Wele (God)

I have mentioned how much I love the praise songs these children sing. Earlier in the week I plopped myself down in the middle of a circle of girls watching the boys practice high jump. Ugandans are incredibly resourceful. The high jump station consisted of a rectangle of hoed ground (hoed by the 6^th graders), 2 wooden poles about 7 feet apart with nails (not so evenly spaced) from the top to half-way down, and a whittled bamboo pole that rests on the nails between the poles. This is what they jump over. I mean, they make their own soccer balls.

I like music better than athletics I said. They know this since I've started a music club and taught them a few songs. They agreed. Now it is your turn to teach me a song, a praise song, in Lugisu. Anytime I have them teach me their language they go wild. Slowly, as students realized I was learning one of their songs, the circle grew larger and larger, and by the end of it we were all up dancing, singing, shouting, and loving every second. Teacher! They said. Now you sing alone. Get me up in front of a group of people to speak, to play the oboe, to act, to teach and I'm great. Anything but singing. Fear grips my soul and I freeze. But I went for the glow. And they loved it!!! Wild clapping. We all sang together again. Their voices are beautiful. Their bodies can't stand still. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. This is what they say at the end.

The song they taught me was about lifting up God higher and higher. They are teaching me much about the place that Heavenly Father should have in my life. Every day I am impressed with their ability to put God first and to thank him for the little they have. What's more is they are actually sincere! Everyday these adorable little children come into the library and at least 2 or 3 of them will check out a bible, or the New Testament, or a religious book of some sort. No prompting, no one to push them in that direction. They just gravitate toward it.

True character is revealed when no one is looking. That is how I feel with these children. I feel they really believe.

I need more moments like that one. I felt closer to them for having been interested in their culture. I felt they appreciated me more. I felt a connection. I need more personal experiences like that. I have decided to give everything I have to these children and this education thing. I want to "wear out my life" in their service. I haven't done that to this point. I think I have been a little selfish in needing "Hollie time". But I think they deserve more of me. I just to figure out how I can make that happen.