The Tournament

(Written on Monday 26th September 2011)

The Basketball tournament for the S1s And S2s was yesterday. On Friday we had our last practice before and they took it easy. On Saturday we (the Petersons) went to Kampala because my dad had to get new glasses. We got there at about 9:00 and waited at a restaurant for an Ebenezer boy who was doing school in a town not far from Kampala. We had scheduled to meet at 9:00. It was raining hard at the time. We waited and then finally he called at about 9:45 and said that it was raining too hard to come and he said that he hadn't even left yet.

So we went and did some shopping at a nearby store in the same building as the restaurant. The eye place was also in the same building and so my dad got the glasses. Then we went back to wait. At about 10:30 he finally came. We then sat down to eat. While we were waiting for the food to come, me sister pulled out her Ipod and we showed the boy some games. He has a really fun laugh and when he was trying the games, he laughed a lot. It was funny and fun. We left at about 1:15 and got home at 3:00.

The next day we met the S1s and S2s at the basketball court at about 7:00. My dad told them what we were going to be doing, then we left at 7:45. We were all excited and they were ready to play until we saw the court. I mean they were still ready to play and were excited, but the court...

The court was basically rocks and dirt, what you find on bad roads, with ash for the lines, and no nets on the baskets, just the rims. They started playing at about 11:00. The boys lost their first game, won their second, and lost their third. The girls won their first, lost their second, and lost their third, even though Kara was playing. It was complicated and I'm sure someone else will tell you how she got to play. And no, I didn't play. We got back at about 9:00.

Thank you for all your prayers. Please pray for my Mom, as she is somewhat sick. Keep praying for future things also!

Basketball Tournament

Sunday's the day! Seventh and eighth grade (S1-S2), teams go to the tournaments on Sunday in Matugga. Many of the kids can't wait! I guess I should explain a bit...

There are two teams, boys and girls. They mix the seventh and eighth grades in the teams. There are ten girls (not counting myself, I'll tell you why in a sec) and eleven boys. Many of the girls are shorter than me and I was counting myself short... Yeesh! And even some of the boys are shorter than me (almost 5'6" if anyone was wondering) but they are all doing pretty well. Everyone doesn't know all they should about the game, but four months ago there was no girl's team! And I think the girls have a good chance of doing at least somewhat well... We'll see. I'm sure they'd appreciate prayers.

Why am I not included? It's pretty simple actually. Short story- I'm not in the school so I can't play in the tournament. Long story- In the tournament, you have to have a student I.D. and in order to get a student I.D. you have to BE a student. So I'm not taking any classes in the school until next year. And therefore I can't be part of the team this year, and therefore I can't be in the tournament.

The boy's team has two Stallions with them, and another Stallion-in-training. The Stallions are the team that went to the Nationals at the beginning of this year, and they are GOOD. So the boy's team has a chance, especially since they've been playing longer than the girls. But we'll see. You never know. If they win this tournament, which I'm sure they have a good chance of doing...

You people who are reading this... Are probably wondering why I'm talking so much about basketball. Some people would say I'm addicted. Probably. Can't say for sure.

The only other thing that's happening soon is Worship Night, which is tomorrow. We are going to Kampala, and need to be back by 5:30. Preferably 4:00. Could you please pray for traffic to be good (is that a prober sentence?) and us to be able to be back by 3:30 by earliest, no setbacks, no nothing... And pray for me to have courage and to remember the words to the rap I'm doing tomorrow... "Everybody d-d-d-d-dance jus' like David did, move your feet to b-b-b-b-beat to p-p-p-p-praise the King, we dance undignified, unashamed to lift him high, gonna sing His praise to His will while we wait for the day when He'll split the skies... So dance a little, move a little, even if my bones get brittle, take it out, to the streets to shout it out like crazy people- Jesus freaks! We don't care, we're unashamed to live His name- Jesus freaks! We don't care, to live is Christ to die is gain!" Yeah. That's it. So pray. Please. And pray that when we play football (soccer) tomorrow we'll not get injured... And definitely pray for the tournament!!!!

~Kara

By the way, the two pics are of our weird cats playing with each other, I thought them funny enough to put on the Blog!

Tournament.

The past few months my Dad has been teaching the S1 and S2 school boys and girls. They are going to a tournament this Sunday and the school sports leader has asked him to teach them and get them fit. We are also going with them to the tournament with another Basketball teacher this Sunday.

