Enchanted

Living in Uganda has allowed me to meet many different people who have touched my life. But never has anyone had such a big impact on my life as Joseph has.

Last year, Joesph was in P7 at the New Creation Centre School. Taylor, Izzi, and I became good friends with Joseph over the time we spent in Uganda. After returning back to America, Joseph continue to stay in contact with me; writing to me on Facebook.

When I returned back to Uganda, Joesph was heading off to secondary boarding school and I was not able to see him. So after seven months of not seeing or talking with Joseph, I made a surprise visit to his home over holiday. I had walked home from school with is younger brothers Isaac and Ivan during the first term, so I knew where he lived.

I was unable to notify him that I was visiting, so I simply showed up at his door. I knocked on the window and when he came to the door all he said was, "Oh wow!"

After inviting us inside and giving us a place to sit, he left for a few minutes. Only to return with a pop and cake for Erika and myself. And as much as I wasn't surprised, I was completely blown away by his respect and care.

Joesph is 18 years old, lives in a third world country, and attends secondary school. Most people in America do not even welcome you into their homes with even half of the respect Joesph welcomed us into his home with.

We chatted about school and life and spent a little time playing his keyboard. Issac joined us for a little bit, spending his time playing the keyboard as well.

Joseph then asked Erika and I if we wanted to go up and See the Baha'i Temple. We took a walk up the hill and continued to chat along the way. Joesph showed us around the grounds of the temple and we took a few photos together. 

On the walk back from the temple Joseph told me that he was thankful. I asked him what he was thankful for and he told me that he was thankful for me visiting him.

What I am thankful for is the man that Joesph has become. He is one of the most respectful and caring Ugandans I have ever met, and he's only 18 years old. This man has a big future ahead of him and I hope and pray that he is someone I can remain friends with for the remainder of my life.

Joesph wants to finish secondary school and go on to university to study to become a mechanical engineer. He also has an interest in music and playing the piano. He is learning to play the keyboard bit by bit.

All I have to say is props to Maama Isaac (his mom) for raising such a fantastic man of God.

Joseph reminds me that there is good in the world and that God doesn't just have me here change the lives of others, but he also has me here for my life to be changed by the people I meet. I have been absolutely enchanted to meet Joseph and to get to know him over the past year.

I pray that the other children in the New Creation Centre School can follow in Joesph's footsteps in respect, care, love, kindness, and love for God. That they may welcome all visitors into their homes just has Joesph welcomed me into his.

You're Beautiful

"God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right--he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you--under them you are perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing...no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all form a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling..."If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God, "I'll get you out of any trouble. I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you, then throw you a party. I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!" -Psalm 91

It was 3am Friday morning as my roommate Erika and I sat in a circle on the bedroom floor of the girls who live in the New Creation Family Home with us, reading this scripture.

Just a short moment before we had received the news that our little Sarah had passed away. Left with confusion and shock, we came together to worship the Lord and thank him for Sarah. Erika passed a sweetie out to each of the girls and we all took a toast to Sarah, each sharing something about her.

When you move to a third world country you are aware of the death rate, but never once does it cross your mind that a little girl who you live with will go to meet Jesus. And early Friday morning we were shaken at the reality that we had lost one of our own.

Ten months ago I wrote a blog posting about Sarah, and in this writing I wrote: "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."

Not ten months ago, not a month ago, not a week ago, and not even five days ago would I have ever imagined we would be living in a world without Sarah in it. It breaks my heart to know she is gone, but I am peace knowing she is up in Heaven with God. And just as I wrote before, this home will not be the same without her here.

I will forever remember Sarah wrapping herself in my arms time and time again. Or sitting outside sewing a basket while she set her dolls up on the windowsill telling me that she was going shopping, asking me what I wanted from the market, and bringing it back to me. I'll never forget her bright smile and gentle spirit.

And even though this is a sad time, I know Sarah would want nothing more than for us to be happy. So let me get to some of these crazy Ugandan traditions.

First off, it's tradition to "sleep down" (sleep on the floor) with family, friends, teachers, pastors, etc. until the day of burial. So for four nights we slept down in the family room with all the children, NCFH staff, and our visitors...with the lights on. Ugandans seem to fear the dark after a death. I personally fear sleep derivation. Erika and I slept no more then fifteen hours in the past four days. I am happy to say we will be sleeping in our beds with the lights off tonight.

