Get Excited!

I never thought in a million years that I would be sitting here on my couch trying to figure out the best way to tell everyone that I'M GOING BACK TO UGANDA! When I left Kampala last October, I got on that plane not sure when I was going back, but I am excited to say, I will be leaving for Uganda in May!

I have accepted an intern position with Abide Family Center, where I will be taking part in their program on the ministry track. I'm going to be "assisting in weekly Bible studies, supporting home visits, and coordinating with local church leaders." Oh. My. Gosh. So incredible. I’ll be building relationships, making plans, and getting to see the ends and outs of an organization I truly respect.

Abide is an organization that I have been rooting for from the shadows for a long while now, quietly stalking their blogs and Instagram’s and getting excited as I watched their mission come to life. To put simply, the goal at Abide is to reduce the number of children living in orphanages in Uganda. They believe in keeping families together and they fight to keep kids with their parents. They have created alternative care solutions to offer social services to vulnerable families.

Abide puts it this way, "Without a strong safety net, desperate caregivers are left with few options and are forced to place their children in orphanages.  In order to prevent family separation we will provide at-risk caregivers with an alternative solution.   Through supporting and strengthening families in the southeastern region of Uganda we believe the number of children living in institutional care will decrease dramatically."

Can I get an Amen? I mean really.... How can I not be excited to walk into this new place? How can I not want to stand beside a group of people whose hearts and souls are dedicated to the preservation of family? The simple answer is I can't. I cannot stay no to this opportunity, I cannot say no to this call on my heart.

But here’s the thing. The lead up to this move is such a stretch for me. It is hard for my brain to wrap around all the loose ends that need to be tied up before I leave the US for four months. I am slowly getting my wits together, compiling my ‘to do’ lists into something tangible and as all these things fall into place, this is where you come in. If you know me at all, this step into Abide is not a surprise, it doesn’t come as an ‘oh my gosh moment,’daily I speak about getting back to Uganda, but even so, I need this community, I need you to walk with me in this. I need you to come alongside me as I spend 4 months in a country that is not my own. I feel so needy and vulnerable at this point because my need is so great. Simply, I need prayer, I need funding, and I need encouragement. 

If you feel that you would like to help me with any of these things, get in touch with me, I would love to chat about what Abide is doing in Jinja and what the Lord is doing in my heart. Check back here and on my Go Fund Me page to follow along and see what I'm up to on my journey. Walk with me as I move to Jinja and intern under Abide Family Center.

Stay tuned as I update you weekly on my progress and process,

No'kwagala,

Heather Graham

Go Fund Me Page: http://www.gofundme.com/heatherjayne_

Blog: heatherjayne88.blogspot.com

Insta: instagram.com/heathergraham_

Abide Family Center: http://abidefamilycenter.org/

heathergraham88@gmail.com

Jinja.

Two days ago we visited Jinga, and it was much different than the city of Kampala. For so long I wondered why there were so many non-profits working out in that town and once I saw it, it became a bit more clear. The town of Jinga is waaaaaay different than Kampala. Not as much traffic, different people, right on the Nile, bit more tourist-y ect, and definitely more 'non-Ugandans.'  Not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg. As in, there are more non-profits there because more touristy or more touristy because of more non-profits. I don't know, maybe there is a completely different reason.

Anyways, Jinja, was beautiful and seemed to be a little slower paced. We did the toursit stuff and went to the spot where the mouth of the Nile was supposedly discovered by some white guy. Ironic, because the local people had known that for centuries....

We stopped off at what was a sort of tourist camp. Cabins/tents could be rented, there was a bar/restaurant, and even a spot to bungee jump. No jumping for us, but I wish we could have seen some one do it. It must be nuts to do it right over the Nile, what a thing to talk about, maybe next time.

Let's talk about food....

Food. This has to be one of the top reasons to travel. I mean really. The ability to try something new, in some place new, with people who are new. Geez. Sign. Me. Up. Uganda is no different. Food here is incredible. Ugandan, Indian, Lebanese, Greek, American. All of it right there for the tasting. Seriously. 

One of the biggest cultural 'oh-my's' I found was definitely one that felt hilarious. Bare with me. In the US, if you go to an American mall, you pop into the food court, pick a place, go order at their counter, get your food and take a seat.

