August. September. October. November.

Thanksgiving. In a couple days I have the privilege of going home for the holiday. I haven't been able to go home for Thanksgiving since I was a Senior 4 years ago. When I was going to school in Canada, this was often the thing I wished I could get back home for. I find that having been more removed from my home area, I am not sure I look forward to this time with the same anticipation as I might have a couple years ago. I wouldn't say it's any less anticipation, just not the same.

My time in Minneapolis continues to be a journey of adjusting. Sometimes it has been really difficult in finding my place in this new school. Throughout this time I have been able to grow in my dependency on God. He is forever faithful. This weekend I helped represent my school at South Dakota's youth convention in Sioux Falls. As I was sharing about North Central and encouraging students to check it out, I realized some things that I really do love about where I am at right now.

living in Minneapolis. Especially downtown. I wouldn't want to live here forever, but for this season I am enjoying it. I can ride by bike down to the Stone Arch bridge in 10 minutes and find some biking paths. Sometimes I need that little escape to nature. close to family. What a blessing to be able to travel home for the weekend. Something I haven't been able to do the last few years. I have been able to go see my sister at various occasions and visit family more than just my Christmas break. spiritual life. I am grateful for the spiritual life of this campus. It is very different than any other school I have experienced. Sometimes I find that the pendulum sways too heavily on the outward worship, and not enough on studying the Bible. Of course they are biblically grounded, but I just think it could be more balanced. One thing North Central does have going for it is its ability to lead others into worshiping through music. Because this is my primary way of worshiping, I am blessed to be a part of this community that desires more of God.

Home

I don't really know why I'm blogging right now. Is blogging even still "in"? I was just looking through some of my previous blogs. I'm glad to have small memories and segments of my life documented because of this blog. In looking through my previous posts, I'm stuck by how different my location, college major, desires and goals have changed over the course of the past year. And though change is always a part of life, and I have certainly experienced a lot of change the last year, I am still very much the same person. It's fun to see how I can still resonate with the prayers that I wrote out a couple years ago.

Right now I am studying Music Education at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. After three years in Alberta, Canada, it feels good to be back in the Midwest. This summer I was telling a friend that I was looking forward to going back to the Midwest. When she inquired why, I couldn't put to words what it was about the Midwest that excited me. Another friend piped up, "It's home." So true. I love it because it is home.

Midwest feels like home. But simultaneously, so does Alberta. I spent my 18-21 adult years there, and it no doubt has had influence on shaping me. I have a hard time answering where I'm from when people ask. Naturally, I say where I grew up- South Dakota. But I often add in that I've lived in Alberta the last three years. It's harder for me to associate being from SD because it seems so long ago that I lived there. I suppose for now, I have two homes. Two places that I associate myself with. I have a feeling that will change, now that I am living in Minnesota, and being only 4 hours from SD, as opposed to 24.

I am really enjoying school. I am taking 17 credits, so it's a good amount of work. I am so thankful for the community and spiritual life here at school. God is so good. I am really glad to finally be here at NCU. Back when I was a Junior in High School, I was dead set on coming here. I've taken a little detour, and I don't have any regrets with where I have been, but I am glad that I am actually here.

beauty in simplicity

Here I am, sitting at in my apartment. Crazy how quickly time goes.

More than a month ago I came back from Uganda. I am so glad that I went there for the summer. It wasn't always easy or fun, but I really did enjoy it. God is so good. The things I learned there I gained only from my experience there. One thing that has been a main theme throughout my summer was finding beauty in simplicity. In Africa, things are so much simpler there. Not much technology, food is cooked over the fire, little electricity and no running water. People go to bed shortly after the sun goes down. As different as it was, I found it to be beautiful in how simple the way of living is there. 

Coming back home, it was difficult adjusting back to what was "normal." I had grown used to life in Africa, even as varying as it was. I couldn't take a warm shower without thinking of how much easier things are in North America. And yet I knew the differences in the simple, routine things of the day would quickly be forgotten. I suppose that is part of how one gets used to change and adjusting to a new location.

Starting school this week at King's University brought a lot of change. I'm really glad I'm here, but again, being in a new location brings differences in living. Living with 3 other roommates, taking classes with other new students, and living in Edmonton, Alberta. It's different, but good. I'm excited for what this year will bring, friendships that will form, and ways that I can be involved in school. I'm hoping to be on a worship team that plays for Chapel services, as well as join a small group bible study. I feel really eager to get involved, meet people and have this feel like my new home. Sometimes I just have to remind myself that God is with me, wherever I go. I just love that :)

A lot has happened in the last couple weeks! The director/co-founder of Village of Hope was here for a couple weeks. She was a lot of fun to have around. She even treated all of us to Macaroni and Cheese- KD for the Canadians ;) and spam. It was so good. Last week we to the school's music, dance, and drama competition. We got to ride there in a cattle car with the tubs of beans and rice for the kids. The kids did so well, we were all like very proud mothers. When we arrived at the school where the competition is, everyone saw us white people and swarmed us. It was one of the most memorable things I've experienced. Some of the kids there had never seen white people before. As soon as I reached out my hand to shake some of the kids hands, nearly 50 hands came at me. We felt like celebrities, always being watched. The kids received first place so tomorrow they are going to the next level of competitions. We're hoping we can go to see them perform. It might work out to pay for sometime to drive us on a motorcycle, or "boda" as they call it. We've gotten to ride a couple times and it was a lot of fun. It reminded me of some video game, having to maneuver all the pot holes and go around vehicles and people.

