I've been attending the Great Grace conference in Chevy Chase this week. Monday the worship leader stood at her piano playing a beautiful song and started prophesying over a woman that had taken hit after hit after hit. she was honored for taking these hits and not giving up. She knew the character and goodness of God and did not back down where any regular person would have. The Lord told her she would be compensated, she would receive repayment for whats happened to her. this repayment would consist of intense revelation, encounters and communion with Jesus. As she prophesied this justice for this woman, i took it as my own. The Lord had been showing up to me and telling me i would receive more revelation and start to have more encounters with Him as part of the justice i would receive for the wrongs that have happened this year. As the Lord started to minister to me while i was standing there, the worship leader called me out, saying "the girl in the yellow scarf, you carry a message, i see the trumpet blowing over you as you release this message. there is a swirl of color around you. Its creativity. your going to release this message in creative ways and i see a pen in your hand. whether its blogging or your writing, your creatively releasing the message you carry!"
This word inspired me to start blogging again. So here i am, ready to write what the Lord has been doing in me and talking to me about.
After this worship leader prophesied over me, the speaker (ray arnold) came and prayed for me. He prophesied a couple things including the anointing on my life and i ended up on the floor again being ministered to by the Holy Spirit. The anointing (presence and power of God) filled my body to where i couldnt stand any longer. As i laid on my back on the floor, I continued to receive from the Lord. I felt someone come and lay their hands on my leg, as if they were praying for me. Sometimes people will come and agree with what God is doing and pray for you when your receiving from the Lord. So i thought someone had come to pray for me and as i laid there receiving i was curious to know who it was. So i opened my eyes as the hands were still on my leg and looked around to find that noone was there. But i still felt two hands on my leg. i realized that noone was around me because they were trying to clear people out of the sanctuary to get ready for the evening meeting, when i heard a woman's voice right next to me. She said Daughter of God, you are released! and a soon as it was said, the hands were no longer on my leg. There was no woman near me and i realized i had just been commissioned and released to minister again by an angel.
That evening i laid on the ground in worship in the meeting. I began to vibrate again from the power of God going through my body. I've been vibrating since Friday when God touched me with his power restoring so many things in my heart, transforming my mind and once again making me a new creation. My heart was healed after forgiving and laying down the burden of wrong that thursday evening and now God had touched me to impregnate me with His power and His river of life again. it felt like electric shocks in my body, i was doing crunches and yelling for 5 hours that night. People that yelled when they were in the spirit always offended me. I would always look at them and say "is that seriously necessary, i mean come on." and there i was yelling out of my stomach because that kinda power had to be released somehow. So this monday evening im vibrating on the floor during worship and the Lord said as the yelling was for releasing my power that you carry inside you, the vibrations are the vibrations of my heart for my people, and you carry them inside of you. And then i saw a clock and a calendar. and the calendar flipped backwards over the past months of this year and when it got back far enough, it started to fast forward and i saw the hands of the clock spin forward rapidly. and the Lord said im accelerating you to the place you would have been had none of these things ever happened to you. Im making up for the time that was stolen from you. The following afternoon, Georgian Banov said He had this vision about God restoring time that had been stolen from people, and went on to describe the exact vision that i saw.
Today, I went to the dentist. i got a root canal done about a month ago still needing a crown, and started to feel a bit more pain on the other side of my mouth now since ive been chewing on that side. I had a dream about 3 weeks ago that i was battling witch craft and my teeth were all messed up (crooked, broken, mushy, wiggly). So when i started to feel a bit more pain i thought i should go to the dentist again. At the voice of the apostles conference the pain left after being prayed for. However, when i got the xrays today and the dentist diagnosed me, she looked in my mouth, went on her computer and printed out a sheet showing every tooth and marking red wherever work needed to be done. Looking at this sheet of paper, i could not believe what i saw and what she was telling me. It looked like my geometry midterm from freshman year, red was everywhere on this paper. 9 teeth had cavities or broken fillings and needed to be restored. the tenth tooth that was red was the one needing a crown because it has no life or blood flow in it from the root canal. The second sheet of paper told me a breakdown of the cost..over 7,000 dollars of dental work in my mouth.
Well, i got this news and clearly, thats not something i wanted to hear! so my natural reaction, much like my reaction to my failed geometry midterm, was tears. but the Lord spoke to me through all of this and said, We're in a season of Restoration in order to be Released again. What has victimized us and what has been stolen from us cannot hinder us any longer. Restoration has to happen..and it can be a time consuming, painful process, but it has to take place in order to function again. Teeth dont work when theyre broken, and its really painful to drill to the roots! REally painful! But once its drilled and restored,shaba, the brokenness is gone! the pain from the brokenness is gone! Its no longer broken and can be released to function the way that it was created to function! Its no longer a victim, its no longer broken..its healthy, it gets the job done and it no longer causes more pain or more problems. God is drilling roots, and restoring, and coming with His glory to manifest Himself in the places that we have been wounded and have been stolen from. He's shining in the places where we are broken. I know that i cant even imagine paying $7000 to fix my mouth, but i know that I have a message i carry, and my mouth is valuable in the kingdom, And God wants to manifest His glory in it! He wants to restore it all! So cmon Jesus! My heart's been healed, my minds been transformed, and I've been released again. The Father is touching His people in tangible ways because He wants the core of us! The vibration of His heart is getting to the core of ours. He wants it all, He's relentless for it And He will pursue you until your ready to let Him have it..to let Him drill!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Day in the Life in Uganda
