I love you

STEM

2010-07-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

STEM is an acronym for Short Term Experience in Ministry.
A program by FOCUS Uganda that gives graduates an opportunity to to serve among students in Ugandan campuses.

I just had a blast this past year (September 2009 to July 2010)
meeting lovely people (students, partners, FOCUS Staff)

I thank God for everything that I had an opportunity to learn.
Am forever grateful to Him and all that gave their all to support me. LOVE YOU LOTS.

Russetreffet.

2009-04-26T12:41:00.001-07:00

It was so nice and touching to know that lots of youth all over Norway could make their way to this Christian festival at which they get to celebrate success after 13 years of school. Wow! So amazing. God was in control all the way. Hallelujah! Colorful attires, hyper active youth, committed facilitators. Mmmmmh! Huge, yet orderly festival.

Precious memories

2009-04-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

Life in Trondheim has been full of adventure. Lots of traveling, in, around and out of the city. A beautiful city it is, with the oldest cathedral in the country, too magnificent for description, the famous science university NTNU, Gløshaugen and Dragvol branches. Less noisy than Oslo, the capital which I visited once and it reminded me of Kampala the capital of Uganda. I guess every capital is the same. Full of people and headache-causing. I met great people who looked out for me, including a cute kid who helped me gain confidence during ice skating. Trondheim Fri Kirke became like my home church back in Uganda, St. Francis Chapel Makerere. I thought about Sunday school every time I was there. Great cell mates, oh my, they were a blessing. God will forever bless them. Sylvia's visit recently, was such a refreshment. After infield, it had been another moment of silence. She was like a shower of joy and blessing. Too much laughter, talking and fun. I took her around to see a few sights of Trondheim including my favorite wall sprayed sites and we took some pictures. Now am looking forward to going back to Hald and I will have the last of Trondheim, my home for past 6 months.

Camping away

2009-03-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

Children camps are always hectic but fun. This particular one was not any different, except that I was not directly involved in the planning process, therefore it was less draining. These kids were so sweet. We had a good time with good morning and good night hugs, cleaning off carnival-face-paint after a long struggle, playing instead of going to bed, new names for leaders like mamma or monkey or bat woman or pirate..., horse riding and rabbit hugging. Wow! A lot of fun.

Infield at Hald

2009-01-30T14:55:00.000-08:00

Infield was fabulous, full of activities, like making hair, playing "ligretto",and of course classes accompanied by suitable breaks of slumber...

Naked trees

2009-01-27T04:48:00.000-08:00

Having been in Norway for some time now, I have learned to differentiate season from season. Unlike back home in Uganda where it was cram work that we have two wet seasons and two dry seasons, especially being the kind who is not familiar with farming.
The seasons are so distinct, as revealed by color of leaves, snow, extreme temperature changes, sometimes too cold that flowing water freezes in space, wow! Also, "naked" trees, "white" trees, making snow men and digging snow caves, not forgeting snow ball wars, Sun and moon up in the sky at the same time...

Frisør

2009-01-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hald is an international school indeed. The different hair styles say it all. What beauty! Infield (a period inbetween the six months of internship) had a display of most, if not all the hair styles. So spectacular! Thanks to the hair dressers like Bruno, Tabitha, Landi, Miriam, Rossie, Sylvia, and Cireni

New year in Norway

2009-01-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

Ofcourse it was a different experience celebrating new years eve in Norway; less, or almost no noise, as compared to new years eve back in Uganda, watching fire works at a closer vicinity, hugging different people and welcoming them into a new year. Was so nice, especially with the youth at the new years camp at Mjuklia.

And instead of muchomo and tea... it is cake, coffee, tea...

At this time of the year, it is warm, which is the exact opposite here in Norway. It's winter and therefore, very cold. But the excitement somehow scares away the fear of coldness to an extent that you fall onto the snow and relax.

Reflecting on the past year and thinking about what happened, why? and how? is often what takes place the last, about 45 minutes of the last year. A new years eve service is held and worship and prayer takes place, thanking God for taking us through the old year and asking Him with faith to take us through the new year.

