Home!

I'm home! After being back in the U.S. of A. for just over a week, I'm beginning to settle back into West Michigan life. It's been a blessing and a pleasure to be surrounded by family and friends over these last few days, getting a chance to relax and regroup.

The last few months have been an incredible adventure! I've learned so much about myself, teamwork, and God's huge heart for His people all over the world. There's no way to tell you everything I'm feeling and every detail of the journey, so I thought I'd share just a few pictures of some of the people I'll miss the most.

This is Josh and Joshua. They are the oldest boys (11 and 9 years old) living at Amecet, the baby home in Soroti. They have been taken from their families due to health reasons for a few months. They are the sweetest little boys!

These are two of my beautiful neighbors, Lydia and Walter. They are siblings, living with two other siblings, two cousins, their mother, father, and an uncle in a small cement home across the street. They spend a couple of hours most afternoons in our yard, playing games and sharing their lives. They are sweet, always willing to join any activity and help out in any way they can.

This is my fabulous roommate, Brittany, and two of my teammates, Moses and Avalien. We had so much fun spending everyday life together. From shopping in the market to baking chapati (our favorite bread) to lesson planning to reading afterschool Bible stories with the neighbors to water balloon fights, we were almost always together. The three of them, and each person on the team, have been incredible blessings in my life over these last two months.

Saying goodbye to my team, to the beautiful children I met, and to the wonderful Ugandans that I was blessed to meet was the hardest part of my summer. I hope I could have been at least a sliver of what they were to me!

And thank YOU for reading and praying. The encouragement and support I felt was overwhelming! Please continue to pray for my transition home, for the start to student teaching, and my future in missions (whatever that may be!). Please keep this special team and the wonderful people of Soroti in your prayers, too. Pray that they continue to shine God's light and share Christ's love in such a special city.

Love and thanks in Him,

Steph

Party Time!

Party #1: The Indian Party

About 100 Indians living in Soroti celebrated a successful time with their businesses by throwing a big dinner party one Friday night. Our team felt very honored to be invited, and it turned out we were the only non-Indian guests! Most of the Indians in Soroti have settled here to open or help out their families with shops in town. In fact, most "successful" shops in town, from fabric stores to grocery stores to stores that sell only batteries and sugar (yes, in that combo), are owned by Indians. The party was a bit surreal, with glamorously-dressed women and men seated on opposite sides of the large outdoor gazebo. Against the norm, the MEN were spoiling us with wonderful homecooked Indian food (a VERY nice contrast to the quite flavorless Ugandan traditional dishes). A rainstorm ended the evening early, but as we walked out past their mosque, we knew we were helping the team share a bit of Jesus with their Indian friends!

Party #2: Independence Day

The day started out as a typical Ugandan Sunday. We attended a church service that flew through, and past, the 3 hour allotted time slot. The pastor talked about how we are human-beings but we are often fooled into acting like human-doings; this really hit me. How often do I concentration so hard on what I'm DOing instead of just BEing? I'm still thinking about that one!

Later that evening, my roommate Brittany and I joined about 15 other Americans for a 4th of July celebration! We had a highly-anticipated game of volleyball (it took about 2 months worth of planning to get the net put in the yard), and as we gathered ourselves and began to dish the amazingly scrumptious food onto our plates, we began to feel raindrops.

It rained for the next hour or so, but we were happily cozy in the house and even played patriotic charades (my favorites were "Plymouth Rock" and "Lewis and Clark"). Soon it was dark (meaning it was about 7 pm) and we were ready for our s’mores…made out of graham crackers, nutella, and marshmallows. Also included were fireworks—called candles here. They were a good combination of the two and looked like a giant candle with some sparkler capabilities. The only thing missing, really, was a big lake and a long dock. :)

Party #3: World Cup Championship

Walking into Amecet (the children's home) today, I was greeted with a pleasant surprise! The entire living room was decked out in orange and blue. Balloons, streamers, banners, and a giant Dutch flag covered the ceiling and walls. I've got Dutch blood in me, and many of my Grand Rapids friends do as well, but this was the first party I've attended that was hosted by true Holland-ers! The lady that runs the children's home is from Holland, as well as two of the other volunteers here. They are extremely proud of their country and their country's place in the World Cup... so, naturally, they wanted to host the championship game with flair. My overnight shift welcomed this distraction wholeheartedly, and I had a blast watching the game while attempting to be a good hostess, feed babies, make popcorn, and keep the cheering volume down so the kiddos didn't wake up.

My World Cup Championship viewing party was extremely international this year, made up of:
-15 Ugandans
-2 Holland-ers
-6 Tongans
-1 American!

Thanks for reading and for praying!

Love, thanks, and peace,

Steph

It's Kind of Like Christmas in July

These last few weeks have absolutely flown by! Each day has been filled with fresh glances at God's HUGE creation. Each day is new, exciting, unpredictable, and overflowing with beauty in so many ways! I have seen beauty in babies, the smiles of teenagers, the forgiveness of children, and the selflessness of teamwork. Every single day has really felt like Christmas!

Before saying goodbye to Lisa, our team got to spend a few days hiking and camping at Sipi Falls. This was yet another day where I found myself surrounded and overwhelmed by the care and love of my Father God. To know that His hand is on every tree, every sunflower, every drop of water gushing from the falls, every person on this team... causes me to be so thankful!

Thank YOU for reading and praying for me as I continue my journey and adventures here. Please pray for continued health, strength, and peace of mind as I wind down my ministries here and begin to say goodbyes.

Love, thanks, and peace,

Steph