Last day

We are sitting down to breakfast on our last morning. Hard to believe it has been a week...but at the same time, it feels like a few lifetimes. Yesterday, we spent the day at Amazima, worshipping, playing and then serving lunch to 300-400 children. I have never see so much rice and so many beans in my life! It was a really neat ministry and a highlight for me was getting to know a 13 yr. old girl named Jacline. We ended the evening with a cruise on lake Victoria, where we went to see the source of the Nile! Beautiful! Today, we will worship with the kids at Canaan's and teach Sunday School....and then we have to head to the airport. It is a three hour drive (with the inevitable cow we'll almost hit), so we have to allot a good bit of time. Thank you for continued prayers for our safety! Love you and cannot wait to share some stories!

Psalm 139

I actually had to preach a sermon to the women of the Karamajong tribe today.  Not in "my plan" at all.  Overwhelming and so very humbling. These women have NOTHING, and they were so hungry for a word from God.  A few of us prayed over them, and then I shared Psalm 139 with them -- about how god knows them and knit them and goes before and behind them. That he loves and cares about them.  That they are beautiful in his eyes (and gorgeous in ours!).  WHEW. THey are the poorest of poor in Uganda -- which is saying something. After our time of worship, we actually washed their feet and painted their toenails. A girl on our team also put lip gloss on them. It was so precious to witness them sitting up a little straighter and even giggling together.

 

These women live the Gospel every day...in a way we never will understand.  

I held it together while we were with them, but I cried my eyes out when we left. You cannot imagine what their lives look like. Nor can I, really.

Tonight we are just hanging out at Canaan's and tomorrow, too. I get to pal around with my buddy, Timothy (a 9 year old who "adopted" me from the time I got off the bus here). 

Some details...

I did not bring a computer -- not anticipating the ability to email, etc. each day -- so I am kind of cheating by posting a link to one of our team member's blog (who did bring an IPAD).

http://onalightstand.blogspot.com/

She has done an excellent job detailing some of the stories of our trip.  Read it if you get a moment!

I will try to get some of my stories typed out when I am able!  Love, love, love to you all!

 

Just a quick note to say that God is sooooo good I cannot begin to tell you.  I have so many stories of HIS provision and love.  I am speechless and words are inadequate.  I will write it all out (and have taken lots of notes to share stories with you), but we have witnessed many miracles during our time here.

Thank you for your continued prayers.  They are working! 

Yesterday we visited families in the poorest of poor conditions, taking provisions and praying over them.  So much to write...

We spent today in a small shack where an incredible woman of God has 13 babies (ranging from 3mos. to 18 mos.) in her care.  All have been turned over by their mothers who have a myriad of problems, ranging from HIV to prostitution, etc.  Amazing , amazing day. 

I am off to bed -- tomorrow we will spend the day ministering to the Karamajong tribe women (the least of the least here in Uganda).  Pray for words of encouragement and truth to speak into them!

Love you ALL!

BLessings,
A

Return ministries

Great first day today! Spent the whole day loving on what seemed like a million children ( probably 300ish). We fed them, played, danced, did apuppetshow,crafts, etc. The poverty is astonishing...but the joy is contagious and love transcends all barriers! Kids - no matter who they are or where they are - are all the same. They want to play and be loved. Thanks again for all the prayers! They work! Tomorrow we will be visiting about 15 families in the community and taking them medicines, toothbrushes, clothes, etc. We will be walking a bunch,we're told. Then we head to Jinja to Canaan's Children's home, where we will stay the restof the time here. Headed to bed! P.s. Used my first squatty potty today! Be sure to Thank the good Lord for your porcelain variety today....cause it isn't pretty! ;) Love and hugs!

I made it to Africa! Praise the Lord! After over 26 hours! I don't have too much time to write, but I wanted to thank each of you for your love, prayers and encouragement. I have felt it all, and it has worked! Trust me, I have TRIED to mess about everything up...showed up at the airport with Turner's infant passport and not mine (fun story for later), but by the grace of God and my superhero husband, I managed to make the flight...literally running. Then, as if that heart attack of a time were not enough, I left my camera on the first flight ( managed to get that too, again RUNNING to my second flight). Then...My carryon ( with ALL my clothes...so I wouldn't lose them) was gate checked...to Rawanda. They might come today...but God just keeps providing....no matter how I mess up. There is a big lesson for me in that. The team is awesome! The people here are beautiful! And I am excited to see what is in store today! Headed to love up some kiddos! Xoxo. Love you ALL!

