Career Missionaries

Today marked the end of our probationary period with Global Outreach and we are now officially 'career missionaries.' We are so grateful for the home office staff and their way of including everyone as part of their missions family. We were prayed over and challenged to make sure we are not only "with" Christ and "for" Christ but truly "in" Christ at all times. (John 15)

You might think things have changed for us now. But in all honesty, I cannot think of anything that has. We are still committed to follow God's lead albeit to Uganda or to the United States. We are still Global Outreach missionaries but somehow we are now "officially" part of the family. We are grateful for their covering and all the immense support the staff provides. We truly could not do our work on the field without them.

Thank You, Lord, for Your provision in the home office of Global Outreach International. We appreciate their hearts and desire to serve You by serving us! May we honor You fully in our lives and in our return to Uganda next week.

Fall Colors

Driving from Nashville, Tennessee, to Wytheville, Virginia, in October can be absolutely breath-taking. Even though we missed the peak colors by a week or two, it was still beautiful as we drove through the hills and deciduous trees recently.

It set me to thinking about the seasons and how things can be so different from one season to the next. The season of our lives lately has certainly shown much change. From the 'safe' living environment of Dufur that our children had only known all their lives to suddenly not knowing any certain place as home and of course, then Uganda becoming our home.

Most recently, every day has brought changes, never knowing what to expect from one day to the next. Our lives have kind of been in a holding pattern as we visit loved ones here in the states. But that holding pattern has been somewhat like traveling the hills, up and down through all the beauty life has to behold with its changing colors as we go.

Beneath all the beautiful color, our souls lie somewhat dormant as we wonder what will happen next. We must surrender our personal desires all over again. We msut remind ourselves that what we give up in the states pales in color to what we know God has for us in the next season of returning to Uganda before long -- not so much in Uganda but in Him. We are reminded once again that the Creator of the universe can create beautiful color in our souls wherever He chooses. And, for now, we are content in knowing that He has placed us in Uganda. May His colors show brightly through us as we return in obedience to His call and may we surrender to Him fully in order to do so.

Not Just Toys

I don't know about you, but part of going to Grandma's house meant a visit to the toy basket or the toy drawer. It was always there, waiting for us to explore and enjoy. There were special toys that we only played with on our visits there. For me, it was that special doll at Grandma Kilday's house in Keizer. It was the bottom drawer of the green desk at Grandma Thompson's where there was an assundry of things like marbles and puzzles and games.
If those toys had suddenly disappeared or not been there, something would have been missing. It was just part of the experience. Like cookies in the cookie jar. Somehow it made the visit special.
It never occurred to me that there were other children that visited that same toy basket and drawer. It never occurred that those toys were special to my cousins or my grandparents other grandchildren or visitors. Somehow, they were part of me.
I know. They're just toys. But when you associate certain 'things' with people who mean so much to you, somehow they are no longer just toys.

Just a House?

You know, a house can just be a house or a house can be your home. God has been so good to us here in Uganda. First off, we were able to send most of our worldly possessions from America in a container which arrived before we did. Second, a house was waiting for us to make into a home when we arrived.
It is interesting to me that the first house was merely a resting place in between the places. It was a great house in size, stately in its stature and clearly was quite a house in its day once, and had a great location. But that house had many maintenance issues regularly which was sometimes rather costly for us and the landlord decided to breach his own contract by raising the rent before two years' time of commitment. And somehow, while it was home for awhile, it was never really "comfortable" for the family. We loved the yard and the boys especially enjoyed it as their playground, to be sure. But somehow it seemed temporary for us.

God's provision for the time was really nice, but we are grateful for the new house that God has provided for us. Just down the street (literally), it is much smaller with just three bedrooms. But it is much closer to the size we are used to. The style of the house is more similar to what we are used to. The boys are used to rooming all together in one room. We are used to going to a separate part of the house for doing homeschool. So many things such as these facilitated the process of this new house becoming our home so very quickly.

