We are all safely back in Kampala after a long 9-hour bus ride...not fun. On our way to Kampala, we actually picked up a salesman who stood in the middle and tried selling things for an hour and a half. He offered a variety of lotions, cold medicines, and even womanizing power (it was a liquid which was kept in a small flask...very sketchy). He also tried to marry all of the Mzungu women in the front of the bus. Ah Uganda...how I had forgotten its chaotic streets filled with garbage. This week we are trying to fit in some last things before we leave this beautifully colorful country. Go-Ed has us pretty busy this week with debriefing sessions and final presentations for class.
I would have guessed that this week would be so sad and stressful but I have had the best peace about everything. I am neither anxious to leave nor worried about the weeks to come. I can only just keep telling myself never to forget this amazing semester or the people I have met that have made a permanent impression on my heart. I thank God for it all. He has surely granted me this unmistakable peace that calms my heart and fills my mornings with joy.

An interesting observation

While our group was in Uganda, we would be asked about Obama almost daily. But since our arrival in Rwanda, our President's name is rarely meantioned....until yesterday. This Rwandan named Oscar made the best remark I have ever heard: "So, do you know what Obama stands for? It stands for:

Obama
Born in
Africa to
Move to
America

The above picture was from our adventure through Nyungwe National Park. We were all given these regal-looking walking sticks to aid us in our six hour trek through the rain forest. We were told that the only animals living in this forest are the 7 or 8 types of monkeys. Our hopes were high to see some primates but we must have been too loud because we only heard one from a distance.
Although, we DID see some amazing tropical birds. Their colors were beautiful. I thought the vibrant reds and blues that these birds flashed were colors only man could make.
Next weekend there is a planned trip to another national game park where we will be able to see some African mammals.

Reflections

The enjoyment of interacting with the kids and learning from the staff in Mbale was awesome. I actually went through a naming ceremony where they gave me the name "Sangalo." This means "always happy" and I can only guess that they took it from my own name.
But at the beginning of the third week, I had a very strong awareness of my homesickness. I had the stomach flu one afternoon after working hard in Makhai and I wished so badly that I was in the comforts of my own home, in my own bed with all the familiar smells and sounds of New York. I really had to work through this bought of melancholy because I didn’t want it to distract me from my time in Mbale. I didn’t want to be embittered or cynical about the place I was in. I made a list of all the things that I missed about home; family and friends arrived first on my list, then smells, sounds, and objects to follow. I noticed that most of the things that I missed were more of a feeling than an actual object. For example, I missed learning from my dad in our long conversations about society, or I missed the adventurous feeling of camping with Jamin and Mom, or I missed feeling completely at ease with my roommate over a cup of coffee in our university’s coffee shop. So, it was not necessarily my dad’s house that I missed, or the Sacandaga river that I wished to bike around, or the Irish-mint latte that I longed for, it was the feelings that were associated with it that I pined for.
So I can only conclude that these feelings of comfort and joy come from my Lord. And if He is forever with me, then I know that I can experience these feelings even here in Uganda. And sure enough, it was revealed to me that I could find these feelings away from home. Breakfast and dinner times at the office, our makeshift home, was always a time for revealing some novel idea about our stay here, and my time out in the villages with the staff was one of the pinnacle points in my stay in Mbale. I loved learning from my colleagues while we trekked which seemed liked for miles and miles to the different homes in the villages. Morning devotions always made me think in new ways as we took part in their time with God, and laughing with the other workers made it easy to see that humor is God-given.
And I must keep in mind that time will slip away and before I know it I will be in the comfort of my home, wishing that I could visit the streets of Africa once again.
P.S. Tomorrow we leave Kampala for a 9 hour bus trip to Rwanda. The SAFARI is NEXT!!! Oh and my address there will be:
Food for the Hungry
Joy Knowlton
PO Box 911
Kigali Rwanda

Now that I am back in Kampala, internet is abundant and I again apologize for the lack of info. But here is the picture from the top of Wanale Mountain.

When Jess and I first arrived in Mbale, the mountain was the first thing we saw. And my first thoughts..."By the time I am done here, I will have climbed that mountain!" And that we did. About eight of us went up in the back of a pick-up - against all I was taught as a kid. No seat belts, no going slow, no nothin, haha! It was a grand time. Half way up, our truck broke down and so we hiked the rest of the way up. Needless to say, none of us were prepared for the journey up there. And boy did we get some funny looks! The view from the top was breath taking but because we had to hike half way, it made it all the better!!!
And by the way, sorry for the lack of communication. The internet has been very sparse. I tried to upload a picture of the view but that will have to wait for a later date. But hey, TIA (this is Africa.

A New Home

So here I am, four hours away from Kampala in town called Mbale. It is the second largest city in Uganda. And don’t be fooled. There is a major gap in between them. Where I live is a very short walking distance from the main market (this is much better than having to catch a taxi every time you want to go into town). In town, there are lines of markets with fresh produce and grocery stores with some canned goods that I have been well-acquainted with; things such as Zesta (jam from a can), Blue Band (as close to butter as one can get in Africa), Nido (powdered milk that isn’t so bad; really), teas, coffees and even drinking chocolate (or more affectionately known as hot coco). I think the biggest and most visible difference between the two cities is that Mbale has a much more mountainous landscape.
Being in Kampala, I have learned much Luganda, but here in Mbale, Lugisu is spoken. Starting from scratch is a bit frustrating but exciting nonetheless.
Every morning there is a devotional with the entire staff at the Mbale office. Songs are sung, verses are read, devotionals are shared, and prayer requests are taken. What better way to start off your day than to begin it with the word of God. A week in and I have had so much fun as the staff here is unbelievably friendly.

So, this is the NILE!!! It was actually our view from where we spent the night on site. And to the left...that is where six of our group went BUNGEE JUMPING! Yeah, they were crazy.