Happy fall!!! 🍂

Hello friends and family,

Happy fall! 🍂 The weather in Uganda hasn't become any cooler, but we have entered into the rainy season. There are many nights where I fall asleep to the sound of a downpour outside my window. We've lost power quite a few times and I'm so thankful for the battery packs and solar powered flashlights I was gifted before leaving the US.

My first two months in Uganda have been nothing like I thought they would be, but I can see how God is working during this time. When I left the US, the plan was to begin teaching on August 9th. Since then, however, President Museveni has addressed the country twice and both times has stated that schools will still remain closed. The current projected date of reopening schools is January 9th. Instead of teaching, I've been working on writing curriculum, building relationships with my coworkers, and participating in trainings. I would never have chosen to start my time here like this, but God's plan is best and I can see how this extra time was necessary to ready us to open of the Primary school well.

Amazima has still found ways to serve the community while we wait for school to officially open. P6 students are coming on campus everyday for tutoring to ensure that they are ready for the PLE (Primary Leaving Exam) they will have to take at the end of next year. The PLE is very important here and something Ugandans carry to job interviews throughout their lives. Often when people don't perform well on the PLE, they drop out of school and their opportunities for employment are very limited. Our hope is that the tutoring will help them catch up on the education they've missed over the past two years. 

Other students are invited on campus once a month for a check up with the nurses in the clinic. Students have jiggers removed during this time and are checked and treated for malaria. They also meet with small groups for a Bible study and reading lessons.

CED (Community Engagement Directorate - Amazima's social workers) have also been hard at work during this time. They are daily driving on their bodas to deliver learning packages and food to their families and check in on the kids and parents. The CED team has been the most amazing group to get to know. They love the people they serve so well and are being Jesus' hands and feet to a community in so much need. In getting to know the CED and many staff members at Amazima, it is amazing to learn how many of them were children from Amazima, Watoto, or Compassion International. Sponsors and these beautiful organizations have given them the opportunity for a different life and now they are reaching out to offer the same help to others.

Highlights from the Past Month

We were gifted a turkey and chicken in August by Delaney's friends in the village. Last week we decided we were tired of feeding and cleaning up after the turkey, so we decided to host an early Thanksgiving feast for some of our friends. It was such a fun time. I was nervous to cook my first Thanksgiving meal (turkey with all the fixings) without any help from my Mom, aunts, or grandma, but everything worked out well and it was such a special party. We taught our friends the Doxology and we even went around and said what we were thankful for. I know it's a little early for Thanksgiving, but it was such a beautiful evening of pausing and thanking God for the many gifts in our lives.

I celebrated my first birthday in Uganda! My roommates decorated balloons and bought me delicious food. Coworkers sang to me, bought me cake, and poured buckets of water on me (not sure yet if that's a Ugandan or Amazima tradition 😉). I was also able to get away on an overnight trip to a resort on Lake Victoria. I really do live in one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Delaney and I were invited to our friend Debra's house a couple of weeks ago. Debra's home is one room that she shares with her husband and son. She doesn't have a stove, but she prepared a feast for us over a pile of charcoal just outside the front door. The house didn't have running water either, but Debra went and pumped water from a borehole to wash our hands. She was such a wonderful hostess and I was blessed by her level of care for us. 

I'm so thankful for the team that moved to Uganda at the same time I did. We bonded during our training in June and have continued to be close here. The women from the group meet every Saturday morning for a Bible study. It is one of my favorite times each week. We eat good food, study God's word, share our hearts, and pray for and encourage each other. I am so thankful for these wise, vulnerable, and encouraging sisters. 

An unfortunate even that happened this past month was a car accident I had with a boda (motorcycle). I was turning left off the freeway onto a dirt road and the boda driver thought he could hurry up and pass me on the left, and we collided. I was really nervous that I had hurt the boda driver and afraid of the mob that formed around us (seemingly out of nowhere). There were at least 40 men surrounding my vehicle yelling and I immediately had my passenger call one of the leaders from Amazima (that's what we've been told to do here - apparently police aren't really involved in car accidents much). When we were able to understand the mob, we realized they were yelling at the boda driver for being reckless. At the same time, two Amazima vehicles pulled down the road and friends got out, quieted the mob, and made sure everything was ok. It was an overwhelming situation, but I was so thankful at how God worked that entire situation out so beautifully. The boda driver was not seriously injured and my car just has a couple of new dents to add to the others. Praise the Lord for his provision and protection!

Prayer Requests

• Please continue to pray for safety as I drive here. It can be overwhelming and stressful, but it's been a wonderful practice in "praying without ceasing".

• Processing my work permit has been very challenging. I've had to make multiple trips to the immigration office in Jinja and Interpol in Kampala. Some visits have been very frustrating, but it looks like my work permit is in the final stages of being processed. Please pray that I would get my work permit soon!

• Please pray for Amazima leadership. They have had to pivot repeatedly over the past two years to come up with creative ways to serve the community while still respecting the government. Please pray for their continued wisdom and strength to lead well during this time. They are also looking for a Head Teacher (principal) for both the Primary and Secondary schools. Please pray that they would find the right person for the job.

I am so thankful for the faithful prayer and support I have continued to receive. Thank you for loving and encouraging me. I am blessed and so thankful!

💜 Jaci

 

My birthday shower!