This will be the last time I post before I am back in the US.
I want to spend my last two days...with my people here...in Uganda...every second that I can.
Many different opportunities for this church are becoming more and more available...and through the power of prayer and Jesus Christ...they will ALL be answered for the glory of God! Please continue to pray for this church...for these people...and for our BIG God to continue to be working here in Kampala, Uganda!!
I read for the last time with a few of my readers today....and I had to fight back tears realizing that it was the last time to read with them and tell them about Jesus. I spent every minute I could with them...and wish I could spend more!
I don't know how I will be the first few days I am home...it will be hard for me...and it will be totally different.But I know through God...all things are possible!!!
Coming to Africa was something that I never thought would be possible for me...a small town girl...who dreams of being a mom and a teacher! But being here has changed my dreams from what I want...to what God wants...I have learned here...to be obedient...to answer when he calls...because how beautiful are the feet of those who teach the word of God!!
I still..after 6 weeks..catch myself asking why do these people live here and live like this? Why is their lives? Why do these children not have a mom to hold them or a dad to pick them up? Why can they know nothing more than Kampala? Why was I SO blessed to be placed in a Christian home, with a loving and generous family who has enough money to buy me food and clothes and buy me things I never really needed to begin with?
WHY DID GOD CHOOSE ME!?!?!?
That is the something that I may never fully understand...but it IS something that I can thank and praise God for EVERY day!
I praise God for making me available to come here this summer...to spend time with His people...to grow with them...build relationships..cry with them..love on them...pray with them...and leave them with a hope and joy that I pray they have forever!!!
Psalm 72:12-14 says-
"For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
I love this verse...it helps me feel at peace with going home...the people here-EVERY ONE of them-are needy, are afflicted...and God sees them as PRECIOUS and that makes me feel SO much better!!!
I have dreams and goals from this experience to take back home to my church...my family...the CCSC...and my own life. A NEW me..a "Jesus Christ Version" is something I want to accomplish from now on!!-Patient, gentle, kind-hearted, loving, forgiving, slow to anger, understanding, faithful, giving, a servant.Others before me...and Jesus FIRST.
It's crazy to me...that a few people placed in my path...on a six week journey...in a dusty city in Africa...could push me to be something new...to be something radical...to be the change that Jesus called us to be.
Tomorrow is our last day of reading...our last day to see our readers...
Sunday is our last day of worship...our last time with these people...
God sent me here to break my heart...
God WILL mend it back...but it will be bigger and stronger...to LOVE his people even more back home.
Pray for our last two days here in Kampala....
Pray for our journey home!
We will be in Dallas at 2 pm (America time) and we will be staying the night there....
Tuesday the 28th we will get on a plane for Little Rock, Arkansas and arrive back home around 5:50 pm!!
Pray for our hearts to be strong...and our emotions to be stronger!
Thank you for praying for our team throughout this journey-thank you for supporting us as well!
We will forever be changed...and will forever remember the summer of 2011 in Kampala Uganda!
Love you all!
See you all VERY soon!!!<3
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Final Countdown
It is officially the final countdown to our trip back home!...Our last week....
I am sure our family and friends are ready for us to be home....but I'm not sure if I am quite ready to go...
One of my very favorite readers name is Cate...she is PRECIOUS! Cate is a 52 year old widow and a member of the church here. She makes and sells beads with the women here at the church to support her six children that all still live at home. Cate's husband passed away in 1998 from AIDS. She is renting a room here in Kampala for herself and her 6 children. Cate is SUCH a strong believer. She has nothing...yet she knows that God WILL provide for her.
A few times...Cate has seriously blown me away with the trust...faith...and love she has for God. We were reading the lesson of Elijah and Moses appearing to Jesus and how the cloud came and spoke to Peter, James, and John. After the story, I asked Cate if God had ever spoken to her. She said, "Oh yes! God speaks when we sleep. He came as a visitor in my dream after my husband died. He was in shiny clothes and a voice told her to let the visitor in...so she did and then the visitor said only one thing to her-'I will take care of you." Another time was when we read Luke 11:1-13 and discussed prayer. I asked Cate if she truly believed that if she prayed continually that God would answer and she said, "Oh yes! I KNOW he will!" When I read the verse that said 'Whoever continues asking will receive" Cate said 'AMEN!'. We talked about prayer and prayers that had and had not been answered. I asked her if she ever got mad or angry with God because of unanswered prayers-her reply, " Oh no!!I have NEVER been angry with God!!"
Lesson from this story....BE A CATE!<3
Saturday was a day with the kids....they were all here and we played and enjoyed each others company! I read books with Jone and played on the swings. There was another good rain storm Saturday too, so we stayed under the covering most of the day. One of the boys, Joseph, got us a Jack Fruit down from the tree for us to share. We played UNO later in the day and then went and watched a movie with the members of the church.
Joesph is an AMAZING boy! And he is such a great kid!!! Joseph lives at the boys home and has lived there for about a year. Before then, Joseph's life was pretty average for a child living in Africa. He lived with his mother, brother, and sister in a small town. When he was 2, his mother took him to the village where his grandfather lived. Joseph stayed there until he was 11. He went to school and worked on his grandfathers farm where they grew cassava, yams , and maize. When he was 11, he moved to live with his uncle and his wife He said he would wake up, drink tea, and then go play soccer- he said he use to get in so much trouble every day from his aunt because he wasn't home to do work. He said he would play soccer till almost 7 at night. He left his uncles house when he was 14 and took a bus to Kampala. A woman saw him and asked him to come work for her washing dishes. So he took the job and got paid enough to rent a room. He worked for her for about a year and one day a man saw him working and asked him if he had a home. He told the man no and the man told him about the boys home and how he could come live there and attend school as well.He moved to the boys home and has been there ever since. I asked Joseph if he ever gets to see his brothers and sisters and he said no, that after his mother died, he never heard from them again. I am praying that God continues to bless this boy and provides for him throughout this life here in Kampala.
That night...we went to eat like normal...a few of the younger boys from the boys home followed us there. Their names are Jumba and Aby. I was asking them to go home because I knew that the boys had curfew back at the home and it was also dinner time. They would never turn around! They just kept saying "I want to go to America with you!" They thought we were leaving right that minute! And they did NOT want to be left behind!! I explained to them that we were not going to America but they just continued on. They sat in the restaurant and eventually left...only to return later. They waited for us the whole time...I finally had to go speak with them and remind them that they MUST go home...it was already 8:00 and dark by this point. I told Jumba that he must take Aby home now so they could get home safe...to be strong and big...because I didn't want them on the streets at dark. Jumba started crying and said how they were hungry and how they had missed dinner. I explained to them that if they went home...they could get food. Then he started crying more and said "They will beat me!!" It broke my heart-I didn't know what to do or say....so I just told him I loved them and they had to leave to get home safe. I had to eventually walk away....they eventually went home...and it was just heart breaking to know what might be done that night to those boys....all because they wanted to go to America with us SO bad!!
Sunday it rained ALL morning!!(Who knew I should've packed my rain jacket to Africa!!!) We went to the early morning service which is in the local language(Luganda). It's really amazing to hear people worship and pray to the same God but in a totally different language. Church was delayed a bit because of the rain. After services...we loaded up and headed to Wabigalo to teach Sunday School! We did our lesson on Daniel in the Lion's Den...I read the children a book...and then we passed out craft supplies for the kids to make lion masks out of paper plates, lion puppets out of paper bags, and regular paper to draw the story of Daniel and the Lions. There were kids of all ages!! Babies who were just walking to 15 year olds! My grandma Treva made several cloth headbands for me to bring on this trip...I took them with me to the school to give to the girls there...I began giving the headbands to the girls and tying them on their heads...this however, did not last...because the boys started wanting them too! So...now the girls AND boys of Wabigalo are wearing homemade Arkansas cloth headbands! It was SO cute!!One little baby girl, snotty nose and smelling of pee, was the most precious little girl I have ever seen.She was ALWAYS smiling at me when I looked at her! She LOVED my full attention! When class was over and everyone was headed home, she was just walking down the road alone with her lion mask in hand and a daisy headband tied around her little head-an image I will NEVER forget! We left all of our extra craft supplies and materials for the school and church to use whenever they need them!
Yesterday was our LAST full off day in Kampala. Abel drove us ALL around the city!! We went to one last craft market and enjoyed our time there. Then we went to Garden City which is JUST like an American mall!! It was so cool! And we even ate there. We ate at a nice restaurant and the food was SOOO good!! We loved walking around and seeing all the stores!! We got back in the car and drove around a little more and then returned to the hotel to rest for a bit. Then we went back to town to eat at Sam's. Sam's is a restaurant that we first heard of from a friend of ours who lives in Kenya. He said that we MUST eat there while in Kampala...not long after that...it was on a television show on Discovery Channel! So of course we HAD to eat there! And we had WILD AFRICAN GAME!! We had the mixed grilled platter which included Spring Buck, Kudu, and Wildebeest....and it was SOO good!! We left there VERY happy and full!
We only have six days left...six days of God blessing EVERY minute here with his people!!<3
I am sure our family and friends are ready for us to be home....but I'm not sure if I am quite ready to go...
One of my very favorite readers name is Cate...she is PRECIOUS! Cate is a 52 year old widow and a member of the church here. She makes and sells beads with the women here at the church to support her six children that all still live at home. Cate's husband passed away in 1998 from AIDS. She is renting a room here in Kampala for herself and her 6 children. Cate is SUCH a strong believer. She has nothing...yet she knows that God WILL provide for her.
A few times...Cate has seriously blown me away with the trust...faith...and love she has for God. We were reading the lesson of Elijah and Moses appearing to Jesus and how the cloud came and spoke to Peter, James, and John. After the story, I asked Cate if God had ever spoken to her. She said, "Oh yes! God speaks when we sleep. He came as a visitor in my dream after my husband died. He was in shiny clothes and a voice told her to let the visitor in...so she did and then the visitor said only one thing to her-'I will take care of you." Another time was when we read Luke 11:1-13 and discussed prayer. I asked Cate if she truly believed that if she prayed continually that God would answer and she said, "Oh yes! I KNOW he will!" When I read the verse that said 'Whoever continues asking will receive" Cate said 'AMEN!'. We talked about prayer and prayers that had and had not been answered. I asked her if she ever got mad or angry with God because of unanswered prayers-her reply, " Oh no!!I have NEVER been angry with God!!"
Lesson from this story....BE A CATE!<3
Saturday was a day with the kids....they were all here and we played and enjoyed each others company! I read books with Jone and played on the swings. There was another good rain storm Saturday too, so we stayed under the covering most of the day. One of the boys, Joseph, got us a Jack Fruit down from the tree for us to share. We played UNO later in the day and then went and watched a movie with the members of the church.
Joesph is an AMAZING boy! And he is such a great kid!!! Joseph lives at the boys home and has lived there for about a year. Before then, Joseph's life was pretty average for a child living in Africa. He lived with his mother, brother, and sister in a small town. When he was 2, his mother took him to the village where his grandfather lived. Joseph stayed there until he was 11. He went to school and worked on his grandfathers farm where they grew cassava, yams , and maize. When he was 11, he moved to live with his uncle and his wife He said he would wake up, drink tea, and then go play soccer- he said he use to get in so much trouble every day from his aunt because he wasn't home to do work. He said he would play soccer till almost 7 at night. He left his uncles house when he was 14 and took a bus to Kampala. A woman saw him and asked him to come work for her washing dishes. So he took the job and got paid enough to rent a room. He worked for her for about a year and one day a man saw him working and asked him if he had a home. He told the man no and the man told him about the boys home and how he could come live there and attend school as well.He moved to the boys home and has been there ever since. I asked Joseph if he ever gets to see his brothers and sisters and he said no, that after his mother died, he never heard from them again. I am praying that God continues to bless this boy and provides for him throughout this life here in Kampala.
