The Gonzalez family has exciting news! We are going to be returning to the United States to do SERT Ministries full time! (SERT is the ministry my parents started, I'm on the board for, and that I absolutely love being the dispatcher for our operators while we rescue girls and chase down bad guys... Batgirl is alive again! visit www.sertministries.com). We could use your support now more than ever as we enter this new season in our lives focusing on world wide SERT Operations. Our time in Uganda has come to an end, and we will be arriving back to America soon to regroup, pray, gain SERT partners, and plan operations world wide. Here is my last blog about my time in Uganda, thank you for praying for us during our adventure in this sweet country! Please read my "Dear Uganda" letter below, and enjoy hearing the lessons I'll take with me forever from living here for the past 5 (almost 6) months. I hope you take something from my adventure with you too.
My Dearest Uganda,
I am going to miss you so much.
I'm going to miss your people, and how your people always greet each other. The way you laughed at me when I would say "I'm good." I'm glad I finally learned the proper, "I am fine" and little Luganda and karamojong greetings. You really do care how everyone is doing...I love the way you shake hands, and say hello to every single person in the room when you arrive.
I'm going to miss talking like a silly muzungu in a fake British accent and speaking Luganda English; me talking too fast and my Ugandan friends saying, "umm...Maddie...can you please say that again but a lot slower?" I'm going to miss smiling at your people and them smiling back.
I'm going to miss my friends showing up on bodas and in matatus for worship night, and singing amazing angelic worship songs from their hearts with your people's voices and drums lifted high- repeating lyrics after one another.
I'm going to miss washing your fruit, and bargaining down muzungu tax in markets. You have the best pineapples in the whole world.
I'm going to miss saying "byeeeeee" and the awkward moments of people constantly touching my hair...
I'm going to miss my friends. I'm going to miss them so much, and them always being so kind to me. You taught me what true friendship looks like, and that a friend really does love at all times. Tears come to my eyes when I think about it. Thank you for welcoming me, you really made me feel "most welcome." I'll have my friends in my hearts forever, I don't like to call them friends because they're more like family. Maggie, Bolton, Ivan, Thomas, Kim & Ryan, Fulk Family, Paul, Sera, Emily, 60 feet staff... Thank you for loving me and living life here with me. My heart hurts when I think about being a part from you. I'm glad it's not a goodbye, but a see you later- and that we have eternity to worship together. I'll cherish our friend days and the fun we had forever.
Uganda, I'm going to miss your simplicity of the way things are- and how you don't rush anything. Everything takes time here to do things, and that's so special.
I'm going to miss the directions your people give. Like how your lefts and rights are pass this side, pass that side, and straights are stay that way. How your directions are "its just past the stripped palm trees and to the right of the banana tree patch up the second dirt road opposite of the boda stand that side."
I'm going to miss your children. The way they appreciate every little thing, and the manners that they have. Even the ones who yell "muzungu muzungu muzungu" to me when I walk by, and when I stop and talk to them in Luganda the smiles on their faces and how wide their eyes get when they look up at me. The way their faces light up with joy, the way they are so excited about learning in school, playing with their tires & water bottles, and have fun fetching water. Their sweet small voices, and giggles will forever be on replay in my mind.
I'm going to miss having to turn my water heater on 30 min before I want to take a shower. I'll miss the power going out, being free of my phone because I can't charge it, and not knowing when the power will come back on. I'll miss missing unlimited high speed internet, and ill miss missing chips and salsa and drive thru coffee.
I'll miss my favorite banana boys at Italian market, and how they say, "auntie! Need any bananas today?" Buying them in a grocery store just won't ever be as fun.
I'm going to miss saying "ah!" And "sorry!" to my passengers when I try to dodge potholes driving but it just doesn't happen... I'll miss my steering wheel smoking from a lizard electrocuting itself inside- and praying every time I get behind the wheel. I'll miss my adorable classic old little car, that I named Carrie after "Jesus take the wheel" because Jesus really did take it in a lot of situations.
Yea, and I hate to say it because they can be really annoying but I'll miss your traffic "jams" too. And your officers wearing long white skirts, walking around with giant ticket books.
I'm going to miss how your people nod and point with their lips; how everyone says "yesssss" and "I am telling you!" Or "those people." Especially the "thank you please," and "no please." Or "you are most welcome please."
I'll miss washing the red dirt off my feet every night that has left a stain and impression on my skin forever. I hope my flip flop tan doesn't leave, and I'll miss them being my everyday shoes. I'll miss wearing long skirts, fishtail braiding my hair, and not even bothering to wear make up.
I'll miss the long driveways, honking at gates, waving to guards, seeing mamas with babies tied on their backs with bananas on their heads, driving past monkeys, giant goats, and seeing cows at gas stations.
But most of all Uganda- I'll miss serving Jesus here. I'll miss hearing, "I am a born again, not just a Christian." I'll miss seeing preachers in the middle of the street, and sitting down with your people discussing scripture. I'll miss visiting village churches who have services in 3 languages and 4 hour messages. I'll miss worship nights in my living room and praying with the beggars when they come up to our car while we're driving. I'll miss choirs wearing adorable polka dot dresses. I'll miss road tripping 2 hours each way to M1 (children's prison) twice a week with my closest friends down a long dirt road and them trying to get me to eat "puppy meat" on a stick. I'll miss worshiping with the children at M1, singing songs in Luganda, studying the gospel of John with a sweet group of girls, delivering hygiene necessities, and listening to my friends preach boldly in Luganda and act out bible stories in karamojong with little kids. I'll miss chasing perverted American 50+ yr old men who are picking up 13 yr old Ugandan girls. I'll miss looking into the girls eyes at 1am and sitting on a street corner and praying with them and seeing tears roll down their faces...and having tears of joy roll down mine too.
Thank you for teaching me so much, Uganda.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your country.
Thanks for the adventure. I'm onto my next one. You'll for sure be a piece of my heart forever.
See you. Nkwagala. (I love you in luganda.)
Madeline Nadine Gonzalez
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