Hey everyone!! Oh, what a blessing to be able to update you! There is way too much to let you in on so I will try and get all the highlights in really quick.
The way up here went really well. I never knew I'd be so glad to stand and walk after sitting in a plane hour after hour after hour ....you get the message! I will say though I was highly impressed with the first 2 plane rides. Never have I watched 3 movies in a row...until my ride from Dallas to Amsterdam!! It was long, but good. Once we reached Amsterdam we had a 2 hour layover and it was fun to hear the different language everywhere! From Amsterdam we went to Nairobi. There is where I was able to experience being a minority by far. I found myself LOVING it!! Being out of my comfort zone was fun and exciting to me. In Nairobi we had another 2 hour lay over and this is where the Lord began truly using me for His glory...
Matt is a 16 year old guy from Virginia. (D.C.) I had noticed him on the plane ride in Amsterdam but was able to acutally talk to him and get to know him at the airport in Nairobi. There is a lot the explain that would give you a taste of God's sovereinty that I will have to explain at a later time. Long story short, I was able to find out he was by himself and going to sounthern Uganda to build houses with a group. I was so intrigued. The Lord gave me the opportunity to share the Gospel with Matt and love him with the Love of Christ. He is a very very smart young man with a lot of knowledge, searching for the Truth. He's not quite there yet but as I told him, I truly believe it's only a matter of time. I was able to give him a book I was only half way through chaper one in. I see now the Lord used a friend to recommend it to me and then used me to bring it to him. It was his from the beginning. It touched EVERY SINGLE question he asked me about the Lord and Christianity. I pray the Lord will bless him abundantly and that he will come to realized just how loved and adored he is by a powerful God!
Then, we headed off to Kampala where Norma met us. Oh, what a blessing it was to see her face and to see how blessed she was to see familiar faces also after being here for quite a while. I still couldn't believe I was acutally in Africa!! Honestly, I still have to pinch myself. I am in love, truly. I'm in love with the country, with the people, and with the Lord!! We stayed in a nice hotel in Kampala and got to see the city, ate out with an amazing missionary couple from California that are good friends with Norma. The testimonies will blow you away. I'll give more details later.
We headed on our van with Joseph, our driver, and up to Gulu we went. First we stopped on the way at a fish farm where a missionary couple lived from our church. It was amazing. There we met an AMAZING group of people and got to learn about their minsistry. Maggie Josiah lives here and runs a school and vocational training place...i'll fill you in on this later, too.
The road was very very long and even more so bumpy. You have not seen a pot hole until you've been here. I'm telling you it's something. Praise the Lord we were safe and I didn't get sick because of the movement!! (I thought I might for a minute of two) Once arriving in Gulu we were welcomed by sweet loving faces. They are such a blessing. You will be so amazed at the stories of each and everyone of the people here. Just to give you a taste...one of the sweet boys at the Mission House, Martin...he was abducted at age 12 by the LRA and was an officer for them. He lived in the bush...he was forced to marry....5 times...Koney told him he'd kill him himself if he refused. 12 years later he is free...has no wives...LOVES THE LORD and is so so precious learning how to live the 'normal' life. There are so many more amazing testimionies of God's grace and POWER! I get teary eyed just thinking about it.
Today, we went out with a medical missions team to a camp. Oh, man it was good. I was completely humbled and privledge to get to pray for 3 hours over and for all of the sick sick people...elderly people...young ladies...little tiny sick babies. Igot to hold little hands and shake strong ones,..I was able to see many come to trust in Jesus as their savior as we shared all He has done for us..I cried...laughed..and cried some more. I was so dirty and hot and sweaty and LOVED every single minute...and GUESS WHAT?! (don't freak out mom and dad) I may be able to stay in the camp in a hut with the people tomorrow night if the locals tell us it's safe. They are here for our saftey first and they will definityly let us know if it's not safe. HOW COOL IS THAT? No one else wants to...Lord willing, I will get to KNOW the people and love them with the Love of Christ. It's a live changing thing being here. I will never be the same and it's not even half way over.
Tomorrow I get to go out and do some trauma counseling. I have no doubt I will be on my knees. It will be eye opening, heart breaking, and joyously rewarding!! I pray many will lay their burdens at the Cross and follow Christ knowing they are loved and forgiven and will experience hope and joy for the first time in years.
I need to run, but I hope you are blessed by this. I know I am being blessed more than I deserve. I am always blessed more than I deserve. Please Please be in prayer for us while we are here. Pray for the people. The spiritual darkness here so thick you can feel it. Pray for our safety and discernment as we go out to minster to the people. I love you all!!! Talk to you soon!!
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