September in a Nutshell

I'm back in the world of technology! It's been a long three weeks. And because it's been three weeks this post will be very scattered and unorganized as thoughts come into my head. So deal with it.

We got back from Rwanda and had a day of rest before classes started. It was so nice being back on campus. Most of our classes were USP classes meaning it's just us in them, however there were a few that are UCU classes which is interesting because apparently the first two weeks of class don't matter here. People can choose how important it is to them and decide whether or not they want to show up. So a few of my classes didn't even start until a week or two later.
Our Faith and Action class, which is required for all USP, started out with an intense two week reading of The Primal Vision. We read a few chapters each around 4-6 chapters each week and then discussed it in class. We even had a "retreat" which was a full day discussion. My brain hurt. We had many theological discussions with that book. At first I really hated it, but now that we are done I realize that I really appreciated it. The discussions make me think about my own faith and why I believe the way I believe. However, when I finally finished reading it I was so happy. I had to spin in circles and sing.
That first Monday I also joined a choir here on campus. It's called Mustard Seed and it may have been the best initiation ever. We showed up and for the first half hour they all pray together. But not like our structured prayers. Like 20 or more voices all speaking to God at the same time. Every once in a while, the leader would start singing a praise song and everyone would join in, making a BEAUTIFUL noise, and then everyone would go back to praying. We then practiced some songs. No sheet music. Just a keyboard and a song leader. They would sing a line or two and we would repeat until we got it down. We sang Here I Am To Worship, I Stand in Awe, and Friend of God.
After that they had all the newbies go up to the front and introduce themselves. More than half of us were new. We introduced ourselves one by one and each person received shouts and hollers afterwards. They were so excited to have us. People were even jumping on chairs. After we had all introduced ourselves, the members all stood up and started singing "May you really be blessed." They all hugged each one of us. Everywhere we turned someone else was ready to give us a hug and welcome us to the choir. I haven't been able to go back because of home stays, but I see the members around and it's always a happy meeting. I will go back tonight. :)
Over the last few weeks a few major important things have happened.
1) Internship:
I have started my internship at Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital. I love the days I get to go there. So far I have learned how to find blood pressure, how to tell whether or not someone is malnutritioned, and about different medications. I have felt a baby's head in the mother's stomach and observed the end of a C-section. Also... I held the newborn baby. It's okay to be a little jealous. ;)

Me in the "Theater" outfit ready to watch surgery.

2) My 2-week Homestay
On the first Saturday after school started we were taken once again to stay off-campus. We were given strips of paper with our family's names on them and then just dropped off at a house with people we don't know. It was slightly awkward at first. However, they were very welcoming and I soon felt comfortable and part of the family. My wonderful family was 6 people. With one brother away who I have yet to meet. Mama Kato is very wise and loved to share her wisdom whether while cooking or at family worship. I always loved the smile Papa Kato gave me when I ran into him at school( he works at the university) or at the store. Phiona was my roommate and we had lots of great late-night chats and laughs. Esther also works at the university and I got to walk home with her everyday. Timothy was super silly and we had fun watching cartoons or pretending we were on a cooking show. Racheal was the house help who didn't speak much English but there was a day or two where we were left home alone and we had fun playing cards and painting nails.
Every night we had family worship time. We would sing, read the word, and then each share what we had taken from the passage. The whole family would take turns leading. At first, the very first day I was there, Mama told me she expected me to lead at some point. I was kind of nervous about it. I mean... leading a worship time in a different culture is interesting. However, I led probably three different times and it wasn't bad at all. I enjoyed the family worship time and think that helped us grow so much closer together.
On the last night there they had a little goodbye ceremony for me. They each spoke and said something about me. Then they gave me a present. It's a beautiful stretch of fabric. They are going to take me to a tailor soon and get a dress made. It's so perfect.
Although it's great being back on campus, I really miss them. It was so nice having a family to go home to each night, since I miss mine. It was fun helping out with cooking as well as making them one of my favorite meals... biscuits and gravy! I may have visited them shortly after returning to campus. 2 days was too long to go without seeing them. :)

Timothy and I with our "Pizza."

