How was the Summer?

It was a summer of fun, friends and ministry.  As school let out back in June we prayed that even though many of our friends were going to be away, that it would be a good summer.  We also prayed that God would grant us opportunities be involved with the people and specifically areas for our kids to serve.  We are so thankful for the way God orchestrated the summer.

There were two day camps held at our school that the girls were able to attend, and from this Hannah was invited to be a part of the team that was leading these camps.  She loved this, as the first camp was drama and singing and the second was helping lead a small group of kids.  This involvement grew to the team inviting her to join them for more of the ministries they were doing in Uganda.  So I became the mom who was sending my grade 9 daughter on a missions trip.  Never thought of that happening while were are already on the mission field, but she had an amazing time and we were so thankful that God saw fit to give her this area to serve in.

Can you spot Hannah?  She is top left.  This is the group while they were at a school and church out in one of the the villages outside Kampala.

We also spent a day each week playing with the kids as the babies home.  It was again, neat to see the girls as the loved these little ones, and even Lauren as she played and the little boys followed her example.

We also tried to do some of the fun things that we usually enjoy in the summer, like swimming, campfires and friends over.

We are now back into the full swing of early mornings, homework, and after school clubs and sports.  We are thankful for the summer and the time we were able to spend with friends and also the opportunities that came our way to serve.  We pray that even in this busy time and regular routine that we will be open to reaching out to the people that God places in our path in the day to day.

Summer Time

It's Summer !!!   School is finished and the girls are enjoying some quiet days of reading and sleeping in. We started the summer with Nathan's parents coming for a visit and it was so wonderful to have them here.  We were able to show them different ministries we are involved in and also some highlights of Uganda.

Checking out the MAF office and work at the hanger..

Playing with the kids at the Babies home.

Helping out at a jigger removal clinic in a village across the lake.

 

Washing their feet

Carrying them over to the bench where the jiggers were being removed

Painting toe nails.

And blowing bubbles with the kids

We were also able to take a little vacation to see Murchison National Park and some of God's wonderful creatures up close.  It was amazing.

The power of the falls was incredible and we were able to stand still long enough to get a picture without swatting the tsetse flies. 

We took a drive down to the equator as well because when you live only 75km away, you've just got to take visitors there too.

Family celebrations are something that we miss out on when we are living overseas, so we planned a family birthday party, complete with decorations and homemade corn dogs.

It was a great 3 weeks and we are so thankful that they were able to come and experience life here.  I think we scared them a bit with the driving and traffic though.

With the rest of the summer ahead of us we see it coming in two different ways.  With many of our friends away on furlough, it will be pretty quiet and days could get long for the girls just at home.  But we are also looking forward to the fact that we will have more time to spend serving with different ministries.  The girls have already come along with me to the babies home and had fun playing with the kids, so we are praying that more opportunities will come our way to be able to use our summer days for God's glory and to encourage others. 

  

A Normal Day

     Our day starts like many of yours I am sure, with the alarm going off at 6am.  Not that I am ready to get up yet, but I need to turn on the hot water heater if I want to have a hot shower at 6:15.  Then it is a shower and getting the girls up at 6:30am so they can get ready for school. 

Breakfast, backpacks loaded up with lunches and homework, as we prepare to head out the door by 7:15 am when Nathan is also heading out to the hanger to begin the days work.  His morning commute is about 45 mins to go the 15 km, from our house to the hanger.

     Our drive to school seems very normal now, when at first is was very overwhelming to drive here.  We could encounter a number of things; cows wondering up to the grass area, taxi vans, as they pick up passengers heading off to work or school, motorcycle taxis called boda bodas as they weave in and out of traffic or simple having to navigate through the pot holes and speed bumps that are very numerous. 