That night...we went to eat like normal...a few of the younger boys from the boys home followed us there. Their names are Jumba and Aby. I was asking them to go home because I knew that the boys had curfew back at the home and it was also dinner time. They would never turn around! They just kept saying "I want to go to America with you!" They thought we were leaving right that minute! And they did NOT want to be left behind!! I explained to them that we were not going to America but they just continued on. They sat in the restaurant and eventually left...only to return later. They waited for us the whole time...I finally had to go speak with them and remind them that they MUST go home...it was already 8:00 and dark by this point. I told Jumba that he must take Aby home now so they could get home safe...to be strong and big...because I didn't want them on the streets at dark. Jumba started crying and said how they were hungry and how they had missed dinner. I explained to them that if they went home...they could get food. Then he started crying more and said "They will beat me!!" It broke my heart-I didn't know what to do or say....so I just told him I loved them and they had to leave to get home safe. I had to eventually walk away....they eventually went home...and it was just heart breaking to know what might be done that night to those boys....all because they wanted to go to America with us SO bad!!
Sunday it rained ALL morning!!(Who knew I should've packed my rain jacket to Africa!!!) We went to the early morning service which is in the local language(Luganda). It's really amazing to hear people worship and pray to the same God but in a totally different language. Church was delayed a bit because of the rain. After services...we loaded up and headed to Wabigalo to teach Sunday School! We did our lesson on Daniel in the Lion's Den...I read the children a book...and then we passed out craft supplies for the kids to make lion masks out of paper plates, lion puppets out of paper bags, and regular paper to draw the story of Daniel and the Lions. There were kids of all ages!! Babies who were just walking to 15 year olds! My grandma Treva made several cloth headbands for me to bring on this trip...I took them with me to the school to give to the girls there...I began giving the headbands to the girls and tying them on their heads...this however, did not last...because the boys started wanting them too! So...now the girls AND boys of Wabigalo are wearing homemade Arkansas cloth headbands! It was SO cute!!One little baby girl, snotty nose and smelling of pee, was the most precious little girl I have ever seen.She was ALWAYS smiling at me when I looked at her! She LOVED my full attention! When class was over and everyone was headed home, she was just walking down the road alone with her lion mask in hand and a daisy headband tied around her little head-an image I will NEVER forget! We left all of our extra craft supplies and materials for the school and church to use whenever they need them!
Yesterday was our LAST full off day in Kampala. Abel drove us ALL around the city!! We went to one last craft market and enjoyed our time there. Then we went to Garden City which is JUST like an American mall!! It was so cool! And we even ate there. We ate at a nice restaurant and the food was SOOO good!! We loved walking around and seeing all the stores!! We got back in the car and drove around a little more and then returned to the hotel to rest for a bit. Then we went back to town to eat at Sam's. Sam's is a restaurant that we first heard of from a friend of ours who lives in Kenya. He said that we MUST eat there while in Kampala...not long after that...it was on a television show on Discovery Channel! So of course we HAD to eat there! And we had WILD AFRICAN GAME!! We had the mixed grilled platter which included Spring Buck, Kudu, and Wildebeest....and it was SOO good!! We left there VERY happy and full!
We only have six days left...six days of God blessing EVERY minute here with his people!!<3
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Be available and God WILL use you!
Sunday was another AMAZING service at the Kampala Church of Christ! Francis preached on Romans and dying to self, yet being alive in Christ. His main point to get across was to tell us to be available...and God WILL use you!!! I LOVE that!! Sheba...a woman at the church...spoke bf communion about how we can reject God when we disobey Him..and He in return might reject us...but she also spoke on how Christ was rejected and if we follow Him...we WILL be rejected by people of this world. Sheba is a beautiful woman and is SO smart! I love when she speaks on Sundays! Godfrey spoke before the offering on 2 Corinthians 9:7-"God loves the cheerful giver!"It was a GREAT service...but makes me sad that I dont have many left. What I love MOST about the church is the little things-as soon as the people walk through the gate...(late or on time) they sit down and pray alone before doing ANYTHING else! They get their minds focused and right on track for their worship to God. They have ALL of the children come to the front of the church before going to Sunday School...and the preacher prays for all of the children..blessing them and giving praise to God for their lives...All of the adults raise hands toward the children while the preacher is praying for them. After the offering is collected..they get the basket of money and place hands on it and pray for it to be used and blessed for God. All these simple things make the service SO much more special!!!
After church we had lunch and we enjoyed some time with people from the church. We went and used a few hours to rest back at the hotel before going out for the evening! We met back at the church and went with Francis to a small community called Wabigalo. Francis helps with the church in Wabigalo. Wabigalo is in the middle of the slums. This is a different slum than the one we have been to before. This slum is dirtier and messier....the smell is rather strong...and there are beautiful children running around ALL over! The homes are made of twigs..scrap metal...or clay.Right on the backside of this slum...is a small school. This is where they have church as well. There are a few rooms in this school and are all decorated with numbers and letters and posters drawn on cardboard or pieces of paper. The school was made there because it is a safe place for children to be...away from the busy streets...and it is cheap for the children to go there..seeing as how most primary schools in Africa are very expensive to attend. The children performed songs and dances for us and the teacher...founder...and Francis all spoke for us. It was a GREAT time!It rained the whole time we were in the school but just as we left the rain cleared up!! Praise God! He is good!
We then took a mini-bus (a taxi) and headed to a RUGBY game! A few members of the church wanted to take us there and show us what a rugby game was like! Uganda was playing against Zimbabwe and so it was a very exciting game! We had a GREAT time! Rugby is such a crazy game! It made me think of my brother Cody the whole time! He would LOVE the game! We finally headed home and enjoyed a dinner with some men from the church- it was buy one get one free pizza night!! So of course we ate TONS of pizza!!!
Monday we met Isaac at the church and went to the chicken project. It was about a 30 minute drive away in a tiny little community. The site of the chicken project is at Francis' house. He donated part of his home for the project. There are four rooms to this building- one room is his bed and a desk- the other three go to the chickens. There are over 250 hens there now...laying eggs for the church to sell. They feed the chickens a type of corn ground up with fish bones and other materials like that...What they discovered was that this corn was not enough to produce many eggs...they were only getting two and a half crates of eggs a week...so they decided to try something else...they found this vine that grows around the house and started feeding it to them once a day..the chickens not only LOVE it...but it has DOUBLED the amount of the eggs produced! They sell the eggs to help support other ministries that the church is doing. Francis had prepared some boiled eggs for us and they were SO good! He also gave us some Jack Fruit..(which is AMAZING!) from his yard. He is a very kind man and is a great asset to the church!! We got in the car and headed down the road to a family's home where they also raise chickens-however, their chicken houses were MUCH bigger! They had 1,000 chickens in each house. 1 house that size costs around 5,000 American dollars. Which is a lot of money here in Uganda. The church hopes to one day have a chicken house like that to help support their other ministries even more! I thought of my dad and grandma a lot at this chicken house! They would've loved it!
We had street food last night for dinner....we ate grilled chicken...rolex(which is just like our breakfast burritos) and sausages....one part of the meat was on a kebab...and we weren't sure what type of chicken meat it was...so we decided it was best NOT to ask! The street food is by far my favorite! It tastes SOOO good...but it is best...just don't ask!:) We had a fresh pineapple for desert that Cade cut for us and it was DELICIOUS!
Today starts week 5...it is crazy to me how fast it has all gone by!!
Praying that God uses us to the fullest the last two weeks we are here and putting trust in Him that He will protect these people after we leave....breaks my heart that I may never return here...fully relying on Him to give me a peace to know that they are all going to be okay!!
I have LOVED my life for the past four weeks...it has changed me for the better...and I cannot wait to go home just so I can share the new me and the love of Jesus with others!
After church we had lunch and we enjoyed some time with people from the church. We went and used a few hours to rest back at the hotel before going out for the evening! We met back at the church and went with Francis to a small community called Wabigalo. Francis helps with the church in Wabigalo. Wabigalo is in the middle of the slums. This is a different slum than the one we have been to before. This slum is dirtier and messier....the smell is rather strong...and there are beautiful children running around ALL over! The homes are made of twigs..scrap metal...or clay.Right on the backside of this slum...is a small school. This is where they have church as well. There are a few rooms in this school and are all decorated with numbers and letters and posters drawn on cardboard or pieces of paper. The school was made there because it is a safe place for children to be...away from the busy streets...and it is cheap for the children to go there..seeing as how most primary schools in Africa are very expensive to attend. The children performed songs and dances for us and the teacher...founder...and Francis all spoke for us. It was a GREAT time!It rained the whole time we were in the school but just as we left the rain cleared up!! Praise God! He is good!
We then took a mini-bus (a taxi) and headed to a RUGBY game! A few members of the church wanted to take us there and show us what a rugby game was like! Uganda was playing against Zimbabwe and so it was a very exciting game! We had a GREAT time! Rugby is such a crazy game! It made me think of my brother Cody the whole time! He would LOVE the game! We finally headed home and enjoyed a dinner with some men from the church- it was buy one get one free pizza night!! So of course we ate TONS of pizza!!!
Monday we met Isaac at the church and went to the chicken project. It was about a 30 minute drive away in a tiny little community. The site of the chicken project is at Francis' house. He donated part of his home for the project. There are four rooms to this building- one room is his bed and a desk- the other three go to the chickens. There are over 250 hens there now...laying eggs for the church to sell. They feed the chickens a type of corn ground up with fish bones and other materials like that...What they discovered was that this corn was not enough to produce many eggs...they were only getting two and a half crates of eggs a week...so they decided to try something else...they found this vine that grows around the house and started feeding it to them once a day..the chickens not only LOVE it...but it has DOUBLED the amount of the eggs produced! They sell the eggs to help support other ministries that the church is doing. Francis had prepared some boiled eggs for us and they were SO good! He also gave us some Jack Fruit..(which is AMAZING!) from his yard. He is a very kind man and is a great asset to the church!! We got in the car and headed down the road to a family's home where they also raise chickens-however, their chicken houses were MUCH bigger! They had 1,000 chickens in each house. 1 house that size costs around 5,000 American dollars. Which is a lot of money here in Uganda. The church hopes to one day have a chicken house like that to help support their other ministries even more! I thought of my dad and grandma a lot at this chicken house! They would've loved it!
We had street food last night for dinner....we ate grilled chicken...rolex(which is just like our breakfast burritos) and sausages....one part of the meat was on a kebab...and we weren't sure what type of chicken meat it was...so we decided it was best NOT to ask! The street food is by far my favorite! It tastes SOOO good...but it is best...just don't ask!:) We had a fresh pineapple for desert that Cade cut for us and it was DELICIOUS!
Today starts week 5...it is crazy to me how fast it has all gone by!!
Praying that God uses us to the fullest the last two weeks we are here and putting trust in Him that He will protect these people after we leave....breaks my heart that I may never return here...fully relying on Him to give me a peace to know that they are all going to be okay!!
I have LOVED my life for the past four weeks...it has changed me for the better...and I cannot wait to go home just so I can share the new me and the love of Jesus with others!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Psalm 86:10
It has been an exciting day here in Kampala! We actually had a big rain storm..with HAIL!! I know...sounds crazy...but it's true!!
