The story you’ve all been waiting for: Out of respect, all the children call the adults and visitors either Auntie, Uncle, or Mama, depending on roles. I am an Auntie and usually, they use your first name with it. I was hanging out at my host house after lunch when a child named Kay Morris randomly says to me, “Hey Auntie! You look like a talking banana!” From then on out, I earned my distinct title with no rhyme or reason. For awhile I tried to correct them, but there was no hope. For the lack of technology, word sure does travel fast. As I walk through the pods of children’s homes, they all call out for Auntie Banana; meanwhile, I’ve never even seen, met or heard the names of half of them. Also, another special treat is that along with the nickname is my own theme song. There is a Ugandan children’s song that says, “I like bananas, but mangos are sweet…” I’m not sure how to take that, nor do I know any other lines, because that’s as far as they get before they start cracking themselves up. I love these children 🙂

Back to our activites…each morning we’ve been working out with a group of Muzungus in the bush of Africa. There is nothing like starting your mornings, soaking in the glory of the Lord and appreciating the beauty of his creation. Also, we have to do SOMETHING to work off all this rice, cake and super carbo loading. If your wondering how we’ve been getting cake, or if I really mean true cake, the answer is yes! Praise the Lord!

When the second portion of our group arrived, The Inman family and a few extras (totaling 14 of us in our three room house), they brought several suitcases full of strictly food. They have a camping oven here. Need I say more? I will just say that I eat more desserts here than I have in the past year in America, I think. The Inman parents are both surgeons, but their second love is cooking AND baking. No complaints here. Throughout our time here, there are five people with birthdays…that equals a birthday party a week. I could get used to this spoiling. Side note about food: Before the Inmans arrived, we received a few mangos to eat. We were in heaven because fruit is sparse on RG campus After I devoured probably a mango and a half, Matthew discovered a little worm on the mango. Then after a little investigation and dissection, we found the mangos to be infested. No repercussions so far, so I’m just counting on the worms to help clear out my digestive tract 🙂

Here in Uganda, it’s taboo for anyone to see, wash or touch your underwear. (But yet they openly pick their noses…some things I’ll just never understand.) Matthew and I were deemed with the task of washing and preparing all the undergarments for a “yard sale” of donated items for the workers here at RG. Just remember, “beans, beans the magical fruit, the more you eat…” You know the rest. And now I hope you have a good visual of the clothes I washed by hand. We must always remember our motto, “Seek to Serve”.

A few weeks before we were here, there was a team of several ex-NFL players and coaches who ran an American Football camp for the children. I’m not sure how productive their camp was because the kids asked us to play, and we were so excited! Then the first snap happened (with too many men on the field, offsides, neutral zone infractions…you get the idea). What came next was sort of a cross between soccer, rugby and football tackles. In other words, mass chaos and a free for all. One of the highlights thus far was when another mission group arranged a football game with all of the orphan house mamas (ages ranging from 20s to 60s). Grown women in skirts squealing and chasing each other around, complete with tackling and dog piling! Absolutely hysterical. Also, the mamas called it their second annual football game…they did not play this last year, minor communication barriers, haha.

A few girls and I went on a powerful outreach with another mission group to a brothel in Karuma. The women of the brothel have all formed a group called God’s Gift. I’m still not sure whether these women are still a part of the prostitution or have already escaped. Once again, communication is not always clear. The important part is that we saw a hope within these women. Before we started our little Bible lesson, the group gave all these women each a Bible. The tears were flowing as I watched these women cry out in sheer joy and hardly ever peel their eyes away from The Word the whole time we were there. How powerful is our God? We helped these women learn how to make a simple ornament out of material, so they could sell it and have another way of earning money. They said they already make purses and headbands to sell, but they were so grateful for other options.

Naturally, I’m a little behind on my days, but nothing is done on time in Africa, so I fit right in 🙂

Still so grateful for your prayers and support. I can see the Lord at work all around me. It never ceases to amaze!

Always with love from the bush,
Kelsey