new friends in mawanga

taking visitors to mawanga could not have been more fun, more encouraging and more enlightening. i have always loved showing people what i do. really just introducing them to some of the most beautiful and precious people is so special and an honor for me. 

the past week has been filled with meeting new people and traveling all over. i met up with 2 new friends of mine, Pat and Angie. they are from canada and came to uganda for Pat's bicycle charity he has in the karamoja region (north east uganda). angie stubbled upon rowan through the web and the rest is history. i met them for lunch one day last week, then drove out with them the next day to mawanga. they could only stay a night, but during their time there they got to see a lot of different areas of the ministry. 

our new canadian friends, pat and angie

angie & i visiting a sweet family

one of the things i loved is seeing pastor paul be encouraged and challenged as he was discussing things with pat. sharing ideas, concepts, thoughts, and perspectives is what we love. we (all of those involved with rowan) want to be sponges. we want to learn. we want to know what is working on the ground and what's not. we want to know how others are doing it so that we may implement new ideas and strategic process. 

pat sharing with the staff

after pat and angie left, i got busy with my work in the village. from running errands with pastor paul in iganga, to home visits, to organizing some of the files in our office, to recording videos of our kids preparing their songs and dances for African Child Day, to meeting with some of the staff to discuss ideas on a kids camp, to hearing personal testimonies of what some adults have been able to accomplish through our adult literacy program. my days are always filled when i'm there. 

at iganga market with pastor paul

organizing the folders..it was quite the task!

visiting one of our zone leaders, Juliet!

our kids preparing for the african child day

i love sitting at the end of the day with hot tea thinking about the day. really i'm looking at what God accomplished that day. i'm just a vessel. i can't offer much but only what God gives, which is His love through His blessings. at the end of the day, it's all about Him. it's about what He is doing and accomplishing. 

i am blessed beyond measure to have the opportunity to see His hand at work...

a sneak peak..more to follow

had a great few days in the village! have lots of pictures and videos to share but will post more later. i'm headed off today to murchison falls with my new friends, angie and her dad, pat. excited to see new places in uganda with some new friends!

here are couple of pictures from the village...

sweet grandparents laughing

home visit with angie

some precious & beautiful little feet

our primary students 

Meet little Moses

He’s a beautiful child with a warm smile. He is just 5 or 6 years old and very involved in our ROWAN program. I met him at our Saturday Children’s program during my recent trip to Mawanga. During part of the day, all the children were having their hair cut; which our staff was educating and promoting good hygiene and health. It was a great way to tangibly show the kids little steps to take care of themselves. We had our very own “Mobile Barbershop” set up and groups of kids were being cycled through.

Mawanga Barbershop 

Looking at Moses' feet

As Pastor Paul and I observed the process, he mentioned to me that once a month he usually examines feet for jiggers. I told him I had never seen jiggers before and I wanted to know what they were, how to identify them, and simply what he normally does. We asked a couple of kids to sit down with us so we could examine their feet. We slipped of the shoes of Moses and we immediately were speechless (picture above). Since never seeing what jiggers are or what they do, I asked “Are these jiggers?” Pastor said “no”, but after asking Moses, he immediately said, “No, these are not jiggers, but rats. Rats have been eating the bottom of his feet”. I nearly fell over. My stomach dropped from hearing the words. I had to ask him again because I couldn’t believe it was true. I was in disbelief. I have never heard or better yet, seen the effects of rats eating human flesh.

Come to find out, Pastor Paul explained to me that Moses lived in a thatched house (straw grass as the roof with a mud/rock mixture for the walls..picture below) and there were a lot of rats that come into those homes looking for food. When they don’t find food, they begin gnawing on the bottom of feet. Just about unreal and almost unbelievable. Looking at Moses’ feet, there were several layers of skin chewed off, which was proven by the different shades of pink I saw; some areas were even raw. I couldn’t believe this happened to this precious little child.

An example of a house Moses lives in..

