{Water}

I have known for a long time that there are many people in the world that do not have these common luxuries that I do.  To know that people walk long distances for water is one thing.  To drive past people every day walking for water is another.  To actually walk and get water is completely different.

Ebenezer home has a very shallow well with water that they use for washing clothes.  They also have a tap…think like the water in your back yard that you hook a hose up to.  This is “city” water.  They pay for it and somehow it runs on electricity…I guess…if the power is out they cannot get water from this tap.  The power has been out for at least 5 days.  Which means Ebenezer has only had easy access to the water in the shallow well for the last 5 days.  Today we were getting ready to leave Ebenezer and come back to our guest house when I caught word that some of the Aunties and older children were walking to the well to get water so the children could take a bath.  I walked over to Rob and said, “We have a van.  Why don’t we just put the cans in the van and drive down and get the water and bring and back.”  He had already suggested this to George and George’s reply was, “this is what we do.”  His response only meant one thing…I was walking with the Aunties and children to get water.  I grabbed two cans and started my first ever walk for water. 

 

Before I go any further let me say, I am not going to be able to give you every detail or articulate what this journey was truly like. I also did not take any pictures.  I wanted to experience getting the water, not be busy taking pictures, which makes the story telling harder.  Here is my best shot....

The walk there was not that bad.  I am guessing close to a mile, which really isn’t that far.  There was a storm in the distance so it was windy and cloudy.  We got to the well and there was a long line to get the water.  Somehow, we ended up going behind where the well was to these troughs that were filled up with water through a pipe in the ground.  After the cans were filled Sylvia paired the children up to walk back with one can…they would take turns carrying it.  Amber and I grabbed our two cans, weighing close to 20 pounds each, and started back.  We weren’t 50 yards into the walk when we had to stop and take a break.  We continued walking and stopping about every 50 yards until we got about halfway back to Ebenezer.  At that point Rob and the kids pulled up in our van because it was getting late and we needed to leave.  By now we had been gone to get water for an hour and a half.  So her and I, reluctantly, got in the van with our 4 cans and drove them back to Ebenezer.  While the rest of the Aunties and the children walked the rest of the way.  Did you read that!?  I got in a van with my water cans and was driven back to where they needed to be while the other children walked.  I can’t get over that.  I had the option to get in a car with my water.

Let me make a few things clear…

This is abnormal for Ebenezer to have to go and fetch water.  However, if these children did not live here…this would be their everyday life.

One can of water was enough for two baths.  Two baths!  So if I were a Ugandan woman (which let me just tell you…I am not even close!) I would spend anywhere from 2-3 hours a day walking to get water…but only enough for two baths!  So if I wanted to cook or drink it I would have to go multiple times.  Blows my mind.

I knew before we left for this trip I was going to learn a lot….I never expected to learn firsthand like I did today.

Some Days Are Just Fun

Some days are really heavy...like the last post. 

But some days are just plain fun!  Today was one of those days. 

It started off with market shopping which is one of my favorite things to do.  The first time I ever did it, I was terrified and didn't want to get out of the car...now I love it!

Once we got to Ebenezer it was a day of playing.  First for me...We walked to the "restaurant" down the road from Ebenezer for chapati.  Then Amber and I took the kids on a Boda Boda ride (this is a motorcycle taxi).  We went out to the main road, hailed a boda...which really meant we had to tell a bicyclist to ride into town and send 2 Bodas back for us, then took the kids into town to get a soda and brought them back to Ebenezer.  Her and I then continued the ride through the African bush...so fun!  I got to see part of the community surrounding Ebenezer that I had never seen.  It was truly
gorgeous.

We spent the afternoon playing with the children at Ebenezer.  We read books, colored, jumped rope, played soccer, sang songs...just laughed and had fun. 

Today gave me hope.  I really saw how far Ebenezer has come since Rob first visited 2 years ago and I first visited a year and a half ago.  While there are still needs there is a lot of good happening.  Today I was coloring with a little girl that I saw laying under a hut very, very sick.  Now she is healthy and smiling.  I watched the kids eat eggs with porridge and some cabbage with their lunch...thanks to the nutrition fund I posted about a few days ago.  I heard children laughing that 2 years ago did nothing but cry.  I saw children going to school that were not in school a few months ago.  This community and these children have a chance at a future.  They too have hope.

