So I’ve been teaching this new class, Comparative Religion: Islam and the Christian Response. I’m no expert in the topic, so some days we’re reading, other day’s we’re discussing, watching a movie, documentary, testimony etc., but my favorite days are guest speaker days! While learning about culture, family life, core beliefs, theology and more, I have had or will have people who have spent time … Continue reading Stories of Sacred Work
The term is off and running! We’re two weeks and boy, has it been busy! This past Saturday brought a very happy decision… I got a puppy! Meet Ginger, my 10 week old half German Shepherd, half African Mutt who is filling my days with great love and delight. It’s been an absolute joy having her around. In spite of sharp teeth and potty-training endeavors, … Continue reading A week in photos…
I’ve spent the last three weeks on “VAC.” This is the term used to describe the weeks between terms when the students are home. I made absolutely zero plans before the start of the break and it has been glorious. I’ve accomplished a lot! I got my entire kitchen/living room transformed from yellowing off white to new crisp grey. I’ve eaten out in the last … Continue reading I Love my Job
Washing my hands after a short trip to the long drop outhouse, I heard the first screech of the resident tree hyraxes. I smiled to myself as I finally processed what had happened during our tour of the new campsite. The guide had been talking about something as I had joined just in time to watch one of our more off-the-wall students lift his chin … Continue reading Extreme Kenya -> Extreme Fun
Golly gee wilikers it’s been a week. We’ve got two weeks left in the term before four weeks off in April and I am feeling the weight on all sides. Academic Weight: On Friday, I taught my last lesson of the year in the AP Chemistry curriculum. We’ve been pushing hard to reach this goal, and WE MADE IT. We celebrated by dancing on the … Continue reading High’s & Low’s
“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?!?!” the 10th graders begged as they paraded into my classroom on Thursday during lunch. “We really really want to go. Mr. F said he’d go, so we have our guy adult.” The plan? Ten tenth graders decided they wanted to camp out overnight on ‘upper field’ and needed male and female chaperones in order for approval to go. I was … Continue reading An Upper Field Sleepover
I ended my afternoon sitting on top of a water tank with a teenager, feeling just a little bit rebellious as I watched the clouds roll by sipping iced-spiced chai. We talked about the grandeur of the clouds we saw, half a world away having friends and family stare up at the same sky in cold drizzly England or wet snowy Michigan. We chatted about … Continue reading The God who Sees
We’re exactly one week into the second term! WHEW! I’ve hit the ground running, but it has been oh so fun having the students back on campus. Last night my house was full of laughter and sugar as 9 kiddos filled my living room with disappearing brownie sundaes and the challenge of keeping a straight face in a rousing game of “cockroach poker.” More than … Continue reading A Day in the Life of: A Student!
“First we’ll go to Hoima, then we’ll go to Kyangweli to get the meat for Christmas then come back to the Masindi house.” Rachael’s dad spoke in his rich Ugandan accent as he shared the plans for the day. More than happy to go along with the plans, Rachael and I piled into the four wheel drive Prado ready for another day of hours spent … Continue reading A Ugandan Christmas
Cancer. It’s a big word. It brings big feelings. It has a number of huge implications just hearing that word. It also carries a spectrum. Sometimes super treatable, sometimes an instant death sentence. Sometimes everywhere in between, but always bad news, and always a litany of unknowns. My moms brother died of cancer. Her mom had cancer. My dad’s grandma had cancer. They’re not even … Continue reading The Good and the Hard
Faithful Footsteps 