The past few weeks have been, as usual, the usual normal. We have done school on the Weekdays, gone to our family group on Tuesdays, had our family night on Friday (most of the time), gone to the family group's garden to help them on Saturday, gone to Church on Sundays, and played Basketball almost everyday of the week.

This Saturday our whole family (just us Petersons) will go into Kampala for a reason that I don't know. All I know is that it isn't something important. Then we will go in to Mutogo, which isn't as far as Kampala, the very next day, Sunday, to the tournament. We will come back after it's over.

We are having fun playing basketball and looking forward for the Kansas Team coming. Thank you for your prayers and please keep praying for us and for the Tournament players. Thank you all!

Micah

Peterson.

'Basketball' week.

This week we have played Basketball a lot. It started on Friday morning when my Dad had to train some girls. Kara and I went with him. Then the next day, Saturday, my parents had to go to Kampala for a wedding, which turned out to be a crazy day. I'm sure they'll tell you about it in a later Blog. Anyway, we heard people playing on the basketball court at about 8:30, so we went over. It was the secondary boys who are on New Hope's team. They said they had been over there since 6:00 in the morning. So we played most of the morning. We had Jonica Biedler, one of Kara's friends, come over at 6:00. She helped us make dinner and then our parents got home, so we ate, watched a movie and Kara and Jonica had a sleepover.

Then the next day, Sunday, my Dad and I played basketball a bit. Then today (Monday) my Dad once again had to train the girls. Kara and I again went with him, played until three and then I came back to begin this. As soon as I'm done I'll go back over there.

Yesterday, also, we had the Ebenezer family over and we played football on 'Ebenezer Stadium' as they called it, which is a field that the boys slashed. We played until 6:00 and then they went home. On Friday, when the Biedlers came, we got our tub. Thank you Mormor and Poppie! We got five basketballs, clothes, gum candy, pans, some other things that I'm forgetting, and some other things I don't know about.

Thank you for all your prayers! We are doing very well, not many injuries. Please keep praying for anything that could happen!

Micah

Peterson.

Back from Kenya.

We got back from a fun trip in Kenya a week from yesterday (last post). Kara and I then did mini school for four days. We also enjoyed playing basketball during the week. On Saturday my dad had to go to Kampala to teach the IYs at the Brown's house, who (the Browns) have been and are living in Kampala. So I went with him to play with Joel Brown. We went to a pool and swam until lunchtime and then went back, ate lunch, and then played until 3:00.

At 3:00 my dad and I started back to New Hope, and still didn't get back till 6:00. Then at 6:30 we started supper because our family group was supposed to come at 7:30. But then, when we were almost done with supper, at 7:00, they showed up early. So we just said fine, set up the movie, and started it and ate our supper elsewhere. Then the next day, after the church service, there was a basketball game with the secondary students against the staff. One of the taller players for the secondary students dunked twice and was very proud of himself.

Today, and this week, we have school. Right now I am done with school, and as soon as I finish typing this, Kara and I are going to play Basketball. Thank you all for your prayers, everything is going almost perfect. My mom got bit and scratched by the Anderson's (a family that we know) cat. It might have gotten infected but she went to the clinic and it should be okay soon. Keep praying for that and for anything else that might show up!

Micah

Peterson.

Here in Kenya.

(Written on the 26th of August, published on the 30th of August)

Yes, we are in Kenya, Because my Dad is teaching in an institute here. We started on Saturday morning and drove to Kampala. We stayed the night there and the next day, Sunday, we started off to Kenya. We got to the border and had to go through a process that took almost two hours long. Then we kept going until we got to Kisumu, the place where the institute was and where the place where we were going to sleep at was. So we slept the night there.

Then the next morning we went to the institute and found out that the institute was also a place for some homeless kids, but we still had fun. In the morning Kara and I would do school and when I would get done with school I would go out to play. Then after lunch our whole family would go back to the hotel. We did this the whole week.

On Wednesday we went to a zoo type place with animals. There were leopards, monkeys, birds, lions, african buffalo, impala, kudu, dikdiks, turtles, zebras, and hyenas. But the best part of the whole trip was something you’ll never believe. Back in the states we got to pet and hold tiger cubs. But this is way better. We actually got to pet the fastest land mammal on earth… A CHEETAH! Yes, yes, we are not scratched up or torn apart. The cheetah we got to pet was raised as a cub in human care, so she was tame. She actually (as the only big cat that can purr is the cheetah) purred when we pet her! And it only cost about $3! So we had fun that day.