“How do we fix this?”, I said. Pastor again looked at me and said, “most people who live in these types of homes face these types of challenges.” My heart just broke…again. This is the reality of so many people with so many numerous challenges, but through even a physical hardship, there seems to be a glimmer of hope in their smiles...

This is another real story happening NOW. Every single night! Stop and think about it…and in that moment, I ask of you to pray not only for Moses but all of those suffering from a form of foot illness, disease or the effects of those living in homes where rats enter...

Meet Florence!

I want to introduce you to a beautiful woman a had the privilege of meeting and spending time with. 

Her name is Florence. 

She is 1 of 50 precious widows we work with. She is one of five wives that her husband married; however, she was unable to bare children. She has been living alone for quite some time and now with her current condition, it only makes things a bit more difficult. Pastor Paul was notified about her situation and he planned visit with her, while I was in Mawanga, to discuss what options there were. (side note: Pastor Paul receives phone calls almost on a daily basis regarding a widow, child, caretaker, or individual who is in urgent need of assistance).

I was informed that she was having severe stomach pains that were due to a probable hernia. We drove to her house and when we arrived we were surprised to hear she was not there, but she was on her way to the clinic. We quickly rerouted ourselves and made it to the clinic a few minutes before she did. We watched as she slowly walked toward us with each step sending shooting pain through her body. She was hurting and needed relief. After being examined by one of the local staff members at Mawanga clinic we sat outside to discuss with Florence and the nurse. From what we could understand, Florence has been dealing with not only a possible hernia (causing the most pain), but also Malaria and even being anemic. She also shared with us her lack of food and water, which on top of everything, doesn’t give her much strength.

So again, with a similar situation like the one with Hadijah, I didn’t know what to do or say. I looked at her weak body with heavy eyes, just wishing there was a way to relieve some of the pain. I turned to Pastor Paul and asked him “so what do we do?” He graciously smiled at me and said, “this is what we go through every day here. We listen, counsel, and pray with them. Then try to figure out some solution (if there is any).  It’s a constant thing in the village.  You can see how so many people die [because they lack basic needs].”

I walked away with Pastor Paul with my heart heavy. ‘How is this okay? How can I sit with a woman like Florence, listen to her, watch her grimace in pain, pray over her, and then walk away?’ Sometimes it's unbearable. Sometimes I wish there was a better clinic in Mawanga to provide suitable care for woman like Florence, but the reality is there isn’t. There isn’t much medical care available in Mawanga, but maybe someday..Lord willing!

Pray for Florence. Pray for relief. Pray for funds to provide the health care she needs before it gets worse. Pray for all the widows who deal with the daily challenges of life in the village... 

Here is a little message from Pastor Paul: 

the unseen blessings of “wet sunshine”

 it has become the ongoing joke each time I go to the village because it doesn’t just rain a little, it rains A LOT! Although it is the rainy season here in Uganda and it usually rains daily for about 30 minutes, it seems to tarry over the village a bit longer than normal. I mentioned how muddy it can become on a recent post, but I wanted to share a fun story...

on a beautiful sun-filled day in Mawanga, I joined up with Christopher to do a few home visits. Thankfully we had a boda-boda donated to the ministry, which has helped tremendously when moving around from one village to another. Since ROWAN serves members throughout 30 surrounding villages, it is imperative to have numerous ways of transportation in order to visit the orphans and widows.

We drove. And drove. And drove...Up, around, down, over, under...until we made it. We spent time with Hadijah and Christine as we listened to their stories, cried and prayed together. In the distance, we quickly realized the clouds were rolling in. We had to cut of our time with Christine due to what was about to hit us. So as we were making are long journey back, it began sprinkling. Then before we knew it, it was a heavy downpour. At this point, there was no keeping dry. I told Christopher to just stop anywhere, but he insisted we keep going a little further. He kept saying, "we are close". [Now I will have to add a disclaimer here because that statement means something different then what we would clarify in the States as being close. "Close" can mean 30 mins, several kilometers, etc.] I simply laughed knowing that we could be on the boda for a little while longer until we found shelter. At this point, we were both soaked. We soon pulled over to a house. Jumped off the boda and hurried under the roof and into the home. A man, named David, invited us in. We sat down on the chairs they had and all of the sudden, children were popping up out of now where. :) There were 5 adults and 8+ children sitting around us! They each were precious with their curious smiles! 