Sometimes It Hits Me...Hard

We show up at Ebenezer around 9:00 am every day.  The work there has been well underway.  I immediately get out of the car and walk to the “kitchen” to tell my new friends, the school cooks, good morning.  Then I walk myself to a chair under the shade tree and watch what is happening around me.  I see preschool children in their classes learning and singing. I see a 3 year old boy skipping class so he can come say hello to the Mzungu children.  I see a 15 year old down syndrome boy smiling from ear to ear and walking my way.  All while I continue to watch my new friends cook over an open fire for about 100 students.   What are they making?  Porridge.  Around 10:00 each morning the children get porridge.  As I watched them cook it, I thought, “I am going to help them serve it today.”  I have done this before.  Every time I have been here.  For every meal I have been here.  I have always loved bringing the children their cup of porridge or bowl of rice and beans.  But today I wanted to help serve it…not just walk it to the children.  I asked Christine If I could help and with her beautiful smile and thick Ugandan accent she said, “yes.”  So I stood next to her and scooped a cup of porridge into another cup and handed it to a child.  About 5 minutes into it she looked at me and said, “These children get half.”  Half?  She meant half a cup.  So I started filling the cups halfway.  I am looking into a bucket of porridge and then up at a sweet face and thinking, “I am giving you half a cup of flour and water.”  Half a cup.  Of flour and water.  I swallowed back tears, hugged my sweet Evelyn and prayed for those children.  I filled every cup until each child had their porridge.  I then turned around to see another cook mixing flour and water over the fire…lunch.  Lunch is not porridge though.  It is Posho…a different kind of flour than porridge and thicker. 

 

 

I started to walk towards Rob and the kids and Broderick stopped me and said, “Mom, can I have a snack?  I am hungry.” I leaned down to his ear and I said, “Bud, you are not hungry.  When I feed you flour and water for breakfast and lunch everyday of your life we can talk about you being hungry.  You just want a snack.”  He had no clue what he had really just said and he certainly had no clue that it was taking every ounce of my being to not be sobbing.  I walked to Rob and explained to him the emotion going on in me.  He asked why it hit me today when I have seen the children eat this many, many times.  I didn’t and still don’t really have an answer.  I just can’t get out of my head that these children eat flour and water 2-3 times a day every single day.  Don’t get me wrong…they are eating…2-3 times a day.  And it is better than most of the children living in the village.  If those kids weren’t coming to school or living at Ebenezer they probably wouldn’t be getting anything…honestly.  I just look into their sweet, sweet eyes and think, “You deserve more.  You deserve more.”

 

From the very first time I have come here God has tugged at my heart regarding what these children eat.   So much so that after my first trip, I talked to Diana from Equip 1 about a “Supplemental Nutrition Plan” for the children living at Ebenezer.  All this means is we would send extra money each month to supplement some food…fruits, vegetables, chicken, eggs.  Healthy, good stuff.  For about a year now each month Equip 1 sends money for this.  I was talking to Sylvia today about what they are eating and she shared with me that they usually get fruit and/or vegetables a few times a week and an egg a day.  I was happy to hear that because that is better than what it was a year ago.  My prayer is that by next year they will be eating fruit or vegetables with each meal and meat at least a few times a week if not every day.  If you are interested in partnering with us and Equip 1 to feed these children please visit Equip 1 Ministries, click on the donate online button, and select Ebenezer Supplemental Nutrition fund.

Here We Go Again

After 24 hours of air travel, a night in a hotel with almost zero sleep, and a full day of road travel we made it to Mbale.  That trip is long and hard...but the second I see those beautiful brown faces and squeeze those precious hands it is all worth it. 

We spent Sunday, our first day at Ebenezer, doing church with them and visiting with the children, George and Sylvia.  Church was amazing...as always.  There is nothing like African church.  I love when they sing and worship.  It is nothing short of joyful!  They sing and clap and dance and laugh.  They worship with no abandon.  Beautiful.  And...I had a precious 4 year old boy fall asleep on me during the preaching.  Makes my heart happy! 

