Goodbyes: The Best of the Worst

So, I hate goodbyes. They kinda suck. Maybe it is because I am a people person, an extreme extrovert, or just because I am human and it is normal. But I hate them.

So graduating college was a little bittersweet. May never see some of those wonderful people again. Leaving for Africa was not super fun, because I had to say goodbye to lots of loved ones for six months. Leaving from a short term mission trip in Romania, leaving Kanakuk for probably the last time, leaving from my internship in Fort Wayne. Even leaving EMI orientation after getting to know some really cool people (shout out to the roomies!) was a bummer. Since I've been in Kampala others like Katie Hawkes (EMI CS intern), Alan (EMI volunteer), and Alena (Doors volunteer) have left. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Yuck. Lord, why in the world did you make this world so full of goodbyes? And why did you make goodbye so difficult?

But the wise Paul Smith (fellow intern) pointed something out to me last week. Not all goodbyes are difficult.

Christine left last Monday to return to the EMI India office. She was here for a few months. But in those few months she taught me more about reckless abandonment for Jesus that I would've learned on my own in a few years. We laughed so much while she was here. She saw me cry a fair bit, too. Over orphans and dreams and weariness. She was open, vulnerable, and giving of herself.

David was one of the first people I met when I arrived in Kampala. He was a fellow intern who showed us the ropes upon arrival. He left last Thursday to live in Michigan. He always wore a smile and always brought encouragement. He was the model of a hard worker and a strong leader. And he always brought the conversation, situation, or circumstance back to the Lord.  

Belinda left on Thursday, too. I doubt I've ever met someone so different than me that I loved so much. She is the picture of wisdom and discernment. Talking about the day with my Aussie roommate and fellow intern before hopping in to bed was easily a highlight of my day, every day, for four months. I have loved learning from this woman about cultural sensitivity, a servant's heart, diligence, and laughter. So much laughter and joy.

David and Belinda's departure marked (possibly) the last time our intern cohort will be all together. (Daniel Nyongesa is missing in the below pictures! But he was with us last Tuesday.)

Sam is one of the boys in Doors Ministries. He left for boarding school on Monday. He has my name, so that's cool. And I don't pretend to know him nearly as well as I could...but he is a precious child who used to live on the streets of Kampala. The Sam I know is so full of laughter, silly antics, love for the Lord, amazing dancing skills, and pretty good hugs. On Sunday after church, I hugged him goodbye and nonchalantly asked when he would be coming home for holiday from boarding school. August. My heart dropped and my eyes filled with tears. I didn't think for a second that I would be saying goodbye to anyone from Uganda for 2 more months! I will hopefully get the chance to visit him at boarding school before I leave...but Sunday was still not fun.

Those goodbyes were hard because the times together were so great. Because we learned so much from each other, grew together, laughed, cried, shared ourselves and shared Christ. If goodbye was easy, for me, that probably means we didn't have much to be sorry for when our time was over.

So really, the worst goodbyes are the best. The goodbye is hard because all that happened before the goodbye was worthwhile. And that is reason to rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord's goodness for the blessing. Give thanks. Cry a little, maybe. But then smile.

I still don't understand why the world is this way, or why God has some people appointed to be in our lives for only a season. I am still definitely not looking forward to leaving this place in a few short months. I am still going to cry when I have to say goodbye. If the goodbye is that hard, I am probably still going to pray like crazy that our paths will cross again. But I'm also going to rejoice, be thankful, and trust in his timing. I have to. Where else could I put my trust?

Prayer Requests:
-I'm making another visa/immigration run this weekend! Hopefully my visa extension will process without the use of a bribe...otherwise I'll be crossing over to Kenya this weekend!
-Processing lessons from the Lord- as others leave and I begin to realize I'm next in line.
-The Horne's baby is due any day! Pray for her to get here quick!

Praises:
-For the wonderful people and relationships I've been given. I am so blessed and thankful!
-Project work has been going really well! We've all got lots to do but we've got all we need to get it done, too!

You May Be In Kampala If:
-You watch Peter Pan with a group of 10+ Ugandans that have never seen it before!
-You go swimming off the shore of Lake Victoria, and it feels almost like swimming in the lake at home! Except that you are likely contracting bill harzia disease.

Thanks for reading!
SForbes

EMI Day of Prayer

So this past week EMI took a day out of the week for a Day of Prayer. It was so great and also super challenging. We studied Habakkuk during devotionals this week, and then took a further look into others in the bible who are examples of "striving" in prayer. The scriptures are loaded with examples of intense prayers! (Moses interceding for his people, Daniel crying out for the exiled Israelites, Jesus in the garden, any/all of the prophets...) It encourages me to be earnest and active in my prayers. I often think of prayer as a calm or passive activity. But it is not!

