Rainbow cupcakes!

I can't believe it, but summer is over! Though homework, test, studying and such are nothing too look forward too with the start of a new school year.... time spent with my sisters of Sigma Alpha Omega, Alpha Chapter is! 

This past Sunday was our first buisness meeting, so me and my sweet little, Jessica, had a little fun! With a little help from pintrest... here is what we came up with... 

I just printed out hearts saying "welcome back" on card-stock and cut them out. Then hot-glued  them to a toothpick. 

One cupcake got special treatment! Happy 22nd Birthday to my beautiful roommate, Brooke Reimer! She is a  BIG blessing in my life! 

anddddd, the BEST part! The inside! I could stare at this picture forever! Neon food coloring is only  $5 and you can  find it at any grocery store. It is SO easy (just a little messy). Find out how to make this rainbow magic here.
The beautiful Brooke! 
My sweet little, Jessica! 

"Here at NC State we take pride in healing animals.... not humans!"

I am not a paranoid... but I also didn't want to risk anything, so off I went to the doctor.

I have been having strange leg/muscle/knee problems for the last several weeks, and finally decided I needed to have it looked at.

After copying a few dozen recipes out of health magazines in the waiting room, the door finally opened, and the sweet nurse called my name! I very descriptively explained to her what was going on, and then she left the room.

The next lady who entered was my doctor... though I feel pretty certain she is not actually a doctor. She wore a short skirt that she did not know how to properly sit in, and clogs (with heels on them).

Even though that very detailed discription was right infront of her, I once again told her my spill.

She strangly looked at me, poked my leg for all of 30 seconds, and then said... "hmmm... I don't know whats wrong with you!"

Shocked, with that typical Jordan-look on my face, I (hopefully not too rudely) said, "yeaa... me neither!"

I am pretty sure at this point she was on google search engine, and asked me to try to stand on my toes... so I did... and that was that.

After a AMAZING (sarcasm) 4 minute doctors visit she diagnosed me with "patellofemoral pain syndrome" saying, "even though this isn't really what is wrong," and handed me a book of knee exercises.

Earlier she asked me if a participated in any recreational drug use. Of course I said no. She must of believed me because when she asked me my pain level from 1-10(being the highest pain) I answered one. But this is what she prescribed me....

         Pain killers!


My pre-med roommate later informed me that these "pain-killers" are actually just high-dollar Aleve. I could have just taken a double dosage, and saved a bunch of money....

There is no moral to the story. There is no life lesson learned. Except for maybe... don't go to health services....find a real doctor!

Here at NC State we take pride in healing animals.... not humans! If only i was a ferret or fish... this problem would have been long solved! GO PACK!    

Just another T.I.A. moment!

5-20-12

Enoch really likes American phrases. His favorite is "ouch!" Ibra has a big heart - he wrote me the sweetest letter. All the boys say Derek is a "man of the animals." Emma's goal for the year is to have ten hens. He has two now and wants them to have babies. Vincent is precious. He carried my bible around all day... he says he doesn't own one, and I want to try to fix that. All the boys have their own special characteristic... each of which makes me love them, and never want to leave!

I just got back to Kampala from spending a wonderful weekend on the land with the boys. I feel like I have 20 little brothers... it is so much fun! We were standing in the middle of the soccer pitch (after walking for what seemed like two hours through the bush to get there) and it began pouring that amazing African rain, thundering and lighting. It did not slow the soccer game down one bit! A family from a near by hut waved me over, and offered for me to stand under their shelter. There, a little boy stood beside me as I watched the boys play in the rain, and every time I looked at him he giggled... because I am a muzungu (white person) of course!

Then somewhere in the distance a cow broke lose and began charging towards us with his rope dragging the broken tree limb he escaped from, behind him! It then quickly changed directions.... charging for the field, bucking up and down... all the boys ran frantically and screamed like little girls! Just one of the MANY T.I.A (this is Africa) moments!

Church service was amazing today! I love that I can worship my God across the word, with people much different than me, speaking different languages, in a service much different than I am accustom too! A sweet reminder that in the midst of life's changes... whether welcomed or unwelcomed... God never changes. He is always the same, no matter the circumstances!

My favorite part of church was watching the boys worship! Little Ibra, no more than 6 years old, raised his small hands and sang praises. It melted my heart!

When I look at these boys I don't see the injustice they have had to live. Instead I see the Just God who perfectly loves them!

 I am being blessed serving with a "Perfect Injustice" this week!


Ibra



Derek

Enoch



Vincent





Emma

 

Sure wish I knew!

Today was a day that not long ago felt so far away. Seniors in college used to sounds so old... but today I feel so young, with a overwhelming desire to neverrrr grow up! 

WOW.... it is senior year?!?! I have been BEYOND blessed the past three years of my life! It is probably the reason nearing the end is causing these crazy emotions. I am so terrified of it to end!

I am not sure if I will graduate on time, to be quite honest. Sure wish I knew today.