The Senders...

Tonight, I am filled with gratitude as I think of all the amazing "senders" in my life...  YOU! 

Thank you -- from the bottom of my heart -- for all your encouragement, love, prayers and support.  I would not be going to serve if it weren't for each of you!  I am truly blessed!  And many others will be blessed through you.

Just a few of the fun things packed in my bags!!!  Thanks to many of you!!!

Do Not Worry...

In this Easter week leading up to my trip, I have had the privilege of spending precious time with my family in one of the most beautiful places on earth -- Yosemite National Park. 

God had a very important word for me here. A reminder as I go:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Our God, the creator of all the universe, cares about us!  All our doubts, our worries, our fears.  He cares.  And He is working in all of it! 

T-1 Week

In one week from today, I will get on a plane (or a series of planes) and fly for over 22 hours.  I will fly out of Orange County...to Minneapolis...to Amsterdam...to Entebbe.  I will leave the comfort of my life and my home and enter a completely different world and way of life.  I will find out what it really means to serve the "least of these" and to - undoubtedly - be served and changed by them.  After all, we all live in poverty, don't we?  Some financial, some spiritual...but ALL of us, in this broken world, are poor.  We all need redemption.  We all need hope.

Our time in Uganda has changed a little already.  Apparently, one of God's *many* lessons for me in this trip is "flexibility!"  I will be stretched in so many ways, but He has made it clear early on that it's time to let go and be flexible.   And to remember WHO is leading this trip.  Not our team lead. Not Visiting Orphans. Not me.  God is.

The ministry we had planned to work alongside in the prisons for the first two days was recently "kicked out" by the Ugandan government, so we will no longer be able to spend time with those children.  (The government is requiring them to seek NGO status before they are allowed back in).  That is a prayer request, because I cannot think of kids who need some light and hope more than they probably do.

Anyway, our new in-country itinerary is:
Saturday, April 14 - Depart

Sunday, April 15 - Arrive in Kampala, Uganda

Monday, April 16 - Work with Return Ministries http://www.returnministriesuganda.org/ to serve lunch to the kids, do Bible lessons, play games and do crafts

Tuesday, April 17 - Spend the day doing home visits to the children from Return Ministries (taking some bags of food and clothing, etc.).  Then, travel to Canaan Children's Home http://canaanchildrenshome.org/ in Jinja, Uganda.

Wednesday, April 18 - Serve with Pillars of Hope, ministry to street children, http://fromthestreets.org/godfrey.html

Thursday, April 19 - Spend time with Home Again Ministries www.redeemedafrica.com/ , ministering to the Karamjong tribe and then play with the Canaan children.

Friday, April 20 - Serve at Canaan

Saturday, April 21 - Serve with Katie Davis at Amazima http://amazima.org/

Sunday, April 22 - Worship with Pastor Isaac at Canaan, and then depart for Amsterdam.

A full week, no doubt!  Please pray for safe travels, health, energy (with an 11 hour time change!) and God's blessing over this time.  Please pray for open hearts, open minds and open agendas.

I wrote about my battle of Fear vs. Faith in the last post, and that battle continues as the trip gets closer.  Honestly, I think a big part of why I am so fearful because I feel really ill equipped to do this.  I feel completely out of my comfort zone, completely inept, completely lacking in words, gifts, wisdom... All this fills my mind.  And then I try to remember that THAT is exactly where God resides.  At the end of me.

In all of this, I truly love how God continues to gently remind me of His call and faithfulness.  Just last night, Sharon (my sweet friend who invited me on this trip), and I had the privilege of meeting two pastors from Uganda.  They shared their hearts for ministry in that country and ended the evening by praying over us and for our upcoming trip.  It was so moving to hear them pray for us as we travel to their homeland -- truly beautiful! 


And seriously, what are the chances that a couple from Uganda would "happen" to be in town the WEEK before we go there?  And that Sharon and I would "happen" to be invited to meet them?  And that they would bless us so much in the few minutes we had to spend with them?

God is so good!  Happy Easter, all!!!  He is risen!   He has conquered ALL fears, ALL poverty, ALL sickness, ALL of our darkness.  His is risen, indeed!