So I am getting ready to say good bye to 2011 and HELLO 2012!! I am not sure of my wild and crazy plans this evening and there is no electricity at home so.... But 2011 was full of many great adventures, opportunities, and firsts for and I am sure 2012 will bring the same. For one, 2012 will be the first year with no pork and saurkraut and mashed potatoes. :( Though no fear of bad luck... I am going to make the best substitute. Pork with cabbage that has sweet and sour sauce and irish, maybe will even mash them.
In 11 days now (but who's counting) my brothers and friends, Kelly and Abby will be arriving in Uganda!!! I am so excited to experience Uganda with them. We have lots of plans of traveling all over the country, enjoying fellowship time, playing with some awesome kids, and living the African life. I will be sure to post some stories here so that you can all know what you are missing out on. I am so thankful that I have such awesome family and friends who are willing to spend their life savings to come visit me. I owe them BIG time!! Thank you Dustin, Michael, Kelly, and Abby!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
It's Christmas time in Africa!!
This holiday season has been well.....weird! I miss all the Christmas hoopla and traditions back home with family and friends. I miss the Christmas tree, the baking, gingerbread houses with the McGaw's (Shoutout!), the shopping, the cold weather, the party's, the extra functions at work that is great money, and the Christmas music and lights everywhere all of the time. But at the exact same time I really am enjoying the sunshine (I have a nice burn and peeling skin), and the easy-easy life (okay I did breakdown and I must admit thus far I colored 2 sesame street christmas pics and I made a red and green paper chain for the sitting room at home). I can probably count on my 2 hands the number of Christmas songs that I have heard thus far. This morning at church the children did their Christmas production and it was WONDERFUL. I am really looking forward to the Christmas Cantata next week. But most of all I am enjoying the true simplicity of Christmas this year. I sometimes forget that Christmas is right around the corner...2 weeks to be exact!!! I don't have my Christmas plans set in stone yet, but I know this holiday will be one that I will never forget!! (And maybe my parents will even allow my stocking to hang until I get home...) Love you and miss you all!! And I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas season!! There is still time for you to give your hard earned money to an orphan as well! Please do so!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Coffee House THIS SATURDAY!!
Coffee House to benefit Uganda Orphanage
THIS Saturday, December 3rd 6-9:30pm
Pequea BIC Church - 40 Church Rd. Lancaster (right off Penn Grant Rd)
Come out enjoy some local musicians, sip a hot cup of coffee, indulge in delicious baked items, and enjoy each others company! It's bound to be a great time!! And it's for an awesome cause. So I want you all to clear your calendars and BE THERE!! I don't want to hear any excuses.
All proceeds go directly to Father's Divine Love Ministries here in Uganda. The money will be used to pay for food, medical, and school tuition fees. The very basic needs of these children MUST be met! Help us, help them!
If you are unable to come out (for some stupid reason), but would be willing to bake something, you can call my brother Dustin at 519-7999. Thanks!!
THIS Saturday, December 3rd 6-9:30pm
Pequea BIC Church - 40 Church Rd. Lancaster (right off Penn Grant Rd)
Come out enjoy some local musicians, sip a hot cup of coffee, indulge in delicious baked items, and enjoy each others company! It's bound to be a great time!! And it's for an awesome cause. So I want you all to clear your calendars and BE THERE!! I don't want to hear any excuses.
All proceeds go directly to Father's Divine Love Ministries here in Uganda. The money will be used to pay for food, medical, and school tuition fees. The very basic needs of these children MUST be met! Help us, help them!
If you are unable to come out (for some stupid reason), but would be willing to bake something, you can call my brother Dustin at 519-7999. Thanks!!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
You can educate and feed a Ugandan Orphan from the comfort of your home!!
Dear friends and family,
Oli otya! I send you greetings from Uganda. It's hard to beleive that I have been here for 5.5 months already. I can guarentee you that I am a changed person because of this experience. I am now not surprised to see people in public urinating or picking their nose. I expect to be charged the "mzungu price", I expect to see people throwing their trash wherever they please, and for every boda man to ask me, "we go?". Haha! On a more serious note, I expect to see people give all that they have, for complete strangers to invite me into their home for tea and to socialize (though we speak a different language), for children to over thank me for buying them bread or fruit, and for people I meet in taxis to start up a conversation as we are stuck in the jam and to be genuinely thankful for what little I am doing.
