So Alive!

Many weekends here in Uganda fill up with work, either grading and planning for school, or running errands to prepare for the next week. Last week on Thursday afternoon I was able to go to town to run those errands, and we were mostly caught up with school work. It was so exciting when school was over on Friday, realizing that we had some free time ahead. 

On Fridays we end our school day a bit earlier than other days, so we decided to take our kids to the nearest pool for some fun family time. 

There was a group of kids from another children's home at the pool. Zeke and Ezra made some new friends and had a blast! Esther and Elijah were busy swimming laps. I sat with a woman who works for that organization, and she helped me work on my Luganda verb conjugations. I actually really enjoyed that time. David ran a quick errand for some supplies related to building our house. When he returned, he got in the pool with the kids and sent them flying. 

Once Zeke's lips were blue with cold and his hands were thoroughly wrinkled, we decided to head home. On the last Friday of each month we have a missionary team game night. This month the Gwartneys were hosting. We had a great time with many laughs with our team. 

After game night, Katie and Cody Fox came over and the four of us stayed up late talking, laughing and watching a video. We are so grateful for their friendship and partnership in ministry! 

Since the Foxes live off campus, they spent the night here rather than driving their motorcycle home late. (Driving at night is hard even in a car with rough roads and no street lights.) In the morning we had a big breakfast together before I went to my Luganda lessons. 

After my class, we decided to go up to the site where our house is being built and visit with our neighbors. Our neighbor, Esezza, was weaving a mat out of palm leaves. Esther and I sat and talked with her and watched her work. It was fascinating. I am hoping I can buy a mat from her to put in our new house. While we were learning Luganda and mat weaving, the boys went with Katende to go explore a bit. They enjoying walking among the small farms/large vegetable gardens, and walked down to a spring. Ezra described the area around the spring as "so alive." We  spent a little more time visiting with neighbors and spoke with a friend I have been getting to know for several months. We invited her to church and she agreed to come!

Just as the water from the spring made that area "so alive," we also saw on Sunday how Jesus can bring new life! This Sunday we had several new visitors at Light of the World church. After the time of praise and worship, the pastor asked the visitors to stand and introduce themselves. One man introduced himself and said he had come because he wanted to be saved. He had heard that God can bring new life when you are dead in sin. He wanted God to come and change his life! So Jonathan walked outside with him as the service continued and our new brother prayed to be forgiven and made right with God through Jesus. 

Jonathan preached from 1 Corinthians 13 about love. He also talked about 1 John and how we can love because of the love we have received from Jesus. After he finished the sermon, Big David, our other Ugandan pastor, said that if anyone wanted to talk about receiving the love of Jesus, they could come talk to one of them after the service. My friend who was visiting stood up and walked forward right then. She also prayed with Jonathan today! 

I am so thankful for the work God has been doing here in Buundo! He is bringing people into his kingdom! He has given new life to my friend and this other man! I am so thankful to be able to see how God is at work making Buundo "so alive." Mukama yebazbwe! (Praise The Lord!)

 

Ezra's new friend

One of the challenges for our children moving to Africa, is that they stand out like a sore thumb. During our first week here, we were all at the gate to Good Shepherd's Fold along with the 90 kids living here, the house moms, and the 450 or so school kids from the local villages. Ezra's white-blonde hair was so unusual to them all, that many children gathered around him to observe/touch him. At one point when they were all gathering around laughing, he began to try to defend himself.

It has taken Ezra a bit longer than my other kids to feel comfortable with the kids here. Many children his age don't speak much English, since that is something learned mostly in school. Ezra has become close friends with one other missionary kid, but his buddy just left on furlough for a few months. Ezra was particularly sad about that friend going away for some time. I have been praying that God would provide opportunities for Ezra to develop some friendships with Ugandan kids here too.

One afternoon last week, we were up looking at our new house and I saw some of my neighbors. As I greeted the woman, I invited her son to come play with Ezra. He was busy building things with the various building material around the work site. I suggested that the boys could build together. Ezra does not speak much Luganda and Katende does not speak any English, but they found a way to work together building with bricks and sand.

Yesterday, Ezra and I walked to Katende's house for a "play date" of sorts. Ezra brought a bag of Legos and showed Katende how to play with them. Ezra even learned to say a few things in the Luganda language. Another man was also there in the hut, visiting Katende's grandfather. The two mzees (a term of respect for old men) were watching the boys play and build things with the Legos, and they were absolutely fascinated. They couldn't imagine that these boys could build houses, cars, airplanes, bridges and various other things with these little plastic blocks. It was fun to watch their amazement. Katende's mom also enjoyed watching them and helped with some building.

