Border Hoppin Bandit

Hey guys, so remember when I promised I would blog more about what the Lord is teaching me? This is not that blog post... Sorry! He is still teaching me and growing me so much... But I thought you lovely people may want an update on my illegality in Uganda.

It's official! I am illegally in Uganda right now. Yesterday Simei went back to immigration and they finally gave him some answers. Well, they gave him one answer: "No." Request denied for my special pass. Which means my case is no longer pending, and my initial visitor's visa expired last week while my case was still processing. 

Time for a border run! Based on my current contract with eMi (Engineering Ministries International), and to allow myself some flexibility with my departure date (in case Mom and Pops want to visit for a few weeks), we decided it would be best to apply for a work permit. But, it takes a while to get things together for a work permit application (a background check, transcripts, my credentials...) so I need to not be illegal...like now.

Guess who loves America? Rwanda does. They let us in for free and don't require visas, so some of the interns and I are going to make a lovely little weekend trip down to Rwanda! We are going to Kigali- hopefully spend an afternoon or so in the city, visit a very cool memorial, and spend some time with a dear family that is friends with eMi staff Jeff and Jen Austin. Leaving probably tomorrow, Friday, on an overnight bus, and staying through Sunday for another overnight bus that brings us back to Kampala by Monday morning/afternoon.

IN SUMMARY:

This maybe sounds a bit disjointed and confusing- because it is. But the long and short of it is that I need to leave Uganda (because I'm here illegally) so that I can re-enter Uganda and get a visitor's visa (and be legal again while we apply for my work permit.) Which means- my greatest prayer request is that I am able to get a 3-month visitor's visa upon re-entry to Uganda.

Praise:
-The Lord is good and he knows what he's doing.

Prayer Request:
-That I get a 3-month visa when I re-enter Uganda
-That my fellow interns all get 3-month visas as well! Otherwise they could end up in my current situation!

You May be in Kampala If:
-You are illegally in Kampala...

Love you all!
SForbes

Another beautiful sunrise from my balcony this week. Sorry if these are getting old...they aren't for me!

Daniel Iya, I, and Matt Lammers. Matt (emi UK intern) got to visit us on his way to his project trip. Yay for reunions!

Interns hanging out and being awesome.

Meggie and I cooking up some grub! Nice chopping, Meggie. 

The old rock quarry is now a pretty lily pond!

Jenny Jackson and Florence asleep at Nsambya this week.

Honeymoon's Over

Thanks to our dear friend: Giardia. He is a little parasite that I am not going to tell you any more about because he is mean and gross. Something I ate or drank introduced me to him. I have been mildly sick the last two days and today he has taken me out of the game completely. Literally flat on my back all day. Thankfully I have plenty of meds and I expect our relationship to end soon.

BUT- otherwise the post title isn't really true. I still love it here and wouldn't be anywhere else. And just to prove it, here is a photo of my beautiful sunrise this morning and then one of the Nsambya kids, that I love, playing yesterday afternoon.

Also, at home right now there is some ridiculous amount of snow- and I'm so thankful not to deal with that! Bring on the sun, equator!

SForbes

One Month In!

Hey everybody!

I have not updated this for a while, and am almost approaching my one-monthiversary in Kampala! I arrived on the 22nd of January.

First, here is the summary of my illegal alien status: I may actually be one in 2 short days. My case is pending with the immigration office though, so my staying in the country should be acceptable. I have applied for a special pass, which is what eMi interns normally do. But they have not liked it since I am in the country for 6 months and the passes only go up to 5 months. However, I currently have a 1-month visitor's visa. 1+5=6 right? Apparently the one month visa counts against my special pass, or something like that. So I may have to apply for a work permit. But those take 2-3 months to process. And it is appearing that I may not get a special pass for that interim 2-3 months, which means I would not be allowed to volunteer during that processing time....
SO, yesterday our office staff, Simei, went to immigration to check on my case. And they told him that they wanted to see me in person. This is an unusual request, and has not historically ended well for eMi. So, Brittany (eMi staff) and Simei and I went to immigration today, a little nervously. After shuffling from the counter lady to a big office guy, we are told to go home. Immigration actually wants to "discuss my fate" with the NGO board, not me. Oops, sorry. Simei will go check again tomorrow, so for now "No news is good news", right? Unfortunately for eMi, some of the regulations for special passes have recently changed, but we are unaware of the specifics. So, I'm not the only one in limbo right now. My fellow conman, Daniel Nyongesa, came up to visit us this week for a little stop in with Interpol to request a background check from Kenya to verify something or other...so on and so forth for his work permit. And the returning interns are in similar boats as myself. Hope I'm not sounding super negative! Really, I'm not too worried. I know that God is totally in control of it all and if he wants us here, this is where we will be. Just a little picture of red-tape Ugandan style!