After church we sat under a shade tree (it was freaking HOT!) while the children sat on our laps, held our hands and stared at us.  Later in the day we taught them "Ring Around the Rosie" and "Duck, duck, goose."  They loved it....they just laughed and laughed.  They caught on very quickly to the games and just wanted to keep playing them.  I showed them pictures on my phone of our life back home.  I would show one child and the rest of them would say, "Now do me Aunt Amy, now do me!" 

Carys was reunited with Moses, which was such a blessing.  He saw her and was a little shy at first, but then just grinned!  Such a sweet, sweet moment.

Broderick has been enjoying playing with the little boys and the baby girls.  He is so sweet to them.

Today was another full day of visiting the school, singing and dancing with the children.  We went into Kibuku town for a few minutes and met some of the children that live there.  George told us they have never seen mzungu (white) children before.  We gave them some of the snacks we had which they really liked.

Rob and I are learning this trip (and leading up to this trip) to ask a lot of questions and learn more about the culture here.  Our driver is great to talk to these things about.  We ask him about families, jobs, government, food, and a bunch of "dumb American questions".  He gets a good laugh out of us!

I am try to spend time each day with at least one of the women.  Yesterday I met Ester...she is a student at Suubi Works (go to the link and check out what they do...Amazing!) and she is learning Tailoring.  She is a sweet young woman doing her best to make a better life for herself and children.  Today I met Christine...she is the cook for the Ebenezer school.  She has twin boys, 7, and lives in the village by Ebenezer.  I sat with her and shelled G- nuts (peanuts) and asked her questions.  She told me she loves Mountain Dew...HA!  I can't wait to bring her one...she can drink Mountain Dew and I will drink Novida and we will learn about each other.

A few things I want to share with you all...mom and dad, don't freak out!  I have shared with you all before that a lot of times I operate out of fear.  Our first trip here I wouldn't even get out of the van in town or shop in the market.  This trip I have already, gone into the grocery store once by myself and once just me and the kids, and I walked from the school back to the orphanage by myself!  HUGE milestone people.  God has done an enormous work on  me in the department of fear.  Still to come...another boda (motorcycle) ride through the Ugandan bush!

I am going to be honest with you all...the first couple days here were a little confusing.  I kept thinking, "why am I here?  Why are we doing this again? What is the point?"  I felt in over my head. Today, it all began to make sense.  I came home this evening and remembered my best friend (she gets here tomorrow!  I can not wait!) had given me a card to open today so I opened it.  By the grace of  God it was exactly what I needed.  All it said was...

Further and further my heart moves away from the shore
Whatever it looks like, whatever may come I am yours
Then you crash over me and I've lost control but I am free
I'm going under
I'm in over my head
And you crash over me,
I'm where you want me to be
I'm going under,
I'm in over my head
Whether I sink, whether I swim
It makes no difference when I'm
Beautifully in over my head.

It brought tears to my eyes.  I thought...Yes! that is it!  I started the first few days feeling in over my head, but today I feel beautifully in over my head.  I will spend the rest of my days here allowing Him to lead me further and further away from the shore, letting Him crash over me and be beautifully in over my head.

Anthem

Today is the day people!  We board a plane once again to visit a place and people we love and care deeply about. 

Preparing for this trip has been a little different than the 2 prior trips to Africa.  The first time we decided 5 weeks before to go so there wasn't a whole lot of time to prepare.  And since it was just Rob and I going I spent most of my time preparing to leave the kids for 10 days. The second time we went, the kids first time, I spent most of my time preparing to take 2 kids along.  This time, though, since we have all been, and because I hadn't before, I made a conscience effort to prepare my heart, mind and soul for whatever God has in store.  I can not tell you what a blessing this has been. 

One thing has been the same (besides the packing, and checking, and rechecking)...each trip the Lord has given me a song, an Anthem.  A song that I can listen to and pray through.  A song that speaks to what God is going to do.  A song that speaks to what God is doing.  A song that encourages me.  This year the song is "In Over My Head" by Bethel.

I have listened to it about 100 times in the last week.  Whenever I start worrying...I turn it on.  Whenever I feel the urge to pray about the trip...I turn it on.  Whenever I am getting overwhelmed...I turn it on.  I let the words just wash over me.  Some of my favorite lines...

"I'm full but I'm not satisfied. This longing to have more of you."

"I'm standing knee deep but I'm out where I've never been."

"Would you come and tear down the boxes that I have tried to put you in."

