Today we went to orientation where we were told all sorts of things! I learned so much more about Ugandan culture than I even caught onto last year and I'm still learning more! I love cultures. I think differences are what make things beautiful just like in art how contrast makes a painting interesting! So when two very different cultures collide there is a lot to learn and some things can be so different its almost frustrating but there is so much beauty to be found there too! I love to learn about the way others live and why they do the things they do. It's so much fun to learn about people and to see the values, priorities and habits of a society because it shows me how my way is not always the right way or the better way. Its fun to talk to Uncle Moses about it because he asks so many funny questions like why do Americans shave their legs and why do we walk so fast! He is so funny about it and so over the top but he really just wants to learn! and so do I! And I can adopt things from this culture and he can from mine! its just a beautiful sharing time! for example I need to adopt the Ugandan view of relationships. They believe that relationships are more important than getting to where you should be on time. They drop everything for a guest and they spend so much quality time together where as in America we let time structure life instead of in Uganda where life structures time. They have a spontaneous and flexible approach to life which I find really attractive. There are also so many little things that are cultural norms that I love also! Ugandans value meeting and greeting. Even if you have been away for one hour the kids will say "welcome back auntie jess-ka" and if there is a visitor everyone in the house comes out and shakes hands and meets them and talks for a while before going back to business. I love culture!
At orientation we also got the lay out of our stay here and what is planned so it made me super excited about all the places and people we are going to get to serve.
Anyways the rest of the day was filled with just lovin on our kids :)
After bath and before dinner is an hour for activities, story time or memory verse learning...well most likely all three of those will be done because the hour sometimes drags on and on. haha it was so fun today because my mom taught the kids different sign language symbols! So far we know our colors, i'm sorry, thank you, sit down, stand up, and the signs to the Jesus loves me song! Mom is awesome! and the kids catch on really fast too!
We also played a matching game!
Before leaving for Uganda this year someone prayed for me that I would be overcome with joy. I have sort of adopted this as my prayer to be praying for myself and others while in Uganda. It was really neat because Joy keeps coming up! the kids sing 'I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart' at night time and then our adult devotion tonight was about finding joy in doing our work. and then what was really cool is that Moses reminded me of my African name that they gave me last summer - Nagawa. which means JOY!! Wow! I had totally forgotten about that when I decided to make this my prayer! so I think maybe I am praying the right thing! i don't know!
Me and mom are doing great and taking lots of pictures!
Interesting, I had prayed, at the gathering, on Monday, about joy. I prayed, that ya'll would be blessed, with joy, as part, of the blessing, for doing all, this.
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