Uganda Posts; The Wheels On The Van Go Ppppttthhhffffft

I've decided to post my old blogs from when I was in Uganda onto this blog, just so that I can have them archived on here and so that ya'll can read them, if you so choose.

Because I haven't figured out how to change the chronological order, they will be posted as my most recent blogs.  My "Uganda Posts" are not recent.  I will post the date they were originally written above the text with the title.

Happy reading!

The Wheels On The Van Go Ppppttthhhffffft

09/20/11

Dear bloggies-

I know you already know I'm the funniest person alive, but I'll bet you didn't know my teammates are all tied for second funniest person alive. That being said, there is no lack of laughter and comic relief among the nine of us. Sometimes our comic relief comes from tripping over feet, making faces at each other, or random, smart remarks; we always have something to laugh at. One of the funnier (and definitely the most problematic) things occured this Sunday morning.

As we all proceeded to pile into the van on our way to another branch of Victory Outreach Church (the church we've been working with), running late as ever and not completely sure if we would make it to our final desitination (because this is Africa and nothing ever goes the way you plan) I could think of nothing else but how bumpy the ride might be.

African roads are no joke. Sometimes, you can't even call an African road a road, because it consists of nothing more than a canyon with a few tire tracks down the middle. A car can really take a beating from driving down an African road.

As we turned left, I saw the most horrific African road I have ever seen. Ever. I don't know that I could even walk across the road without falling and breaking an ankle or two. Patrick, our driver, proceeded down the road with determination, only to get stuck in mud. After trying to drive out of the mud for a few minutes, the boys finally decided to jump out and push the van, Jalin also hopped out because she was in the front of the van; Kayla, Kaylee, Jessica, and I stayed in the back of the van.

Soon enough, we were freed from the mud! We all cheered as we triumphantly proceeded down the road toward the north branch of VOC. Then, we got stuck again. But not in mud, because this time, rather than sinking immediately, we bumped and jerked. Then we heard a pppppttthhhhhhhhhssssfffffft. We knew right away what had happened, and without a moment's hesitation, cracked up in laughter; the tire had popped. What else would happen in Africa?

Uganda Posts; Quinto's Dream Comes True?

I've decided to post my old blogs from when I was in Uganda onto this blog, just so that I can have them archived on here and so that ya'll can read them, if you so choose.

Because I haven't figured out how to change the chronological order, they will be posted as my most recent blogs.  My "Uganda Posts" are not recent.  I will post the date they were originally written above the text with the title.

Happy reading!

Quinto's Dream Comes True?

09/14/11

Hey bloggies! So, I've been in Uganda for five days now, and it's been ... interesting. Before I left training camp I was told what to expect, and that there is not usually a good explanation for why it happened except for "this is Africa." I have found this to be very, very true. Every day we've gone to do a ministry, it hasn't worked out. Yesterday we waited for nearly two hours for our van to pick us up, the morning before that we went to do a prison ministry to be told it was moved to next week, and the day before that an orphan ministry, only to be told it was canceled. This morning we went to church to meet Pastor James for door to door ministry and found out he went to Kampala until Thursday...

But that doesn't mean God isn't moving. This morning, after hearing our pastor was gone, we decided to go door to door on our own. We prayed intensely for God to show up. After hopping over a small creek we saw some kids standing in the courtyard of Happy Time Nursery and Preschool, so we went to speak to them. The director of the school saw us from his office and immediately came to greet us as if he was expecting us. Happy Time's director's name is Quinto, which we quickly found out through conversation with him. Quinto proceeded to tell us his testimony about how God led him to start a church and pastor it, then leave pastoring the church to open Happy Time, and that his next step is to open a primary school. Opening a primary school is Quinto's new goal. Then Quinto shared with us a dream God had given him two days ago. In his dream, God told Quinto he would be expecting visitors soon... Remember how I said Quinto looked like he was expecting us? Well, he was. God was moving everything out of the way, to clear our schedule, so we could meet Quinto. Moral of the story? Don't be mad when your pastor goes to Kampala- He only did it so you can meet Quinto.

Until next week-

Kiersten

Uganda Posts; I Wonder What My Insides Look Like

I've decided to post my old blogs from when I was in Uganda onto this blog, just so that I can have them archived on here and so that ya'll can read them, if you so choose.

Because I haven't figured out how to change the chronological order, they will be posted as my most recent blogs.  My "Uganda Posts" are not recent.  I will post the date they were originally written above the text with the title.

Happy reading!

I Wonder What My Insides Look Like

09/05/11

Hello Bloggies!  Thanks for tuning in :)  I am so excited to tell you that tomorow is my LAST DAY IN THE STATES!  Woohoo, Uganda, here we come!  This weekend has felt like it's taken forever to find it's end, and now that it's finally here, I'm sad to see it go.  It has been so much fun getting to know my six lovely teammates and two fantastical leaders, and seeing the way God is moving makes me not want to leave this training camp. 