I am so grateful for each and every one of you who has blessed me in so many ways. Without all of your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes- I know without a doubt that I would have given up months ago.
As you are all aware the holiday season is quickly approaching. As the popular song asks, "Do they know it's Christmas time at all?", the answer is YES. Many (actually every) ngo that I have been working alongside are feeling the pain in their finances as the world economy is hurting. Children's homes are unable to feed their children- kids are going to school hungry (that's if they are lucky enough that someone was willing to pay their school fees). They are so in debt to food suppliers, medical caregivers, and schools, that eventually the tabs are going to be put to an abrupt halt and innocent children are going to suffer.
But YOU (yes you) can make a difference. It costs approximately $1.50 to feed a children three, hot, basic meals per day. I know that the vast majority of you have $1.50 in your pocket at the end of every day. Ugandans will hustle all day to get that money and then turn around and give it to a friend in the hospital or give it away to a person needing transport.
I have lived my whole life valuing saving money- to see how large I could get my savings account. I even have money in stocks, cd's, etc. Then there are people in Uganda MY AGE who can not find a job and so they hustle EVERYDAY and when they come home with $2 they buy dinner for everyone in their house. If they have been blessed with $8 that day, and they so happen to get a phone call from an orphanage who can't feed their kids dinner that night, they give $8. And when that orphanage calls me I ask 150 questions, who, what, where, and how. I have seen it all. And every time I think WOW!
The world has so much to learn from Ugandans. The people here have a desire to take care of one another to the point that it hurts. I am not asking you to necessarily give until it hurts (because I am not able to give that way. But, hey, wouldn't it be cool if we did sometimes.) I just ask that you give from the overflow.
All contributions will be given to orphanages to pay off debt that they have accumulated to make sure that their children's basic needs have been being met. I know most of your Christmas trees will be crowded with things that you don't really need. Why not consider giving the gift of education or a few hot meals to a child whose parents are deceased and others whose parents chose to not want their children. If we all give a little, we can change the future of Uganda by impacting her future leaders today.
All contributions can be made payable to me "Jolene Goss" and mailed to 8 Campside Circle Conestoga, Pa 17516. Or see that either of my parents or brothers receive the contributions. Thank you once again!!
Oli otya! I send you greetings from Uganda. It's hard to beleive that I have been here for 5.5 months already. I can guarentee you that I am a changed person because of this experience. I am now not surprised to see people in public urinating or picking their nose. I expect to be charged the "mzungu price", I expect to see people throwing their trash wherever they please, and for every boda man to ask me, "we go?". Haha! On a more serious note, I expect to see people give all that they have, for complete strangers to invite me into their home for tea and to socialize (though we speak a different language), for children to over thank me for buying them bread or fruit, and for people I meet in taxis to start up a conversation as we are stuck in the jam and to be genuinely thankful for what little I am doing.
I am so grateful for each and every one of you who has blessed me in so many ways. Without all of your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes- I know without a doubt that I would have given up months ago.
As you are all aware the holiday season is quickly approaching. As the popular song asks, "Do they know it's Christmas time at all?", the answer is YES. Many (actually every) ngo that I have been working alongside are feeling the pain in their finances as the world economy is hurting. Children's homes are unable to feed their children- kids are going to school hungry (that's if they are lucky enough that someone was willing to pay their school fees). They are so in debt to food suppliers, medical caregivers, and schools, that eventually the tabs are going to be put to an abrupt halt and innocent children are going to suffer.
But YOU (yes you) can make a difference. It costs approximately $1.50 to feed a children three, hot, basic meals per day. I know that the vast majority of you have $1.50 in your pocket at the end of every day. Ugandans will hustle all day to get that money and then turn around and give it to a friend in the hospital or give it away to a person needing transport.
I have lived my whole life valuing saving money- to see how large I could get my savings account. I even have money in stocks, cd's, etc. Then there are people in Uganda MY AGE who can not find a job and so they hustle EVERYDAY and when they come home with $2 they buy dinner for everyone in their house. If they have been blessed with $8 that day, and they so happen to get a phone call from an orphanage who can't feed their kids dinner that night, they give $8. And when that orphanage calls me I ask 150 questions, who, what, where, and how. I have seen it all. And every time I think WOW!
The world has so much to learn from Ugandans. The people here have a desire to take care of one another to the point that it hurts. I am not asking you to necessarily give until it hurts (because I am not able to give that way. But, hey, wouldn't it be cool if we did sometimes.) I just ask that you give from the overflow.
