Okay for those of you that haven't heard...my computer has officially crashed...it doesn't even turn on so the pictures are on hold until I can use shelly's to download all my pictures...right now I am in the process of trying to get them off of my computer and onto cds...and for those of you that know me...I take a lot of pictures.

But needless to say, things are going very well. I am learning so much about life and even more about culture. There is no way to compare the US with Africa...they are on two totally different levels, the people here are different, the food, the entertainment...everything.

This last week Shelly and I went to Jinja and walked all around the nile river!!! BEAUTIFUL!! I have some amazing pictures that I hope to share with you soon. It was soooo peaceful...well except when we got interupted every two minutes by "tour guides" forcing to let them show us around for money...after we already paid to get in...we weren't very nice to them, but it is okay because they had no business asking us for money. Needless to say the bush is where I love to be, I hate the city. Especially here, it is nothing like any other city I have ever been in.

Next week we are hoping to travel north to Gulu. I met a guy, James, who works for Invisible Children, he is in charge of the bracelet program, we have had sometime to talk and get to know each other. He is going to take us up to Gulu sometime next week and show us all around the IDP camps (that hopefully aren't as congested with people since the film was done. www.invisiblechildren.com ) another amazing organization helping children in Uganda. As for Christopher House...we are almost done with our website!!! It should be up and running in the next couple days...be sure to check it out, you will get a really good glimpse of what we do here, all the pictures on the website I took so you can see for yourself the pictures that made it off my computer. Pray that the other ones can be recovered. www.christopherhouseministries.org God is doing good things here, and He is in the midst of Uganda in many many ways, we are just a percent of what He is doing here. Pray for protection and direction as the weeks go on...I am reaching the half way point in my trip and my prayer is that I don't waste a day of it, I pray that God uses me in any and all ways to help benefit these kids and my personal relationship with Him. Thank you guys all for being a part of this journey with me and I hope that through this experience you can see what it really means to love God's people and grasp the importance of living for Christ. I love you all and will be in touch.
In Him,
Sheena

Shelly and her wonderful 5 1/2 hour braid job!
I got a pedicure and manicure it was sooo nice and very inexpensive...15,000 shillings...about $8 for both together!!
my braids!!! I love them! I dont have to wash my hair for over a month...
After 6 1/2 packs of these "darling" extensions and 8 1/2 hours of sitting on my toosh!!
How appropriate!!!
Okay so I am trying to download more pictures for you guys but my computer crashed the other day so it is very difficult...I hope to send more your way soon. Know that the days are flying by and I have been very busy....working, traveling, working, playing...I have been so busy it has been over two weeks since Ive updated this blog and its been a week since Ive written in my journal...for those of you that know me well....that is way too long to go without writing. Keep the emails coming, I love to read them and I will try to respond as soon as I get them. Lots of love from Uganda!!
Thank you all for all of your prayers and support!!!
Sheena

Isaac, Joseph A and Joseph B

These are 5 of the 8 girls that I am mentoring. From right to left...Promise, Sophia, Zalia, Shamirra, and Shammim.
This was my football team for the day!! We dominated....well THEY dominated!
Little Joseph...He is a beauty, he is one of our kids that is HIV positive and will need to be on meds for the rest of his life....we were worried about him for a bit because he didnt' show up to the center for two weeks...just as we were sending someone to go check on him...he and his brother showed up. Apparently his father is sick and in the hospital...his mother has been taking care of him so she wasn't able to get the boys to the center. We were excited to see that they were ok and we welcomed them back with open arms...Joseph used to be VERY shy but he opened up soooo much that day, we talked, laughed, it was a huge blessing!
We have some very precious "little ones" they are more than a joy to have around, not to mention they are soooo loving and adorable....most of the time :)
This is Talapia...I ate it just like this....Im not gonna lie I was a little scared...it was really good though
These are some of our adorable kids...they are precious
She is one of our twins, her favorite activity is art!
Lis I took this picture for YOU! It was a full moon at like 4am, I prayed for you!
What was left of the Talapia!

The joy of Saturday afternoon clutter. We don't wear shoes inside so what better place to put them....than right in the doorway. This is only a quarter of what was there.
A nightmare in itself...the taxi park, again this is just a glimpse of about a mile of taxi's. Not to mention the complete agony and challenge in finding one that is going where you want it to go...not easy. I will take a yellow cab any day over this mess....but it's how we get around here...so we work with it.
Yes this is (was) a snake...a cobra to be exact. It shed this skin in the bushes surrounding our activity center...we aren't quite sure where it is but we have the remains of what looks to be a good size snake. Not to worry, we found its home right next to the bush...a little kerosene and a match should do the trick!
A look at downtown Kampala on a good day. Markets all over every inch of street...people...and of course taxis and boda boda's.

Everyday is a new day. There is so much to see and so much to learn. This week has been filled with events...cockroach killing, bumper to bumper traffic...walking and driving...bargaining every last penny....good meals...not so good meals...hearing the joys of being a kid in Africa...hearing the fears of being a kid in Africa. Everyday is a new day.

Words seriously can't express life here. I was sick this week a little and we think it is because of the pork I ate...that it wan't cooked all the way, or that I drank unboiled bottled water. Apparently we are finding out that people get empty water bottles and fill them with normal unboiled water and then reseal them, plastic seal and all...so it looks like I may have had a bad bottle. Needless to say I will be boiling my own water from now on.

The Lord is working so hard here at CHM, there is so much to be done and I am learning what it truly means to have patience. It is easy for us as Americans to come in with a plan and expect that plan to rapidly become a reality...that is not the way it works here. The culture here is very different and first we have to try to understand their values and morals...if any at all. Anyway please be in prayer for all of us, especially Shelly and I because our mentality on life is different than theirs and it is nearly impossible for them to comprehend what we are trying to get across to them. From our faith and trust in the Lord, to whether it is right or wrong to use caining as discipline...it is just a different world over here, but I trust that God can and will do just as much here as he does in the states. Pray that we stay focused on why we are here and that in due time, lives will be changed for the better.

I miss you all and can't wait to hear from you. I hope to be able to respond more personally to all of your emails next week...Wednesday hopefully, until then this is all I have time for. Know that you are all thought about and thank you so much for your prayers and support!

In Him
Sheena