Finally in Africa

Okay, so it is really getting hard waking up at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning starving because it is lunch time in Uganda!! I am trying to force myself to go back to sleep and not get up, but this morning I gave in and got up at 5:30. Scott on the other hand got up at 4:30 and went back to sleep a couple of hours later. I haven't eaten anything yet, but there are muffins in the oven!! Below is my second journal entry from my trip. I hope you enjoy it. As I retyped it I remembered how much I was searching for the reason God even allowed me to go. It is exciting on this side of the trip to know he had a special purpose and plans for me and I will enjoy sharing them with you!!

June 27, 2010

I couldn't write over the last two days because we were traveling. We spent all day Thursday and Friday either on a plane or in an airport. We ended up having a three hour delay in Amsterdam which put us in Entebbe, Uganda at 11:00 p.m. instead of 8:00. We finally arrived at our hotel at 1:00 a.m. where they had dinner waiting for us. We crashed around 2:30 a.m. and got up at 7:00 for breakfast, devotional, and to load up in vans for the four hour trip to Mbale. However, that trip turned into 6 1/2 hours as we manuevered through Kampala traffic and road construction. It was nice to finally see Mt. Elgon Hotel. It was a weird feeling as it was familiar to me, yet felt unfamiliar at the same time. Almost like a dream I had revisited. The whole time on the airplane felt the same. I couldn't believe that I was actually on my way to Africa again. But, here I am and after a great nights rest under a mosquito net, we woke this morning for breakfast and devotional. Scott led us in the devotion and he began with Peter saying a verse and praying for us (Before leaving town, Scott had each of our children find a verse they wanted to share with the team and then recorded them reading it and saying a prayer. They each took turns in their room recording themselves so neither of us knew what they were saying. Scott then put it on a flash drive and we took it with us to Uganda. Four mornings we were blessed with hearing the voices of our children). It was so good to hear his sweet voice and encouragement as he prayed for us. (We are trying to convert the audio file so that we can share it with everyone. So check back later to hear Peter's verse and prayer!!)

From there we went to Pastor Morris's church (Morris and Aida Ogenga are the couple we work with when we are in Uganda) where I was able to speak to the women. It was a blessed time. I met a young girl by the name of Angus who works in town (Kampala), but attends the church. She came to know the Lord in 1995 at a crusade when she was four. She is now sixteen and her mother is a believer but her father is not. He has two wives and Angus has seven siblings. They are all older than she is except one. Please pray for the salvation of her father and the rest of her family.

Teaching the Women's Bible Study

Women attending Bible Study

Angus

I then met a lady by the name of Katherine. She works Monday through Friday 2 1/2 hours away from home. She lives there and comes home on the weekends. Her son stays with her husband during the week and goes to school. She said her husband is a believers but goes to a different church. She said she thinks he is finally okay with the fact that she doesn't go with him and attends Mbale PCU. I was able to share my own experience when Scott and I first go married in regards to choosing a church home. I shared with her that Scott and I both attended churches only two blocks from each other when growing up. Once we got married we would go one Sunday to his church and one Sunday to my church. We would leave each Sunday from the churches thinking that our church was the best. Finally, I decided that I would stop fighting with Scott about what church to attend and just pray about it. As I prayed for God to reveal to us the church that he wanted us to attend. Katherine interrupted at this point and said, "you went to his church?" I told her no, God had revealed to Scott that we should attend my home church. Katherine was some what shocked because she had automatically believed that God could not change her husbands heart to attend the church that she really felt most comfortable and was learning the most. It was a sweet time and still hard to think that my own experiences here in the states relates to people in Africa. Please continue to pray for Katherine as she is gone from her family so much during the week and for she and her husband to be able to fellowship together at the same church as God draws them closer together spiritually.

Katherine

After lunch we went by the hotel to change and then went to Lulwanda (The children's home where we sponsor Sarah Nasike). We were greeted by so many children and then we finally saw Sarah. She has gotten so big over the last three years. And despite seeing pictures over the years, to actually see her in person again was so amazing. she said she remembered us and thought we were coming back the next year. (For those who don't know, Scott and I went to Uganda in 2007 and saw Sarah for the first time then. She automatically believed we would be coming every year.) She had asked Mama Rose (another member on our team who has been able to go every year) if we were with her. Rose had to tell her that there was a problem and we couldn't come. It was sad to hear that she was so disappointed and I honestly didn't think that she would have remembered us. However, she did and showed us all the new things happening at their school. It was a fun and relaxing afternoon. Scott handing out jelly bellies and soy nuts and read Dr. Seuss books to Sarah and her friends.

Seeing Sarah

Kid's playing Basketball

Kids playing soccer

Kids playing cards on the steps

Animal Keeper at Lulwanda

Reading to Sarah

Eating Jelly Bellies

Local kids come to Lulwanda and get water from a pump. This is a huge outreach to the community around Lulwanda

Our Precious Sarah

I am ready for dinner, a shower, and another good nights sleep with Melatonin. I believe we will find out tonight where we will be headed tomorrow. I will also be leading our devotional in the morning. Lord, I am still wondering what my purpose on this trip is, but I thank you for providing me the grace I have needed to be here and to be in your will. I love you Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.