Also, on a side note. The first night of sleeping down I had been reading my Bible while everyone else had fallen asleep. I closed my Bible and turned over to fall asleep myself when I saw water flooding the family room floor. I tapped Erika on the shoulder to wake her up and said, "Erika, there is water everywhere!" We spent the next hour mopping up water that had flooded a room, the dining room, and the family room. It was as quite a mess but also brought a good laugh.

We did eat some fantastic food though! It is also tradition to eat a mixture of cassava and beans when someone dies. It will most definitely remain my best meal in Uganda. The days prior to Sarah's funeral were spent with visitors. Sunday night Erika and I began to wonder what we were supposed to wear to a funeral here. We asked Mama Lydia which of course brought all the mamas, aunties, and other teachers into our room. So needless to say, they hooked us up with some traditional African wear. (We wore these for you Sarah!)

Monday morning  we woke up at 5am to pray and worship before preparing to depart for Sarah's funeral. Before leaving some of the girls played and sang a song that Auntie Taylor and I had written for them this past summer. It was one of the sweetest moments to see them all together singing that special song we'd written for them.

"Home is where the heart is and our hearts are where you are. These memories will flood our minds no matter where we are. Home, home, you've made this place our home."

First we headed to the church the children attend on a weekly basis to celebrate Sarah's life. Her favourite songs were sang, people spoke about her, and the children of the NCFH read words that people from all over the world had written about Sarah and sang Give Us Clean Hands. It was a special time.

 

After the service we boarded buses that drove out to Sarah's family's village where the burial would take place. When we arrived there had to have been over 300 people there. Her grave had been dug and she was lying in her coffin. We found our seats, Margret on my lap, and watched as they wrapped Sarah in her bed sheets, her mother wailing, and placed back into her coffin. A few people spoke, as well as Sherry who brought me to tears speaking about how much she loved Sarah and how much Sarah loved Jesus. They then moved Sarah's coffin into her grave and she was buried. We celebrated with lunch and then loaded back into the bus to travel back home.

We ate PB&J for dinner and all slept down on the floor once more.

Although this was a long, drawn out process, I am thankful to have been a part of celebrating Sarah's life. She's always reminded me that there is good in the world. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know her. She was with us for a short time, but she made a difference in the world during her eleven years. Now she is happy and in Heaven with her loving father.

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth." -Psalm 46:10

If you feel called to help support the Loving One By One ministry, please head over to our support page as we raise money to help pay for the cost of Sarah's celebration of life. Even $5 makes a difference! Thank you!

 Little Sarah's Support Page

Sarah Singing "You're Beautiful" by Phil Wickham

It's That Time Again

As Term 1 comes to a close and April quickly slips by, I find myself closer and closer to a time when I'm out of funds to serve in Uganda. I currently am funded through the end of June. Although, I continually have been shown by God that I should be here at least until the end of Term 3, which ends early December. That leaves me unfunded for five months.

For the low cost of $400 a month, I am provided with room, board, and transportation to and from school three times a week. So to live here for another five months I must raise $2,000. And perhaps that sounds like a big chunk of money altogether, but that amount covers all I need to survive for five months. That's really not all that much if you think of how much we pay to live for just one month in the US. 

So how about I tell you how I'm serving here in Uganda:

I am a P4 teacher to a class of eleven at New Creation Centre School three times a week. At NCC we educate children from Kampala who do not have the money to attend school. They have sponsors who support them financially to go to school. And then I teach them! I also work with the P7 class once a week to review math. And then I also teach two P4 students in the New Creation Family Home twice a week. So I have a full plate of teaching and I absolutely love it!

Teaching is definitely my main focus here in Uganda. I teach math, English, reading, art, religious education and also lead chapel at NCC every other week or so. 

So $400 a month provides me with the opportunity to have food on my plate, a place to live, transportation to and from NCC, and the opportunity to educate the children of Uganda while teaching them about God and the Bible and making them into little disciples!

And that is that. Well, no, not really. I also began a bi-weekly football Saturday outreach. Every other Saturday I've invited all the students at NCC to come out and play football together. I provided them with lunch and the simple chance to get out to spend time with their friends and forget about the struggles themselves and their families are facing at home. And let me tell you, they love it! They beg me to go out every single Saturday. With the lovely support of a few friends I am able to purchase lunch, bandages, footballs, and ball pumps. But here's the thing, we live in Uganda and we are already on our fourth football. Each ball costs about 40,000/= which is about $20. So it adds up. And providing lunch also adds up. 