And we are blessed. It may be smaller but we are closer. It may be lower in the location, so internet and phone coverage are spotty. But we are still connected. It may be more on the outskirts of where most of the Americans live, but we are next to a church and some of our dearest friends are just around the corner. Even the nurse we call for help with medical needs is near.

Most of all, this house has quickly become our home. Thank you, Father, for Your great wisdom in providing such a place that we can enjoy and share with others!!!

Dilemma???

You know, I had this idea of what being a missionary was going to be like. I would be "out there." I would "learn the local language." I would respond with a "great compassion" for all those I come into contact with. I would be so busy with ministry that lives would be touched for Jesus every single day.
Now I must say ... reviewing these thoughts makes me feel like a real failure. Over this past school year, we have struggled to get as much school done as possible. Each time our family goes to the island, it involves a whole week off of school. We have tried taking school with us, but not much gets accomplished because I am not available to supervise and help them along. Once a week is SHIM's prayer day (which is obviously very important and we do enjoy participating), but again, this is another day which school seldom gets done or if so, very little, because of the time involved for this one meeting.
Now this situation puts me in particular in a big dilemma ... my heart is torn - on the one side for my children and on the other for ministry ... Whenever I participate in the SHIM ministry as fully as I can, we only accomplish two weeks of school in a month's time on average. You can imagine this puts us far behind where we should be. In fact, it is the second week of July and we are still in full swing with school, trying to get as much done before we head to America on furlough.
Bob is so good and tender with his wife when things like this happen. It was clear to him which choice must be made -- the children first and foremost during this time in their lives (and mine). I know he is right and yes, it is true.
So ... I refocus myself on my children and their education. And I redesign my ministry with SHIM for the time being. I know that God wants me to share our home freely with others as well as use the van He has provided to help also. So ... while I continue to believe I do not have the gift of hospitality, I am believing Him when He asks me to step out and offer it anyways in obedience to His call. It is a shift in mindset for me.
I guess I always just assumed that He wanted me to participate fully with SHIM's ministries, specifically the Family Ministry Team. It hadn't occurred to me that He didn't want me to.
This has brought me to my knees in seeking His desires anew for me like I should have sought what He wanted me specifically to do here before I just jumped in. He laid pastor's wives on my heart and has given me a desire to pray for those living in the islands. He laid the village children in Kyoya on my heart and gave me a desire to reach out to them. And yes, I believe He gave me my own children and laid on my heart years ago to homeschool them. And no, that has not changed. So I guess really there is no dilemma as it had seemed.
My ministry for SHIM will change. I will still offer my home for any meetings, especially the once-a-month staff meeting, as well as any other way I can. (I have even been enjoying recently some time with the single SHIM ladies who come to bake.) I hope to open my home to more meals with SHIM staff members as well as game nights and maybe even once-a-month movie nights. I am not sure entirely how He would have to me to do as yet. But this time, I will seek His desires before my ideas.
But going out to the SHIM base on Lingira Island and teaching in the Family Ministry seminars around the nearby islands with Bob will no longer occur on a regular basis for me. While this makes my heart sad, I know it is what God wants me to do. In that I find peace and comfort in knowing that He will call me to other things in due time. But for now, I am renewed in my heart and will obey His call to school my children to His glory once again.
Okay. No dilemma!

FREEDOM!!!

Wow! Think about it ... freedom! It is not something that came easily and yet we Americans take it so for granted. At least I know I do.
Living here in a foreign country, we often have reminders. Here in Uganda, people are guilty until proven innocent. This means they lose their freedom by being put in jail until someone can prove their innocence. Seeing military police around town can also dampen one's image of freedom (yet we do feel safe, by the way).
Yesterday was the Fourth of July, our nation's Independence Day; the day we celebrate both our independence and our freedom. It is our second year now to celebrate it outside of the states, outside its protection.
And yes, we are proud to be Americans. Yes, even with all its faults. Yes, we are grateful for all who fought for us and for all of those who attempted to begin a nation built upon God.
And we are grateful for fellow American friends to celebrate here with ... by wearing red, white and blue ... a barbecue with good food (even watermelon and hot dogs)... and even some fireworks.
To God be the glory for "in God we DO trust!"