I wake up in the bottom bed of my bunk bed, pick out my clothes and head to the bath tub. the bath tub is a normal size bathtub without a shower, but with a shower head attached to a cord used for washing my hair. We live in one of the nicest houses ive seen in the area, with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths upstairs, 1 bath and 2 bedrooms downstairs including a garage. my bedroom is about 15 by 15 and the entire house is floored with tile. This means, when the housekeeper has mopped (they mop with a bucket and a rag on their hands and knees) the floor i usually end up slipping everytime. The house keeper has seen me do this several times as she looks over and says "Sorry mummy" in the typical Ugandan way. Whenever u hurt yourself or theres an accident, any Ugandan in the room that sees it will automatically say "Sorry"! The Jones family has 3 african dogs living here at their house at the moment. Sally, Sara, and Sophie. Serena is at the UJV now but used to live here as well. They are the guard dogs who usually bark all night. Between the dogs and the disco/party music of neighbors, i am forced to wear earplugs every night in order to sleep. We had 3 kittens and brought 2 to the ujv, so now we are left with one. Every time i come out of my room in the morning, he is right by my door waiting for me, ready to pounce on my ankles as i walk barefooted down the hallway. Usually i kick him aside and he follows me anyway. After getting ready for the day, i usually have breakfast with the girls. I have tea with either toast, muffins, french toast, or eggs. The eggs are usually white because they dont have all the hormones america puts in the chickens. They dont taste as good as American eggs either. We are then off to the UJV. Suzanne and Marike are only going to the UJV twice a week now, so sometimes i get a ride with them down the dirt bumpy potholed roads of lungujja or i get a boda in the kitunzi market. Our part of town is called kitunzi which simply means trading center. The market is a 3 minute walk from the house, and the bodas are there usually waiting for customers. If i take a boda, i like to go with someone that has taken me before and that i trust. Most of them know me in the market now. Usually I'm wearing a skirt so i sit sideways on the bike, holding on to the seat itself. The bodas drive on the side of road bw the curb and the cars. But people are also walking in that area, so its a constant dodging of people, cars, potholes, bicycles carrying God knows what (such as long poles, huge bags of charcoal, wooden boxes, couches, matoke, fish or chickens, or sacks of vegetables), animals (such as cows, goats, or dogs), and the curb. So far, ive been twice on a boda that has hit someone as we were driving, once that ran out of gas, once that tried to squeez between a car and the curb and didnt make it hit so we fell over, once that got ran into head on with a bicycle carrying a huge wooden box of stuff, and once that slightly rearended another car. In spite of all this, I still ride bodas almost everyday, praying for my life as i get on. If i don't take a boda to work, i walk. Its about a 20 minute walk to the ujv from my house. Its a dirt road that i walk on, going straight up hill for half of it, and straight down hill for the other half. I pass many children on the way all shouting "bye mizungu, bye mizungu" until I am out of site. I will also pass the occasional man carrying bags, clothes, shoes or a huge board of jewelry and toys they are selling. Uganda has the highest rate of businesses out of every country in the world because everyone creates their own. There are so many little shops and random people walking all over town selling their items.
Once i get to the UJV, the children greet me. In Ugandan culture, the children kneel down and shake your hand out of respect gretting their elders. The first time a child did this, i made them stand up and give me a hug. I was not used to having anyone kneel down to me, but it is their way of showing honor. I still prefer hugs and will more often than not ignore their extended hand and pull them in for an embrace. The children often greet me in Acholi now. They say "Maria Cho", and i respond "Cho Mabe" which means good morning. In the afternoon they say "Erie" and i respond "Arie mabe". It is also culturally correct to ask "how are you" to greet someone before you ask them anything. The correct response to this, is "I am fine how are you?" So after greeting everyone, i get my things settled in the office and head off to start my work, whatever that day looks like. The office is set up in 3 office rooms. the administration office includes homes, volunteers, and social work. The Accounting office includes accounting, finances, church plants, and Jewelry. The Management office includes Suzanne the overseer, Marike the accounting and admin manager, and Pastor Robert. i generally take my spot in the admin office with liz in the homes department. My day is usually spent making schedules, planning events, preparing for fellowship, leading fellowship, emails, or praying with staff. In between all of this i usually sneak away to talk and play with the children whenever i get a chance. The girls of compound A have two rooms in the back of the compound next to the prayer room and the medical room. On the other side of the medical room are the two rooms for the boys of Compound A. The office is opposite the rooms with a cement courtyard in between. So i usually come out of the office, sneak into the girls room and chat with them for a while. Otherwise ill take the boys for futbol at the field up the street as well. the field is about a 10 minute walk from the ujv.
After work, i come home to the house with suzanne and marike, suzannes boys (theres 3 here at the moment, 1 in canada) and luke (altho hes now in canada for a month). Dinner is usually on the table as Prossy (the housekeeper) has cooked. Dinner usually includes some form of potatoes such as french fries, boiled, or mashed, with either beef or chicken. Sometimes we'll have lasagna or pizza, maybe even the african chapattis beans and cabbage. My personal favorite is the hamburgers. Prossy has been trained well. At the dinner table the Jones always go around the table and ask everybody how was their day and what is their favorite part. I love this family! We talk about the day and then i usually go back to room to wind down, spending time with the Lord, using the internet that works only half the time (the power can go off at anytime and often times the internet is down just because its africa) or watching a movie. Occasionally this down time gets cut short as i have long days at the ujv or am leading fellowship until 7 or 8pm. But it always feels amazing to hit the sheets on my foam mattress at the end of the day.
Once i get to the UJV, the children greet me. In Ugandan culture, the children kneel down and shake your hand out of respect gretting their elders. The first time a child did this, i made them stand up and give me a hug. I was not used to having anyone kneel down to me, but it is their way of showing honor. I still prefer hugs and will more often than not ignore their extended hand and pull them in for an embrace. The children often greet me in Acholi now. They say "Maria Cho", and i respond "Cho Mabe" which means good morning. In the afternoon they say "Erie" and i respond "Arie mabe". It is also culturally correct to ask "how are you" to greet someone before you ask them anything. The correct response to this, is "I am fine how are you?" So after greeting everyone, i get my things settled in the office and head off to start my work, whatever that day looks like. The office is set up in 3 office rooms. the administration office includes homes, volunteers, and social work. The Accounting office includes accounting, finances, church plants, and Jewelry. The Management office includes Suzanne the overseer, Marike the accounting and admin manager, and Pastor Robert. i generally take my spot in the admin office with liz in the homes department. My day is usually spent making schedules, planning events, preparing for fellowship, leading fellowship, emails, or praying with staff. In between all of this i usually sneak away to talk and play with the children whenever i get a chance. The girls of compound A have two rooms in the back of the compound next to the prayer room and the medical room. On the other side of the medical room are the two rooms for the boys of Compound A. The office is opposite the rooms with a cement courtyard in between. So i usually come out of the office, sneak into the girls room and chat with them for a while. Otherwise ill take the boys for futbol at the field up the street as well. the field is about a 10 minute walk from the ujv.