Anna was sick the other day..with a tooth ache..mind you this tooth gave her problems in America..and the dentists there never really fixed it..so...Anna got to visit a dentist in Africa! What a GREAT story to tell!!! She found out that her wisdom teeth are coming in!!! Then on top of that...she got a sinus infection!! Not a fun mixture!! However..yesterday...we went and bought a mustard and ketchup bottle combo from the supermarket..except in Kampala they dont use the mustard bottle for mustard..they use if for chilli sauce! We filled it to the top with warm water and salt...then made Anna squirt it up her nose!!(Dont worry..We got it on video!!) But...she is MUCH MUCH better and she actually got some sleep last night!! Thanks for the prayers!
We were just talking yesterday how we do not even notice the dirt on our feet anymore...we just get home at night and stick them in the bathtub to rinse them off!...A mosquito net is also normal to crawl into at night and brushing your teeth with a bottle of water is just the norm! Quiet streets...Electricity and warm water for a shower...What is that!??!:) Oh Africa!! How I love you!!! And how much I will MISS you! EVERYTHING about you!
Mrs. Karen and Emily-Cade rode a Boda-Boda to the post office and I am sure he will tell you ALL about it! He enjoyed EVERY second of it!:)
I have a reader who I can TRULY see God working in every time we read! I will tell you a little about him!:)
Abdisamad Sharif is from Somalia. He is 26 yrs old and attends school here in Kampala. He is just learning his general studies now but wants to continue to get a journalism major. Abdi is Islamic and speaks English VERY well. He is a genuinely good, sweet guy who is trying very hard here in Kampala.
Abdi was born and raised in Somalia. He lived there until the war began in 1991. He said that living conditions were dangerous and not safe for any family. Somalia was ruled by a dictator that either left or was thrown out and that is when the civil war broke out. Abdi was around 20 when he left his family in Somalia. He moved to Egypt to continue his education at an American school where he learned to speak English. His family stayed in Somalia for a short period of time and then moved to Kenya. Abdi tried to get to Kenya, however, Kenya is very particular with passports and visas and Abdi's weren't ready. Abdi stayed in Egypt and his family moved to America. Abdi left Egypt and came to Uganda because they allowed him to enter without all of his passport information. Abdi is still trying to get to America to be with his family. His family works and some of his sisters attend a university in America. He said that it is a lengthy process and he is now waiting for an interview before he is allowed to go to America.
We read the story about the wise man and the foolish man building their houses. Mind you, Abdi is Muslim. He always agrees with how kind Jesus was and how good he was to the people. After reading that story, I asked him what his foundation was built on...he said "Well I think you know my religion. And I am not a very religious person, but I think my foundation is built on rock or God. I just try to obey and worship him every day."
We also read the story about Moses and Elijah appearing before Jesus and after I retold the story in my own words and explained it to him...he just looked at me and said "That is a beautiful story!!" He continued asking "Is the true??" I just continued telling him that it was ALL true and that Jesus showed so much love and kindness and forgiveness. I then asked him if he believed this...or if he thought it was true...and his reply.." Oh yes!!"
God is working....God is BIG...
I invited him to church tomorrow...not sure if he will come or not...but I did invite him...and I am praying God is working on him EVERY minute of EVERY day!!!!
You Alone Are God<3
Anna was sick the other day..with a tooth ache..mind you this tooth gave her problems in America..and the dentists there never really fixed it..so...Anna got to visit a dentist in Africa! What a GREAT story to tell!!! She found out that her wisdom teeth are coming in!!! Then on top of that...she got a sinus infection!! Not a fun mixture!! However..yesterday...we went and bought a mustard and ketchup bottle combo from the supermarket..except in Kampala they dont use the mustard bottle for mustard..they use if for chilli sauce! We filled it to the top with warm water and salt...then made Anna squirt it up her nose!!(Dont worry..We got it on video!!) But...she is MUCH MUCH better and she actually got some sleep last night!! Thanks for the prayers!
We were just talking yesterday how we do not even notice the dirt on our feet anymore...we just get home at night and stick them in the bathtub to rinse them off!...A mosquito net is also normal to crawl into at night and brushing your teeth with a bottle of water is just the norm! Quiet streets...Electricity and warm water for a shower...What is that!??!:) Oh Africa!! How I love you!!! And how much I will MISS you! EVERYTHING about you!
Mrs. Karen and Emily-Cade rode a Boda-Boda to the post office and I am sure he will tell you ALL about it! He enjoyed EVERY second of it!:)
I have a reader who I can TRULY see God working in every time we read! I will tell you a little about him!:)
Abdisamad Sharif is from Somalia. He is 26 yrs old and attends school here in Kampala. He is just learning his general studies now but wants to continue to get a journalism major. Abdi is Islamic and speaks English VERY well. He is a genuinely good, sweet guy who is trying very hard here in Kampala.
Abdi was born and raised in Somalia. He lived there until the war began in 1991. He said that living conditions were dangerous and not safe for any family. Somalia was ruled by a dictator that either left or was thrown out and that is when the civil war broke out. Abdi was around 20 when he left his family in Somalia. He moved to Egypt to continue his education at an American school where he learned to speak English. His family stayed in Somalia for a short period of time and then moved to Kenya. Abdi tried to get to Kenya, however, Kenya is very particular with passports and visas and Abdi's weren't ready. Abdi stayed in Egypt and his family moved to America. Abdi left Egypt and came to Uganda because they allowed him to enter without all of his passport information. Abdi is still trying to get to America to be with his family. His family works and some of his sisters attend a university in America. He said that it is a lengthy process and he is now waiting for an interview before he is allowed to go to America.
We read the story about the wise man and the foolish man building their houses. Mind you, Abdi is Muslim. He always agrees with how kind Jesus was and how good he was to the people. After reading that story, I asked him what his foundation was built on...he said "Well I think you know my religion. And I am not a very religious person, but I think my foundation is built on rock or God. I just try to obey and worship him every day."
We also read the story about Moses and Elijah appearing before Jesus and after I retold the story in my own words and explained it to him...he just looked at me and said "That is a beautiful story!!" He continued asking "Is the true??" I just continued telling him that it was ALL true and that Jesus showed so much love and kindness and forgiveness. I then asked him if he believed this...or if he thought it was true...and his reply.." Oh yes!!"
God is working....God is BIG...
I invited him to church tomorrow...not sure if he will come or not...but I did invite him...and I am praying God is working on him EVERY minute of EVERY day!!!!
You Alone Are God<3
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Village of Wakiso
Sunday...we got up and went to church here at the Kampala Church of Christ...Again..it was a BEAUTIFUL service..very uplifting and encouraging...the people here are so wonderful and so full of love for Christ. After church...we ate a normal lunch of rice,beans,posho,meat,and greens...and then loaded up in a bus to head to the village of Wakiso. We had to bring the cow trough...or our "baptistry"...along with us! We took several people from the church and traveled for about 30 minutes outside of the town of Kampala. We reached Wakiso...which is a BEAUTIFUL village...green in EVERY direction you look. Fruit trees were EVERYWHERE!-Mango, Bananas, Guava, pawpaw, and even avocado trees! We were greeted first things by a handful of children-naturally...I went straight up to them to shake their hands-in Uganda...EVERYONE shakes EVERYONE'S hands...to say hello..goodbye...anything...and you usually hold hands like that for some time...I was SO excited to see that many children! Children of ALL ages as well...They usually just stared at us...until we began to wave and then they would smile..wave back and then turn their heads to giggle! They eventually started warming up to us and it was PRECIOUS!!! It started to rain so all the kids and adults got under a tarp that was strung between some trees... Terzol played the song "This is how we overcome" which says;
Your life broke through my night
Restored exceeding joy
Your praise fell like the rain
And made this desert live
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
Your hand lifted me up
I stand on higher ground
Your praise rose through my heart
And made this valley sing
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
This is how we overcome
This is how we overcome
This is how we overcome
This is how we overcome
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
Well of course...I HAD to teach the children the dance moves to this song...and so...the children of Wakiso and I danced in the rain under a small orange tarp..in the middle of Africa...to these beautiful song! It was SO much fun!Their smiles and laughter is ALL the proof I need to see why God sent me here...these children were beautiful.
After the rain stopped, we played a little bit of soccer and then had church. They laid a tarp out on the ground for the children to sit on...naturally...once again I was right in the middle of the children...sitting on the tarp with them!Sharing a tarp with dozens of homeless, hungry, sick children made me feel a new kind of love...a crazy kind of love...that ONLY God could provide to me at that moment.
We baptized 12 people..carrying in the water to fill the baptistry was a task in itself!...I am just SO thankful that I may never see these people again here on Earth...but I KNOW one day we will meet again and we can talk about that PERFECT day that we shared together in the Wakiso Village.
I later found out that majority of those children I was around were homeless..living on the streets and in ditches...many of them were HIV positive as well...The owner of the land where we had church, his name is Godfrey, has SO much land and it is FULL of fruit trees...He allows the children to come and get as much fruit as they want...most of them live off of his fruit.I am SO thankful that Godfrey is there to provide those children with some type of food.
I am not sure if you can tell or not...but I really do love that place...it had a special tug on my heart.
As I was leaving...I just told each child "Nkwagala"(I Love You)...because thats all I could leave them with...I just pray that my simple words went deep into their hearts and brought some joy into their lives!
Pray that God does BIG things through the Kampala Church with the growth of the Wakiso church!
We are starting our 4th week today! Pray that our time left here is spent in glory of God!
Love to you all!!!<3
Your life broke through my night
Restored exceeding joy
Your praise fell like the rain
And made this desert live
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
Your hand lifted me up
I stand on higher ground
Your praise rose through my heart
And made this valley sing
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
This is how we overcome
This is how we overcome
This is how we overcome
This is how we overcome
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
You have turned my mourning into dancing
You have turned my sorrow into joy
Well of course...I HAD to teach the children the dance moves to this song...and so...the children of Wakiso and I danced in the rain under a small orange tarp..in the middle of Africa...to these beautiful song! It was SO much fun!Their smiles and laughter is ALL the proof I need to see why God sent me here...these children were beautiful.
After the rain stopped, we played a little bit of soccer and then had church. They laid a tarp out on the ground for the children to sit on...naturally...once again I was right in the middle of the children...sitting on the tarp with them!Sharing a tarp with dozens of homeless, hungry, sick children made me feel a new kind of love...a crazy kind of love...that ONLY God could provide to me at that moment.
We baptized 12 people..carrying in the water to fill the baptistry was a task in itself!...I am just SO thankful that I may never see these people again here on Earth...but I KNOW one day we will meet again and we can talk about that PERFECT day that we shared together in the Wakiso Village.
I later found out that majority of those children I was around were homeless..living on the streets and in ditches...many of them were HIV positive as well...The owner of the land where we had church, his name is Godfrey, has SO much land and it is FULL of fruit trees...He allows the children to come and get as much fruit as they want...most of them live off of his fruit.I am SO thankful that Godfrey is there to provide those children with some type of food.
I am not sure if you can tell or not...but I really do love that place...it had a special tug on my heart.
As I was leaving...I just told each child "Nkwagala"(I Love You)...because thats all I could leave them with...I just pray that my simple words went deep into their hearts and brought some joy into their lives!
Pray that God does BIG things through the Kampala Church with the growth of the Wakiso church!
We are starting our 4th week today! Pray that our time left here is spent in glory of God!
Love to you all!!!<3
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Hand of God
I thought today...I would tell you about the people who work here and keep this place running...some people who have greatly influenced our life here in Kampala...
