Sunday, July 20, 2008

Lugogo Baptist Church

Hello,

Another busy day in Kampala. I went to Lugogo Baptist Church this morning, which is different from the Baptist church I went to last Sunday. I was meeting some of the mission girls that are around my age, plus I knew some Ugandans that attend that church. I had been warned before I got here about Ugandan’s concept of time, but I still haven’t begun to get used to it. Since I was getting dropped off at church and others in the car were going to church elsewhere, I arrived early at about 10:35 for an 11:00 service. They have Bible study/Sunday school that starts at 10:00, so I thought I would go join the young adult group. Well, I was the first one there. A few people came shortly, including Robert, who I learned was one of the three original contacts given to me by Ben’s dad’s friend. So I didn’t contact him, but I met him anyway. We started at 10:45 and people wandered in until 11:00. The service didn’t start until 11:15 and the people I was meeting came at 11:20. It was a great way to meet Ugandans in the community.

After church, I went with Megan and Kate, who are missionaries around my age, but they are leaving this week. We met up with other missionaries they know at a restaurant called Sam’s in town. There were only three Ugandan dishes on the whole menu; most of the food was Western or Indian. Then we went to Garden City, the local mall. The group of us went cosmic bowling. I am not kidding. There were only six lanes, but it looked like any bowling alley in the US. I learned that cosmic bowling is really hard to photograph, but this should give the general idea.





That is a picture of me laughing because I got a gutter ball. But I did get two strikes, believe it or not.

The other option besides bowling was ice skating. But not on ice, on plastic. Again, I am not kidding. People were skating with real skates on plastic that is like the top of an air hockey table. It looked completely normal, but then you remembered that it was 80 degrees and they were skating on plastic.

After that I cam home and had dinner. Tomorrow I am going with the couple I live with to Focus, which is the mission organization they work for. I am going to devotions in the morning during which there probably will be traditional Ugandan singing, so I am very excited. Then, I am going to meet a Ugandan woman and her children that are affiliated with Focus. One of the sons is Autistic and they need someone to play with him, so I am going, ready to play. There is also a deaf two-year-old in the building that I will meet either tomorrow or in the future.

I am excited about the upcoming week because I am planning on exploring Kampala both for research and for pleasure. I am going to go to the surprisingly numerous organizations that work with the disabled in Kampala to interview people there. It will be really good to see more of the city, and I am itching to take lots of pictures.

Sarah

3 comments:

Christina said...

Two strikes? No way! Good job.

Michael said...

I have been really enjoying reading your blog and keeping up with your trip. I read your proposal at grandma and grandpa's the other day and was blown away by the goals you set forth for your research. I hope all goes well and I can't wait to talk to you about it in person one day.

-mike

Steve said...

I come from a long line of bowlers. My parents have the trophies to prove it. But none of my family line--my great, great grandpa, Turkey "3 strikes" Laymon, nor my great grandmother, Hazel McQuack--ever bowled in Africa. You're a pioneer!