Week 12 in Pictures!

Some boys at the Remand Home, a juvenile jail 
in Uganda, picture ready :)

Some girls at the Remand Home. There are only a
 hand full, but they are there in the prison, too!

Big crowd, big crowd!

The girls with our handmade headbands at Ja-Jas Orphanage.

Some of the children at Ja-Ja's Orphanage. 
Ja Ja means Grandmother in Luganda. 

Children of all ages at Ja-Ja's. 
It was such a special place!

Sponsorship meeting: Leading praise and worship

Yesu Niwangu- Jesus is Mine! 

Touch me, Oh my Jesus, Touch me!

Our neighbors: Jeremiah, Rhianna and Valerie. 

The Joy of the Lord

Each day the Lord is breaking my heart. I think it’s something we all pray for, but the things we feel, or maybe it’s just me, are unexpected. Daily God has been breaking me down: emotionally, physically, spiritually through the things that I see, the things I experience, the things I don’t understand, the things that just don’t make sense. Even as I speak my heart is breaking and my eyes well up with tears. At the beginning of my trip one of the MSTs here (Mission Support Team) did a devotion on Nehemiah 8:10.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

We talked about the things we go through here, but it was mostly talked about in the sense of things that we struggle with. Because God called us here to this place, we know he has a purpose for it and in that we find joy to get through the things we love and the things we don’t like at all… like the wells, for example. That is a project that was so incredibly hard for me and I didn’t like it at all, but I did it because God called to here and it was a part of what we were doing. I didn’t think I would really need this scripture towards the end of my trip.

The other day at the babies home my heart was breaking as I looked around the room to babies all alone in the room, with dirty smelly diapers, who just wanted to be held, but couldn’t be. These children are God’s creation, the apples of his eye, He loves them and so I found joy enough to endure the dirty diapers and the vomit and the hair pulling and the endless and endless crying… if I didn’t hold them, love them, kiss them, pray for them with everything God has given me, who would? At that moment it was me and 1 other teacher and more babies than we could handle. Each baby I picked up I held close, I kissed on the forehead, I tickled, I hugged, I laughed with, I loved on, and I prayed for. I kept remembering the scripture in Jeremiah 29 that says God has great plans for you. God has great plans in store for these babies and he loves them very much. I couldn’t help but cry because on one hand I was sad because of their situation, but God, their Father, is the ultimate provider and has a great, beautiful plan for each and every one of them, for orphans all over the world, for widows, and for his children. The joy of the Lord was my physical, emotional and spiritual strength that day and I began to understand how that passage of scripture can apply to my life.

At the well last week and this week I kept reciting the joy of the Lord is my strength. It is hot, we were hungry, tired, and waiting for a plan. The water and mud smelled bad. This well hadn’t be cleaned in so long. But we come to this area, Victory, every week and it never occurred to me the work that this well needed. Again, through the smells, through the pain, through the heat, the joy of the Lord is my strength. The well was harder than we expected, but each time we went back I had to remind myself that the joy of the Lord will be my physical strength. Pushing through it all, the pain, the tears, the smells, the feelings of inadequacy, the joy of the Lord was my strength!

Last week some things happened to me personally that really brought me down. I’ve just been struggling here to find joy. Things have happened that have discouraged me and made me really question my purpose here. I struggled thinking how Christians can build each other up one minute and then tear each other down the next. We do it all the time. I think because I am on a mission trip, working with a Christian organization, in fellowship constantly,  I assumed this kind of discouragement wouldn't hinder my experience. That definitely isn’t the case and I’ve been learning day by day how to really understand the joy of the Lord and use that as my strength. James 1:2 & 3 is definitely one of my favorite verses. It says, “ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops your perseverance. Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Surely God can teach me a lesson and give me joy during these confusing times. 

I took some time to really bask in the amazing things God has done, is doing, and the plans he has for me, the people in my life, the blessings I have daily, the every day reminders of his blessings and promises… the many reasons I have to be joyful! After I started thinking about some of my favorite things in the world: beaches, mountains in the fall, trees, flowers, shooting stars, smiling children, it really brought my spirits up! When I thought about God's calling and provisions for my trip here I had joy. When I thought about scripture that says doing God's will won't be easy it gave me joy.

If you ever catch yourself having one of those days where you just can’t see yourself making it through, start to really think about the blessings in your life. Some may come to your attention that you never considered a blessing before! The things I’m struggling with here are just preparing me for struggles I’ll face back home or anywhere God calls me, and I’m thankful that He gave me the strength to endure each moment.  I'm so glad to be able to live and apply scripture and I'm so glad that the Lord gives me plenty of reasons to be filled with joy!

Love in black and white.