Isaac- Isaac is constantly working with us as a team. He is ALWAYS on top of things...making sure we have only the best and making sure that we are the most comfortable we can possibly be! The other day...we asked Isaac what his hobbies were or what was one of his favorite things to do....his response...." I love going to the villages to preach the word of God."....Isaac is such a Godly man..helping the people of Uganda daily! The people come to him when they are struggling financially...spiritually..emotionally..and physically...He helps them in whatever way possible and covers EVERYTHING he does in prayer!
Abel- Abel is the guard here at the church. He lives in the back in a small room and takes care of the place. He locks up at night and opens everything up in the morning. He is the "go to" man around here! One thing about Abel...is that he is one of the most kind hearted men I have EVER met! We all said from day one that we wanted to take him back with us! He would do ANYTHING for ANYONE! He LOVES children! He actually teaches Sunday School here at the church. Abel doesn't have much...but Abel doesn't need ANY more than what he already has! He is SUCH a joy to us and lifts our spirits daily! He has taken us around town and has shown us good places to eat!I love to hear stories of his family and how he lived when he was younger. He is the protector of the place and he lives for Jesus. Last night...he wouldnt even eat a french fry until he had prayed for his food....we were all blown away! One thing Abel said that really was amazing to me was about the church services here...he said..." We just let people worship how they want to here at church. We have SO many different types of religious denominations present that we just let them worship God how they want." I wish we ALL could be this way in the church.
Joseph- Joseph works here and is a big part of the community center. He works in the office by the library that the church provides. People can come and check out books here from the library for 2 weeks at a time. Joseph handles most of that. If he isn't in his office...then he is on the porch playing chess....and i have NEVER seen this kind of chess gamed played in my life!...4 moves and he has the person beat!...these men here play chess for HOURS straight! And they LOVE it! Joseph is ALWAYS smiling and wanting to know how are days are right away! He is always trying to make sure we are comfortable and that we have the things we need here at the church.
Terzol- Terzol is a student here in Kampala...supported by an American family in Texas. They help pay for his schooling and a little extra spending money for food. He is SO grateful for this! Terzol has been kind of our "tour guide" from day one! He loves taking us around the town and he also enjoys laughing at our American ways of how we do things. We have had a GREAT time with Terzol and have appreciated his help SO much! He lives behind the church too and is also a guard. He goes to bed around 3:00 am and then wakes up at 5:30...then goes to school....The boy loves music....and he is NEVER negative or frowning about anything...He lived on the streets for MANY years...digging through the dumpsters and getting food thrown out so that he could sell them in the market to make a little money for food to eat. He did random jobs...shining shoes and other things...just to have money...his story is amazing....and his life today proves just how generous and caring our God really is!
These are just a few people that are here at the church that have made us feel SO welcome and who have placed high spirits in front of us daily!! We love these people and feel as if we have known them for years...when it's only been a few weeks....
We truly experience the hand of God here....and it's a beautiful hand...reaching down...and holding us tightly!
Pray for the people here...many are getting sick with malaria...
My precious little Jone has malaria and has been getting injections at the hospital for the past few days...He is on medicine now and his mother said that he is feeling better....Pray for that baby boy that the medicine begins to work and that he will be back to his crazy 6 yr old self again soon!!
Love you all!
Isaac- Isaac is constantly working with us as a team. He is ALWAYS on top of things...making sure we have only the best and making sure that we are the most comfortable we can possibly be! The other day...we asked Isaac what his hobbies were or what was one of his favorite things to do....his response...." I love going to the villages to preach the word of God."....Isaac is such a Godly man..helping the people of Uganda daily! The people come to him when they are struggling financially...spiritually..emotionally..and physically...He helps them in whatever way possible and covers EVERYTHING he does in prayer!
Abel- Abel is the guard here at the church. He lives in the back in a small room and takes care of the place. He locks up at night and opens everything up in the morning. He is the "go to" man around here! One thing about Abel...is that he is one of the most kind hearted men I have EVER met! We all said from day one that we wanted to take him back with us! He would do ANYTHING for ANYONE! He LOVES children! He actually teaches Sunday School here at the church. Abel doesn't have much...but Abel doesn't need ANY more than what he already has! He is SUCH a joy to us and lifts our spirits daily! He has taken us around town and has shown us good places to eat!I love to hear stories of his family and how he lived when he was younger. He is the protector of the place and he lives for Jesus. Last night...he wouldnt even eat a french fry until he had prayed for his food....we were all blown away! One thing Abel said that really was amazing to me was about the church services here...he said..." We just let people worship how they want to here at church. We have SO many different types of religious denominations present that we just let them worship God how they want." I wish we ALL could be this way in the church.
Joseph- Joseph works here and is a big part of the community center. He works in the office by the library that the church provides. People can come and check out books here from the library for 2 weeks at a time. Joseph handles most of that. If he isn't in his office...then he is on the porch playing chess....and i have NEVER seen this kind of chess gamed played in my life!...4 moves and he has the person beat!...these men here play chess for HOURS straight! And they LOVE it! Joseph is ALWAYS smiling and wanting to know how are days are right away! He is always trying to make sure we are comfortable and that we have the things we need here at the church.
Terzol- Terzol is a student here in Kampala...supported by an American family in Texas. They help pay for his schooling and a little extra spending money for food. He is SO grateful for this! Terzol has been kind of our "tour guide" from day one! He loves taking us around the town and he also enjoys laughing at our American ways of how we do things. We have had a GREAT time with Terzol and have appreciated his help SO much! He lives behind the church too and is also a guard. He goes to bed around 3:00 am and then wakes up at 5:30...then goes to school....The boy loves music....and he is NEVER negative or frowning about anything...He lived on the streets for MANY years...digging through the dumpsters and getting food thrown out so that he could sell them in the market to make a little money for food to eat. He did random jobs...shining shoes and other things...just to have money...his story is amazing....and his life today proves just how generous and caring our God really is!
These are just a few people that are here at the church that have made us feel SO welcome and who have placed high spirits in front of us daily!! We love these people and feel as if we have known them for years...when it's only been a few weeks....
We truly experience the hand of God here....and it's a beautiful hand...reaching down...and holding us tightly!
Pray for the people here...many are getting sick with malaria...
My precious little Jone has malaria and has been getting injections at the hospital for the past few days...He is on medicine now and his mother said that he is feeling better....Pray for that baby boy that the medicine begins to work and that he will be back to his crazy 6 yr old self again soon!!
Love you all!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Africa at it's finest!:)
We are in week 3 of our journey that God has placed in our lives and we are SO in love with this place and it's people!
We loaded up early Sunday morning for our trip to the deep parts of Africa!
It was a five hr drive and it was BEAUTIFUL the whole way! NEW faces...sights..sounds..smells..ALL of it! Everywhere we went people were either working or walking-that is life in Uganda! The air was SO fresh out there and the grass was SO green! We have all agreed that the sky is MUCH prettier in Africa!
We got to see some wildlife on the way there..warthogs..baboons...antelope...different things like that. Lizards basically took over our lodging area where we stayed! And they are NOT like our lizards!! We stayed in the small huts called bandas and they were so cool! Wild game roamed around outside our bandas so we had to keep our eyes open and be cautious when walking around! We had great meals at the lodge and enjoyed sitting on the porch...listening to the birds..rain...and watching the animals in the field below us eating and enjoying the sunshine! There were mainly warthogs around our lodge. A family of them with 4 babies roamed around often and ate the grass and bugs. It was SO relaxing and peaceful there...and SO beautiful!
Later that evening...we went on a hike around the top of a waterfall. It was called Merchison Falls and it was BREATH taking! It is a huge waterfall that is part of the Nile River. We saw a ton of wild animals on the way there as well. Once we got to the falls...a guide took us on a hike around the falls in which we got to view it from many different angles. At the end..we got to stand RIGHT beside the falls....SO big and powerful! It just made me realize even more just how amazing our God truly is!He is SO much stronger than that waterfall...and let me tell you...that waterfall was STRONG! At one part of the falls...it is actually the most narrow pt on the Nile river...and Winston Churchill tried to build a bridge across it...the bridge only lasted 2 yrs....
The next day we got up VERY early and went on the safari! That safari was some kind of something!!We saw SO many different animals-giraffes...elephants...water buffalo...antelope...lion...birds..warthogs..and even hippos! Riding out of the top of the van was SO fun!! It was amazing to see those beautiful animals out in the wild and not in a cage!! The color of the animals are so much brighter and so much more beautiful out in the wild...the zoo really doesnt do these animals any justice!
After the safari we ate lunch and then went on a boat ride down the Nile!!! It was amazing!! We went to the bottom of the falls and it was SO beautiful!!! Such an AMAZING sight to see!! We saw SO many animals along the way too! We saw HUNDREDS of hippos!! EVERYWHERE! I can honestly say i LOVE hippos!!haha crazy looking animals who could eat me whole...but SO cool!We saw SEVERAL families of elephants...even some with babies!! Tiny elephants are SO cute!! They were all just standing around eating...drinking and bathing while we floated past them! We saw several LARGE crocs sun bathing and floating around and a few eagles and water bucks...all BEAUTIFUL creatures! The day was PERFECT...and the weather just made it all the better!! We went back and ordered dinner and then went right to sleep! It was a tiring day!
The next morning we got up and went chimp tracking!! We actually hiked through the African jungle and looked for CHIMPS! AND!! Best of ALL...we found a female chimp with a baby! We got to sit and watch her for some time! It was GREAT! I loved hearing all the sounds and seeing all the amazing new sites! After hiking for 3 hrs...we headed back to good ol' Kampala! I sure did miss this place and familiar faces! I was greeted first thing this morning by Jone...and boy did that make my day!
I cannot wait for the other boys to get here and for all of my other readers to get here as well!
It's a beautiful day in Kampala!
Hope you all have a WONDERFUL day!
Give thanks to the Lord..FOR HE IS GOOD!
We loaded up early Sunday morning for our trip to the deep parts of Africa!
It was a five hr drive and it was BEAUTIFUL the whole way! NEW faces...sights..sounds..smells..ALL of it! Everywhere we went people were either working or walking-that is life in Uganda! The air was SO fresh out there and the grass was SO green! We have all agreed that the sky is MUCH prettier in Africa!
We got to see some wildlife on the way there..warthogs..baboons...antelope...different things like that. Lizards basically took over our lodging area where we stayed! And they are NOT like our lizards!! We stayed in the small huts called bandas and they were so cool! Wild game roamed around outside our bandas so we had to keep our eyes open and be cautious when walking around! We had great meals at the lodge and enjoyed sitting on the porch...listening to the birds..rain...and watching the animals in the field below us eating and enjoying the sunshine! There were mainly warthogs around our lodge. A family of them with 4 babies roamed around often and ate the grass and bugs. It was SO relaxing and peaceful there...and SO beautiful!
Later that evening...we went on a hike around the top of a waterfall. It was called Merchison Falls and it was BREATH taking! It is a huge waterfall that is part of the Nile River. We saw a ton of wild animals on the way there as well. Once we got to the falls...a guide took us on a hike around the falls in which we got to view it from many different angles. At the end..we got to stand RIGHT beside the falls....SO big and powerful! It just made me realize even more just how amazing our God truly is!He is SO much stronger than that waterfall...and let me tell you...that waterfall was STRONG! At one part of the falls...it is actually the most narrow pt on the Nile river...and Winston Churchill tried to build a bridge across it...the bridge only lasted 2 yrs....