As it continued to rain, I began chatting with David. He began telling me how he is raising 8+ children and providing for his wife. He said "he wasn't sure how he was going to managed and that he needed assistance". I immediately knew the door had opened for me to share some encouraging words. So I did. :) I began telling him, "each child is a blessing and God placed you as the head of this family for a reason. He blessed you with all of these kids because He knew you could take care of them, provide for them, and raise them to honor the Lord. God will lead you as you lead your family. He will give you what you and your family needs on a daily basis. The Lord knew you could handle these 8 beautiful children for they are precious to Him". Afterwards I prayed over him and his family. He smiled and thanked me for the kind words I shared. A few minutes later, the rains stopped and Chris and I headed home.  

What I love about this entire situation is that though the rains came and we were soaked, God led us to this house. To this family. To this man named David. So that he could be encouraged in the midst of his circumstances. I love when God sends blessings like this. Opportunities that only He could design. So I will be thankful for the "wet sunshine" because through the rain, Jesus shines brightly!  

Equipping

One of the goals of ROWAN is to equip and empower the people by giving them basic tools and then let them run with it! :) It is as though you are placing HOPE in their hands..and HOPE does not disappoint.

One of the current programs on the ground is our Savings and Loan Program. Our local staff teach and train groups of women, men, and caretakers. Throughout numerous meetings and discussion sessions, the group selects a leader, they decide rules, fees, and how they would like the program to work. As I listened to Sam and Christopher teach, I watched this group begin to take ownership of the tools they were given. They developed a vision for themselves as they established the foundation of how to be good stewards of their finances. There was an excitement coming from each individual as this program was being set in place! 

What a joy for me to witness the first steps of what 

will make a huge impact in the lives of these people! 

Here's a little clip of Christopher on our Savings and Loan Program..

...He’s still Faithful

words from a woman who is bearing so much on her shoulders. a woman who has lost her husband. A women living with HIV/AIDS. A women trying to raise kids of her own…still says that He is faithful! A women who works in her garden every day to try and make ends meet. A woman who has a growth on her neck that causes additional pain to what she is already dealing with….still says He is faithful! A woman who just had 5 MORE children abandoned to her from another lady who didn’t want her own children with HIV/AIDS…still says that He is faithful! a woman who met jesus for the first time just a year ago. A woman who gives sacrificially and puts others before herself. A woman who stands strong amidst the storms and trials…still boldly proclaims that her Lord Jesus, her Father in Heaven…is FAITHFUL & GOOD!

Meet my beloved HADIJAH. One of the many widows ROWAN is ministering to. Her situation is like so many others. the loss of her husband. disease stricken with HIV/AIDS. becoming the main caregiver. the task of maintaining the garden production to make ends meet. It’s a daunting cycle and reality of so many people. And just when you may think you have heard enough, there seems to be more…

As I sat with hadijah in her house, I couldn’t bear it any longer. I broke. I couldn’t keep the tears from falling. I began weeping in her presence. several faces looked towards me in confusion of why I was crying. Fighting through the tears, I finally got words out, saying, “I understand a little of the pain. I understand how much it hurts to loose a family member. To be left to figure out life. To try and make sense of it all and to try and keep going every day.” (i just couldn't quite grasp the idea of the only parent i had left, disowning me because I was sick). Hadijah, though, has welcomed these additional children in with loving arms and with full assurance that God will take care of ALL of them. 

as we sat together crying, she continued to say...

"though there is so much, HE IS STILL FAITHFUL AND GOOD!"

a video below...

