an update... finally!

Hello! Sorry that it has been so long since I updated.. we've been without power off and on for the last several days and every time the power goes out, the internet must be reset. Actually, apparently we are without power right now. (2:00 pm Friday). Yesterday we were without water, which made life interesting.

So, a review of my week. Monday we started classes, it was not too bad, we had a tour of the base, which of course we did not finish. We continued to receive students. Kristine from Michigan got stuck at the airport Saturday night and by the grace of God, was brought safely here safely Sunday in the middle of the night! Tuesday we spent learning the YWAM values. Then we went to Jinja town. That was exciting. It is quite large. We also played the African game of "Stuff the Taxi". Basically we put 20 YWAMers and the Driver into one "taxi" which was basically a glorified mini van. That was pretty sweet. Then we walked around town and got a tour, looking hilarious, a group of like 15 Muzungus (white people) and then some Africans. Then, I almost got run over twice. Once a taxi almost backed into me, and the second time I was a little too close to the road, and ended up with a car bumper 6 inches from my leg! Praise the Lord that I was safe. So we finally all pile back into the taxi and then suddenly, I look up and a random african man was sitting on my lap. Turns out he worked for the taxi company. So I am just sitting there feeling extremely awkward in a taxi crammed full of people, with my friends behind me laughing at me. Random African Man was there for quite some time until we got to a fuel station. He hopped out and pumped the Petrol, and then hopped back onto my lap. Eventually we discovered the reason he was there.. he was the conductor and was collecting all of our fares. Hahaha. Well, pretty much, TIA (This Is Africa). Wednesday after more YWAM values + all the DTS rules, I had another good African experience, Laundry! My friend Judith, from eastern Uganda, showed me how to wash in a bucket. She is a pro! This girl is amazing, she can do an entire load of laundry by hand in 30 minutes!! Thursday was YWAM's monthly international prayer and fasting day. We spent from 9am-3pm worshipping, interceding, and listening. It was pretty cool, minus the fact that I was desperately in need of some peppermint tea... it was an amazing day. Then we had an amazing dinner, complete with MEAT ( two bite sized pieces ) rice, and M____, which is this kind of mashed banana stuff. Not too bad.

So I've also played a lot of volleyball, and watched several movies. It rained last night and we had massive thunder and lighting, which I was blessed to wake up and see. They have also started us reading 10 chapters of the Bible everyday, which means that by the end of DTS we will have read the entire Bible! It's kind of intense, but it helps to get a bigger picture Our DTS class is 35 people, the biggest this base has ever had! We have students from Uganda, Kenya, The US, Canada, Tanzania, South Africa, Bali, & The Netherlands. It's an amazing group. I've had lots of fun talking to the Canadians, they remind me so much of home, for whatever reason I can't put my finger on it. But I am becoming an expert in Saskatchewan culture... though most is stuff I already knew, living so close to Canada.

I've also had to change my name. There are 3 "katies" on base.. though we each spell our names differently: Katy from Ohio is on staff, then there's Cady from South Africa, who sleeps on the bunk above me, and then there's me: Kati. So I am Kati Rose to help keep things from getting too confusing. Did I mention that there is also, in our room, a Catherine, a Kendra, and a Kristine?! It can get a little confusing! So, If you send me mail (hint, hint, hint) please address it to Kati Rose (with my last name of course). Thanks.

The last two days we have been learning about Discipleship. I have another lecture in about 8 minutes or so! Yesterday I also got to meet Teresha, the lady I will be working with at Spring Of Hope after DTS. Sounds like I will get to do home visits, where I go to the house and visit the children & their families and I will also get to work in the school helping with the education program! Yahoo!

[EDIT: It is NOW 9:12 pm Sunday night, and we've only just gotten internet & power back! Still no water, but it rained a little today, so we have some on base, just not in our dorm.] I will write more later, but the mosquitos are eating me alive!! Just to let you know, I am not trying to be a snot if you don't hear from me for a while, it's just that things like power, water, and internet are rather unpredictable around here. I love you all and miss you all terribly, I love love love hearing from you all, so please write back! ok. time to go! good night! love you all!