paining...

Today, my heart aches. 

It’s the same familiar ache that has become a constant companion over the past month, an ache caused by my own choice. It’s an ache accentuated by the cooler weather of wet season, the sound of drums and vuvuzelas at today’s football tournament, the sight of children gathered for fun and games...and by statuses and pictures on Facebook reminding me of a previous life. 

Today, my heart grieves for what I have lost. My choice to say ‘yes’ to Uganda was also a decision to say ‘no’ to camp. I wonder with a sigh whether I will ever again receive the opportunity to work at camp.

For so many unshakable reasons, I know that ‘yes’ to Uganda was the right decision. I’m not doubting my choice but simply grieving my loss. There are so many parts of me strewn across the world. How can I ever unite them? 

You have kept count of my tossings,

Put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in Your book?

-Psalm 56.8

saturday morning

Generally, Saturdays at our house are fun, but not exactly restful. Kids show up starting before 9am for a variety of things: small jobs, music practice, recording songs, and just visiting! Enjoyable, but not always conducive for extra sleep and relaxation. 

This past Saturday, though, all my housemates had gone away, leaving me and the cats to hold down the fort. It was lovely to have a slow, quiet, relaxing Saturday! Here are some pictures of my morning:

The Word + coffee + cool morning = delicious!

Manvu bananas growing in our front yard...should be ready in a week or so! Yum. 

Not sure what kind of bird this is, but I was excited to get a picture of him on one of our banana trees!

She's annoyed because we ran out of cat food and I fed her shortcake biscuits instead. 

And just so you don't think my Saturday was all play and no work, here's the pile of laundry that I folded. I thought about including a picture of the dishes I washed...but I don't think you'd want to see that. 

th-th-th, that's all folks!

Here's irony: the day after I posted about dry season being so hot, rainy season started.

And with a bang too! Here's a short video of the first downpour of the season. There was even half-inch hail. Thankfully the clothes drying on the line don't appear shredded...

dry season

It's been really hot and dry recently (at least 95 F by noon!). Dry season is in full swing...but there are rumors of the rains coming soon!

You know it's hot when the cats walk in the house and plop onto the concrete floors because it's just too hot to lay on the comfy sofas!

February Update

Feb Blog Update by

a most excellent adventure, part 2

Sorry for the delay in update! The internet has been pretty sucky the past week. 

But today it's working, so here are the promised waterfall pictures from camp!

a camp road...we walked down the road a bit to reach the trail

hiking thru the Ugandan jungle...my housemate Hannah leads the back half of the crew

Some crazy trees in the forest! These trees have above-ground roots...and they were big enough to hide inside! 

Bambino, a camp dog, joined us on the hike.  

The waterfall. 

 Funny story of God's providence: Musana Camps actually purchased the land with the waterfall on accident. They had intended to purchase another piece of land, but the lawyer in charge of the transaction made a 'mistake.' Though frustrating and expensive, it actually has turned out to be a great addition to Musana Camps and evidence that God can redeem earthly mistakes!

And a final picture for you: sunrise over Lake Victoria, from the guesthouse at Musana. They're hoping to purchase the inlet you see in this picture so they can have the whole cove, preventing hotels and discos from being built next door and disrupting the peaceful atmosphere of camp.