Boring Blogging

While I was home in California, it was higly requested that I continue to blog frequently while back in Uganda. I absolutely love writing, so typically blogging is not a challenge for me.  But since I have returned to Uganda, I've wanted to follow through and post for everyone, but I just haven't felt up to it.

For one, life has handed me lemons and I've had to make some lemonade. Second, I just don't know how to put into words how I've been feeling over the past two weeks. And third, I can only explain so well. Uganda is honestly something you have to experience for yourself to truly understand. 

The fact is, you probably don't understand. And I need to understand that you don't understand. 

And I was able to understand that last time I was here, but this time it has not been so easy. People have said to me that it takes someone special to do what I do.  Maybe it does, I don't know. 

The truth is, it's not always so easy. And I am sure people realize that. But I also don't think people are always understanding of that. There are days where I want nothing more than to be in the comfort of my own bed and to be able to take a hot shower. Or at least have some electricity in the morning to do my hair. 

Serving God is not always easy, and I've found the right choice is not always the easy choice. But sometimes it takes doing what's not so easy to get to where you need to be. 

So anyhow, let me try to give you an update of what I've been doing. Most of the time I'm just hanging out with the kids in the home. Although, a medical missions team arrive this past weekend. I have joined them in one medical clinic where I helped run the deworming station with Uncle Duane and a few of the kids from the NCFH. After we finished with all the deworming I spent the next three hours or so just playing with the kids. 

Today we went to the school to see the students and watch them perform for the team. It was the first time seeing my students in over three months. It was a joy. And apparently one of the students at the school told one of the team members that she wants to be a "missionary teacher like Teacher Kelsey" when she grows up. Melt my heart. 

I think I needed to hear that. To be reminded of the fact that God is using me here. It's more than I could ever hope for. I'm here to serve The Lord and I am thankful he is using me. 

So, that's pretty much all I've been doing. I did cook a spaghetti dinner for the kids one night, and plan on doing so again this Saturday. We've played a lot of football, and I've spent a good amount of time reading. Tomorrow is another medical clinic which I am sure will be larger than the one on Tuesday, so we shall see how that goes. 

I definitely know I'm not cut out for medical stuff. I enjoy playing with the kids and loving on them. But I'll serve wherever God wants me. 

Perhaps I'll have something more interesting to share with y'all after this clinic. Sorry for the lack of updates and the boringness of this posting. 

LCD Uganda

Two of the oldest boys in the New Creation Family Home, Lawrence and Charles, have started a bracelet making business with Uncle Duane. They take orders and make bracelets, which they then sell. The money that the make is divided between the three of them. After the earnings are split three ways, they each put part of their earnings into savings, another part is tithed, and the third part is what they get to keep to spend. All the money put into their savings cannot be touched until they are eighteen.

Uncle Duane is helping teach the boys how to run a business, the practice of tithing, and how to save money.

So with that, if you would like to support their little bracelet making business, please contact me with the following information. They are selling them for $3 each. I will take your order then bring the bracelets to you when I return home to The States and then I will give the money to Uncle Duane, since he handles the money.

• Your name
• What you would like your bracelet to say
• the colors of your bracelet (base color and writing)
• Thin or thick

Here are some examples of bracelets they have made. My personal bracelets they have made are the "I Love Jesus" one at the top, as well as the "Uganda" one on the far right. I personally like the thin bracelets. But I also have a few of the thicker ones as well.

Here are the colors they have, shown as accurately as possible. 

From left to right: neon yellow/lime green, white, pink, blue, red, yellow, and black on the bottom.

Room Tour 2

This was one of you most viewed postings last time I was in Uganda, so I decided I would post another his time around. And also, I didn't know what else to post about at the moment. So here is a tour of hath same room I was in last time I was in Uganda, but a few things have changed. 

Here is my little area of photos and of of uprise my mini-calendar. Last time I had a big chunk of photos and stuff up in the room, so this time I went a tad more simple which I seem to be enjoying. These are photos people gave me to bring, or others I just wanted to bring along with me. 

My brother gave me this blanket to bring and it's been amazing too have. Since it's so hot in Uganda! it's nice to be able to sleep under this light blanket. This was Taylor's Then Izzi's bed, and I decided to use this bed insad of the bunked this time around. I also brought my own pillowcases this time and the is little, Bruv on the bed who goes everywhere with me. 

Had to bring the little sign my mom have me, my Wolfpack photo, and my alarm clock. I prefer to not use my iPhone alarm, and it's not so reliable when the power is out from time to time and can't be charged. 

Instead of the ice chest night stand that I used last time, I now am using this little shelf. I have my chargers, office supplies, books, bibles, notebooks, flashlights and other little things here. 

Found this pencil holder in there clearance section at Target and thought it would be perfect for here. So there's that, my sunnies, and water bottles that I keep on the desk. 

