Uganda. It’s only been a week. In some ways our stay here feels short, as it should. In other ways it feels long. Time here is slow. Waiting is normal. Patience is needed.

Tell me you’ll see me this afternoon. This afternoon may actually be two days later. Patience.

Our culture is all about now. Do this now. Do it better, faster, funnier, more, more, more, now, now, now. No need for patience. Hurry, scurry, strive.

There are positives and negatives to both ways of life. There are parts of each culture that would do well to be brought together and learned from. At this point in time we are in a “when in Rome” phase of living. We are doing things slow. We don’t have a vehicle yet, so we walk everywhere. This only gets you so far. We don’t have a fridge or stove, so we walk to go eat and wait an hour or more at the restaurant for food. We are slowly learning about the culture that surrounds us and working to find a new normal.

We went to church with a friend our first Sunday here. My first thought while watching and listening to how God was worshiped, praised and spoken about, was that I have put my God in a box. I’ve viewed Him in the same way and worshiped Him in the same way for a very long time. Here He is worshiped through exuberant, loud, very loud, music and dance. Clapping and jumping, shouting and praising. My God is big. He is known and worshiped in many different ways, but in each culture He speaks a language of love.

Uganda. Everything feels different, yet you can still find sameness. You can still find God’s love and goodness. You can still find yourself surrounded by beauty and joy. You can still find small wonders while looking through the eyes and into the eyes of your children. You might find yourself waiting an extra hour or two, but it’s there, it’s real, and it’s good.