(I was encouraged to make a little personal video of my visit. This is the first one I've ever done so bear with me! :) Also, in case you were wondering...AMAKA is a new program through ROWAN by bridging the gap even more to the people in Mawanga. As you become a member, you become a part of our family..which is in fact the meaning of AMAKA) 

Enjoy...

The garden is growing!

With the passion fruits only being planted a few months ago, they are beginning to produce fruit! J I feel so blessed to have been there from the beginning of this new project with digging holes, to planting, to now seeing the vines growing with fruit. It's a beautiful illustration of how we may have a part in planting a spiritual seed, having someone else water and nurture it, but then watching God grow it, mature it, and transform it!  I’m telling you, if you look, you will Jesus in EVERYTHING!

the first fruits of the garden!

            

I sat down with Christopher and John (local ROWAN staff) to get a full update on the garden. We went through the pros and cons of it all. To be honest, I couldn’t help but see the progression since the last time I was in Mawanga; however, the staff saw what was lacking and still needed. Once I understood the status, I then felt what they felt. They are trying so hard to make things happen for the production of this garden, but when funds are lacking, there’s only so much to do. And if things don’t happen soon, the passion fruit project will not make it. You see here’s the situation…they have some poles for the vines to climb, but what they are up against is the ants and termites! They are EVERYWHERE on the poles. So what they NEED is ant spray to kill them off. In addition to the spray, they need more poles and wire to finish out the garden and do it right. :) There is a need for approximately 300 poles and about 100 meters of wire. To walk among the garden and see it with my own eyes, I can only imagine what our staff and our widows who planted the passion fruits are feeling every time they look out over their garden. In a way, it represents HOPE for them. They are putting all they have into making this work and by being there, I am only challenged more to wrap my arms around them and carry them through it! We have to! I believe God calls us to! 

Please be praying for the garden and how you can stand with them! 

Passion Fruit Garden

This is the remaining area of the garden that still needs poles and wire!

standing in the gap...

village visit #3

i am changed each time i spend days in the village. i never know what God is going to teach me. i never know what my conversations will be like. i just know they will be filled with rich wisdom, challenging questions, grace, hope, and love. 

all of the ROWAN students with pastor paul and i

i met up with ronnie, pastor david wafula and his family friday, dec 9 in the morning. we wanted to get out to mawanga to be a part of the children's program. we arrived around mid-day. i couldn't contain my excitment as i FINALLY met the students of ROWAN! :) my heart was spilling with more joy and love for them. pastor paul kindly took me around and introduced me to everyone. the kids were split up into 3 groups: secondary students, primary, and then the little ones. i found myself holding back tears as i looked into each one of these students eyes. these are the kids of ROWAN. they each have a story to tell. 

every group of students i met, pastor paul asked me to share with them. of course you are suddenly on the spot. as i open my mouth i just asked God to give me what to say. i held it together until i stood in front of the secondary students. i was so excited for them and their commitment in school. they each have dreams for themselves and are pursuing it with great passion. as i was speaking to them, i couldn't hold it in anymore. tears began to fall. i was overwhelmed with how good God has been. His Faithfulness in my life, in my families lives, but also knowing how He's been faithful to these students lives as well. i couldn't speak. i was vulnerable standing in front of them. i haven't cried in front of people in quite some time. and within that moment, i felt the arm of my dear friend. pastor paul put his arm around me and spoke on my behalf.  he was speaking to the students in lusoga (the local language). as i found strength, all i could say was, "no matter your circumstances, no matter what you have gone through, no matter the story you have to tell, you can look back and see how faithful our God has been and that He is good." 

all of the secondary students!

i got to the spend the remaining of the day with them by singing songs, laughing, and getting to know them more. there's HOPE in each of their eyes and i feel so privilege to know them. there are exciting days ahead... the rest of the weekend included organizing and packing up all the 400+ necklaces the widows made, spending time with each secondary students, as well as, attending church sunday morning and worshipping together with the mawangan people! 

what a blessing it is to spend days in the village. what a blessing it has been for me to be embraced by pastor paul and his family. that is what i feel each time i go. part of a family ('AMAKA'). they have taken me in. loved me. cared for me. encouraged me. challenged me. and shown me more of Jesus. my heart is full and 'my cup overflows' with gratefulness and love for them. 