So although I do only need $2,000 to get by here in Uganda, any additional support to be able to continue football Saturdays would be such a blessing!

I ask for you to prayerfully consider supporting me financially to continue serving here in Uganda. 

From the initial though of coming to Uganda I've always prayed for God to provide for as long as HE wants me here. So I am confident that all I need will be provided for.

To support me financially, you may send a tax deductible check to the address below, or more conveniently donate at my Go Fund Me account that is also listed below. 

Webale nyo (thank you very much) for you support, love, and kindness.  I am evermore thankful to be serving God and for all he's provided me with. 

Go Fund Me:
http://www.gofundme.com/3g0r7o

Address for tax deductible checks:
Loving One By One
78206 Varner Road, Suite D-294
Palm Desert, CA 92211
(Please do not put my name on the check, but include a note stating it is for Kelsey Riddle)

Take Away

It's been a bit of time since I last posted, so let me get you up to date. In the past few weeks we have shifted to Graceland which is located in a village rather than in the city of Kampala. It's absolutely beautiful here, but leaves me with a rather long commute into school (I can finally say I've mastered Ugandan public transportation). Which leads me to the topic of school. I am now teaching Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at New Creation Centre (P4) in Kampala, and Tuesday and Thursday in the New Creation Family Home (P4) at Graceland. And on top of that I have begun giving extra math help, yes math, to the P7 class at NCC. It's a big change, but I know it's exactly where God wants me.

The sunrise from Graceland on my birthday

The lovely view of the sunset I have out my bedroom window

I have not posted recently, because I just haven't had anything worthwhile to say. Not that I do now, but recently I started doing journals with my P4 class at NCC and some of their responses to my journal prompts make me laugh quite hard. So I thought I'd share with you some of the prompts and the silly answers given.

What  is something you are scared to try and why?
Leonard- I am scared to sit on a donkey.
Suzan- I am scared to hit my brother because it is bad.
Emma- I am scared to swim because I will die in the water. I am scared to eat posho.
Isaac- I am not scared of anything.
Richard- I don't like to eat ladybug. Because it can smell bad.
Patricia- I would be scared to eat snakes.

If you give a _____ a _____, he'll probably want a _____ to go with it.
Leonard- If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll probably want a slasher to go with it because it wants to slash the grass. Because it does not want grass in its compound.


Life is moving on quickly these days. It's been three months since I've been back in Uganda which makes seven months of me living in Uganda all together. It's crazy to think about. Each moment here in Uganda has been such a blessing. I am so thankful to have been placed in such a wonderful place in this world. I am thankful to simply be serving in the Lord's army.

Football Saturdays are still continuing, although Teacher Milly kindly allows me to stay with her on Friday nights so that I don't have to pay to go home in the afternoon and return the next morning. The term ends this week, with exams starting tomorrow. Next week I will make report cards and then we will be on about a month long holiday. Erika and I would like to go to the equator or to see some waterfalls during our holiday. You know, some teacher field trips.

Everything is going well! Not anything too exciting to update you on other than the fact that I will be staying here in Uganda until the end of term three which ends in December. I am funded through June...so I will soon be fundraising to stay here the other five months. I'll provide more information on that early May.

Thank you for the continual prayer and support! I miss you all so much and I wish you could be here with me. Mama Sarah and the girls have been gardening like crazy recently and it's reminded me of my mom. I was telling Mama Sarah how much my mom loves to garden and she said that we need to bring her out here to help us! So mom, come to Uganda and help us garden!

Shafiga helping to garden at Graceland

Oh yeah, and we got a new puppy named Gracie

He Qualifies the Called

"Therefore go and plant churches in all nations."

Wait, what?!

Over the past year, I've had a good number of people discuss with me how I am helping to plant churches in Uganda. This conversation always irritates me.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19)

Each time this conversation arises, Matthew 28:19 comes to my mind. From what I know, perhaps I am incredibly wrong and have missed something, but nowhere in the Bible does it say to go and "plant churches."

Don't get me wrong, churches are incredibly important. Hebrews 10:25 states, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." I feel that meeting together as a church body is something we must do as Christians. And I also believe that God has called some to go out and plant churches for all that Hebrews 10:25 states. But the Bible instructs us to go and make disciples.

