Reverse Culture Shock and first weeks in the USA

Yep, it happens- reverse culture shock. I've had it. It is so - so- good to be around my family, but is is emotional overload too. I've been away for so long (off and on now for 20 years!) that it takes me a little time to readjust to having Mom or someone in my family a short phone call away. Remember Internet wouldn't let me Skype or such in Uganda so I couldn't do phone calls easily. More on family later... (smile).

One day I was out doing errands, and since you can't get decent chicken (a whole chicken in Uganda is about 1/3 the size of a standard chicken in the USA), I stopped at KFC. Or in this case, KGC. It was only a typo on both their bag and cup, but it was funny to me.

Another thing that I got a kick out of culturally (not all different cultural things happen overseas!!!).. was the man in rural-ish Indiana walking on a Sunday morning, with his colorful Macaw parrot on his shoulder. Yep, I certainly wish I'd had my camera out for that one.

I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to Christian radio here (go K-Love!). And visiting the Christian bookstore was a treat, seeing so many new books/authors, etc. I've spent my time perusing Wal-Mart, Target and the mall (to a degree). I'm amazed at the food in the grocery and the huge "American" portions at restaurants. I've LOVED having salads and nearly anything crunchy- especially Chex Mix, as those are things not available in Uganda. Yes, salad can be had there, but its not the same when you first have to soak the lettuce in bleach water to rid it of cholera and other ickies... and the taste changes.

I've kept pretty busy with things at Mom's (where I'm based) including painting her living and family rooms, doing a lot of lawn work (for now I've been happy to mow and weed or such), planning my HMA schedule, doing family activities, including a wonderful family vacation. Mom has a new kitten, Lizzie, who has not completely convinced me cats are okay (I prefer dogs) but she is cute. She tried to help me paint one day, but I caught her before she did any permanent damage with the kitty prints from the paint she'd gotten into. Grr. But it has been a joy to help Mom out in these areas, and to get my hands dirty.

My cousin Holly's daughter, Kerri and her husband Joel, are missionaries with the Wesleyan Church, which happens to be based here in the Indy area. They just left in July for the Czech Republic. While Kerri and Joel were out this way for trainings, we got to spend an evening with them. Meanwhile, my sister Karen and her family also have arrived for their furlough from Cameroon, so it was a mini-Fish family reunion at our house!


above: back row is my brother-in-law Dave, then my sister Karen, my Mom (Sheila), cousin Kerri, and sister Abby. front row is my nephew AJ (15), nephew Zac (13 this week!), me, and Joel (Kerri's husband). My brother was in Texas and couldn't be at this particular event.


When Kerri was in high school, I stayed with her family while I was on a furlough trip to NJ. We had a great connection and she says it helped influence her to become a missionary. I'm really thankful that I could be used in such a way!

Back in the U-S-of-A

Yep, I'm very much slow in updating this of late. It has been a big adjustment to the USA and the familiar and not-so-familiar things here. I've learned a bit more about technology (new inventions, computer programs, etc.) and changes in people or their lives (jobs, moves, educations, etc.) and had some meetings at WGM including our 100th anniversary for the mission, trainings to better present ministries in Uganda as I travel, and lots of renewing of relationships with other missionaries or mission-related folks. :)
Below I've got a few photos of WGM friends...


Tiana, Teresa, Jean and Christina and I hung out at WGM's 100th Celebration in June. It was so good to see these ladies, including 3 of the 4 having been in Uganda in ministries there. Tiana is Teresa's twin (try to say that 10 times fast). They're Missionary Kids (MK's) with WGM and their parents are Terry and Karen, my regional (Africa) directors... While the sisters are for now staying in the USA, Jean is back in Uganda as the 1st grade teacher at HIS for a 3rd year, and Christina is headed that way to do regional ministries for Uganda, Kenya and even Sudan (and other places?)...