This is my fellow conman, Daniel Nyongesa. He is super proud of his "farmer" boots in this photo.

In other news, it has been a fun week for relationships! We went over to the Austin's (staff family) house for dinner and testimonies last Friday. We had a good time playing with the kids, eating DELICIOUS food, and then hearing their stories. I just love hearing how God has brought people to this place. His story is always so exciting, and his plan of redemption is so beautiful! Jeff, in particular shared about how when he was working at a youth camp- he was led to The Lord by a 2nd grader. How cool is God?

There's Paul playing with the Austin kids. They built quite a tower!

On Sunday we said goodbye to Anne, Uriah, and Phil as they left for their project trip to Burundi. I miss them already! But that same night we welcomed back the first project team, which included Meggie, David, and Sarah. It feels like I'm never going to get all my roommates back! I miss Anne, but I'm glad to have Meggie home...she makes lots of food for us! Also, I love her. But the food is good. Speaking of food, Belinda and I learned how to make chapati this weekend! Yummy!!

Work is getting super busy! I think I mentioned it in my last post or two, but I am now working on a design project for African Children's Choir in Entebbe, and trying to stay involved with a CM project there as well. If I have time, I may get the chance to help out with the estimating of a project for Cherish Uganda. And in two weeks it looks like the secondary school for Good Shepherd's Fold and Amazima may kick in!

Hopefully I can update some more in a few days- especially in regards to what The Lord has been doing lately. He is teaching me SO MUCH! And I love it.

Praises:
-Project trips! Burundi team #1 returned, and #2 is now there. Another small emiEA team is in Western Uganda this week, and an emiUSA team is arriving in Kampala next week! Yeah yeah!
-Nsambya Babies Home and the Jackson family are such a blessing! Things have been going very well with our volunteering there.
-Meggie, my roomie, and Sarah, my mentor, being home!

Prayer Requests:
-Church group! I'm hoping I'll have the chance to try one out next week!
-Bad news: I got a little homesick this week. I knew this day would come, and it probably means that I love and miss you guys so that's good. BUT, I'm still in the honeymoon stage with African life, so that's a praise! Just missing you all!
-For diligence and focus at work. I am working in a few areas outside of my comfort zone, which is good for me! But it also makes things a lot more challenging some days.

You May be in Kampala If:

It almost looks like a dealership in the States! What!?

-Your 15-passenger van carries, eh, 25 people?
-You make a Ugandan friend one day, and the next, she invites you over to her house! They are way friendlier here than even in the Midwest!
-You eat rice and beans. A lot
-Avocados (as previously mentioned are giant here) are so prevalent that you have a giant tree at your office, where you can pick them up when they fall. FOR FREE. I love free things.

Thank you all for the blessing and encouragement you are to me!

SForbes

Daniel N, Ramadan, and Daniel I. Ramadan is a local who has become great friends with Paul and David, and he has the coolest testimony! I am enjoying becoming his friend, now, too!

This is the road I walk to/from work. I see a view like this about every other day. So pretty!

Illegal Alien?

This is just a quick update to ask for your prayers!

When I first arrived in Uganda at customs in Entebbe, I tried to get a standard visitor's visa for 3 months. They told me I did not qualify since I was volunteering and that I would need to apply for a work permit. So I spent $50 for a visa for one month, which is what is costs to get the usual 3 months....

And then eMi said we would try to get a visitor's pass for me for the remaining 5 months ($100). Simei, one of the eMi staff went today to apply for me. Thanks to his entreaties, they did not deny it! Hopefully I will be able to get a special pass. But they again said that I would likely need to apply for a work permit ($250). The cost is not my largest concern, but it is frustrating to continue to pay more than what others have before me. 

So please just be praying for something to work out in the next week! My original one-month visa runs out on the 22nd (I think). And the processing of a request can take time. So just keep that in your prayers!

Thanks all!

SForbes

(And now, some pictures from Nsambya Babies Home. Today was so fun with them!)

This is Peter.

