July 19, 2013 - Journal Entry

Day 62:

Being constantly waved at, looked at, and yelled at was amusing in the beginning, but as time passes, I grow to despise it more and more. It makes me feel alone in a crowded room. I raise my chin to find at least five chocolate faces staring back at me, watching my every move. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a celebrity. No way. No thank you.

To sit in the backyard and read my Bible without having someone yell at me, "Mzungu, jangu!" would be an absolute dream. It's like I'm constantly being watched.

And as I sit here in the backyard to a home of 17 children, I realize how big the world really is. In this big world I'm just as small as an ant. Still God chose to use me. He's placed this little ant in a big city to serve Him. And as I sit here on this stone wall and watch the ants scurry by, working for the king ant, I am reminded of how important my work for the almighty King of Kings is. I'm just a little ant, scurrying by, working for her king.

Keep Your Head Up

These past few days have been a complete whirlwind to say the least. Monday morning I went out to Mengo Hospital with Myranda to visit with George. Upon arrival Geroge's uncles were talking about George being ready to go home soon. I didn't really think this was possible, no matter how good he looked. A nurse then came up to me to thank me for all we had been doing for George and went on to say that George was ready to go home. Again I just ignored it, because that just wasn't possible.

After running into Sherry we fond that George was in fact being released. So within a few hours we had George loaded up into the van and on his way to the New Creation Family Home, where he would stay until he was strong enough for his next surgery.

(All of George's bags packed, ready to leave the hospital)

In a matter of hours I went from a teacher to a full time care giver to a little boy who needs 24/7 care.

(George arriving at the New Creation Family Home)

Let's just say that I am absolutely exhausted from all the work, but I am more than glad to do it. The first night was a rough one, but the second was much better with him sleeping in the Auntie's room instead of the boy's room. And thankfully the second night there was no vomiting. Just lots of listening to his dog Doug, talk. He would push his hand and make him talk. Over and over and over. It was quite amusing actually.

Three weekss ago no one would have imagined George even making it to today, but here he is laughing and smiling, getting to begin living life as a normal eight year old boy once again.

(George meeting Henry, Charles, and Peter)

I am thankful for the blessings God has laid onto his life and I am thankful that I've been able to get to know him and help care for him.

Just today, he quoted Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

So here is to a long journey that lies ahead, but a happy one. A journey of healing and hope.

(George watching a movie for the first time ever)

Please pray for George to continue to heal quickly, to gain strength and weight, and to feel comfortable, loved, and cared about in the NCFH. And please also pray for all of us who are working together to help care for George.

(Staying warm outside in a Snuggie)

You look smart, but...

One thing I've learned while here in Uganda is that if you want to feel good about yourself then you probably shouldn't cut your hair.

You would seriously think the world was ending or something by the reaction the children gave to my new haircut. Teddy would not even exit the garage when she saw me out in the yard cutting my hair. And the expression on Shafiga's face was simply priceless. Esther let out a big, "Awuhhh, Auntie" after seeing the cut. And carol even hid behind the couch sifting through the bag of hair clippings. I had to force it away from her and hide it in the rubbish bin.

When asked how they liked my haircut, the girls continually responded by stating that they liked it long.

But the best response of all was one of my students, Patricia, who said to me, "Teacher, you are smart, but don't cut your hair." (Smart in Uganda means you are beautiful or look good).

All I have to say is that if you lack self-esteem, then you probably shouldn't cut your hair while in Uganda.

Cutting your hair is disappointing to Ugandans apparently.

Nonetheless, I am glad that I finally found the courage to cut my hair. And thanks to Tana, one of the team members, it looks absolutely fantastic.

Joy Comes in The Morning

"There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning."

On Saturday some of the girls and I went down to Mengo Hospital to visit George and Joshua. While there, I ended up spending quite a bit of time with George.  

Upon arriving to his bedside I began to think about the stories he would have to tell in the future from all he's been through and all Tyler has done for him. And I also thought about all he's having to suffer through and how painful it all must be.

But it made me think of the song lyrics, "There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning."

Through all George has and will go through, I know he will find joy in the morning. And I know that all those who have been by his side through it all, especially Tyler, will also find joy in the morning. 

So today I felt led to make him a little sign with that statement on it to place at the foot of his bed for him to see each day. 

And he may not speak English but I pray he can look at it each morning and know that everything will be okay; that he will find joy. 