After work, i come home to the house with suzanne and marike, suzannes boys (theres 3 here at the moment, 1 in canada) and luke (altho hes now in canada for a month). Dinner is usually on the table as Prossy (the housekeeper) has cooked. Dinner usually includes some form of potatoes such as french fries, boiled, or mashed, with either beef or chicken. Sometimes we'll have lasagna or pizza, maybe even the african chapattis beans and cabbage. My personal favorite is the hamburgers. Prossy has been trained well. At the dinner table the Jones always go around the table and ask everybody how was their day and what is their favorite part. I love this family! We talk about the day and then i usually go back to room to wind down, spending time with the Lord, using the internet that works only half the time (the power can go off at anytime and often times the internet is down just because its africa) or watching a movie. Occasionally this down time gets cut short as i have long days at the ujv or am leading fellowship until 7 or 8pm. But it always feels amazing to hit the sheets on my foam mattress at the end of the day.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Encountering Jesus in Ngongulo
On Friday, I took 12 children with mama cook and Harriet to sleep at the land we are currently building on. The village is called Ngongulo and is located in Entebbe. We crammed into a 12 passenger van with all of our food and clothing needed for the 2 days we were there. When we arrived i set up my bed and then went with some children to collect firewood. The land is mostly thick bush, with bugs everywhere. Everytime i go, i have to wear long pants with sneakers and sometimes a sweatshirt because theres prickers, thorns, ticks and jitters everywhere as well. Its truly village life. we cooked matoke, rice and gnut sauce for lunch and in the late afternoon evening started digging in the garden. The children ate their full of potatoes and casifa they dug up. The following day everyone got up early to dig. We used hoes to dig up the dirt so we could freshly plant new seeds and new casifa sticks. i got blisters all over my hands, but it was amazing to enjoy the village life with the kids. They grew up in Gulu digging and eating in the garden and it brings them joy to be able to do it again. We've been going to the land to dig since last April. In April there was no garden yet, it was all bush. So Amy Toyota and I would take the kids with Harriet and go thrash the bush and cut down trees with machetes. We hacked the bush up and cleared about an acre of land. This was all before they started building the houses that we have now. I had never had so many blisters in my life. So digging this past weekend was not so bad. The kids think mizungus don't know how to dig, but so they laughed at me with a hoe in my hands. They stopped laughing when i dug in 5 minutes what took them about 30 minutes. The land is so fruitful these days. There are 2 harvest seasons and acres of land producing vegetables and fruits for us. My favorite part about going is the tea. There is some tea leaves that grow a little up from the house and they have somewhat of a minty taste. We boil water, i pick my tea, and i enjoy while the kids drink their porridge. It's amazing to be able to walk outside and pick your food from the ground instead of having to go to the store. the simple life is so different. I started to dream about living out there and how amazing it is going to be.
After digging, the kids went to play futbol on the field in front. Its incredible having our own field for them to play on! they played the village kids 6 on 10, UJV being 6 and villagers being 10. I think our kids won by 5. They are really learning how to maneuver the ball and pass to each other. While they played futbol, i sat on the hill and watched them. A little village girl around the age of 4, dressed in a short jean skirt and pink tshirt with the cutest braides and beads in her hair stood staring at me as i sat there. She had a look of curiosity but was still hesitant to come close in her shyness. So i looked at her and said Jungu (come). She timidly walked over to me and turned her head away from me still fearing a little bit. So i asked her what her name was and she looked at me now and replied "Favor". At that moment, as she stared at me with those big beautiful brown eyes, i felt so much love bubble up inside of me. I saw Jesus in her eyes and i heard the Lord say I favor this one :). So i pulled her close and had her sit on my lap. Harriet helped me translate as I asked her if she knew who Jesus was. Favor replied, "yes but I've never seen him and i don't know where he lives." I laughed so hard at this simple childlike response. It brought so much reality to who Jesus is. Jesus is a person, visible with a dwelling place. We can see him as He is. I told Favor he was the son God, God as a man. and the He loved her very much and is with her all the time. That he lives in whoever believes in Him. I asked her if she believed in Him and she said yes. I asked her if i could pray for her infected sore ears. She said yes and she prayed with me. Afterwards she sat with me a while longer, and when i had to go back to the house to prepare lunch she didn't want me to leave. She followed me all the way back to the house. i gave her a snack, and her mother came to get her. She cried as her mother took her away, but I'm sure i will see her again. She reminded me how much the Father loves us and desires us and really wants us to have our desires...He really favors us. We are so beautiful to Him and things are so simple in His eyes. I can't wait to live in Ngongulo and to see our kids reaching out to the village kids in love and compassion. I'm excited to see our kids bring the heart of Jesus to that village.
The difficult thing for me about sleeping in Ngongulo at the moment is that there is no privacy and feels very unprotected. The builders sleep on our land, as well as a farmer or two. There is no fence built yet, and no doors for the guards squatty hole. So I end up using the bush for a toilet wondering if someone is going to walk by at any moment. There are men i dont know all around building or farming so it just feels unsafe to me. There are also bugs everywhere with huge mosquitos and I was even stung by a huge African bee that didn't die after it stung me. It was so painful, but it really just helped me understand more about some of the fears i have in Africa. It helped me realize that i do have fears that God is still working out in me. I just want to know more of His always protective, trustworthy, hopeful, and preserving love. It is love that overcomes, and i want to be fearless in ministry. I want the extreme impossible, but daring enough to go after it. i don't want anything to hold me back from loving wrecklessly. I want to be crazy and willing to face pain, hurt, endangerment, maybe even death to bring Christ's love to the ones that need it most. i want to look fear in the face and know im dripping with the love of the Father, protected, secure and victorious.
After digging, the kids went to play futbol on the field in front. Its incredible having our own field for them to play on! they played the village kids 6 on 10, UJV being 6 and villagers being 10. I think our kids won by 5. They are really learning how to maneuver the ball and pass to each other. While they played futbol, i sat on the hill and watched them. A little village girl around the age of 4, dressed in a short jean skirt and pink tshirt with the cutest braides and beads in her hair stood staring at me as i sat there. She had a look of curiosity but was still hesitant to come close in her shyness. So i looked at her and said Jungu (come). She timidly walked over to me and turned her head away from me still fearing a little bit. So i asked her what her name was and she looked at me now and replied "Favor". At that moment, as she stared at me with those big beautiful brown eyes, i felt so much love bubble up inside of me. I saw Jesus in her eyes and i heard the Lord say I favor this one :). So i pulled her close and had her sit on my lap. Harriet helped me translate as I asked her if she knew who Jesus was. Favor replied, "yes but I've never seen him and i don't know where he lives." I laughed so hard at this simple childlike response. It brought so much reality to who Jesus is. Jesus is a person, visible with a dwelling place. We can see him as He is. I told Favor he was the son God, God as a man. and the He loved her very much and is with her all the time. That he lives in whoever believes in Him. I asked her if she believed in Him and she said yes. I asked her if i could pray for her infected sore ears. She said yes and she prayed with me. Afterwards she sat with me a while longer, and when i had to go back to the house to prepare lunch she didn't want me to leave. She followed me all the way back to the house. i gave her a snack, and her mother came to get her. She cried as her mother took her away, but I'm sure i will see her again. She reminded me how much the Father loves us and desires us and really wants us to have our desires...He really favors us. We are so beautiful to Him and things are so simple in His eyes. I can't wait to live in Ngongulo and to see our kids reaching out to the village kids in love and compassion. I'm excited to see our kids bring the heart of Jesus to that village.
