Enjoying the Journey

I realize just about every day how I am never going to feel settled here. This is not my home; I’m only here a couple months. Just about the time when I feel that maybe things are beginning to get comfortable….something happens. Usually those events are in the form of culture-shock and unexpected cross-cultural experiences. In any case, I can rest assured that there will be some consistency in this very inconsistent semester. For example, the dining hall will always serve matooke (mashed green banana), posho (not sure if it’s spelled right, but that is a hard mixture of corn flour and water), rice, and beans for every meal. There will always be tea time twice a day. I can go to the canteen for cold sodas, but other than that nothing is refrigerated. Those seem to be the only consistencies in my life.
However, I am enjoying the randomness to the fullest. I find peace in retreating to my room every once in a while to read and catch up on classes. I have stopped relying on the internet…it just never works when I need it to. I have found a lot of enjoyment of grabbing some homework and joining the crowd of people who watch football practice. The group of American students have found the weekend to be the perfect time to get away on random adventures. Two weeks ago we went to a resort on the Nile on a retreat with Ugandan students. Amazing food, pool, hot showers…the works. Then last weekend we went back to Jinja and went rafting down the Nile! Class 5 rapids are so intense! We ended up rafting down an actual waterfall! I never thought that would ever happen! It was incredible! My rafting group worked together extremely well so we only completely tipped once, but we lost people a couple of times and were submerged in water multiple times. I cannot even explain how intense it was. That night we were able to watch video footage of it and we were all amazing at what we accomplished. I would do it again in a heartbeat…so much fun! And no worries, we did not get eaten by crocodiles. Yet, there was a cobra on one of the rocks on the island that we stopped at for lunch, and another swimming underneath our raft. Sweet. But now that the weekend is over we are trying to adjust back to classes and the semi-routine….only to realize that in two weeks we will be headed to Soroti to each live with a separate family in the rural villages for a little over a week.
Clearly I have been experiencing a lot. I have fully realized that right now I am exactly where I need to be. That does not mean I am meant to stay in Africa forever, but right now this is where God wants me. He is continuing to work on me every day and through every experience. I am completely aware that God could have accomplished what He wants with me in the states, but for some reason He decided to displace me for a semester. And again, this is not a missionary trip, so hopefully you are not disappointed reading this thinking “where is all the missionary work?” I have said it clearly before, I am not here to spread the gospel. God is already at work here. I am here because that is where God wants me to be right now….and with a purpose that I am not completely aware of yet. That does not mean to stop your prayers, prayers are always accepted. I am just asking you not to have expectations of what God is going to do on this trip. Expectations most often lead to disappointment. So, I am just going to enjoy this season of my life, be ready for anything, and allow God to move in ways that no one could ever predict.
P.S. I love you all.

