Lesson from tortilla chips

 a good cook must first be a patient cook. (a consistent oven helps too.)

today was my second time trying to make tortilla chips and initially it was just as bad at my first attempt but then i finally figured out our oven and the right combination of thickness and heat. they are delicious. 

Taxi Park

Transportation in Kampala

You have four choices as to how you can get around in Kampala. 

1. drive your own car. (very few ugandan have this as an option but there are cars on the roads)

2. walk. This is the cheapest option, and it's pretty popular. I walked to my church this week and it took me 55 minuets.

3. taxi.  The taxis here are 15 passenger vans. The taxi system works like a wheel with different spokes going out from the center of town called New Park. For me to go to church i can take two taxis for less than a dollar.

4. boda. A boda is a motor bike with a little seat on the back for customers. The upside of taking a boda is that they will go to specific locations off the main road, they are less sweaty and cramp than the taxis, and they are much faster than the taxis especially during rush hour, because the boda drivers have no problem creating new lanes between cars and along the shoulders of the road. The downside is your safety is usually in jeopardy and they are most costly. To take a boda to my church would cost me about 3 dollars. 

Construction in Kampala from what i have observed, entails street workers cutting out a square section of the road and then refilling it. I have yet to see a cone or construction outfit, and when they are not working traffic seems to ignore the holes as much as they can. 

Last night my boda driver kept changing is mind on which holes he would go around and which he would drive through. 

Hostel Visit

Today i went with my friend Peter to visit a hostel right next to the church, which is largely populated by the students from the neighboring university. 

It blew my mind how open students were with us. They invited us in even though they did not know. They served us drinks. They talked to us about things that were happening in there lives. Really they were very willing to laugh and talk. 

one room we went into had five students in it, there of which were studying for final exams, but still they let us come right in. Not only did they welcome us they served us the lunch that they had been making for themselves. This was initially very awkward because i had to eat their food in front of them while they studied. They were so gracious, and it would have been very rude for me to refuse it. This part of the culture i do not think i will be able to get used to very well.

Tomorrow night i go to my church for youth fellowship. 

Please pray for this event.

God Bless

From Kampala

Hey wuts up? (rhetorical) but anyways my first half week in Uganda has been nothing like I could have planned for or imagined. God has shown me right away that this is his trip, which has been mostly humbling but also exciting. 

As a group we have gone through a lot of orientation in Uganda culture and Worldview. I have learned so much.

We have visited the city down town which is literally overflowing with people. Also we have been trying to get used to the transportation here. I am physically adjusted to the time here, and doing well so far on food digestion. The food here is great. I had an amazing piece of Tilapia yesterday. 

I got to visit my church yesterday and today for their weekend services. It was good to meet people but a little overwhelming. Tomorrow i go to meet with the pastor, and start in with a highschool bible study. 

there has been a great deal of culture stress to deal with in travel and culture but it has been a great experiencing learning. 

This week please pray for...

i am traveling around the city with paul who works at my church. pray that God would bless that relationship.

pray for the team as we continue to figure out public transportation and the city.

pray for us as week meet students and start ministry this week. 

God Bless you all and thanks for your prayers

Uganda Updates

so i am taking this idea from Johnny Wong so props to him.
This will be my update site for my trip.
I will be posting updates about my ministry work, prayer requests, updates about my group.
Some prayer requests before the trip
pray that God would prepare our hearts and minds as we go
pray for travel and for luggage
pray for health as we are jet lagged and transition to new food
pray that God would use us to serve
details of trip
we fly out from O'hare at 7:15 Monday night May 18th
our finaly destination will be Kampala, Uganda.
i will be serving at kampala baptist church.