Mugisha is now in charge of the Africa Gospel Church Uganda's youth ministries programs (yes, across all Uganda). He was (and we were) blessed to have him come represent the AGC Uganda at WGM's 100th Celebration. Hanging out with other missionaries from Uganda and other WGM African nations was a blessing. This photo above is of Mugisha and Mary Ann Lewis, a Uganda WGM retiree.



The godly preaching and celebration at WGM's 100th anniversary was wonderful. Each main service was bi-lingual with Spanish and English, and at some times (if memory serves me right) Chinese, Navajo, Japanese, Swahili depending on the testimony of those sharing. More than 1000 people gathered to celebrate all God has done through WGM and the ministries He has called us all to. I'm so thankful to be a part of this blessed mission. Do please keep praying for WGM, it's board and leadership, and all the ministries globally. We've got some amazing missionaries and nationals around the world who love the Lord with all their (our) hearts and it shows by the ways God is using them (us). :)

Heritage Graduation 2010

The seniors class of 2010 were very kind, and honored me by asking me to speak at their graduation on May 28th. Thankfully, everything went well, and the ceremony was lovely. Since our 2010 seniors came from the nations of the USA, Uganda and India, their nations' flags served as a backdrop for the ceremony.
I've included some views of our afternoon together, celebrating our SEN10RS (yes, that is a 10 in the word, thanks to the students' design).






I love these amazing teens. They are the "bestest!!!"



Above: A not very good shot of Keeley and me. She has been my prayer partner for 3 + years (Keels, how long? 4 maybe even??). She is a wonderful friend and and this was our last time together in Uganda, I think, and it happened to be at the end of Graduation. Keeley and her family are returning to the UK, so maybe sometime I'll be able to visit her there, but so far as we know, our ministries together in Uganda are through. God was so gracious when He gave me Keeley as my prayer partner. Thanks and love to you, dear friend!

HIS Baptism

Once upon a time there was a young man named Kahan, who came to us after chapel and ended up praying with me to receive Christ as Savior. What a wonderful lift that was to me, to him (duh), to our HIS teachers and students. Praise the Lord! Anyway, since then, he has grown a lot and it was pretty exciting to hear Kahan's testimony at various times during our last weeks of school.
Next came a barrage of people turning to Christ, or returning to Christ. Some of them I've not got freedom to announce their names online, but others include Solomon, Marc, Abhay & Leo. At various times these young men all turned to Christ during our last days of the school year.
And so one morning during my devotions, I was praying about it all. I was, honestly, skeptical. I asked God if these were all genuine heart changes or if there was some type of fad going on at HIS. And He reminded me that when I was saved at (ahem) 4 (yup) during a Vacation Bible School, I didn't know everything about Christianity at that age, and it took years, discipleship, Sunday school classes, youth group, fellowship, friends, family, pastors, sermons, Bible school and university as well as so many life lessons and further surrenders to Christ... before I could feel as strong in faith as I do now. So salvation prayers are a place to begin that life of faith, and these kids had done that! So I continued praying, and asked the Lord, "Well, I was baptized pretty soon after I was saved. Should that be something we could offer our teens?"... and I left it at that.
I checked with a few people at school that day, but hadn't made any decisions except to continue praying about it.
That next morning, during our chapel service for the secondary, Peace (the one who shared that morning) confirmed my baptism question by sharing some challenges including the baptism of Christ... and to me it was a confirmation that I was indeed to offer a baptism service.
When I made the suggestion at the end of that chapel time, I invited the teens to come speak to me if they were interested. So many of them don't have easy access to regular church attendance with their families, or don't have many Christian influences outside of school. This was, for some, the first opportunity they had to be baptized. It ended up at that time that we had about 10 kids asking for baptism. And when we opened up the opportunity to others in the elementary, the total to be baptized were 14, with 4 from the elementary joining our 10 secondary kids.

