God is Good Everywhere

In the movie "God's not Dead" the pastor and his missionary friend repeat "God is good, all the time" "All the time God is good" frequently and it turns out they are placed in the right place at the right time near the movies end which makes the phrase ring true.
Well I am convinced that Good is good everywhere today. Yesterday I had moments of discouragement, that inevitably happens in new places when really not that much is familiar or comfortable.
I took myself back to the guest house around 9:50 after spending a couple of hours repairing books in the primary library. I wondered what I was doing here doing such mundane, routine tasks that anyone could do. I started my bible app on my kindle and lo and behold the reading was from Micah. Did not feel inspired by that thought but I read and God is here. Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
Feeling refreshed I took myself back up to school to work with the first of my assigned reading partners. This is a job I love and today when I am in the library taping books I will remember my job here is to walk humbly.
On an added note I had an email from Emily last evening saying she was praying specifically that we would be humble and willing servants here. While some would say oh a coincidence I would say God is good. All the time and everywhere. Everywhere and all the time God is good. 

Rafiki Life

So after 2 full days here I have some ideas about how Rafiki Uganda works.
Everything is structured except playtime when the kids let loose a bit.
The children here all seem to have a well developed sense of humor that I feel we will see more of within a few days. This was our second night in the girls dorm reading and visiting. They were much more relaxed tonight and asked many questions. They make me smile because they smile with their whole faces.
I am impressed with the level of education/behavior sophistication I see in these kids at this point. Many are getting music lesson either in piano or a band or orchestra instrument. They seem to enjoy this. I heard a lot of piano practice today as I worked in the library.
We eat with the children in the evening. With ourselves and other volunteers and such at lunch. Noon meal is traditional Ugandan fair. So far that has been two lunches of beans and rice. Tasty food but not at all spicy. Ted has been pleased with the mildness. Evening meals have been Sunday chicken dinner which was the noon meal, fish with sauce and rice, pineapple (fresh picked and amazing) and avocado salad, and tonight liver with a sauce, boiled potatoes, cooked split peas, and fresh papaya.
I am assuming I will enjoy evening meals more than noon. Some of the other starches here are coming up and I will see how I like these unfamiliar items.
Lots to keep up busy. I am working on preschool art, some library stuff and grading papers on child development for RICE, the teacher education component of Rafiki. Ted has been messing with the computer lab. He found a fix for something today so he is pleased about that.
Now I am waiting to see the monkeys I hear pretty regularly, and to get acquainted with more of the children.

First Impressions

So this is Africa. I am surprised by the variation fromone African country to another and by the sameness. Uganda feels a bit more exotic and more tropical than Ethopia. I am told there are monkeys right here in the village and that they are very naughty and steal garde produce. They have acquired a dog named Jack, because it is a Jack Russel terrier. I am eager to meet the dog and the monkeys and to see some crested cranes. They are the mational bird here.
The traffic in town was pretty horrendous. There are open markets. Spotted what seemed like a father and plucking a chicken next to the road with a kettle over an open fire. Cattle and chickens appear more plentiful than goats here and the cattle are pretty good looking. The area around the village appears less impoverished than some place. Homes were made of bricks and mortar. Not much for windows and doors but looked sturdy.
There are 102 resident children here plus 115 day students. Can't even imagine getting that manynames and faces together. Met two cottages of girls tonight. They mostly have somewhat Englishsounding names. We met 2 Flavia's, a Gloria, a Jen and an Ida. I am not sure about the others. These girls were grades 1 to 5. Very polite proper and well mannered. I expect that to be the norm but the depth and freindliness of conversation will change. They did ask about cold and snow which are pretty foriegn ideas to them.
The village grounds here are so gorgeous and with this many students there are mant buildings. Wow. The sidewalks have a stamped pattern and some spaces have names engraved. You can tell kids lives here.
After supperplaytime saw kids playing jumprope, netball, football aka soccer and basketball.
Tomorrow we will get a work schedule and play and meet more kids. Its a school holiday so a good time to get acquainted.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow morning bright and early my time we will head to Africa again. My husband Ted will join me visiting Uganda for three weeks. Pictures lead me to believe this is a very beautiful country within the African continent. I am still a little sketchy on what all we will be doing the three weeks we are there but with 103 residents and over 100 day students I am sure Rafiki Village Uganda will have things for us to do. I have been checking the weather and it looks like it will be lovely.
After Uganda Ted will travel home and I will go on to Ethiopia. YEAH! I am eager to see those kids again.
Right now it's time to pack and pack and pack and unpack and repack etc. for a few more hours than hopefully sleep. Long plane rides are scary and draining.