The difficult thing for me about sleeping in Ngongulo at the moment is that there is no privacy and feels very unprotected. The builders sleep on our land, as well as a farmer or two. There is no fence built yet, and no doors for the guards squatty hole. So I end up using the bush for a toilet wondering if someone is going to walk by at any moment. There are men i dont know all around building or farming so it just feels unsafe to me. There are also bugs everywhere with huge mosquitos and I was even stung by a huge African bee that didn't die after it stung me. It was so painful, but it really just helped me understand more about some of the fears i have in Africa. It helped me realize that i do have fears that God is still working out in me. I just want to know more of His always protective, trustworthy, hopeful, and preserving love. It is love that overcomes, and i want to be fearless in ministry. I want the extreme impossible, but daring enough to go after it. i don't want anything to hold me back from loving wrecklessly. I want to be crazy and willing to face pain, hurt, endangerment, maybe even death to bring Christ's love to the ones that need it most. i want to look fear in the face and know im dripping with the love of the Father, protected, secure and victorious.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Empowering
I walked into the restuarant with Mama Elizabeth, Mama Liz, and two of the older girls of the UJV-Concy and Gift. Not recognizing anyone since i had been there last, we sat at a table as we waited for the cook to come meet us. Mama Elizabeth usually comes on fridays to help out and since this was a Thursday, she did not recognize anyone either. The only person i know is Joanne, the owner, and one of the waitresses. So when the assistant cook came out, she greeted us in a timid manner not really saying a word but just wondering what we were doing there. I introduced all of us and she told us her name was Faith. It was a little awkward as she seemed to not have much confidence and a little unsure of the situation. I explained to her who we were and that we were there to work and help them out for the day. I told her we would wait for Joanne to show up before we started working. So the girls and i sat at a table, drank some African tea (somewhat like chai tea), and we prayed for the day. I asked the girls to hear from God and write down anything they received. Mama Liz said the Lord was telling her to be bold and courageous. The girls sat with their heads bowed the entire time, but said they didn't receive anything. i encouraged them alot about just believing that some of their thoughts was God and not them, but they said they have a hard time winding their mind down from the thoughts of the day. Even though they have done this exercise a couple times with me in the past, i realize its been a few months and im going to do some more prophetic with all the kids this tuesday. I heard the Lord saying that we were going to bring joy and life to the restaurant that day. To serve joyfull and be ourselves and we'll release the joy of the Lord in that place.
Joanne showed up and and the girls went to work on the dishes. Mama Liz went to peel potatoes (lumunde), and Mama Elizabeth and I taught Faith and Aisha (the runner girl) how to make Brownies. The kitchen was very small, with very little room so we made them behind the counter in the front area. The oven was on a cupboard that was uneven and slanted, so the first batch of brownies came out with all the batter cooked on one side of the pan. i made the first batch, explaining what i did, and i had Faith make the second, coaching her when she had questions. the oven was still slanted a bit, so we added more batter, which helped a little. Faith definitely came out of her shell and really started enjoying herself as she learned how to bake. It was almost as if she felt a sense of accomplishment and empowerment to be able to do something that most Africans couldn't do. The staff all tasted the brownies and they all had faces of delightment like they had just tasted something divine. joanne priced them, and they handed out samples for people to get enticed and buy one.
It felt so amazing to be able to empower someone, and to see them feel good about themselves and be confident in who they are. The girls washing the dishes made friends with the head cook and as we were baking i heard more than a couple laughs from the kitchen. the girls asked me afterwards "Auntie when can we come back?" Even the girls felt empowered to be able to serve and work and accomplish something meaningful. They received no compensation other than the reward of feeling they had helped someone. God created us to first live and then work. We should be living to work, rather than working to live. God created designed Adam to toil in the garden to give himself a sense of accomplishment and joy in doing something worthwhile. Work is simply another joy given by the Lord. To serve is rewarding and creates character establishing authority and influence in the lives of others. This is why I'm here in Uganda, to serve and empower, and to give people a sense of dignity and confidence in being able to accomplish greatness.
Joanne showed up and and the girls went to work on the dishes. Mama Liz went to peel potatoes (lumunde), and Mama Elizabeth and I taught Faith and Aisha (the runner girl) how to make Brownies. The kitchen was very small, with very little room so we made them behind the counter in the front area. The oven was on a cupboard that was uneven and slanted, so the first batch of brownies came out with all the batter cooked on one side of the pan. i made the first batch, explaining what i did, and i had Faith make the second, coaching her when she had questions. the oven was still slanted a bit, so we added more batter, which helped a little. Faith definitely came out of her shell and really started enjoying herself as she learned how to bake. It was almost as if she felt a sense of accomplishment and empowerment to be able to do something that most Africans couldn't do. The staff all tasted the brownies and they all had faces of delightment like they had just tasted something divine. joanne priced them, and they handed out samples for people to get enticed and buy one.
It felt so amazing to be able to empower someone, and to see them feel good about themselves and be confident in who they are. The girls washing the dishes made friends with the head cook and as we were baking i heard more than a couple laughs from the kitchen. the girls asked me afterwards "Auntie when can we come back?" Even the girls felt empowered to be able to serve and work and accomplish something meaningful. They received no compensation other than the reward of feeling they had helped someone. God created us to first live and then work. We should be living to work, rather than working to live. God created designed Adam to toil in the garden to give himself a sense of accomplishment and joy in doing something worthwhile. Work is simply another joy given by the Lord. To serve is rewarding and creates character establishing authority and influence in the lives of others. This is why I'm here in Uganda, to serve and empower, and to give people a sense of dignity and confidence in being able to accomplish greatness.
