Just a quick story - Monday I went to work in the clinic as usual - around 2 my friend called me and was like lets go swimming. Since the sun was shining I was like I am all for that idea....However, whenever this particular friend and I decide to go swim it rains. And by the time we finished our meal and headed home rain came. Rain came hard. In fact - I barely made it in the door - Ok so I was always told dont be near electrical things during a storm like chatting on the phone, watching a movie - blah blah blah ....me being the storm watcher that I am. Put a kettle of water on the stove - flung open the curtains, craweled onto my bed and connected my net :)Heehee. Nways,the rain wasnt just a light shower or sprinkle - but HARD CORE RAIN ;) While online, I heard a loud boom and I was like what was that noise???? My lights flicked on and off and then went completely off. I turned on my inverter and proceeded checking email. Smart huh??? At this point most people would have shut off all electric appliances and read a good book. Not me.
When the storm passed - I went outside. The loud boom or thud rather that I had heard before was a phone pole that had landed on my neighbors house. I immediately thought...oh geeez my neighbor is not going to be happy when she comes home and has no power and a pole sitting on her house. I investigated the 'scene' throughly - to discover that outside my bedroom window was a snapped wire. Yeah you read that right - a split electric wire just hanging...So I put two and two (the wire and pole) together and realized wow this is not very safe. But what do I do? So heres the thing - usually Whites around here are very demanding - like they think they are the superior race or something. Being a missionary and I all I tend not to think that way ....However, I am so grateful that I have a 'friend in high places' (and this would be where my neighbor comes in) The lady whose house the pole fell on comes from a very affluent family (her Dad owns Bell Liquior Company - One of Uganda's top selling beer products) Nways, She kind of told the electric company that if they didnt come out and fix the pole ASAP - someone was going to be seriously hurt or killed.
The good news is they came! And we had power like the very next day!!! And no one was hurt! Soooo I am totally praising God for this! I am grateful for my neighbor FORSURE and my Jesus for sparing my life yet another day!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Just another day in Africa....
Hey Guys!Some days I wonder what in the world am I doing here in Mbarara Uganda? This thought actually has crossed my mind alot lately has I consider that my time here is almost over. I leave in May. Wow! How mind boggling....So many mixed emotions -How can I leave a people whos hearts have become attached to mine??? Will anyone replace me? What's next??Back to Carolina - more school? Yeah I dont know - but I do know this much - the HERE AND NOW needs to be my focus.
On Wednesday - I read a book to my new students entitled the "Orphan Boy". Though - I didnt really agree with the whole context of the story I was able to tie in Psalms 68:5. If you dont know the verse it states " He is the Father to orphans." As I looked into the faces of my students - I realized that most of the children that attend either have one parent left living or none at all. I can't imagine life without a father. (Fortunately for me God blessed me with two :)Nways, the good news is that these children have hope because he looks down and sees them ALL OF THEM.
I was rather late today for worship - so I slipped in the back. I noticed a small girl in a coral colored dress twirling around in circles as the praise music lingered in the background. I caught her eye and she stared at me out of curiosity (I assume because of my skin color) she finally got up the courage to walk up to me. Her icey cold hands stroked my hand. I grasped her hand with both of mine. The music quickly faded completely and the small girl found her place on my lap. To be honest with you...the child was dirty from head to toe. As she sat with me I swatted the flies buzzing over her head - I saw her take her fingers and begin to pick the earwax from her ear...Immediately distracted from the service - I watched to see just where the girl was going to place that wax from her ear canal. Was the wax going on the floor?? On my dress??? In her mouth??? Should I put the child down??? Um to make a long story less long...the wax went on her coral dress. My friend Anthea approached me about this time and asked me for a bandaid for her finger. I gave it to her -and as I looked back down at the child I saw pus oozing from her ear. OHHH...God - I gagged - the stench of her picking at her ear finally reached my noise - I still choose to not put her down. I began to pray....I clenched her little frame closer to me...I'd like to tell you 'supergirljt' put her previous ENT knowledge into practice and played nurse... But no instead I held her....and when the pastor called for the kids to go to Sunday School I told her to go....
She left my presence and I was left thinking THIS IS MY HERE AND NOW. This is what is on Jena's plate for today. It brings HIM glory when we love on HIS children.
On Wednesday - I read a book to my new students entitled the "Orphan Boy". Though - I didnt really agree with the whole context of the story I was able to tie in Psalms 68:5. If you dont know the verse it states " He is the Father to orphans." As I looked into the faces of my students - I realized that most of the children that attend either have one parent left living or none at all. I can't imagine life without a father. (Fortunately for me God blessed me with two :)Nways, the good news is that these children have hope because he looks down and sees them ALL OF THEM.