The next day we got up VERY early and went on the safari! That safari was some kind of something!!We saw SO many different animals-giraffes...elephants...water buffalo...antelope...lion...birds..warthogs..and even hippos! Riding out of the top of the van was SO fun!! It was amazing to see those beautiful animals out in the wild and not in a cage!! The color of the animals are so much brighter and so much more beautiful out in the wild...the zoo really doesnt do these animals any justice!
After the safari we ate lunch and then went on a boat ride down the Nile!!! It was amazing!! We went to the bottom of the falls and it was SO beautiful!!! Such an AMAZING sight to see!! We saw SO many animals along the way too! We saw HUNDREDS of hippos!! EVERYWHERE! I can honestly say i LOVE hippos!!haha crazy looking animals who could eat me whole...but SO cool!We saw SEVERAL families of elephants...even some with babies!! Tiny elephants are SO cute!! They were all just standing around eating...drinking and bathing while we floated past them! We saw several LARGE crocs sun bathing and floating around and a few eagles and water bucks...all BEAUTIFUL creatures! The day was PERFECT...and the weather just made it all the better!! We went back and ordered dinner and then went right to sleep! It was a tiring day!
The next morning we got up and went chimp tracking!! We actually hiked through the African jungle and looked for CHIMPS! AND!! Best of ALL...we found a female chimp with a baby! We got to sit and watch her for some time! It was GREAT! I loved hearing all the sounds and seeing all the amazing new sites! After hiking for 3 hrs...we headed back to good ol' Kampala! I sure did miss this place and familiar faces! I was greeted first thing this morning by Jone...and boy did that make my day!
I cannot wait for the other boys to get here and for all of my other readers to get here as well!
It's a beautiful day in Kampala!
Hope you all have a WONDERFUL day!
Give thanks to the Lord..FOR HE IS GOOD!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
You are worth more than MANY sparrows!
Kampala is still as amazing as the first day!
Many of our readers are beginning to understand what they are reading and are applying it to their lives and it is just SO great to see them understand what we are trying to get across to them!
We tried fried grasshoppers!! And they were SOOOO good! I know it sounds bad...but I promise they were good!We tried another popular food here which is called a "rolex"...it is a lot like our breakfast burritos! AMAZING!!!!!!!My reader Jennifer brought me these to try because her brother makes them and sales them here on the streets of Kampala. She brings her little girl with her every time she comes to read and she is a very sweet little baby girl! Such a kind hearted woman!I have a reader named Bella who is VERY excited about learning English and is even MORE excited about the Bible lessons. She is helping her family learn English and it is so precious how she reads to them and explains to them. She is 5 months pregnant with her 7th child!She asks wonderful questions and has GREAT feedback and answers to my questions!
One of my readers asked me to pray for him....it made my heart so HAPPY!!I prayed with another one of my readers today and it brought tears to my eyes at just how amazing the spirit of God truly was at that moment!
One of the boys from the boys home told Anna that they will be closing the home down. They said that the owners cannot afford it anymore and that it must be sold...which means the boys will be out on the streets again. PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS! I am not sure all of the details but pray for these precious boys! I love them all VERY much!
I started reading with one of the boys who's English is not very good. He asked if I would take him to America so he could watch a movie. He then asked me if I would teach him "american english". I just loved it! So of course I did! And I read with him...and he did SO good! He was SO happy when he read it all by himself. Made me so happy!I want these boys safe...I want them ALL with me in America! It just breaks my heart...I want them to have food...money...clothes..shoes that are not broken...a bath...and someone to love them!Luke 11:41-"But give what is inside the dish (or what you have) to the poor, and everything will be clean for you." Give...Give...GIVE..EVERYTHING!
I was reading Luke today and a sort of peace passed over me when I read it..Luke 12:6-7. I hurt for those boys from the home and I question God why those sweet boys!?! I often wonder if He has forgotten them if they are living in such a way! Then God revealed to me the answer to those exact questions I was begging...in his word...
"Are not 5 sparrows sold for 2 pennies? Yet not 1 of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of YOUR head are ALL numbered!! DON'T BE AFRAID!!!; YOU are worth more than MANY sparrows!" God heard and felt my plea to understand just what exactly he had in store for my boys! GOD KNOWS THEM AND I SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID!!!<3
Many of our readers are beginning to understand what they are reading and are applying it to their lives and it is just SO great to see them understand what we are trying to get across to them!
We tried fried grasshoppers!! And they were SOOOO good! I know it sounds bad...but I promise they were good!We tried another popular food here which is called a "rolex"...it is a lot like our breakfast burritos! AMAZING!!!!!!!My reader Jennifer brought me these to try because her brother makes them and sales them here on the streets of Kampala. She brings her little girl with her every time she comes to read and she is a very sweet little baby girl! Such a kind hearted woman!I have a reader named Bella who is VERY excited about learning English and is even MORE excited about the Bible lessons. She is helping her family learn English and it is so precious how she reads to them and explains to them. She is 5 months pregnant with her 7th child!She asks wonderful questions and has GREAT feedback and answers to my questions!
One of my readers asked me to pray for him....it made my heart so HAPPY!!I prayed with another one of my readers today and it brought tears to my eyes at just how amazing the spirit of God truly was at that moment!
One of the boys from the boys home told Anna that they will be closing the home down. They said that the owners cannot afford it anymore and that it must be sold...which means the boys will be out on the streets again. PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS! I am not sure all of the details but pray for these precious boys! I love them all VERY much!
I started reading with one of the boys who's English is not very good. He asked if I would take him to America so he could watch a movie. He then asked me if I would teach him "american english". I just loved it! So of course I did! And I read with him...and he did SO good! He was SO happy when he read it all by himself. Made me so happy!I want these boys safe...I want them ALL with me in America! It just breaks my heart...I want them to have food...money...clothes..shoes that are not broken...a bath...and someone to love them!Luke 11:41-"But give what is inside the dish (or what you have) to the poor, and everything will be clean for you." Give...Give...GIVE..EVERYTHING!
I was reading Luke today and a sort of peace passed over me when I read it..Luke 12:6-7. I hurt for those boys from the home and I question God why those sweet boys!?! I often wonder if He has forgotten them if they are living in such a way! Then God revealed to me the answer to those exact questions I was begging...in his word...
"Are not 5 sparrows sold for 2 pennies? Yet not 1 of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of YOUR head are ALL numbered!! DON'T BE AFRAID!!!; YOU are worth more than MANY sparrows!" God heard and felt my plea to understand just what exactly he had in store for my boys! GOD KNOWS THEM AND I SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID!!!<3
Monday, May 23, 2011
It's a BEAUTIFUL day!
Today is a BEAUTIFUL day in Kampala!
Warm...with a rain shower during lunch...and everything is just shining!
Yesterday was church and it was an AMAZING service! Nothing can explain the way these people experience Jesus here.
One song they sang says...
Say to those who are fearful hearted
Do not be afraid
The Lord your God will come
And with His mighty arm
When you call on His Name
He will come and save you
Chorus:
He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Say to the weary one
Your God will surely come
He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Lift up your eyes to Him
You will arise again
He will come and save you
Say those who are broken hearted
Do not lose your faith
The Lord your God will come
And with His loving hand
When you call on His Name
He will surely come
This song broke my heart to hear these people SHOUT it to God. It was amazing to hear them...hurting..begging...and praising God for what they do have. They are so PROUD of the God they serve!
Later that night...we went and watched African dancing at the heritage center! It was SO amazing!!! We watched lots of different dancing styles and they played African drums as well....my brother Alex would've been AMAZED!...(I recorded them for him!)
I have LOTS of pictures and videos...but the internet is so slow here and would take a long time to load them...so when I get home...all of the videos and pictures will be loaded...It's only been one week...and I have SO many videos and pictures!
Today we just explored the city and got to play Muslim for a little bit...(They made us girls cover up when we went into the mosque!)We went to a baby's home...with hundreds of babies...laying around...crawling...begging for us to hold them...I just hugged and kissed on all of them for as long as I could...these babies just wanted the touch of another human being...so I did what I could!
We walked ALL over and tried NEW food! AMAZING!
We are about to go eat dinner and then relax the rest of the night!
I miss my boys from the home...but tomorrow they will be here and I cannot wait!
Keep praying because I know God is working here!
Love you!
Warm...with a rain shower during lunch...and everything is just shining!
Yesterday was church and it was an AMAZING service! Nothing can explain the way these people experience Jesus here.
One song they sang says...
Say to those who are fearful hearted
Do not be afraid
The Lord your God will come
And with His mighty arm
When you call on His Name
He will come and save you
Chorus:
He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Say to the weary one
Your God will surely come
He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Lift up your eyes to Him
You will arise again
He will come and save you
Say those who are broken hearted
Do not lose your faith
The Lord your God will come
And with His loving hand
When you call on His Name
He will surely come
This song broke my heart to hear these people SHOUT it to God. It was amazing to hear them...hurting..begging...and praising God for what they do have. They are so PROUD of the God they serve!
Later that night...we went and watched African dancing at the heritage center! It was SO amazing!!! We watched lots of different dancing styles and they played African drums as well....my brother Alex would've been AMAZED!...(I recorded them for him!)
I have LOTS of pictures and videos...but the internet is so slow here and would take a long time to load them...so when I get home...all of the videos and pictures will be loaded...It's only been one week...and I have SO many videos and pictures!
Today we just explored the city and got to play Muslim for a little bit...(They made us girls cover up when we went into the mosque!)We went to a baby's home...with hundreds of babies...laying around...crawling...begging for us to hold them...I just hugged and kissed on all of them for as long as I could...these babies just wanted the touch of another human being...so I did what I could!
We walked ALL over and tried NEW food! AMAZING!
We are about to go eat dinner and then relax the rest of the night!
I miss my boys from the home...but tomorrow they will be here and I cannot wait!
Keep praying because I know God is working here!
Love you!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
One Day
The past two days have been GREAT days!! Emotional...tiring...long...inspirational..and LIFE CHANGING!!
I still don't know if I really understand what I saw in the market and slums. It isn't real to me...people do not live that way in my "real-life" book. I try to grasp it...and just don't understand...and never fully will.
We played cards here at the church when we didn't have readers or electricity with others at the church. Electricity is a rare thing here...we treasure it VERY much!! I dont know if I have already mentioned this, but this place is ALWAYS busy!! People here...coming and going....studying..playing...reading...eating...talking...just being together.
We have laughed a lot and we feel as if we have been here MANY days already...it's only day 4!
We now have mosquito nets to protect us during the night! They are fun to sleep under. Quite an experience!! And we LOVE it!
We have eaten some different food but also American style food. The other night we ordered Domino's pizza and it was actually delivered here!! That was a treat!
I am learning SEVERAL words in Luganda...and I speak them regularly to my readers...and they always laugh at me...because I never say it right! But it's fun to learn and practice!
-Boonga: "pound it"
-omowanla: "girl"
-omonlazi-"boy"
-amazi-"water"
-allionvoo: "banana"
-aleevay-"hair"
-ameso:"eyes"
-baloongee-"good"
-bambi:"please"
I am not really sure where I stand in all of this hurt and despair. I just ask..."Why"...Why do kids lay in the streets...Why do boys live alone and drink milk every day for lunch...Why are all these people hurting and needing something!? MANY of my readers are refugees. One has ran away from the congo...left everything to be away from the wars and attacks. He was here..alone in Kampala...until his brother escaped and found him here one day. He calls it his miracle!
Cade has a reader who has aids and is CERTAIN that God will make a cure one day for this! ALL these people trust in God more than I will EVER know!
The way these people pray...is AMAZING...their prayers are so sincere and begging Jesus...just to keep them safe...one more day.