All contributions will be given to orphanages to pay off debt that they have accumulated to make sure that their children's basic needs have been being met. I know most of your Christmas trees will be crowded with things that you don't really need. Why not consider giving the gift of education or a few hot meals to a child whose parents are deceased and others whose parents chose to not want their children. If we all give a little, we can change the future of Uganda by impacting her future leaders today.
All contributions can be made payable to me "Jolene Goss" and mailed to 8 Campside Circle Conestoga, Pa 17516. Or see that either of my parents or brothers receive the contributions. Thank you once again!!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
So I have not updated this thing in FOREVER!...I know. I have been thinking the past couple of days about what I could write about and I still have nothing, but don't fret I am going to write anyways. Life has been kind of slow here with not much exciting happening. But this weekend I am traveling to Rwanda with a good friend of mine, Abbey. He has family there and has not seen them for some time and I need to escape Uganda in order to be able to stay. So we are a perfect traveling pair. We will be staying with his family and friends and living the local life. I am excited about this.
I have been sick a lot recently. Two days of some stomach virus/food illness followed by a week of a bad cold with some other things mixed in there. I still have a small throat tickle cough, but it is so much better than it was and I can actually get some sleep at nights.
Life at home is good. Everyone is always busy and nobody is ever really around except to sleep. The past couple weeks some of them have been taking a day to hang out with me which has been nice. I love these guys so much, though they make me mad at times. But, hey! that's what brothers do. Last week Ronnie's younger brother came to stay for the week while he was on holiday. He's like 12 years old, great kid. We enjoyed hanging out, watching movies, cooking for each other, eating hamburgers and chips. I loved when I left for some time and came back and he came out of the house with a big smile to greet me and welcome me home. I now have internet on my phone thanks to him (that means fb too!!) and some more movies downloaded onto ronnie's laptop that I can take to my room and watch. What a genius!!
Bula I guess is good. I sent them an sms today saying that I was coming and they responded that today was not a good day. WEIRD!! But that gave me some time to catch up on some other things. I will head over there some evening this week They have been struggling to collect enough money to feed the children which makes me worry since all of the children will soon be on holiday. Please pray that funds do come through for them. However last week when I was over someone had donated meat...i mean MEAT. There was meat of all kinds being prepared all day and everyone wanted me to try theirs. It was good, but that was enough meat for me for some time.
This past week I have had some good times and great conversations with the children in the community where I stay. I love that they all come running every time that they see me come and go and that they enjoy coming into the compound and playing with me.
I have not spent much time in Kisenyi recently. I hope to be able to get back there this week. The friends that do the children's program on Saturdays has been struggling to raise the funds to pay of the debt to the playground where they have their weekly meetings.
In other news, the mouse that has been tormenting me in my room for the past week is longer there as of this afternoon!! This stupid (very) little guy was good at hiding. I mean my bedroom has a bed and my three suitcases. Not a lot of places to hide. But he managed. Last night was it for me. I got so tired of the guys saying 'tomorrow, tomorrow'. So I had Ben come back to my room with me and try to murder the thing before bed...with no luck. We even carried suitcases outside and emptied them (this was around midnight). Nothing!! Until I lay down and then he scurries all around and up the headboard. So today I was getting lunch out of the food suitcase when guess who popped his head out. I shut it quick and yelled for Collins, a friend of the guys who was over at the time, and he admitted that he was scared of mice himself. haha! I closed that suitcase and took it outside and poked around until that booger finally POPPED out. I screamed, Collins laughed and what a glorious celebration it was.
I have been sick a lot recently. Two days of some stomach virus/food illness followed by a week of a bad cold with some other things mixed in there. I still have a small throat tickle cough, but it is so much better than it was and I can actually get some sleep at nights.
Life at home is good. Everyone is always busy and nobody is ever really around except to sleep. The past couple weeks some of them have been taking a day to hang out with me which has been nice. I love these guys so much, though they make me mad at times. But, hey! that's what brothers do. Last week Ronnie's younger brother came to stay for the week while he was on holiday. He's like 12 years old, great kid. We enjoyed hanging out, watching movies, cooking for each other, eating hamburgers and chips. I loved when I left for some time and came back and he came out of the house with a big smile to greet me and welcome me home. I now have internet on my phone thanks to him (that means fb too!!) and some more movies downloaded onto ronnie's laptop that I can take to my room and watch. What a genius!!