Joy
I walked to the UJV from our house the morning I took the younger kids to the zoo. The distance is about 1 km and its all hill, so you walk up the hill and then you walk down. On the way down, there was a musei (what they call an old man) with a long white beard walking in front of me. I had never seen an African with a long white beard. He was carrying a huge sack on his back that seemed to be either beans or potatoes. It probably weighed around 52 kg. As we walked down the hill, there were 2 girls on the side of the road outside a shop. They saw the musei and chuckled to themself as they said, hey! Its Father Christmas! I was first surprised to hear them speaking English because normally people i walk by would be speaking Lugandan. but while i pondered the idea that maybe they were speaking English so i would understand, i laughed so hard at at the idea that this guy looked like an African santa clause.
I reached the UJV and the children were ecstatic about going to the zoo. They were drinking their porridge and looked so smart in their new clothes from Christmas. The only downside of the morning was that it was drizzling with gray clouds covering the blue sky beneath. We loaded up the bus and drove 45 minutes to Entebbe where we reached the zoo which is set on the lakefront of Lake Victoria. The rain had picked up so we spent 15 minutes waiting under a roof for the rain to become lighter. As soon as it died down to a drizzle, the kids started walking and we ended up in front of the oldest and laziest lion i had ever seen. His mane thick and his skin was all wrinkly. His face looked like that of a 70 year old man. David turned me and said "auntie, you call the bus, we bring the lion king and we go." For the second time that day my heart was stirred with joy as i laughed at yet another child making fun. We saw snakes such as pythons, cobras, and vipers. we saw otters, crocodiles, chimpanzees and zebras. The rhino wouldnt come near us, but supposedly if he does you are allowed to pet it. The zoo was very small, and definitely nothing that exciting for a westerner, but the children loved every moment of it. After looking at the animals, they played with the monkeys on the playground. They climbed, swung, jumped, crawled and hung from the playground while running around in a frenzy of joy. They had never experienced a playground like that, where they could jump and climb around like monkeys. The sound of children playing filled the air, so much so that i even had to give David, Cosmas, and bonifest a time out for spinning the girls way to fast, scaring them and making little Brenda fall on her back in the mud. The rain eventually stopped and the sun peaked from behind the gray clouds showing a little bit of blue for the afternoon. Its really incredible to be able to experience God in playtime and by just enjoying life. Eat drink and be merry, because God likes to party and play. He likes to have fun and enjoys us as we run around with him, experiencing His creation, making jokes and exploring life. Everyday is an adventure in Africa, and it reminds me that God has countless adventures for us, taking us places we've never been and doing things we thought we could never do. Never in my whole life did i think i would be taking 36 acholi children in Uganda to the Entebbe Zoo for a day. Never did i think i would enjoy swallowing a hundred white gnat like bugs, covering my face in order to breathe, while walking in the rain around a small little animal park so much. i loved every minute of it, because of the smiles and the energy that it brought the kids that day. God had assigned me to bring a little fun and enjoyment for his children who would probably have never experienced anything like that. JOY. Its part of my calling. Christ has put Heavenly joy in my heart, and i'm called to release it wherever i go. Haha, I want these kids to experience as much joy as possible! my heart is to teach them how to play with their Daddy. How to drink from the rivers of joy.
I reached the UJV and the children were ecstatic about going to the zoo. They were drinking their porridge and looked so smart in their new clothes from Christmas. The only downside of the morning was that it was drizzling with gray clouds covering the blue sky beneath. We loaded up the bus and drove 45 minutes to Entebbe where we reached the zoo which is set on the lakefront of Lake Victoria. The rain had picked up so we spent 15 minutes waiting under a roof for the rain to become lighter. As soon as it died down to a drizzle, the kids started walking and we ended up in front of the oldest and laziest lion i had ever seen. His mane thick and his skin was all wrinkly. His face looked like that of a 70 year old man. David turned me and said "auntie, you call the bus, we bring the lion king and we go." For the second time that day my heart was stirred with joy as i laughed at yet another child making fun. We saw snakes such as pythons, cobras, and vipers. we saw otters, crocodiles, chimpanzees and zebras. The rhino wouldnt come near us, but supposedly if he does you are allowed to pet it. The zoo was very small, and definitely nothing that exciting for a westerner, but the children loved every moment of it. After looking at the animals, they played with the monkeys on the playground. They climbed, swung, jumped, crawled and hung from the playground while running around in a frenzy of joy. They had never experienced a playground like that, where they could jump and climb around like monkeys. The sound of children playing filled the air, so much so that i even had to give David, Cosmas, and bonifest a time out for spinning the girls way to fast, scaring them and making little Brenda fall on her back in the mud. The rain eventually stopped and the sun peaked from behind the gray clouds showing a little bit of blue for the afternoon. Its really incredible to be able to experience God in playtime and by just enjoying life. Eat drink and be merry, because God likes to party and play. He likes to have fun and enjoys us as we run around with him, experiencing His creation, making jokes and exploring life. Everyday is an adventure in Africa, and it reminds me that God has countless adventures for us, taking us places we've never been and doing things we thought we could never do. Never in my whole life did i think i would be taking 36 acholi children in Uganda to the Entebbe Zoo for a day. Never did i think i would enjoy swallowing a hundred white gnat like bugs, covering my face in order to breathe, while walking in the rain around a small little animal park so much. i loved every minute of it, because of the smiles and the energy that it brought the kids that day. God had assigned me to bring a little fun and enjoyment for his children who would probably have never experienced anything like that. JOY. Its part of my calling. Christ has put Heavenly joy in my heart, and i'm called to release it wherever i go. Haha, I want these kids to experience as much joy as possible! my heart is to teach them how to play with their Daddy. How to drink from the rivers of joy.
