Finding Comfort

Being in Uganda has left me feeling a bit numb. I haven’t really felt any one emotion in particular. It’s been a lot to take in all at once and I haven’t really known how to process it. I finally came to the point where I asked God to break my heart for what breaks his and to show me all he wanted me to see here.  And of course, he did just that.

Taylor and I were asked to lead worship and the message on Friday evening, which was just the thing that I needed. We began by letting the kids sing some of their own worship songs and then we began to teach them some of our own. At one point I was sitting on the couch playing, “better is one day” on the guitar and all 17 children were surrounding me, worshiping God. I have never been in a moment so surreal.

The passage Taylor and I discussed was 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 which states, “Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for you comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in out sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”

I shared with the children about how “Auntie Taylor” and I were nervous and scared to come here to Uganda and leave everything we knew back at home. But it was through them that we found comfort. I think tonight was our chance to share with each of the children how much they truly mean to us. They truly are where I find comfort in being here.

Each day on the boda ride home from school, Taylor and I talk about how excited we are to be heading back to the house, because of how much we love being there around each of the children.

God has been teaching me that when I follow the plans he’s made for me, everything turns out for the good. There are days when I wish to take a shower, or just feel clean for once, or perhaps even be able to make a McDonald’s run. But at the end of the day, God has provided me with comfort in this strange place I now call home.

I am thankful for the comfort, because I don’t know how I would get though this adventure without it.

On a lighter note, enjoy a few photos from the past few days…

The girls constantly request to listen to, Never Say Never by Justin Bieber. They all gather around the computer and listen to the song. They will ask you to repeat it until you finally tell them that you can’t do that anymore.

Charles and Henry are always trying to make someone laugh. Charles insisted on my taking this photo of him and Henry, so I hope you enjoy it!

And last but not least, here is a photo of a letter we wrote the boys in the house. Earlier, they told us to say Obama, but change the “b” to a “p.” So we did. They never told us what it meant. Later we asked one of the boys and some of the girls, and apparently it means “poop.” But they girls said not to ever repeat anything the boys tell us to say. We know that it means poop…but a more vulgar term for it. We are thinking it’s the “Sh**” word…who knows. Boys will be boys. But anyhow, we looked up some Ugandan phrases, pieced them together and came up with this. It means, “Listen, son! Watch out!” and gave it to them before bed.

Oh, and we successfully got the boys back for putting the pepper in my dinner. We put one in Charles’ dinner. As he gets up from the table during dinner he says, “Thank you Aunties.” Taylor then asked him if it was hot and he responds, “Yes Auntie, it was very hot.” These boys are messing with the wrong girls! We know how to play their game. And we are quite enjoying playing their game to be honest.