I remember a number of years back taking the junior high U-Turn group to Hume Lake Christian Camps. There was a missionary couple there to speak to the junior highers that week. They were serving as missionaries in South Africa and were not your "typical" missionaries.

They were not out planting churches, but were spending their time making disciples. The husband spent his days out on the ocean using his gift of surfing to make disciples. He would go out to the beach, teach young boys to surf and then would take the time to preach the gospel to them and disciple them.  His wife had opened a small store, which had been a dream of hers, where she also made disciples. She employed women who were struggling to give them a hope and a future, and would also take the time to teach the gospel to them and disciple them.

We are called to a life of love. The greatest commandment is to love. And we are called to make disciples. Making disciples does not solely look like church planting. Making disciples can look like an orphanage, surfing, working in a store, playing football with kids on a Saturday morning, and for my dear friend Taylor, being a waitress at Cheddar's.

Without these "non-traditional" missionaries, we would not be able to go and make disciples in some of the most unexpected places.

I think of Kari and Cassidy who are in the process of becoming dorm parents. They will not be church planting, but making disciples. This couple is extremely inspiring and they are the ones who continually encourage me to go and  make disciples in my own life. They have loved me with the love of Christ and have encouraged me to continually always put God first in my life. Kari and Cassidy are who I look to for an image of an "everyday missionary."

I believe Bible knowledge is important, but do we need a Bible degree to make disciples? I do not believe so. There is a quote that states, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."

I'm not going to be naive and say that we will simply be qualified if we don't do any work. Of course we must study the Bible, be involved in the church, etc. But wait three more years, just so we can go to Bible school? No!

In Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love, he states, "A friend of mine was speaking recently. Afterward a guy came up and told him, 'I would go serve God as a missionary overseas, but, honestly, if I went right now it would only be out of obedience.' My friends response was, 'yes, and...?' Jesus said, 'If you love me, you will obey what I command.'(John 14:15). Jesus did not say, 'If you love me you will obey me when you feel called or good about doing so...' If we love, then we obey. Period. That sort of matter-of-fact obedience is part of what it means to live a life of faith...As a result, I've made it a commitment to consistently put myself in situations that scare me and require God to come through. When I survey my life, I realize that those times have been the most meaningful and satisfying of my life. They were the times when I truly experienced life and God."

Coming back to Uganda was most definitely a situation that scared me. I knew I was returning with a lack of financial funding for about half of my stay this time out, but I knew I had to take that leap of faith because God had prepared the called.

I have a teaching degree and here in Uganda I am able to make disciples in the school I teach in. If I were out church planting, would I be able to make disciples in the school? Nope. God has given me all the tools I need to make disciples right here and now. In obedience, I am here in Uganda making disciples.

It's having crazy love and radical obedience. It's about taking a leap of faith. It's about going and making disciples of all nations.

These past three months have been the most meaningful and satisfying of my life. I trusted God and came back to Uganda. I do not regret my decision to return here to Uganda at all. In fact, I am more than happy with that decision.

The cynics were outraged screaming, "this is absurd." 'Cause for a moment a girl in ripped up jeans got to rule the world.

Sweeter Than Fiction

The more time I spend in Uganda, the more my heart breaks for those in need. I have seen so many people with so little. I often think about how many of the 48 students who attend the school I teach at walk miles to and from school each day and often go to bed on an empty stomach. It makes me sick.

I can honestly say that I've given up numerous of my school lunches because I can't stomach eating that food when I know my students will go home to nothing. I will return home to decent amount of snacks to choose from, where as they will maybe get a cup of porridge for dinner. And believe me when I say that porridge is neither filling nor that tasty.

God has truly been breaking my heart for what breaks his over the past month. I've learned things I never wanted to know about my students. I feel miserable standing in front of a child each day, who has close to nothing, while I have a guitar, iPod, iPhone, iPad, a stack of books, a bed to sleep on, snacks, toiletries, and a suitcase full of clothes sitting in my room back at the children's home.

And the fact is, it's extremely sad. But I've realized that God did not bring me here to Uganda to be sad, but to find joy and to bring joy to those in need. Whether it be sending a pack of noodles home with a student, or simply walking them home from school, I've been called to love.

