A Calm In The Storm

Today is Monday.

Today, I woke up at 8am to the church next door praising Jesus with songs. 

Later, I made my first money exchange at the bank. Here, $1= 2,430 shillings. After my visit to the bank, I met up with a dear, sweet friend Eileen for milkshakes at a restaurant called The Source. It was chocolate and it was delicious. Partly because it was frozen-ish. 

After our shakes of deliciousness, we wandered around the local shops just poking our noses around at what they had and how much they were selling them for. Unfortunately, we left empty handed. But the time that we were able to spend together catching up and laughing was better than anything in those shops (here is my cheesy-bit for the day). I love that girl.

It started to get late, so we walked back to Josh's house together. Our scary moment for the day was when we had to walk past eight giant trucks filled with Ugandan army men. All staring at us. Eileen and I did the best we could to not make eye contact with any of them. Considering they were all slightly scary. But, we made it past. Home safe and sound.

We went inside and sat on the counter and chatted some more, snacking on watermelon and drinking cool glasses of freshly boiled water. Hey, we are girls, we love to talk!

It started to get dark and windy outside like it was about to storm. My parents were not back from being in town so it was just me, Josh, and Addy (his german shepherd dog). The wind was beating on the house with such force, I had to calm down the slamming windows and doors. We pulled everything inside and locked everything. We had to secure the only banana tree we had left because the other seven were destroyed in the last storm. 

The storm lasted a mere thirty minutes and it was finished. I'm back on my hammock now, listening to the cows next door and the horns honking up and down the street. Oh, and I got sunburnt today. Worst part is, I'm excited. I mean, did anyone from Virginia get sunburnt today? ;)

Katie Sandy

A Decade Behind

Today is Sunday.

Today, around 10am, we attended church at Arise Africa International. I was so excited to see everyone. I got to see the Vias, the Arise family I met two years ago, my dear friend Mary I met two years ago (at Arise), her new charmer, and many new faces as well. My heart was so full once I entered the room.

Even though the songs were about a decade behind the ones I was used to singing back home, it was still nice to know the words and know the rhythm. Worship was led by the Ugandan paster's two sons (ages ~11 and 15). The 11 year old sang and the 15 year old played the guitar. They have such passion for the Lord. Even when they had forgotten how the songs went, they made up their own way and joking about it after saying, "I do not think that sounded right". But hey, that's okay!

Later, we planned to go to the pool to relax, but it became dreary and not swimming weather so, I made guacamole, laid in my eno, and listened to John Mayer.

sincerely yours,

Katie Sandy

Today is Saturday.

I woke up this morning at 5am due to a rooster. 

This lovely, wonderful rooster has a backstory. Somewhat. 

He's actually a gift for my friend Dacia, from my friend Josh who is housing us.

Well, the rooster is for Dacia's African father, who is giving his blessing to Josh to marry Dacia today.

This "blessing" ceremony is called an Introduction. But, for this story to make somewhat sense to you, I'm going to start over...

I woke up this morning at 5am due to a rooster. That rooster was creating so much noise, it was nearly impossible to sleep. Josh, the keeper of the house, resolved the problem fairly quickly thanks to the many rocks we have around the outside of our home. 

Once I was up, I was up. I guess it was a good thing because I could get my devotion done for the day right as the sun was rising. I feel like that is my favorite time to do my devotion. Bright and early. 

I also got to talk to many friends back home. Since it was 5 am here, it was 11pm at home and 10pm in El Salvador (for when I talk to Kaylee). So that was extremely nice to talk to them.

Later that day, around 10am, my mother and I departed the house to go pick our Gomezi's (Go-mez-ee), which is an African traditional dress for women. We needed one of these to wear to our friends' Dacia and Josh's Introduction. They both met and live here in Jinja, so they saw it right to include Africa into their marriage. An Introduction is basically the couple announcing their engagement to be married. The groom spends a ton of money on gifts to give to the father (fruits, veggies, animals) to show his love for Dacia. If the father accepts these gifts, he has then given his blessing. The whole ceremony lasts about 4-6 hours and usually starts 2-4 hours after the original set time. 

But it is indeed a fun time! The entire introduction is meant to be comical. It is meant to create a fun and friendly atmosphere to the engagement process. I got to meet many new people and reconnect with familiar faces. I even received a traditional Ugandan buffet dinner! And it was so good (well, the stuff I decided to eat)! This might have been where the rooster came into play...

Once the ceremony ended, it was already dark. My family then left and we went on our way. Oh, and if you all remember when my family tried to adopt those two children from Bukaleba a couple years ago, they were there as well! It was so nice to see them and how big they have got. 

We finished the night watching Captain Phillips and quickly went to bed shortly after. 

sincerely yours,

Katie Sandy

it's thursday.

we completely skipped wednesday. 

my family and I, along with our trusty friend maegan, traveled from 9:00am on tuesday, and didn't settle down to rest until just now.

it's now five 'till one in the afternoon.

my travel experience was none-the-less miserable. of course, i tried extremely hard to avoid all sickness while i was home, only to finish packing Monday and end up the flu.

but now i stand here in awe. here i am, in africa. 

where it is already 82 degrees and I'm still wearing the same clothes since tuesday morning.

within my first two hours of arrival to the town of jinja, i got sunburnt on my forearms and  mosquito bites that cover my legs.

i'm already wanting my normal teenage life back.

but. you know what i want more? ALL the time? i want to be spiritually and emotionally filled every day of my life. i want to be loved and cuddled by snot-nosed children and never go a day without laughing. i want to wake up to a rooster, the lovable african dog outside my window, and that splendid view of the nile river from the backyard. i want to be challenged endlessly; i want to be learning and growing every minute. i want to be taught by those i teach. i want to share God's love with people who otherwise might not know it. i want to work so hard that i end every day filthy and too tired to move. i want to feel needed, important, used by the Lord. i want to make a differnce and i want to follow the calling that God has planted deep in my heart. i want to give my life away, to serve the Lord with each breath, each second. i want to be here. right here. 

sincerely yours,

Katie Sandy