But then that night, on the same day, Wednesday, there was a minor disaster. So after coming home from a restaurant we decided to play a game, since it wasn’t to late. Before we started, Kara and I looked out the window. We saw little things on the window starting to gather but we ignored them. We started playing when suddenly my dad said “Look! A mosquito!”. (Mosquitos carry malaria). He smashed it, then we saw on the wall about ten of them. Then I turned around and saw, like, 200 on another wall! We called the desk and asked someone to come spray the room with doom. We saw that they were getting in through a gap beneath the window. Before the sprayer came we looked closer and saw that they were lakeflies, not mosquitos. So that was a relief and an adventure.

Today we are going back to Uganda, because it is Friday. Thank you all for your prayers. Thank God for the safe trip for us. Thank you all for your support and prayers.

Micah

Peterson.

Impalas and Lions and Cheetahs O my!

Written on August 25, 2011

So if anyone didn’t know, I’m writing this from Kenya. I am sitting in Kenya, across from four Kenyan boys who are doing their schoolwork and listening to the girls and small kids playing outside. Micah is here too, doing his schoolwork, quietly and trying to get his work done quickly so he can go back outside and play. Dad is teaching the staff institute and mom is helping him. I’ve made a few friends here at R.O.C.K Ministries (Rescuing Our Children in Kisumu). There’s Agnes, Eunice, Janet, Winnie (girls), Duncan, Bosco, Patrick, Remjus (boys, don’t know them too well, but still friends, you know?), and a lot more. I’m learning sign language too, one of the girls here is deaf. A, B, C, D, E, F...

Anyway, I’m really enjoying myself, just yesterday… (You WON’T believe this.) Just yesterday the Peterson family got to pet... A CHEETAH!!!! Told you you wouldn’t believe me. No, I’m serious. It wasn’t stuffed, it wasn’t just a fur carpet or anything, it wasn’t some trickster machinery, it was the REAL THING. A purring, live, breathing, spotted, skinny cheetah. I say skinny because cheetahs tend not to gain a lot of weight if they’re running all the time. It was awesome! You’re probably wondering how it came about. Was the cheetah wild? No. The guy who took us to the enclosure said she had been raised as a cub. The male was so much bigger and more aggressive, but he had just had his meal and in fact was still finishing it so we had nothing to worry about. Thankfully, we only had to pay about $3. I don’t care. I won’t be petting another cheetah anytime soon so it was definitely worth it.

We were in the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, they have African Buffalo, African Lions, monkeys, Dik-diks (little deer-type things), a Hyena, two ostriches, a leopard and free roaming Zebras and Impalas. By free roaming I mean they can roam where ever they want all around the sanctuary. Torture for the lions, cheetahs and leopards :P. So we enjoyed our relaxing day yesterday. After the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary (haha, KIS, kiss) dad took a nap and Micah and I went swimming in the hotel’s murky swimming pool. We’ve swum every day for the past four days, it’s been fun. Micah’s learning how to dive, and for his first time doing it he did REALLY well.

The view from our hotel is amazing. The first thing you see when you walk into the room is the lake. There’s a huge window allowing the view just soak into your room (how exactly does that work I don’t know). We’re on the fifth floor which is actually about the sixth or seventh level. The room isn’t the securest. Ok maybe I shouldn’t say the room, the window isn’t the securest. We had a lake fly adventure the night before last. (I’m writing this on the 25 of August just in case this doesn’t get published for a while, the internet at the hotel wasn’t working when we left.) I’ll let Micah tell the story if he wants to. All I’m going to say is we had hundreds of lake flies in our room. Yeah.

We’ve been to three restaurants so far, two out of the three were really good. Green Gardens was one, they had really good food and really good Ice-Cream… ***** (five star, to me at least) The next was an Arabic/Indian restaurant, I don’t remember what it was called cause it wasn’t so good… ** The last was kind of like a hotel. It was right on the lake, it even had a dock-type-thing that was floating ON the lake. The food was good and so was the ice-cream. I had a banana boat (banana split). **** We were going down to a beach and frying fish with U. Dan just for the experience, but the day got too late and U. Dan canceled the snack (phew). Micah and dad are playing football (soccer) with all the boys here after lunch. We leave tomorrow to Mbale, stay over night, then maybe head back to New Hope on Saturday. Kenya is beautiful. I’ll tell you about our two boarder adventures next time.

~Kara L. Peterson