Beauty of redemption
Last week i sat down with jimmy and Christopher on the steps to their room. We talked for approximately 30 minutes about life. My favorite part of being at the UJV is sitting down with my kids and chatting about their pasts, their future, and life as they see it now. I feel priviledged to get to hear their stories, and to be able to speak into their life. Discipleship has always been about doing life with one another, and I get to teach 62 beautiful acholi children how to deal with and handle real life issues in the likeness of Jesus. On more than one occasion, I have felt completely inadequate for this task, especially when the hard questions come. Christopher once asked me, if your leader falls into sin how can their be hope for the rest of us? i responded in the best way i knew how, in that everyone is responsible for their own decisions, and everyone has their own journey with God. Our hope is Jesus living in us, and influencing us to make the best possible decision for our own lives. Our leader's decisions and actions shouldn't take our eyes off of Jesus. This was a few months ago, but here i was sitting with Christopher and Jimmy once again chatting about life issues. For the first time since i've been here, i've noticed a change in their hearts. Something is different. Some of them have received major miraculous healing because they are now beginning to trust and to open up. They are beginning to share their stories without tears or trembling. It's been 2 1/2 years since they have been rescued and its taken that long for their stories to come out. The last time i heard Jimmy share his story was in front of the Fresh Fire team in 2007, and he was in tears as he told us how his parents died. It took him a while to get the story out and it was difficult to hear him with his quiet voice. But now, he tells that story from a healed heart, still sorry for his loss, but no longer a victim. So as i sat with Jimmy and Christopher on these steps, they started to tell me a little bit more about Gulu and what they had been through. Jimmy told me he was captured by the rebels and had to walk for many many days. He lost count of the days but was forced to carry a 52kg sack of beans with his friend the whole way. He said he was fortunate because the group that captured him was not as violent as some of the other groups and he personally escaped some of the beating because his friend was friends with one of the soldiers. Jimmy explained that the rebel groups around Awer Camp (where they are from in Amoru district) were not as violent as other areas. He also said that most of the rebels in the group were older. There were few children with weapons although there were some. He said he escaped when they were cooking. Some of the rebels were cooking when the government soldiers started coming up the road. Everyone scattered to get their weapons and fight so a group of captured acholis, including Jimmy, took off running. I was also informed that the soldiers in the camps that were fighting for Uganda would sometimes be just as bad as the rebels themselves. If there was no food in the camp, the soldiers would ravage the houses and gardens threatening lives, sometimes killing for food. jimmy said one of the worst things he saw was a soldier cut off a woman's breasts. He also witnessed someone's arms cut off. Sleeping in the bush was safer than sleeping in their houses in the camps lots of times. Stephen told us a story of one time sleeping in the bush and his friend woke up him because the rebels were near and stephen was snoring. He laughs about it now, but even Kenneth can testify of how scary it was to be the one making noise while hiding from the rebels in the bush. Kenneth's earliest memory was when he was maybe 3 or 4. His mother carried him into the bush as the rebels were close by. Kenneth was screaming and crying while his mother held her hand over his mouth to silence him in fear of being found and killed.
Sometimes its hard for me to believe that these kids have been through so much. They look and act so different than when they were in Gulu. They truly have been saved and transformed, so much that even their legal guardians and families don't recognize them. Everytime i get to hear their stories and talk about life, the power of redemption and justice rises up within me. I get excited as i get to peer into their hearts for a moment glimpsing the reality of an experience i will never understand, yet knowing that because they have gone through it, they will be and have already started transforming lives and carrying justice back to a hopeless generation. I caught a piece of revelation today as sought the heart of God. There will be war to enter every promiseland. but God fights for us, so how much more powerful is it when we defeat what looks like the impossible army and become victors to take hold of what God has said and ordained over our lives. When everything goes wrong, where there is a hopeless situation, and dieing surrounds us, we know that the power of redemption lies in the resurrection. God will not abandon us. He steps into the war, brings hope, changes the outcome, fulfills his promise and uses the victims and casualties for His glory. The promise land awaits us. I want to be wreckless enough to listen and obey, to fight the battle that keeps me from it. In as much as i feel honored to teach these kids about life issues, i feel they could teach me more than i could ever teach them. theyve been through the war, and they've been redeemed in it. The beauty of God is turning mourning into dancing, despair into hope, brokenness into gold, rags into robes, poverty into riches, sickness into health, darkness into light, and death into life. the beauty of God is transformation and these kids are gonna transform the world just as they've been. I see beauty in every single one of them, and i continue to love them and pray for them to receive the fullness of Christ in them. Christopher wants to be an evangelist and jimmy wants to be the future president of Uganda.
Sometimes its hard for me to believe that these kids have been through so much. They look and act so different than when they were in Gulu. They truly have been saved and transformed, so much that even their legal guardians and families don't recognize them. Everytime i get to hear their stories and talk about life, the power of redemption and justice rises up within me. I get excited as i get to peer into their hearts for a moment glimpsing the reality of an experience i will never understand, yet knowing that because they have gone through it, they will be and have already started transforming lives and carrying justice back to a hopeless generation. I caught a piece of revelation today as sought the heart of God. There will be war to enter every promiseland. but God fights for us, so how much more powerful is it when we defeat what looks like the impossible army and become victors to take hold of what God has said and ordained over our lives. When everything goes wrong, where there is a hopeless situation, and dieing surrounds us, we know that the power of redemption lies in the resurrection. God will not abandon us. He steps into the war, brings hope, changes the outcome, fulfills his promise and uses the victims and casualties for His glory. The promise land awaits us. I want to be wreckless enough to listen and obey, to fight the battle that keeps me from it. In as much as i feel honored to teach these kids about life issues, i feel they could teach me more than i could ever teach them. theyve been through the war, and they've been redeemed in it. The beauty of God is turning mourning into dancing, despair into hope, brokenness into gold, rags into robes, poverty into riches, sickness into health, darkness into light, and death into life. the beauty of God is transformation and these kids are gonna transform the world just as they've been. I see beauty in every single one of them, and i continue to love them and pray for them to receive the fullness of Christ in them. Christopher wants to be an evangelist and jimmy wants to be the future president of Uganda.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Home again
I landed back in entebbe uganda last friday morning after spending Christmas and New Years in the States. When I stepped off the plane, the atmosphere was different than when i had left. Not only was it warmer, but it smelled like a new year. I knew I was stepping off a plane into a fresh start and I couldn't wait to see my African family. I got home where everyone greeted me with hugs and excitement. I decided to sleep a little, but not much because I couldn't wait to wrap the presents i had brought for Marike and the Jones family. Friday evening we had a second Christmas where the Jones boys unwrapped their gifts in excitement and joy. Its not often that they receive gifts from America. After opening their tranformer, robot, guitar hero, cranium, t-shirt, and star wars legos, they each came and hugged me one by one as i thought to myself, this is what Christmas is all about. Family and blessing. The following morning Marike and I left for Jinja with 29 of the UJV children ages 12-18. I got to the UJV and the girls were outside waiting for us. They came and hugged me welcoming me back home. As we waited for the bus to arrive, the boys kept peaking out of their room in shyness to come greet me, yet they wouldn't come out. Instead they kept looking out in excitement that I had returned. The grins on their faces gave their emotions away. Jimmy yelled from behind the door, "Auntie Maria!" thinking I wouldn't know it was him. OF course i know Jimmy's voice though, so i called back to him and yelled "Jimmy!" while he started laughing his crazy loud laugh. I had missed these kids more than i realized and i was so excited to be welcomed back in more love than ive ever known.