Reunion

2008-12-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

It sure was a reunion, the pictures show it all. Some weeks behind it was departure time and we all felt the pain of missing each other cut through our hearts and looked forward to November. Now it has come and gone and we look forward to infield and the spring course. It's a feeling of friends missing each other.

Wafels

2008-11-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

This was such a beautiful night I can never forget. I was so touched by the fact that some drunkards joined the team to serve out wafels. They came here drunk,and left sober. WAOH!

We had free TV recording from these precious souls.
This lady was good company,though she was doing her own flower business. I believe she never remained the same.

Ny i Norge

2008-11-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

I had very interesting norsk classmates. So much fun, grumbling, changing of teachers, eating cake, watching films, sharing food..... extremely diversified kind of studying. In this picture, 11 countries are represented; Iran, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Russia, India, Poland, Vietnam, Norway, Brazil and Korea

Visiting Laget

2008-11-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

After the norsk course, we headed for Volda to visit Laget. The visit included presentations of our experience at Hald, FOCUS (Uganda) and information about financial support for IFES' two projects of the year(2008). i.e. Christian Union in Asebadjan and Child project in Uganda.These pretty girls hosted us that night. They were so kind that we felt so much at home.

The ferries were such a relief because traveling for 9 hours by bus was a bit sickening to imagine after a long time of not traveling here and there.

At Ålesund, waiting to board the plane back home(Trondheim). Since we had not caught enough sleep at night, It was almost inevitable to avoid dosing off.

Relax

2008-11-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

Stress has become a common problem among many who have occupations that last for atleast 10 hours. It's often hard to balance time between hard work and rest.
However, it is so healthy to make relaxation, exercises or leisure part of the weeks programme.Less or non concentration games are relaxing 'cause they take the mind off brain-draining issues.
Enjoying the company of others over a glass of juice, water or a cup of tea, coffee, or a bowl of delicious soup.

Learning new skills that would otherwise not be acquired in the midst of a tight schedule-filled life.

Family

2008-11-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

Families are a treasure. Successful leadership lies in having strong family support and and their well being.

Even in establishing a church, it's families that contribute the greatest because they provide a sense of unity, love and peace.

Thank God for what ever family you belong to, for even if things may sometimes seem so disgusting, that you wish you belonged to this or that family, take heart and just tell God about it 'cause He has created and exactly how to take care of it.

Back street gal

2008-10-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

In front of my flat, block 24 just after coming back from Norwegian classes. Was scary that day. I was not really sure I could cope with the speed of my classmates.

"Grow and Share our lives"

2008-10-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Having a good time after a Laget meeting. So many things to do, like some playing cards, others sipping coffee or tea, others chatting away with so much laughter and of course others just trying to keep awake in order to be part of the events unfolding one by one.

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Cell meetings
My cell group mates. They are amazing. I'm so lucky to be part of their lives.

Reading the Norwegian text and directly translating it into English. Too much work, yet these guys sacrifice so much, so that I can feel included in the cell group. Thanks guys!
Miriam being convinced to accept a deal. I did the part of a waitress; filling the cups of the competitors with tea.
At NTNU -Dragvol where some of the Laget members go to school. Had lunch together with three of them.

W e purpose to share our lives with the students by spending more time with them whenever an opportunity presents itself.
He is a wonderful friend, always high. In the above picture, day he played the bean cards, he claimed that i had put something in his tea and that it had made him "high". That's just him. Always "high."
I wonder what happened here. Wasn't me. Maybe the food got finished so fast.
Any way, just know we enjoyed the moment of chatting away that lunch time at Dragvol.