Notes that the kids had written me and left for when I arrived! Even found some under my pillow. 

My "closet." Where I keep my suitace and hang my backpack, belts, purse, laundry bag, and a dress that wrinkles like crazy. 

It was a must to bring perfume this time around. I LOVE Pink's Warm & Cozy and it was small and convenient to bring the Twilight Woods is what Taylor uses, so I have it to think of her, and you advantage not have One Direction parfume. This is just a little shelf  above the sink in the bathroom. Oh and those aremy. Earrings in that little box. 

Thank you Harris family for this caddy! It's so nice to store all my hair accessories, Chapstick, and all that other good stuff. 

And the. Just my makeup, and toiletries and stuff. I use that little clear caddy in my bathroom at home, so I edited to bring it with and is say it was a good choice. Nice and convenient. 

And my guitar is already getting a good amount of use. 

So, there is my room! Not nearly as cozy as my room at home which I miss dearly, but is nice. 

On a Wednesday, in a cafe, I watched it begin again.

2014 began for me while I was sleeping on an airplane. Well actually, I didn't really get a New Years. I was traveling in a direction where I completely missed it. Nonetheless, I had a wonderful sleep on the plane. It was a 9.5 hour flight from San Francisco to London and I am quite sure I slept a good 8 of those hours. 

Arriving in London was a wonderful feeling. I absolutely love London so I was thrilled to be there. I had previously made arrangements to meet up with my friend Louis so I set off on my adventure to figure out how to get to our meeting point. I talked to a very nice man who pointed me in the right direction which was a great help. Exchanging money was annoying. I about keeled over dead when I handed the gentleman $100 and received £52 in return. I just acceptd it and moved forward. 

I purchased my Heathrow Express, round trip ticked, and headed down to the platform to board the train or whatever it is. I proceeded to board early and was told to get off. I laughed at myself instead of getting embarrassed. When I eventually boarded, at the correct time, I sat next to a nice man and woman. The man is from LA and the woman from England. We all chatted the entire ride to Paddington Station. 

We finally arrived at Paddington Station, and the we each parted ways. My first mission was to find a McDonalds to get myself some free wifi. I needed to contact Louis to let him know I was there. So I walked out into cold, rainy London weather and luckily found a McDonalds just one block down. I snuck inside and connected to their wifi. I heard nothing back from Louis so I went and walked around in the rain, before trying McDonalds wifi again. I finally got ahold of that boy and he said he would be there in 30 minutes. During my wait I stood in a drug store under their heater, read a guitar magazine, and paid to use the restroom. I am still annoyed that I had to pay to pee. Seriously?! And figuring out which coins to use was a task in itself. 

I then walked back to McDonalds to see where Louis was and he informed me that he had just arrived. I walked back to Paddington Station and looked around for him. Of course I didn't find him until he was standing right next to me. And finally at last I got that Wolfpack hug I had been missing for so long. 

Louis and I went to a little cafe called Costa. He treated me to a moca and we shared a sandwich over a good four and a half hour chat. I went and paid to use the restroom one again, bought a water, and we then went and sat on someone couches we found and waited for my train-thing back to the airport to arrive. And unfortunately it eventually did. We said are farewells, gave a hug and parted ways. 

I made my way back to terminal 4 where I would find the hotel I would be staying in for the night. Unfortunately when I went to check-in I found there was a misunderstanding and my room had never been booked and the hotel was full for the night. I decided to just go find a place to sit and rest. I called Louis to let him know I'd made it back to the he airport and discussed with him the situation and let him know I'd call in the morning. 

I then quickly realized this was a blessing in disguise. After shedding some tears in bathroom stall and changing my clothes, I found a spot where I could charge my phone and played my guitar for a bit. I then found some some paper shoved in my guitar case and began to write a letter. That person will know who they are when I figure out how to mail letters from Uganda and send it to them. I then realized I had to pee super bad, and fortunately was able to do so without having to pay this time. After, I decided to walk around and find a place to sleep. 

As I rounded a corner, I saw a white, baby grand piano sitting in the lobby. On it was written, "play me." So...I kind of had to. As I set my guitar and backpack down a woman approached me asking if we were really allowed to play it. I said that I thought so and there we began a two hour piano, guitar, and chit-chat sesh with this woman.  She taught me some jingles on the piano, I played her a song on the guitar, and we told each other about ourselves. I shared some snacks with her since she said she was hungry and all shops were closed at this 4am hour. 

We eventually parted ways, and here I am at 4:45am, sitting on the floor of Heathrow Airport writing this, while I wait for the shuttle to begin running so I can ride on over to terminal 5. And I can say that I am so happy with how today turned out. My New Year's Day was excellent. I spent it with someone who has changed my life for the better. Someone I consider one of my closest friends. And I met a woman who made me smile and reminded me that when life gives you lemons, you might as well make some lemonade.

I sure wish life would give me so root so I could make someone rootbeer, because that sounds good right now.