We drove 2 hours to Jinja, stopping on the way for the kids to "sousu" in the woods. i hate that word, it just sounds nasty. While we were waiting for the kids to finish up, an truck drove by us with some young african men. The one man asked Memory if he could have the mizungus (the whites) in our bus. Memory laughed and started preaching the gospel to him as they drove away.
When we reached Jinja, they showed us around and ate lunch. Rice, greens, chapattis and beans. typical african meal. The kids then walked 45 minutes to the lake while i rested in my room from my jetlag and lack of sleep. They returned tired and frustrated for having to walk that far. They knew before they left it would be a 45 minute walk, but they were still eager to swim in Lake Victoria.
The following day was sunday so we woke up and had church. Sharon and Concy lead worship with Memory and Sunday interpreted Memory's message. Worship was amazing as the kids went into deep prayer. They went up to the microphone praying from their hearts and even in tongues. It was so powerful that it stirred my heart in hunger as i know it did others. I'm so proud of who they've become in Christ and how well they have started to lead. Jimmy gave testimony of overcoming voices that have spoken death to him in the night. He said He stood firm on God's word and told the voices to be quiet. And they did. After sharing I asked Jimmy if he had experienced that before and how often. He said maybe 3 times before. So i prayed with him then to rebuke all the voices and all the lies so it wouldn't happen again. I even broke any spirit of death, fear or cursing on Him.
AFter service, we went out to the ropes course where the children could not stop smiling. The loved swinging, climbing, balancing, and flying. for some it was difficult, but they all pushed through to the end. I skipped around alot, but covered everything eventually. The first challenge was 10 tire swings to climb across. It wore me out like an old woman. When i got to the end, i sat for 10 minutes to catch my breath. I got back up and went to face the rope swing, but in my fear, i chickened out. and went ahead to the tight ropes. Before I finished the course I came back to the rope swing with a couple of the boys. they encouraged me and said i could i do it. So i grabbed the rope as high as i could, i took a big step back, and ready to swing i stopped and said "I cant do it!". so jimmy took the rope and swung himself over. Richard then grabbed the rope from him and swung himself back. So i said, ok im gonna do it! and when i grabbed the rope, i couldnt do it. So colline came and asked for my camera. I gave it to him as he went and took pictures. Jimmy again said, Maria you can do it. I looked at him and said, your right. I grabbed the rope, i jumped and i swung and then i crashed. I landed in the dirt. and i said, oh no, yeah right. I got back on the platform, grabbed the rope held my feet up and swung successfully to the other side. Colline even got a picture of me! It was amazing how a little encouragement and a little determination can conquer fear. It's really true that the best side of you comes out when you're simply loved and believed in.
As Jimmy helped me with my fear, I helped Janet with hers. She was screaming and crying and freaking out on the tight ropes. I stood next to her with my hands up for full support if she fell and told her relax, u got this. Just take a deep breath and keep your eyes on the end. She then proceeded to walk the whole way through.
I asked the children what they learned on this retreat and how they overcame their challenges. They said they learned how to listen to their leaders, and how to respect authority. They learned how to kill mosquitoes and how to be patient. Stephen (the oldest boy) said the ropes course was most challenging because he was too weak and he overcame it by pushing on through. Jimmy and Susan said if they could have done something differently it would have been outreach in Jinja. They wanted to pray for people!
After returning home, i sorted through the donations that i brought and the donations my church gave me for the children. I made a plastic bag for every child with a present inside. the older boys got flashlights, cds, socks, while the older girls received clothes, purses, shoes, and jewelry. The younger kids got toys such as trucks, mr potato head, spongebob, balloons, stickers, and balls. I brought them all to the UJV and met with all of them as a group telling them my church donated and I also contributed to bringing them gifts. As i handed out each designated gift, their eyes lit up with excitement and surprise. They were not used to getting electronics, nice bags, high heels or jewelry. they were used to getting small toys. They all thanked me and started using their gifts right away. Joy leaped inside of me as i saw my kids glowing with smiles. I could see in their faces they felt extremely loved.
Yesterday after writing a report of the Jinja retreat, Pastor Robert and the mamas were meeting with all of the boys to discuss respect and obedience. I joined the meeting as this had started to be an issue for me last month with the children. As Pastor Robert spoke of respecting authority and being obedient to take care of themselves in bathing and washing their clothes, the boys nodded their heads in understanding and laughed at Stuart for being covered in dirt at the moment. when the meeting concluded, all 30 boys stood up and came to us one by one to shake our hands and say thank you. As each one grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes, i melted in unbelief that i had the privilege of being loved and respected by these kids. these kids were beaten, abused, undisciplined, mistrusting, fearful, and had experienced more trauma than i could ever imagine. And now they came one by one, thanking me, and telling me they would obey and they were grateful. There was trust in their eyes and they knew they were loved. The last boy to thank me was the boy that everyone calls my son. His name is Bosco and he is 14. They call him my son because somehow the Lord used me to get him to start speaking English. I spent a little bit of time each day with him, trying to talk to him, but mostly feeling like i was talking to myself. Then one day he started talking and grew more and more bold. We became close friends and now he's my son. So as Bosco came to thank me, he smiled wide and grabbed my hand squeezing ever so tightly in a playful manner saying thank you as he ran away. It was at that moment that I realized i was home again and i wouldn't be happier anywhere else.
We drove 2 hours to Jinja, stopping on the way for the kids to "sousu" in the woods. i hate that word, it just sounds nasty. While we were waiting for the kids to finish up, an truck drove by us with some young african men. The one man asked Memory if he could have the mizungus (the whites) in our bus. Memory laughed and started preaching the gospel to him as they drove away.
When we reached Jinja, they showed us around and ate lunch. Rice, greens, chapattis and beans. typical african meal. The kids then walked 45 minutes to the lake while i rested in my room from my jetlag and lack of sleep. They returned tired and frustrated for having to walk that far. They knew before they left it would be a 45 minute walk, but they were still eager to swim in Lake Victoria.