We learn new things every day. Yesterday we learned that a stray cat...who is scared of people...are called "sluts"...Funny huh!?
Alex the other day asked what was for breakfast when it was carried out to our table..It was just scrambled eggs and bread...Alex thought maybe it was called something fancy so he asked the lady..."What is this called?" She looked at him funny and said..."Eggs and Bread?" hahaha! Oh silly Americans!:)
One thing I LOVE is seeing the women and men carrying things on their heads-Bananas...water jugs...bags...barrels...baskets...EVERYTHING! So neat!!!:)
Today...was the first time that I cried and just held a little boys hand.
He told me his story...his parents were killed on a motorcycle...he was then taken to live with aunt and uncle..who told him to go get something at the store...he left and came back and they were not there...they left him. He lived on the streets for two days until someone came to him and told him to come to the boys home. They took him there where he has lived for a year. The food is very sparingly there...and when you have food...the older kids say "I can take that...I have been here longer" and they take it...which means no food for that meal. They have one or two outfits..where they have to take them and wash them themselves...in a sewer area that makes them sick often...usually no shoes...education costs money...which they dont have...unless they steal things..and sell it...so they do not go to school...
His name is Lawerence..his is 13...and he got VERY close with me today..and we spent hours together today talking...him telling me his story...holding back tears...telling me how people kick him out of public places..calling him filth...and he would just shake his head and say...It's a bad life...a bad life...
We talked and talked and he finally began to say that his life is good...he just wish it was better..that life would be better...with a family..in their car...driving to the beach...eating donuts.
He told me if an American came and took him home he would say "OH YES! Thank you! I would LOVE to come with you and live with you!"
I cried...and I held his hand...and I told him that I would take him home in my bag with me if I could.
He said to me over and over..." One day...One day...Jesus will come and it will be nice...One day."
One day...I will be with all these precious people again...one day...
Today was an emotional day for me...and I still sit here..and just start crying...It is NOT good here for these babies...It breaks my heart...
All I know to do is hold him...love him..and show him Jesus.
Pray for these people...
Pray for my heart...so that I can be strong with these people.
Love you ALL!!
I still don't know if I really understand what I saw in the market and slums. It isn't real to me...people do not live that way in my "real-life" book. I try to grasp it...and just don't understand...and never fully will.
We played cards here at the church when we didn't have readers or electricity with others at the church. Electricity is a rare thing here...we treasure it VERY much!! I dont know if I have already mentioned this, but this place is ALWAYS busy!! People here...coming and going....studying..playing...reading...eating...talking...just being together.
We have laughed a lot and we feel as if we have been here MANY days already...it's only day 4!
We now have mosquito nets to protect us during the night! They are fun to sleep under. Quite an experience!! And we LOVE it!
We have eaten some different food but also American style food. The other night we ordered Domino's pizza and it was actually delivered here!! That was a treat!
I am learning SEVERAL words in Luganda...and I speak them regularly to my readers...and they always laugh at me...because I never say it right! But it's fun to learn and practice!
-Boonga: "pound it"
-omowanla: "girl"
-omonlazi-"boy"
-amazi-"water"
-allionvoo: "banana"
-aleevay-"hair"
-ameso:"eyes"
-baloongee-"good"
-bambi:"please"
I am not really sure where I stand in all of this hurt and despair. I just ask..."Why"...Why do kids lay in the streets...Why do boys live alone and drink milk every day for lunch...Why are all these people hurting and needing something!? MANY of my readers are refugees. One has ran away from the congo...left everything to be away from the wars and attacks. He was here..alone in Kampala...until his brother escaped and found him here one day. He calls it his miracle!
Cade has a reader who has aids and is CERTAIN that God will make a cure one day for this! ALL these people trust in God more than I will EVER know!
The way these people pray...is AMAZING...their prayers are so sincere and begging Jesus...just to keep them safe...one more day.
We learn new things every day. Yesterday we learned that a stray cat...who is scared of people...are called "sluts"...Funny huh!?
Alex the other day asked what was for breakfast when it was carried out to our table..It was just scrambled eggs and bread...Alex thought maybe it was called something fancy so he asked the lady..."What is this called?" She looked at him funny and said..."Eggs and Bread?" hahaha! Oh silly Americans!:)
One thing I LOVE is seeing the women and men carrying things on their heads-Bananas...water jugs...bags...barrels...baskets...EVERYTHING! So neat!!!:)
Today...was the first time that I cried and just held a little boys hand.
He told me his story...his parents were killed on a motorcycle...he was then taken to live with aunt and uncle..who told him to go get something at the store...he left and came back and they were not there...they left him. He lived on the streets for two days until someone came to him and told him to come to the boys home. They took him there where he has lived for a year. The food is very sparingly there...and when you have food...the older kids say "I can take that...I have been here longer" and they take it...which means no food for that meal. They have one or two outfits..where they have to take them and wash them themselves...in a sewer area that makes them sick often...usually no shoes...education costs money...which they dont have...unless they steal things..and sell it...so they do not go to school...
His name is Lawerence..his is 13...and he got VERY close with me today..and we spent hours together today talking...him telling me his story...holding back tears...telling me how people kick him out of public places..calling him filth...and he would just shake his head and say...It's a bad life...a bad life...
We talked and talked and he finally began to say that his life is good...he just wish it was better..that life would be better...with a family..in their car...driving to the beach...eating donuts.
He told me if an American came and took him home he would say "OH YES! Thank you! I would LOVE to come with you and live with you!"
I cried...and I held his hand...and I told him that I would take him home in my bag with me if I could.
He said to me over and over..." One day...One day...Jesus will come and it will be nice...One day."
One day...I will be with all these precious people again...one day...
Today was an emotional day for me...and I still sit here..and just start crying...It is NOT good here for these babies...It breaks my heart...
All I know to do is hold him...love him..and show him Jesus.
Pray for these people...
Pray for my heart...so that I can be strong with these people.
Love you ALL!!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Kampala Uganda!!!!
WE ARE HERE!!
Sorry it has taken time to write...we have been so busy just the few days we have been here!
And man...in just a few days we have seen SO SO much!!
The plane ride was an experience in itself for me. I can't say that it was my FAVORITE thing...and I got extremely car sick...I am JUST NOW over it...after I took some meds...and now I am sooo much better! The plane ride seemed to take FOREVER! We finally arrived in Ettenbee around 11 where the leaders of the church were there to greet us with open arms! They drove us in a rented vehicle that they had hired out and took us into our new world.
Life is totally different here in Uganda than in America...and I mean TOTALLY different!
We have got to experience the food...the markets...the streets...boda boda's...rain...sunshine..misquotes...no English and SO much more!!! And we have SO much to come! We have learned so many new Lugandan words...and so many things about this place that we NEVER knew...( AND MOM...THEY DO HAVE BLACK MAMBAS-but they are in their "barracks" or so I was told!!)
We walk everywhere and most things are a 30 min walk away.
Right now...a 6 yr old little boy is sitting on my lap.His name is Jone and he is SO smart! We played in the rain together today...wrote the ABC's and he even did math problems. He knows English very well. He asked me today if America had snow and he was amazed!
We have met SO many people and they are ALL nice! Not one has been rude. The people love American's or "mazoongo". They love to see us!
We just started with our readers today...meeting them and setting up a schedule with them for daily or weekly reading...getting to know their lives....and letting them know about our lives. We will begin actual readings very soon!!!
Uganda and Kampala in itself is NOT like what the internet says....we were shocked...amazed...and in awe of what this place is really like!!! You will never know...until you see it with your own eyes.
The people here in Kampala....they don't depend on things of this world...because they have nothing of this world...but they depend on God...and His love...protection...strength...and the blessings of a NEW day!
I will write soon...or as soon as I can!!
I cannot wait to show you pictures and videos when I return!!
Love you ALL!!
Continue to pray and be in thought of our team...readers...Kampala...and others that we may come in contact with.
Sorry it has taken time to write...we have been so busy just the few days we have been here!
And man...in just a few days we have seen SO SO much!!
The plane ride was an experience in itself for me. I can't say that it was my FAVORITE thing...and I got extremely car sick...I am JUST NOW over it...after I took some meds...and now I am sooo much better! The plane ride seemed to take FOREVER! We finally arrived in Ettenbee around 11 where the leaders of the church were there to greet us with open arms! They drove us in a rented vehicle that they had hired out and took us into our new world.
Life is totally different here in Uganda than in America...and I mean TOTALLY different!
We have got to experience the food...the markets...the streets...boda boda's...rain...sunshine..misquotes...no English and SO much more!!! And we have SO much to come! We have learned so many new Lugandan words...and so many things about this place that we NEVER knew...( AND MOM...THEY DO HAVE BLACK MAMBAS-but they are in their "barracks" or so I was told!!)
We walk everywhere and most things are a 30 min walk away.
Right now...a 6 yr old little boy is sitting on my lap.His name is Jone and he is SO smart! We played in the rain together today...wrote the ABC's and he even did math problems. He knows English very well. He asked me today if America had snow and he was amazed!
We have met SO many people and they are ALL nice! Not one has been rude. The people love American's or "mazoongo". They love to see us!
We just started with our readers today...meeting them and setting up a schedule with them for daily or weekly reading...getting to know their lives....and letting them know about our lives. We will begin actual readings very soon!!!
Uganda and Kampala in itself is NOT like what the internet says....we were shocked...amazed...and in awe of what this place is really like!!! You will never know...until you see it with your own eyes.
The people here in Kampala....they don't depend on things of this world...because they have nothing of this world...but they depend on God...and His love...protection...strength...and the blessings of a NEW day!
I will write soon...or as soon as I can!!
I cannot wait to show you pictures and videos when I return!!
Love you ALL!!
Continue to pray and be in thought of our team...readers...Kampala...and others that we may come in contact with.
Friday, May 13, 2011
FAMILY TIME!
Today has been a good day!! I got to spend the day with my mom. We went out to eat in Mt. Home and then went to a few shops.It was just a good time to hang out and talk and be together. We came home and got ready to go to a family dinner at my Nana's.The food was SO good and it was a really good time together playing with the cousins and talking with family. My cousin Canaan was the CUTEST thing ever tonight!! Made us all laugh so hard with everything he was saying! LOVE HIM!! Once again...it feels GREAT to have prayers and support from the people I love. I can't wait to come back and tell them all about it!
Tomorrow I am going to my grandma's house and we are having breakfast for lunch!! HOMEMADE breakfast!! I am sure it will be as good time and the food will be great! I am hopefully going to see my best friend Grace afterwards. I love her with ALL my heart and more! She has ALWAYS supported me and loved me and pushed me and taken me by the hand through EVERYTHING! No matter what...we will be best friends! I love her and her support/love for me. After I visit Grace...I am going to go visit Tayler...my other best friend! This girl is getting married soon..kind of breaks my heart...bc she will be MARRIED!!ahhh!(As long as she is happy!!!) But I am gonna go see her and visit with her for a while. She is SUCH a strong woman! We have had such a great time together through high school and college both. She is a rock that I can always go to and I love that about her! We will catch up and I'm sure have some good laughs even in that short amount of time we spend together!
I love this family of mine who is so loving toward me and my decisions.
I am SO grateful for best friends who are the BEST things I could EVER ask for in my life!
Both are HUGE blessings in my life and I am beyond thankful for them!!
The days are getting close!
It's almost time to board the plane!! EEEKKKKK!!!!
Only a few more days and you will be able to read things FROM Africa!!! EXCITING!
Keep praying for our team and the people we will be working with!!!!