Timothy and Phiona

Mom looking great. Mrs. Mary Kato

Esther and Mom.

Dad: Mr. Enos Kato

Jane, Miriam, Eve, and Me at the beach.

3) My Roommate Came!!!
Her name is Namutebi Joanna and she is the sweetest! She really is the perfect roommate. We are having lots of fun learning about each other and how alike we actually are. Can I just brag about her love of Anthem Lights and Once Upon a Time?

Joanna and I eating our first meal together. :)

4) We have started classes and are three weeks in. Most of them are just us USPers, mazungus, white people. For those of you who didn't read the first few posts I'll list my classes. Faith& Action in the Ugandan Context, Kiswahili 1, Cross-Cultural Practicum, Religions in Contemporary Uganda, and Health and Wholeness.
5) I have found a great group of friends in the HC (Honours College). They are all so awesome. They threw a party for us a few weeks back as a welcome. It was a lot of fun and they were so welcoming. Right away I felt like a part of them. I'm so glad that I get to know them and build some awesome friendships over the next few months.

At the Beach with Honours College

6) MY BIRTHDAY! Yes, that happened. If you didn't say happy birthday you should probably feel bad. ;) Just kidding.
But in all seriousness it was a great birthday! It happened to be the same day we had an HC and USP retreat. So we went and spent all day at a pond(what they call "the beach"). Just hanging out and having some good fellowship. Did some worship and had tea time. It wasn't really for my birthday but it was a great way to celebrate my birthday. I did get 5 cups of water dumped on me, because the tradition here is to pour buckets of water on the person whose birthday it is.

The cake my host family ordered and sent on the retreat as a surprise! :)

A few little things I've learned about the culture.

• "You are lost" does not mean you don't know where you are. It means "I have not seen you for a while."
• Laughter does not always mean something is funny, it can also be used when embarassed.
• Ugandan Pizza is not made of bread, tomato sauce, and cheese. It is chapati and egg.
• Sponge Bob is watched in Ugandan homes. :)
• Facial expressions and noises are communication. Just because there were no words in response to a question asked does not mean you are being ignored.

A few things I've learned about myself.

• I am way more of a home body than I thought. I miss home like crazy.
• Just because I'm going to live in Africa someday doesn't mean that I have to be perfectly assimilated into the culture. I don't have to like everything about it. I don't have to feel like I was made to belong here. Because the truth is, I don't. I grew up in America. In Oregon. It's my home, my way of life. And when I come here it will take adjusting.
• I hate the unknown. I really like having a plan and knowing how things are gonna play out. Whether it's in something small like when I have class and where exactly or what my future here in Africa will look like. I know I want to live here and I will be doing medical things. But what will that look like? When will I come to stay? Where will I be? There's so much unknown and it's scary. I just have to continue on trusting God to work it out while focusing on the moment He has me in.

I'm learning a lot about presence. And how it speaks volumes. God's presence with us, and our presence with others. Because that's what life is about: our relationships with God and with the people He has placed us on this Earth with.
"The atmosphere of presence, of giving, of wholeness, is silence. We know that serious things have to be done in silence because we do not have words to measure the immeasurable." -The Primal Vision

Just a few quotes I really wanted to share. Read them, meditate on them, enjoy them. Like I did.


"The absolute difference between Himself[God] and all other is that His very nature is to give Himself totally while remaining inexhaustibly Himself. The bush burning but not consumed, the widow's cruse of oil, the loaves and fishes, the Eucharistic Bread and Wine- these are the true symbols of His relationship to the created world." -The Primal Vision

"One filled with joy preaches without preaching." -Mother Theresa

So yeah, totally random quotes but ones I really liked and was excited to share. :)


One more thing: You have no idea how much excitement fills my heart when I get this text:

So with that.... WRITE ME LETTERS!!!!

Emily Sanders
Uganda Christian University
Uganda Studies Program
P.O. Box 4
Mukono, Uganda

That is all.