This past week we started another project, Living Revival Baptist Church. On the way there, a little girl walking home from school came up to Liz and I and held my hand. I said ‘hello’, and she said ‘hello’ back, but nothing else. We just walked hand-in-hand for a good half mile before our turn off. It was so precious! Later, a few more children ran up to us on the road to say hello and hold our hands. I thought, I wish I had been a teacher!

At the site, the pastor told us his short term vision was a facility to accommodate 500 to 1000 people on a very small site. Long term, he plans to purchase the neighboring land and have a church able to seat 5000 people. The church currently has 20 members, but he says this is the number he has been praying for. Liz and I had to ask, when do you try and tell the client to be reasonable, and when do you say nothing is impossible for God? This unleashed a tangled mess of philosophical questions on our walk back. Shouldn’t you use money to feed people instead of spending it on a building? Is it Gods will that this building should be built? Why would God ask someone to build this when the money can go towards feeding other people? The list goes on…

This Friday, we had a girl night with the interns and staff, dressed up, fixed hair, did nails, went out to eat, watched a sappy movie, and ate dessert. It was great fun!

On Saturday, Liz, Heather, Zach, Christoph, and I went to the Botanical Gardens in Entebbe, along Lake Victoria. During our exploration of the park, I threw a rock in the lake (a silly goal of mine), we saw a monkey taking a nap in a tree, and also a snake on a vine we were trying to swing on. That caused a lot of screaming among the ladies, and then laughter when we figured out it was dead. The rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing at a pool.

The internet was down Thursday-Sunday, due to a bill eMi forgot to pay because the internet company forgot to send it to us! Then, Saturday, the power went off, and has not come back on since. (The office is running on a generator right now)

On Sunday, I will be going to Tanzania with Chad, Liz, Heather, and Zach, as well as volunteers from the states on a project trip. We will be there until March 16.

The project is for Mt. Meru Theological University in Arusha. They are expanding their campus, and we will be designing new housing units, administration offices, and an amphitheatre. I ask that you would pray for our team as we are all traveling, some further than others. Pleas pray for team unity as we work together to solve the design problems, present to the client, and grow closer to the Lord together.

This week was very busy! Sunday Liz, Heather, and I attended Janet Strike's church, Amazing Grace. It was a very 'Ugandan' service, with incredible (and loud!) singing and lots of dancing! The sermon was given in English, with a Lugandan translator, but every once in a while the pastor would switch, and we would have to listen to the translator! It was a bit confusing at times.

After church, we were invited to eat lunch with Mama Eunice and Mama Matthew, some of Janet's friends. (If you have a child, you are referred to with their name.) We were served a huge plate of rice and a bottle of Coca-Cola. I couldn't finish the rice, and I was worried about offending them, but saw that Janet hadn't finished hers either, so I figured it must be okay....but I still wonder....

Monday, Janet, Liz, and I went on a site visit in Northern Kampala. Oasis Uganda is a British ministry that runs Bambejja, a program dedicated to helping vulnerable and destitute girls living in slum areas. They provide shelter, meals, vocational classes, HIV/AIDS awareness, and of course, the Hope of Jesus Christ in their lives. Bambejja means 'princess' in Lugandan.

The rest of the week has been filled with designing a large pavilion for them, as well as redesigning some existing buildings on site. Currently the preliminary drawings are done, and tomorrow I will work on a rendering of the pavilion in good ol' Sketch-Up.