ALL my love!<3
Tomorrow I am going to my grandma's house and we are having breakfast for lunch!! HOMEMADE breakfast!! I am sure it will be as good time and the food will be great! I am hopefully going to see my best friend Grace afterwards. I love her with ALL my heart and more! She has ALWAYS supported me and loved me and pushed me and taken me by the hand through EVERYTHING! No matter what...we will be best friends! I love her and her support/love for me. After I visit Grace...I am going to go visit Tayler...my other best friend! This girl is getting married soon..kind of breaks my heart...bc she will be MARRIED!!ahhh!(As long as she is happy!!!) But I am gonna go see her and visit with her for a while. She is SUCH a strong woman! We have had such a great time together through high school and college both. She is a rock that I can always go to and I love that about her! We will catch up and I'm sure have some good laughs even in that short amount of time we spend together!
I love this family of mine who is so loving toward me and my decisions.
I am SO grateful for best friends who are the BEST things I could EVER ask for in my life!
Both are HUGE blessings in my life and I am beyond thankful for them!!
The days are getting close!
It's almost time to board the plane!! EEEKKKKK!!!!
Only a few more days and you will be able to read things FROM Africa!!! EXCITING!
Keep praying for our team and the people we will be working with!!!!
ALL my love!<3
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Team
My best friend Tayler sent me a message this morning that really made me smile. She was reading her daily devo last night by Rick Warren. It really related to me and this trip and I want to share it with all of you like she shared it with me today!:) I am so glad that I have friends and family supporting me and thinking of me as I prepare for this trip! Thanks Tay!<3
It's titled "Success Involves Help From Others" and is focused on Ecclesiastes 4:12... "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."
To reach your goals you may need to enlist a team for support [which made me think of your Africa group]. I've been to Africa many times and heard this proverb over and over: "If you want to go fast, go by yourself. If you want to go far, go with others." We think it's important to make a speedy decision, but it's more important to make the right decision.
Success is never a one-man job; it takes teamwork. God wired it this way because the most important lesson he wants you to learn here on earth is to love people. Not only that, there are some things in your life that you will never be able to change without the support, prayers and encouragement of other people. That's why it's so important to be in a small group.
Our verse today says it all. The stronger your team is, the more you can fulfill your dream.
I really love this and I think that it can apply to others and my life not just in Africa. Family and friends are so important to push you along and give you encouragement as well as walk by your side the whole way!
I am so blessed to have this in my life!
Today was a good day! Cleaned up ALL the junk I brought home from college...and yes...it is all JUNK! My grandpa took me out for breakfast and I loved every minute of it! I treasure moments like that! We went to the local restaurant..Hilltop...for some eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and hashbrowns. Nothing like a good breakfast...with people you know sitting around you...talking...and enjoying life!
FIVE DAYS and I will be flying...with my team...who are my family...and from that moment on..we will be getting stronger and bonding in love to fulfill these dreams!!
It's titled "Success Involves Help From Others" and is focused on Ecclesiastes 4:12... "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."
To reach your goals you may need to enlist a team for support [which made me think of your Africa group]. I've been to Africa many times and heard this proverb over and over: "If you want to go fast, go by yourself. If you want to go far, go with others." We think it's important to make a speedy decision, but it's more important to make the right decision.
Success is never a one-man job; it takes teamwork. God wired it this way because the most important lesson he wants you to learn here on earth is to love people. Not only that, there are some things in your life that you will never be able to change without the support, prayers and encouragement of other people. That's why it's so important to be in a small group.
Our verse today says it all. The stronger your team is, the more you can fulfill your dream.
I really love this and I think that it can apply to others and my life not just in Africa. Family and friends are so important to push you along and give you encouragement as well as walk by your side the whole way!
I am so blessed to have this in my life!
Today was a good day! Cleaned up ALL the junk I brought home from college...and yes...it is all JUNK! My grandpa took me out for breakfast and I loved every minute of it! I treasure moments like that! We went to the local restaurant..Hilltop...for some eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and hashbrowns. Nothing like a good breakfast...with people you know sitting around you...talking...and enjoying life!
FIVE DAYS and I will be flying...with my team...who are my family...and from that moment on..we will be getting stronger and bonding in love to fulfill these dreams!!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Home!
I finally made it home...DONE with finals!! DONE with my Junior year! What a great year it has been, too! I am praying that my grades come back good so that I am blessed with keeping my scholarship another year!! It's my LAST year...I am gonna be a SENIOR!! I feel like it was just yesterday that I graduated high school! I love my home. I love my town and the people here...even if I am related to half of the people here and the other half know ALL your business even if you don't want them to. My town is SO close...we take care of each other...we LOVE each other...and we know how to be strong. I love knowing that I can be supported here no matter what. I know that they are PROUD of me...REALLY proud of me...and who I am and what I am doing. No matter where I go...this place will ALWAYS be home. I love the connection I have with my old teachers...parents of my friends...and the lady at the bank and grocery store. I love that I can call my best friends from school...after not talking for weeks..pick up right where we left off...and talk for HOURS! I LOVE the community in which I have been raised and can ALWAYS come home to.
It makes me start to wonder about the community that I am going to experience in Kampala. I wonder if these people have parents to go home to when they are gone for a long time. I wonder if the people in their town know all their business...or if their people support them, have their back no matter what, and love on each other in hard times.
I cannot imagine NOT having this in my life. This community and love.
This is what I want to do for this town...I want and need to bring this community together. Combine them in love,trust,honesty, and compassion for one another. I want this church to reach out and make their people feel like my people do in a town of 1,312 in Arkansas.
I know that I cant do this on my own...but I can influence these people. And I feel that if one life is influenced in such a way...SO many more can be influenced in so many other ways!! One life is all I want to touch..one...in SOME way...
I may never know or see how I have touched these people...but that's okay...I don't think that is the way it has to be. God sees it...He is planning and preparing it now in advance for me!
Keep praying for our trip...which by the way...is SIX DAYS away!
Pray for our eyes to be opened..
our hearts to be available...
our ears to be open...
our arms to spread from east to west...
our minds to be cleared...
our joy to be overflowing...
our lives to be changed FOREVER...
to make the people of Kampala...a people of God's love.
It makes me start to wonder about the community that I am going to experience in Kampala. I wonder if these people have parents to go home to when they are gone for a long time. I wonder if the people in their town know all their business...or if their people support them, have their back no matter what, and love on each other in hard times.
I cannot imagine NOT having this in my life. This community and love.
This is what I want to do for this town...I want and need to bring this community together. Combine them in love,trust,honesty, and compassion for one another. I want this church to reach out and make their people feel like my people do in a town of 1,312 in Arkansas.
I know that I cant do this on my own...but I can influence these people. And I feel that if one life is influenced in such a way...SO many more can be influenced in so many other ways!! One life is all I want to touch..one...in SOME way...
I may never know or see how I have touched these people...but that's okay...I don't think that is the way it has to be. God sees it...He is planning and preparing it now in advance for me!
Keep praying for our trip...which by the way...is SIX DAYS away!
Pray for our eyes to be opened..
our hearts to be available...
our ears to be open...
our arms to spread from east to west...
our minds to be cleared...
our joy to be overflowing...
our lives to be changed FOREVER...
to make the people of Kampala...a people of God's love.
Monday, May 9, 2011
ONE WEEK!
One week from today, I will be boarding an airplane(for the first time EVER) and heading to Kampala, Uganda!
I would've never imagined myself doing something like this! It is a once in a life time experience and a dream come true!
We started taking our malaria pills today, got all of my things moved out of our apartment, and I have one final left to go before I am home! It has been a GREAT year...a year in which I have grown...cried...hurt...laughed...seen things...and learned more than I could ever imagine. I have seen babies healed...lives once torn apart, now put back together...hearts mended...lives in storms saved...health results come back positive...and SO much more...all through the POWER of prayer! I understand a different kind of Jesus than one that I have ever understood before. And I am SO glad that I know the Jesus that loves me, forgives me, and covers me by His grace!
The verse I want to share today is 2 Thessalonians 2:14- He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I LOVE this verse and I feel like it is SO fitting to going on this trip. I am going with an amazing group of people and I pray daily that our eyes will be opened to new things and that we will be changed forever. We were told the Good News....now it's our turn to go share it...to people in a city...in AFRICA...
A little girl from Arkansas...will be sharing the life of Jesus...to another girl from Africa.
That to me is beautiful...and I cannot WAIT!!!
SEVEN DAYS!!!
I would've never imagined myself doing something like this! It is a once in a life time experience and a dream come true!
We started taking our malaria pills today, got all of my things moved out of our apartment, and I have one final left to go before I am home! It has been a GREAT year...a year in which I have grown...cried...hurt...laughed...seen things...and learned more than I could ever imagine. I have seen babies healed...lives once torn apart, now put back together...hearts mended...lives in storms saved...health results come back positive...and SO much more...all through the POWER of prayer! I understand a different kind of Jesus than one that I have ever understood before. And I am SO glad that I know the Jesus that loves me, forgives me, and covers me by His grace!
The verse I want to share today is 2 Thessalonians 2:14- He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I LOVE this verse and I feel like it is SO fitting to going on this trip. I am going with an amazing group of people and I pray daily that our eyes will be opened to new things and that we will be changed forever. We were told the Good News....now it's our turn to go share it...to people in a city...in AFRICA...
A little girl from Arkansas...will be sharing the life of Jesus...to another girl from Africa.
That to me is beautiful...and I cannot WAIT!!!
SEVEN DAYS!!!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Love Never Fades
Today was mother's day...and I wasn't able to be at home with my mom for this day..but I will be in TWO days bc I only have TWO days until I am DONE with finals!! YAHOOO!!!
I hope my mother had a WONDERFUL mother's day!:)
I was thinking about my mom and all the things she has done for me and put up with and how her love for me grows more and more every day! It never fades away but ONLY grows stronger! I am SO blessed to have a mother who is like this! I don't know what kind of life I would live if I didn't have a mother that was this strong and this courageous! My heart goes out to those who never had a momma or who never had one who praised them even when they failed. That's a good mom!!
I love knowing that I have such a WONDERFUL family and support system who push me to my limits and guide me along the way. I love having family and friends who continually pray for me and for my life. I love knowing that even if I were to become a garbage truck driver..they would STILL be proud of me and would support me every step of the way! I AM TRULY BLESSED WITH A LOVE THAT NEVER FADES!
I have EIGHT DAYS until I leave...only EIGHT!!!!:)
I will miss my family and friends VERY much during my six weeks in Africa...but the time will FLY by...and I will be in touch as much as I can through facebook and my blog....
Keep praying and keep that love that never fades flowing from your heart!
I hope my mother had a WONDERFUL mother's day!:)
I was thinking about my mom and all the things she has done for me and put up with and how her love for me grows more and more every day! It never fades away but ONLY grows stronger! I am SO blessed to have a mother who is like this! I don't know what kind of life I would live if I didn't have a mother that was this strong and this courageous! My heart goes out to those who never had a momma or who never had one who praised them even when they failed. That's a good mom!!
I love knowing that I have such a WONDERFUL family and support system who push me to my limits and guide me along the way. I love having family and friends who continually pray for me and for my life. I love knowing that even if I were to become a garbage truck driver..they would STILL be proud of me and would support me every step of the way! I AM TRULY BLESSED WITH A LOVE THAT NEVER FADES!
I have EIGHT DAYS until I leave...only EIGHT!!!!:)
I will miss my family and friends VERY much during my six weeks in Africa...but the time will FLY by...and I will be in touch as much as I can through facebook and my blog....