I was rather late today for worship - so I slipped in the back. I noticed a small girl in a coral colored dress twirling around in circles as the praise music lingered in the background. I caught her eye and she stared at me out of curiosity (I assume because of my skin color) she finally got up the courage to walk up to me. Her icey cold hands stroked my hand. I grasped her hand with both of mine. The music quickly faded completely and the small girl found her place on my lap. To be honest with you...the child was dirty from head to toe. As she sat with me I swatted the flies buzzing over her head - I saw her take her fingers and begin to pick the earwax from her ear...Immediately distracted from the service - I watched to see just where the girl was going to place that wax from her ear canal. Was the wax going on the floor?? On my dress??? In her mouth??? Should I put the child down??? Um to make a long story less long...the wax went on her coral dress. My friend Anthea approached me about this time and asked me for a bandaid for her finger. I gave it to her -and as I looked back down at the child I saw pus oozing from her ear. OHHH...God - I gagged - the stench of her picking at her ear finally reached my noise - I still choose to not put her down. I began to pray....I clenched her little frame closer to me...I'd like to tell you 'supergirljt' put her previous ENT knowledge into practice and played nurse... But no instead I held her....and when the pastor called for the kids to go to Sunday School I told her to go....
She left my presence and I was left thinking THIS IS MY HERE AND NOW. This is what is on Jena's plate for today. It brings HIM glory when we love on HIS children.
Friday, September 26, 2008
"Moonless Trust"
So I read this in my devotion the other day and wanted to share. Sorry Amie this probably isn't want you wanted ...but here it goes...
"Some of you are perhaps feeling that you are voyaging just now on a moonless sea. Uncertainty surrounds you. There seems to be no signs to follow. Perhaps you feel about to engulfed by loneliness. There is no one to whom you can speak of your need. Amy Carmichael wrote of such a feeling when, as a missionary of twenty- six, she had to leave Japan because of poor health, then travel to China for recuperation, but then realized God was telling her to go to Ceylon. ...I have on my desk her original hanndwritten letter of August 25th, 1894, as she was en route to Colombo. ' All along, let us remember, we are not asked to understand, but simply obey...On July, 28 Saturday I sailed. We had to come on board on Friday night, and just as the tender (small boat) where were the dear friends who had come to say goodbye was moving off, and the chill of loneliness shivered through me, like a warm love-clasp came the long-loved lines - 'And only Heaven is better than to walk WITH CHRIST AT MIDNIGHT, OVER MOON-LESS SEAS.' I couldn't feel frightened then. Priase Him for the moonless seas - all the opportunity for proving Him to be indeed the El Shaddai,' the God who is Enough.' "
Keep a Quiet Heart
By Elizabeth Elliot
Ohhh Jesus show me that you are sufficient for me.
"Some of you are perhaps feeling that you are voyaging just now on a moonless sea. Uncertainty surrounds you. There seems to be no signs to follow. Perhaps you feel about to engulfed by loneliness. There is no one to whom you can speak of your need. Amy Carmichael wrote of such a feeling when, as a missionary of twenty- six, she had to leave Japan because of poor health, then travel to China for recuperation, but then realized God was telling her to go to Ceylon. ...I have on my desk her original hanndwritten letter of August 25th, 1894, as she was en route to Colombo. ' All along, let us remember, we are not asked to understand, but simply obey...On July, 28 Saturday I sailed. We had to come on board on Friday night, and just as the tender (small boat) where were the dear friends who had come to say goodbye was moving off, and the chill of loneliness shivered through me, like a warm love-clasp came the long-loved lines - 'And only Heaven is better than to walk WITH CHRIST AT MIDNIGHT, OVER MOON-LESS SEAS.' I couldn't feel frightened then. Priase Him for the moonless seas - all the opportunity for proving Him to be indeed the El Shaddai,' the God who is Enough.' "
Keep a Quiet Heart
By Elizabeth Elliot
Ohhh Jesus show me that you are sufficient for me.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Hidden In You
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, WILL REST in the shawdow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my REFUGE and my FORTRESS, my God, in whom I trust. ' Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and the deadly pestilence. HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night,nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, a thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is MY REFUGE - then no harm will come near your tent. FOR HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS: THEY WILL LIFT YOU UP IN THEIR HANDS, so that you will not strike your foot against the stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra: you will trample the lion and the serpent.
'Because he loves me, ' says the Lord , 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Psalm 91
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