laughter, a blade of grass, and a leaf

So God is really teaching me a lot about looking for the blessings of the day.  He is reminding that every situation is an opportunity to see Him work.  Several days ago, I got a text from one of the house moms early in the morning asking for a Bible.  I was thrilled that she wanted one although I thought she already had one.  I have to admit that even in such a simple request, I began analyzing the whys and then the hows of getting it to her.
God gently said, "Just go take her one."  I had to smile, my great, all-powerful God telling me to chill and stop making it complicated.  I got dressed, and walked over to her house in the cool morning breeze. On my way, I got to greet and say good-bye to the secondary kids as they drove out for school.
When I arrived at house 4, I was greeted with a huge smile and a great, big thank you from the recipient of the Bible.  And then she said. . . "I just texted the matron, but the water is going everywhere in the washroom; the tap is broken."
Oh, dear! So I walked back and God gently reminded me, "this is an opportunity for you to see ME."  I did see Him in the laughter of the little girls as they showed me the water squirting everywhere.  The water tap on the back wall had broken totally off and the water was a constant flow out of the back wall.  Water was going everywhere and the girls were splashing around.  I tried wadding through the water to see what I could do but it was absolutely impossible to put the tap back on.  We all started to laugh that I would try to put it back on!

Now, let me say at this point, that I am a girly girl and don't understand the mechanics of anything but know how to pick up a phone and call someone who does.  Problem being, it was 7:15 in the morning and the mechanics were not around yet and Mark was still getting ready for the day.  I did know where I thought the shut off valve was so I walked around the back to see; all the while the girls are watching and laughing.  The shut off valve did not have a knob, I would have to have a wrench, pliers something (remember I am a girly girl).  I sent one of the girls to our house to get something and hoped she would come back with Mark and his tool bag.  But I stood there for a moment realizing that the water was still coming and wouldn't stop till I did something.  All the while, I realized I was enjoying the girls and the moment.
Okay, I will try to turn it, and then I heard, "Auntie Amy, it is stopping!"
"Oh, it is still going!"
So I tried harder.  I looked around to find something to help me get a better grip.  I looked around for a leaf but couldn't find one so called for one of the girls to go get one.  I then picked up a blade of grass and wrapped it twice around where the knob should be (remember I am a girly girl and MacGyver I am not), somehow it worked and I heard again laughter and yelling.
"It is stopping!"
"There is little, Auntie Amy!"  one of the little girls cried out laughing!
Finally a big leaf came and I was able to shut it off totally.
They began to chant, "It is over.  . . It is over. . ."
I went to look and there was not even a drop coming from the wall.  As I walked away, I thanked God for laughter, a blade of grass and a leaf and for the opportunity to see Him in the moments of everyday.

Progress of the House

When we begin preparing to come to Uganda, one of our visions and goals was to build a missionary house on the GSF land.  This would alleviate the need for missionary housing and would provide a house for us so that we could stay long term.  God has been so faithful in taking us on a journey of building this house.  He has provided many generous donors and given us a fabulous organization (eMi) to work with.  This blog post may be more for our parents, close friends and donors to the house but wanted to show you the progress.  We have been told that the move in date is approximately 4 weeks away, 

View from the road

Our back veranda where we hope to see many monkeys

View into our living room/dining room from the front door and through some scaffolding

No More Lies

She stood in front of me.  I took her hands and told her to look in my eyes.  I found out earlier in the week that she had been habitually called "the HIV girl" by a housemate.   The accuser sat behind us as I looked deep into this broken little girl's eyes.  "I want you and everyone here to know something.  You do not have HIV and never have.  It is a lie that you are an HIV girl."
Relief flooded over the little girl, a weight was lifted.  Her accuser ashamed, cowered in the corner.  "You don't have to believe the lies," I continued.  If someone tells you something, you can come to your house mother or to me and ask.  We will tell you the truth.

We all have an accuser, one who lies to us in our heads and through other people and things.  I am so often guilty of having a terrible weight on me, because I have listened to the lies of my accuser just like that little girl did.  God's word and His Spirit is our truth and as we read and recall His Word and listen to His Spirit, our accuser cowers in the corner not able to feed us lies anymore.

Isaiah 43:1 & 10 NIV

But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

 

 

Miss Middlest's garden

Miss Middlest came triumphantly carrying a bunch of carrots she had grown in her garden.  Miss Middlest doesn't like groups of people but would prefer one or two close friends which I have to tell you is problematic at an orphanage.  But this sweet girl has found a little bit of land and with a little bit of love, lots of work and one or two friends to help (many times secretively), she has a bounty. 

the reason we are here

To introduce children to the God of Jeremiah 29:11

For He gives them a hope and a future!

Welcome little Betty!  Your life is in His hands!

Gifts for the staff

When our last team left, they gave money for us to do something for all of our 81 staff members.  These are the buckets and supplies we got for each of them.  They were thrilled!  Thank you, Westover!

Happy Birthday, Uganda!

May the young hearts of today be molded and shaped to be the Godly hearts of your tomorrow's leaders.