends back home.  We then headed back to Iganga and to the restaurant called Sol View for dinner. There we met up with several children, well actually young adults, that are sponsored by different families.  

 

Dinner was a highlight for me because I was able  to finally meet my sponsored child, Ruth.  Ruth is 20 and learning tailoring as her vocation.  She brought several of her projects to show me. She is very vivacious, loving. and a hard worker.  She talked to me nonstop and I loved it.  I also loved all her hugs which were many.  I will see her again tomorrow and hopefully another time this week as well.  It was also at dinner that we watched America win the women's world cup in soccer.  This of course made Esther very happy and the rest of us too.  

 

We are back in our room now getting ready to head to bed and looking forward to tomorrows adventure.  I think a boda boda ride is on the agenda.  Blessings from Uganda, Denise