Mzungus

Mzungu is the Luganda word for “white people”. Let me please tell you how hilarious it is to walk through the streets hearing the children yell, “Mzungu, mzungu, hi mzungu!” Yesterday, after spending some time with the babies in the morning, Kim and I went into Gaba and had our orientation with ARM. We got to see the main offices, the schools, the child development center, Gaba Community Church, Gaba Bible Institute, Wentz Medical Clinic, and more! Coryn rode with us there, and we met Michael to begin our “tour”. After meeting what seemed like ALL of the ARM staff, Coryn took us to meet one of her friend’s son who was not feeling very well. We ended up taking him to Wentz Medical Clinic (part of the ARM program) to get him tested for some things. Meet Ian…



I’m so glad we got to meet Ian! He is such a precious guy, and so full of joy. One thing I’ve learned about Coryn is that everyone that knows her trusts her wholeheartedly and thinks the world of her. And Ian is no different! He held Coryn’s hand as we walked him up the dirt road to get some medical treatment.

I’m going to pause here and take some time to talk about my sweet new friend Coryn. This woman is incredible… Seriously. She and her husband, Jamesdon, moved to Uganda a year ago, following God’s call to serve overseas. They weren’t sure exactly what they were supposed to be doing here, but they were obedient and waited for God to speak. And He did! Meet Daniel…



Daniel is Coryn and Jamesdon’s son. They are in the process of adopting him from Loving Hearts Babies Home. Daniel was the first baby to be placed at the babies’ home, and Coryn said they had an immediate connection. They fully believe he was their child from the beginning. God spoke to Jamesdon and Coryn again, telling them to adopt this baby. And they did! He has lived with them for 3 months now. Thank you Jesus :)

Coryn has been nothing short of a complete blessing for Kim and me. If it wasn’t for her, I know I would feel completely lost in this place. From the moment we arrived, she has taken us under her wing, shown us the ropes, given advice and warnings, and made us feel totally at ease. We got to spend the afternoon with Coryn, Jamesdon, and Daniel yesterday and that was awesome. We went to eat at a mzungu café in town (it was very westernized- didn’t look African at all), and Coryn showed us the best place to buy food and meat. We also had our first experience on a taxi… Fun! When we got back to the house, Kim and I were exhausted. We went up to our room and relaxed for a couple hours before making our way to the kitchen and making our first dinner together… Spaghetti! It was quite a bonding experience, and pretty funny too. The days here seem to go by slowly. There is always so much happening and so much to take in. I love it!

A few prayer requests:
-For Coryn and Jamesdon, that Daniel’s paperwork would move through quickly and all the kinks would be worked through.
-For Kim, that she will not get sicker (yes, that’s a word- I looked it up) and be relieved of her sore throat.
-For Kim and I, that we would use our time wisely and make the most of opportunities.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day… Enjoy :)



It was water day! The babies got to play outside in little pools and buckets since it was hot. These are the twins… Amos and Timothy.



My sweet Derrick… He loved the water!



Playing with Peter… “Hi, baby.”



The road from Loving Hearts, going into town… So beautiful.



The view from the ARM building… That is the Gaba market on the shores of Lake Victoria.



The children in the ARM child development program… They all yelled “MZUNGUS” when we walked in.



This is the ARM campus… Right on the shores of the lake!



Oh, you know… Just some cows crossing the road. No big deal.



This picture is just for you, Juliette! These are the original 4 babies at Loving Hearts… Daniel (who is clearly a thug), Joshua, Rachael, and Aidan (who is HUGE and wearing girls’ clothes).

Tomorrow we will be working with the babies all day, and then going into Gaba to watch the first match of the World Cup! Woo hoo! That means more good stories to come...