Kampala, Christmas, and So On...

I’m sitting here at the Baptist Mission Guesthouse in Kampala, enjoying the cool breeze of the fan pointed at my easy chair. We’re getting ready to pack up and leave soon and I’ve been feeling reflective this morning. I feel a little sad to be leaving Kampala after 4 days here. The time went by fast and I really enjoyed this city. I’ve enjoyed luxuries that are far from available in Bundibugyo like: Indian take-out, stores filled to the brim with selection, air conditioning in my room at night (!), a vague sense of anonymity, doing laundry in a washing machine, and great cell phone reception everywhere I go. This is still Uganda though so my time here has also been full of: countless marriage proposals and sweat, lots of sweat.

I feel hesitant about re-entering life in Bundibugyo. I’m thankful for a few days in Fort Portal to act as a buffer. I’m reminded of Anna and the Johnsons who are about to re-enter Bundibugyo, not from Kampala but from the even greater land of abundance—America. Pray for them as they have had to say good-byes yet again and attempt to re-adjust yet again. Going back to Bundibugyo will be hard but I am so thankful for things to look forward to there: the reunion of team, a Ugandan wedding to attend, returning to my “home”, and the Christmas season approaching.

Speaking of which, I realized this morning just how hard it has been to “get into the Christmas spirit” for me. I’m finding that Christmas means a lot of different things to me—cold weather, sweaters and scarves, the warm glow of Christmas lights and those ridiculous inflatable things people put in their yards, sitting under a warm blanket while watching TV with overplayed Christmas commercials, hearing Christmas music in every store and listening to it while baking cookies, decorating the tree and always having to drape the gold ribbon around for my mom, eating way too much delicious food, and singing Christmas carols at church. I think I’ve come to the realization that so much of that list has nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas. While I still miss it all, I wonder if the lack of commercialism may help me remember why we’re really celebrating. I’m looking forward to seeing what Christmas in Uganda holds for me and am also praying that the Christmas lights I bought here in Kampala work at our house :)

Lastly, in this stream of consciousness post, I’d like you to join with me in praying about my role in Bundibugyo. I realized shortly before I left, while talking with Pat, that I can basically write my own job description in Bundi. Exciting, freeing, and also a little overwhelming. As I’ve spent the last two months learning about the various ministries of the team, I’m praying about where God would use my gifts best. It can seem discouraging that I don’t have a particular “slot” to fill—I’m not a doctor, nurse, teacher, or agriculturalist. I have skills but often feel that they’re lacking. So pray with me as I return to Bundibugyo and the team reunites that I would feel God’s calling to a particular ministry and find my niche, serving in a place where I feel useful and find joy.