Weekend at the Nile

Greetings to All!

Well, it is another Monday in Africa and I am at school researching the reasons why Catholics and Protestants have bad relations. I am also sitting the open-air dinning hall drinking Milk-Tea and listening to Misty Edwards “Relentless” album.

Last week was a much better week than the two weeks before it. I think this was for a couple of reasons. The first being that I realized I was really tired of learning about Africa all the time, and I was really wanting to escape it somehow. I love Africa and love learning about it, but enough is enough and I needed a break. So I looked under my bed and lo and behold a copy of The Return of the King (3^rd book of the Lord of the Rings series) was sitting there, asking to be read. So I have spent the last week in Middle Earth fighting against Sauron and his orcs. I also made the decision to not be stressed out about school any more. I was spending so much of my time figuring out what I was supposed to be learning and reading, and then trying to read it all, that I was always stressed and overwhelmed with it all. So I also stopped doing a lot of the readings for classes and instead have been reading for pleasure, and being available to be with people at school. And this has been fantastic! Because I feel more relaxed, less worried, and like I am really getting to know people. Hopefully at the end of this semester when I get my transcript I will still think this was a good idea.

(Brian and Manny)

Last Friday afternoon I traveled into Kampala with my friends Brian and Manny (pictured above) to go to a local artists studio and look at African paintings. I was a little nervous about this adventure, as I really don’t like big cities and often get left behind or lost, but Brain and Manny are probably some of the best people to be in a big city with. And I never felt left behind or lost or even like a burden. I just enjoyed the afternoon. I think, though, that by the end of the day I was pretty dehydrated because I was feeling bad. My body felt tired and just like it wasn’t working very well. I also hadn’t been eating well that day, or enough, so that could also have had to do with whatever was going on. When I got home I ate dinner and then went to bed, after downing a bottle of water, hoping sleep would cure whatever was ailing me. The next day we were leaving early to go white-water rafting on the Nile.

(A local artist painting a really cool elephant)

When I woke up in the morning I knew something was wrong because I sat up and immediately needed to puke. “Oh shoot, this will be a long day,” I thought to myself. I somehow made it to the bus that was taking us to Jinja, and then tried to sleep the rest of the ride there, hoping the sickness would pass and I could still go rafting. But it didn’t. And while everyone was getting ready to go out, I decided to not go and instead rest and sleep the day away at the resort where we were staying. This turned out to be the best decision I could have made, as after I heard about the rafting adventure I knew I would have hated it. The trip took people over class 4 and 5 rapids (the highest level is 6, I believe) and rafts often flipped and people would get sucked under the water for a while. No one got badly hurt, and it was actually pretty safe, but I would have hated it. Instead I spent the day reading and chatting with Kristin, a friend who also didn’t want to go rafting. So I had a really great weekend and just enjoyed the people I was with and the stories I got to hear about other people rafting.

(This is a grade 1 rapid, and it was a little scary looking to me)

(People also went bungee jumping... but I didn't)

We got home Sunday evening and now I am at school, working hard when I have to, and otherwise taking time to really invest in the people I am with. The Lord continues to reveal more of the reasons I am here, and continues to bless me and care for me when I am sick or tired. So thanks be to God!

(Look everyone, I am still alive!!!)

Prayer requests this week: that I will be attentive to what God has for me and enjoy it to it’s fullest, that I will continue to be open to friendships here, and that my body will continue to be healthy and in working order.

Love to all!

Joy