Please keep sweet little George in your prayers for healing and comfort through this journey of his. Pray for him to find joy each morning. 

If you would like to help fund bringing George or other children back to health, please see the link below where you can find more information about supporting for the Hope Fund. For more information about the surgeries and different things LOBO is doing, add Sherry, the head of LOBO, on Facebook. The link is also listed below.

http://lovingonebyone.org/support.htm

https://www.facebook.com/sherry.s.roberts.1?fref=ts

Your Love is Amazing

Tonight was one of those moments where God just completely amazes you. And not to say that He doesn't amaze me here in Uganda all the time, because he truly does. But tonight was one of those times that just takes the cake.

A little under a week ago Taylor and I were robbed while on a taxi. We will keep that short and simple. About 100,000 shillings were stolen which is the equivalent to about $50. So in the loss of a big chunk of money Taylor and I took 40,000 shillings from some money that one of the men from the team had given me to support me staying here longer in Uganda to help us get by until we could withdraw money from the ATM.

The whole situation was just very frustrating and emotional for the both of us.

But God is ever faithful. Tonight Taylor and I spent some time at Maria's Place to hang out with the team before they left tomorrow and Friday morning. One of the women on the team who Taylor and I absolutely adore pulled me aside to talk to me. She told me that ever since she had seen Taylor and I flipping a coin in a coffee shop, deciding whether to spend our money on coffee of not, that her heart broke for us. It was then that she pulled out $50 and handed it to me telling me that she wanted Taylor and I to have it. Of course I started crying and told her the story of how just last week we had $50 stolen from us.

Then Taylor and I were saying a few more goodbyes and I was telling the man who had given me some money to support me staying here in Uganda, how thankful I was for all he had done for me. He then gave me a penny with a cross cut out of it and told me he would be praying for me. After, he pulled out some money from his pocket and told me he wanted to give me a little more money. How much money did he give me? 40,000 shillings.

Every bit of money that we lost has been replaced. Exactly the amount.

God is good.
His love is absolutely amazing.

Henry

Meet Henry.

The first and most important thing that you need to know about Henry is that he has the best laugh in the entire world. And let me tell you, it's quite contagious as well. Henry is ten years old, turning eleven on August 16th, or so he has told me. He is such a spirited boy who most definitely acts his age. He loves playing football as well as rough housing with his Aunties. 

There is not a day that goes by that he is not hanging on me, grabbing my arm and swinging me around, or just trying to pull some joke on me. And maybe it would be annoying to some people, but I absolutely love it. I adore Henry. He is outgoing and quite free-spirited. 

As Taylor began to teach Charles, another boy in the home how to two-step, Henry grabbed my hand and started dancing with me. We spent a good 45 minutes dancing to country music in the boys bedroom and then went out to the living room to record our dancing to show to the other aunties and uncles later.

Henry is just absolutely adorable. And even though he is definitely a ten year old boy when it comes to having fun, he still is a loving boy who cares about others and their well being.

My three favorite memories of Henry so far have been sitting next to him at the Uganda Cranes Football match, dancing around his bedroom with him, and him fall asleep on my lap and then shoulder on the van ride home from Graceland.

Henry is truly like a little brother to me. And though I am going to miss all of the kids when I do return home, I think I might miss Henry the most since I probably have the strongest bond with him out of all of the kids.

Please pray that Henry does will in school and that he can continue to have a strong relationship with the Lord has he grows older.

Little Things

I think what makes this experiences so wonderful is all the little things.

• The letters and drawings from all the kids that hang on mine and Taylor's bedroom wall
• Worshiping with the kids each evening
• Playing worship songs on my guitar while all the kids gather around and sing along
• Riding the boda
• Falling asleep across the room from my best friend and partner in crime each night
• Having dirty feet at the end of the day
• Henry's laugh
• Sunday afternoon football matches and proving that I am a better player than Charles
• High fives from the students at the school
• Walking our students home from school
• The bracelets I wear around my wrist that have been made by the kids
• Waving back at the children along the road
• Afternoon walks through the neighborhood
• Deep talks
• Eating dinner together as a family
• Taylor and I dancing with Charles and Henry
• All of Lawrence's little remarks
• "Auntie Kelsey, run for your life!"
• Basically being able to borrow peoples' babies for an hour or two
• Calling pee, susu
• Cassava and chapati
• Being called "Auntie"
• Never having to actually shower and no one caring
• Getting away from the "real world" and experiencing God

"I'm in love with you [Uganda] and all these little things."

