Uganda is wonderful.....
sorry for the short post but after typing two emails and all the processing I have to do after going through Mukono today I'm done

SO I'm in Uganda
It's hard to even believe I'm actually here. But the atmosphere around me quickly reminds me. Ive tasted Matoke, and I have seen the prettiest animals I have ever seen. It's hard to believe that I've only been here a day, less then 24 hours

You are worth much more than what stresses you (v 24). If God cares for birds and grass with intimacy, how much more will He care for us who are immensely more precious than those things? Worry is because we have not given that need to our heavenly Father.
Jesus then calls us to remember that worry never improves life (v 25-26); at best it depreciates it.
-UCU newspaper

"Never be afraid to trust your unknown future
to a Known God"
-Corrie Ten Boom

So I had my first tears and all freak out today. I was just talking to my mom about driving to Baltimore after she dropped my of and bam started crying. Not to mention I was sort of blah all day.
It's going to be hard being away from home that long. But God is faithful and he will be with me. I'll make it, and I'm in a way excitied to be a little homesick. Because I know it will allow me to grow.

I need to remind myself that going to Uganda is only scary when I forget how good and faithful God is.

This time next week I'll be over the Atlantic on my way to Africa.
I cant believe it I cant believe I'm actually doing this.

I don't know if you all know the story of how I signed up for this
I started looking at the page in January. But it was in a oh that's cool but I would never do that short of way. I guess I shouldn't of thought that because by the end of February I couldn't get out of my mind. That and well I was cold really cold. I was tired of wearing snow boots, I just wanted to feel the warm sun on my skin. I get spring fever every year, and that's where I thought my Uganda desire came from, so I ignored it. But by the end of March the feelings got to be to much, thankfully (I thought) there wasn't enough time to apply.......

So I went off to Scotland with a plan that next fall I would return and study abroad there. I was free from this silly idea that I was going to study abroad in Uganda. Me, Uganda, no way, in my head I thought God don't you remember scared little me in Jamaica, you can't be calling me to Africa.... And because of this you must be calling me to Scotland. Scotland is where I'll go nice, modern, Scotland, Funny thing though is even though I loved the Scottish people as I always have I started to notice how much living in Scotland is like living in America, and this was the last thing I wanted for Study Abroad...... Oh what to do!?!, But the tears when I left made me believe it would still be a nice study abroad experience.

I got home, went back to school And then I got an email..... They had extended deadline for the Uganda Studies Program, I was like great..... there goes that excuse. Whats going on here God? I even emailed the lady asked her if I was crazy to even consider this, with my lack of third world experience. I fully expected her to say it would not be a good idea to go, instead though she thought the program sounded perfect.

Pretty much by the end of the week, and thanks to a Africa night, I swallowed my fear and started to apply... still wondering what the heck was going on.

Funny thing though the next day I found out I got into the Scotland program. And when I got that call I couldn't of been less excited, and then I knew something was up. It was Scotland, I go crazy when I see a Scottish flag, now a lady told me I got in to the program I had to apply for special admittance to and all I could manage was a weak yay, What?!? But in my heart I knew what it was, God was saying no to Scotland. As a result I finished the application, sent it off and said well God it's in your hands now. And well the, mystery didn't last long, I was accepted within 2 days of sending in the final paperwork. This time when I was accepted it was completed with a mouth covering scream of excitement, God was calling me to Uganda and I was going to go!

Sorry if this was very scattered, i just wanted to tell you all how if wasn't me who decided to go to Uganda but it was God who called me there, and well after a fight I listened. Me and God have a history of this. The first time I went to Scotland God was like GO! and I was like I'm Scared! and God was like Go! and I said NO! and God once again said Go! and I said Okay if I must.... The was the most life changing and best trip I have ever been on in my entire life.

So I tried to blind my self this evening with pool chemicals
First thought... I'm blind
Second thought... A newly blind person can't go to Uganda! Oh No!

Third thought... Oh I'm okay but Run!!!!! to the sink

Pretty much thats whats oh my mind though... Uganda. I leave for NJ in 6 days I can't believe it.

Love

1 Corinthians 13
Love
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

3 weeks...

So I woke up in the middle of the night, and my mind started racing about Uganda and I couldnt fall back asleep. Not really surprised this happened a little surprised this is the first time.

I leave for Uganda in 3 weeks, In 3 weeks I will be living in Africa...........
Africa, you know the continent where no one goes unless there going to do missionary or relief work for the most part. The country that in it's own ways sometimes in my head seems like a different planet. A continent that is overflowing with life and Joy, and overflowing with death, evil regimes, and poverty.
It's unreal
Part of my head still can not grasp the fact that I'll be there in three weeks because it is SO unlike anything I have done before. I can imagine what it will be like, I can prepare for it, but can I truly realize this is happening, nope. It seems like just yesterday I was looking through the best semester website and for some strange reason looking at the Ugandan Studies program page.
It's weird to think that in a way I only have 3 weeks left of being me in America, It's weird to think that after three weeks the next time I will be in America is Christmas time It's weird to think I only have three weeks left with my family this summer.
I remember feeling this way before I went to Scotland the first time, and that was Scotland. Scotland completely changed my life, but honestly Scotland is a lot like America, more so then a lot of the other countries in Europe. If Scotland changed my life that much, what will Uganda do?