Signature Collection of Beads

coming to the USA soon!!! 

during my last trip to the village, i spent some time with some of the ladies who are diligently working on creating beautiful necklaces...

the ribbon

a few ladies signing paper to be cut out to be rolled into beads..

after varnishing, they hang to dry..

they are hard working women!

a beautiful picture of HOPE for these widows..

each bead was touch and hand made...amazing!!

with momma edisa and ashley

i'm headed back to Mawanga village this weekend to pick up the finished necklaces!! i can't wait to see them, as well as everyone else!! such joy fills my heart!! 

learning from the Mawanga people

(this post is reflecting on my last village trip, november 25-27. sorry for the delay) 

though the trip was short, what i learned and took away from mawanga was more than i expected. there is a special place in my heart for the village. i have always desired to “live and be among the people”. to feel what they feel. to see what they see. and to do life with them. i am far from understanding what the people of mawanga face on a daily basis, but even spending a few days at a time i continue to learn. and i continue to be refined by the Lord. He never fails in His faithfulness in making me more like Him. i fall more in love with Jesus as i see Him in every person. in every face. in every smile. in every moment. i look ahead to all the days i will spend in the village. as i learn from the mawanga people what life is all about. and how caring for those around you is one of the greatest callings/commands and responsibilities we have.

pastor paul was back from the states and i finally was able to spend time with him. he had spent 6 weeks traveling around and sharing about what God is doing in Mawanga -- a beautiful village tucked away in the heart of uganda. spending time with pastor paul was exactly what i needed. it was so interesting to hear his perspective on america and our culture. he made some remarkable statements regarding how we live, what we value, and even the faith he sees in americans. one of the things he said was “what i observed in the states, was the most valuable thing to americans is time and what they do with it. but the most valuable thing to mawanga people is relationships and building community.” talk about a gut check and even just some self-examination. he’s so right though. i’m guilty of the same. i have made excuses. i have chosen other things. i have passed up numerous opportunities to invest in relationships. it’s time to change. it’s time to evaluate what will matter in the end. my time? or building relationships? it's time to slow down and be with people. may i continue to glean from the mawanga people and how they value their time with each other. doing life. everyday. for they are defining “amaka”, a lusoga term meaning family.

pastor paul and i

so thankful to the Lord for all He is doing and all He is teaching me!

mawanga pictures

2 precious orphans i had the privilege of meeting:

meet george & esther

 some of the ROWAN kids shared created designs for uniforms...

it looks like a garden, but it's going to be a large building for ROWAN! 

there will be offices and a big fellowship hall. praying for all the funds to be complete!

the AMAZING women working in the garden!

they want their passion fruit to grow!! :)

for the record..these ladies are so strong! 

i dug 3 holes & each time another precious widow would help fix it :)

a little TLC (tender love & care) for the passion fruit! 

pastor wafu asked me to plant one...

praying the Lord will grow it to produce a bounty of fruit!

and just for those who are curious, mawanga means "a coming together of nations". i absolutely love that! the history of rowan is filled with volunteers and supporters from all over the world! so many people from varies nationalities have already served with rowan in mawanga and there are so many more soon to follow...O Lord, you said, lift up your eyes, the harvest is here. the Kingdom is near. you said, ask & i'll give the nations to you...! 

come Lord, and move among us! may others see and believe that You, O God, have done this!

mawanga village: where do i begin...

you can't really imagine it unless you see with your very eyes. it is literally in the bush. off the beaten path. there are small groups of huts set in an opening of trees. only those who live there could tell you where someone lives. no signs. just dirt paths leading from one group of homes to another. i was either in one of ROWAN's vehicles or on a boda moving around. and as i went along i heard the word "muzungu" about a thousand times. it brought such joy to my heart when my eyes would meet the eyes of the children who were yelling at me. when i acknowledge them and yelled "jambo" (a simple way they greet each other; meaning hi or hello). they squealed. they laughed. and they smiled ear to ear. i seriously could have done that the whole day. :) seeing pure and innocent joy radiate from them is priceless! 