Once again before the baptism service, the Lord confirmed to me during a prayer and devotional time, that indeed these salvations and the baptisms were His real deal, and that these spiritual leaps were His blessing to all of us. Praise Him!

On the last day of school, we held a special chapel for the baptisms. A local missionary pastor, John, came to help out, as well as Keeley (our principal) and Tim, our HIS board chair, a pastor and Logan's dad... and these folks helped us get the 14 baptized while the school family, and many parents, watched. First we heard their testimonies- all brief but personal, and what a blessing to hear those kids share their hearts. After the service was over, we divided across the field and prayed for each of the kids. It was a wonderful way to end that service, and the Lord really blessed hearts as we prayed, shared, hugged, and witnessed Christ's work in hearts. It was a wonderful testimony to non-Christian and Christians alike who were somehow attached to the school.



Above: Lydia shares her testimony. Below: the whole group of "baptizees".




Above: Lubega being baptized by Tim & John. Below: Bertha's baptism by Keeley and John.





Above: Lubega's mom and Logan's parents joined to watch the service and see their sons (who are best friends) baptized.
Below: Holly prays for Marc.





Above: Mirelle praying for Star. Below: Brent prays for Kahan.



Below: Our 3 Seniors from the class of 2010; Lydia, Kahan and Bertha. They were all baptized on the same day they graduated from HIS! God is GOOD.

End of School Activities

Above: A Piñata was part of the 20 things Lisa Mayo and I chose to do to celebrate being appointed with WGM 20 years ago. This star shaped one was specifically for our Missionary Kids (MKs) to have fun with. So the last Saturday I was in Uganda, we pulled it out and bashed away. Here we are in a pic with all the field WGM MKs (even adult MKs) who could make it that day... missing were Kiah E. and Teresa D. We had a nice time with the bashing, and the kids enjoyed the enclosed goodies.



Slip-n-slide, hoolah hoop race, marshmallows and chocolate, a hammock race, volleyball, Ultimate "What?" and even "Chubby Bunny" were part of the HIS End-Of-School Bash for the youth. Playing inside and outside games, having a devotional (by Solomon; thanks man!), and ending with ice cream sundaes and more games, it was end-to-end fun.



...umm some of the teens STOLE the BUNCH of bananas we were using for Ultimate What (where you don't use a frisbee, but you do use lots of surprise items in place of the frisbee). Then they stepped out of the game and ate the item we were supposed to be using as a frisbee!! Wow, I didn't know thieves were so rampant at HIS! ;)

Photo Shoot, HIS Style

These are a few samples of the photo shoot we took at school at the end of May. WGM had asked for some pictures of us in ministries to be used at the mission's 100th anniversary Celebration, so we got some of my senior high kids and Jean took a ton of pics. Enjoy!

A Looonnnngggg Time Away...

Ever get totally discouraged? I did soon after my last post- because I was so tired and I had photos to download and I had a lot of neat things to share... and all 73 photos were lost due to a PICNIC (Problem In Chair; Not In Computer)... So since time was still tight and I was still tired and there was an avalanche of activities, I just gave up putting posts on until now. Sorry. Pole Sana. Lo Siento. Perdon... etc... And thank you for your patience.

So of those lost photos, imagine the following:
Jean behind a huge pot looking like only her head was sticking out from the top.
Several photos of the HIS teachers at the BBQ.
Jean and Teresa and even me (in a few pics) posing at a teacher's BBQ hosted by the Stevenson's for the end of the HIS school year.
ADORABLE kids hunkered down in a tricycle-Coke-motorcycle contraption (meaning they deliver Coke crates to shops in the city)...
A 26+ foot Boa Constrictor SKIN laid out on the floor of the Stevenson's home, with Jill (6'3"), Teresa (5'5" or so) and Jean (5'7" or so), laying next to it to give a visual for how long and huge that once-live snake was!!!
Some fun shots with my HIS seniors, juniors and sophomores during our last days of the school year.

