Joy, Joy, Joy, and Mud

This week there has been so much going on in the village of Zirobwe even though we only head out there from Tuesday to Thursday I feel like it’s a lifetime- except by the time Thursday gets here I am reluctant to get into the car to leave. I cannot wait until the guesthouse is completed and we are able to stay out there long term.

Tuesday evening was filled with some personal ministry. Connecting with individual families and community members. It was a little bit rainy in town during the day I was even able to pull my flannel out and wear it during the day but when we arrived to the village the scorching sun has been so crazy recently. The community is having a hard time planting anything. We walked through the Empower a Child property as the sun was going down as a couple small children trailed behind me holding my hands.  We stumbled across pastor Paul’s small onion garden and the onions had been completely choked by the sunshine. There is no escape from the heat which means the harvest is going to be bad this season and no income, means no school fees or food for families.

 

 

As we had devotions as a team we came across a question that we weren’t really sure how to answer: How do we Empower this community to trust God with finances and realize we as international volunteers, and even the people in Kampala have to exercise in every season of our lives. As of right now community members are having a hard time in believing that we all have struggles and some of them are very similar to their struggles. Namely financial provision- As many of you know I have to completely rely on God for that. There is nothing in my own power or strength that can put money into my bank account. It is by the Grace of God alone. I put in a lot of knee work on this side and trust God wholeheartedly to provide.

Wednesday we led devotions for the nursery section and this week some of the upper classes joined us as they were feeling a little left out from all the fun. It is so fun to keep up with all the friendships there, as I am slowly learning the language my relationships continue to grow deeper. I feel like I meet a new kid everyday or I hear my name be yelled by someone from a mile away and I have not a clue as to who or where I am waving back to most times I keep walking and just wave from where I am at. We shared the story of Zacchaeus and just the impact the Jesus had on that man’s life. We led a skit and showed them how to surrender all to God. While most of these kids stand there and pick their noses or just cry. They are still learning and being impacted at a young age of such incredible Godly wisdom. And the coolest part about it is…they remember everything.

We spent the morning taking inventory of all things EAC and marked/ numbered all the chairs. The people in the community showed up to help tidy up all the chairs and go through and wash them all. At one point I had a baby on my hip and I was walking around bare footed in the loud people filled church..AND I WAS STACKING CHAIRS. I chuckled a bit because as a pastors kid the amount of times I have stacked chairs is totally beyond anything I could count. I am so thankful that God has sent me to the exact place where I can do the same thing that I do at home and have a huge impact in both places. I am such a blessed girl and I know that is such a cliché saying but how can you explain it any better?! Its joy. Pure joy. My Ugandan Dad Lukka was in the church helping, he is always around without fail walked by and I had my camera with me. He always calls me his daughter and asks how I am doing- he wanted a photo with me I turned it around to show it to him and his face lit up as he just laughed. That man is a blessing to so many.

 

In the afternoon we performed another skit over at the school. We took a break from fixing desks to just spend some quality spiritual time with our older kids at the primary school. We call it Scripture Union. It is a lunch time bible study where our school choir leads us in some praise and worship while one of our team members shares a brief testimony and a message from what God is doing in their own lives. This week we shared about the prodigal son. Sometimes just being silly and having fun and teaching in a different way can lighten up the mood of a long school day while still making relationships, choosing joy, and loving others.  
 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

I want to introduce you to a new friend of mine, this is Geoffrey. He is one of the sweetest and most respectful boys I have ever met. He is always checking in with us to make sure we are ok. This week he brought a pineapple to me because he overheard someone tell him it is my favorite fruit. He is trying to make friends because I was also told that he has been sharing his pineapple wealth with other people on the team. Geoffrey has lost both of his parents and stays with an auntie quite a distance from the school. He has two brothers and a sister. He needs a sponsor; he had to drop out of school for a couple years to work and save money. At the moment he is paying for school fees by selling pineapples that he has gardened himself. This term he saved enough money to come to school and sit in his P.7 exams which is so vital. Next year he will attend high school. I think he is 17 years old. So he is quite a few years behind the rest of the kids his age and is one of the oldest kids at our school. If you or someone you know is interested in sponsorship please please let me know! There are so many kids who are in need of just $35/ month. I also met a girl this week whose name is Marisa- Her and her mother were chased from their village because all of the people in the village thought she was a witch. They had a good standing home, 20 goats, and several cows all destroyed because of some village gossip. She too is getting ready to go into P.7 but has nothing but the clothes on her back at this point. Porsche and I have pooled together some money to pay for the first term but in order for her to be able to pass her P.7 exams she is going to need your support. If you are interested email me: shannengrace26@gmail.com

 

Thursday we worked on another wall of the school kitchen. It is a long process of getting a pile of dirt and some water and playing in the mud and every once in a while throwing some onto the wall in order to let the sunshine harden it. It is amazing that they have all the resources they need right in their hands. As you can imagine there is not much homelessness in a village here in Uganda. Our team spent the morning playing in the mud and just fellowshipping with our school cooks while having the coolest mud fight I had ever been a part of. So thankful for this sweet family of mine.