"Further and further my heart moves away from the shore.  Whatever it looks like, whatever may come I am yours."

"You crash over me and I've lost control but I'm free."

(sigh)  So good.  So, so good.  I just pray those lyrics over myself and let the Spirit crash over me.

Okay friends!  I will talk to you from Africa next time!!!  xoxoxo

Should I Laugh It Off or Cry It Out

It started yesterday morning...

"Mom, my throat really hurts."

I knew...I knew right then what was happening.  Carys had strep.  Before bed she was crying that her belly hurt and her throat was so sore.  I prayed for her and told her to go to sleep she would feel better in the morning.  At 10:30 I woke up to moaning coming from her room.  I went into check on her and she wasn't even awake.  She was swallowing and then moaning.  Poor girl...my heart broke.  Around 1:30 she came into my room crying that her throat and belly hurt.  We slept on the couch.  When it was time to get ready for school I tried my hardest to get her ready and force her to go.  I was trying to convince myself there was no way she had strep.  After a brief moment of frustration I gave in and told her to stay home.  Around 10:00 the doctor confirmed what I had suspected....a positive strep test. 

I know what you all are thinking..."who cares?  it's strep.  Get an antibiotic and get over it."  I hear you.  The thing is, last year, the day before we left for Africa both the kids came down with strep.  My kids have NEVER had strep until last year. Coincidence? I don't believe in them.  Nothing happens outside of the sovereignty of God...NOTHING. 

He is all-powerful.
He is good.
He is loving.
He is SOVEREIGN.
He is God and He is in control....of it all!

Leading up to this trip I have been struggling with anxiety...this is an area in my life God has done huge works.  However, I feel the temptation to let my mind wander to worry and doubt.  The thing that is most consuming my thoughts is that someone is going to get really sick while we are gone.  All this sickness before we leave is not helping.  I ask you to not only pray for the health of us all leading up to our departure, but that I would "take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Thanks friends...We will be touching down in Uganda in exactly 2 weeks!!!!!!

Prayer

We are 1 month away!!!! 

1 MONTH!

Our departure day will be here before we know it.  I have started getting clothes out and making lists of what I need to buy.  Making doctors appointments and getting prescriptions. Planning our days out and how we can best proclaim Jesus while there. 

That being said, I am calling you to prayer! 
 

Please join us in prayer:

Safety while traveling
Health for our family
Broderick will be sharing his testimony to the school children.
Rob will be preaching.

The staff and children would be encouraged

God would be glorified and His work would be accomplished.

 

We would also ask that you be in prayer that there would be protection around our family from Satan's schemes.  Going a mission trip makes me acutely aware of the enemy at work.  I am not saying that he is after our family any more than he is after anyone elses.  The truth is, he HATES every follower of Jesus and is after us all every single day.  When preparing for a trip my radar is way up to his schemes.  I have been feeling him work in our midst which can be super frustrating.  However, I can also feel the Lord working in our midst and each one of us drawing nearer to Him, which is very encouraging. 

If you would like to receive more specific things to pray about leading up to our trip and while we are gone please email me (robnamy2000@gmail.com) and I will add you to a prayer email list.   

 

 

Change

 

Look in your couch cushions, clean out your car,

and crack open your piggy bank.
We are asking you to donate your change to support our mission trip to

Ebenezer Children’s Ministry in Uganda.

Please send me an email if you are interested

 in donating your change.

We will be collecting it now through March 7.

 

Broderick and Carys are taking part in the fundraising for our trip again this year.  You may remember from last year that Change4Change brought in $1500!  The kids decided to use the money to build a house for a family of 12 living in small hut.

 

 

Actually, they didn't decide that...God did.  I remember us talking as a family and we had felt it placed on our hearts to do something for this family.  We were thinking small...buy some food maybe a bed or blankets.  Rob contacted George, the director of Ebenezer, and informed him we felt led to do something for them.  George's response, "We shall build them a house."  You can imagine our reaction.  WHAT!?  We are collecting change.  I'm pretty sure we are not going to be able to build them a house.  Well, we serve a BIG God.  Not only did Change4Change raise enough to build a house, but also to furnish it with beds and supply some food.  We are so excited to watch God work through all of you, your children and some change again this year!

FAQs (part 2)

Why go when you could just give?

