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| The killing of the duck to eat...the kids loved it! |
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| Mama Werema steaming the duck to get all the feathers off |
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| Jeanette and I cutting up some veggies for dinner |
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| The football team in their new jerseys looking so nice |
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| The girls and I playing some football/soccer after the boys game...yes barefoot |
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The highest scoring student in each Form/Grade (1-4) and their gift from Jacob...
there were many jealous students as a result. |
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| Me teaching our after-school English Book Club |
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| Bronte (our Australian Missionary friend), Jacob, and I cruising on the Nile. |
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| The stunning and treacherous Nile River |
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| The first waterfall...I am in the middle and holding on for my life! |
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The first flip...I got stuck under the boat and had to be rescued by a safety kayaker.
I couldn't breathe for a little while and was absolutely terrified! |
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| The guide for some reason does not look very scared in this picture |
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I am in the middle, and I think I was supposed to be paddeling but fell down
obviously in the raft |
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| The rapids were so big and powerful. You think to yourself "How am I still alive?," but then you just want to go again...such craziness! |
Every single day I think to myself, even now ten months later, how I got here. I cannot describe how fortunate and blessed I feel to be here, and to be doing what I have dreamed of doing. I posted so many pictures this time because hopefully all the pictures above will help to describe and explain my feelings and the incredible joy I find in my life and work. There are so many days when I think if I get another mosquito bite, or if another student does not stop doing other class work in my class while I am trying to teach, I might just have to quit. But, as always in life, there are those days that make up for everything bad that has happened; these pictures represent those days.
We have had these ducks waddling around the house for months now, and finally this past week we discovered why they are there. I had never seen anyone in the village eat duck before, but this week the family, especially the kids, had so much fun killing and eating one of the ducks. The kids chasing the duck and mama stuffing it in a pot to steam if before trying to remove all the feathers, brought so much joy to my day.
Mama Anna always gives her new baby Jeanette to one of her older children to take care of, and then they always come to the house to try and play with the rest of their brothers and sisters. This is okay, but Jeanette is always in the way because she is a baby. I love it because then she can stay with me and do whatever I am doing, which is usually cooking dinner. As you can see however, she mostly just sleeps the time away. It is such a sweet time though that I cherish.
Jacob was able to get jerseys, balls, and cleats for the school as well through a friend back in America. I cannot tell you how excited the teachers and students were about this. They maybe were even more excited about the soccer equipment and jerseys than the library and books…which is sad, but kind of hilarious I guess. We had a game to break in the jerseys between Form 4 and Form 2 and Form 1 and Form 3. Form 4 and From 2 won, barely though as Jacob scored a goal for the other team on accident. Let’s just say that soccer is not his best sport. The students loved it and laughed so hard though. I also got to play with the girls after the boys’ game. As a former soccer player, I absolutely loved it. However, playing in bare feet is rough to say the least. I had so many thorns in my feet after the game. Also, with fifty balls being sent we have been able to give them to other schools in nearby villages and use them as prizes for students. We gave the best student in each Form a ball for their hard work in having the highest average overall in all subjects on their mid-term tests. They were so proud of themselves that they wanted their picture taken. Although, one student asked Jacob how much the ball was worth. We think he wants to sell it to buy books maybe…too funny really.
Lastly, after mid-terms Jacob and I had a week off to rest. We decided to go to Uganda to raft the mighty Nile River. After seven daladalas over two days of travelling through Tanzania and Kenya we finally arrived with our Australian missionary friend Bronte in Jinja, Uganda. I cannot describe how absolutely beautiful it was. We stayed at a camp overlooking the Nile, it was just what I needed to refresh my mind and body. I had been rafting before in North Carolina or Tennessee, I cannot remember where really, but let’s just say this was extreme rafting. We even had to get out of the boat and carry it around certain rapids because they were too dangerous. It was so much fun though. When you first flip out of the boat and get stuck under it while still going through rapids, you think I am never doing this again if I make it through the rest of this, but then when you are finished, you just want to go again and again. Hopefully some of the pictures can better describe the incredible power and quickness of the river. I was terrified, but usually things that are hard are always worth it. It was incredible.
I hope you all are well, and as usual I miss you dearly. I cannot believe I only have a month left and will hopefully see you all soon. I cannot really think about leaving at the moment, but I know that God as he has always been will be faithful in my going as he was in my coming. Love you, Katie J
