Going Batty

A short term team arrived from North Carolina earlier this week and it has been fun getting to know them and sharing life in Bundibugyo with them. The first day, someone asked me “What is the biggest change you’ve noticed since arriving here 3 months ago? What is now normal that was strange then?” One of the first things that came to mind was that I’ve grown somewhat used to the abundance of creatures that we share our homes with here. I don’t think I’ll ever get entirely used to it but I’m no longer terrified every time a cockroach jumps out of a cookbook or a lizard does laps in our ceiling.

I guess God heard my statement because that night I had a creature adventure at 3 am. I woke up and heard a clicking/whirring noise that sounded like a very large bug. I was thankful for my mosquito net and tried to go back to sleep. After a while I decided to get up and look around with my headlamp and I was in for a surprise. Perched on the mosquito netting at the foot of my bed was a round, furry lump. I quickly realized it was a bat. Gross. I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I allowed myself to wake up a little bit and then decided I needed to get the bat out of my room before I could go back to sleep.

I found a pillowcase, stared at the bat for about 3 minutes gathering courage, and then managed to get the bat into the pillowcase. I RAN outside with it, while it was chirping and making unhappy bat noises. I tried to shake it out and let it free but it wouldn’t come out. So I left the pillowcase on our front porch, hoping it would find its way out, and went back to bed.

The next morning, Anna and Pat went outside to say good-bye to a friend. I was still in bed sleeping off my 3 am adventure. Anna saw the pillowcase and realized there was a bat inside. She and Pat were confused as to why someone would put a bat in a pillowcase on our front porch. Had someone tried to put a curse on us?

When I got up, I told them my tale and the batty pillowcase made a lot more sense. The past two nights have been bat-free and I’ve been thankful for good sleep :) You never know what you’ll find here!

The President Comes to Town

On February 18^th, Uganda will hold its Presidential elections and political campaign posters have been plastered everywhere for months. But on Monday, Uganda’s current President Y.K. Museveni came to Nyahuka—a truly historic event! The day began like any other Monday; Zainabo and Susana arrived in the morning ready to wash dishes and clothes (a true blessing in a place where daily life takes such time and effort!). We started to cut up mangoes and heard a wide variety of reports as to when Museveni would arrive. We heard motorcycles beeping in the road and decided to set out in search of the President.

As we drove down the road, I was amazed at the sea of yellow that downtown Nyahuka had become. (Yellow is the color of the NRM; Museveni’s political party) Everyone was searching for the funds to buy official Museveni t-shirts and all kind of campaigning merchandise appeared out of nowhere. You could buy Museveni shirts, baseball hats, visors, noisemakers, badges, and so much more. I’ve never before seen anything closer to true commercialism in Bundibugyo.

We kept driving towards the official venue and the road was literally filled with people walking there, carrying NRM campaign posters on sticks and there was a general feeling of excitement and camaraderie. Our car slowly pushed through the crowds and we entered even more crowds as we got in line for the security checks. It amazed me that there was a metal detector all the way out here! After getting a thorough pat-down, we entered and scoped out a good vantage point to see the action but not be suffocated by a huge crowd. Empty windowsills of a half-finished school classroom set on a hill were perfect. The six of us perched ourselves like birds and enjoyed the sunshine and cool breeze while we waited. More and more people were pouring in, traditional dances began, and we gave into the excitement by buying visors with the colors of the Ugandan flag.

Eventually, soldiers had us move out of the windowsills as we were blocking their view for security purposes. At this point, our mzungu skin came in handy and we were able to sit under one of the two tents seemingly reserved for VIPs. We had fourth row seats to the action and listened to a lot of other candidates as they campaigned for their positions. We listened to Lubwisi and we waited. And waited. And waited some more. We weren’t surprised by the waiting but it was still warm and we’d skipped lunch. My excitement was waning by the time Museveni finally arrived with his entourage but the experience was still fascinating. It was difficult to tell all that was happening since little to none of the dialogue was in English. But it was quite an experience to be sitting in the middle of a political rally in rural Uganda.

I won’t share my personal thoughts about the political situation in Uganda; I don’t feel I’ve been here long enough to make many judgments anyway. But it was an honor to see the President and have such a unique cultural experience so close to my new home of Nyahuka! You can be praying for a peaceful and corruption-free election process as February 18 draws closer too.