Long Live

There's a Taylor Swift song that I've found fitting into my life extremely well over the past few months. There's one line in particular that reminds me of where I once was and where I am today.

 "All these years we stood there on the side-lines wishing for right now."

I remember graduating high school and hating my life. My friends no longer liked me nor did they even desire to be my friend any longer. I started college spending countless hours in doctors offices trying to figure out what was wrong with my brain. And I all really wanted was to be at a different university playing soccer. But instead I was stuck in a life I hated, wondering why God had stripped me of all I had and loved and desired to have.

Years passed and I was still stuck in the rut of not liking my life. Wishing for my life to hold purpose. It wasn't until I became a Resident Advisor at my university that I truly found purpose in my life. I found a church I loved and a church whom loved me back. I made friends who cared about me, had a boss who supported me in literally everything I did, and had residents who looked up to me. God showed me that I mattered. He showed me that I could make a difference in the world and that there are genuine, good people in the world who sincerely care about me.

And here I am, sitting in a prayer room in Uganda, thinking about those days in which I stood there on the side-lines wishing for right now. I have found purpose in my life and God has given me more than I could ever imagine having and more than I deserve. His love has covered my life. I traded my baseball cap for a crown. I am God's beautiful queen. In my dirt and grime, sin and sorrow, God finds beauty in me, calls me His beloved, and puts purpose in my life.

So, long live this life of mine. Long live Jesus Christ. And long live never ending love.
This is the right now I stood on the sidelines wishing for.

"Give thanks to God, His love never quits." -2 Chronicals 20:21

Don't Miss It

Coming to Uganda, I truly wanted to leave behind my way of living life in America. Of caring how I looked to focusing on material items. The transition into this new way of living has been surprisingly easy. I mean, I have not had a proper shower in over 45 days and I really don't give a hoot. My hair and body may be filthy most of the time, but no one really seems to care. The girls still enjoy combing through and braiding my oily hair and seem to get a kick out of touching my prickly legs. And let's just be honest here...my chonies are usually crunchy from having been hand washed in a basin in the bathroom and left to hang dry.

If you wanted to know the dirt and grime of how I am living here in Uganda, well there you go. And if you didn't, I'm not sorry.

Riding in the van yesterday with the team after a day spent out and about, I found myself attempting to guess what time we would arrive back at Maria's Place, where the team stays. This is when Taylor pointed out how much I pay attention to time. I had never realized how much I actually do pay attention to time, but it honestly makes sense. If you know anything about my mom, you know that if she's not right on time, she's always early. And well, I guess I may have picked up that trait from her. And I did guess the time correctly of which we would arrive at Maria's Place.

But this all got me really thinking about the concept of time. I realized that this was one way of life that I had not left back in America and perhaps it wasn't a bad thing. God has given us time and I believe that each moment in time is important and should be used wisely.

Tyler, one of the team members has chosen to spend the past few days in Mengo Hospital with a boy named, George, who is struggling for his life. And maybe it seems like a lost cause and a waste of time, but to this little boy, Tyler's time spent with him could change his entire life. And I am absolutely positive that Tyler's life will be altered greatly from his time spent with George as well.

It's in things like this that make me realize that spending more time in Uganda is exactly what I need to do. A few months in the scheme of life, really isn't all that long or that much time. For each life I touch during my short stay here in Uganda, I can make a difference. Even if it's just for one person.

So whether it's letting the girls play with my disgustingly oily hair or painting the nails of a child in the hospital, my time here is always well spent. Those ten minutes could change a life or those three days spent next to hospital bed caring for a young boy could change the world.

And at the end of the day I'm absolutely blown away that my God could do this all on his own, but he chooses to let me be a part of it. He chooses to give me time to share his love with one person at a time.

Vickie

Meet Vickie.

If you want sassy, that's Vickie. One of my favorite memories of her is when she walked into the room with her hand on her hip and sunglasses on and says to Taylor and I, "Man, I feel like a women" in her absolutely adorable Ugandan accent. And to go along with this, she loves having her photo taken as well as taking photos.

But not only is she sassy, she is also such an adorable, lovable girl. It never fails the she greets both Taylor and I with a hug each morning and is always there to say goodnight in the evening. I absolutely adore her hugs and sweet voice. 

