The last time I wrote a blog, I was stunned that I was already in Uganda for four weeks. Now I am confronted with the fact that I have only four weeks remaining in this beautiful country! I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to leave - in fact, I know I'm not - though, I suppose I have a month to prepare myself for my assigned departure date of August 28th.

The amount that I have done these past two months seems incredible. Here is a brief highlight of everything since my last post:

Wrote an entire 200-page book - compiling my supervisor's past four years of research - that is now copyrighted and being sold all over the city of Kampala
Taught a teaching seminar with my supervisor to about 100 teachers and parents from all over the city of Kampala (which there is now a request for the same seminar to be taught to 300 teachers and parents)
Helped host a short-term missions team for three weeks in June
- Helped run and facilitate parent teaching sessions and a Vacation Bible School at a children's library in the slums, a 10-minute walk from where I live
- Travelled to the rural village of Pallisa, where we taught various subjects in a primary boarding school, preached in an even more rural village, played lots of football (that is, soccer), and established many relationships with the teachers and boarding students there (I am now being called Pastor James there!)
- Assisted in helping the team travel from Point A to Point B, aiding them in various background tasks (such as providing food for the parent teaching sessions)
Helped host a short-term missions team for two weeks in July
- Prepared and taught a week-long music camp at an international school
- Helped facilitate a week-long basketball camp at an international school (such as providing snacks and lunch for the kids and leaders)
- Travelled to the rural village of Pallisa once more, where I preached in the same other rural village (whose name I still do not know), and helped to expose the team to a different aspect of life in Uganda

Life here has never been dull or boring, that's for sure! Whether I'm teaching a music camp or writing a book, there are things that I have done that I never thought I would do in my entire life, and I praise God for the continuance of these amazing opportunities being presented before me! Thank you for all who have been continuing to support me in your prayers and communication, whether through calling, email, Facebook, Skype, FaceTime, iMessage, or any other form of social media. Without you - and, of course, the strength that God provides - I would not be able to continue in all that I am doing.

Look forward to a very important blog update in the next couple of days!

Nov 19, 2016

Sufficiently Independent

As such, the more we become aware of our insufficiencies and our dependency upon God, the more we will incline ourselves to pray unceasingly.

Sep 17, 2016

An Increased Awareness

An increased awareness of God's presence always produces an increased awareness of our sin. There is no way around it. One simply cannot look upon the true Jesus Christ and not be confounded by both the awesome holiness of God's glory and grace, and the awful sinfulness of our own hearts and minds.

Sep 10, 2016

Can I Have a Re-Do?

I apologize for not being clear. The only person I have to blame is myself.

It’s not because everyone is dumb. It’s not because Stoplight is too complex. It’s because up until now, I’ve been answering the wrong question.

Jun 17, 2016

Every. Last. One.

There, of course, are quite a number that fall on any point along this spectrum, but very few that seem to be balanced in the middle. Perhaps this is because of our human nature to dichotomize issues until we’re black and blue in the face.

May 17, 2016

Did God Change His Mind?

It was in that moment that I had done it. I had officially made up my mind: I was going to stay in Edmonton for the remainder of 2016. No one could convince me otherwise, not even myself - as much as I wanted to.

And yet, I did change my mind. Or was it God? Did God change His mind? Can God change His mind?

Jan 17, 2016

Even When I Don't Feel Like It

I started realizing that I didn't want to be here.

After having lived in the 'real world' for over half a year, and then coming back to theoretical books and work in classrooms, it felt as if there was no point. Why am I sitting in class when I could still be 'out there' doing 'better things with my life'? These are thoughts coming from a kid who loves school, and loves learning in a classroom setting.

Dec 29, 2015

Back in the Motherland (aka Canada)

As part of my re-entry assignment, I was asked to answer bunch of questions in my journal. As I answered these questions, I realized that there's no better way to help others understand where I am coming from, what I've experienced, and what I am thinking and feeling, than to share those responses.

Nov 23, 2015

DNA Transfusion

But is it true mentorship when you have to put the label of mentorship on it? I have always been discontented with the North American view of mentorship. It feels too mechanical, too impersonal. Is mentorship relegated to weekly/monthly checklist checkup meetings where only specific topics are discussed (particularly the taboo topics)? Is this the type of mentorship the Bible records? Or is mentorship something much greater?

Oct 25, 2015

Titles & Boxes

Though there were three new men, not one of them asked me this question. It did, however, come out through various conversations happening at the table that I was a Bible college student studying abroad and that I was planning on graduating in April. Boom. There was my title. No need to inquire any further. No need to ask the third important question.

Oct 12, 2015

Neither Here, Nor There

This wisdom may come from other people. It may come from using logic and my own thoughts. And it most certainly comes from understanding God's Word. But it just didn't seem spiritual enough. It didn't seem like the 'almost-graduated-Bible-college-student' way of making decisions. Balancing out pro's and con's, weighing out future regrets... This was not how I envisioned making this decision. It seemed too ordinary.