After the girls are at school, I head back home to begin the house work and laundry.  I may make a  stop to pick up some chicken for dinner from our Ugandan friend who grows them as an income for her children to go to school.  Depending on the day, I may have ladies Bible Study, or need to go out and get some groceries.  I might spend my afternoon, helping in Lauren's class at school, preparing my Sunday School lesson for the 5-7 year old class at church or baking to keep up with the demand of snacks for my family.  Before I know it, the afternoon is gone and it is time to go back and pick up the girls from school.  We are part of a car pool, so some days I don't have to drive which is nice too, but if I am on for pick up I head to the school for 3pm dismissal. 

After school snack, homework and dinner prep, fill the rest of the afternoon as we wait for Nathan to return home around 5:30pm, all depending on the traffic.  The 15km drive usually takes even longer on the way home.  Then dinner while chatting about how school went and the events of the day, before more homework, dishes and getting the girls off to bed.  Most days are pretty average and comparable to yours I'm sure.

But interject into all of this, days when the rain is pouring so hard that open fields look like lakes and the ditches look like rivers, days when I kill a few cockroaches and a invasion of ants in my kitchen,   Days when a quick trip to the grocery store turns into forever, as I get caught in a stand still traffic jam.

But also days when I speak encouragement into the life of a friend, or get to know the man at the produce stand and more about his family.  Days when Lauren draws a picture so she can give it to our guards.  Days when Hannah and Jasmine reach out to a special needs girl at school or Aliyah writes a note to encourage someone who isn't feeling well.  Days when I spend time getting to know someone or reaching out to help.  Days where the beauty of the people and the country around us outweighs the frustrations and inconveniences. 

God gives us all kind of moments among the normal days, to show His love and kindness to the people we encounter.  My days might take place in Uganda, but He uses all of our days and the events in them, to draw us closer to Him and for us to realize that we need Him in every moment.

How is your day going?

Upcoming Elections: A Call to pray

When living here in Uganda it is impossible to avoid the fact that elections are fast approaching.  Each day more posters are put up using any available space; walls, poles, store fronts, vehicles, even hanging from overhead wires.  Election day is Thursday, February 18 and although it is anticipated to be mostly peaceful, it is never a guarantee.  Some Ugandans that we have chatted with believe that the opposing party will get the most votes, but will not be declared the winner, which could cause upsets.  This is a presidential election with the addition of council members for each region.

So we are asking you to pray with us, both during the election day and the days following as the results go out, that peace would remain and that those in leadership would take their win or loss with grace.  We know that God is in control of all things and we can rest in that.

 We will be staying close to home during these days and the girls will be off of school both on the 18 and 19 and then it will be monitored if more days are needed depending on reactions of the results.  Please know that we are very safe here on our compound and this side of the city is pretty quiet.  We will try to keep you updated on how things go.

Thank you for joining us in praying, for the leadership of this country and for the Ugandan people, as they seek to grow as a nation and desire the best for their country.

A Piece of Culture

A couple weeks ago a friend and I, and our kids, were invited to visit a Ugandan lady's home and little chicken farm.  Her 6 children eagerly greeted us and were so lovely.  They live in a simple concrete home and have a small building beside them where they raise chickens.  Some are meat birds and others are laying hens, both provide a means of extra income for school fees and supplies.  Our kids loved holding the hens, seeing what they feed them and hearing that when the hens are let outside the kids have to sit out around the edges of the grass area and watch that they don't run away.
(I wasn't able to get a picture with the hens because it was too dim in the barn.)

Then her children asked if we wanted to go and get water with them.  Our kids were very enthusiastic about this, so we walked down to the local spring, with jugs in hand, ready to fill.

 The spring has been capped so everyone places their jugs under the pipe for easy fill ups.

It was a busy spot and I think we drew a bit of attention, being a group of white people fetching water. 

Although the walk was not very far or hard, our kids gained an appreciation for the task that these kids do on a daily basis and how we take for granted that we have running water in the house.

The whole morning gave us a little glimpse into the lives of the people around us and how even though their daily chores may be different, and they live in different houses, they are also very similar. 

 I pray that God will continue to give us experiences like this, to interact with the people around us and for our kids to continue to desire to try new things and get to know the people as well.