Great question.  Another one that Rob and I have discussed many times over.  There are multiple answers to this question. Let's break this down...

Yes, we could just give the money and not use it to travel to Africa.  However, making deposits into the lives of the children living at Ebenezer is priceless.  Loving those kids and giving them one on one attention they don't always get is worth every penny we spend to visit them.  There is nothing comparable to spending time with our sponsor child, Evelyn.  A price tag can not be put on getting to see her, hold her, talk to her, love her and watch her play with my kids.

 

 

Not only do we get to see Evelyn and deposit love into her life we get to see all the other children and people we love....



Also, because we have a partnership with Ebenezer and the director and staff we need to build those relationships.  We have projects going on, like building a school that sometimes requires a person being on the ground.  It helps being there in real life to check in on things, have conversations and discuss plans.  They are literally on the other side of the world and it is not always best to communicate everything through Facebook and email.

Another thing, God always works in big ways in our lives while we are there.  Not only our lives, but in the lives of people around us.  I so much enjoy watching what we now call the "ripple effect" take place in the lives of people around us.  Just last night we had a delivery guy in our house and he said, "so you go to Africa a lot?" (If you come to my house, it's pretty obvious!)  Well, thank you God that was an open door to share the gospel and talk about the work you are doing in Uganda. 

Do you see what I mean?  God lives in a place where the streets are made of gold and the gates are pearl, he is not hindered by the cost of the trip.  I am not saying we can do whatever we want with our money, he commands us to be good stewards.  Do not read that wrong.  What I am saying is, that He has work to be done and it cost money to get there and to get it done.  He will provide the money to get us there and the money to do the work.

*****If you notice in the right hand side bar there is now a "Fundraising" button.  If you would like to give financially to our trip you can click on the picture or for a mobile device click here and it will take you directly to the donating site.  Also right under that is a "Follow by email" button.  Just enter your email address in and you will get an email every time I update the blog.*****

FAQs

Why do you raise support for a mission trip?

The truth is, I have asked myself this question a few times. Rob and I have had many conversations, leading up to this trip, on whether or not we would raise support.  Let me do my best to explain why we, personally, will be raising support for this trip.

When we went to Mexico and Africa as a family we did not specifically ask people for money.  We tried to be semi-creative in raising some money to of set the cost of taking a family over seas. Before Mexico we did a garage sale and God provided a little over $1000 from selling our junk and other peoples junk.  The funny thing is, people would come and just give us money without buying anything or would pay way more than they needed to for what they were buying. 

When we went to Africa the kids did the Change4Change fundraiser and God provided $1500!  We did not know at the time we started that fundraiser that the money would go to building a house.  Because honestly, we never expected to get even close to that much money!  Oh ye of little faith...yup, that's me.  One of these days I will get it.
We had people give us their tax returns and ask how they could help.
After our church did the anthologies story someone contacted me and wanted to send us money for our next trip.  We didn't even have a trip planned or know if we were going to be going back!

From all that, we learned that people want to be involved.

Rob and I believe that all Christians are "called" to missions.  The Bible says, "Go into all nations and make disciples."  That is a command for every believer.  We know and understand that not all people can physically go.  Getting involved in missions can look different for each person.  We have come to realize that if we don't allow God to use other people to support us we are not allowing them to "go to all nations".   When I say support, I am not just referring to financial support.  One of the sweetest blessings we received while in Africa was not financial at all.  Our house church wrote us letters and cards and the children drew pictures for us to open while we were gone.  That is more important than any money.  (Don't get me wrong...we need the money, so we can get there, so we can read the letters in Africa! HA!) Being away for even just 2 weeks can get lonely.  Knowing people are praying for us and thinking about us does so much good for the soul.

Already this week I have received multiply emails, texts, and calls of people excited about supporting us and getting involved! People covering us in prayer.  People donating financially. People with fundraising ideas. People offering their time. People encouraging us with their words.  It has been such a blessing to see God already at work.  I am so thankful for this little network of supporters God has put around us!

A few tangible ways you can support us right now:

Print this picture (or any picture) of our family, hang it somewhere you will see it often, and cover us daily with prayer. We covet prayers while leading up to a trip.  The enemy attacks always, but I feel it as a mission trip approaches.  We need your prayers to resist his temptation and evil schemes.  Specific prayer right now would be that we follow God's leading while planning the details of our time in Africa.