GOD'S WORK MATE

2008-10-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ambassadors of hope. That's what Christ expects us to be. It's always so hard to realize that working with God is all about putting self aside and then letting Him lead, yet that is the easiest way towards an accomplished life. A lot of time is spent trying to figure out human directions to achieve a goal while God is outside the circle. Of course the last resort is always God.
What a patient God. I would like to be His work mate.
SO HELP ME GOD

friends are like flowers

2008-10-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

BEAUTIFUL

Smiles, they refresh the soul, especially if they are genuine.
Fun is medicine for the heart. No worries, just laughters, laughters and laughters. Makes one younger.
As for hugs, they solve many illnesses. Loneliness, depression, pain, sorrow, self pity...to mention but a few.

Friends are the assets in life that one cannot do without. They are a source of; love(They will not watch you headed towards a direction that may be dangerous for you and just keep quiet. Instead they will rebuke you to your face, but still let you make your own decision if you insist), support (they will definitely help you accomplish a desired goal), inspiration (they will say you are a nice person even if deep inside you feel horrible and like a failure in life), comfort (no one can give you a shoulder to cry on after you have misfired in life except a friend), and happiness (everyone feels free and excited around a friend 'cause they are sure that the friend knows and understands who exactly they are and accepts them as they really are).

Team work

2008-10-05T12:49:00.001-07:00

Anyone can fall for someone who gives them a hand, in especially, a difficult situation. Team work is such a hidden treasure that not so many team mates find. It does not come on a silver plate. There is so much self sacrifice involved as the interest of the others and not personal interest, has to be put first on the list. How many have been blessed by your special gift and spirit of kindness?
'Even through the waters and over the rocks, give me your hand and let me support you'

Prayer
Ever feel lazy to pray, tired of praying, not interested or find no reason for praying? Here is help.
Remember someone somewhere is praying for you. That God, the best team-mate, may hold your hand and strengthen you through the tough times...
That's why you ought to pray for others., for they might be going through rough times and only your prayer can make the difference in their situation.

The inner force

2008-10-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

Alabaster box! I never really thought my hair was looking this cool that evening. I guess if I knew, it would have done me good so that i would not have to shake like a leaf seconds before the start of the dance. A friend of mine once told me that being nervous before performance was human and therefore inevitable. True. Because even if one may sometimes feel so confident, at one point one shakes a little. That's the point when inner courage comes in. You have to rely on what drives your passion towards what you are going to do. Anyway, glory to God, I made it.

Hard disk

2008-09-03T03:39:00.000-07:00

"So many things to think about...ammmh! okay, what do i want to do now?...." Now this is healthy. Just ensure that you don't do it unnecessarily 'cause you will get a mental break down. The mind easily stores what it receives through the eyes,and ears yet it is so hard to delete whatever has been saved on that "hard disk". Things that we feed our minds on therefore, usually influence our speech, actions and appearances or moods. Take time and think about what you want to save or delete before acting .

Mamma

2008-09-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

My mother is a hero. You must be saying, " every ones mother is". But that is up to you 'cause you have to take the privilege of praising your own mother yourself. Adolescence usually makes mothers and daughters rivals, but soon this stage is gone and a girl ought to appreciate their mother for all the efforts made towards protecting them, and that's where they are headed after all.
Ever taken time to notice the natural artistic skills of a mother? A home would never be the same without a mother. Some things can naturally be possibly done by women only, and by women, i mean 'real women'
See that hand grip? You needed to have seen the love in the air! By no means can you ever recognize pain or sorrow by merely looking at these two faces. Smiles are so healthy. Make them part of your meal every day. Mothers also have a special touch that drives away pain and worry.
Their love is sacrificial. A mother would rather die than watch their child go through pain and suffering. It goes beyond appearance, behavior, mental abilities...of a child.

You may not believe me 'cause you ask, "what about those that abandon one day- old babies in dust bins, hospitals, toilets...?"

Well, motherhood is not a matter of being able to conceive and give birth. It involves holistic ( all-round) bonding between mother and child. i.e. love, compassion, care, well preparedness... So one should never wake up one day and think of becoming a mother without counting the costs, lest one just remains a woman due to being feminine by creation.

Forget about the times when they get tough on the child. It's an act of love to correct a straying loved-one.

GOD BLESS MOTHERS.