God is in Control

I am quite positive that most of us have realized that life never really goes according to planned. And I’ve found that when I tell God of my plans, he usually just laughs at me because I don’t know what I’m talking about. God is the one with the plans. His plans are the greater plans and the ones I should be following. Trusting God can be a difficult thing. Even after he’s shown us time after time that we have no reason not to trust him. We worry about what others may think of us if we step out in obedience.

The world says, “You made your bed, now sleep in it.” Whereas Jesus says, “Pick up your bed and walk.” What’s my excuse? What’s keeping me from moving forward? Jesus sees through my excuses. And I can pick up my bed, because Jesus picked up the cross.

For the past year and a half of my life, I’ve committed to having radical obedience, no matter the cost. It has not always been easy, but God has always rewarded me for being obedient. God provided for me to spend three months in Uganda, to extend my stay for another month, and then made it clear it was time to head home. I went to Uganda and it most definitely was not the easiest thing to do. But God used me in so many ways and I am beyond thankful for all he’s done through me and in my own life. My four months spent in Uganda were the best four months and the most challenging in my life. Leaving Uganda was difficult, but God made it clear it was my time to leave, so I acted in obedience.

During my three month stay in California, I felt God calling me back out to Uganda. This time it was much easier to act in obedience, pick up and go. God provided for me to come back out to Uganda. So here I am, on a Friday afternoon sitting on the porch of the NCFH thinking about life and the ways God has called me to radical obedience over the past month in Uganda. 

Today marks one month that I've been back in Uganda. And I'll be honest and say that the past month has been a challenging one. One full of loneliness, confusion, homesickness, and trials. But God is ever faithful and he knows exactly what I need. He has given me a roommate who is kind beyond words and suits my needs perfectly. Oh and guess what, she was also an RA. Cool beans there. I have found that I love the dirt roads and craziness of the culture. And sometimes Ugandan time isn't so bad. Spending time with the kids has most definitely reminded me why I am here. And at the end of the day, no matter how much I miss my family, I love this place. 

God has reminded me of why I love Ugandana and that when life hands you lemons you make lemonade. But I’ve found in the last month that lemonade is quite sour if you don’t add in sugar. Sugar is the key ingredient to making lemonade sweet. And if you haven’t figured out what the sugar represents in this old saying, then keep searching.

I don't know how long I will be in Uganda for or what the future holds. All I know is that I will continue to have radical obedience and trust in the Lord. So what more do I need to say? Well, “can you take a moment, promise me this: that you’ll stand by me forever. But if God forbid, fate should step in and force us into a goodbye, if you have children someday, when they point to the pictures, please tell them my name; Tell them how I hope they shine.”

Thank you to my parents, Kari and Cassidy, Taylor, Izzi, and all my friends and family who have supported me endlessly on this journey God has set me out on. It means more than you could ever know. I am so thankful to have God as my God. I am thankful to be saved and to be free. 

“The cynics were outraged, screaming this is absurd, ‘cause for a moment a girl in ripped up jeans got to rule the world. Long live the walls we crashed through, all the kingdom lights shine just for me and you. I was screaming long live all the magic we made, and bring on all the pretenders, I’m not afraid. Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you. One day we will be remembered.”

One day all God did will be remembered. 

Taylor edited this photo and sent it to me last night.

It was a reminder of how blessed I am to have this 

experience and to have Taylor in my life. 

Love NEVER fails. 

Doc McKelus

I am beginning to wonder if God brought me to Uganda for teaching missions or for medical missions. I have never dealt with so many wounds in my life. Just in the past two and a half weeks I've cared for three wounds.

And then let's take it back to the last time I was here in Uganda when I was helping care for little George. That was 24/7 care. Bathing him, cleaning his incision, replacing colostomy bags, giving him medicine, and much more. I was not at all prepared for something like that, but thankfully God gave me the strength.

Then there was one day when Peter asked if he could use the slip-n-slide that Izzi and I had purchased for the kids. I helped him set it up and then went to do something else. No more than five minutes later did he comes to me with blood streaming down one of his legs. All he said to me was, "Auntie, I cut my knee." And boy, did he. This thing was gushing blood. I rummaged through the home to find something to clean it up and then bandaged it. Problem solved.