 Not the same in Uganda. Not at all. 

In Uganda, you go the mall, pop into what looks like a typical American food court and that is where the similarities end. Instead of going to order, you pick a table and take a seat and that's when the fun begins. Immediately, your table is swarmed by a waiter from each 'food shop.' Its nuts. Menus, hands, encouragement to buy from each and every one of them does not cease until all food and juice has been order. 

The first time I experienced this, was a whoa. Probably, that should be a major whoa. Once you've done it a couple times, you figure out how not to be rushed, even when people are pushing you to try their yummy hummus, or the other place's fresh matoke. 

 I don't think I tried anything I hated. I loved the chapati, the matoke, sweet potatoes, yams, pretty much all the local food. I wasn't a huge fan of posho, (think kind of like grits) I think it was a texture thing. 

I also found out I love Lebanese food. who knew? 

All of this continued to solidify the fact that we need to go!

 Go somewhere!

Try something new!

Love something new! 

Hate something new, for that matter!

Just do something! 

Reflect.

How do I even try and wrap up my month long trip to Uganda? The whole thing was just perfect. The apartment, the city, the people, all of it. Sounds so cheesy, but for reals. It was crazy. And to think about it in terms of me and Eddie, we wont ever have another chunk of time like that. The both of us basically on vacation, hanging out, just seeing what the day would bring. What an incredible opportunity to just ease into each others lives, like I said, perfect.

I guess now as I'm sitting here in my living room, I'm just thinking of the hours spent in the car, driving down a road, watching the Ugandan sun drop behind the hills. In Uganda, you can usually get a good gauge of what time it is because the sun is up at seven and drops at seven. Clockwork. That doesn't though help with what is lovingly referred to as 'elastic time.' Since being home, my heart, and brain, and most everything else, forever drifts back to the place that captured me. I hate speaking in these cliche riddles, but I just don't have the words.

 I wish I could put you in the car and drive you to the spot in the road where the sun was just peaking through the trees, I wish I could let you smell the chicken soup cooking over the charcoal stove, and I wish I could introduce you to Eddie, who I would ask to say Hurt, Heart, Hut, and Hard (it's all about that accent...) and make you figure out what means what. But I cant. I just don't have the money to get us all on the plane. But. I ask that you will continue to walk and pray with me as I seek the next step in this Ugandan adventure.

Context.

I figure I should give a bit of context for all the things I have been saying. It's funny because I feel a hundred different things, and there are a thousand different things going through my mind. Decisions, plans, long term, short term, blah, blah, blah. My head is forever swimming. It's not a bad thing, I'm glad it's happening. I'm glad I keep constantly having something else to try and process.

The last nine days, we have been all over the place. All around Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe, seeing the sights, the shops, the people. It's great because I have been able to get a broader sense of the country. Last time I was here, we did a lot more cross-country traveling, going farther out into the village and hitting up Northern Uganda. This time, we are more rooted, we are staying closer to the city.

Some context. We flew into Entebbe, which is like an hour and a half-ish away from the place we are staying. Once we arrived, we went through immigration and bought our visas, it is so different than India. When I went to India I had to mail in my passport months early and they had to give the ok for me to come on over. In Uganda, you just buy the visa once you land in country. Super easy. The only chaotic part of landing and stuff is the mad dash to the tables so you can finish filling out your application. This time though we also had to fill out a health form telling where we had traveled in the last month or so, and if we had any fever or cold or what not. We zipped through all of it and grabbed our bags and took our first steps in Uganda. Eddie was there waiting with flowers and so began this awesome adventure.

 We're staying in an crazy great apartment. Its gated, with a guard, two stories, 2 bedrooms, 3 baths, a kitchen, ect. Man. It's way more than I expected. Our beds our outfitted with mosquito nets and we have two great balconies I can see the city from when I am getting ready in the morning. Seriously. Its awesome. Electricity, water, wifi, we got the whole shebang.