it’s a different pace of life out in the village. slow. simple. focusing on basic needs to live. there are people herding small groups of cattle. goats roaming. chickens everywhere. kids walking around. some playing. some crying. some running around either half naked or fully naked. you find adults working in the fields gardening or harvesting their fruit or vegetation. holes in the ground for toilets. bucket showers outside with water that was warmed up over the fire. no electricity. mud huts with thatched roofs. the local language of lusoga beautifully spoken. feeling the strong sun beat down. dirt all over my feet. on my hands. on my skin. learned to drink hot tea twice a day. rich conversations. relationships being built. that is what matters at the end of the day and in the midst of everything. embracing community and fellowship with one another. 

even though i was in the village for just a few days i was once again challenged. God is so gracious in how He teaches me. He is constantly sharpening me. refining me. and pressing down on me. less of myself and more of Him.  He is still showing me that i am sinful. and i am in need of Him. He is still showing me that this life He has given me is not about me but about Him. He is opening my eyes to see all i need is Him. to let go of things that don’t matter. to strip away everything else so Jesus alone remains.

“…i consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake i have lost all things. i consider them rubbish, that i may gain Christ and be found in Him…i want to know christ…the power of his resurrection…the fellowship of sharing in suffering…becoming like him in death to be raised up (paraphrased the last part).” phil 3:8-9

one of my prayers has been for God to open my eyes to see. see the children. the widows. the families. whoever it is Lord, i want to see.  interestingly enough, as i was driving up with pastor david wafu (ROWAN staff), he made a statement to me that is so profound...

"instead of people going to share about jesus to others, 

they need to go and see Jesus! 

they need to see jesus in the children and in the people

…if you just look, you will see Him!”

i look forward to sharing with you more on all that took place in mawanga during the few days i was there. much love and blessings to you! 

3 WEEK UPDATE!

I am now in my 3^rd week of being here and almost finished my 2^nd week of school with Graham. Last week when I started, the previous personal assistant (P.A) took me around and explained all that I needed to know. I was on my own after that…I felt like I went back to school because of attending all of Graham’s classes as well taking down additional notes. I have observed a lot of Graham’s learning style, his academic background & the expectations of the teachers. I guess you could say I am mending the gap between the two.

My day begins at 5:40am and ends usually around 10pm. We leave for school around 7:15am (it’s about a 25-30min commute) and the first bell rings at 8am. At 3pm the last bell rings and all the students head to after-school activities. We usually don’t end up leaving for home until 4:30/5pm. It varies daily depending on additional things that may come up. Shortly after we arrive home and unpacked from the car, we sit down for dinner. whew, what a day! :)

I am beginning to meet a lot of people my same age who are also in their first year at ISU. It has been so fun meeting those from all around the world. I look forward to building friendships and relationships as time goes on while developing a good community with them outside of school.

In addition to meeting people at school, I have been meeting a lot of volunteer ROWAN staff! Pastor Paul, David Wafula, Jim, and Ashley all play specific roles in the growing ministry of ROWAN. I feel so blessed to have met them and to work alongside each one as we step forward in the steps God gives us to take. Next week I will be heading to the village for a WEEK! From Oct 17-22 I will be meeting lots of children, widows, families, and staff. I will be observing the current projects and also doing a few as well. There is a huge event that will be launching soon so any time I can get up to the village will be a huge benefit in preparing for it! Tuesday night I met with Jim & Ashley and we decided that we will need to go to the village at the end of this month as well! So I will be going to the village again Oct 27-30!! Once we confirm a few things with the project I will announce it!! J I am beyond excited for ROWAN and I am blessed to be a part of it!