Now last fast forward to this past weekend when I was put on duty to clean and bandage Bena's foot. She had gotten a pretty large wound on the bottom of her right foot from something in the yard and we needed to keep it clean and covered so that it would not get infected. And let me just tell you, these kids are stubborn! It is so hard to get her to keep something on that wound. So I am still on duty for that.

Then there is last night. At least this wound silenced Charles for the first time ever. I was in the boys' room talking to them, and joking around when Charles went silent. I looked over and saw him catching blood in one had that was pouring out of another. I honestly thought it was fake because I can hardly ever take him serious. But it was real. He had sliced the tip of his finger open on a small blade. But man was this thing gushing blood. I've never seen so much blood in my life! I went to get some TP to soak up the blood and by the time I ran back to get more and returned, the first round was already completely soaked with blood. Finally, we were able to get it to finish bleeding and were able to bandage it up. I got my first since, "Thank you Auntie Kelus" (The kids call me Kelus now). Of course, today he told me that he didn't need my help, but we all know he did.

So here we are tonight, I've bathed and am cleaning up my room a bit when Charles knocks on my door asking for a band-aid. I give him one and soon enough he's back asking for another. I just assumed he was re-bandaging his wound. He again came in asking for the stuff I used to clean his wound and I gave him that. And about five minutes later he came back once again asking for something else. That's when I asked, "why do you need so many bandages?!" And he says, "Henry cut his finger and I tried to fix it but I failed, I need your help."

For the first time ever he admitted he needed help from me. Wow.

So I grabbed some gear and went on over to the boys' room where I found Peter wiping blood from the floor and Henry with tears welling in his eyes. I wiped up some blood from his hands and started to attempt to clean the wound. The boys started to mess around so I pulled Henry out to the family room where I could get a good look. Aha! I am surprised I didn't vomit. This find of his was cut real good.

Long story short, I rummaged though a first aid kit and found some butterfly bandages and used that to close up the wound and then put some bandages on it. Just to keep it sealed up. I remembered how to use the butterfly bandages because I remember Marcy Woods using them to put on Jessica Biesanz's head when she ran through a window at a birthday party back in elementary school. I called Sherry and sent her a picture of the wound, and she went on to call George to come get Henry to take him to the doctors to get it looked at. I am not a real doctor, but it was quite deep and he couldn't feel the top of his finger, but I think he may need stitches.

So Henry is off at the doctors and it's now 10:30pm. I am waiting patiently for him to return, but who knows how long I'll be waiting. We're on Uganda time. Unfortunately a boda can only fit two people besides the driver, because Henry started to cry as I told him I would not be going with because Uncle George was going to take him. I assured him it would be okay and sent him on his way.

So, you may as well just start calling me "Moc McKelus." You moms with preschoolers or anyone who spends time with kids will get that one.

Let's just pray that there are no more wounds for me to deal with! I much prefer teaching!

Here's a lovely photo of Henry's finger before I bandaged it up.
If I have to go through this, you get to also!

"Nothing"

Living in Uganda has helped me to realize that my preconceived images of a jungle filled with wild animals is not a reality of Kampala. I have found the truth of Uganda to be wonderful, caring, and loving people. From the 17 children I live with, to the teachers and students at the school, I could not have asked to be surrounded by more loving people. Their friendship is one of the most important things I have.

Through the almost five months that I've been living in Uganda I've come to realize that Uganda is not at all what I thought it was. Surely there are children begging on the roads, orphans, a lack of access to education, and frequent deaths. And Uganda may have been through some tough times, and still go through them on a daily basis, but there's more to this country than that. 

Uganda is red dirt roads filled with children jumping up and down to say hello. It's children caring for their younger siblings while their parents are hard at work. Uganda is sharing the little food you have, because that's the right thing to do. 

I won't deny that Uganda is pretty filthy. But what can you expect? It is a third world country after all.  They have not made advances as America and other first world countries have, but surely they beat us all when it comes down to survival. 