Hakuna waku Tanana-nawe

As you may have guessed, I have experience more in these past couple of weeks than I could ever consider writing about on a blog. In short, almost immediately after arriving in Uganda we took a nine day trip to Rwanda. While at Rwanda we attended churches, visited memorials, and listened to speakers. We learned and embraced what happened during the Rwandan genocide. I cannot express to you the magnitude of emotional stress we dealt with every day. I refuse to go into details about what we heard about the genocide, if you have questions feel free to ask, but it was almost too hard for me to hear. One thing I will say is that I learned that humans have an immeasurable capacity for evil. However, they also have the same capacity for good. The mere fact that victims are able to forgive (or in the process of forgiving) the very people who murdered their family absolutely amazes me. God is working in Rwanda in amazing ways that I will never fully understand. But I can take heart in knowing that God is moving in people’s hearts to forgive and reconcile, and there are noticeable changes.
After the Rwanda experience, we took two days to debrief. The location of the debrief: Bunyoni Island! This island is amazing lush and absolutely beautiful. We were able to relax and take in God’s wonderful creation. It is an easy 30 min walk to get around the island, and has a rope swing, canoes, trails, etc. The time there allowed a lot of us to really bond and sort through all the emotions we had been feeling throughout the week. It was a time well-needed and well-spent.
Upon returning to campus we immediately began classes. Classes schedules are extremely different here-I might go into details another time. But I came realize two things during the week. 1. I am not on a mission’s trip and 2. my spiritual journey is determined by God, not me. To address the first thing, I know many want me to go and “bring the gospel” to the world. Not surprisingly, the gospel is already here and being spread by its own people. I have been so encouraged by the students in Uganda. Many of them have such a deep relationship with God and vast knowledge of scripture. Many know more about the Bible than I do-not to mention that they talk more openly about their faith than I have experienced by many people in the states. Although I don’t bring the gospel, I have realized that I can join in the spreading of God’s word, but just going to Africa does not make this so. I am just as much of a missionary here as I am in the states. And if I lack the ambition to share my faith with people of my same culture, what good am I in another country with people whose culture I do not understand? With all that said, I guess what I am trying to say is that life as a Christian should be a constant sharing the Truth rather than assuming that a person traveling to a different area of the world is any different of a Christian than the person who stays at home….it’s life, not a missions trip. As far as the second thing, God is really working on me. If I may be as bold as to say that God is revealing to me who I am-my identity in Him. I am being challenged every day by new thoughts/ideas/interactions/experiences that are molding me and testing me. I don’t really know how to put it into words. It is a hard but good thing. It’s like a spiritual workout, constantly wrestling with God to find out what He is showing me and teaching me and turning me into. I’m sorry if you are disappointed by my explanation, if I possessed the words to fully explain what God is doing, then believe me, I would.
Well, there is it. A little bit of what has gone on and what is going on. There are hardly details, and for that I apologize-I have neither the time nor the energy to write EVERYTHING. I hope you can forgive me, if you ask, I will be more than happy to share specific examples . Just know that your prayers are well embraced, I think of you all often, and I cannot wait to see what God has in store the next couple of months. Yup yup yup. Good night!

“Fresh to Uganda”

Everything right now is new and exciting. There are birds that sound like laughing old men. Monkeys that are “shy like the Ugandans”-quote from Boniface. Lions that are right outside the gate of campus; according to my new friend, Emmi (who we quickly found out is anything but reliable).There are little kids who love to yell “mazungu” (white person) as we pass by. The university campus spans across a beautiful 83 acres of banana trees and machete-cut grass. There are no heaters and electricity is unrealiable-last night I took a freezing shower in the light of my flashlight. Laundry is done by hand and I experienced that for the first time today. Our rooms are small with paint chipped walls, but sleeping on the bottom bunk with my mosquito net is like retreating to my own little private cave. So far so good.
I have slowly developing friendships with Ugandans and hopefully making it to Kampala to watch the boys’ basketball game tomorrow night. On Saturday we are heading to Rwanda and after that is when the school session will actually begin. I feel a bit unsettled right now, almost like I am experiencing freshmen year of college all over again. Thankfully I have quickly developed friendships with the girls on this trip. I have talked with many who have a strong desire to let this semester be fully about God. I am glad they share my focus. I liked the way one girl put it. She said, “This semester is my 4-month date with God.” I feel like they will be a source of strength and encouragement throughout my time here. It has only been a couple days but so much has happened. Once things begin to settle down I will hopefully discover my place and purpose here. But as for now, I am just a simple mazungu.

And so it begins....

I have not left the states yet nor have I even began to pack, but I have created a blog even though I dreaded it (Jimmy, now you do not have to be disappointed).
I don't think it has really hit me that in five days I will be in another country on the other side of the world. I guess I am excited? Then again I am nervous and anxious too. However, I think my packing phobia is outweighing every other emotion. I absolutely despise packing. Currently, my stuff is scattered in my room and I dare not enter and be forced to begin the long process of organizing and condensing. I already feel "too American" in the sense that I am spoiled and will surely pack WAY too much.
I guess that's all I can really say now. I am not sure what you should expect from future blogs....so feel free to read NONE if you don't want to. :)
Oh, and one last thing. I would love if you could pray for me while I am gone. This isn't a "missions trip", I am simply studying abroad. But that does not limit the incredible things that God can do while I am there. Also, if you feel the sudden urge to write to Africa my mailing address is:
Chelsea Michelson, Uganda Studies Programme
Uganda Christian University
P.O. Box 4
Mukono, Uganda

Okay. Well. I cannot wait to see that God has planned..... :)