Love, Light, and Hope

My dear family and friends, the team and I have arrived safely in Uganda। We were blessed with an unexpected stay in a hotel during our long layover in Dubai (which means another stamp in my passport!)। So now we are well rested and hopefully will be able to have the energy for the New Year’s Eve overnight celebration at the Children’s Home tonight। Several of the local churches are gathering together to praise the Father for how he has been at work this past year and to greet the New Year worshiping his Holy name and dedicating the coming year to Him। I can hardly wait to see the kids. It is about all I can do to wait patiently for our time to go to the Home tonight. I am aching to see all those precious faces again. In the mean time we have had a great time of devotions with the hotel staff (one of my favourite things about coming to Jinja, Uganda) and we will spend the rest of the morning preparing the lessons and activities that God would have us do with the kids at the home. For those of you who have partnered with this mission in prayer; our team would appreciate prayer as we prepare our lessons to do with the kids. God has laid it upon my heart to speak Truth to the children, for they live in such darkness and the Truth of God’s word brings light and hope. Pray that we are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Sprit that we may know the scriptures and lessons and stories that would touch their hearts the most and advance God’s Kingdom. Also be in prayer that each of the team members would encounter God in a real and dynamic way so that we each have a renewed passion to share the love of Christ and make an impact on other’s lives for eternity as we seek to worship our King and Saviour.

The Beginning of Something Epic

I can hardly believe the time has come. I leave for the return journey to Uganda tomorrow. I am busy packing and preparing some surprises for the children at the Home tonight, but I wanted to pause for a moment and reflect on all that God is doing. I definitely feel the weight of the task that the Lord has called me to and I know it is going to require nothing less than complete trust, dependence, and obedience on my part. But I think I needed to pause and be reminded that I am not in this alone. Based on my experience form my last trip, I am very aware of the spiritual battle that is already going on currently and that awaits me on the field, and it is such a comfort to know that I have people dedicated to supporting me in prayer back home. Please, do not under estimate the power of your prayers; I truly believe that you who are praying for this team and this ministry are just as critical to the mission before us as the people who are actually flying on a plane to Uganda tomorrow. God has placed a passion deep inside my heart to bring light, and love, and hope to the children of Living Hope Children’s Home, but in order for that to happen battles must be fought.

I can’t wait to share with you all the amazing things that God does within the team and the Children’s Home. Thank you for your support, it has blown me away and touched me deeply. I am thrilled to be serving our mighty God right along with you in all of this. I pray that you are blessed by your investment in this ministry just as you have blessed the lives of so many. Lets make a difference for His Kingdom—a difference that last for all eternity.

The Count Down is On

The count down is on. I leave in less than a month’s time. I have butterflies in my stomach like a girl in love. Oh, how I am looking forward to being back in the country of Uganda. I know it will be challenging and demanding and difficult and...wonderful.

I am currently praying about what direction God is leading the people at the Children’s Home in regards to their spiritual development and growth. I am trying to contribute to some type of Bible study/discipleship program to start with the kids and staff at the Home while we are there. I have ideas as to what I would like this to look like, but more than anything I want it to be in accordance with the direction God is currently moving within the lives and hearts of the individuals within the Home. After all, God knows exactly what message and what scriptures are going to impact them the most right now and ultimately bring about great things in His Kingdom. For those of you who have personally invested in this ministry and are partnering with me in the work that God is doing in Uganda, I would be honored if you would join with me as we together bow before the King in his glorious throne room and seek his heart and will for the people of Living Hope Children’s Home and the people of Uganda. As always, your support means more than I can adequately express.

Going Home

I am thrilled beyond measure to be returning to Uganda next month. In a strange way, it feels like going home. I was just sitting at my desk going through pictures from my last trip to Uganda and my heart aches to be back there. There are so many things I love about it.

The beauty of the land,

the thunder rolling in the night,

the African coffee...

but more than anything I love the people.

I can’t wait to wrap my arms around those children
and tell them how much they are loved.

