Masaka

We've been in Masaka this week.  The second largest city in Uganda, and the pretty much Muslim central.   That means we get some dirty looks driving down in our bus that says Jesus Loves You all over it.  But the kids still wave and smile.  Most days we go out to a school to preach the gospel and play with the kids.  We have been able to do some basic wound care, there are some nasty owies here.  It's kinda funny, but also sad to see what kinds of things they put on their wounds.  We found a girl with a nasty infected wound on her foot, and it was covered in what looked like bird poop.  We asked her and found out it was toothpaste.  ???  Today we treated a large nasty smelly infected wound on a girl's let that she got from the exhaust pipe of a motorcyle (taxi)  It's sad that we can't do a whole lot more, there is so much need, but we don't have the supplies or the ability to help them.  We're praying for all we can too.  I sat with two boys today that had malaria. 

We have so much fun when the school sends out their choir to greet us.  They all have a bunch of songs to welcome visitors, and also to say goodbye.  We've been treated like royalty  -  Being a mzungu here is like being a celebrity.  Everywhere we go, people run after us and wave, they gather around cheering and just wanting to touch us.  It's amusing, kinda fun, but at the same time, very strange.  Once they get close to us, we become a petting zoo.  They want to touch our skin, play with my fingernails, touch the hair, everything that is different about us is fascinating.  It's just a lot of fun to see their wonder and amusement at us mzungus.  We are so alien to them.  :) 

Amazing!

Yes, I'm still alive folks!  I just spent a week in the bush.  We stayed in a place I like to call the Bates Motel.  :)  Because Derek has sleep apnea, we needed electricity for his mask, so instead of camping in the jungle, we were in this "motel" place.  And as God works in weird ways, there is a great story for which we can thank this sleeping disorder.  The manager of the hotel was a Christian, and he set us up to go to a bunch of schools in the area.  At one secondary school, after the message and the altar call, we were doing a general Q&A.  A girl with a scarf (a Muslim) stood and asked a heavy question.  If she were to get born again, her family would kick her out, so would we support her?  We were just floored at this situation.  We took it outside the classroom to a private conversation with the headmaster.  The weight of what must be going on inside this 16 yr old girl!!!  We gave her 2 days to think about things and then we returned.  She had talked to her mom, who told her she was betraying the family.  The girl did make the decision to accept Jesus and we got to pray with her and welcome her into the Kingdom!!!  The headmaster went with her to tell her dad and get the official "kicked out" verdict.  We set her up to be transported out of her village to Masulita, where the pastor we stayed with at the beginning of the trip will take care of her and we will pay her fees for the next couple years.  :)  This was such an amazing story, and I'm cutting it short on here, sorry.  We were all so blown away by it, but we now have a new sister and that is so awesome!!

Besides that... We've preached the gospel to almost 5,000 people, and over 900 have accepted Jesus!!!  These Ugandans are so open to the message, it's so cool to see the responses.  Today we got to go visit Derek's land and pray over the vision we have for Trinity Fields.  It's a beautiful place!  I can't wait to move there!  And the Ugandan guy that Derek has chosen to run the place is awesome!  He and his future wife are wonderful people and we get along great!  Alex and I have been talking and he fits into my vision too, and he tells me Violet will also.  This is going to be so cool!!

I've now eaten the African food, for a few days, used the squatty potty, and am just loving every minute of this trip!  This country is amazing!!  I have what? 3 more weeks??

Good night for now, I'm ready to crash!

Masulita

I made it to Uganda.  Right now I am in a village called Masulita.  It's a wonderful place!!  The pastor's wife Robina is feeding us a ton of amazing food!!  The sun is ridiculously intense, so I'm a bit burnt, heat exhausted, but  still I'm having a blast!  The fun thing is the kids that just stare at us.  It's like being a celebrity.  They don't see many mzungus (white people) so they just stare.  All we have to do is smile and wave and they become all smiles!  At first they surrounded us, and any time we turned, they inched closer until we were totally trapped.  This morning a new group saw us, and Amber and I got dogpiled.  That was freaky.  We're just having fun playing with the kids and loving on them.  They won't leave us alone, so naps are impossible.  We laid down yesterday for a siesta, only to find little faces peeking through our window pointing and  giggling.  No naps for us poor tired jet lagged mzungus.  We've hit a lot of little glitches, but God is good, and everything is working out.  We had our first game last night - outside, projected on the side of the school.   Not too many for the first one, but word will spread quickly.  Tonight is the US  / UK game and Derek is totally pumped.  Should be fun, sounds like the Ugandans have fans on both sides of this match.
Keep the prayers coming, we need and appreciate them.  Chau friends

