Kenya

After my time in Uganda I met up with two my fellow interns who were in Entebbe. The three of us are very adventurous and decided we should keep travelling since we were so close to Kenya. We were able to find a fairly cheap hotel that included breakfast and dinner - as well as taking a bus to and from Kenya. Although… traveling for 36 hours home is a bit more gruelling then shelling out more money to fly. BUT I only had the spending money my mom gave me so I had to make do and travel long hours on a bumpy, hot, and long bus ride. (ask me later and i will give you some great stories about the buses)

We arrived in Mombassa Kenya and got to sleep and sit in the sun.. it was GLORIOUS! I finally have a nice base tan and got to ride my very first camel on the beach!

We also got to take a safari and see lots and lots of elephants!

After the safari we got to go see a Masaai tribe! This was such a cool experience. I got lots of amazing pictures - including ones of me trying to dance with the guys in the tribe.

I know this isn't the most informative blog but you will have to ask me about my time in Kenya and I will give you very enthusiastic stories!

It was nice to have an affordable mini-vacation where I was able to rest up and feel rejuvenated for ministries back in Rwanda.

A big thanks to my mom for making Kenya possible! I love you!

ps. more photos will be added!

Uganda

Sorry I have been so M.I.A lately.. I have been out of the country for the last two weeks traveling around East Africa. I first went to Uganda to meet up with a team from my church and after met up with my fellow interns to make our way to Kenya for a little mini vacation.

So I will start first with Uganda - there is so much to tell!

To sum it all up - I had an AMAZING time!!! Uganda is beautiful - although the city is quite overwhelming and I couldn't live there for more than a week! I was glad I got to experience another country and meet some incredible people that my church is partnering with.

My first day in Uganda I got to go meet Dr. Jean Chamberlin and hear all about her amazing ministry called "Save the Mothers". Originally when I was looking into doing an internship in Africa I heard about Save the Mothers and looked into possibly working there. It didn't quite suit what I was looking for but it was still great to meet Jean and hear all about the ministry.

On Tuesday two of the people from the team and I headed up to Northern Uganda for a few days. We got to fly on a little plane to Lira and then drove 2 hours to a tiny village called Apac (pronounced Apa"ch") I absolutely fell in love with it there. If anyone knows about invisible children or the LRA you will know about Apac. Almost everyone who lives there has been affected in some way by the LRA - most have had children taken by them. I have been very interested in learning about the LRA and even thought about doing an internship wish Invisible Children so it was such an awesome experience to go up there.

I mostly spent time with people's babies (i can't help it!) and took lots of photos. It is amazing how much you can connect through those two things… It was so neat to see people using sewing machines that our church donated (including 1 that I donated last year) It didn't take much time but I felt so connected with the women and children. A whole group of kids sang for us and did a whole presentation - it was so great! I also got to play some futbol with the older girls. Before I left, one of the ladies I had taken photos of, ran after me to give me a skirt and shirt that she had bought for me. Another woman who I connected well with (and her baby isaiah) told me that she wanted me to come back next year - My heart just about melted! I hardly spent any time there but was able to connect so deeply with these women - it is so crazy and it is so God! A piece of my heart definitely stayed in Apac and I am praying I will get to go back soon to see these women and children again.

The next day was allotted to traveling only… and boy was that a long day… to sum it up we started at 6.. got to the airport for 8… our plane was cancelled…. the next one was at 2… we flew for just over an hour… then drove for another 45 minutes till we made it home. We then went to the market and then to Anne's.. by the time I got home I was SPENT!

On Saturday the team went to Anne's house and got to help her with her ministry for Refugee women. Wow! was that ever amazing! We first got to sit in the office and hear from a few women who were refugees themselves. I was trying to hold it together but I couldn't help the tears from rolling over and over again down my cheeks. I was a mess - God was really stirring my heart - I don't think I have ever fully understood some of the things people endure when they are forced to flee their countries. Dena did some teaching to the women and I got to help bag and hand out food for them. There were about 100 in total! It was such a great day… I have come back with a heart that is more on fire to serve within the refugee camp here in Rwanda.

That night we had Anne and a bunch of friends over to the guest house for a goodbye dinner. After much talking and laughing we figured out who would be set up with each of mama Esther's sons… and who back in Canada we could set up with people in Uganda. hahaha! oh dear… It was such a fun night! I absolutely LOVE all the people we are working with.

I am SO thankful to have had the opportunity to meet Anne and see the ministries we are involved in as a church. I had such a fantastic time - I can't believe how much i connected with people - and within such a short amount of time… I really wonder if it is because of the involvement of my church and also knowing that if I go back to Africa then it will most likely be to Uganda.

I can't wait to tell more people at home about the awesome things happening through Impact Uganda.

To my Readers....

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged!!

I have been out of the country for the last two weeks and cannot wait to post many blogs about my adventures! Each one deserves its own post... problem is that my computer cord has stopped working so I wont be able to blog much until I get a new one....

