Daily Life

A beautiful sunset viewed from the top of the Honors College complex

Sometimes daily life is challenging because it’s just that – daily life. We want to do BIG things in the world, to make change and be changed. Sometimes the routines of daily life sound boring, hollow or even silly in comparison with our big dreams of making a difference in the world.  

USP and Honors College students go for an early morning run at the track

Students take a break in a local coffee shop while walking around Kampala

Big things do happen here at USP. We do have deep, life-challenging conversations with each other. We do encounter God in new and powerful ways as we join Ugandans in worship. Our host families do share pieces of their lives that change our perspectives forever. And these are all wonderful things, experiences that stick with us forever.

But a big part of our time here is just doing daily life. And that is okay.

Julia takes a selfie with her host family

Living daily life in Uganda eats away at our expectation that we just always be making change and being changed. Yes, we are called to live as people who believe in and work towards a beautiful future. But we are also called to be present and faithful in all of life, in the mundane just as much as in the most pivotal moments.

Kendra and her host mom at a family member's wedding

Jansen and his suite mates hang out in Thelma Hall

In Uganda we learn to enjoy being present as we cook dinner together, take tea, sit in the darkness with our families while the power is out, sit in class and listen to our lecturers, walk down the roads and pathways at a leisurely pace, go to soccer practice in the evenings, laugh at our host siblings goofing off, admire the sunset, take yet another lap around the track… Maybe it is routine. But it’s life. And part of our journey is learning to find joy and meaning in all of it. 

Students stop at Katie's hostel for tea time!