TIA (This is Africa!)

I don't know how I have only been here about 72 hours... I guess when every single part of the day is new and different it makes it seem much longer! In a good way of course! 

Let me catch you up to speed on the last 3 days. 

Day 1) Dayna and I arrived in Enteebe, which is about 30 min south of Kampala. We took a private hire taxi (you will understand the difference later!) to the Matoke Inn. The Inn is run by AIM missionaries and in the same compound as the AIM office. Our way to the inn was full of new sights and sounds including 3 monkeys on a fence right as we left the airport, and plenty of other animals running around along the sides of the roads! The inn is a beautiful very homey place where multiple missionaries and friends/family stay when they arrive or on off days. 

Sunday morning we went to Watoto church on Sunday morning which was fabulous! It is a very large english speaking church with multiple campuses throughout Kampala. It was started my a Canadian couple, but the campus we attended was run by all Ugandans. It was beautiful worship, not much different from home actually. The series the church is doing this month is 'A Blessed Family'. I enjoyed the very biblical message about marriage!

Today (Monday) was a very exciting day! It was our first day to actually go into Kampala, verses being on the outskirts. Words will not be able to describe all that I saw and experienced! It was amazing! There are three primary forms of public transportation here: Boda boda, taxi, and private hire taxi. A boda boda is a motorbike with a driver and you get on the back. I'm so sad I forgot to take a picture! There are thousands of them all around and they zip in and out of the CRAZY traffic here. Scary but so much fun! A picture will come later...

Taxis operate more like buses, but are large vans. There are no designated stops, you must know where you are going and let the driver know when you would like off. The best part about the taxis is the taxi part in downtown Kampala! Its where all the taxis hangout until they are full. I thought the driving and roads all around Kampala were busy, the taxi park is a huge maze of vans! Also, pedestrians have no right away, its taxis then bodas then people. This causes crossing the street to be a death trap! We got more comfortable with every cross though haha 

 Taxi Park

Inside the taxi- they fit ~14 people

I was so thankful for our wonderful guide Rhona who works at the AIM office. She explained everything but didn't baby us one bit haha. We stopped for some yummy ice cream during one of our long walks around the city. She is an amazing woman with a beautiful testimony showing how it doesn't matter what you've done or or what you are currently seeking in life, God can call you to himself and transform you! It was very encouraging that she was so honest about God's work in her life. It reminded me that I should never be ashamed to truthfully tell where I was before I knew God, and everything He has transformed!! 

Rhona and Dayna the other nurse that will serving at GSF 

Overall the last few days have been full of learning and more learning. Sometimes it has felt overwhelming, sometimes I feel like I will never catch on. However, at all times I remind myself that God is very real and present here, and I am not expected to be an expert at anything! God's purpose is able to be accomplished even through my weaknesses :) 

Becoming one of my favorite verses:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

(2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV)

Thank you for reading! Please see my updated prayer list to the top right!

In God's Love,

Julie