My First Week

We have finished the first week of classes! The topics we covered this week were Spiritual Disciplines and the Power of Teamwork. We will be doing so much ministry in teams, so that was a really beneficial topic! Through the 6 months, we have two sets of teams we are split into for different things. One is called our "cell group", consisting of approximately 7 people, and we will be doing small group discussions and some ministry with that group. The second one is called our "district group", consisting of 10-11 people, and each group will be serving at a different Watoto Church in Kampala. My group will be serving in Watoto Church Kansanga (pronounced exactly like it sounds), at least at first. We will rotate churches every so often with other groups. We have done some get-to-know-you activities in both groups, and that has been really good! Neither of my groups have other internationals, and also, people are rarely in the same cell group and district group together. This allows us to get to know a lot of different people! The Ugandan students are so great! At first it was really nerve-racking to walk in to the room with all of them there, because most of them have grown up together and know each other so well. But even after just one week, I feel like we are all starting to become one big family. It has been a lot of fun getting to know them all, and there are still quite a few I haven't talked to yet. Tomorrow the focus is all team building, and I'm really excited for that! We will actually be going to the Suubi Watoto Village, which is where all of us internationals will moving in about a week and a half. We haven't seen it yet, and I can't wait! It will be so nice once we move into a more permanent home. 

God has been so faithful, just like He always is. Yesterday I woke up feeling down and kind of just sad in general, but then it was like something inside of me wouldn't allow it! I felt a joy that was not my own overcoming the sadness, and it was the best day yet! I know it was because of all your prayers that I was being carried by God's strength and joy. I also know there is a huge battle constantly happening in my mind, but God is helping me to be victorious! Today I woke up feeling very attacked, and I felt a lot of things coming against me, but I still felt the deep joy inside fighting for me. So I thank you all so much for your prayers! I feel them every minute of every day, and I am doing nothing in my own strength. So please know, your prayers matter! God is teaching me so much about letting Him satisfy all my desires, and relying on Him for literally everything. The moment I try to do anything in my own strength, I fail. I feel so close to Him, and have had some really awesome prayer times with Him. I'm excited to see what other amazing things He is going to teach me through these next months.

So on a less serious note, I have to say, it is so weird writing the date every day as January. It's so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that it is actually January, because of the weather. It is not nearly as hot as I thought it would be, but it's a lot warmer than Michigan right now! ;) It hovers right around 80 during the day, and this coming week might be a bit cooler than that even. Not to rub it in or anything, my Michigander peeps. ;) Enjoy the snow, because I really do miss it! I've seen lots of pictures and I will always appreciate it more after I come back. 

I'll leave you with a beautiful Ugandan sunset, and a verse that stuck out to me while reading my Bible this morning...

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." 

-Colossians 3:15