I just counted that there are 8 days left at the Village counting today. My parents are coming tomorrow which I'm really looking forward to. Pray that the rest of their traveling will go well. They got delayed in Chicago because of thunderstorms.

It seems weird to be leaving here after spending a lot of time here with the kids. Some kids know that I am leaving soon and are already asking when I will be coming back. I think it's hard for them to understand how difficult it is to come and visit. It's really cool seeing how healthy, friendly and intelligent these kids are. Knowing some of their backgrounds, and seeing where they are today is amazing. It's hard to imagine them as the same person. One of the boys here, Norman, was forced to kill his parents because of the LRA. I see him today and his brother and sister, and can't even picture what they have been through.

I asked the director about the 11-year old girl Mercy, who I had mentioned earlier. I was really curious about her story. She told me that Mercy's parents were killed by the LRA. Mercy had told her all the places her father was cut. I'm guessing she was there when her parents were killed. Her grandmother took her in, along with her younger brother. But her grandmother was too old to take care of her, so she went to one of the IDP camps (internally displaced persons). Today she is at Village of Hope and doing really well. Miracles do happen.

faces

Lawrence having fun with the guitar I brought through DuncanAfrica

enjoying Novida (pineapple-flavored) pop.. so good!!

Aunt Janelle balancing a bag of mangoes on her head.  

Kari with David. He has the cutest squeal laugh :)

Rachel

Cute little Aaron. He's a lot of fun. :)

Me and my friend Mercy. So precious!

Goofy girls. Rebecca, Ruth and Innocent.

A little boy from Mile 8, a small town a mile from the Village. He always runs up to us and waves whenever he sees us. I like him. 

Riding in the back of the pickup on the way to the Nile only 8 miles away.  Kari on  the left, with Kayla in the middle, obviously having a good time, and Tanya, the leader of one of the missions teams. 

Our girls (cousins plus one) hut! Erin, Jenna, me, Kari and Kayla

When the crocodile becomes President.

It's Sunday afternoon here. I imagine most back home would just be getting up for church. As I sit inside our mud hut, I hear the rain and the voices of some young boys nearby playing Uno, or as they call it "Huno." These boys always come by our hut asking us for the Uno cards. They just love it. (These boys are in my facebook profile pic.)

We said farewell to the second team that we have had the pleasure of being here with. The team said goodbye to everyone at church. Some of them were slightly teary after there week of being with the kids here. I thought to myself how much harder it will be for us being here a lot longer.

I wish I could share with all of you the true beauty of the people here. I was observing yesterday how beautiful their smiles are. My little friend Mercy is 11 years old. She's a bit more shy than the other girls, doesn't jump at the chance to dance, like most of the girls do, but loves singing songs. She's taught me quite a few songs, one of them is even in Acholi. It doesn't take too much to make her smile or laugh. She is just precious. I was sick one morning -I learned the lesson to not take my malaria pill first thing in the morning- and when Mercy heard from Kayla that I wasn't feeling well, she came running to my hut to see me. She also told me when she was talking with her friend Sheila, Sheila said to her, "Victoria is my best friend." "No," Mercy replied, "Victoria is my bestest friend in the whole wide world. When the crocodile becomes President, then she will be your best friend." Turns out Sheila was referring to Kayla instead of me. It was really cute. :)

Dirty feet, cold bucket baths and posho are now the new norms that I have grown accustomed to. Posho and beans are the main foods at most meals. At first glance it looks like mashed potatoes, but it is actually made out of corn flour. "It is a flavorless mush that is kind of hard," adds Kayla. I can't really say I like it, but it's food. When teams are here, we have the treat of rice and pineapple. The fruit here is really good and fresh. We walked a mile into town this week with Aunt Janelle and some cooks and bought some mangos. 3 mangos for 10 cents. Pretty good deal, huh? Kayla attempted carrying the bag of mangos on her head. I don't think it lasted too long. :)

Today we washed some of the walls in the church building. It is an cement building that has open sections that act as windows. The kids often sit on the open areas, and their dirty hands and feet have a way of sticking to the wall. We didn't get it all done, but it's a start. We also taught some younger boys how to play 500, or Jackpot. We all had fun playing with them. Still trying to learn names. Not a super easy job with about 200 kids here. But I have gotten to recognize and remember a few groups of names.

Last Saturday I had a sleepover with Vicky. Kari and I slept in the same room and got to hang out with the girls there. The two of us took a nap before the girls came to get us from our hut. Kind of ridiculous having a nap at 9, but for some reason I feel like I need so much sleep here. They were having a movie night with the whole village watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. They had subtitles on because the only sound coming out was from the computer's speakers. The reactions of the kids were the best. When they saw Mr. Tumnus, they all gasped and then laughed. I don't know if they had ever seen something like him before. During the fighting scene, they were all cheering and getting excited. The kids here are really fun and talented. They pick up games and music quickly. I have been able to teach some guitar chords to kids. Some already know a couple basic chords. Even the music teacher Dennis wants to learn and has come up to me a couple times asking how to play a certain song. Hopefully I can do more with music here. Even though there is no radio or TV, there is no shortage of music. People are constantly singing songs, humming, or whistling.