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."  1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." Psalm 52:8

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Romans 8:35-39

"Jesus replied,  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22: 37-39

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6: 27-28

" For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17

"...He is good; his love endures forever." 2 Chronicles 5: 13

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."
 1 John 3:16-20

Banda Slums: Kampala, Uganda

Since I’ve been in Uganda I’ve wanted to visit the slums. You hear about slums all the time in reference to third-world countries. I’ve heard the stories of people who have visited them and knew of their existence here in Uganda. Because schools are on holiday we don’t have many programs planned throughout the week.  Yesterday we filled our morning by visiting the Banda slums.

I was nervous about going, mostly because I didn’t know what to expect; however, my prayer was that God would open my eyes to his people, to his children! Little did I realize that we drive by the slums every week… they are right there, in plain sight. What’s ironic is they are right down the road, and right outside of the gate, of the King’s palace or home.

Getting out of the car you are hit with all kinds of sights and smells. There were children half naked, playing in the mud, children in ratty clothing, women working away in the fields below, fires burning trash, and a smell that can only be described as an outdoor bathroom for people and animals. I know that sounds graphic, and thinking of that smell probably grosses you out, but this is reality. After a while, though, you just forget about it. 

We quickly split into groups to start our evangelism. David, a volunteer with Empower-A-Child, took me, Amy, and Hayley to visit with a lady who he grew up with in school. She introduced us to 3 of her 4 children and we had the opportunity to try to get to know them better. What I find interesting about the people in Uganda is how serious they always approach conversations with Mzungos. Her second oldest son, Davis, was a beautiful boy. He would speak to the ground when talking to us and we had to ask him after each response to speak louder. It honestly felt hopeless getting anything out of him… but then my natural instincts kicked in and I reached out my arm and tickled him. Seeing his smile gave me hope that he’d be a joyful child .His brother Trevor was the same way when we talked to him, but the longer we spent at the slum the more Trevor spoke, smiled, laughed, and just opened up. At one point he was climbing all over Amy’s back.

Trevor, one of the boys we visited. So beautiful!

Davis, the second oldest boy to the family we visited with! 

We helped out around the slum digging up clay for a house and helping make clay pots. The clay pot process was incredible to me. The people took time out of their busy schedules to teach us how to shape, mold, shave, soften and perfect these little clay pots they sell as their source of income. They were so welcoming to teach us what to do that I feel it’s not something I should take for granted. I’m pretty excited that we have personal ministry days because I’d love to go back and make some more… now that I’m an expert.

After this long, excruciating process of molding these stove pots they sell them for 1000 shillings- that’s less than 50 cents! Can you imagine? A clay pot took about 20 minutes for me to put together, but I only did a part of it. They make the clay, mold the bottoms, add the tops, shape the whole thing, and watch them while they dry. Who knows how long the actual process is, but they make 1,000 shillings.  I can’t imagine…

Every day in the US I found a reason to complain about the money I made at my 2 jobs. Some people don’t have an education good enough to get them a good, safe job.. like driving a Boda Boda or making clay pots, but their generosity, their joy, their freedom from the world is incomprehensible. I think our whole team has really been challenged by finding joy in the simplicity of life. Jillian spoke in her devotion with us tonight about using the things God has blessed us with to impact the nations for God’s glory and not for our own glory, so I want to leave you with that challenge! Think about your life, praise God for the things you’ve been blessed with, and examine where you can make a change to the way you spend your time, money, energy that will truly glorify the Kingdom of God! As always thanks for reading.

Enjoy more pictures of our experience in the slums! Love love!

Taking a smile break! :)

We are the entertainment for the children. They just watch us and laugh! 

The pots drying in the sunshine.

Helping make pots!

It's such an intimidating process! 

Helping me shape and cut.

Making a line to put the pots out to dry. 

No day is complete without my stank face. 

Me and Canada (or Harmen) after a hard day at the slums! 

Slum bunny.

No day is complete without a dirty feet picture!

cry baby

a sweet onlooker!

Plastics make it possible!

No visit to the slums would be complete without
our car getting stuck in the muddy potholes. 

Oh, Anxiety...

