We had been told that, although they were excited to see us, the Kobwin kids might be a bit standoffish at first because they wouldn’t know us, but instead we were greeted with many hugs and warm introductions. Right away we began forming friendships, sharing names and stories about each of our trips to the camp. One girl, Dorcas, who later sat by me at dinner and became one of my closest friends on that trip, grabbed my hands and introduced me to others.
Most of that evening we settled into our tents, shared a meal, and then had a campfire. The kids had prepared music and we had a time of worship — beautiful harmonies, a mix of English and the local language (Ateso), yells, whistles, and complex drumming. I think that is when it really hit me that we were in Africa. Sitting around a campfire in the dark, seeing new faces, and listening to music the likes of which I had only heard in my world music class at ASU, I felt the excitement that goes with being introduced to a new culture. Even more present was the feeling of being welcomed by brothers and sisters in Christ, made even more special by unfamiliar surroundings.
– Sarah Cowan