Before I return to Uganda in less than 2 weeks and because of the wonderful and unlimited high-speed Internet here, I wanted to upload a bunch of videos to YouTube which have been sitting on my computer. These was taken in 2013 and 2014 and almost all were shot on Lingira Island. Happy viewing!
A video of the SHIM compound, taken the day I left the island for furlough.
The school choir presenting during a Sunday morning service.
The children's Sunday School choir sings, "Soon and Very Soon" on a Sunday morning.
Our pastors-in-training have some fun while acting out the story of Daniel in the lion's den.
Part of the baptism in which 90 people were baptized last September 2014. A very exciting day!
There's just a way a video can convey so much more than words and photos even combined.
My friend and fellow missionary, Melody Warford of Stone Soup Media, visited the island earlier this year, spending several days at Shepherd's Heart and filming the various missionaries and projects. What she did with the information and footage is truly amazing!
The mission field requires many people of diverse skills and I feel blessed that Melody shared her gifts to help proclaim the incredible things God is doing on the islands.
The first video focuses more on what I am involved in on the island, and the second is more about the overall ministry of Shepherd's Heart, the ministry I am privileged to serve in.
Hi y'all! I am writing this blog post from beautiful (yet, too cold) Pennsylvania.
I safely arrived stateside on Friday and am thoroughly enjoying being back on U.S. soil. :) I am in the midst of a two-week visit with my beloved sister and then will head west on Nov. 22.
My sister Leah and I. Leah is one of my most favorite people in the whole world and I'm loving being with her, after almost two years of being apart.
I am still adjusting to the time change (8 hrs. difference) which means I am sleeping like a rock at night, but then am also feeling sleepy throughout the day, but it is improving. Like I said, Pennsylvania is cold - about 40+ degrees different. Oh, and my home area of Portland is expecting a half foot of snow today! Yikes! I don't think I am ready for "winter."
Thus far, my transition back has been smooth, but it is possible there will be some bumps ahead. Fellow missionary friends shared the following videos, which I think will be helpful in helping you to know how to help me in this time of furlough. Though the missionary who made the videos is serving in SE Asia, there are still a lot of similarities in that culture and the one of Uganda.
Happy viewing!
The first video is entitled "The Stare," which describes the blank look a returning missionary may assume when faced with a perceived overwhelming situation.
So, I couldn't seem to upload some of the videos to the post, but here are some links:
Learn the "secret" truth that missionaries are actually "normal" people, here. :)
Learn some good questions here to ask me to find more about what has been happening in my life during the past two years.
In the nearly five years in Uganda, I have developed new "normals," which can be far different than the normals I used to have in the U.S. Learn more here.
Yes, there is such a thing as "reverse culture shock," which may cause returning missionaries to bring into tears in a cereal aisle. Seriously. Find out more here.
The truth is, we all need grace. Every day. Thank you in advance for your grace and patience with me as I readjust to American life. :)
I've been a "mainlander" for over a week now. Although, I consider the island my "home," I've been staying with some friends and caring for their children.
Jinja is considered our "port" city, from which the boats to the Buvuma Islands go in and out of. Jinja is the second largest "town" in Kampala, with a population of about 90,000. It is second only in size to the capital city of Kampala, with over 1.2 million people.
Jinja is a popular spot for tourists, since whitewater rafting, kayaking, the "Source of the Nile," horseback riding, bungee jumping, and some great restaurants and tourist shops are found either in or near Jinja. The "source" is right outside the city center and is where the lake flows into the Nile River.
Also, many missionaries and ministry organizations are based in or around Jinja, so I frequently see friends when I am in town. :)
Though I am not a "city" girl, I do like Jinja as it is small enough to easily walk from here to there, has restaurants for enjoying different foods, and places to take advantage of "high-speed" Internet (which is how I uploaded the first two videos). :)
The first video was taken this morning as I rode a "boda" or motorcycle from where am I staying, about 3 miles or so from town, to go meet a friend for lunch. I am sorry, but there is no narration on the first two videos, since it felt awkward to narrate sitting directly behind the driver. Also, the quality is not the best since it was bumpy, due to potholes and speed bumps.
You will notice I focus on the yellow and orange-red sign of "Acacia Community Church" as we as pass it. This is where I usually attend when I am in town. Also, note that the "bodas" carry many things - from people to boards, to milk cans to bags of charcoal, etc.! The little commercial area we pass through is called Kimaka (pronounced "chee-mah-kah).
This video is a portion of Main Street, Jinja. I really do like this street as I can do most of my business on or near it.
The last video is one I took from inside - of a rainstorm outside. When it rains here, it usually comes down fast and heavy!
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse of Jinja - one of my "homes" away from home. :)
I have taken a lot of videos during my time in Uganda and I wanted a place for them on the blog, so I just created a "Videos" page. Many of them were "filmed" on Lingira Island in southern Uganda, where I am serving as a missionary.
Click the "Videos" tab above, grab some popcorn (just kidding!), enjoy and stay tuned for more! :)
I heard this song today and I really liked the message. My favorite lines are:
"And we put the walls up but Jesus keeps them standing
He doesn’t need us but He lets us put our hands in
So we can see, His love is bigger than you and me"
God doesn't need our help to reconcile the world back to Himself. But He invites us to join Him in this great work, so we can witness the power of His incredible love around the world.
I have been trying to put my nose to the grindstone and really get ready for Uganda. It is interesting what you think about in trying to prepare to be gone for a year - taxes, absentee ballots, baggage sizes, what rechargeable batteries to take, whether or not to pack a French press coffee maker. These have been some of my thoughts and focuses today. : )
Well, now to what this post is really about. It has been a bit since I shared some Uganda videos, so here are a few more from my first trip. Enjoy!
Praising the Lord in Church (Filmed during a Sunday morning worship service at Lingira Deliverance Church on Lingira Island.)
Praising the Lord, Part 2
The Children Sing
The Children of Siita Nest Mother's Love Home in Bugembe, near Jinja on the mainland.
I was going through my Ugandan pictures today and ran across some videos that I took on my camera while I was there. They're not the best quality, but hopefully will give you a taste of life there. Enjoy!
The first two are of a little tour I did of the YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base on Lingira Island, Uganda. This is where I lived from Oct. 2006-March 2007.
The following is a little video interview of Habbakuk, who also lived on the base for awhile. This was taken shortly before Habakkuk returned to school, after 11 years of being out of class. He had to quit school to support himself, but was excited to be returning. A very neat man - a "gentle giant." : )