And as I'm sat here at the kitchen table with my cup of tea, Mama Grace comes to speak to me in her gentle voice, asking how she can help me with the dinner I'll be cooking this evening. This woman cares for people in a way I've never had someone care for me. This woman who is older than me, with a child, looks up to me. She comes to me to learn about child development and educating children. I feel valued by this wonderful woman of God. 

I was told by one of the medical clinic team members that when she asked a student from the school I teach at, what they wanted to be when they grew up, they told her they wanted to be a missionary teacher like Teacher Kelsey. 

Margret Mae calls me her best friend, and would literally wear the shirt and skirt I handed down to her every day if she could. Her hugs warm my heart. 

My students squeeze through the aisles, and smoosh past people in church just to come and shake my hand. Anna even usually forces everyone to move down a seat so that she can sit next to me; borrowing my highlighter to highlight verses in the Bible as I do. 

Leaving home again was very difficult. I miss my friends and family dearly. Sometimes I wish to walk out of my bedroom to find my brother blaring his music, while sitting at his desk. And to find my mom checking her emails at the family computer, and my dad working on something or other. I wish to wake up to head over to watch Cain and Rhielle and to spend the remainder of my day with my nose pressed in a book or down the street with my cousins. 

But, I've also been fortunate enough to have been blessed with endless love here in Uganda. I left my one brother back in California and gained five more here who are a lot pestier than my own. I gained 12 little sisters...which is crazy to even think about. That's a lot of little sisters to set a good example for. And I know they love spending time with me, so even if I'm tired of playing their favorite Taylor Swift song on the guitar, I always play it once more. 

People ask me where I think I will be in five years.  We all seem to have that question asked. And it's hard to answer. I don't know where I will be five years from today. Five years ago from today, I was on Winter Break from my first semester in college. A semester full of hospital and doctors visits, and a time in my life where I was not happy. In the past five years I have grown tremendously. I went through a mess of a relationship, made new friends, found a church I love, found a job that accepted me for who I was and allowed me to grow, I had a boss who cared about me more than I could have ever imagined, who helped me to get to where I am today.

I never in a million years thought I would have four tattoos and be living in Uganda. 

My life takes twists and turns on a daily basis, but life's a roller coaster, and God is controlling it. 

I've been covered with great heaps of love and cherish all God has brought into my life. I have the keys to the doors that God provides, and I'm choosing to open them. The hardest decisions are sometimes the most difficult to make, but I've learned that that's how we grow into who God desires for us to be.

Lawarence, Mercy, Margret Mae, Teddy and I at a medical clinic last week.

Boring Blogging

While I was home in California, it was higly requested that I continue to blog frequently while back in Uganda. I absolutely love writing, so typically blogging is not a challenge for me.  But since I have returned to Uganda, I've wanted to follow through and post for everyone, but I just haven't felt up to it.

For one, life has handed me lemons and I've had to make some lemonade. Second, I just don't know how to put into words how I've been feeling over the past two weeks. And third, I can only explain so well. Uganda is honestly something you have to experience for yourself to truly understand. 

The fact is, you probably don't understand. And I need to understand that you don't understand. 

And I was able to understand that last time I was here, but this time it has not been so easy. People have said to me that it takes someone special to do what I do.  Maybe it does, I don't know. 

The truth is, it's not always so easy. And I am sure people realize that. But I also don't think people are always understanding of that. There are days where I want nothing more than to be in the comfort of my own bed and to be able to take a hot shower. Or at least have some electricity in the morning to do my hair. 

Serving God is not always easy, and I've found the right choice is not always the easy choice. But sometimes it takes doing what's not so easy to get to where you need to be. 

So anyhow, let me try to give you an update of what I've been doing. Most of the time I'm just hanging out with the kids in the home. Although, a medical missions team arrive this past weekend. I have joined them in one medical clinic where I helped run the deworming station with Uncle Duane and a few of the kids from the NCFH. After we finished with all the deworming I spent the next three hours or so just playing with the kids. 

Today we went to the school to see the students and watch them perform for the team. It was the first time seeing my students in over three months. It was a joy. And apparently one of the students at the school told one of the team members that she wants to be a "missionary teacher like Teacher Kelsey" when she grows up. Melt my heart. 

