What a great 2 weeks it's been! I just got back into Zimbabwe from trips to South Africa and Uganda where I partnered with KidZ At Heart International to train children's workers. I was very blessed to spend time with Charlotte Moore of KidZ At Heart and her sweet 4 year old daughter Ruthie in Johannesburg the first week of my trip. We spent some time seeing the sights (Nelson Mandela's house in Soweto and petting lion cubs at a lion park) and then I got to meet with some of the South African KidZ at Heart trainers. It was a precious time for me.
From Johannesburg I traveled to Kampala, Uganda to meet up with the KidZ At Heart team of 5 from the USA, Canada, and Zimbabwe. We were hosted by Micah and Grace Rwothumio of University Community Fellowship Church for 9 days. We spent a whole week putting on training workshops from 9 am-1 pm at the church for the children's workers of Kampala and surrounding areas. What an amazing time it was! I thoroughly enjoyed leading the 60+ attendees in workshops that will make their children's ministry more effective. The people of Uganda were so very grateful and some of the nicest people I have ever met. They have a hunger to learn and to serve. On the last day of the workshops the teachers brought kids from their community and did lessons based on all they had learned that week. How sweet it was seeing them applying all they had learned!
During the conference I met a very special girl named Vicky. You know how there are some people you meet that you just automatically connect with? Well, that's how it was for me and Vicky. I met her on the first day of the training. She was immediately friendly and we built a friendship from the start. Vicky just graduated high-school and leads the children's ministry at her church in Kampala. She has attended KidZ at Heart workshops in the past and is very talented when working with children. It just makes my heart smile to think about her future because I know she is going to do great things for God's kingdom. I'm SO very blessed to have her as a new friend!
Here are a few tidbits that I learned while in Uganda:
- Uganda is very different than Zimbabwe!
- Traffic in Kampala is some of the craziest I've seen.
- They have a deep red dirt all over the country.
- They have the best bananas and they make MANY different dishes with bananas.
- The people are some of the friendliest I've ever met.
- Speed bumps are on a whole other level in Kampala!
- The source of the Nile River is in Uganda (I got to take a boat ride on the Nile!).
- Uganda landscape is rolling hills and lush.
- There is actually a rainforest in Uganda (I got to go to this also).
- They have boda-bodas everywhere, which are motorcycle taxis.
On our last day in Uganda I got to visit one of Watoto's villages and their baby home which was a real treat. This is a home for abandoned babies. Watoto is doing an incredible job helping the children of Uganda.
In just 2 days I leave to go to Swaziland to start the Global Leadership Academy. I have a nervous excitement for what lies ahead!
Thank you all for your prayers and support.
God Bless,
-Shannon
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