Just Trying to Keep My Mother Happy;)

Welllll, it's been about a week since we last blogged, and although that doesn't seem too bad to me, according to Brenda Payne, it is just downright unacceptable:) Although, now that I am sitting here trying to recount an entire weeks worth of events, it seems a little more difficult than I had imagined. Anyways, lets see, I'll just talk about the things I can remember, which will mostly be random and sporadic of course, but here we go!

All last week we continued to go and teach at the school every morning. We are becoming more accustomed to everything now. The schedule, the children, whose good and who needs discipline, the teachers, tea time, and even the little chants. One of our favorites is when the kids do something correctly, everybody sings, "Lovely, lovely, and NICE!" It is quite adorable, and far different from the "way to go" we give American kids:) As we spend more time down at the school, my heart is continuing to melt, and I am finding myself wanting to bring back more and more of the children from my class. I even spent today teaching them "I love you" in sign language, and the rest of the afternoon they went around flashing it to everyone. It was adorable. There is one child I have become particularly fond of, in fact, fond doesn't even scratch the surface. I am head over heels in love with this little girl, whose name is Anisha. She is beautiful with the most wonderful smile I have ever seen. She is also extremely intelligent, finishes her work quietly and promptly, has a kind heart towards all of her classmates, and also treats me so respectfully and lovingly. I am honestly just a sucker for her! Ha there are times even in the middle of class when I am teaching and she will just walk up and start playing with my hair and stroking my arm gently. All of the kids are yelling, "Teacher, teacher, Anisha is not sitting!" And yes, I know I am supposed to be a fair teacher and send her back to her seat...but I just can't! I instead almost fall asleep as she pets my hair, and hug and laugh with her as she flashes that smile at me. I am already a push over when it comes to African children, but this one, gosh, she's got me heart and soul. I ask you to please keep Anisha in your prayers as I long for her to continue loving the Lord and being a light to all she meets. I also ask that you pray for God to give me an opportunity to serve and care for her. I am talking to the heads of the school this week to find out more about her background and family, and see if there are any needs, even her education, that I could help or assist with financially. I long to see this incredible little girl continue to grow both in her knowledge and education, but also in her love for Jesus every year!

My precious baby, Anisha:)

Hmmm but ok, straying from that little tangent, lest see...Wednesday night, everyone here at the compound had a banquet to attend all night at African Bible University, and so Mary and I had the great pleasure of enjoying a "girls night" together. We watched "Little Women", snuggled up on the couch, and even indulged in one of our favorite things to eat here, peanut butter with apples;) The rest of the week I can't remember too clearly, as we had 5 Malawians move in to the bunk house here, and Dr. Dennis Johnson from California also move in to the house. All in all, we are once again a full home, and meal times are fun with usually 15 to 20 people eating dinner here each night. Oh, thats another thing! Thursday was sweet Mr. Dave's birthday and so we had many Ugandan friends over, and Mrs. Darlene prepared a WONDERFUL meal of green beans, cole slaw, tilapia, steak, and we even made chocolate dipped frozen bananas. It was such a wonderful time of fellowship, and I can not even begin to tell you what a blessing Mr. Dave is, and how thankful I am for the life he has led for Christ and the example he has set before me. It is truly a privilege to get to stay with the Eby's and soak up all the wisdom I can from them while here.

Friday was a tiring day as the end of the week always is. The kids were extra crazy, and even more unwilling to obey than usual, but Mary and I did our best in keeping their attention with songs and her guitar playing for chapel and much of break. That afternoon, we enjoyed the Eby's porch, vigorously reading our novels, and excited to start the series "Love Comes Softly" on dvd that night. Unfortunately though, after enjoying popcorn we had so eagerly purchased, and finishing two movies of the series, I began to feel awful. Thus, for the past 3 days, both Mary and myself have been sick. We are not sure with what, it could be a little bug, something maybe we picked up from the kids at school, or most likely it is the Larium drug we were on for Malaria. We both spent 2 days in bed sleeping, feeling nauseas, having hot and cold flashes, seeing black spots when we stood up, and honestly being drained of all our energy. Although, we didn't do much but rest, we are now feeling MUCH better this morning, and have also switched to a different, not so strong, Malaria pill that will Lord willing cease the aches and fatigue we were feeling mostly likely due to the side effects of Larium.

