There is something so surreal about being able to slip my
shoes on and walk through the compound, out through the gate and then down the
dirt road to the market. Picking up fresh foods and bargaining prices with the
local people in a different language. Being pulled so far out of your comfort
zone that the Lord is the only thing you can rely on.
These last few weeks have been a whirlwind, but it always
amazes me how the Lord reveals things in my life at just the right time.
This week we had a holiday program (The school year is split
into three terms) As the first term is over they get a three week period off to
revise their books and spend time with their families because many of them go
to boarding schools far from their homes. So we as an organization spent some
time pouring into our sponsored kids and having bible study/ letter writing/
health talks. I go to work with the 10th- 12th graders
and I am so loving spending time with these kids. Not only do they scare me to
death, they make me laugh and give me something to think about on my side. We
talked through self- esteem and peer pressure mostly- but we also went into
talking about how they are going to be the leaders of Empower A Child when we
all leave. I am not just gaining names on our sponsorship list, but I am making
friends. I will get to see these kids more during this year. I will get to be
something that is stable in their life and get to encourage and love them and
share more about God!
It got me thinking how can I use this for my future? What
does the future hold for me and how can I get started on what God wants for me?
I started looking into Liberty University for starting to
take online classes. I would love to be able to carve some time out and get
going on my studies just something I am thinking about.
I am on a juice kick right now of butunda (passion fruit),
oranges, water, and a little sugar. I can get all the things I need just around
the corner from the house.
Visa update- my volunteer work permit is being processed and should be finished up in the next two weeks. I am so thankful that this part is almost over and I won’t have to stress or worry about my visa expiring for another year.
We do a lot of what we call “bathroom worship” there are
good acoustics in the bathroom area so last week all the girls got together and
we just sang songs of worship to the Lord and shared what God was doing in our
lives.
We are moving into the season Ugandans call Mzungu season-
when all of the white people get out of school and come to visit Uganda. With
that the organization is gaining and losing volunteers. During the winter we
usually have a handful of long term volunteers. Well. All of them just left and
we have new faces at the house. It is like a fresh start. Starting new and
fresh. I was sad to see the people that had become my family move on to new
things but also a huge privilege to see what God is going to do in their lives
in the coming months. Also knowing that there is going to be a wave of
volunteers coming in that either need or give encouragement to this team.
I have been stepping up and working a lot more with the
social media side of things: sending photo and story updates on what is going
on here on ground.
We have been going into homes and helping the older people
of the community of Zirobwe and just spent time listening to what is going on
in their lives and asking them to share with what God is doing in their lives
currently. An older man who is partially blind and struggles to walk to church
was visited by us a few weeks back. He brought four eggs that were carefully
wrapped to one of our staff members just to thank her for our visit.
My head feels like it is spinning-kind of like this blog
just short and choppy. There is just so much going on I am not sure what to
say. You know when you get into a lull? And you are not sure how to get out of
it? I feel like that is where I am right now- going through the motions.
Serving and giving my heart. It is just getting to a point where I feel like I
am just fulfilling tasks without being able to fully recognize the blessings
that the Lord is bring to my life through these experiences. I don’t have that
same fresh look that I had when I first got here.
Facebook and other social media are so good at sugar coating
things and making it look like I live a perfect life and that being a
missionary is only about blessings. I can assure you, what you see on social
media is true. Every story, every photo I post has so much life and joy in it.
There is two sides to every story though. I just feel stuck.
It is hard; hard to be on the opposite end of the world. It
is tiresome to have people constantly grabbing your arm or whistling for your
attention. I am so over the carbs.
Just feeling Ezekiel 37.
Last week I was reading in 2 Corinthians about Paul receiving
the thorn, a messenger from the devil as scripture says. Paul goes on to beg
the Lord to take the thorn away and the Lord responds with, “My grace is sufficient
for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … Paul late says “For when
I am weak, then I am strong.” That even
through a period of weakness, even when I feel like there is a thorn in my
flesh- that the Lord is still a sovereign God who will be there through
anything that He makes me strong.
So continue praying with me- pray for the team. Pray for me
personally that I would continue to seek God’s face even in the times I don’t “feel”
Him working right here. Right now. Pray for the children that we are witnessing
to and the street evangelism that we do on Friday during the day in a nearby slum
area and in the nights with the prostitutes.
So even in the moments that I am just walking to the market,
that I will find joy in just being alive and getting the opportunity to serve.
If you would like to send me some encouragement via snail
mail or a care package I would be so thankful for that:
Shannen
Kennedy
c/o Empower
A Child
PO Box 33273
Kampala,
Uganda
Yours truly,
Shan
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