How was Uganda, Part 2

Part two….

Part of the team on our way to meet the kids!

Saturday was great.  It was my first time meeting the kids at the Kirabo Seeds orphanage (the one Tonya runs) and we took the kids to Wonder World.  Their smiling faces for seeing this place (that we would have cast off as a parking lot carnival) were so eye opening.  

1 John 4:12 stuck out that day, “if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”  I just prayed, “Lord God, help me to love well – as you loved me – otherwise how will people possibly understand your love for them.

 Thank you for loving me, for my peace that comes from you.  Give me the words please God – and the silent moments where I listen to the kids & reflect on your work in their life.”  

The rest of the team had met the kids, but I hadn’t.  They were shy at first, but still gave me big hugs.  

What I remember most is how they stuck together.  When my kids are playing at a friend’s house – we are constantly counting, making sure we know where everyone is (and we don’t have 14 typically!).  But I was the only one counting to make sure we had all 14.  

Precious Dennis.

They are expected to stay together and listen to Phiona, Julie and Robert, and they did just that.  They were fast with smiles and quick with affection.  Angela, one of the oldest girls, 12, stuck pretty close to me that day.  She’s a great reader and was teaching me words around the park (like Abakyala = woman) J.  She was just beautiful.  Angela and I.

Paul and Daniel, brothers, both were pretty shy, but so fun and handsome.  It was a good day. 

Sunday was a hard day.  I started the day praising God for His peace and quiet.  I missed my kids, but I needed that time away, a time of renewal even through the hard parts.  Proverbs 24 spoke to me so clearly that day. 

 But then we went to James’ church and there was no spirit moving in that room.  What a day I had longed for….church in Uganda!  The dancing and singing was beautiful.  

But the message was not from God.  I tried and tried to quiet my spirit and listen for God, but I just couldn’t hear.  I tried to listen, but the screaming and microphone was getting to me. 

 So I tried to quiet myself and read God’s word.  It was good, as always, but mostly I just prayed and tried to understand the English that was being spoken.  

(Tonya and Kira, her daughter she adopted from Uganda almost 2 years ago)

Sweet face

As soon as we walked out of that church I could breathe again.  

Daniel and I

God still spoke, and answered prayers, even in the hard times, He proved trustworthy again.  God began that day to teach me truly the fear of the Lord vs. the fear of man.  That one (fear of the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom and insight.