Worship....African style

Tonight was African worship night, here Carmel (going to Southern Africa) and I dressed in our colorful African attire, got to participate in the service. Most African worship services are a good 3-4 hours, ours was not nearly that long, but we praised God singing and clapping to songs in Swahili. Then people gathered and prayed around the 11 of us who will be serving in Africa (not including North Africa, they are part of the Middle East region). When I start to think about what it is going to be like to actually live in Uganda I get so excited!! We have been learning about African hospitality. Despite their poor living conditions and devastation of AIDS throughout their villages, they are always ready to welcome a guest. I look forward to showing that same hospitality to new Ugandan friends as I invite them into my new home.

Fall....

The campus here at MLC is beautiful especially now that it is fall. Being in the countryside we have a lake to enjoy and great paths to walk. Everywhere I look I am reminded of our Creator. It amazes me how people can see the beauty of creation without praising God! Here I am with some of my "quad-mates" (minus Amy)...Carrie, Lindsey, Amy, me, Carmel, and Jasmine.

Killin' Chickens (Beware the picture below might bother some of you)...

This afternoon at "Gore Fest 2004" we learned how to kill and prepare a chicken and also fillet a fish! Believe me I have many more grusome pictures but I figured I better spare you guys. The saying "running round like a chicken with it's head cut off" has a new meaning for me now. While I probably won't be required to kill my own food in Africa, you never know!!

Special Meals

Trying new foods is an interesting part of our orientation experience. This week we have had two "special meals". Tuesday was Middle Eastern food (lamb meatballs, cucumber salad that we got to eat with our hands!!) Today was really pretty good...Middle American/Carribean food (corn tortillas, pork, beans, rice, salsa, and plantains, which look kind of like bananas but don't taste like them!). As we try these new foods we pray for these areas of the world, that they might come to know the saving grace of our Lord.

Uganda Bound

Christy (also a proud Kentuckian) will also be serving in Uganda, but in the capital city about 4 hours from where I will live. We are going through orientation here together and will live together for the first month or so when we get to Uganda and do language/cultural study. Fun times :)

Game Night

Games are a common pass time here. It's funny no matter how tired we are from class, the jmen are always up for some fun at night. Here we are playing a game, guys vs. girls. Unfortunately the guys won, but there's plenty of time for a rematch!

Mmmm...cheesecake!

New friends...(me, Carmel, Amy, Conan, Doug, Kim, Becca) enjoying cheesecake on a night away from MLC! The Jmen are always anxious for what we like to call "social time".

Cultural worship

Lindsey (also from Kentucky) and Carrie are 2 of my 7 "quad mates". We are dressed for a cultural worship experience. This was a really neat time. The women had to cover their heads and sit separately from the men. We all brought "prayer mats" and sang in differnt languages to simulate what we will all be experiencing in about 6 weeks. As we praised the One True God, 1.3 billion people around the world bowed to a god that doesn't even exist!!

Orientation

Before heading overseas I am spending October and November in orientation at a place called MLC in Virginia with around 100 other people (couples, families, and other single jmen like me). Our time here is spent learning about culture and how we can better serve the people we will be working with. It has been a very encouraging time, and I have made many new friends. God continues to teach me more each day!