LAST HOORAY!!!!!!!

What a week! I can’t believe that I have been here for 4 weeks. Throughout this trip I have been completely blessed by the kids I have seen, the opportunities God has given, and so many other things! When I first arrived I never could have imagined the things that I have been through and seen. It seems like yesterday that Ivan and Jayan picked us up from the airport, and now in 3 days they will be taking me back to leave Uganda. From the get go I have felt at home here in Kampala. Thinking now I know the home sick feelings I felt when I arrived here will haunt me again when I arrive back in the U.S.. This week has really challenged me as we went to all the usual projects. Each day is a heart break as it is the last time for me to be at the projects. It is the last time I will be able to see the smiling faces that I grew to love. I fully expected to be able to bless each kid I came into contact with. What I didn’t expect was BLESSINGS that gave me. As this will be my last blog post from Uganda. I want to thank everyone who prayed for me while I have been gone and the time before I left. I ask that you would continue to keep me in your prayers as I readjust back in the U.S.. Which I have a feeling is going to be extremely difficult! I also want to thank everyone who supported me in anyway! The support I have been shown by people whom I know and the ones I have never meet has been an absolute testament to Gods love! I want to thank my mom for the support she has shown by allowing her only son to live in Africa for a month! Also a special thank you to someone whom without I wouldn’t be sitting in Kampala, Uganda typing right now Kim McAbee! Next the most important person I can thank is God! The love and mercy he has shown me over the past month has been more than I could have ever imagined or deserve! Thank You Father!!!!

New Post

Sorry it has been awhile since I last blogged we have been really busy with a construction project we finished up today. I am going to go through and give a few details about what we have done each day.

Monday- I had the opportunity to go to a different babies home on Monday. It wasn’t as nice as Sanyu and some of the babies where very small and ill. As I was holding one little boy I was thrown up on. It’s hard to see these children and have to leave them. In most cases they don’t get the nutrition they need. It takes a lot not to just take them with you. “

Tuesday- As school is back in session we are able to go to some of the primary school to have a time of games and sharing with them. There was one little girl that really took my heart. As I was playing the drums during the worship time she came up and stood with me. These kids are so desperate just for the touch of someone who cares. Even while I was drumming and singing she had to hold my hand. It was especially hard to leave once they all the children had finished the porridge we made for them. Saying goodbye to this little girl as she looked me in the eyes tore my heart into pieces. I will never forget her face.

Wednesday- Today we went back to Katalamwe. It was my turn to help with in the workshop instead of being in the class. I used a machete to cut wood for the cooks the whole time we were there.  

Thursday- I was able to go back to Sanyu on Thursday. I wasn’t able to spend as much time with the children as I had wanted, but it was still enough time to love on them. Being the hands and feet of Jesus is such an amazing experience. I am so blessed to have this opportunity. We also went to Remand home on Thursday. What an amazing experience that was. We had worship and played games. As Craig brought the message it was so good. It really pertained to the kids. As Craig wrapped up he invited anyone who wanted Christ in their life to come up. We had 15 young men and women come up to dedicate their lives to God. As the kids came up I jumped up and meet them at the center along with other team members and just layed hands on them and prayed for their lives and their future. I have never felt so blessed to be a part of anything in my life. To be able to lay hands on these kids and pray for change in their life was a feeling I could never explain.

Friday- Today we went out to a village to help a sponsored girls family finish their house. While there we were able to connect with the village kids. To go out to the villages and see the way people live is very humbling. It really puts everything into perspective about how well we have things in America.

The weekend was full of a staff members’ Inroduction Ceremony. It was really interesting to see how things are done here. The Ceremony is like a wedding before the actually wedding. There are gifts involved and dancing. It was interesting to see the bride price. The grooms’ family has to pay for the bride. They bought the bride for 1 cow, 1 goat, and 2 chickens. It was very interesting

As the week went by I can see the changes that are taken place in the lives of the children around us, as well as myself and fellow team members. It has been a fast two weeks and I am really struggling when I even think about having to leave the kids and my team members. I take refuge in the fact that I will continue the friendships I have made. As well as, knowing that I will return to Uganda and to those kids who have stolen my heart!

Just Dance

Everything started out smoothly as I traveled from Indiana to Uganda. I meet some great people along the way that have turned into great friends! We have a great group of people at Empower-A-Child!! I have felt very welcome from our arrival! Everyone here really cares about what there doing and the volunteers who have come to be apart of their team.

Upon arrival in Uganda I only received two of my three bags. The third bag was full of toys for the kids so I was really disappointed. However, everything was sorted out and I was driving to the airport today to pick it up. Thank you Lord!!

