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 :)

new people, new places!

So, if you actually read through my blog on a consistent basis, you know that this post is actually posted in July, and simply post-dated to June... When I look over to the right-hand column where it keeps track of how many posts I make in a month, I can't help but feel sad because of the lonely "1" for June! I've decided to ameliorate that problem and create a few posts about my time in London, Paris, Cinque Terre, Sorrento, and Rome!

It might just end up being a random picture journey from the time in Europe, but I'll do my best to explain when necessary!

Here, we have some Krispy Kreme Doughnuts... when Pastor Tonye and Landon met me at the airport, not only did they help me carry my RIDICULOUS amount of luggage (gifts for YOU, so you should be thankful as well :) ), give me an Oyster card, and help me understand the hectic metro system, but they also bought Krispy Kremes!! It was a tasty "welcome back to a non-third world country" gift!

I went for a walk through Hampstead Heath, which is where the Shoreline... err, I guess the Camden Town folks live. I'm not sure if I explained this before, but I stayed the first week in London with some people who moved to London from Central California. Pastor Tonye was the pastor at Shoreline in Morro Bay, where several good friends of mine worshipped and I visited during my first few years of college in SLO. So altogether, there was PT, Suzanne, Chante, and Ruthie, David & Trista, Landon, and Tobi living at this house - it was a blessing and an absolute joy to be part of the (mostly) organized chaos of the house!

So, the following are a few pictures from my walk through Hampstead... notice that the cars are parked whichever way they came from, on both sides of the road!

Possibly the smallest car I have EVER seen.


Possibly the creepiest/most eccentric/most ingenious car I have ever seen...


Really? I mean, I know the Brits spell some things funny, but MANEUVER being turned into MANOEUVRE? That's just silly!



Beautiful flowers all over the place!


....and I couldn't resist :)

I really don't have photos from the rest of my time with the Camden Town peeps... it's kind of sad, but also kind of cool, simply because I wasn't really a 'tourist' with them. We just went about our day, going grocery shopping, walking in the park, and all the things you do in normal life... Trista and I went to this art thing at the Keat's House, where they provided all sorts of mediums to work with, and we spent the day in the garden making artwork!

PT, David, Landon, Tobi, and I went to Camden Town a few times and I got to see them "in action" :) Basically, what that means is setting up and establishing relationships with people in Camden in order to further those friendships and share Christ's love with them. I greatly admired PT's ability to direct EVERY conversation with complete strangers toward the Gospel. He has a knack for reaching people where they're at, relating with them on a personal level, and then opening the door for God to come through. And the Lord definitely came and started working in the lives of people who they met and were praying for.

Jump ahead about a week, after I had been staying with a family out in Amersham (just outside central London) and I'm back in London! Trista and I went with a couple of her friends to go see WICKED!!!



On the way, I saw a pasty place - yum!!

What is this feeling? Dancing through life! No one mourns the wicked!
Defying gravity! WICKED!!!

transitions...

Well, made it safe and sound to London! Leaving Uganda still seems surreal somehow… I mean, don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly thankful for being able to drink tap water, be outside at night without fearing malaria, not waking up to geckos crawling on the walls, and not being covered in red mud… but in all honesty, I already miss it. I miss my kids. I miss teaching them tons of information and having fun doing it. I miss hopping on a boda and paying 2000 ush ($1) for a 10 minute ride somewhere. I miss Ugandans! Here, there are mzungus everywhere!

Today, I was able to have some good quiet time in the backyard of Pastor Tonie’s house (where I’m staying), some quality Starbucks time (oh, hot chocolate!), and a nice 2-hour walk by myself to get a feel for the area in Camden. I appreciate so much that everyone here knows what it feels like to need some quiet, alone time to process through feelings and emotions that coincide with leaving one’s ‘home’… and processing is so good. Time to think and reflect on my joys and struggles from this year. Time to realize the lessons that the Lord taught me this year. Time to relax and adjust to this new time zone, new scenery, new people.

But I couldn’t have asked for a better place to do this processing. Surrounded by loving people who have a heart for Jesus; whose goal is to reach out and reach into the lives of people living here in Camden. To meet them where they’re at and share the gift of God’s Son with them. To hear the wonders and miracles in the way that the Lord is already stirring their hearts. It is such a blessing for me to see their work and cherish the call they’ve responded to.

Not sure what’s in store for today, but whatever it is, it’ll sure be an adventure!