Keep praying and keep that love that never fades flowing from your heart!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Unfamiliar Sounds
Today...my only day to sleep in...I was woken up by an unfamiliar sound...Not like a quiet..strange humming sound..but a LOUD banging sound right above me. I was confused for a while until I looked out my window to see a roofing company truck. Little did I know..there was some damage to our apartment roof during the tornado week. Needless to say... I was NOT happy to be woken up by these sounds. They continued on until I couldn't stand to lay and listen to them any longer. The workers began to yell back and forth from one roof to another and then began dropping their tools on the ground (which are ALL wonderful sounds if you haven't heard them before!) So I decided to go downstairs and see if the noise was any better down there...I was wrong...So this means that I was officially awake now. And when I officially was awake...sitting on the couch...checking out facebook...ALL of the noises stopped...and haven't happened since then...AWESOME!!!..Just my luck...
BUT it also got me to thinking about my trip...which is in...NINE DAYS!!
In Africa, I am sure that I will be woken up by unfamiliar sounds quite often. I cannot let this alter my mood or make me angry at the sound or the source of the sound. I am sure there will be times when I have no clue what the sound I am hearing is...This is when I have to be calm..watch my temper...and be patient...I may be woken up every day...EARLY...and I have to remember why I am there and who I am serving. I am NOT there to sleep or lay around, but to teach others about Jesus and show them His love through my life.
After I came down the stairs to get away from the noise, I checked my daily verse...and it just happens to be something I definitely needed to read.... Psalm 118:24- This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it...
So....roofers early in the morning or not...this is the day GOD made...and it is a gift from Him...I will be glad in it!
BUT it also got me to thinking about my trip...which is in...NINE DAYS!!
In Africa, I am sure that I will be woken up by unfamiliar sounds quite often. I cannot let this alter my mood or make me angry at the sound or the source of the sound. I am sure there will be times when I have no clue what the sound I am hearing is...This is when I have to be calm..watch my temper...and be patient...I may be woken up every day...EARLY...and I have to remember why I am there and who I am serving. I am NOT there to sleep or lay around, but to teach others about Jesus and show them His love through my life.
After I came down the stairs to get away from the noise, I checked my daily verse...and it just happens to be something I definitely needed to read.... Psalm 118:24- This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it...
So....roofers early in the morning or not...this is the day GOD made...and it is a gift from Him...I will be glad in it!
Friday, May 6, 2011
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!!
The 10 day countdown begins TODAY!!!
I am finishing up finals this week...I only have two more left...out of six...and they are really starting to get to me. I am just ready to be home with my family and friends for a few days in a town I truly love.
I get a daily verse sent to my e-mail and for the past three days I have had some really amazing verses that have really spoken to me and my team going to Africa as a whole.
Psalm 66:5- Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!!!
I LOVE this verse SOOO much! And it really speaks to me and how I feel about Africa. I cannot WAIT to see what God has for us in store...and the AWESOME MIRACLES that we will see for ourselves!
They are preparing for us right now...getting people ready for us...and I KNOW God will show us great things!
1 Chronicles 16:24- Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell EVERYONE about the amazing things he does!
This is my sign...to tell them ALL...EVERYONE...I am going to Africa...to PUBLISH his GLORIOUS deeds....My life and how much the Lord has blessed me is to be published to His people!
Isaiah 40:29- He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
I will feel weak...And I will feel COMPLETELY powerless in a country where I know nothing. But God gives me power...and God gives me strength.
This is something I am VERY excited to experience!!! I cannot wait to feel His power through me and know without a doubt...relying on faith...that I am NOT powerless with Him by my side...
TEN DAYS!!!!!!
I am finishing up finals this week...I only have two more left...out of six...and they are really starting to get to me. I am just ready to be home with my family and friends for a few days in a town I truly love.
I get a daily verse sent to my e-mail and for the past three days I have had some really amazing verses that have really spoken to me and my team going to Africa as a whole.
Psalm 66:5- Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!!!
I LOVE this verse SOOO much! And it really speaks to me and how I feel about Africa. I cannot WAIT to see what God has for us in store...and the AWESOME MIRACLES that we will see for ourselves!
They are preparing for us right now...getting people ready for us...and I KNOW God will show us great things!
1 Chronicles 16:24- Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell EVERYONE about the amazing things he does!
This is my sign...to tell them ALL...EVERYONE...I am going to Africa...to PUBLISH his GLORIOUS deeds....My life and how much the Lord has blessed me is to be published to His people!
Isaiah 40:29- He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
I will feel weak...And I will feel COMPLETELY powerless in a country where I know nothing. But God gives me power...and God gives me strength.
This is something I am VERY excited to experience!!! I cannot wait to feel His power through me and know without a doubt...relying on faith...that I am NOT powerless with Him by my side...
TEN DAYS!!!!!!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Our God is SO big..SO strong and SO mighty..There's NOTHING our God CANNOT do!!
This week has been a CRAZY week with the weather.
Sometimes we don't understand God and His power and plans. Actually not sometimes...MOST of the time. And most of the time...we NEVER see this plan in action either. It may happen 50 yrs from now...in a city on the other side of the world...but God has a plan and a purpose for it all.
I was a little scared at times this week..seeing as how I DO NOT like storms...however...Anna kept me okay...and kept reminding me I was okay...every time the wind would blow or the sirens would go off...which was A LOT!...God's power and strength was SO much this week! With a tornado warning for 6 days straight...flooding...deaths...homes destroyed...
I just sit and thank God...for keeping me safe.
I pray for those families who lost SO much in Vilonia...and now for the families in Alabama who have lost EVERYTHING. Last night we got a message that the death toll was at 50 and still counting. Not long after that...we got a message that said 200 were dead. Once again...I ask God why!?
I think God is glad when we ask questions. I don't think He wants us to sit on our butts and just go with what He says and does. I think He wants us to explore...question...investigate...reason...He wants us to SEARCH for Him and not just settle.
We have had an AMAZING Wednesday bible class at the student center here at Tech. We have been going through John and as Anna told me last night..."It's a true love story."
Jesus' love is SO amazing in this book. He shows love to people that in today's time we wouldn't even look at. We as His people...are suppose to be walking as He did...which means loving these people.
These people who are suffering from storms...divorce....financial problems...loneliness...sin....anger...a feeling of being lost.
JESUS LOVED THEM AND HELPED THEM!!!
...and so should I.
Tech had a HUGE worship service last night in Tucker which is our basketball gym. It was called "Real Church" and it was all of the campus ministries at Tech who united together to form a worship service or what the "REAL CHURCH" use to be.
Sometimes we don't understand God and His power and plans. Actually not sometimes...MOST of the time. And most of the time...we NEVER see this plan in action either. It may happen 50 yrs from now...in a city on the other side of the world...but God has a plan and a purpose for it all.
I was a little scared at times this week..seeing as how I DO NOT like storms...however...Anna kept me okay...and kept reminding me I was okay...every time the wind would blow or the sirens would go off...which was A LOT!...God's power and strength was SO much this week! With a tornado warning for 6 days straight...flooding...deaths...homes destroyed...
I just sit and thank God...for keeping me safe.
I pray for those families who lost SO much in Vilonia...and now for the families in Alabama who have lost EVERYTHING. Last night we got a message that the death toll was at 50 and still counting. Not long after that...we got a message that said 200 were dead. Once again...I ask God why!?
I think God is glad when we ask questions. I don't think He wants us to sit on our butts and just go with what He says and does. I think He wants us to explore...question...investigate...reason...He wants us to SEARCH for Him and not just settle.
We have had an AMAZING Wednesday bible class at the student center here at Tech. We have been going through John and as Anna told me last night..."It's a true love story."
Jesus' love is SO amazing in this book. He shows love to people that in today's time we wouldn't even look at. We as His people...are suppose to be walking as He did...which means loving these people.
These people who are suffering from storms...divorce....financial problems...loneliness...sin....anger...a feeling of being lost.
JESUS LOVED THEM AND HELPED THEM!!!
...and so should I.
Tech had a HUGE worship service last night in Tucker which is our basketball gym. It was called "Real Church" and it was all of the campus ministries at Tech who united together to form a worship service or what the "REAL CHURCH" use to be.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Follow You
This is a song by a christian band named Leeland. This song is something that I am trying to do with my life. Especially while I am in Africa!!
I hope these words mean something to you...Just like they mean something to me!
Love you ALL!!
You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.
All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done
'Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was she'd
So how could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself... to you.
And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself... to you.
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
I hope these words mean something to you...Just like they mean something to me!
Love you ALL!!
You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.
All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done
'Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was she'd
So how could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself... to you.
And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself... to you.
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Kampala, Uganda....AFRICA!
May 16, 2011 I will be going to AFRICA!
This is no little trip, it will last six weeks, and will be life changing.
I am not scared of Africa, or anything that might happen there...I am afraid of the airplane ride!!
Many of you may laugh at that, however, for a girl from a town with the population 1,312, riding an airplane is a BIG DEAL!!!
My friend Shana, one of the girls going on the trip with me, sent me a message the other day to encourage me for the day. She quoted an amazing book that I have read called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. It says that "God is our protector and we wouldn't need a protector if we didn't take risks for Him. He longs for us to need Him and trust in Him to take care of us."
This really helped me and it also made me realize that I am taking a HUGE risk for Him this summer by going to Uganda. I have no idea what may happen or what things we will experience, but I know my God has a plan for me!!
I will be going to Kampala Uganda, which is the capital city of Uganda and the largest city, about 1 million people.It contains several big name hotels, banks, universities, and other large businesses.
There are three methods of public transportation: boda bodas, matatu, and special hires. The fastest method is the boda bodas; motorcycles that you see all over the city.Boda Bodas are extremely dangerous as their drivers will do whatever it takes to get you to your destination quickly. Expect to dart in front of and against traffic and even though crowds of pedestrains when necessary. Boda boda accidents account for most of the hospital visits and traffic fatalities in Kampala. Mind you..I will NOT be traveling by a boda boda!!Matatus are a series of minibuses that follow relatively preset routes all over the city and many other parts of the country. Confusingly, they are known as taxis in Uganda. Each matatu has a driver and a conductor, both of whom will shout the destinations of their vehicle out the windows.This is what I will be traveling in when need be!!
Some main attractions in Kampala include;
- The Uganda Museum.
- Kasubi tombs, where the remains of the Kings of Buganda are buried, was a major tourist site. However, these were extensively damaged by fire in March 2010.
- Nommo art gallery
- National Theatre
- Cathedrals - Rubaga and Namirembe (not very interesting itself but good view of the city)
- Parliament of Uganda (and independence monument).
Owino market...in the picture to the right.. is one of the largest in this region of Africa. The endless booths that line the chaotic alleys of Owino offer a mind-boggling array everything from homemade irons, to American hand-me-down-clothes with the Goodwill price tags still on then, to an amazing array of African foods, to any and everything else under the sun. Everything at Owinio starts cheap and gets cheaper with bargaining.Food is ALWAYS something I love...and Kampala has the food! There are TONS of different food options available!!
Common options include meat (usually beef), rice, beans, Matoke (steamed green bananas, served mashed).Common dishes that can be found in the most of city restaurants and in the country side are Fish and Chips and chicken and chips.
For a street snack, the famous "Rolex" is very enjoyable. It is made out of a chapati (kind of a pancake) wrapped around an omelet, with cabbage and tomatoes
I am SURE I will have much more information on Kampala in a few months that are much better than what I found here online.I cannot WAIT to take pictures and post them on here and let you know how each and every day is going during my journey through Kampala.
Love you all!!
Keep praying for this trip and for God's hand to be working through me to His people in Kampala!!
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