While we were there I spoke some with Esezza, Katende's mom. She doesn't speak any English, but we are beginning a friendship. She tries to understand my broken Luganda, and we communicate as best as we are able. She has attended church with us 3 weeks now. This Sunday the sermon was from a visiting pastor about the Word of God. At the end of the service, one of our pastors reminded the congregation that they had Bibles available. Esezza, expressed that she would like one. It made me so happy to walk home from church with her as she and her son carried her new Bible.

I am so grateful that God has provided a boy who lives right next door to our new house as a new friend for Ezra. I am also hopeful that God will use our friendships with our neighbors to build His kingdom in this part of Uganda. Please continue to pray with us for God's work in the hearts and lives of the people of Buundo village.

A great first quarter

We have now completed our first quarter of this school year along with parent teacher conferences. I know that seems odd, to be done with a fourth of the school year in September, but we did begin in early July. As you may recall, we need to complete a whole school year for our students before returning to the US for 3 month furlough in late April 2015. As a math teacher this first quarter has been a very encouraging and rewarding time. It is so good to see my students remembering the things they have learned in the previous year and applying those concepts in this year's class. It is so fun and rewarding to also see our students growing and maturing. Since we only have 14 students, we get the privilege of knowing them very well. In the above photo the missionary kids are meeting in small groups for a time of encouraging one another in Scripture and prayer at the beginning of the school day.

 Another one of the great privileges we have is teaching our own children. Since Zeke started school this year along with his buddy, Bobby, we now get to teach all of our children. The photo is of David and Zeke reading from the Jesus Storybook Bible during our morning devotions at the beginning of our school day. It has been great to see how much Bobby and Zeke are learning as they join a classroom with students up through 12th grade. These boys are soaking up so much and can even recite fairly large portions of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Zeke likes to "read" to us all the books he hears Ezra read.

Thank you for all your prayers for us as we enjoy the privilege of being a part of God's work here at Good Shepherd's Fold and in Buundo village. We are glad to be able to support the missionaries in their work, by doing something we love, teaching and learning with their kids.

Sunday Celebration!

On Sunday, Light of the World church in Buundo village celebrated! We celebrated how God began this church through a small Bible study in the village. We celebrated how God provided a place to worship. We celebrated how God provided this land when our church was sent out of the first location. We celebrated God's faithfulness when the first pastor left. We celebrated God's provision of Jonathan, a young man from Buundo village with some seminary training and a passion for the church, to serve as a pastor for us. We celebrated God's provision of metal sheets for a roof after the original tarp broke down. And finally, we celebrated God's provision of the money to pay off the land for the church to be debt free. 

It was so encouraging to be reminded that in the midst of several situations that seemed bad, God provided and cared for his people. Many times I focus on the difficult circumstances and fail to remember the God who is in control of all things. This celebration was a good reminder. God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good! 

Above: David and Jonathan enjoying the celebration with juice and chipati. Below: Elijah led the congregation in singing "Light of the World - Here I Am to Worship"

Sunday Celebration!

On Sunday, Light of the World church in Buundo village celebrated! We celebrated how God began this church through a small Bible study in the village. We celebrated how God provided a place to worship. We celebrated how God provided this land when our church was sent out of the first location. We celebrated God's faithfulness when the first pastor left. We celebrated God's provision of Jonathan, a young man from Buundo village with some seminary training and a passion for the church, to serve as a pastor for us. We celebrated God's provision of metal sheets for a roof after the original tarp broke down. And finally, we celebrated God's provision of the money to pay off the land for the church to be debt free. 

It was so encouraging to be reminded that in the midst of several situations that seemed bad, God provided and cared for his people. Many times I focus on the difficult circumstances and fail to remember the God who is in control of all things. This celebration was a good reminder. God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good! 

Above: David and Jonathan enjoying the celebration with juice and chipati. Below: Elijah led the congregation in singing "Light of the World - Here I Am to Worship"

Saturday soccer and opportunities

Back in the US, Saturday mornings often included some recreational soccer matches. Our children miss playing organized sports, but they have enjoyed having kids around all the time to play soccer or basketball in the afternoons or on weekends. Recently an actual soccer match was scheduled here at GSF.