Occasionally I suffer from anxiety. I'm thankful it's not my constant state of mind or living. I know some people who live in anxiousness of almost everything. My anxiety usually sneaks up on me I have a hard time dealing with it. I don't know what to do, who to talk to, what to even pray for... it is a huge struggle for me to even admit! My anxiety is just coming from realizing that I have 5 weeks left in Uganda. I think a normal person on a mission trip wouldn't really even think about going home 5 weeks before they go. We say goodbye to people constantly here and it's just been on my mind a lot: what will happen when I go, who will I see when I get home, what my goodbye will look like, how I'll handle leaving, etc, etc. On top of that I am just dealing with a few personal struggles and it's just given me an anxious, unsteady heart. My hearts cry is to be filled with Christ's love, for my days, moments, minutes, breath, life, everything I do here to glorify him and I've just struggled so much. I beat myself up more than anyone I know and have been beating myself up all week. This morning I prayed for God to be in everything I do because none of this is for me. Soon after that prayer I read this and wanted to share:

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

When I read that I began to think about how quickly the devil jumps into our thoughts and lives to take the glory away from God. I don't give him enough credit. My mom used to say the devil works overtime on Sundays because that's a day when we spend our mornings glorifying God. I feel the same statement can be made about my day to days here. Working for a ministry the last thing Satan wants is for me to live in the freedom of Christ. He wants me to hold tight to my worries, stresses, struggles, pride, anything that will keep my from experiencing and glorifying Christ! But this scripture gives me hope. It says to be self-controlled and alert and after a little while Christ himself with restore me! That is my prayer and I wanted to share that prayer with all of you. 

Please pray that I would stand firm in the reason that I am here. That I would cast my anxieties to him, clear my mind and live in the freedom of Christ! That I wouldn't be overwhelmed by the idea of going home, the things I'll experience when I'm there, the worries that will face me once I get there, and that my time will be focused daily on each opportunity Christ gives me to spread his love to the people and children here and for the ministry he is preparing for me back home! Love you all!

Zirobwe: Children's Love!

I’m not going to say I’ll miss village life, because I honestly won’t; but, I will miss the people in the village so much. I’m not sure when we will go back to the village, but before we left Kampala we were told this would be our last trip for a while. Now, usually when we drive into the village the kids run out of their homes and greet us with “BYE MZUNGOS”. This week was a tad bit different because they were on holiday, basically summer vacation. The amount of children was probably cut in half because they go into town for things, but mostly because they are working the fields with their parents.

Our first day to camp we didn’t do much. While the group went slashing, Amy and I were designated water fillers. The well that’s closest to our campsite has been dried up since before our last trip- so probably over a month. We hopped on the car (riding up top, of course) and made our way to the other well to fill up our jerry cans and our neighbors’ cans! Filling up jerry cans is always a tough process, especially in the middle of the day.  There were so many children at the well. We didn’t recognize many of the children. They weren’t our usual crowd… I think because they live deeper into the village and just aren’t close enough to know about our programs all the way on the other side. As Amy and I waited for our turn to fill our cans we couldn’t help but notice the children’s muscles. They put me to shame. Their strength, at such a young age, amazes me!

Slashers out and ready!

The children at the well!

This boy put me and Amy to shame... look at those baby muscles!

I filled 3 this time around!!

Some huts we passed on our way.

This week I was able to pump for 3 jerry cans in a row. That’s a pretty big deal to me because my first week, if you remember the pain I felt, I could only pump half a jerry can without getting spaghetti arms. Last week at a project I even carried the jerry can from the well to the “kitchen” for porridge. It’s exciting to tell a difference in my personal strength. Something I thought was impossible is now completely possible and staring at these strong children sure gives you motivation!

Wednesday was our first full day at the well. It was a bigger well, but didn’t need to go as deep as the other wells. That was such an answered prayer because our team was very small compared to what we’re used to having. A few minutes in Hannah informs our group that she just saw a black snake. Slithering in the water. Naturally we all freeze trying to figure out how to handle this situation. The boys decide to keep digging, keeping their eyes peeled for the snake, and they will handle it when they find it. About 15 minutes later across the well the snake practically stares Bryan in the face. He slams his hoe down about 20 times to try an kill it, but the snake disappears again into the thick mud. The men decide to be strategic about removing the snake and all gather around, digging and searching the mud to find where the snake has gone. It was a funny and scary process. Eventually, we find the snake and it ‘s soon cut into a lots of little snake pieces! With no more pesky snakes sneaking around we carry on with our well! We finished up around noon and head back to camp!

Going to work in the fields. 

A part of the snake

Sequins at the well... anything to make it fun!

Wednesday night we held a Crusade like we did before. It was a little more impromptu because we didn’t get to tell the people we were coming and doing a program. While we set everything up we lead a children’s program. I lead Praise and Worship, which was really difficult because we didn’t have a translator. Thank goodness my number 1 singer, Immacu, was there to sing loud and proud with me! She’s fabulous! After the adult program started a man approached me and introduced himself to me: His name was Sunday and he was Barbara’s father! Every time I come to the village he’s out working the fields and until this day I’ve never met him! He spoke to me about how Barbara was out of town but he was sending her for me because he knew she’d want to see me! He thanked me for sponsoring his daughter and told me that it meant a lot that I wanted to help them. It was awesome. I couldn’t help but think about what I would do if I really needed help providing my family… would it be easy for me to talk about the fact that I needed help? It really challenged me! This moment was definitely one of my highlights, though, because I definitely wanted to meet him! Devotions ended in rain and we went to bed early that night. It's the rainy season now, so the rain is very welcome! It also gets "African chilly" when it rains. I say "African chilly" because in the US I wouldn't think twice about the 60s being that chilly, but for some reason, when you're in Africa it feels so much colder! 

