Only in Africa...

It is somehow amazing how different African culture is to American. There are things that happen here that don’t usually happen in America, sometimes it catches me off guard and sometimes I just shrug it off because I somehow am used to it. Things here can be very ambiguous and the most regular thing is that things are ambiguous. I am never surprised when power or water isn’t there, that dinner will take a couple hours to be prepared or have to trouble shoot one thing or another. 

The other day at church was powerful. Church services here do not look like church services in CA, for one when you leave church you are usually sweating from all the dancing. This Sunday really opened my eyes to how powerful God is and how close I feel to him when I am here. After some worship that sounded like a direct cry out to the Lord, Pastor Martin went up and was praying against witch craft and being a captive to the enemy. A women screamed and fell into me; an evil spirit was in her and had overcome her body. The same thing happened with two other ladies and the church immediately began praying and containing these ladies. My heart was pounding in my chest at the sight of these women, possessed by the enemy. All I could think was, God is bigger. This, is something that happens in Africa. There is such a strong yearning and worshiping of the lord that the enemy is constantly trying to attack. How they worship, how they pray and their dependence on God is amazing. I look at them and then look at my life and how I worship and it doesn’t compare in the slightest. That's my prayer for myself and Americans, that we learn how to worship from Africans. Church was also powerful because I got to see all my friends and it just filled my heart with joy. I love that I can see so many people and have them remember me and welcome me back to Gulu. The relationships I have built are a constant reminder that God has me here for a reason. 

The ladies coin their thang!

Working at Remnant is amazing. Everyday there is something new, some problem to overcome, some issue to be resolved and a lesson to be learned. Everyday there is also so much joy; seeing the ladies, hearing them worship and seeing them put their all into screen printing. On Monday the team of RH pastors came and got to see what we do on the ground, see the ladies screen printing and got to hear testimonies. It was a really sweet time, but also sad because we had to say goodbye to Tim and the team. This week has seemed a bit irregular, one morning some ladies were sick, another lady was preparing for her wedding and another morning was spent visiting their friends newborn baby, non the less we are mastering the screen print and really creating some legit products. I am super excited for the summer shirts to come out and for the ladies to just keep getting better and better at screen printing. 

My first Ugandan made beer!

Living here has been really great so far, trying to take it all in and learn my way around the town. Water has been off for three days now so Stef and I had to take a field trip to the 31bits house to shower. The evenings have been really nice; having dinner with new friends and simply just relaxing and watching movies. I cannot believe its already Friday tomorrow, I am excited for the weekend. On Saturday at church there is going to be a mass wedding, and by mass wedding I mean 15 couples are getting married. One of our ladies, Anna, is getting married so we are very very excited!!! Stef and I are getting matching outfits made to wear and the church has been preparing all week, its going to be such a fun experience, I cannot wait!

Pray requests: Pray for Remnant and the screen printing. Working here has made the process somehow difficult, and everyday we leave it to God to make it work. Environmental stuff along with not having and not having access to certain equipment has been a challenge, but by the grace of God we have made it work. Pray for me as I face feeling a little tired and not fully feeling like myself. Continue praying for health, and to be opened to whatever God has in store for me. Pray for Stef as she continues to be a rock star handling so many things, pray for the Remnant ladies as well as for the mass wedding.