Nick Strong

Nothing like an afternoon jaunt down the Nile

Winding throughout the countryside of Uganda is the Nile River.  It winds its way up through Uganda, and along its path you can find rapids of category 5 and also calm tranquil water.  In its waters you can find snakes, hippos, crocodiles, and all kinds of fish.

The Nile does not only serve as a home and place for animals but it provides business for the locals.  One very important business for it the business of transportation.  If you can think of it, it is transported across the Nile.  There are small motorized boats that take anything you need across the river.

Getting ready to cross the Nile

There are many villages and small towns lining the Nile.  Also the Nile provides sand.  Many people work day in and day out to get the sand out of the Nile to sell.  One day during one of the pastoral trainings soon after I arrived in Uganda, I took a hike down to the Nile and these pictures are from that trip.  I figured it would be better to take a walk then to fall asleep in the middle of the training because of jet-lag.  I arrived down at the Nile to find all of these people in their boats using their shovels to get the sand out of their boats. 

Just about finished for the day - with this boat load anyway

I found mounds and mounds of sand.  There were people everywhere scooping this sand.  When I asked what was going on they said that many people who are building come and buy the sand and haul it away to their worksite.  Can you imagine shoveling sand out of the river and into your boat, wet sand at that, only to take the boat to shore and shovel it back out of the boat.  I found old guys, young guys, and some women.  And I thought Dollar General was slow, boring, and tiring.

So the other body of water that we have here in Uganda is Lake Victoria.  It is some of the bluest water around.  Lake Victoria is also home to some great fishing.  It stretches for kilometers and kilometers.  Every morning when I drive to school I have a beautiful view of the hills of Kampala with Lake Victoria in the background. 

So the reason that the water is so close but must be observed from afar is a little something that we like to call Bilharzia (sp).  This is a disease in the water that results from the snails in the water.  Don’t ask me how this happens but something about the stillness of the water coupled with the disease of the snails, makes for a bad day for us.  Many Ugandans swim because they have grown immune to it.  Supposedly it can affect many different organs and systems in your body.  Heck if I know.

Fishin' on Lake Victoria

One great thing to do on the Nile River is to go white water rafting.  Supposedly because the water is moving so fast, it does not enable Bilharzia to fully take effect.  Many people over here in Uganda go white water rafting on the Nile.  I am good thanks, I will pass on that chance.  Getting thrown out of a boat in the middle of class 5 rapids does not sound so fun for me.

Looking out Over Lake Victoria

So if any of you reading this blog are avid fishermen come on over and we can hang out on Lake Victoria for a while.  Who knows what we could catch.  Those of you who might want to go white water rafting, come on over and I will find you someone to go with cuz I am not taking you.  No way Jose.  Stephanie Freemyer would be a guide for you, contact her and she will take you. 

Over and Out

So when I wake up Monday morning, I will wake up to the sound of chit chat outside my room, little kids giggling on the playground, and teachers talking over a cup of tea. Monday starts the fall semester at Heritage International School. (HIS)

I have been traveling to future future sights of WGM Uganda ministries, I have been on retreat, I have attended a 7 Habits of Highly Effective People conference, and have spent time with dear friends of mine both African and American.

In the last post on here I gave you the tentative schedule of events for me. God truly blessed me with the opportunity to see and experience many things. I spent a week on retreat with all of the missionaries here in Uganda. We went to Mbale which is a city over near the border of Kenya. Eldred and Luanne Kelly came over from Florida to speak at our retreat.

From there we I went up to Arua for a week to spend some time in northern Uganda with our missionaries that are posted there. We traveled around Northern Uganda and I also got to go on safari for a couple of days. I flew back to Kampala on Saturday and jumped on a bus on Sunday. 10 hours later I arrived in Kenya. I had a great time in Kenya at the conference but more than that just spending time with friends. I traveled to Tenwek hospital and was able to spend some time with Community Health workers that I worked with before. I was also able to spend time with many of the missionaries. We had Thanksgiving dinner in July and we also played Christmans music. What a party.

My time in Kenya was such a blessing. I was able to relax. I was able to spend time with my friends Tiana and Teresa Duncan. It was a blessing to spend time with someone that you have history with. Time with friends that you can relax with and just spend time together. I don’t know that we did anything real special or spectacular except just being together.

Heritage Kids Doing Their Stuff

And now I sit here, with lesson plans completed, just waiting for the students to come. Many of the same questions, feelings, and anxieties are rushing through my head like when I was just minutes from touching down to Uganda for the first time. If I let myself I will start to doubt that God is in control but I know that he is faithful. I start to doubt my abilities to teach 5 Bible classes and a sports elective, but I also know that when I am weak my God is strong. Also, at the end of my resources is where God takes over because God is able.

Please pray for the school as we start this week. Pray for the students, families, faculty, and staff. We are actually still in need of a chief administrator for the school. We are asking that God would provide that person. Please pray for the hearts and spirits of the students of our school. Some of them desperately need a relationship with Jesus. You can pray for patience and endurance for all parties involved as everyone gets tired sooner or later.

Thank You,

P.S. I am wanting to start sending e-mail updates a couple of times a month but do not have many of your e-mail addresses. If you could please e-mail me at nick.strong@wgmuganda.org or leave a comment on this blog so that I can add you to my address list, I can start compiling a list.  These e-mails will be more involved with the day-to-day life and ministry of life here in Kampala.

A taste of life in Africa…

There are 3 things were gonna do today…

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Avoiding Bilharzia

Buvuma Island

Sports Camp — Day 1

Sports camp continues

Matooke Man

Drumming at Retreat

Youth Pastors’ Conference

Graduation day

Keepin’ it real at Baka