Vickie is an active girl who enjoys playing football on Sundays and has such a bright spirit. She is dependable and a helping hand. She is going to make a great mother one day. Her kids will most definitely be well behaved. 

Pray that God will guide her to be a strong young Christian lady and that she will excel in her studies in her P5 class.

Sarah

Meet Sarah. 

If you're looking for Sarah, she's probably in the kitchen cleaning or outside doing one chore or another. Sarah is such a little sweetheart. She has such a gentle spirit and the prettiest smile. She is not too loud and crazy and isn't too quiet either. She is right in the middle. She loves to hold your hand or walk next to you anywhere you are going. 

Sarah is perfectly content being by herself, but also enjoys being a part of the group. Sarah seems more than confident in who she is and I love that about her. She is so into worship each night, dancing around like a little princess in her own little world. 

Sarah is such a great asset to the NCFH because of how gentle and sweet she is. I could say this for each child, but it would not be the same without her here.

Please pray that Sarah continues to grow in her relationship with Christ and also that she will excel in her P5 class.

I put my hands up, they're playing my song...

The 4th of July is most definitely my favorite holiday, so it was a bit sad to not be with my family today. Nonetheless, Taylor and I made it a day to remember.

We began by making sure to wear red, white, and blue. We had to teach but since the kids are preparing for competition we only taught one lesson and then walked down the street to another school to see if they had instruments we could use. They didn't, but the adventure was lovely. And we again felt like celebrities when we arrived at the school. Every kid waved at us and were not satisfied until we waved back. When we retuned to our school it was lunch time so we arm wrestled, learned some more Lugandan, and hung out inside while it rained outside. 

When the rain stopped we called our boda driver to take us to Oasis mall so we could get pedicures. On our way we listened to some "American" songs on my iPod, including Party in the USA of course. 

When we arrived at Oasis we walked around and then went to get our pedicures. We both chose red to support America. After we even went and got some pizza and then did some more waking around before deciding to get some ice cream. 

We caught a boda which was pulled over as soon as we got on it because they could not have two people on it where we were. He paid the cop 5,000 schillings to get out of going to the police station and then successfully took us to Victory City Church where we met some of the boys from the school we teach at and played pool with them. 

We finally made our way home where Charles (Kenshin) and Henry teased us for coming back so late. 

Today was such a good day. It makes me sad thinking that Taylor is only here with me for five more weeks. It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about how she will not be here the whole time I'm here. She's literally become my best friend and I don't want to think about a day when I won't get to see her. 

But I still do have five weeks with her if we look at the cup half full :]

Happy 4th of July to you all!! May God bless you greatly! 

Margret

Meet Margret. 

I would definitely have to describe Margret as the tickle monster. She does whatever she can to try and tickle me. "Auntie, close your eyes and raise your arms." I didn't even fall for it the first time. 

Margret is also a love bug. She loves to cuddle up next to you at the end of the day. Margaret, like most others in the home enjoys playing football, but definitely also takes a liking to taking care of the younger kids in the house. 

She is constantly taking care of Nicole and Joshua because it is simply something she loves to do. She's also a little trickster. She is always saying goodnight to Taylor and I around ten times each night, knocking on or door and hiding. She's a crackup. 

Margret is a typical little sister. She is quiet and loving, but also knows how to mess around a little. She keeps to herself at times and is quite sensitive. She is all around a wonderful young lady.

Please pray that Margret can continue to share God's love with others and have a powerful impact on the younger children in the house. She has such a loving heart which I know God can use for great things.

Bena

Meet Bena. 

When I first met Bena I thought that he was one of the most spirited little girls I had ever met. Bena has a laugh that echos through the house and a smile that can light up this whole world. 

I found Bena continually hanging on me, jumping from random places, and trying to have me lift her to tree branches so she could hang from them. 

After being in the house a few weeks I came to see that Bena can also be very shy. Whenever the teams would come she would be found sitting to the side observing without much to say. 

Bena is such a sweet girl who loves to laugh and have a good time. She enjoys playing a good game of football but loves to run around wild. Perhaps that's where she got her nickname, Bena Banana. 

Please pray that God will take this little spitfire an let her set the world on fire. Bena is in P3, so pray that she sticks with it in school and can excel in her courses.