Everyone has been beyond kind here in London and I kind of want to move here even more than I ever have. But hey, God wants me in Uganda right now. And even if everyone else finds it crazy that I would want to be there, that's exactly where I desire to be above all else. 

2014 has been fantastic already! I can't wait to see what is yet to come.

Wherever You Will Go

Some days it seems as if I was last on Ugandan soil ages ago. And other days, like today, it seems as if it were just yesterday that I was sitting next to a new friend on a plane headed to San Francisco. On my way to see my friends and family for the first time in four months.

And now, in just four days, I will be heading back out to Uganda. I will spend one night in London where I hope to visit with a sweet friend. And then exactly three months from the day I left Uganda, I will be able to embrace those sweet Ugandan loves of mine once again.

Leaving back to Uganda is bittersweet. I know what I don't like about Uganda and I know what I must leave behind in California. And that makes me erie about returning. Although, I know that I am so excited to see what God has in store for me thist time around. I can't wait to get back into a steady teaching routine where I will spend my days with crazy, wild, loving students. Days full of laughter, smiles, and a whole lot of Jesus.

I am ready to get back out there and I truly believe that God's timing in my return is perfect, because I am quite content at the moment, after days of doubting God's decision.

What I am going to miss most about being in California is nannying Cian and Rhielle, spending time with my family, sleeping in my own bed, burning candles, being able to drive myself wherever and whenever, American food, Pandora, Target, watching the Shaytards, and most definitely California sunsets. (Sorry Africa, California has the best).

I am funded for ~6 months in Uganda, which keeps me there through June. If you feel lead to support me financiaially, pleace contact me for imformation of where you can send a tax-deductable check. Or to donate online, see the website link on the right sidebar of this page.

So, next time you hear from me, I will be back in Uganda! Please keep me in your prayers for departing California, for my travels, and for adjusting back to living in Uganda.

Happiness & Joy

My brother and I thoroughly enjoy watching a family of daily vloggers on YouTube called the Shaytards. The father (Shay) has a younger brother (Logan) who is about to head out to Argentina for a two year mission. The family is Mormon, and although when I return to Uganda I will not be on a "Mormon mission" being that I am a Christian, I found his advice to his brother in his most recent video very applicable to where my mindset should be when I return to Uganda this coming January.

I think the common goal in missions is to share Jesus Christ with the world, whether we are Mormon or Christian.

So here is the little piece of advice he shared:

"I guess my piece advice to Logan would be to just really go to work. Lose yourself in the work. I remember when I was a missionary, when I just put everything I had into it and forgot about home, forgot about the things of the world. Just focus on serving the people of the country that you're living in; serve the Argentinean people and just love them. You'll have more joy and more happiness than you could ever experience...Forget about school and bills and like all those worldly things we're all caught up in. You know, trying to figure out what we're going to do when we grow up and how we're gonna pay our next mortgage payment and if we have the new shoes or the new clothes to look cool, to fit in at school. Or if you're driving the new car, you wanna get new rims or you have the sound system. All of those things that all of us as humans are always stressing out about and worrying about. Just forget about all that stuff. And that's the biggest tip I have and it was so nice for those two years just to focus on service and to help bring people to Christ. And that's really the missions that he's going to serve. It's not about baptizing people into the Mormon church. It's about showing people this person called Jesus Christ and about how He is our savior and about how we should all seek to be like He was. To have love, empathy, and patience and kindness and to love all of our Heavenly Father's children."

If you would like to view the video: http://youtu.be/ZAvCrSpo4Xc?t=9m50s

Good Intentions

During the past month that I have been back in California I have had the opportunity to talk to many people about my experience in Uganda and my plans to return. Many conversations seem to end with the phrase, "Just remember that there are people who need help here too."

This phrase always seems to anger me and I find myself having to just hold it in and end the conversation. It wasn't until one of my sweet friends understood exactly how I was feeling and shared something with me that put into words what I was unable to express myself.

"Sometimes in life we have good intentions to do good things for God. But it won't make a bit of difference if it's not where God has called you. A woman told me about how her entire family in the US doesn't know Christ. She WANTS to be there, ministering to them. She has good intentions. But the Lord called her to Kenya, and so that's where she is. And He's blessing her obedience."

I would love to help those in need here in Sacramento, but the fact is, God has called me to Uganda. I could stay here in Sacramento, but it will do absolutely no good, because God wants me in Uganda. I have good intentions to help those in need here. I would love to be helping here, but God has called me elsewhere and I must be obedient to Him. I desire to be obedient to Him.

In other news, I am $77 away from having my flight back to Uganda fully funded (including my return flight whenever that occurs). I am then on to fundraising $400 a month to live in Uganda. If you feel lead to support me financially, please feel free to contact me at kelseymagnolia9@gmail.com for the address of where you can send a tax-deductible check.