There is another organization in Jinja that works with street kids. They have put together a soccer team and challenged us to a match. I believe this may be an anual event, but since we lived in Jinja for several months, we missed out on it last year. The kids here at Good Shepherd's Fold had been practicing for a week or so in preparation for this match. But when the other team arrived, it was clear that they have been playing together for quite some time. Their team played really well together! Our kids gave a good effort, but were not quite as experienced as the team from Jinja. Here is a photo another missionary took from the match.

Our kids didn't play much because most of the kids on the other team were much older and bigger. Our kids were a bit disappointed, but we have been discussing if there might be other ways to provide opportunities for some more organized soccer matches. We certainly have enough kids around who love to play. David and I both enjoy coaching, and there are other missionaries on campus who also have soccer experience. We also recently received several volleyballs in the mail, and I am excited about the opportunity to do some more volleyball coaching with the missionary kids, the GSF kids and the students at the Ugandan school. 

There are so many different opportunities to minister here. Just through sports alone we could fill every spare moment building relationships with kids and helping them develop skills. With so many kids, and so many needs, it is often hard for me to know how to best invest my time. Our primary calling here is teaching the missionary kids. We are really enjoying that opportunity to use our gifts and experience to help the families here in that way. But each day other opportunities arise. Opportunities to hug toddlers and talk with them about the love of Jesus. Opportunities to pray with teenagers over relationship struggles. Opportunities to learn Luganda so that I can better communicate with friends in the village. Opportunities to talk with the fatherless about the perfect love of their heavenly father. Opportunities to provide for the education of children who cannot afford school fees. Opportunities to help my own children grow in compassion as the see the needs of those around them. Opportunities to invite neighbors in the village to come to church. The opportunities abound. 

Each day I wonder what new opportunities God will bring our way. I am praying for wisdom to know what things he is calling us to do, and what things are just my own ideas. It is easy to get overwhelmed if I think it is up to me to meet all of the needs of those around me. Thankfully it is not. God is in control. I am slowly learning to trust Him to guide my steps, trusting that He has the big picture in mind. It is easy for me to begin thinking that every opportunity is a calling. It is also easy to get so busy with life that I fail to see the opportunities God brings. It is my prayer that God will open my eyes to see what he has called me to do each day. These verses from Ephesians 5 have been an encouragement to me. 

2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 

I can only walk in love and make the most of the opportunities before me as I remember the amazing love God has shown me in Jesus. He gave himself up for me and you. His love makes it a joy to share that love with those around. I pray that you also will know, rejoice, and rest in His love as you seek to make the most of the opportunities He has given you today.

A day of blessing

Today I am so thankful for many things! Although missionary life in Africa can be challenging at times, today I am realizing my many blessings and the ways God has provided for me. 

Now that Cody Fox has begun teaching Language Arts, my schedule in the afternoons has been so much more flexible. Sometimes that time is used for the paperwork of missionary life. Sometimes it is used for a trip into Jinja to go to a supermarket. Sometimes it is for spending some extra time reading with Ezra or listening to Zeke's stories. Sometimes the afternoon is available to go for a walk to greet people in Buundo. Today I took the afternoon to run necessary errands and to see the dentist who is overseeing my follow-up care for my tongue. 

I am so thankful that God brought our family in contact with an American  missionary dentist who is working in Jinja. It is just another little way I can see God's loving care for us here. I still struggle with some anxiety about my tongue, but it is not nearly as bad as it has been in the past. In recent days the concern has resurfaced as it has been a while since my last check up. Recently my tongue has not been very painful, for which I am thankful, but I still wanted to have a thorough follow-up. The report was that everything looks good and there is no sign of abnormal tissue. I am so excited and thankful! 

Since I left for town in the early afternoon, David suggested that I take some time on my own enjoy a quiet lunch and some relaxing time in Jinja in between my errands. I came to one of my favorite places for peace and quiet. It is a beautiful restaurant called "The Gately on the Nile." It is not actually on the Nile, but across the street from the part of Lake Victoria that leads to the Nile. Today I enjoyed a quiet lunch under a thatched roof in the middle of a garden. Here is my view.

While circumstances seem pleasant today, I am praying that God will also give me peace, joy and faith in the midst of those days that are much more challenging. I am praying for and grieving with some of my friends on the other side of the ocean who have recently lost loved ones, have loved ones who are very ill, or are struggling with their own illness. I am praying that God will teach us all to run to him in the midst of blessings and grief. He is loving and faithful and can bring good even in our darkest hours. 

Speaking of our darkest hours....a storm is brewing and I need to get these errands done and return home....