Bula I guess is good. I sent them an sms today saying that I was coming and they responded that today was not a good day. WEIRD!! But that gave me some time to catch up on some other things. I will head over there some evening this week They have been struggling to collect enough money to feed the children which makes me worry since all of the children will soon be on holiday. Please pray that funds do come through for them. However last week when I was over someone had donated meat...i mean MEAT. There was meat of all kinds being prepared all day and everyone wanted me to try theirs. It was good, but that was enough meat for me for some time.
This past week I have had some good times and great conversations with the children in the community where I stay. I love that they all come running every time that they see me come and go and that they enjoy coming into the compound and playing with me.
I have not spent much time in Kisenyi recently. I hope to be able to get back there this week. The friends that do the children's program on Saturdays has been struggling to raise the funds to pay of the debt to the playground where they have their weekly meetings.
In other news, the mouse that has been tormenting me in my room for the past week is longer there as of this afternoon!! This stupid (very) little guy was good at hiding. I mean my bedroom has a bed and my three suitcases. Not a lot of places to hide. But he managed. Last night was it for me. I got so tired of the guys saying 'tomorrow, tomorrow'. So I had Ben come back to my room with me and try to murder the thing before bed...with no luck. We even carried suitcases outside and emptied them (this was around midnight). Nothing!! Until I lay down and then he scurries all around and up the headboard. So today I was getting lunch out of the food suitcase when guess who popped his head out. I shut it quick and yelled for Collins, a friend of the guys who was over at the time, and he admitted that he was scared of mice himself. haha! I closed that suitcase and took it outside and poked around until that booger finally POPPED out. I screamed, Collins laughed and what a glorious celebration it was.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Mama, do you love me?
Hmmm. What to say? Days here have become life. Never anything new and exciting, just the day to day business of life. Last week I spent the day on the set of a music video (I'll have to let you know if I made the final cut). I had a day of great conversations with some young adult guys in Kisenyi. It started by them asking if I wanted to smoke some ganja or cigarettes with them. To which I always respond, "I value my life and breathing too much." Some of them became curious if I really believed that smoking ganja would kill them. I responded, "slowly , but surely." One became very concerned saying that he looks after several young children and does not want to kill himself. We had a great chat about the reason that he smokes is because of the troubles that he went through as a child. When he's idle he has vivid images flashing through his mind of the trauma that he has been through and smoking helps him forget for the time being. Another man, Papa, interrupted, he's madly in love with me...love at first sight WHITE for him. He tells me that he smokes 45 joints a day and the only way that he would stop is if I promised him my love. REAL love. Sex and kissing. "Mama, I love you" over and over. Poor papa. All that I could do (and everyone else present) was laugh hysterically, but he was serious and getting quite upset. Mzungus have such an easy life. I have never had difficulties in life. I must be rich if I could afford a plane ticket to Uganda.
Some people here don't want to hear it. I am not saying by any means that his life is easy. But maybe if he wasn't sitting around idle with the guys all day every day smoking ganja, he could make something of it. He told me he started smoking because of hunger pains at around the age of 12. As a street child, no one ever offered him food. He said he wanted to know how he could quit. I suggested cutting back to 35 joints a day and using the money saved to buy a hot meal for a street child every day. So that he could help someone out of the cycle as he helps himself. To which he responded that I don't live a hard life. everything that I ever had was handed to me. "Mama, do you love me?" Ummm...No!
Some people here don't want to hear it. I am not saying by any means that his life is easy. But maybe if he wasn't sitting around idle with the guys all day every day smoking ganja, he could make something of it. He told me he started smoking because of hunger pains at around the age of 12. As a street child, no one ever offered him food. He said he wanted to know how he could quit. I suggested cutting back to 35 joints a day and using the money saved to buy a hot meal for a street child every day. So that he could help someone out of the cycle as he helps himself. To which he responded that I don't live a hard life. everything that I ever had was handed to me. "Mama, do you love me?" Ummm...No!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Greetings friends and family! I am sure that you have been missing me because I have been missing you! It's hard to find time to get to the internet cafe these days. Mostly cause when I am seriously bored that means the power is out which also means no internet. Anyways, life here is fantastic. Time is going soo fast. I can hardly believe that I've been here for 4 months. I have become really good at enjoying my alone time. I feel that is using the times to help me grow. I know that by being forced to travel teh city alone, eating alone, and being home alone has made me become more independent. I am really enjoying the new me.