Jessi

London Chaos

OK prayer warriors.   I need you now.  There was some mess up when I checked in in Seattle and when we got to London and tried to check my bags into that detour airline to Dubai, they didn't allow my 3 bags - they wanted like $1400 for the extra.  British took care of us, since it was their fault, but the only answer leaves me here alone - catching a later flight to Johannesburg South Africa - then up to Uganda just a couple hrs. behind the other 3.   This is a bit nerve wracking.  I have full faith that God is taking care of things, and this is a great adventure.  JBurg will be crazy though since the World Cup starts there in a couple days.

the first flight was uneventful.  Long, tiring, no sleep - I'm not sure, but I think I've been up over 24 hrs now.  I am a bit brain dead.  This keyboard is a bit different, and it's jumping around on me and frustrating me.  I'm going to end here. 

So yeah, I'm in London, I'm fine, but I have a 10.5 hr and a 5 hr flight ahead of me before I reach Uganda.  I'm tired. 

Leaving on a jet plane

Today I fly away, I will be in the air or at airports for the next couple days.  I will be taking tons of pictures, but I just don't know if I'll have a way to upload any of them until my return.  I hope to take a ride on the Eye of London tomorrow - the world's largest ferris whell.  We have a 9 hr layover, so hopefully we'll find some fun stuff to do there. 

I am all packed (I hope) -- It's a pain trying to remember which suitcase I put things in as I try to get ready this morning.  Reading all the TSA info on what I can and cannot carry with me, and how it must be packaged... it's really annoying that because of a few stupid freaks the rest of us get hassled to death when we fly.  Sad that my travel sized shampoo bottle is threatening to someone.  Why can't we all just get along?!?!  :)  Or like the beauty queens say "All I want is World Peace!"  HA HA   Don't we know there's only one Way for that to happen?  Oh well, we do what we gotta do. 

Goodbye my friends.  I am so grateful for all your suppport and all the generous donations I received over the last few weeks.  I appreciate that so much!  This has been a huge financial undertaking for me so I am so thankful for everyone who helped me out.  :)  I will write short updates on here whenever I get a chance, but I don't know when that will be.  They have internet cafes in Kampala, but I don't think I'll be there until the end of the month.  Don't worry about me, I'm in the Lord's hands and He's promised that no harm will come to me, so trust Him.  Psalm 91:9 -- God is Good, All the time!

Chau friends!  I'm off to be a MZUNGU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Updated Flight Plan

OK - because of the British Airways cabin crew strike, they cancelled our flight from London to Uganda.  Now here is the revised travel plans.  All times are local to the airport.

June 7 - Leave SEA  6:45pm on British Airways Flight 48
June 8 - Arrive London Heathrow at 11:50am
             Leave London 8:40pm on Emirates Airlines Flight 4
June 9 - Arrive Dubai 6:30am
             Leave Dubai 8:25am on Emirates Air Flight 723
             Arrive Entebbe Uganda 2:45pm

July 16 - Leave Entebbe 9:05am on British Air Flight 62
               Arrive London 4pm
July 19 - Leave London 3:10pm on British Air Flight 49
              Arrive SeaTac 4:45pm

So, there it is.  Hopefully the finalized flight schedule.  Now let's hope the crew doesn't decide to strike during my return home.  :)  I will be staying in London over the weekend alone on my way home.  Time to explore the city and take lots of pictures.  :)  I will come home to Wenatchee on the evening of July 20 hopefully, and be back working the truck the next morning.  We'll see how that goes.  :P