A historic event--the first ever traffic jam in Nyahuka.

Christmas in Bundibugyo

I had a great Christmas here in Bundibugyo! It was a little strange to celebrate in the heat and humidity, with a flip-flop suntan, but there were several moments when I thought to myself "this feels like Christmas." And I certainly felt that I understood the sacrifice that our Savior made in coming to this earth in a whole new way this year. Here are a few photos from the several days of festivities! (They're a little out of order :)

Blowing out the candles on Jesus's birthday cake.

So glad I brought these sunglasses from Wal-Mart with me :)

Aidan swinging away.

Church on Christmas morning.

Everyone dressed in their new Christmas clothes.

The spread for Christmas morning breakfast. Yum!

Kym enjoying her sunglasses too :)

Nativity play on Christmas Eve.

Three wise women and two angels for the nativity.

Two More Stories...

Here are the last two interviews I did with Christ School students. I'm looking forward to doing more when the term begins again in February!

Meet Nyangoma Agnes. Her story is one full of pain and hardship but also one of victory. She comes from Buganikere village and enjoys visiting home on term breaks, where she helps in her aunt’s shop and plays with her uncle’s young children. Agnes completed primary school but there was no money for her to attend secondary school. God provided her with a sponsorship at Christ School, where she began to learn about God and the teachings of the Bible. When she came down with smallpox, she thought death was near but after being healed, she began to trust God with her whole life. Two years ago, Agnes’s twin sister died. As Agnes remembers her sister, tears roll down her cheeks and the pain is still great. However, Agnes can still say “God has done great things for me”. She says with confidence that God has always been with her as she has passed through many troubles. She also states that God is for her and not against her, pointing to the evidence as she prepares to graduate from Christ School. Agnes has a passion for math and economics and hopes to one day become a businesswoman. Join us in praying for Agnes and other students of Christ School—that they would have similar stories of triumph and be able to say “God has done great things for me”.

Meet Kansiime Asumini. She calls Bumate village her home and answers my questions in a soft-spoken voice with a smile. We find common ground being the youngest child in our families and she tells me about her favorite Nigerian movie. Asumini recalls both the happy and the sad life-changing moments that have occurred in her nineteen years. She remembers the joy she felt at being accepted at Christ School as well as the discouragement of becoming ill during her first term there. While teachers made preparations for her to return to her home, a friend and fellow student named Miriam, prayed for Asumini. Soon after, there was no more talk of Asumini returning home due to her illness—she had been healed! Remembering God’s healing power, Asumini says she learned that “God has plans for me and He can make a way when there seems to be no way.” As she dreams of what those plans may hold, Asumini hopes to become a journalist, taking photos and writing stories of important events in Uganda. Join us in praying for Asumini as she graduates from Christ School, that her light would shine brightly here in Uganda.

Another Christ School Story

I had hoped to post a story of a Christ School student everyday but sometimes living in Uganda doesn't allow for that! Here is another story though:

Meet Kule Isaiah. At nineteen, he is confident and a born-leader. He eagerly explains to me that “Kule” is the name given to a third born male child. When asked about his journey to Christ School, he responds, “God did me a favor in coming here”. At the age of eight, Isaiah’s father was killed in rebel warfare. Isaiah felt hopeless and feared his future had been lost. His mother remained faithful to God and when Isaiah approached secondary school age, she told him to pray, as there was no money for school. He came to Christ School to interview for a sponsorship but the registrations had already been completed. He still interviewed, hoping for a miracle, and was found to be among the top 10 new students. When God answered Isaiah and his mother’s prayers, his life was changed. As he attended Christ School, he began to learn more about God and His character. Today he boldly proclaims that “God is the father of the fatherless.” Isaiah hopes to graduate from Christ School in one year and dreams of completing a Bible course afterwards. He also hopes to continue on and receive a degree in medicine so that he can give back and care for orphans. Join us in praying for Isaiah and the many other students with promise at Christ School, that they would become strong, Christian leaders of Uganda.

Would you consider blessing future CSB students? I would love to introduce you to one of them! We will have 10 new freshman scholarship students in 2011. You can sponsor a child for $600 a year ($50 a month) or give a one time gift and help fund Christ School's work in shaping the next generation of Ugandans! For more information visit http://www.whm.org/csb. OR just send me an email at chrissychip@gmail.com.