I think I needed to hear that. To be reminded of the fact that God is using me here. It's more than I could ever hope for. I'm here to serve The Lord and I am thankful he is using me. 

So, that's pretty much all I've been doing. I did cook a spaghetti dinner for the kids one night, and plan on doing so again this Saturday. We've played a lot of football, and I've spent a good amount of time reading. Tomorrow is another medical clinic which I am sure will be larger than the one on Tuesday, so we shall see how that goes. 

I definitely know I'm not cut out for medical stuff. I enjoy playing with the kids and loving on them. But I'll serve wherever God wants me. 

Perhaps I'll have something more interesting to share with y'all after this clinic. Sorry for the lack of updates and the boringness of this posting. 

LCD Uganda

Two of the oldest boys in the New Creation Family Home, Lawrence and Charles, have started a bracelet making business with Uncle Duane. They take orders and make bracelets, which they then sell. The money that the make is divided between the three of them. After the earnings are split three ways, they each put part of their earnings into savings, another part is tithed, and the third part is what they get to keep to spend. All the money put into their savings cannot be touched until they are eighteen.

Uncle Duane is helping teach the boys how to run a business, the practice of tithing, and how to save money.

So with that, if you would like to support their little bracelet making business, please contact me with the following information. They are selling them for $3 each. I will take your order then bring the bracelets to you when I return home to The States and then I will give the money to Uncle Duane, since he handles the money.

• Your name
• What you would like your bracelet to say
• the colors of your bracelet (base color and writing)
• Thin or thick

Here are some examples of bracelets they have made. My personal bracelets they have made are the "I Love Jesus" one at the top, as well as the "Uganda" one on the far right. I personally like the thin bracelets. But I also have a few of the thicker ones as well.

Here are the colors they have, shown as accurately as possible. 

From left to right: neon yellow/lime green, white, pink, blue, red, yellow, and black on the bottom.

Room Tour 2

This was one of you most viewed postings last time I was in Uganda, so I decided I would post another his time around. And also, I didn't know what else to post about at the moment. So here is a tour of hath same room I was in last time I was in Uganda, but a few things have changed. 

Here is my little area of photos and of of uprise my mini-calendar. Last time I had a big chunk of photos and stuff up in the room, so this time I went a tad more simple which I seem to be enjoying. These are photos people gave me to bring, or others I just wanted to bring along with me. 

My brother gave me this blanket to bring and it's been amazing too have. Since it's so hot in Uganda! it's nice to be able to sleep under this light blanket. This was Taylor's Then Izzi's bed, and I decided to use this bed insad of the bunked this time around. I also brought my own pillowcases this time and the is little, Bruv on the bed who goes everywhere with me. 

Had to bring the little sign my mom have me, my Wolfpack photo, and my alarm clock. I prefer to not use my iPhone alarm, and it's not so reliable when the power is out from time to time and can't be charged. 

Instead of the ice chest night stand that I used last time, I now am using this little shelf. I have my chargers, office supplies, books, bibles, notebooks, flashlights and other little things here. 

Found this pencil holder in there clearance section at Target and thought it would be perfect for here. So there's that, my sunnies, and water bottles that I keep on the desk. 

Notes that the kids had written me and left for when I arrived! Even found some under my pillow. 

My "closet." Where I keep my suitace and hang my backpack, belts, purse, laundry bag, and a dress that wrinkles like crazy. 

It was a must to bring perfume this time around. I LOVE Pink's Warm & Cozy and it was small and convenient to bring the Twilight Woods is what Taylor uses, so I have it to think of her, and you advantage not have One Direction parfume. This is just a little shelf  above the sink in the bathroom. Oh and those aremy. Earrings in that little box. 

Thank you Harris family for this caddy! It's so nice to store all my hair accessories, Chapstick, and all that other good stuff. 

And the. Just my makeup, and toiletries and stuff. I use that little clear caddy in my bathroom at home, so I edited to bring it with and is say it was a good choice. Nice and convenient. 

And my guitar is already getting a good amount of use. 

So, there is my room! Not nearly as cozy as my room at home which I miss dearly, but is nice. 

On a Wednesday, in a cafe, I watched it begin again.

