So this past week and a half I have been staying with a host family here in Mukono. The family consists of my Host mom-Joan, her husband is actually working in the United States for some reason, then the children: Ronald 21, Jovan 16, Jovia 15, Jonan 12, and Denise 3. The home is about a 45 minute walk from campus, but luckily there are other students near me who walk as far as I do as well. The first weekend was pretty rough because the family was kind of quiet, so there was a lot of sitting around, but as we got to know each other the time seemed to be going a lot quicker. Jovia and Jonan both left for boarding school the first weekend I was there, so I didn't get to know them as well as I hoped. During the week I leave the house at about 7:00am, and then leave the school around 6:00pm, so by the time I get home I do my studying and then eat dinner, and then bed, not much time for anything else.
At the start of the home stay 3 students and I all contracted a bacterial infection so it made the week horrible, because i was sick all day for 5 days. On Friday of last week I went to my service project at Salima School for the Blind, and it was a remarkable first experience. The school/orphanage is about a 30 minute drive from the school on a very bumby dirt road. Upon arrival at the school, the headmaster took us to the office and told us a little about the school and its history which was pretty neat. The children are all blind, some completely, and others not. It was a sight to see many of the kids running around the school, but then the headmaster told us that many of them have come to know the surroundings and also often play football (soccer) during their sports time. After some histpry, we saw the equipment they use to read and write. The older students use a typewriter that uses brail, while the younger students use a push pad- where they poke holes in certain places to spell letters. At the end of the orientation all the children gathered in one room and they sang two songs for us. the second was all about how even in a society where they are constantly being seen as outcasts, they are still happy individuals, and even when the government does nothing to help them, they are still happy. It almost brought tears to my eyes to see the smiling faces of all the children as they sang. I will have my first work day tommorrow with one of the other students.
This weekend was pretty fun. My host family had some meetings on Saturday at the boarding schools, so i came to the University and did some homework and such. On Saturday my brother Ronald also taught me the proper way to do laundry by hand, so no with broken open knuckles I am a pro at laundry. On Sunday I went to church with my brother Ronald, and then after came home to rest. In the afternoon Ronald and I went with one of the other American students Annie into the capital city of Kampala. We met up with a couple other students and went to an African market to look at jerseys and shoes. We ended the night going to a place to watch the football game between Manchester United and Chelsea, I am becoming quite the soccer fan because of here. I will stay with my host family through the school week, and then return to the campus on saturday.
Pray for:
Sickness of USA students
Classes and the Reading
Host Families
Travel
Thanks for all the prayers, I couldn't do this without all of them!
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3 comments:
It has been almost 10 days since we last spoke with you....and so much has happened. It was wonderful to actually talk to you tonight and try and catch up. Please try and post some pictures this week. I know it takes time, but we sure love to see them. We are praying for you, and know you will be a wonderful witness for Christ is all you do. love you kiddo, Mom
Will it sounds like you are having a wonderful time in Uganda :) I miss you and I want to hang out with you when you get back!
-Kristin Moyer :)
Will, Jeff, Jim, and I went fishing yesterday above Anderson Ranch Reservoir on the South Fork of the Boise River. Jim caught a nice kookanee salmon (bright red in color) and I caught a couple of rainbow trout which were under the 14-inch size limit, so I had to throw them back. Jeff and I both hooked a kokanee but we each lost them before we could get them to shore. I hadn't fished that area of the Boise South Fork since I was a small boy of about 4 or 5 years old! We're going back up that way to do some camping and fishing next summer.
I made it through my installation as the new President of Twin Falls Kiwanis Club. It was a great evening and everyone liked my "motivational speech" to the club membership. Some said that it was the best one they've ever heard in our Twin Falls Kiwanis Club. I also got to present Revis Turner with the "Kiwanian of the Year" Award. He was really surprised!
Sure hope that everything is going well with your studies? Let us know when you're going on your rafting trip on the Nile River. Be sure to take some good pictures and send them back to us. Remember that we all love you and we are praying daily for all of you!
Love, Dad
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