Yesterday was probably my favorite day in training camp, and for a few really exciting reasons.  Yesterday afternoon we went on a Surrender Hike.  Wearing one of my long dresses, I was informed to pick up a log, write on the log what God was telling me to surrender to Him, and hike my way up steep hills and through bramble-y bushes.  Even though it sounds painful, it was actually really amazing, because it gave me a chance to be alone with God in the woods, thinking about what I was painfully trying to hold on to.  After the surrender hike, later in the evening, we then spent time speaking into each other what God put on our hearts.  I was told that I am a fighter and I have God in me.  Such encouragement to know the Creator lives inside of ME!  We all received encouragement that we're going to be able to take to the field with us, and the next three months will bring more encouragement out, along with more of God's traits.  It's going to be a wonderful trip, and I'll keep posting, so you should keep yourself updated with the ministry God has called us to.

With love,
Kiersten

Endless Ocean

Endless Ocean

by Jonathan David Helser

Our God really is like an endless ocean and bottomless sea.  There is always more of Him.  There is always more to learn, more ways to grow, more ways to experience His love.

The Lord gives us endless possibilities and options.

Because He is endless it means our dreams can be endless.

The impossible can be done.

Regurgitated Thoughts

At a time I don't remember and by a person I cannot recall, I heard insightful words eerily similar to these-

It is easy to believe God is good.  It is hard to see how God is good in your own life.

It is so much easier for me to see the goodness God has done in someone else's life.  Sometimes I even look at a subject receiving goodness and wonder why they aren't shouting praise to the Lord at that very moment.

And then I realize I am looking a mirror.  I am the subject receiving the goodness, yet I fail to recognize it.  I have become blind to God moving in my own life.  As much as I wish I could say I was the only person suffering from this ailment, I have become quite certain that I am not.

I have several theories as to why I might have become unable to see His goodness in my own life; most of my theories revolve around either pride or insecurity (which in-and-of itself might be pride- who am I to think I am anything beside who the Lord says that I am?)

Regardless of the cause, this is something I have been convicted of lately, and something I am trying to pray through.  I need a shift in thinking (is that a term?) and several head-smacks, I am sure.

As long as there is no time like the present, then today I see the goodness God has given to me in His using me to speak life into my friends.

That is a start. :)

The Thankful Game

  This is the thankful game.  If anyone has taken part in a trip with Adventures in Missions, you have probably played the thankful game at some point in time.  It's when you don't want to be thankful or you feel like you have nothing to be thankful for, but you thank God anyway because He is good!  Since I really need to be thankful right now (and don't feel like I have much to be thankful for), I am going to scream on the internet until I lose my internet voice.

Thank you papa for two jobs

thank you for making me able to pay my bills

thank you for having a plan for me

thank you for knowing my heart's desire

thank you for wanting to give me my heart's desire

thank you for knowing what is best for me

thank you for building a community around me

thank you for the Holy Spirit

and for Holy Spirit worship

thank you for loving me regardless of what I do

or what I don't do

or how I feel about my own self

or how I don't feel about my own self

thank you for not letting me have malaria again

thank you for giving me time to rest

thank you for new tires for my car

thank you not letting my old tires blow up

thank you for not letting me get in car accidents

thank you that you are still molding me into a more wonderful woman of You

thank you that you give me new determination every day

thank you that you are teaching me what beauty is

thank you for the unconditional-ity of your grace

thank you for speaking to me

thank you for guiding me

thank you for never having hurt me

thank you for your promises

thank you for your faithfulness

thank you for your own desire in chasing after my heart

thank you for restlessness

thank you for the desires you place in my heart

thank you for your sacrifice

thank you for never giving up

thank you for being a warrior

thank you for not letting me be defeated

thank you for setting me apart

thank you for making me in your likeness

thank you for technology

thank you for books

thank you for music

and harmonies

and dissonance

thank you for putting songs on the radio that we need to hear when we need to hear them

The list could (and should) keep going on forever.  Maybe I'll play the thankful game via blog again a later.

Home

I can't tell you how excited I am to be home.

How nice it is to have my bed,

my family,

my dogs,

my car.

Everything about home has been amazing and I rest in knowing I am exactly where I am meant to be.

When I came home from Uganda, all I could think about was when I was going on another trip again.

This time, all I can think about is how God is going to use me in my present situation.

What is my present situation?

I was unable to get enough financial aid to cover this semester at North Hennepin Community College, where I have spent the last year working toward my Associate of Science in business management, so I am not attending at this time.

Instead...

I have just gotten hired for two part time jobs, one at a local grocery store and one at a drugstore.

Other than that, I'm still waiting to see what awesome opportunities God has come my way...

I have no idea what they are yet, but I can only guarantee they will be amazing.

As my life back home begins to pick up speed again, I'll keep you filled in on the progression and the events of my adventures.