On Saturday mornings I have been volunteering with friends of mine and their NGO Youth with a Vision (Sound like something you've heard before?!) They reach out to the street children in the slums and have recently been asked to work with the community children as well. It excites me to see their project grow. Saturdays they share the word and a meal with the boys and then they all play football. They have a new clubhouse where they are able to teach the kids craft and where they house a few boys. These boys can bring the biggest smile to my face.
This particular week the ice cream man was around and a few of the children got some ice cream. One kids fell right off his cone and he through the cone down too and jumped up and down and yelled -If only I understood Luganda- but he was MAD! Another kid came by and picked up the cone and scooped up the ice cream not physically touching the ground an enjoyed. Another boy came along bent down on all fours and licked the ice cream off of the ground turned and saw me and wiped his mouth have with his shirt and quickly got up and came over to give me the biggest hug. As he did, he whispered in my ear, "It's been so long since I have tasted ice cream." He had the biggest grin on his face!!
THis past week I was taken to the part of the slums where these street children stay. My friends escorted me after lunch. I was speechless and quite frankly uncomfortable. The boys were all sniffing as I was informed that they would be. They each have a ball of paper or a piece of a plastic bag with a smell similar to petrol. The smell itself was overwhelming, let alone the sight of 50-60 street kids high. To be honest I was ready to leave at first sight. The pain that I was feeling was so much. Everyone was running towards me "MZUNGU!!" giving me hugs, informing me that they are hungry, need a roof over their head, and wanted an education more than anything. One boy-about 10 years old- clearly hungry, came to me and offered me half of his samosa and insisted that I eat it. It didnt matter how many times I said no...I was going to have to eat it! A girl about 14 years old wanted me to take her young baby and raise it. It's not the first time that I have been asked to do this, but every time it is still just as shocking.
Did I mention that it was pouring all afternoon and I was freezing cold being in my friends room.?! The children were starting fires to keep warm as they wore rags and many of them did not have a pair of shoes to put on their feet.
God has called me to love these children. I know that they are a big part of why I am here. Please pray that I learn how I can best help these kids. If you are interested in helping in any way let me know.
On Saturday mornings I have been volunteering with friends of mine and their NGO Youth with a Vision (Sound like something you've heard before?!) They reach out to the street children in the slums and have recently been asked to work with the community children as well. It excites me to see their project grow. Saturdays they share the word and a meal with the boys and then they all play football. They have a new clubhouse where they are able to teach the kids craft and where they house a few boys. These boys can bring the biggest smile to my face.
This particular week the ice cream man was around and a few of the children got some ice cream. One kids fell right off his cone and he through the cone down too and jumped up and down and yelled -If only I understood Luganda- but he was MAD! Another kid came by and picked up the cone and scooped up the ice cream not physically touching the ground an enjoyed. Another boy came along bent down on all fours and licked the ice cream off of the ground turned and saw me and wiped his mouth have with his shirt and quickly got up and came over to give me the biggest hug. As he did, he whispered in my ear, "It's been so long since I have tasted ice cream." He had the biggest grin on his face!!
THis past week I was taken to the part of the slums where these street children stay. My friends escorted me after lunch. I was speechless and quite frankly uncomfortable. The boys were all sniffing as I was informed that they would be. They each have a ball of paper or a piece of a plastic bag with a smell similar to petrol. The smell itself was overwhelming, let alone the sight of 50-60 street kids high. To be honest I was ready to leave at first sight. The pain that I was feeling was so much. Everyone was running towards me "MZUNGU!!" giving me hugs, informing me that they are hungry, need a roof over their head, and wanted an education more than anything. One boy-about 10 years old- clearly hungry, came to me and offered me half of his samosa and insisted that I eat it. It didnt matter how many times I said no...I was going to have to eat it! A girl about 14 years old wanted me to take her young baby and raise it. It's not the first time that I have been asked to do this, but every time it is still just as shocking.
Did I mention that it was pouring all afternoon and I was freezing cold being in my friends room.?! The children were starting fires to keep warm as they wore rags and many of them did not have a pair of shoes to put on their feet.
God has called me to love these children. I know that they are a big part of why I am here. Please pray that I learn how I can best help these kids. If you are interested in helping in any way let me know.
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