We're back in Da Nile!

Saturday morning delivered us to the gate of Chayah and we entered to the singing of Chayah's children and a sign for each of us, held up as the dancing and smiles welcomed us.  Our visiting team members got the grand tour and we reconnected with our amazing cooks out back. 

 Red Rover broke the ice and brought quickly brought our attention to the warmth of their joy and the powerful heat of the sun.  They did the laughing and we did the sweating!

 Rachel forged the communication gap with games and dancing as soccer cones were turned into head baskets. 

There are just some things the kids have learned to expect when we come and swimming in the Nile is near the top of their list.   Nothing beats the sound of giggling children and familiar smiles of our own.

 Brenda poses for us...one month before her 13th birthday.  Her father showed up on the 13th birthday of each of 2 older sisters.  He brought with him men, much older and prepared to pay for the child brides...willing to sell the innocence and childhood of his daughters, we are grateful God brought her to us and surely her birthday will be a celebration of intervention by our merciful God.

 We spotted this guy floating in a boat made of banana leaves...what???

 Matt helped Elijah, 4 years old, get safely across a bridge made of tree trunks.  I may or may not have needed the Captain to help me...grin. 

 We hiked back up the hill, worked up an appetite and enjoyed a delicious lunch.

A few gladly stayed behind to rehearse some music with Evan and Pastor Roman and his wife Susan joined us at Chayah for lunch.  

Our plan for the afternoon was to load up and head over to the new property, walk its perimeter and pray over each section.  Again and again we asked God to make the land a place of fertile soil for the a place of ministry to the area.  As the temperatures baked us, and the uneven ground challenged our footing, we climbed the gentle slope to the top corner, took in the beauty around us and were filled with gratitude and excitement.  

We split into 4 teams and headed out to meet our neighbors, share the gospel and heart the hearts of the people.  There was a commitment and fortitude required this afternoon and a motivation by God's spirit as the heat sapped our physical energy.  We met back near the guard's house, shared the stories of a few neighbors and what we had seen and heard.  There was a building excitement as we began to sense God's strategic choice in this new property.  

One young man, Jackson, seemed especially searching.  He had experienced living on the street and other difficulties and had moved to the area as the caretaker of cows and sheep.  In his early 20's, he was trying to "settle" his life, lonely and without a plan for his future.  His discouragement made us long to bring him home, mentor, and encourage him.  

Another man found sitting on the side of the path we walked talked of others who had spoken to him before.  Whether is was demonic or mental illness, he described a practice by a cult here of counterfeiting the act of baptism, by putting someone under water.  He describes this as the moment "they" took his soul.  "I'm a dead man walking among the living, speaking only to the dead." 

Another group spoke for quite some time to 4 boys, two teens and two10-year-olds, one in particular who broke down as he talked about his mother leaving them alone, abandoning them months ago. The older boys work for others in their gardens trying to provide food for their family, no school, no protection, just surviving.   Another family of 5, a widowed woman raising 4 children displaying the desperate struggle of so many.

God has a plan for us here.  We are anxious to watch it unfold, excited about reaching out and loving in this new place.  We could use a few more shade trees on this little plot of Uganda, but we sense such purpose here.  I pray He is as anxious as we are and brings all things together quickly.  We are all still burdened by the four brothers we visited yesterday, without an adult, without food, without soap and quickly again without much hope.  Chayah's home cannot accommodate these 5 boys...our very small 10 x 10 boys room already sleeps 5, but we pray and consider every other option to help them press on.  God help us.