I can't remember anything else. I was bummed; these were pretty fun and interesting shots. Oh, well. I'm glad to be back online and I hope you enjoy the upcoming blog posts. :)

Senior Banquet 2010

Last night we had our first annual Senior Banquet. I was busy a lot of the time so I missed some prime photo opportunities, but it was a wonderful evening celebrating our 3 seniors who will graduate May 28th. The meal was catered by Coconut Shack, an Indian restaurant, and the juniors and sophomores helped sponsor the event with decorating, baking desert, and planning everything.


Stephen, Austin and Jordan, 3 of our 7th grade boys.


Someone brought some glow bracelets to the dinner, and we had some fun playing with them. This is Bec, with me and Kristi.


Last semester I taught the 6th grade for Social Studies. These are some of those kids. They are pretty fabulous! From left are Emmanuel, Jesse, Maarten and Brennen.


These are some of my friends who also work at HIS. Back row from left, are Jenna, Keeley, Jill, Mirielle, Rhonda. Front row: Jean, Teresa, Holly and Kristi.


Jael, me, Anna, Nick, with Meki in front. This is a truly international photo. Jael is from Washington state, Anna from Finland, Nick from Germany/Rwanda, and Meki from Kenya.


Keeley is our current HIS Principal, and she's been my prayer partner for 3 years. I'm so thankful for our friendship! What a blessing she has been to me and to all of us at HIS. (love you Keels!)


The WGM guys at the banquet included Brent (a WGM VIA), Austin, Jordan and Kaleb.

Africa Gospel Church, Kisugu

One of our city churches, Kisugu, is where a number of my dear friends attend. Pastor James and his wife Caroline lead the church, and they have 2 children with another on the way, due in June. Pastor Mugisha and his wife Winnie also assist in the church, and they have 4 children. Mugisha is the one who now leads our youth ministries for all of the AGC in Uganda.
It has been a privilege to work alongside him and many others to develop the AGC Uganda youth ministries. We're happy to announce that we are publishing our devotional booklet by the end of May, to distribute to youth in the AGC and beyond. The typical thing for Uganda is to have your children go off to boarding school, but oftentimes the youth don't get much by way of Bible teaching while away. So we thought it would be helpful to encourage them through this devotional. Pray it will be a ministry to whoever reads it.




Children recite memory verses (above) and (below) Pastor Mugisha preaches in English while one of our trained youth leaders, Carol, translates into Luganda.

Heritage Activities

Whether it is a typical class or a special event, times at Heritage are good, difficult, trying, blessed, memorable, and always in need of prayer. I'm thankful for all God has taught me during my years of ministry at HIS, and I'm very thankful to have the collegues and students there as friends. Above: My 9th grade social studies class. Below: a faculty meeting.




Above: A youth activity with Lydia trying the stilts. Below: 10th grade English class.


Above: Bertha volunteered to lead our devotional during 2 of our recent youth events. I'm so proud of her, watching her grow into a strong leader, working at a faithful witness. I'm also very thankful to see how so many of our youth have chosen Christ, and those who have chosen to continue to grow more in their walk with Him.


Kristi and Meki hang out during youth group. Kristi is our 6th grade core teacher, while she also helps with yearbook and computer classes. I have really enjoyed having her help in our youth ministries, too! She is one of our WGM Volunteers In Action (VIA).

Wild Things...

A favorite amongst our missionary kids (MKs) is finding chameleons. The kids love them as pets, but the chameleons love to escape as often as not. I have enjoyed the excitement on our MK's faces.




Above: Austin and Emilee with the first chameleon they (actually their brother Kaleb) found upon their return to Uganda from furlough. Below: Jacob with his chameleon, Charlie.




The above photo is Kaleb holding 2 of the recently found chameleons. Yes, I included the Colts tee shirt Kaleb had on, for his benefit, and also for my sister Abby, who is a Colts fan (I'm not sure if she is also a fan of chameleons or not).