It is my deep desire and prayer that God would use me to accomplish great things for His Kingdom and bring Him much glory. I am humbled that God would choose me for such a wonderful and difficult task. I am honored that the King of my heart would desire to use me as his hands and feet to bring the light of Christ into such darkness.

Without a doubt, the last trip to Uganda was way more difficult and way more wonderful than I had imagined. I can’t wait to see what God has in store. I want to be ready for anything He calls me to. I don’t want fear or self-doubt to hold me back from being apart of Kingdom work. I hope that everything I do would be an act of worship to my God. For His love for me is so deep and so passionate, I want more than anything to love Him back with everything I have. I want His love to flow freely from me and touch the lives of others.

The Adventure Continues

Mukama Yabazebwea!...translation: Praise God!

It's official...I am going back to Uganda this December! Praise God! The process it took to get to this place was intense, but I have been so extremely blessed. Thank you to all who are supporting me and have invested in this minstry. I am humbled by your overwhelming response. Thank you for being obediant to the leading of the Lord. No doubt, this is going to be an adventure. I am so excited to share with you in the work of the Kingdom. God is doing great things.

Ronald

I would like to introduce you to a very special person. This is Ronald. He has become like my Ugandan little brother. He is an amazing ten year old boy with a huge heart and tons of energy. When I first met him, he was a very aggressive child and would occasionally be too rough with the other children when he got upset. He was even at times too rough with me, but recognizing that he does not have the guidance and love of parents to show him how to behave and make him feel secure, I became very intentional in my interactions with him. Over the course of three weeks, I saw a significant change in his behavior. The two of us formed a special bond during that time, and I began to realize what a treasure Ronald is. He is funny, kindhearted, full of energy, and has the sweetest singing voice. Ronald has the strength to one day be a man of God and accomplish great things for the Kingdom. He, like the rest of us, simply needs the guidance of a trusted adult and the security of knowing that he is loved.

Trust

In all my troubles I will trust in the Lord,
He is my Rock. His faithfulness is steadfast.
His love washes over me,
It fills me,
And it flows from me.
I will praise the name of My Father in Heaven,
For He is the perfect Father,
Full of grace and Truth
I will worship His name.
In His presence,
Within His embrace,
Is where I want to be always and forever.

It is love...

It is love that allows my once dead heart to beat with life.

It is love that allows orphaned children to dance.

It is love that heals the hurting.

It is love that trades sorrow for joy.

It is love that brings peace to the afflicted.

It is love that has saved my soul.

In Christ alone, do I hope.

Living Hope

This summer my understanding of Hope grew as I visited Living Hope Children's Home in Uganda. Those precious children taught me a lot about Hope and I am filled with inspiration to share such light with those who dwell within darker shadows than I. And that, my friends, is exactly why I must go back.

Hope in the Shadow of a Storm

If I have learned anything this past year, it is that Hope is born in the midst of a storm. I used to never really understand the scripture that said, "...we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..." (Romans 5:3, 4), but I think I am finally beginning to see. This last year I have been through one tumultuous storm, but the love that the Father has poured into my heart is unlike anything on this side of Heaven. The idea of hope has always alluded me, but although the storm wages on, I am beginning to taste the sweetness of the love that my Savior has lavished upon me, and for the first time in my life...hope is awakening within my soul.

Tabitha

Allow me to introduce you to Tabitha, a beautiful eleven-year old girl who has touched my heart in a unique way. Even at her young age she desires to grow spiritually and hungers to know God's Word. I hope this little story gives you a glimpse into her beautiful heart.
While my team and I were at Living Hope, we did devotions with the kids each night. When we first arrived at the Home each day, Tabitha always offered to carry our team leader's bag inside. Come to find out, Tabitha carried the team leader's bag in each day because she knew that the notes for devotions were inside that bag. Tabitha had been copying the Bible verses from the devotion notes into her own notebook, for she had no Bible of her own. Tabitha's inner beauty and obvious hunger for God's Word never ceases to inspire me. I am excited to say that during this upcoming trip we will be bringing Bibles for each of the children at the home.