James 5:16b, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James does not describe a boring or calm prayer life...

So we studied a few passages, and prayed...and then we went out into our community to actively participate and pray! Just down the street from our nice, gated apartment complex is a neighborhood without gates or paved roads. I have been running through these streets a bit, buy some groceries from a nice lady (Katherine) there, and have also visited a primary school once to read stories to the kids. It's not a slum...but it is a much poorer community than I'm used to seeing.

One of the main thoroughfares through the area is a large pipeline across a swamp. Next to the pipeline is King of Kings Primary School. This school, run by a sweet woman named Florence, is not what you would expect to call a school. It is four "rooms" of boarded up walls and metal sheet roofing with a meager fence. I have visited this school before, and it is precious to see the kiddos (ages 3-7ish)! On our day of prayer, we put in some prayerful labor to help raise one of the classroom floor levels. It has had flooding issues (being in a swamp), so hopefully after raising the floor level this week about 6" things should stay a bit more dry!

The EMI office split into teams, so after lunch my team handed off the hard labor while we went around the community a bit to get to know the area and pray for people. It was great and it was heart-breaking. I'm not sure how else I can explain. Most homes have little or no power. No running water. In fact, they get their water from a nearby pipe that we tested. Not clean water. Thankfully most know to boil it before trying to drink it. I saw 3 dead dogs being dragged up the street. Kids were cheering because apparently they were the mean neighborhood dogs. We met with a local pastor and he explained that the community's greatest need was improved sanitation. But it was the children's smiles that were infectious. One child caught my eye on the walk... she was crippled and maybe 5 years old. She was playing in the dirt, just dragging her legs along. Oh, how I wanted to give her everything she would have in the states. Like a wheelchair! Or medical services that could probably fix her weak legs. Others tagged along with us the whole way. Godfrey was walking with us for a while before I even realized he was the son of an EMI guard! Godfrey later took me back to his home, where I said hello to his father, Patrick, and mother, Grace. Then Godfrey and his friends came back with us to Florence's school as we finished up the work. It was a whirlwind of a day.

Long story short: I now feel like I can strive in prayer for my own community here in Kampala. And I can't wait for heaven- when earthly suffering shall cease.

SForbes

Substitute Mum

This past week was full of great fun, unexpected blessings, lots of learning, and a fair share of challenges. On Monday night, I went over to the Jackson's house to begin my week of "substitute mum." (That's how they spell mom in Australia...) This week included:

-So much fun outdoor time! This awesome yard is a wonderful place for building dirt bike tracks, climbing trees, swinging, and kicking the soccer ball around. All of these activities were abundant this week.






-Movie time! We watched (and sang along with) the Sound of Music- the best. Also watched the original Parent Trap. Another gem. Watching movies with kids is somehow way more fun. You get to squirm and close your eyes if there is a kiss, squeal and laugh louder on all the good parts, and scream at any and all surprises and scary parts.

-A deeper learning about selfishness and selflessness. I thought God had broken me of my selfishness plenty before. But to be responsible for 3 other lives is a totally different ball game, folks! Trying to be there for others and meet their needs ALWAYS before your own? Tough. Because I am a selfish human being. Simply being a mother is one of the most selfless things I can think to do.

The kids picked flowers for me and set them in my room :)

-Lots of cuddling. Countless precious times my hand was captured by one of theirs, I found myself caught up in hugs, snuggling up during movies or lazy Sunday mornings. Talk about fun and heart-melting.

-A bit of discipline... So there are three Jackson kids (Brie-12, Madi-10, and Lachie-8) and then Evelyn, the Jackson's house help, has three younger ones (Jeremiah-4, Kevin-2, and Jacob-1). One time when we were all playing together Jeremiah disobeyed me, and so we had a little chat and he had to have a short time-out. Not ten minutes later, Kevin had misbehaved and little Madi was handling the situation so perfectly (with a chat and subsequent time-out). PRECIOUS. Watching the Jackson kids interact with Evelyn's kids was definitely a highlight.

-The realization that being a parent is going to be one of the toughest things I may ever do. On the first day, walking back from a store on the corner, the girls and I witnessed a bit of mob justice. A thief running away was caught and beat about 200ft away from us. Thankfully he was then taken to the police (not killed). This happened with THE GIRLS RIGHT NEXT TO ME! I could've cried then and there for feeling like I failed them. Mob justice is traumatizing for me, and I'm not 10 or 12. We talked it over the next day: to find out exactly what they had seen and heard, let them get it out and ask questions, and discuss justice and judgement. But obviously, I shared what happened with Jenny and Darren- and they will be the ones there for the girls to really process through what we saw. So I had to handle that for like a week- and was almost undone by it. I CANNOT imagine being the one responsible to help them process trauma longterm! Or to help them learn. Or to help them better understand the character of God. That is going to be so HARD! But it also gets me really excited that someday the Lord will equip me to take on that role.