That's Bri and Lockey Jackson with the kids

Dan decided to make a funny face for the picture. He normally smiles

Florence was a skilled builder with the Jenga blocks!

Moses giving the house kitty some love.

This is John.

That's Maddie Jackson with the kids

Daniel's expression is priceless here. He's the one in overalls...

Day by Day

These posts will hopefully stay a little bit shorter now that I am settling into daily life in Kampala. Not to say that I am an old pro- but those first few days everything is so different and new that I have to tell you about it! Now, some of those things feel normal. Some, mind you, not all.

This week was full again of great things! At the Engineering Ministries International (EMI) office, projects are kicking into gear. This week I did some CM work with cost and quantity for the African Children's Choir campus in Entebbe. The CM project is a rainwater catchment system and pump. Also there this week we had a programming meeting for their next campus phase! They are planning on moving their "training" component to the same campus as their primary school, and eMi is updating their campus master plan and designing the training facility on the campus. I am on this team with Daniel Iya, Paul, and John Sauder is our project leader. The programming meeting was so fun! We went out to their campus and walked around with the ministry directors, learning about the ministry, the vision, and the land. The primary school is back in session, so we saw the children running around during lunch and between classes. They were so sweet! Almost every child came up and said "Hello, Auntie!" or some derivative. Many accompanied this kind greeting with handshakes and hugs. They had such precious attitudes. You could see the impact on their lives from being a part of the African Children's Choir ministry. I loved seeing that.

See those precious kiddos in their uniforms? Also, I wore white pants in Africa. I was pretty proud of how white they still were at the end of the day.

It was also a tough week to be away from home, and the Lord has been teaching me (since like October...) that his timing is best. I need to trust that his timing is good even if it doesn't seem like it to me. A little excerpt from my devotional (thanks Jan!) is a great picture of this:

"Your part is to yield to My creative work in you, neither resisting it nor trying to speed it up. Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace. Hold My hand in childlike trust, and the way before you will open up step by step." (From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, on January 25th)

I think I'm going to learn this more and more, especially as I approach July. Not having a set plan months in advance is not a comfortable place for me. I think I will need to focus on not trying to speed everything up!

Some other random tidbits from this week:

We had an eMi girls night on Friday. The eMi women welcomed us newbies into the club with necklaces, desserts, and fun games. It was a good time!

I babysat for the Austins, a staff family. They have 3 kids, and the youngest is 2 named Isaac. I had a blast with all of them, but especially Isaac because I pictured little Saxton running around in a year.

Also, Daniel Iya got engaged this weekend! His fiance has been working in Jinja for I think a year or so with Good Shepherd's Fold Orphanage. He visited her this weekend, and popped the question! We are so excited for him!

Prayer Requests:
-An eMi project team is currently in Burundi! Meggie, and David (interns) are both on this trip, as well as Sarah (my eMi mentor). Pray for their work and relationships with the ministry and volunteers!
-Again, please continue to pray for the Nsambya Babies Home! I know the Lord has a good work to do there!
-God is teaching me about HIS timing. And I'm thick-headed. Pray for a teachable spirit.

Praises:
-My iphone works here now! I feel superficial being so excited- but it is a blessing of more consistent contact with my friends and family. And I love that!
-I am still very healthy! I haven't been sick at all since we arrived!
-Sundays. As a day of rest, this is a blessing and a joy. I get to spend my time talking with family, the Lord, and taking naps! (photos from my lazy Sunday are below...)

       

You May be in Kampala if:

-Cereal is a great treat! It's all imported and thus super expensive. It's also "mzungu" food so they know they can charge more for it...

-You buy a piece of land, but can't do anything with it because of squatters living there. So you maybe have to buy them off, to pay again for your own land...

-Avocados are the size of a softball, or bigger. and delicious.

-You show up for a meeting scheduled at 9. The meeting starts at 10, which is when you needed to leave by.

-Gorgeous views surround you and you almost start to forget about them because of how frequent they are!

Miss you all! 

SForbes

(This is my desk at the office! I'm still working on the bulletin board, so don't worry if you don't see yourself up there! )

Learning to be a ConMan

I started writing this on Friday night in Kampala, and the only two lights in the room are my screen and the candle. Power is out again. TIA baby. This is Africa. I think I must still be in the "honeymoon" stage of culture shock, because these things don't bother me yet. It's just like, "Oh, ok. How quaint." I'm told this will not be my reaction in a few weeks, when I'm homesick. But, hey, it doesn't bother me yet!