I promise once I get it back I will post pictures and many many stories!

Thanks for following!

Karyn

The Visa Story.

So most of you know that I have been planning to go to Uganda to meet some people from my church there. I had applied for a volunteer visa back at the end of February and have been waiting for it ever since. Each week went by getting closer and closer to my departure date and still no word for the visa.

We decided to book my flight and bring a letter to immigration asking for my passport and visa back before April 10th so that I could leave the country. They said that the visa was pending because of something with the organization. They told me what I needed and I was on my way.

Serge then spent countless hours calling and meeting with people re-telling the story to each different person and hearing different things that were going to happen to ensure I could get my visa.

Days passed and many prayers were said but still no visa.

It was the last possible day to get my visa and with this week being the week of mourning – the odds couldn’t have been worse. Things are closed certain days, or only open half of the day – which just made me more nervous.

I had faith and high hopes until it came down to Friday morning, the last chance to get my passport. Serge called immigration again and talked with someone… I didn’t know what he was saying other then the odd “o ya” (no) and the sound of his voice telling me that things were not looking good. He was told to call back in five minutes and talk with someone else from immigration...

He then called back and talked to a lady who told him to come at four to the immigration office. YES! I thought… as there would only be one reason to go to the office and that would be to pick it up! I went through the day still a little nervous but having a positive mind frame.

4:00 came around and only had one phone call from Serge asking for me to spell out my full name as it is written on my passport. I didn’t hear from him again… this was not good news.

Later in the evening a bunch of the interns went over to Jen and Serge’s house to meet the new couple that is here for five months. I went in and sat down not even wanting to look at Serge because I knew the news wasn’t good. Dinner came and I was glad we didn’t have to actually acknowledge the fact that I didn’t have my passport or I don’t know if I would have eaten my dinner. Haha. Once I was finished Serge started…. “well Karyn..” he says with a sigh. “I have good news and bad news”. I was mighty glad to hear there was still some good news! “You are going to get your passport back – but not until Monday”. What a relief I thought – I can still go to Uganda and meet the team!

Serge then went into the story of what happened… He went to immigration and took a number and waited his turn. He told them that he was told to come at four and that he could talk to someone about my passport. He was then told to wait… so he waited… and waited… and waited some more. All the other customers were being served until he was the only one left in the office. It was time to close and they told him sorry but he had to go. He told them that he was here and had to get a passport – so they checked and found the Canadian passport and put it down. “here you go” they said “this is the last one”. He opens it up only to find that it was MIKE’S passport!! (The other intern who applied for a volunteer visa) “no no no” Serge pleaded, this is not the right one – “I need the one for the other Canadian girl she is traveling on Sunday!” The lady from immigration who was helping him with the passports came and said she put both of our passports through the machine to get visas but right after Mikes went through -The machine just stopped working! So that is why I don’t have my passport yet but will be getting it Monday morning.

Maybe something bad will happen with the plane, or maybe I will never know… but there is a clear reason why God didn’t want me traveling on Sunday.

Everything happens for a reason.

I am very grateful that I can still go to Uganda to see people from church and meet Anne. Thanks for all your prayers!

Remebrance Gathering

Photos from the remembrance ceremony.

Remembrance Month

Kigali hasn’t been the same this past week. The streets are less busy, the people are quieter and an all around different mood. It is April and this is the month of remembrance and mourning. I have thought long and hard about what I wanted to write here… but instead of trying to write something up - I thought I would share a journal entry I wrote to God on April 7th 2011.

Today is a day of remembrance in Rwanda. God this day doesn’t mean much specifically to me but God I recognize that I have lived such a blessed life and have been so sheltered from physical hard and war and for that I will be ever so grateful. God I also question why I have been spared from so much pain. I know my life has been far from easy but God you have blessed me so much and I wonder why and how. I ask what you have called me for. God what my purpose is since I haven’t been through so much turmoil. Is there a specific reason I haven’t had to endure war, famine death? I know that you love us all the same and that we are all your children but I still ask why?

God I just feel like I owe so much to you and my brothers and sisters. God how can you use my story and me even though it has been “easier” than what people have been through here. God I pray just to learn so much more about you and my calling in life and how you want to use me – in relationships, social justice, in Canada and overseas. God this day is good for me to remember one of the reasons why I am here – It is to love, support and pray for people – your people. I just ask that you will give me so much love and strength for your people. I pray that the seeds I plant will be watered and that you will produce the fruit. I pray that I will be a blessing to all who know me and ask that I would honor and bless you in all that I do.

Amen.

I definitely feel vulnerable writing this and sharing this, but I think that it is important for us as brothers and sisters to share our hearts with one another and not be embarrassed of our relationship with God.

I was able to attend a memorial service at the stadium with thousands of other Rwandese people. I am honored (for lack of a better word) to be here for this time and experience. I will carry this memory with me for the rest of my life.

Another Wedding!