Done!!

I am currently sitting in the Amsterdam airport on my way back to Winnipeg.

So our last few days...

Saturday we had the day in Jinja. We met up with the UK team at Flavour's, a very delicious restaurant. After that, we branched off and went to the Source of the Nile!! The beginning of that experience was actually pretty sour. You have to pay to get into the area (and more to get a boat ride to the actual source). Ugandan adults: 1,000 Ugandan Shillings. Visitors: 10,000 Ugandan Shillings!! BAH!!

We got a boat ride to a little Island right at the edge of the River Nile and Lake Victoria. It's this dinky little thing, but right next to it is a bubbly pool. The source!! I was a little confused - it looks like a jacuzzi, but it supplies a HUGE river. Very cool.

Personally, one of the hardest things for me to see and experience is kids begging in Jinja. YWAM Jinja advised us to not give to beggars, but to give YWAM money to distribute to who we please. There's a stigma that white people are rich and they have money. My hardship is - is that far from the truth? We spent thousands of dollars just to get to Uganda and the cost of living in the West is higher, so we have higher incomes. Do they have the wrong idea? Or are they just gripping opportunity when they see it?

There's so much meat to this. Are the kids sent by their parents because they look more desparate and kids always get more sympathy? Should I honor YWAM or do what I think is right (silly question, but VERY hard to implement)? Is it up to me to change someone's mind about white people or to decide if they're legit or determine what they should spend the money I give them on? And usually they ask, "Muzungu, give me 100 [Ugandan Shillings]." That equates to about... a nickel. It breaks my heart. I wanted to give this one kid in particular something sooooo bad. He just worked his way through our team and the UK team and just stood there, I'm sure desparate. I felt so much for him, but couldn't have (or chose to not have because of what trouble I might get into) any action for him. I hope acknowledging him, looking him in the eye and apologizing, was enough.

Sunday, we went the Kangulumira Pentecostal Church again. I gave a little devotion, a recap, of what Mike talked about the previous week (acting out our faith/serving those who need). We then split off into groups to go out and serve people!! It was definitely approached differently than we're used to. The pastor split the congregation into groups (basically, if you were there for church, you're stuck for the afternoon!). And if you couldn't stay to serve, you had to go up and ANNOUNCE your reason before the church. Woah. We were like really? But if you think about it, in the West, we excuse it to quickly. Oh you don't sacrifice yourself for anyone? You're not willing to serve because you don't feel like it? You're too busy? Oh that's fine. I'm sure Jesus served whenever He could because He always felt like it. Mmmhmmm. How about a balance in the middle? I don't think we should condemn people for not serving, but I don't think that we should tell them that it doesn't matter either.

My group walked and walked and walked through Kangulumira to an old blind woman's house. Her house needs work, a lot of work, but we were unprepared for such work. So we just kept her company, which is something I think she also really needed. She was SO sweet. It was kind of nice to not be known as a muzungu at first. She could see us, and she didn't speak English so we didn't really say much to her, so how could she know? When Fred, who was talking to her, said muzungu, she got really excited and started to feel my and Mike's arms and hair (although, mine's not really muzungu hair anymore...). Even though we couldn't directly communicate with her, it was so good to be with her. We got to pray for her and hug her and just be with her.

Tuesday was packing day (so much to organize!). But Sarah, Sam's wife and our mother for our stay, escorted us into town for a surprise that Sam had for us. Surprise, eh? We ended up at Paradise Hotel in Jinja. Next to a pool at a very nice table. With dinner prepared for us by the hotel staff. In the presence of most of the YWAM Jinja leadership staff, simply there to appreciate us. Oh, and overlooking the Nile. Wow. We talked about our experiences in Jinja. The leadership actually wanted to hear what we learned and what God did in us. They wanted to understand what they could do to improve their ministries. Now that's humility. They took time and money out for our team. To honor us and learn from us. It was very cool.

And tasty.

We spent a little time in Kampala before flying out of Entebbe. We visited Watoto, a children's home started by the Pentecostal church there. So many babies. 110 to be exact. We got a tour of their building and how they care for the kids, and then we got to play!! As soon as we walked into the play area, toddlers ran up to us with open arms. They would just crawl all over you and soak you up. Cuddle time : ). It wasn't unusual to be holding three babies at once. I was holding Izzie for a while - I've never seen so much joy from such a little package. And then Angel came and latched on. When someone came to get Angel to feed her, she came running back a few minutes later, crying, and latched on again. I guess she loves me : ).

So ends outreach. I'm a little pressed for time, so I may process more and let you know. Of course. Stay tuned!!