home again, home again

Can you believe it? 10 months, come and gone!

This year seems like a whirlwind; was it really almost a year since I was home? Since I drove my truck? Since I played with my puppy?

I've heard that life seems to just speed up from here, that all the years start blurring together... but I really want to focus on what I've learned and where I've been. I was able to spend some time thinking in London, when I was able to go walking or wandering around the city, and I feel like God taught me so much about who I am, what true needs I have, and who I want to be, being so far away this year.

He showed me how to be flexible most of all. Other than at school, time was considered to be ... let's call it 'interpretive' :) Sometimes it was frustrating, especially in the beginning, but more towards the middle and end of my time in Kampala, I realized that it's okay to be flexible with meeting times, especially because the focus should be on the people rather than the time. I know many African countries (and many Central American countries too, according to American friends who are there) place the importance not on a meeting or dinner or what not, but on the people who are going to be there - which is why it doesn't matter WHEN you arrive, just that you DO! At first, it was hard to adapt to that mentality, but I feel that I have changed... there doesn't always need to be a set time to stick with, or even a set schedule for that matter!

I also think that the Lord really worked on my heart in being more patient with others. Especially when it came to my co-workers. It was incredibly hard for me to adjust in the beginning. Not that people would 'lie' about doing something, but several of the other teachers would say one thing and do another. Or I'd ask them to do something for such-and-such a class, but it wouldn't ever happen... which was really hard to deal with. I didn't understand why commitments weren't followed through with, or why no one would volunteer to help when there was a chance to assist. Everything seemed to fall upon me to do, and was hard as a first-year teacher in a brand new setting without any familiar resources or help, to get things done. But through a few of the teachers, the Lord showed me how to have a heart for my co-workers, even when they didn't get the lesson done, I could still care about them and have patience. I can still choose to love on them, to try and adapt to meet their needs as well, and to pray for them as well. I met some of the neatest ladies who had some amazing life stories working in Kampala, and I am so thankful for their grace on me, as well as their hospitality and friendship.

The Lord also totally refined me in my teaching style. (Not that I'm perfect yet, but I've definitely figured out my 'hard' areas that I need to work on... I think I may just be a constant work-in-progess for a while...) He showed me how my faith can take on a role in my teaching. When I had been student teaching in California, I hadn't really thought to pray for each of my kids. Maybe it was that I had 33 kids, or that it was SLO, and no one has problems in SLO, right? (I'm totally kidding.) I think it was mostly that what I saw as my 'mission field' while I was student teaching was more to the other teachers, rather than to my students.

At Heritage, teaching at a Christian school, it became common for me to ask my kiddos for prayer requests and praises. I know that I am legally not allowed to do THAT in California, but what's the harm in praying for them regardless? My constant prayer for the upcoming school year is that I wouldn't forget or become lazy in my prayer life to be bringing my (potential) students before the Throne. He is the only One who can change their hearts, minds, and souls, but I can still set an example with how I act and how I show them grace.

Oh, but I loved teaching. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with the gift of teaching. Almost every day, after I'd get over the initial "But I don't want to go to school!" tantrum within myself, I went to school thankful and joyful to be with my students. Yes, they drove me nuts. Yes, they didn't do their homework. Yes, they got in trouble sometimes. But I loved teaching them. And I think (well, they might tell you otherwise) that they enjoyed it too. We had a lot of laughs, and a whole bunch of silly memories that we rehashed at the end of the year. We had some tears, read through some sad stories, and went through struggles in life together. I couldn't have asked for a better first year of teaching.

Uganda had its ups and downs, its laughter and its tears. I am so thankful to be home safely, and yet I'll always remember those kids and the impact that that country had on me. It was interesting leaving, knowing that I may never see those sixth graders or those teachers again. I know we'll always have facebook (haha) but it was definitely a melancholy departure from a place I had come to know and love and care for very much.

Who knows? Maybe one of these days I'll go back :)