Everything else is going well! My body is still adjusting with food and such but it will get there..i hope! J I am gradually getting a feel for where things are and feeling more comfortable with moving around on bodas. It’s crazy what they can fit through…it’s definitely an adventure every time! From weaving in and out of cars, to riding down a busy sidewalk, to squeezing through trucks, to the busy nightlife..it’s a wild, yet fun ride!

I am so thankful to be here! My prayer is to continue to come with open eyes and an open heart to whatever God has! I pray I walk in confidence knowing who I am in Him and His leading wherever that may be!

Miss all of you on the other side!

joy

ROWAN BEADS OF HOPE

made by the hands of Ugandan Women...

these necklaces and earrings were all hand made by the woman in the Mawanga village. every piece was intricately made and represents someone. there are faces behind these beautifully made necklaces. there is hope in their eyes again.

my dear friend kelsey works with women from all different backgrounds, but particularly widows; which is part of the heart of ROWAN - Rural Orphans and Widows Aids Network. 

when she came to visit me in texas back in january she left these necklaces and calenders....

the truth is they need to be sold so that the ministry can receive support. i haven't been the best at focusing on that goal, BUT NOW i am making that my top priority. i am asking for your help...

you will bless so many others by supporting ROWAN through buying one of these items. all proceeds go straight back to ROWAN!

necklaces = $10

earrings = $5/pair

calenders = $10

watch this video see how these necklaces were made...

if you are interested, leave a comment and your contact information if i don't have it already. i will mail you the items you want! email me, call me, facebook me....lets work together to get these sold for the women in Uganda! 

Kelsey comes to Texas!

last week i had the privilege of having a dear friend of mine visit for a few days. the funny thing is we actually met in uganda this past september. i have to say, our God sure knows what He is doing when he connects people around the world. He knew 4 short months later, Kelsey would be in texas standing in front of 200 youth sharing about God's goodness, faithfulness, and restoration process happening in the mawanga village of uganda. HE made Himself known through every word and every story shared. God is on the move and i believe He desires for this generation to rise up and step out in faith.  (below is a picture of us)

kelsey lives in kampala, uganda and we met one sunday after church. we only had one day that our schedules coordinated and allowed us to visit. (click here to read more on how we met). we sat at dinner sunday evening and shared with each other where God has brought us and what we are learning in our current season of life. i can't tell you how encouraging this woman was and still is to me. she has walked a similar road as i am now on. she has spoken words over me that i know the Lord wanted me to hear. i am so thankful to God for her and the friendship we have developed. through the world of social networking and emails, we stayed up-to-date (well as much as we could). and when i picked her up at the airport last tuesday, it was as though we had not missed a day in-between. those friendships are rare and a true gift the Lord gives! 

meeting in africa and communicating through internet or skype, our conversations were filled with more of ministry conversations. God was working through her ministry (ROWAN) and of course i wanted to here all about it. with that, we didn't know much about the "other parts" of our lives...such as family life, friendships, etc....so we filled in the gaps...it sure was fun living life together for a few days. again, a huge blessing and gift! 

wednesday was filled with speaking at Cleburne Christian Academy, coffee at mill street cafe, lunch with the youth pastor and others, and then speaking to the youth group at Cleburne Bible Church. it surely was a day of making much of Jesus! and i believe He is stirring the hearts of those who were there at church.

Kelsey speaking at youth wednesday night...

thursday we had an unexpected lunch with the principle of Cleburne Christian Academy. he was touched by what kelsey shared wednesday and wanted to know more. we are excited to see all what God does through this! praying for big things! after lunch we spent several hours at starbucks visiting with some of the youth. that evening kelsey shared the story of ROWAN to the missions board and ultimately the story of God working in the mawanga village. we praise God in advance for what He will do!! as they say in uganda: Mukama Yebizibwe "Praise God"

friday we drove up to dallas in time to eat lunch with some of her family before her flight. i loved getting to meet them....

 Friday lunch with her cousin and aunt

our last picture together in texas...until we meet again...

maybe in the states or back in uganda :)

with great expectations from the Lord & His faithfulness in connecting us, we give our praise and all the glory to Him!