A Call to the Islands

Asked if I could spare a day to teach at a youth seminar out on one of the outer islands, I agreed. So Thursday I packed up my backpack, along with some equipment they wanted me to bring, and I caught a boda (a motorcycle taxi). There is nothing like riding on the back of a motorcycle weaving through traffic with your arms full of equipment. I waited at the landing for the public boat to come for a couple of hours in the hot sun along with a crowd of people, a goat, chickens and other things not so pleasant. Among a sea of faces, mine was the only white one.
Finally, a man carried me out to the boat. (Everything gets carried out to the boat. The idea of using boat docks doesn’t seem to have caught on here except for the very large seacraft.) Catching a public boat is an experience. They pack as many things and people as they can into a 40 foot wooden boat. I stretched out (crammed between the side of the boat and a woman with a baby) on my comfortable seat (a three inch wide board) and got set for the four to five hour trip. Numerous times I was asked, “Mzungu (white person), where are you going?” They thought surely I must be lost. Very few white people take the public boats and especially not to the outer islands on their own. (Although with fifty other people crammed in the boat I wasn’t technically alone.) I just smiled and told them (those whom I actually understood what they were saying) the name of the island. They would look at me like they thought I was crazy.
When we got to the island I managed to jump to the shore without having to be carried. I was met by one of the SHIM team members. As I was lead to where I would stay for the night, I was told what the plan would be for the next day. Not only would I be teaching in the seminar, but they planned on holding a crusade (an outdoor evangelistic service in the village) in the evening and they wanted me to preach. That’s okay, I thought, I could handle that, but they went on. After the crusade they also planned on holding an all-night teaching and worship service on Friday night and they wanted me to teach at that as well. I can’t say my first reaction was joy. Not only would this mean some fast preparation work on the preaching and teaching I had not planned on, but it had been many years since the idea of staying up all night sounded appealing. I just tried to smile and said a silent prayer for help. It was, after all, a privilege for me to share. At least this night I would be able to sleep, or so I thought. One of the fellows gave up his bed for me which I was grateful for. I had brought my own mosquito netting which worked okay but kept falling down on my face and getting tangled within my feet. The night was anything but restful.
The day started a 6 am with morning worship. After breakfast tea, we took a boat to a different island where the seminar and crusade would be held. The seminar was in a mud walled church where there were about 70 people packed in on wooden benches. After the seminar we moved the equipment to an open area in the center of the village. There the crusade began with music and dancing. My mzungu feet couldn’t keep up with the dancing and I did not understand the words to the songs, but I clapped along and sang my own words. After I preached there was more singing and dancing. The dancing got a little wild. There were around 70 children there besides the adults, and the children began running and slamming into each other, pushing each other to the ground, knocking many of the smaller children flying. I was very disturbed by this but the Ugandans just smiled and said, ”They are playing. “
When the crusade was over, we moved the equipment back to the church and prepared for the all-nighter. We had to hurry for a sudden thunderstorm came up and we had to get inside before we were drenched. The people fed us well with plates heaping with food, only my stomache was not in agreement with the food before me. To be polite, I did my best to eat as much as I could. The all-nighter consisted of teaching, mine as well as others, prayer and worship. As the night wore on, some of the people began to nod off. I was having trouble keeping my eyes open but then the night grew cold. The people put on coats, but I, who thought was in a tropical country, had only the shirt I had on. I shivered through the last few hours, but at least it helped keep me awake.
The all-nighter lasted until 6 am at which time we got our boat back to the mission base on a nearby island. The rest of the SHIM team found beds to sleep on, but I needed to catch the public boat for the five hour ride back to Jinja. This time I shared the ride with another mother and baby as well as a bunch of chickens that refused to be polite and stay in their own area. Finally, I made it back to shore and caught another boda back home. While the trip did not have much rest, I still felt blessed to be a part of what God is doing in the islands.