Financially.  Send me an email robnamy2000@gmail.com or Facebook message me for details on how to do this.

Don't forget to subscribe to my blog so you can receive all my updates via email.

It's Time

It's been 9 months since my feet felt the red dirt between my toes. 
9 long months since I held those sweet babies at Ebenezer.
9 months of thinking about all the people I love in Uganda.
9 months of  dreaming of being back in a place that God used to break my heart for the fatherless, oppressed and poor.

But in just 80 days my feet will be in the red dirt, my arms will be holding those babies, I can spend time with people I love, and I can again be sharing the love of Jesus with the fatherless, oppressed and poor.

Words can not express how excited I am that our family will be returning to Ebenezer Children's Ministry in March to continue our partnership with them.  Over the next several weeks we will prayerfully be planning details of exactly what we will be doing to serve the people of Uganda...specifically in Kibuku and at Ebenezer's Children's Ministry. A few things that are already in the works are, visiting the community, visiting the new school, and spending lots of time with the children living at Ebenezer.

This trip is going to cost us roughly $10,000.  We are trusting the Lord will provide these funds for us.  He has always been faithful in the past.  We will be having some fundraising events to help with some of the cost.  If you are interested in supporting us financially or would like to speak to us more about this trip please email me at robnamy2000@gmail.com.  We are always willing to come share with bible studies, house churches or small groups about the work God is doing at Ebenezer.  We also covet all of your prayers, from now until we get home. 

For a little more background on what our family has done in the past please visit Apex Anthologies.  Our church did a blog post on our families first trip to Uganda.

Also, there is a YouTube video that recaps our trip.

Thank you so much for your support of our family and the work God is doing.  Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you can receive any updates via email.

#MALARIABITES

Is it ironic that I will take my last malaria pill today?

Yes, yes it is.

Why you ask?  Good question.  Because today is World Malaria Day! 

Malaria is a nasty illness that I unfortunately have looked in the eyes of.

A child sick with Malaria

 A child sick with malaria

A child sick with malaria.

 

600,000 children in Africa died from malaria in 2010.  600,000!  A child dies from malaria every 60 seconds, most of them are under 5 years old.  The maddening part about this illness is that it is totally treatable, preventable and curable!  For less than $3 a person can be tested and treated for malaria.  So why do so many people die of it, you ask?  Great question again...a few reasons.  1...they don't know what they have.  When we visited a village with Healing Faith, we were able to watch Jason share with a lady what malaria is and what causes it.

Guys...she didn't know.  He had to tell her it wasn't an evil spirit but a mosquito.  They don't have Google.  Sometimes it is as simple as not knowing.  (The best part of talking to this lady was Jason also shared Jesus with her!)

2.They don't have access to health care.  Simple as that...they can't get to a clinic.

3. They don't have the $3 to get the test and the treatment.  Most Ugandan families live on less than $2 a day.  Let me say that again, MOST UGANDAN FAMILIES LIVE ON LESS THAN $2 A DAY!

 

When you/I think about 600,000 children dying from an illness it can seem overwhelming.  So you might be asking yourself, "I want to help, but what can I do?"  Oh my...you all are asking such wonderful questions.  I am so proud.  There is this great organization Healing Faith.  They are in Uganda and are dedicated to educating, testing and treating malaria.  And...sharing the gospel.  Rob and I had the honor of serving with them in October and hanging out with them in March.

 

The work they do is fantastic.  There is one problem...right now in Uganda it is the rainy season.  Which doesn't seem like a huge deal, but when you are trying to get to a village, down a dirt road, in the rain...well, that is pretty difficult.  If it is raining Healing Faith usually has to cancel their village visits, which means more malaria going untreated.  Booo!  We don't want that. 

Healing Faith is starting a campaign today to raise $25,000 in one week to buy a fully-equipped Mobile Malaria Vehicle that will allow the team to reach the villages year round.  You want to help!?  Great!  Go to this website and donate ANY amount.  And I seriously mean any amount!  Any donation amount will get you entered into a contest to win a t-shirt.  A $50 donation gets you a t-shirt.  I am going to head over there now and make my donation and get my free shirt!