2014 began for me while I was sleeping on an airplane. Well actually, I didn't really get a New Years. I was traveling in a direction where I completely missed it. Nonetheless, I had a wonderful sleep on the plane. It was a 9.5 hour flight from San Francisco to London and I am quite sure I slept a good 8 of those hours. 

Arriving in London was a wonderful feeling. I absolutely love London so I was thrilled to be there. I had previously made arrangements to meet up with my friend Louis so I set off on my adventure to figure out how to get to our meeting point. I talked to a very nice man who pointed me in the right direction which was a great help. Exchanging money was annoying. I about keeled over dead when I handed the gentleman $100 and received £52 in return. I just acceptd it and moved forward. 

I purchased my Heathrow Express, round trip ticked, and headed down to the platform to board the train or whatever it is. I proceeded to board early and was told to get off. I laughed at myself instead of getting embarrassed. When I eventually boarded, at the correct time, I sat next to a nice man and woman. The man is from LA and the woman from England. We all chatted the entire ride to Paddington Station. 

We finally arrived at Paddington Station, and the we each parted ways. My first mission was to find a McDonalds to get myself some free wifi. I needed to contact Louis to let him know I was there. So I walked out into cold, rainy London weather and luckily found a McDonalds just one block down. I snuck inside and connected to their wifi. I heard nothing back from Louis so I went and walked around in the rain, before trying McDonalds wifi again. I finally got ahold of that boy and he said he would be there in 30 minutes. During my wait I stood in a drug store under their heater, read a guitar magazine, and paid to use the restroom. I am still annoyed that I had to pay to pee. Seriously?! And figuring out which coins to use was a task in itself. 

I then walked back to McDonalds to see where Louis was and he informed me that he had just arrived. I walked back to Paddington Station and looked around for him. Of course I didn't find him until he was standing right next to me. And finally at last I got that Wolfpack hug I had been missing for so long. 

Louis and I went to a little cafe called Costa. He treated me to a moca and we shared a sandwich over a good four and a half hour chat. I went and paid to use the restroom one again, bought a water, and we then went and sat on someone couches we found and waited for my train-thing back to the airport to arrive. And unfortunately it eventually did. We said are farewells, gave a hug and parted ways. 

I made my way back to terminal 4 where I would find the hotel I would be staying in for the night. Unfortunately when I went to check-in I found there was a misunderstanding and my room had never been booked and the hotel was full for the night. I decided to just go find a place to sit and rest. I called Louis to let him know I'd made it back to the he airport and discussed with him the situation and let him know I'd call in the morning. 

I then quickly realized this was a blessing in disguise. After shedding some tears in bathroom stall and changing my clothes, I found a spot where I could charge my phone and played my guitar for a bit. I then found some some paper shoved in my guitar case and began to write a letter. That person will know who they are when I figure out how to mail letters from Uganda and send it to them. I then realized I had to pee super bad, and fortunately was able to do so without having to pay this time. After, I decided to walk around and find a place to sleep. 

As I rounded a corner, I saw a white, baby grand piano sitting in the lobby. On it was written, "play me." So...I kind of had to. As I set my guitar and backpack down a woman approached me asking if we were really allowed to play it. I said that I thought so and there we began a two hour piano, guitar, and chit-chat sesh with this woman.  She taught me some jingles on the piano, I played her a song on the guitar, and we told each other about ourselves. I shared some snacks with her since she said she was hungry and all shops were closed at this 4am hour. 

We eventually parted ways, and here I am at 4:45am, sitting on the floor of Heathrow Airport writing this, while I wait for the shuttle to begin running so I can ride on over to terminal 5. And I can say that I am so happy with how today turned out. My New Year's Day was excellent. I spent it with someone who has changed my life for the better. Someone I consider one of my closest friends. And I met a woman who made me smile and reminded me that when life gives you lemons, you might as well make some lemonade.

I sure wish life would give me so root so I could make someone rootbeer, because that sounds good right now.

Everyone has been beyond kind here in London and I kind of want to move here even more than I ever have. But hey, God wants me in Uganda right now. And even if everyone else finds it crazy that I would want to be there, that's exactly where I desire to be above all else. 

2014 has been fantastic already! I can't wait to see what is yet to come.