Full Team!

Intern dance parties are the best. I think this is the Africa song?

This week on Tuesday our brave Mt. Kili climbers returned. It is so great to finally meet everyone! Paul and Meggie are both a joy to be around- we are blessed with the coolest group of interns here. We are also borrowing Katie Hawkes from the Colorado Springs office for a week before she leaves on her project trip to Kenya. I am pretty sure that God put her here this week just so I could meet her. She is a bundle of fun, and a KState grad- so we have some more Kansas blood in the area! The rest of the office staff is all here now, too. I am still getting to know everyone, but I can tell you they already have to be pretty cool to live and work here. We also had our first intern Bible Study this week at Phil and Emily Greene's house. (PS I love their kids Evelyn, Jonathan, and Luke!) David led us through a powerful look into the first section of Habakuk. We talked about questioning God and how to come to him in faith vs. in doubt. It was a humbling and enlightening discussion. We also bid Daniel Nyongesa farewell as he went back to the Construction site in Rukungiri. It is sad to see him go, but exciting because I know he is bringing Christ to his entire construction crew every day.

Orphanage

I volunteered for the first time this week at Nsambya Babies Home. A new LTV (long term volunteer) family from Australia has been going for the last few weeks. I joined Jenny Jackson and her three kids as we went to love on the children at the orphanage, all age 6 and under. It was a rainy day, and so the children were all crammed into this small playroom. Maybe 30 kids? THEY ARE PRECIOUS. Every child is so desperate for attention, they just want to be loved and delighted in! I am soo glad I went with the Jacksons because Jenny brought playdough and books and games to share. I was able to watch Jenny, Bri (12), Maddy (10), and Lockey (8) love on the children despite the language barrier and lack of man power. I am so excited to get back there and love on the kids.

Working at eMi
I started actually working this week! I have been working on a rainwater and pipe system for the African Children's Choir campus this week. I helped out with a few CAD details and then got to do quantity take-offs and put together a small estimate. Then I got to go around town and do price checking! (They don't have Home Depot here?) It was an interesting experience and very worthwhile. It is going to be tough learning all of the design and construction differences in Uganda, but I'm starting to catch on. Daniel Nyongesa, the CM intern working in southern Uganda, taught me this week that I am training to be a ConMan (Construction Manager.) So that's what we call ourselves now, haha. I am so energized when I know what I am doing is useful, and I have a feeling this will be a theme during my time with eMi!

See? I'm doing actual work! Love it!

(PS I added some more to this post on Saturday afternoon. That morning I enjoyed a LOVELY walk in sunny 70 degrees with a light breeze, and enjoyed a mini banana pancake that Belinda shared with me from a roadside vender. This place is beautiful.)

Praises:
-The fulfilling work! I am so blessed to already be serving meaningfully with eMi
-Our apartment is shaping up nicely! This week our sink was fixed, our refrigerator and stove hooked up, and lights installed!
-Meeting our full team, they are wonderful! The climbers are all back and we've met the entire intern group. I love EVERYONE!

Me, David, and Katie on the shores of Lake Victoria. So pretty!

Prayer Requests:
-For the Nsambya Babies home. The children need to know how loved they are by The Lord, and I wan't to help communicate that to them even though they don't speak English!
-To deepen the relationships that are already starting. I am so excited to see how God will use us to impact each other.
-BIG ONE: To find the church God has for me here! I want to get plugged in quickly! (....So I wrote that prayer request on Saturday. It is now Sunday afternoon- and I think I have found a church to get involved in! How quickly The Lord answers prayer!)

You May Be In Kampala If:
-you don't have to refrigerate your eggs because they are always so fresh
-you can't refrigerate too many things anyway because of brown and black outs
-you start thinking about yelling "mzungu" when you see another white person, too
-it is ladylike to ride sidesaddle in a skirt on a boda boda, motorcycle taxi. (I've done this, yay!)

Jan 27 Journal Excerpt:
"I love you so much I will go to the ends of the earth for you, my King. I would never see my family, never know love, and even die for your sake if you asked it of me. But you have not. You call me in to this adventure with you...and you bless me even further! I could never attain this kind of love. I cannot even fathom it."
Just a reminder about the exciting adventure The Lord has called us ALL into!

SForbes

Meggie, Katie, and I enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon at the pool.