 

 

Aren't they great!?  I just love them.  In fact, I love them so much that I am going to do my own contest through the blog!!!  All you have to do is share this post on Facebook, Instagram, and/or twitter (when you share it #worldmalariaday, #malariabites, #mobilemalariavehicle) and like the Healing Faith Facebook page.  Then you will be entered into a drawing to win one of these shirts.  If you do all of those things, that is 4 chances to win.  I will pick the winner next Friday May 2nd.  So you can share this post, on each of those outlets once a day for a week.  If you do that you have a pretty good chance of winning! 

 

Let's spread the word about malaria and help Healing Faith get their Mobile Malaria Vehicle!



Re-Entry, Processing, and How Was Africa

I hate these words.  All of them. 

I don't want to "re-enter."  I don't know how to re-enter. 
I don't want to "process."  I don't know how to process.
What do those words even mean?  How do you take your entire family to the other side of the world, to a world that is nothing like the one you live in and then re-enter...process.

How do I begin to answer the question, "How was Africa?"  (Don't get me wrong, I know people mean well when they ask...it is just really hard to answer this.)

A great friend has reminded me this time around that "re-entry" is similar to grief.  After all, we are grieving the loss of something...a place/people we love.  So as I think over the stages of grief, I find myself somewhere between denial/isolation and anger.  I don't want to allow myself to think about all that happened.  I have emotionally disconnected myself.  If I "go there" I might just break down.  If I re-live all that was...I will just grow sad that it is over.  If I come to terms with the reality of Uganda, I may never go back.  So I deny...refuse to think about it.  I have isolated myself.  I don't really want to talk to people.  I don't want to answer the question "How was Africa?" That would require me to re-live it and remember...I am in denial.

Then the anger piece starts to creep in.  Why did I have to come home?  Why did I ever go in the first place?  Why do I love people that live so far away? And I just get kind of mad. 

I know that in time I will move past these things, but right now...it is hard.  I don't want to go back to "normal" life, but I don't know where to go from here.  Each day I awake and pray, "Lord, I don't know what this day holds, but I am praying for your grace to take the next step.  Lead me, Father.  Lead me."

If you have gone a trip like this before you are thinking, "Yup...I know that feeling."  If you have not, you are thinking, "Umm...you probably need to check into a hospital and get on some meds."  Let me ease all of your worry...this is normal.  I struggled in October too.  It was different, but it was still a struggle.  I will resurface soon.  It may take awhile and I will be changed, but I will. 

Until then...
I will wake up and go through the motions and
miss this...

I Am a Lucky Girl

To say the last 12 days were some of the best of my life would be an understatement.

Not only did I get to see people I love and serve a God I love,

but I got to do it with people I love.

Particularly this guy...

He has worked so hard over the last several months to plan out every detail of this trip.

He sent email after email to book rooms and our driver.

He corresponded with George often about our "program."

He was in constant contact with Brett and Diana from Equip 1

about what we needed to do from a ministry stand point.

He spent many hours talking to the kids and I about what we would experience and how

God would use this trip in our family.

He spent time posting things on Facebook to raise money for Ebenezer and Change4Change.

He took time to prepare his heart and mind for all God had for us.

All that time he spent to prepare for this journey paid off ten fold.

Even though his plans didn't go exactly as he planned, he knew they were

going exactly as God planned.

 

I love watching him serve the people of Uganda with joy.

He is a great example of love to the children at Ebenezer and the surrounding community.

 

He is so compassionate for the needy and oppressed.

He is fearless when it comes to preaching the word of God.

He is amazing at encouraging the young people.

He is a hard, hard worker!

He is loving and caring for the fatherless.

 

How is it that I get to do this life with him?

I am not sure...

but I am sure happy and blessed that it is me!

 

An Introvert In Africa

Broderick is an introvert in every sense of the word. 

I guess I always knew that, but it has become very clear this trip.

Remove everything familiar and comfortable from anyone and drop them in another country and it can be very difficult, especially for an introvert.

 

This boy has amazed me. 

Each day he pushes himself a little more.

 

I have loved catching little sweet, tender moments of him playing with the boys one on one.

He has done a wonderful job of doing what boys do with these children.

 

It has been such a blessing to watch him do things he is

uncomfortable with but knows he needs to do.

 

Nothing warms my heart more than to see him grow in who he is and who God created him to be.