The Nile

The Kingfisher in Jinja where we had our weekend retreat.

The source of the Nile!

My roommate for the weekend, Kato Esther and I.

We went on a retreat to Kingfisher, which is in Jinja. It was about an hour drive. We took a boat from Lake Victoria to the source of the Nile, where we got out and took pictures and walked around on an island. It was so nice to get away and just relax! We left campus on Saturday morning and arrived back on Sunday afternoon. It was such a good time of reflection and bonding. Every week since being in Africa we have had something new thrown at us. I am so thankful for these experiences but it was extremely nice to just rest. It was also a great time to continue building friendships. Our group consisted of all of the USP group from the U.S. that stay on campus (not the students living with Ugandan families all semester) and honours college students from UCU. We played some group games, along with swimming, and card games. Some of our favorite card games were Skip-bo and spades!
We had a worship service on Sunday morning. During the service we sang From the Inside Out. Here are the lyrics: 
From the Inside Out
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out
Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out

This is truly the cry of my heart is to bring Him praise.

Mukono Home Stay

This was my home for the past two weeks. From left to right: the kitchen area-far left brick building, the bedroom-center brick building, and the television room-the right white building.

My host mother, Margaret, and my host father, William.

My host sister Jemimah and I.

For the past two weeks I have been living with a Ugandan family. They have been and continue to be so understanding and patient with me as I learn their way of life and the culture here in general. They are such a blessing to me!
Throughout the weeks I have learned so much about daily living here in Uganda. Some things I have learned are how to:
-do laundry by hand
-shell beans and peas
-peel sugar cane
 I have also been able to try lots of different kinds of food. Some of my favorites are:
-rolex, which is a omelet wrapped in chapati, which is a type of bread (like a tortilla but thicker)
-posho, which is made with cornmeal and water (it is like stiff grits texture)
-sugar cane
-fruits (bananas, mangos, pineapples, watermelon, and passion fruit)
One major adjustment I have had to learn is living without power. Very frequently the power goes out for hours at a time. My host family lives a very basic life, yet they are so joyful.
Two weeks ago I was dropped off at my host house. I did not know anyone. God is so faithful, especially when we leave our comfort zone. He continues to reveal more of Himself to me throughout my time here in Africa. He truly is worthy of all of our honor, praise, and glory!

Rwanda

After spending a few days on the campus of Uganda Christian University we headed to Rwanda. Our trip to Rwanda was an incredible week full of emotion, disgust, and hope. Throughout our time there we visited the Kigali Memorial Center (top picture) and the Nyamata Church (middle picture), where the genocide actually took place. Along with visiting those places we also went to a rural Rwandan church and listened to multiple speakers. Some speakers told us the history leading up to the genocide, others recounted what they saw during the genocide, and still others explained what they are doing now to rebuild the country of Rwanda. We also went to Lake Bunyonyi (bottom picture), which is the deepest lake in Uganda.
During the week I learn so much about myself, humanity, and the world. I realized how unworthy I am of God's love and mercy, which He makes new to me everyday. I saw first hand how the people are forgiving their neighbors who killed their entire families; they are peaceful neighbors again. In the end, I realized truly how big my God is and that with Him the impossible becomes possible.
The rebuilding taking place is truly of God. People who are being restored and forgiven are a true testament to God’s saving power and mercy.