-Getting tricked. Those kids probably had way more sugar this week than Mum and Dad ever let them. Oops.




-Fun girl time! On Saturday morning, when Lachie was at soccer, the girls and I had a baking day! We made some Australian staples (Lumberjack cake and Lemon Delicious) and had a grand ole time. Then, Saturday night Lachie went for a boys play date (watching Star Wars, playing wii...you know the drill.) The girls and I went over to another EMI family's house and we had a girls night! They had a tea party, got makeup and hair done in the "salon", got pedicures (courtesy of yours truly), and finished off the night with popcorn and movies. Total blast.



-Learning about good parenting. The Jackson kids are angels. Seriously. They look out for each other, catch themselves almost immediately if they disobey or are mean to each other, love to read and discuss their devotion book, are kind and loving to me and anyone else I've seen them with, and are so full of joy and delight. Jenny and Darren have done some great parenting! Though I know they wouldn't take any credit- they'd give it all back to God!



Praises:
-An awesome week with the Jacksons! I'm going to miss not seeing them as much!
-The last Burundi project trip returned this week! Praise for their successful trip and safe return to us.

Prayer Requests:
-Three of my favorite people are leaving me in a week! Christine (LTV), David, and Belinda (interns) are all leaving Kampala next week. Pray for their last few days here and for their next steps! (And pray for me, too, as I deal with them leaving me!)

You May Be In Kampala If:
-You have to worry about your children seeing mob justice...
-The kids beg you to eat with their hands. You know, to be culturally sensitive and all...

LOVE
SForbes

Hand to the Plow

So, guess what I'm doing this week? Taking responsibility for 3 kids... Scary, I know. The Jackson family (who I love and volunteer at Nsambya Babies Home with) trusts me to watch their kids. (Good decision on their part? I'm still not sure.) Jenny and Darren are going to be in Burundi this week for an EMI project trip- and so I'm going to be staying over with Brie (12), Maddy (10), and Lachie (8)! I am beyond excited because they are awesome! But, I think I will be exhausted by next Monday...

There's Brie and Lachie at Nsambya. Maddy and Jenny's faces are both hiding in the corners.

So... I know I told you all that I was coming here to do some engineering and construction management... but pretty much all I've blogged about is the precious children at Nsambya Babies Home, what God is teaching me, and some awesome African adventures.

But, from 8:30 AM to 5 PM every Monday through Friday, I am at work! If you're already bored, you should probably stop reading now. (Except to check out links to the ministries we're serving- because they are really amazing!) I have primarily worked on projects for two different ministry partners:

1. African Children's Choir- Music For Life LINK!

I have shared a bit about this ministry in a previous blog post. They are an amazing group that has taken many children from impoverished situations to give them education, music, and eternal hope for the future.

Since my time here, I have assisted with:
-a campus-wide rainwater catchment system estimating and purchasing
-site master planning
-architectural and some mechanical design, drafting, and 3D modeling for a new facility

Quantity take-offs, woo hoo!

Rainwater storage tanks...so exciting!

A 3D model ; whoopie!

Gutters!

Beautiful view!

2. Cherish Uganda LINK!

We visited this ministry in my first week here- and I immediately fell in love with how passionate the group is and the work they do! Last term (and finishing through this term) EMI has been master planning and designing a Health Clinic for the community.

The last few weeks, I have:
-helped create and maintain the construction project schedule
-refined a detailed estimate based on the permit drawings
-gone around town to do some landscape pricing

Rachael ,of Cherish Uganda, proudly standing in front of the EMI plans

The site for the Health Clinic!

Praises:
-Project work this week has been a blast! Cherish is a really cool project
-The community around me has been so helpful while I've been processing lots of lessons from the Lord!
-I have accepted a job! It has been a long and very challenging decision process- but I will be coming back to KC to start work in August!

Prayer Requests:
-That I would keep my focus on the present- not focusing much on August
-For the Jackson's this week! Pray that I don't break their kids!

You May Be in Kampala If:
-You are basically immune to people asking for your phone number. Or maybe are still really annoyed by it because it happens so often...
-Almost everything you eat is fresh and unprocessed (it's too expensive to add all those chemicals or something?)
-Monkeys live a few doors down from you in the empty lot. Seriously they do.
-You iron your clothes, not because you want them unwrinkled, but because you DON'T want mango flies to bury into your skin...(no worries; this hasn't happened to me yet!)

Thanks for everything!
SForbes

A concert at African Children's Choir that we went to. It was fun and very African :)

These are the 3 coolest EMI staff you'll probably ever see. Janet, Edith, and Stella (left to right)

Belinda and Oliver. More EMI love