In spite of not feeling well yesterday, we did try to go out a little, and attended Zana Presbyterian Church with the Carsons, and Dr. Johnson, who was preaching. The church building is at the same place where we go to school, and it was so fun to see many of the teachers and students there that we see on a daily basis at school. This church was vastly different from Bukwinda (where we went last week), and was just as wonderful and enjoyable! They have a solid building, microphones, a choir, a screen to help people like us read the Lugandan words (thank goodness, because Mary and I have just been making up gibberish this whole time!), and we even took communion yesterday. Dr. Dennis preached on Philippians 1: 12-26 and did a wonderful job! It was a great reminder of just how we are to have one goal and that is to glorify God. We may have other goals, good goals at that, like providing for our families or parents wanting to give their kids a good education, but beyond those goals our SUPREME goal must be to bring glory to God with our whole life. He talked about how for Paul, the choice between life and death was a choice of the greater of the 2 goods, not between good and bad. Because in Paul's mind, living meant more fruitful labor, more time to advance the kingdom and glory of God. But to die, meant to be WITH God, to spend eternity with Him forever. Everyday should be a day we put the needs of others above our own though. Paul exemplified this when he wanted to stay on earth to continue the work of the Lord, although selfishly he wanted to be with His Father in Heaven. Jesus of course exemplified selflessness to the upmost by dying for us. That is why my prayer after yesterday has been that God would rip me of my selfish desires, and that He would engage my heart with His causes!

While I'm on this little streak of a sermonette, I mine as well spill my heart about what the Lord has been challenging me on lately. Mostly, I have just been struck with how absolutely selfish my own heart is and how fleeting my emotions are as a human. I know that when I was in Auburn in school, ALLLL I longed for was to be in Uganda! Then when I was home for those 2 weeks between school and Africa, I just wanted to be back in Auburn with my friends! And now that I am here, absorbing this incredible opportunity the Lord has given me, I sometimes find myself thinking of home and thinking about how excited I am when I get to see my family. Don't read me wrong, I wouldn't trade a day or minute of being here, I am just showing you how fleeting my desires can be though! When I really noticed this the other day, I literally laughed out loud, and was absolutely disgusted at my own selfishness. I mean, in all those situations, what is the one common them? ME. It is a total disregard of being 100% content wherever the Lord has me. Instead, I am now continually asking the Lord for a renewed heart and mindset, one where I find absolute joy and peace and contentment in every circumstance, no matter what, because the Lord is faithful and good in ALL things! It is so amazing to me, how God is just continuing to pull back the layers of my awful, sinful heart,  but doesn't leave me there. Instead, He shows me my weaknesses, and then shows me even more His power through them;  my absolute and utter need for Him.

I always laugh when I leave Uganda, because I come here thinking "Oh, Lord let us help others and change their lives and have left an impact!" Instead, although I pray we do impact many here, I always see my own life altered and changed more when I return home. I realize when I come back, everyone always wants to know what "Mary and I did" and all that we got to witness or be a part of. And yes, all of that is wonderful to recount, but what I am realizing is that most, actually all of my stories, will involve recounting the MANY wonderful things God did! The lives He changed, the blessings He bestowed on us and others, the opportunities He made available to us, and mostly, the way He continues to refine me. Dr. Johnson talked last night, as all of us here at the compound sat in the Eby's din after dinner and had a time of worship and preaching together. He said something that I have known forever but struck me hard last night, and that is that I bring absolutely nothing to the cross, my hands are empty of anything and everything. In our world, if I want to give something to others, I give my time or talents or help with whatever gifts the Lord has bestowed upon me...but even those I can't quite "offer" the Lord because He is the one who gave them to me in the first place! Ha I don't know if this is making sense to you like it did to me:) I guess I just realize how absolutely helpless I am, how in debt I am to the King of Kings who laid down His life for me, and at the end of the day I have nothing to give, nothing but my entire life. That is all God is asking. He died, so that we might live, and in that we are just called to live for Him. It is so simple, so freeing, a deal such in our favor that is unfathomable. How great and awesome and loving is our God when you really truly sit down and think about what He has done....

Ok, well I'm off of the seriousness now, or at least somewhat pointed babbling:) My sweet parents and Cole and Mary have to listen to my thinking out loud constantly, but I am so thankful for their patience, and all in all, I hope in some way this has encouraged someone as it did me. School today was splendid! Mondays are usually best as everyone seems well rested from the weekend and ready to learn again. A really cool thing we witnessed today though, was the giving away of Operation Christmas Child boxes at school. Yes, we do realize it isn't anywhere close to Christmas, making it a bit confusing. But it WAS so cool to witness children in a 3rd world country actually RECEIVING these boxes that us Americans usually make. The children were thrilled to have new toys and shirts and shoes, and it was such an encouragement and inspiration to realize that the time we take to serve others in America, really is impacting lives here! Just a cool thing to have been on the side of making the boxes at ECS years ago, and then being on this side as we watched the faces of children who were receiving them from somewhere!

Anyways, this is what happens when I don't blog for a while, my post ends up being like a mile long:) Please continue to pray for our health, our efforts at school, and for the conference that is taking place this week that Mr. Dave and Dr. Johnson will be preaching many nights at. Missing all my sweet friends, but continually excited to exchange stories of all God has done in our lives this summer when I return!


With tons of love,
KK