The following day was sunday so we woke up and had church. Sharon and Concy lead worship with Memory and Sunday interpreted Memory's message. Worship was amazing as the kids went into deep prayer. They went up to the microphone praying from their hearts and even in tongues. It was so powerful that it stirred my heart in hunger as i know it did others. I'm so proud of who they've become in Christ and how well they have started to lead. Jimmy gave testimony of overcoming voices that have spoken death to him in the night. He said He stood firm on God's word and told the voices to be quiet. And they did. After sharing I asked Jimmy if he had experienced that before and how often. He said maybe 3 times before. So i prayed with him then to rebuke all the voices and all the lies so it wouldn't happen again. I even broke any spirit of death, fear or cursing on Him.
AFter service, we went out to the ropes course where the children could not stop smiling. The loved swinging, climbing, balancing, and flying. for some it was difficult, but they all pushed through to the end. I skipped around alot, but covered everything eventually. The first challenge was 10 tire swings to climb across. It wore me out like an old woman. When i got to the end, i sat for 10 minutes to catch my breath. I got back up and went to face the rope swing, but in my fear, i chickened out. and went ahead to the tight ropes. Before I finished the course I came back to the rope swing with a couple of the boys. they encouraged me and said i could i do it. So i grabbed the rope as high as i could, i took a big step back, and ready to swing i stopped and said "I cant do it!". so jimmy took the rope and swung himself over. Richard then grabbed the rope from him and swung himself back. So i said, ok im gonna do it! and when i grabbed the rope, i couldnt do it. So colline came and asked for my camera. I gave it to him as he went and took pictures. Jimmy again said, Maria you can do it. I looked at him and said, your right. I grabbed the rope, i jumped and i swung and then i crashed. I landed in the dirt. and i said, oh no, yeah right. I got back on the platform, grabbed the rope held my feet up and swung successfully to the other side. Colline even got a picture of me! It was amazing how a little encouragement and a little determination can conquer fear. It's really true that the best side of you comes out when you're simply loved and believed in.
As Jimmy helped me with my fear, I helped Janet with hers. She was screaming and crying and freaking out on the tight ropes. I stood next to her with my hands up for full support if she fell and told her relax, u got this. Just take a deep breath and keep your eyes on the end. She then proceeded to walk the whole way through.
I asked the children what they learned on this retreat and how they overcame their challenges. They said they learned how to listen to their leaders, and how to respect authority. They learned how to kill mosquitoes and how to be patient. Stephen (the oldest boy) said the ropes course was most challenging because he was too weak and he overcame it by pushing on through. Jimmy and Susan said if they could have done something differently it would have been outreach in Jinja. They wanted to pray for people!
After returning home, i sorted through the donations that i brought and the donations my church gave me for the children. I made a plastic bag for every child with a present inside. the older boys got flashlights, cds, socks, while the older girls received clothes, purses, shoes, and jewelry. The younger kids got toys such as trucks, mr potato head, spongebob, balloons, stickers, and balls. I brought them all to the UJV and met with all of them as a group telling them my church donated and I also contributed to bringing them gifts. As i handed out each designated gift, their eyes lit up with excitement and surprise. They were not used to getting electronics, nice bags, high heels or jewelry. they were used to getting small toys. They all thanked me and started using their gifts right away. Joy leaped inside of me as i saw my kids glowing with smiles. I could see in their faces they felt extremely loved.
Yesterday after writing a report of the Jinja retreat, Pastor Robert and the mamas were meeting with all of the boys to discuss respect and obedience. I joined the meeting as this had started to be an issue for me last month with the children. As Pastor Robert spoke of respecting authority and being obedient to take care of themselves in bathing and washing their clothes, the boys nodded their heads in understanding and laughed at Stuart for being covered in dirt at the moment. when the meeting concluded, all 30 boys stood up and came to us one by one to shake our hands and say thank you. As each one grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes, i melted in unbelief that i had the privilege of being loved and respected by these kids. these kids were beaten, abused, undisciplined, mistrusting, fearful, and had experienced more trauma than i could ever imagine. And now they came one by one, thanking me, and telling me they would obey and they were grateful. There was trust in their eyes and they knew they were loved. The last boy to thank me was the boy that everyone calls my son. His name is Bosco and he is 14. They call him my son because somehow the Lord used me to get him to start speaking English. I spent a little bit of time each day with him, trying to talk to him, but mostly feeling like i was talking to myself. Then one day he started talking and grew more and more bold. We became close friends and now he's my son. So as Bosco came to thank me, he smiled wide and grabbed my hand squeezing ever so tightly in a playful manner saying thank you as he ran away. It was at that moment that I realized i was home again and i wouldn't be happier anywhere else.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Now in Uganda
I came to Africa with a heart for the orphans and the ones that had been stolen from by the Spirit of poverty for decades. When I first arrived I spent countless time leaning into the heart of God as I found myself in a place so foreign to me and having no perspective on what my role would be at the Uganda Jesus Village. I knew that I was falling in love with the children, and I desired to bring the kingdom of god into their lives as fully as possible, but didn’t know what my practical job would look like. As my relationships grew with the children and the staff of the UJV, I found myself building a ministery that I didn’t have to plan out. I had built a ministry on relationships. I spent evening after evening with the children, chatting with them about life issues, about what God was speaking and about their potential. I found myself living life with them. They started to creep into my heart in a way that I had never experienced before. I had stepped into a role that I had always dreamed about but never knew what it would be like. I had stepped into motherhood. I gained 62 children, a heart of compassion so deep that no words could express, and a wisdom that was not my own but seemed to flow out of my core in glimpsing the bigger picture. I can’t believe 9 months have passed. Its been the biggest journey I’ve ever been on as every day is a new adventure. I’ve started to see every day as a an opportunity to change a paradigm, to change a heart, to change a life in Christ. Every day is a new day to touch and to speak life and potential to the one in doubt. Amidst every trial of possessions being stolen, lies being told, disrespect from the children, cultural conflict, and even loneliness, God never ceases to amaze me with His glory, His gifts, and His outpouring of Love and provision in my life. He’s called me to Uganda at this time and in this moment to bring transformation and glory to a nation. He’s called me to touch and love the one and to empower the future leaders of tomorrow. That call is not just for anyone. It’s for me. The Lord has said I’m a jewel so rare you’d have to search the world to find it and so beautiful it shines even in the dirt and the darkness. I’m a precious stone and I am chosen and anointed to bring wholeness to a nation. How does this happen? By leaning into the heart of God one day at a time.
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