The Mosque

Uganda is home to the 2^nd biggest mosque in Africa. The Gaddafi Mosque. Uganda is about 12.5% Muslim and the majority live in Central Uganda. We got a chance to visit the mosque and learn a little about Islam in Uganda as well!

We confirmed that walking around in these during mid day is just hot as we thought.

This Mosque is huge and beautiful

this is inside the dome

here is one of the corners of the Mosque and the tower we got to climb up

view of Kampala from the top of the tower

This day was more of a touristy day but I learned a lot! Please pray for the Muslims in Uganda and for the people we met that day.

Talent Show

On Saturday we had our very first Rafiki Talent Show! It was a hit! We hung blanket across the clotheslines to set the stage - complete with benches and cute Rafiki Talent Show sign! The kids were eager to get out there and show their stuff! The kids got to pick out their own talent that they wanted to do. I expected everyone to just sing or dance because all of them are so good at that but we actually had some very creative ideas!

Annet started us off with some awesome dancing!

Brenda and Esther sang a song together with matching outfits!

Carol's talent was building a tower out of blocks!

I was the MC of course! Don's talent was dancing but he won an award for best smile!

When I asked Jerom what talent he wanted to do he said "cartwheels and Christmas"! i asked him to clarify what exactly he meant by Christmas and he just said "Christmas trees!" so I just rolled with it! haha when he started his act i ran over to the tape player and played The First Noel while he did cartwheels! haha Jerom got awarded the most creative combination!

Fauziya danced!

Even the aunties and uncles got in on all the fun! Here is Rachel, Hunter and I dancing to Magic.

The kids joined in too!

Cocus and Joel played futbol for their talent!

Brenda blew bubbles! and won the crowd over!

Here is Emma dancing in his shades! All the other kids chose to do music from my ipod but Emma wanted the African drums to dance to! Godefry said "Oh. That is a real African man!"

After bathing and changing into pajamas we had our very own award ceremony where all the kids got awards for their talents.

Over all I'd say the show was a success!

Gulu

Last year when we visited the Acholi Quarters I remember feeling something special in my heart for the Acholi people. They are a tribe who live in the north but many were displaced to Kampala when war broke out. There is so much history and background to explain about the war that took place in the north that I have kind of been procrastinating writing this post. “The Lord’s Resistance Army” (LRA) and Joseph Koney have been brought to the attention of Americans largely because of the Invisible Children efforts. Actually seeing where it took place and talking to people who were affected first hand made the war seem so much more real to me though.

In Gulu we got to visit many different organizations that are helping the Acholi people get back on their feet again. It was inspiring and I learned so much. My favorite thing we did was talking and walking with the guys who work for ILA. We got to spend a lot of time with them! Going out to eat and waiting hours for food to arrive you really can get to know someone! They showed us around town and along the way they told us countless stories about their childhood and growing up during the war. It was crazy some of the things they have been through. They are filled with an incredible hope despite the horrific things they have seen. I also liked just getting to know them as people. They aren’t just story books full of heart wrenching tragic tales, they are people! They have hobbies and jokes and they are more than just what happened to them during the war. I liked that they were open to tell us those stories but also they were open to us just getting to know them, they’re favorite colors, plans for the future and everything. As soon as I met them I knew they were different than anyone I’ve ever met. They are like family to me. Immediately there is a calm and comfort surrounding them and I felt welcomed home almost. By the end of our 4 day stay in Gulu I had true friends and I think that is what was the most special thing about Gulu.

Here are Zalen and Dennis (two of the ILA guys) talkin with us

In Gulu we got around only by Boda and walking but it is so beautiful! Its green with red dirt! its like the Africa everyone thinks of when you think Africa.

Hunter and Megan playing with some kids at one of the non-profit organizations

These are the huts people live in in Gulu

It is Beautiful here!

love.

Man I love these kids so much I can’t put it into words.

A little hula dancing to start out the night

plus a fun twist on duck duck goose game

the boys ready to relay!

the grand finale!

People

Have you ever met someone and thought to yourself I would really like to get to know them? Well usually you can!

I want my life to be full of people. I want to be someone who spends  time with the people in my life and gets to know them intimately. I want to know your stories and struggle and laugh and just hang with you too! I want my life to be full of people because people are the most beautiful thing God created. We all have deep thoughts and intricate stories and unique timeline and influences that have molded us into who we are now. People are more interesting and dynamic and gorgeous than any other created thing. I know that may seem arrogant but I think about how we are so different in kind from everything else on earth. We are made of so many mysterious parts like our minds and souls and memories and experiences and how they all intertwine to make a person unlike anyone else blows my mind.

I think it was my grandma on my dad's side who said a picture is so much more meaningful when someone you love is in it. She traveled a lot in her life and saw so many beautiful scenes and amazing places but places are just places and scenes are just scenes...but people - they are so much! Sunsets and African skylines are beautiful but which pictures do people save and mull over and keep revisiting? and which have stories and memories most attached? the ones with people and life and history written into them.

I've decided that after knowing God, a life filled with people is the most meaningful. People involve work though...and pain. But love, forgiveness, relationships, intimacy, and meaning are to be gained. I've been so blessed.

Psalm 75:3

"When the earth and all it's people shake it is I who hold its pillars firm"

One day Rachel texted me and said 'was there just an earthquake? I was napping and I woke up to the whole house shaking" but I didn't feel it. I thought she was dreaming or something but then she looked it up online and there was! It was a 5.2 on the Richter scale!

Then that night at 10:24pm (I know cause I wrote it down in my journal) we were sitting there eating popcorn and the whole house started to shake! I was so surprised! It was the weirdest feeling ever. We looked up that one and I think it was a 5.7!

Then the same night I was completely in the middle of a dream and I woke up to loud creaking and shaking of my bed back and forth and the walls were cracking and swinging! And this one seemed like it went on for minutes even!

Can you believe it? In 2 days I lived through 3 earthquakes! I was really excited about it! I feel accomplished now! It was actually really scary at the time though! I know what to do in a hurricane or a fire or tornado or flood but what do you do when the very ground beneath you rocks? I had no idea. I was completely at the mercy of the ground and there was nothing I could do but wait for it to be over.

I guess this verse just has new meaning to me now. I think when something as seemingly permanent and unmovable as the ground sways and shakes and can crumble all that's built upon it it can be pretty frightening. But the Lord is the one who steadies it and He steadies us too in every circumstance.
Just a thought!

Pics of Kampala

I just thought it'd be fun to put up some pictures of Kampala so you can see what it like here!