Overdue From Uganda

Below is from my email update.

Yes. You’re right.  It has been a long time.  Admit it – you haven’t even noticed.  Okay, maybe you have.  I’ve actually received several emails titled “How’s Life?”- “Are You There?” - “Have you been eaten by wild animals?”  So, I figured it was time for a mass email update. 

 

School.

We have wrapped up economics with a final research paper.  Both my students compared today’s economy and President Obama with the 1930’s economy and President Roosevelt.  Their papers are excellent!  I am so proud of the progress we’ve made.  We also plan to create documents to help a local non-profit agency whose aim is to educate local coffee farmers on the process of establishing a farming co-op and the general idea of international free trade. 

 

In history, I decided to let the students chose from a list of pre-approved topics.  So far we have covered the following units in depth: Islam and the Middle East; Communism and Soviet Union/Russia.  This class is made up of all boys and we have all enjoyed digging into the history and reading about current events in these not so far off places.  Two weeks ago we began a unit on Southeast Asia (including Korea).  Of course, the boys are especially enjoying the parts about the Vietnam and Korean Wars.  They want to know all about military tactics “back then.”  Since I don’t have the luxury of a textbook, you can’t imagine how thankful I am for the internet and encyclopedias (even if they are from 1998).   

 

Trivia: None of my students call me Miss Reagan.  I am most often referred to as Teachie-Weechie, Sensei, Stalin, and as of today….Drill Sergeant Ma’am.  My title changes with our unit of study. 

 

Team.

Since I last wrote, our team has traveled to Kenya twice.  Early March we traveled to Sunrise Acres for a three day team retreat.  The cooler weather of Kenya and the more western style homes proved to be the perfect atmosphere for rejuvenation.  Taking advantage of our location and time off from school, my roommates and I hopped on local buses and taxis and traveled around Kenya. We drove through two different game parks and came within spitting distance of all the Big Five game animals.  We also spent one night in Nairobi….where we were kind-of awe struck by all of its civilization…it reminded me of my first trip to New York City.  We wrapped up our trip with a visit to a children’s home in Kitale that our team supports.  Hopefully, I’ll post a video of that amazing visit soon.

 

More recently, the women from our team traveled to Kenya to meet with other missionary women from all over East Africa.  There were about 40 in all.  Most of these women spend their time teaching, encouraging and feeding the spiritual needs of others. The time we had together was spent nurturing our own spiritual needs and of course just being girls.  We also played a White Elephant game.  Some really nice person in the States had sent over a box full of American goodies, each wrapped in newspaper.  We could each select a gift or steal someone else’s gift.  Here were some of the gifts:  Macaroni & Cheese, Cornbread mix, Cheese-Whiz (shrieks filled the room), Cheese Nips, Brownie Mix (Gasp!), Cake Mix with…Icing (Gimmie!), Velveeta, Pecans….You get the idea.  You might not understand the idea unless you’ve lived in a third-world culture.  This is making me hungry….Moving on.

 

We have new teammates!  Vince and Joy Vigil (pronounced V-hill), who are both in their early twenties, have joined our team!  Vince is working with Good News Productions, which is more media focused while Joy will be working with deaf students attending our Bible School.

 

This week also begins our University Summit Meetings.  These meeting bring together folks from all over East Africa who are focused on developing the best possible Christian University here in Mbale.  From these meetings, an Advisory Board will be formed that can make steps towards administrative recruitment and fundraising.  The University already has a great website: http://livingstone.ac.ug/  

 

Life.

Personally, I am enjoying my time in Uganda and beginning to thrive in its culture!  I have recently become a confident Ugandan driver as well as a hard nosed negotiator.  The first of May, my cousin Martha Sue and friend Maria Barringer came to Uganda for a visit.  I love the opportunity to show off Uganda and had as much fun putting together the logistics of their visit as I did actually spending time with them.  Maybe a travel agent job in my future??

 

Speaking of the future….Several are asking what I have planned when I return in August.  The answer is that I am planning on doing whatever God leads me to do.  (That’s a spiritual way of saying I don’t have a clue.)

 

So, the one with no clue sends you warmest regards and congratulates you on reading this entire email.

 

Thanks for your prayers, emails, and support – keep them coming!

-Julie Reagan