Families

Families are a funny thing if you think about it... most of the time when we think of a family we think of the one consisting of parents and their offspring. When you think of families in that sense, you find people who come from awesome families and others who come from not so awesome families. As I have mentioned before, I come from seriously the most amazing family I know - I realize I'm a little biased, but some people really may not be able to say such things about their family (A side note is that this may be fresh in my mind because I just finished skyping with my family after about a month of not really talking to them). But really, as amazing as my biological family is, I've come to realize that family is so much more than just some people who share a similar genetic makeup, they're the people you love and care about, the people you would do almost anything for, the people who you turn to when you're in trouble. When I look at that definition of family, it makes me think of not only my ABQ family, but my family here in Uganda. Last night we had a birthday party for Peace and Moses (two of our staff members children) and it was just so awesome gathering together with some of our staff members and their kids, all of the laughter, the jokes, getting to have the kids hang on me and joke around with me... it was definitely one of those times I wish that I could have captured, but I know will just have to be stored away as a memory I hope I won't forget. The dynamic we have here on this compound truly is that of a family. I've known that, but I was reminded of that after my fun experience on Monday with the tire (see previous posts). Having JB so concerned and so quick to come to help me, the concern of the others who knew what had happened, and then even with my cast - I have their true sympathy for me during this time, where it really is something they feel for me about and truly pray for me for. I guess what I want to just say is that God has blessed me with not just one amazing family but several. And whenever I think that I'm all alone in the world, I just need to remember these awesome people he has placed in my life in such an awesome way!

The Jinja missionary COMMUNITY

Every first Sunday of the month, we have what we call Missionary Fellowship. This is a time every month where missionaries from all sorts of walks of life, denominations, and ministries can come together for some worship, a short teaching, and then a pot luck. Last month, they asked for any volunteers for the next month's fellowship, and people were just joking to say that I should volunteer, but I decided that was an ok idea...I mean one more thing on my plate isn't that hard right? Then the next day I broke my foot, and that idea didn't seem too great anymore. Well...last night was the first Sunday and with Judy and Rochelle really doing the work, we were able to pull it off. And oh my sweet goodness...was it an event! We had over thirty people in our little living room. It was awesome! We had a one of our missionaries' daughters play worship (she's ten and did an awesome job!), we had another missionary do a teaching that convicted a lot of us, and then a lot of really good food. There was a constant sound of people talking and I'm just so excited it was a success!!!! I love it when the body comes together for the purpose of what we're really supposed to do - build one another up and encourage each other in the ministries God has called us to. If only this little microcosm of a healthy body would be something believers all over the world can emulate, just think of what the Church could do!

I hate Mondays (well at least this one)

Today I drove with Ryan to a town called Mbale which is the half way point between Jinja and where he lives in Karamoja. He had been in town for the weekend for a friend's wedding and it was awesome having him back so soon, of course that kind of re-opened some of the wounds that had barely scabbed over from when he left but it was still great. Over the weekend, I didn't try to think about that today would bring me saying goodbye to him for probably six weeks this time. Even today when we said goodbye it was less emotional because I really didn't allow myself to think about the true reality.

After I said goodbye and drove out of town (just FYI, we have an automatic car that I can drive with my broken foot), I was just listening to music and as the reality began to dawn on me, I began to break down. Then, as I was trying to recover from that, it all of a sudden sounded like the windows were opened, and I look in the mirror to see my back left tire flapping. Yeah, my tire didn't just go flat, it seriously exploded. God was so good though and I didn't roll over, and God just kept me really calm. I pulled over and considering I was on crutches and couldn't really do anything anyway, I immediately called in my go-to man, JB. I was told that as soon as he got the call, he grabbed Davis (one of my other awesome go-to guys) and they drove the 45 minutes to come and rescue me. After I waited in the car for them to arrive, I was able to see the damage, and JB told the truth when he said that I was very lucky that I didn't get hurt. God definitely protected me on that one and answered some serious prayers.





Now, as I was driving on the way there, I realized that it has been one month ago (four weeks) since I broke my foot, it's also been two months to the day that I had my birthday and I knew that I was embarking on one crazy year. I just can't believe what all has happened over these past two months. It's just been way too crazy for words to just wrap my mind around just how much has happened, the pain, the struggles, the lessons, and it's only been two months... It's just seeming like it's one thing is coming right after the other. I'm exhausted in every sense of the word but also encouraged that in the midst of days like today that seem to go as bad as possible, God is still faithful to have His hand on every situation. But I'll admit my flesh definitely says "I hate Mondays".

The God of ALL comfort

In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul describes God as the "God of ALL comfort". Now...I won't lie, I've enjoyed this verse before but in this season of life, it seems to have slipped my mind what it really means. Isn't it funny how that happens? You know verses and you know the promises but to actually put them into practice is a whole other ball game. I think for me, I'll be honest when I say that in a weird way I guess sometimes I don't want to be comforted...yet at the same time I want it with all of my being. I don't know if you could chalk it up to the martyr mentality or just say it's for attention sake. I guess the lesson of the day is that I need to allow myself to be comforted - the challenges of life are not going to change (broken foot, Ryan gone, Jess and Bev gone, and now I have a cold) - so I need to look to God to comfort me in ALL of these things so that I can be used by Him in the ways He wants to instead of living in a perpetual pity party.

Our newest addition

So I've had several people say that with Ryan going, I should get a puppy, and I just would tell them no. Then last night we get the e-mail that we should take advantage of some German Shepherd puppies to add to our posse of guard dogs. So JB and I went to pick one out today...needles to say, meet Kabong. He's six weeks old, and ridiculously cute. I know he won't stay this way, he's actually going to be pretty massive considering his size already and the size of his mom. I won't lie, he's pretty awesome!

He's finally gone

Today I went through one of the longest and hardest goodbyes. Ryan has finally left to move to Karamoja. I can't believe it's finally happened, there's no more, "first this..." or hearing "how long until you go?" He's gone...one of my dearest friends has gone and our lives of being together through all of the exciting as well as mundane things of life has come to an end. This morning, waiting to say goodbye to him I just couldn't believe it was for real and then when we had our final goodbye, I can't even begin to express how hard it was as we just hugged and I sobbed like a baby. I'm going to miss this guy so much and even now with each moment of him getting further and further away, it hurts all the more knowing that he's not coming back to live here and will now just be a visitor whenever he drives through that gate. It's so hard to have him gone but I'm so proud to call him a friend and I just ask for your prayers as he embarks on this new journey.

Nobody likes me...

That song "nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I'll eat some worms..." is kind of going through my head right now. That is so far from the truth but to make a long story short I'm suffering from a rather intense pity party at the moment - definitely digressing to the Elijah "Why can't I just die" state of mind although not to such an extreme degree. I had the hope that the crutches/cast would be gone in a month and that I was 1/4 of the way through it, but this evening I found out that the usual six weeks is actually what I'm going to have to do. Life here is so the oposite of handicap friendly - my cast is definitely not that fancy new fiber glass or waterproof material, my crutches are definitely very "african", and well...the complaints could just go on and on. Can you tell I'm just in a whiny mood right now? On top of that it's also just again setting in how Ryan is leaving in less than 48 hours, which is just fantastic (NOT!) and I spent my evening in a waiting room with one of our sponsored students who had a rash and needed to be checked out. I wish I could sound super spiritual right now and just be that hard core missionary that people tend to think I and my comrades are like, but really I'm just having "one of those days" right now. I feel for those who I live with because when I got home from the hospital I may or may not have thrown my crutches and went on a wee little rampage. Oh the joys of growing pains...