November

The month of November has been crazy and I can not believe that it is already almost over. This has been a world-wind of a month, between doctor visits, school, grades, and family it seems that my life here in Uganda has become much like that of my life in America. My ear has been treating me well, these last couple of weeks. My doctor has informed me that the plane ride back home, will be free from complications and problems, which is a wonderful answer to pray. School has been extremely crazy and I have had to fight with myself to stay on task and go to class, but other than that school is wonderful. I have about one more week of classes and then a week of finals left, before I come home. The idea of coming home is wonderful on many notes, but extremely sad on others. I keep reminding myself that I will not be in Africa again, unless it is in God's will. My relationship with my host family has become extremely deep and I enjoy each moment and time I spend with them. The other day, my host father almost made me cry when he said "Katie, I will you my daughter when you go to America." When my two little brothers say good bye to me in the morning I can not help to think about how many more time will I hear them say that. Just the past weekend I was looking through my journal reflecting on my time here and I noticed some amazing things. I looked back to the time where I was so scared, frustrated, and confused here, to the time where I felt alone and just wanted to go home. I realized that God not only lead me through those difficult times, but also gave me some amazing memories of His promise and love for me. I looked back to the goals I set on my first day here, they mostly include funny things but one major goal was to develop a deep relationship with my host family. My host family has been the most amazing part of my experience here in Africa, I love coming home to my father who hands me two eggs or money to go get two eggs. I spend hours just sitting talking with my host father, helping him cook, or helping him tend the cows and chickens. Each morning I love been woken up by my father, who polite asks me how was my night. I love the hours I spend with my two little brothers playing games and eating the white ants on the ground, I love spend time watching TV with my older brothers and sisters. I realized after reflecting about my time here in Uganda that all the stress, homework, and worries I felt were me just being selfish and naive. God taught me the importance of giving Him all these worries and allowing the rest to just fall into place. So on this Thanksgiving day, I just want to thank God for allowing me to come to Uganda and learn and experience the things I have so far and will continue to learn in these last couple of weeks. I am extremely excited about coming home and spend Christmas with my family and then seeing my friends. On another side note, some funny things have happened in this world-wind of a month. I was told by my doctor that I would increase my bride-price if I would get rid of the mosquito bits on my face, or what we Americans affectionately call zits. A group of us girls decided not to shave our legs for no-shave November, let us just say that the flies here love my nice hairy legs. Our water at my host home has ran out, so I have reverted to showering about once a week here. I am proud of my skill of mastering swallowing pills, I still have some trouble but am getting better. I have about a million canker soars from the half of a pineapple my family gives me everyday. Life is happy, wonderful and full of fun, what can I say I could not ask for from God.

Prayer Request

Hello to everyone back home who is praying and have been praying faithfully for me in these last couple of months. I just want to share a conviction God has been laying on my heart this week. Since being here in Uganda my relationship with Christ has grown greatly but at the same time i feel disconnected and distracted. With only about 5 weeks remain in my stay here in Uganda I want to make this time the most beneficial, rather than focusing on going home. Lately God has been showing me all the things and possessions I can live without and do not need. This week God has been convicting me to do something about these lessons and my remain time. I have been trying to figure out how I can spend this time to focus on God and prepare myself for the transition home. After talking with a friend, I feel that God has been calling me to fast, don't worry in a health manner. Therefore for my remain time here, I am going to fast for many reasons. One to help me focus on living in the here and now, while in Uganda. Next, to prepare myself for the many changes and challenges that God is going to be doing in me when I return home. Next to discipline myself in being more connected and more desiring of God and His will for my life and time here. I am writing this blog as a means to ask those of you back home to help me in this process. I want this fast to be a meaningful time, therefore i am asking for your prayers, encouragement, and strength during this time. With my remain time here I am going to seek to bring God the glory in honor, so during your meal times i would ask that you would pray for me and that God would reveal His purpose and plan for my life. God has definitely been using this time to change my perspective of my life. I pray that during this time God would reveal His plan for my life in the next semester and coming summer. Again thanks for all your prayers and support, i look forward to seeing you all very soon. Love Kaitlin

Ann and Freddy

So the past week I went to go on my rural home stay. Which involves living Mukono the village I currently live in and drive about four hours into the country to stay with two strangers I have never meet. My rural home stay was an adventures one to say the least. I arrived in the beautiful rolling hills of Kaptarwa on Friday night to be meet by my 5 little brothers and beautiful mother. The night constited of dance parties, crazy pictures, and looking through magizens. On Saturday i spent the majority of the day picking coffee and with Ann my mohter. Ann is a wonderful woman of God, she is what you would general describe as a Proverbs woman. As I watched Ann pick coffee, feed her children, and work i was amazed by her joy, completness, and beauty she radiated. I spent hours just watching Ann work, this is a woman with five BOYS and yet she had the most peace I have ever seen. She woke up at five in the morning every more to pick coffee and then went to school to teach for up to 10 hours, and then she came home and cooked dinner for all of us. Throughout the week I continued to watch Ann while also feeling drawn to her beauty, I desired deeply to share in her beauty and love. God taught me so much through Ann about what it means to be a woman of God. My 5 brothers were wonderful, on Sunday they took me on a "hike" which involved going through caves, climbing a hill that was made of pure mud, and running under a waterfall, all while being barefoot. It was fantastic and I was greatful for their adventures spirits. However on Monday my week changed, before going on rural home stays I had a bad cold, not wanting to be left behind i simple ignored the cold. However on Monday I woke up with a terrible ear ache. My father Freddy who was worried about me called my supervisors, they came and brought me ear drops. That night I did not sleep at all because I was in so much pain, I had taken many drugs to help with the pain but they seemed unable to work. On Tuesday I called my supervisor and told them i was in great pain, they came around noon to take me to the hospital that was about an hourand a half away. We we finally got to the hospital i was struggling not to cry from the pain. When we went to see the doctor he told us that he was not avaible until six p.m. Thus for the next four hours i sat in a resturant hugging a pillow and praying that the drugs would help with the pain, but side note i got ice cream out of it. My superivisor seeing that i was in intense pain called another doctor I was able to go to him. He told me that my ear drum burst and that everything would be fine, I wanted to hug him. He gave me drugs and the pain soon ended. For the rest of the week my pain continued to have pain but it was minimual, however me ear did start to leak blood and crazy liquid. When I came back from rural homestay I went to a doctor in town and found out that my ear was in worse condition than i thought. I have gone to the hospital everyday this week and magically also caught pink eye in both eyes, oh and i also have a cold. So needless to say I am one draing machine. On Monday of this week i am pretty sure i was ready to just give up and say take me home, but i thought back to when i was in rural home stay and Ann and Freddy prayed for me. In the time were i was in the most pain, Ann and Freddy brought me hot towels to put on my ear and reduce my fever, they prayed for me and told me it would be ok. The comforted me and reminded me that in all things God works. This week has been a long week of pain, annoyance, and upsets but my ear is healing and my eyes are clearing up. Sometimes I feel like Helen Keller, since my hearing and eye sight are not back yet but I am still living and happy. Thanks for all your prayers and concerns, pray that my ear will heal quickly and that God will give me patience to continue on this trip He is leading me...