Another Giving Opportunity

One of the ministry opportunities I've enjoyed the most the past few months has been spending time at Christ School. It is a Christian secondary boarding school that was started by World Harvest Mission to provide Ugandan students with a quality, Christian education. It has grown quickly and this past year was the first year it functioned under a Ugandan headmaster. Another wonderful aspect of this school is the sponsorship program, which allows orphaned or needy students the opportunity to attend school at no cost. Paying school fees is at the front of every student's mind here and being sponsored is a privilege and amazing blessing. I've loved spending time with some of these sponsored students--studying the Word and praying with some of the girls once a week. And in November, I had the opportunity to interview several of them, hearing their stories and how God is at work in their lives. I'll be posting a story every day for the next 4 days so enjoy!

Meet Kansiime Christine. Hailing from Ntandi village, she looks forward to breaks from school when she can go home to visit with her mother and seven sisters—sitting around the fire and sharing stories. Christine is a confident young woman at the age of twenty. She is passionate about literature and reading novels; Emma’s War is her current favorite. As we talk, she is eager to share her story and all that God has done in her life. Christine’s father died when she was young. Her mother managed to scrape by and support her children but there was no money for Christine to go to a high-quality, private school. Instead, she attended the local primary school but she worked hard and earned the highest grades in the district. As she finished primary school, Christine’s mother broke the news that she would not have the money to pay for her to attend secondary school. Christine was devastated but soon after she received a letter telling of the sponsorship program at Christ School. She was fearful as she had never been to Bundibugyo but she gathered her courage and interviewed. Two hundred students were competing for ten sponsorship slots and the hopes of a quality education. Christine was accepted and has been amazed at God’s provision for her entire secondary school education. She is looking forward to graduating from Christ School and hopes to become a teacher or public administrator involved in social services. Join us in praying for Christine, that she would rely on God to help her achieve great things for Uganda.

Would you consider blessing future CSB students? I would love to introduce you to one of them! We will have 10 new freshman scholarship students in 2011. You can sponsor a child for $600 a year ($50 a month) or give a one time gift and help fund Christ School's work in shaping the next generation of Ugandans! For more information visit http://www.whm.org/csb. OR just send me an email at chrissychip@gmail.com

Reflections on a Year Full of Change

The last year has been one of extreme transition. A year ago today, I was finishing up finals at college, looking forward to a long Christmas break at home with my family. I knew it would probably be the last Christmas I would spend with them for a little while but I was completely unaware that I’d be living in Bundibugyo, Uganda the following Christmas.

In the past 12 months I have had some major life changes. I graduated from college, did some waitressing, worked at my home church, enjoyed an American summer. I raised support in record time and said more bittersweet good-byes than I wanted to. And I moved to Uganda. That’s a big one.

Along with each of these transitions and adjustments, there has been joy and grief. But today as I read Exodus 17, I was reminded of the faithfulness of those around me. When the Israelites fought Amalek, they would start winning when Moses held up his hands. But when he lowered his hands, they would start to lose the battle. His arms became tired so Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses and held up his hands until the sun set and Israel had defeated Amalek.

Today this became such a visual representation of those who have come around me to support me in this year of transition, this year of mountain highs and valley lows. Many of you have supported me financially to help me get to this place. Many of you have offered countless prayers, joining me in crying out to God. Many of you have blessed me with words of encouragement or actions of love at just the right moment, when I needed it the most.

As I reflect on the past year, I am astounded by all that God has done and all that He continues to do. I praise Him and thank Him for each one of you. As Christmas draws near and the year of 2010 comes to a close, I hope you know what an integral part you play in God’s redeeming work in my life and in the lives of the people of Bundibugyo. If you feel led to give toward my support costs, the link to give is below. I’ll also be introducing a giving opportunity for a specific ministry here in the days to come so pray about what God might have you do. I know I am keeping you in suspense but hopefully I will have Internet access tomorrow!

Thank you, thank you again for all that you’ve done in loving me and the people of Bundibugyo well. May you have a blessed Christmas in which you remember the great Light that came to pierce the darkness!

Personal support giving link:http://www.whm.org/give/missionary?ID=51026

Stay tuned for more!