So far, we have done so much. The first day was just a welcome day, but since then we have gone on projects everyday. Tuesday we headed out in the morning to help clear a well and make it more suitable for use. It was hard work. I left with four blisters! I helped clear out the grass area with a slasher! It was very rewarding to see all the kids thank us. As well as the elders of the village. On Wednesday we went to a place called Katalamwe! It is a rehabilitation home. It was so amazing. I had the opportunity to help out with the praise and worship in the classroom. I am so thankful God has blessed me with musical abilities. The children were so happy we were there. I was also happy to be there. We got to play games and just have a great time and be a light for the kids! Thursday I was put into the group that was heading to Sanyu! I was sent there with a mission to hold several babies and sing “Jesus Loves You” to them. To the ladies who sent me names I was able to hold most of them the first trip to Sanyu! If I wasn’t able to hold them don’t worry because I will be heading back to hold the rest of them. Each child is so precious and deserves to be loved! Later on Thursday we went to Remand Home. It is where mostly children who have gotten into some sort of trouble stay. It was amazing to see them worship. They are in a juvenile facility and worshiping with everything they have. With their arms held high to the sky. It was so moving to see! Friday was a historical day for Empower-A-Child! It was the ground breaking ceremony for the facilities being built in the village of Zirobwe! We headed out early to get everything set up. When we were almost to the village, two of us guys got on top of the van to ride the rest of the way. It was like we were celebrities for being white! Children were running out of their huts yelling Mzungu Mzungu(White Person)! It was very humbling to think that these children thought I was someone special. It made me realize that while these kids thought I was special that I needed to show them who really was the special one and that’s God, because without Him I wouldn’t be on these trip. I wouldn’t be riding on the roof on the van! I felt very honored to be apart of the ceremonies and to be here while everything was taken place. I am here while the Director and founder of Empower-A-Child is here. I have been so blessed by a Faithful God!!

Now for why this post is called Just Dance! I am not one to stick out in a crowd, but in the past two days I have been involved in two Dance Competitions. One at Remand Home and the other at the village, but what was so surprising to me is that I didn’t get nervous at all! I just jumped right up there in front of everyone and started dancing. God has allowed me to do things I never thought I would do in my life. God is doing great things in Uganda and I was so BLESSED to be apart of it!!

P.S: There are videos of the dance competition!!

My new friend Wawasee

She loved when I would swing her around! She lives next door to us!

The time has ARRIVED!!

Yesterday as I sat outside watching my two nephews play I couldn’t help but think of the little boys and girls of Uganda. It made me wonder if in the coming month when I have the opportunity to run around and play games with them if it would feel the same as it does when I am running around with my nephews? Will the love I have for my nephews shine through and reach those Ugandan Children?

It seems crazy to think that four days after writing this I will be on a plane heading to Uganda. It has been a long year of waiting and anticipating. It still doesn’t seem real to me and I leave in 4 DAYS!! I just can’t believe that after all the planning and fund raising that the day will actually be here on Saturday! I can’t wait to meet the children and show them love. I have learned of some of them already and I haven’t even been there. There are kids that I am on specific mission to hold and show them that they are loved, kids like Tony and Jethro. God has big plans and I am so excited and thrilled to be apart of those.

I can’t wait to arrive in Uganda and continue on this call God has set in front of me. I am ready to be his Hands and Feet!!

My Heart is Spoken For

I'm covered by your love divine, Child of the risen Lord, To hear you say "this one's mine", my heart is spoken for. As I was driving home from class I heard this song by Mercy Me. It really struck me. It almost brings me to tears to imagine God looking down to me and saying "This one's mine, his heart is spoken for." Would this not be the most amazing thing ever! The more I thought about this the more I realized God does say this to us! As I am preparing for my missions trip I have received many blessings, whether it be financially, prayerfully, or any other way. Every time I get even a dollar for my trip that's God. Every donation from the smallest to biggest is God looking down and saying "This one's mine and his heart is spoken for!" I am so glad to serve a God that shows crazy love for me. He has more love for me than I can imagine. We can't even comprehend how much love God has for us. In the book "Crazy Love" Francis Chan stats, "The greatest knowledge we can ever have is knowing God treasures us." God has such a crazy love for us. I have assurance in the fact that "I'M HIS AND MY HEART IS SPOKEN FOR!!!"

 Trip: We have been so blessed with donations. There are so many people who have shown support. Thank you to all those who have helped so far! Financial we are a lot farther than I thought we would be at this stage. We have almost $5000.00 in two months. This is just amazing! God has been so good to us! Our goal of $6000.00 has almost been reached. All the Glory to God. I also have set dates for my trip. I will be leaving on May 14, 2011 and returning on June 15, 2011. So far everything has been going great. Thanks to all who have helped and I ask that you continue to pray for my trip!!!!
  

                                                                                  The One Who's Heart is Spoken For

Garage Sale

Hey Everyone,
This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we will be having a garage sale in Bryant, Indiana. All the proceeds will go towards the missions trip I will be going on next summer. We have been so blessed already with donations and people willing to help out. I can actually say I'm overwhelmed by the amount of support we have gotten! Thanks to all who have donated and helped in any way! All there is to say is GOD is GOOD!!!