We are staying 20 minutes-ish (depending on traffic, bank stops, Uganda's sense of 'elastic' time, ect.) from Hope for New Life church where Eddie works. Driving is done on the opposite side of the road here and roundabouts are used, but not like in the US. Think squishing as many cars and boda boda's (motorcycle taxis) into a typical two lane roundabout and your on the right track. For me, this would be panic inducing to have to maneuver. BUT. The sense of space and how and where your car (or bike, or boda boda) can fit is INCREDIBLE. Ugandans are champs when it comes to driving. I swear, it should be a sport or something.  If I was driving, we would never arrive. I would still be waiting for my chance to 'merge.' (Such a loose description).

No I have not seen a lion. No I have not seen a gorilla. No I have not seen a hyena. Im not living out on the savanna or in the Lion King for that matter.  I've seen dogs, cats, goats, cows, all just chilling in the city. A bit different from back home. I promised Eddie if I move here we're getting a dog and it will be raised like an American dog. For sure. My pride and joy obviously. Dogs here aren't like our pets back home. More for security and and there are way more strays. Pets in general just aren't a huge thing. He's not super excited about it...

I'm in the biggest city in Uganda, and the spectrum of glamour and dirt is forever paired next to each other. Last time I was here, I walked away with how crazy the contrasts are. In Uganda, you will have a giant Land Rover parked next to taxi crammed full of as many people as possible. You will have kids going to a huge, outfitted private school right next to those who walk barefoot to class. Contrasts. That's how I would describe the country. Hundreds and hundreds of glaring contrasts. It's beautiful though. It's that beautiful sense of organized chaos. And that is for sure my jam. I'm all about that organized chaos.

How to Update.

Im not sure where to take all of this. Im not sure how to update everyone on this trip because simply, I'm just falling in love more and more. With the country. With the people. With Eddie. Yup. All of it. I keep asking myself what this would look like if I were here for good. I see the markets and the boda boda's and the traffic and the sky and and I  just feel good. Plain and simple. I've been here for 6 days and I feel like I just got here, but at the same time, like  its been weeks. I like the feeling of familiarity-  that it is not a new, nerve inducing feeling, but a familiar one.

 This isnt a missions trip. This isnt me doing anything spectacular (I dont even know what that could possibly be), but it's me getting to know this country. I dont want a shiny impression, I want the nitty gritty, I want to know what Kampala really is. I want to know if I could do it. I know that sounds strange. And why Im putting this on the internet, Im not sure. But Im trying to be honest with the whole trip. Thoughts. Feelings. Impressions. All of it. Including this.

The last time I was here, it was hard going back to the US. I had all these feelings and emotions and it was hard to bring people alongside me. Explaining what was going on in not just my head, but my heart was the worst. I was reeling until probably March and then in May I took off for India. The whole year was me being torn and then being built up. It was a mess.

Im certain this trip is different. Its not about being broken this time, its about seeing and knowing. Its about experiencing the contrasts and walking through them. I am so thankful. So thankful.

Here.

Just a quick update, Eddie is on his way here and were off to the church.

The flights. Awesome. Super easy. I think the ging said it was 31 hours door to door. Luckily for me, I have the powers to sleep where ever and whenever, so on our longest leg of the trip, from Brussels to Rwanda, I slept the whole time. They served dinner and I went straight to sleep and didnt budge until an hour before landing. Magic! So greatful. Poor Ging didnt sleep like I did, so she was a bit out of it once we got to Kampala, but I was wired.

Our apartment is incredible. 2 bedrooms, 3 bath, kitchen, backyard. Its awesome. Way more than we could ever ask for.

Yesterday we went into the city to do some exchanges, tour the national mosque and then we visited a deaf school. It was perfect. It was funny being able to see places I recognized and have memories of my first time here scattered about.

Eddie, has been awesome, showing us around and putting up with all our stuff. I cant believe it has been this long since Ive seen him. Walking out of the airport and seeing him for the first time, flowers in hand, is a memory I will hold for ever.

I was talking to Ging about this trip thus far and I can just describe it as comfortable (in such a good way). Its like I am so comfortable in my skin here. In the things I see, the places, the people, the food. Its just so great. Being in this city has been like coming home. Its like I never left. Sorry for the ramble. Im all over the place. Lets be honest, as usual. Ill get my thoughts together at some point and give an actual update.