God has given me the gift to teach and through teaching, he's allowed me so many great opportunities to share his love with the students and their families at New Creation Centre. The past month has been the absolute most challenging in my entire life. But it's also been the sweetest.

This past month I've committed to:

• Walking home with my students
• Sharing at least part of my lunch (if not all) with my students
• Serving the families of my students in different ways
• Giving basic needs to my students and their families
• Playing football and feeding my students on Saturdays
• Getting to know students individually

It has been one of the most rewarding months of my life. Challenging as I stated before, but also overwhelmingly wonderful. I end most days being extremely exhausted, but it's all worth it. I am happier than I've been before and I'm so content with where God has me and how he's using me.

So here is to the simple fact that life is sweeter than fiction, and that I will always stand next to each one of my students. I believe in my students and I know they will beat the poverty they live in. 

Hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground
Only sound that you hear is, "no"
You never saw it coming
Slipped when you started running

And now you've come undone and I've

Seen you fall, seen you crawl on your knees

Seen you lost in a crowd, seen your colors fade
Wish I could make it better

Someday you won't remember

This pain you thought would last forever and ever

There you'll stand, ten feet tall

I will say, "I knew it all along"
your eyes--wider than distance

This life--sweeter than fiction

Just a shot in the dark
All you've got are your shattered hopes
They never saw it coming

You hit the ground running

And now you're onto something

What a sight when the light came on
Proved me right when you proved them wrong

And in this perfect weather

It's like we don't remember

The rain we thought would last forever and ever

I'll be one of the many saying,

"Look at you now"
I'll be one of the many saying,
"You made us proud"

And when they call your name

And they put your picture in a frame

You know that I'll be there time and again

'Cause I loved you when you

Hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground

only sound that you heard was, "no"
Now in this perfect weather

It's like we don't remember
The rain we thought would last forever and ever

There you'll stand, ten feet tall

I will say, "I knew it all along"
your eyes--wider than distance

This life--sweeter than fiction

It's sweeter than fiction

Saturdays on the Field

Since I began teaching at the New Creation Centre this past June, I have been wanting to plan something to do with the students at the school. I looked for a park while riding on the boda numerous times, but never came across any. Time passed and I never really took the time to sort something out.

Upon my return back to Uganda, and again into teaching, I really wanted to make it a point to do something one Saturday with the students. I had previously thought about going out to play football (soccer) but didn't know where to go.

With the thought of football on my mind, and knowing that a majority of the kids enjoy playing, I did a little research to sort something out. Uncle George helped me choose a field location, I went out with Peter to get him some cleats, I purchased some food, and we were all set.

The kids arrived at school at 8am, we walked to the field together, played some football, and ate PB&J sandwiches for lunch.

It was an absolute hit!

Once the day was over and we were on our way back to the school, the kids continually asked if we would be coming out to play the following Saturday. I was not too sure about it, since it had been a long day, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to make that commitment.

I took the week to think about it and felt God placing it on my heart to continue taking the kids out each Saturday. So needless to say, we headed back out to the field today. We ate biscuits and peanut butter for a snack, and spent 9 hours out on the field, including our walk there and back.

I have never felt joy like I feel when I am out on the field with my students. William will do anything to have me on his team, so I am guessing I am not too shabby. I've found that it's quite difficult to tell who is on my team when they all look alike. So today they decided to go skins and shirts. Of course I was on skins which they found quite funny. Yes, I kept my shirt on. I am pretty obvious to spot out anyhow.

The girls tend to dance around, do some gymnastics, or pick mangoes. I love turning around while Will is up the field with the ball to see the girls lying in the grass giggling. I caught this sweet photo of them today. 

And then there are the moments I just like to sit back and watch the kids do their thing. I have been so blessed by these children and all I wish for is to bless them in return. I am committing to continuing to take them out at least twice a month to play football for the remainder of my time here in Uganda.

Many of these children eat one meal a day and have to walk anywhere from 1-5 miles to even get to the school to come out to play football. Their feet become torn up and blistered from the poor quality of shoes they have. 

My desire is to simply show these students how much they are cared about. I want them to have a fun day once during the week. A time to fellowship and spend time with their classmates. 

I am purchasing food for the children to eat for lunch when we play football, would like to purchase a second football, a ball pump, and reusable water bottles. We also need some band-aids since the kids play rough and I have gone through mine like water. So if anyone feels led to help support our Saturdays out on the field, please let me know!