I am not sure what I will be doing in May if I do graduate. Sure wish I knew today. 

I am not sure "what i want to be when I grow up" or really, even what direction to go in my career life. Sure wish I knew today!

I am not sure (at all) how in the world I will pay off college. Sure wish I knew today.

I am not sure who I will marry, when I will marry them/meet them, how many children I will have/adopt, where I will live, how many wins Pack football will obtain, how many more parking tickets I will get, how many more college encouraged pounds I will gain, if I will ever pass spanish 201....... Sure wish I knew today! 

I am not sure which of my friends will remain my friends after college life is over. I am not sure if we will live in different states/countries as each other. Friends have come and gone so much in the past few years, and I am not sure if I am ready for it to happen again. 

CHANGE. If I could pick one word I hated the most, this is what it would be. Thing is, I hate "change", but it REALLY seems to LOVE me! I don't handle it well... and over the past three years, I have been forced to learn how, and will learn again, because... here we go, the beginning of a end to yet another chapter! 

On the first day of freshman year I had NO clue that I would be living at Disney world, having the time of my life! Seriously, was that even real life? 

On the first day of sophomore year I had NO clue I would be pledging Sigma Alpha Omega, to one day be the Vice President and have over 50 sisters that I love sooo much! 

On the first day of Junior year I had NO clue I would fall in LOVE with Africa, and go... not once... but twice.... finding much clarity from God, where my heart is! 

.... and here we are. On the first day of senior year. I have NO clue what God holds for me. If the past three years have been so eventful, I am banking on the fourth one being eventful too!... and it makes me SO excited!!!! 

It would be very easy for me to have much anxiety over all these unknowns! BUTTT  as cliche as it is... "I don't know what my future holds, but I know who holds my future!"

SOO, lets do this thing! GO PACK! 

Me on the first day of freshman year, and the first day of senior year! 

^"" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

Eating snails: so strange...Eating termites: so normal

5-19-12

It was little Bashirs turn to lead the devotion at the boys home on the land. he walked into the middle of the room and said "we are going to read from 1 John chapter 3." I thought... there is no way?!? ... then he continued to say "verse 16-19!" I began to shake a little and tears began forming in my eyes. This was the scripture that God used to speak to me to come to Uganda. I remember that exact moment and I felt like I was re-living it!" Another sweet reminder that love is not a word, but a action. 

I was surrounded by 20 boys that I feel sooo blessed to show love to...

The boys started saying what they learned from this passage and this is what they basically got....

If God blesses you with money... help those in need. If you have riches and see someone in need, and do not help them.... you are not really walking with God. 

I heard these words from rescued street boys. Boys who literally had NOTHING! I could in thousands of words say what was going through my head, but basically... I am SOOO convicted! 

Today I helped the boys write letter to their "special friends" (sponsors). We played football and American football, as well as having a great Birthday party for two of the boys. 

After dinner we finished off the night eating snails... the boys think it is weird Americans eat them (but I think it is weird they eat termites). 

Walking back to the place we are staying, they said, "do you know luganda (their language)?" When I said no" they informed me when learning a new language there is key words to learn.... I asked what... and they said, 

"Can I have some food?" 

I laughed for so long! Today has been a blessing! 

^"16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." -1 John 16-19

Enoch, at the birthday party!

playing pin the tail of the elephant!

 Emma, eating a snail!

nightly devotions

"wishing I had better quality shoes on"

5-18-12

        I was walking through small alleys in the slums, carefully making each step. I didn't want to step on glass or let my feet sink into the muddy piles of garbage. I could feel the rocks beneath my thin soled shoes and meditated on how uncomfortable it was, wishing I had better quality shoes on. I then looked around me at all my friends. These sweet little boys small feet were walking on this same ground without shoes - most of them have never even had a pair. When I reached my destination I would eat dinner, shower and sleep in a bed, under a roof. They did not have a home to go to. A bed to sleep in. A shower to bathe in... not even clean water to drink. 

      Through all of this misfortune, it is not what I am most sad about. Most of all it hurts to think they have no one to love them. 

      That is exactly what we have done for the past four hours... loved them. Hugs, holding hands, teaching school, playing games, painting faces, bandaging and cleaning wombs. I pray they felt loved... not just by us, but by our amazing Savior whose love for them far surpasses mine!  

     Derek also inturn blessed us today. He asked for paper and a pen and wrote down all the scriptures he has memorized. He also wrote, "for you beasue Jesus loves you!" I am here to bless these kids... but they are blessing me! (Derek also said he was going to ship us out of Uganda if we didn't learn their language! ha)

   The police have threatened to come to the program and arrest all the boys. They don't want them causing problems on the streets. Praying and pleading with God for these boys safety. 

    God has a heart for teh fatherless. Praying these boys feel that love, and trust in that God who can and WILL provide for them! 

 "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing" - Deuteronomy 10:18

Lining up for dinner at the street program

Playing with legos at the pitch!

My shoe-less friend, Abdul that I was walking with!