David (me) and Goliath (Harmen): kids program!

Me and my village BFFs! 

When we woke up in the morning it was still raining and most of our tents leaked from the intense rain. Being in the cold, wet weather definitely made me sick and I spent my whole day around camp. Around lunchtime I hear what I’ve been longing to hear for 3 weeks… Sweet little voices say “Hillally” and I jump up to give big hugs to my sweet girls!  Barbara’s dad was serious about getting her back to the village to see me! It was such a sweet treat for a day that felt so icky! I gave her some gifts and sent her home immediately to make sure nothing happened to them! A little later I went to draw water, again, and I hear that sweet voice again. I look up, we’re miles away from the campsite, and Barbara is standing there in the bright blue dress I had just given her! She came to tell me she had to go and we exchanged a very long hug. I couldn’t tell her when I’d see her next because I just don’t know when it’ll be!

I still can’t even begin to describe how these children melt my heart. I’ve been so blessed to have such indescribable love for children. I honestly never thought I’d see the day. I always knew I liked children, that I wanted to be a mom (mostly by default), but I never really loved children… until Africa. Coming to EAC last summer ignited a fire that has only increased day by day! As the week wrapped up I really began to think about my love for these children and how it really is just a tiny glimpse of how much God loves me! My heart just wants to explode with love. I know God loves me far more than I can possibly love anyone! It’s amazing to have that feeling in your heart and know, without a doubt, that the love you have for that person is a gift from God. It’s because of him, his love for me, his sacrifice of sending his son to die on a cross for my sins, that I can love these children the way that I do. This week God’s love for me was really put into perspective and it was beautiful!

Friday we did a normal program with the kids at the school, but instead of just games we did face painting! They loved it! One of the things that we all really enjoy about the children in Zirobwe is the joy they have in the simplicity of life! Give a child a sticker and they treat it like the best gift in the world. Paint their faces and they walk around so proud of what they have, even if it washes off! At one point I had 20 children following me around, running, skipping, chasing after me to get a tiny little sticker! It was hilarious and I felt like the Pied Piper.

Friday morning program.

Painting  Sarah Gertrude's face!

My awesome caterpillar attack marks (on my right shoulder). 

I also get blown away at how the children always have on their best outfits for us. They think so highly of us that they wear the little dresses and new shirts we’ve given them over the course of the last month! These little children have no idea how they change our lives and our hearts!

After our program we set out in groups to hand out gifts to the neediest families in the village. One of our MSTs raised extra money and went shopping before we went to buy gifts! We had school notebooks, pencils, pens, soap, sugar, salt, a little drawstring bag, and a hoe for each family. It wasn’t a lot, but they work so hard for the little bit they have it was the least we can do. My group visited 4 families and each family was blown away by the gift. One family pulled out the bible they received from us during our last visit and insisted on reading scripture for us. They told us that they can really see God at work in us and EAC through our actions because it exudes love and that love comes from Christ! It was so encouraging to hear that from him. As he and his wife spoke I couldn’t help but remember my visit to their hut last summer.

During my trip last summer we went to the village for a day trip of evangelism. This particular hut was the first one I visited with Benon, Craig, and Ivan. As we visited with the Ja Ja (grandmother) and the baby Solomon she told us that the parents left to Kampala and she was left alone, in her old age, to care for this infant. We prayed with her to accept Christ and also prayed for the parents to come back. I sat in their hut, amazed, at God’s glory, power and sovereignty.  A year later the parents were back, caring for the Ja Ja, Solomon, and a new baby! It was such a blessing for me to experience that and know I prayed for them last year before I even knew them!

Gifts we gave to each family

Leaving this trip was hard. Usually we pack up and go before the children have time to really do anything about it. Not this week. As we loaded into the car so many children were crying and saying how they wanted to come with us. We’d never experienced that before. It was amazing to be reminded of how quickly children love and how they love well! I couldn’t help but be thankful for another 5 weeks here in Uganda because I know I’ll be back at least 1 more time. Only time will tell how that trip will go for me! I can't wait to load the video I got as we were driving out of the village. I knew it would happen, so I was prepared, but as we drove by Barbara, Immacu, and Kate's house I pulled my camera out and recorded her sweet voice screaming bye to me above all the other shouting children. I wish there were words to describe all these moments in their glory. This blog does them no justice. My heart will forever be changed by their love! 

Kate and Immacu. They melt my heart!