'OH MY JEHOVAH!"

Friday’s lesson: “Listen to your faithful driver, Chris, when he tells you what time to travel.” Because given the option we always travel in the evening, leaving Jinja about 7pm.  Generally we arrive in Kampala/Entebbe about 10pm.  This time someone suggested we leave mid afternoon and so we did, arriving in Kampala, well you know about 9pm…but got to enjoy so much more of the traffic, road dust and daylight…ahhhh!

We had a quick dinner and settled into Namirembe Guest house rooms for the night.

Saturday, we met with our attorney to hear him discuss the final details of the land purchase including all of the adventurous work he has had to do to find the actual owner, not the representatives we first heard of or the company name that was posing as the owner.  The Lord protected us in all of it, the two years of savings and the sacrifice many of you have made for Chayah.

Sharon, our university girl also arrived to join us for the day and we all climbed into the van and headed to African Hearts primary school and to one of their homes.  We were taking in every bit of building design, material and placement including a kitchen that cooks for masses and a new project that will be a boarding building and provide an area for teaching trades.   

We have learned so many things and I am counting on the idea that as God has equipped each of us with different gifts, each also took some great mental notes in one particular area of development so that when we get home we’ll have a more complete picture of all we experienced.

African Hearts was preparing for a graduation celebration of all of the P7 (7^th grade) students.  Recording 100% success rate of their candidates, we are very interested in their compassionate, holistic teaching methods and curriculum.   So with the ceremony chasing at  our heals, we shuttled off for another larger ministry site African Renewal.

Things took a hilarious turn when we requested an upgrade from a wooden fishing type boat with small outboard motor.  Time was short to get to the site on the tip of a peninsula and we were concerned about seasickness.  BUT neither Janet, Sharon nor Chris had ever been on a fast boat and none of them can swim and as we were pounding along the windblown swells on Lake Victoria, they shuddered, squealed and held on for dear life.  Only, if you can imagine it, with very little confidence. 

 Janet was doing her best to let go with one hand long enough to try to signal to the driver to slow down all the while swinging from trying to give him the stink eye to laughing hysterically in her terror.  We found out later, Chris was shouting to the driver to slow down because “that woman has a heart problem” (pointing to Janet).  She has no such problem but he couldn’t give up the truth that he was the one with the impending cardiac response.  Sharon could not wipe the huge grin from her face because she too was holding on with everything she had.  If you have never heard Kristen laugh uncontrollably, you have missed out on one of God’s greatest gifts and that 20 minute boat ride was very possibly THE most entertaining experience of the weekend spent in the big city.  

We exited the wild ride onto a dock that welcomed us to Bethany village where we were given a tour of their program, projects and homes.  This ministry has been in effect since the mid 90’s having begun when a Ugandan woman began taking in street children, first 12, then 24, and quickly 60.  God has blessed their work and it has grown so very much.  We were especially impressed by their farming technique; including something probably any farmer would know about but was completely new to us. 

Don’t judge me (grin) when I tell you that you can keep pigs in a concrete pen and use bacteria that you’ve grown on dough balls of flour and water and placed in a tree,  to sprinkle in their waste that causes pig droppings to breakdown and assimilate with the sawdust which they then use to fertilize the crops. (I know that sentence broke every grammatical rule but I'm way too excited to redo it)  I’m serious when I say I have never seen or heard of such a thing.  They call it organic farming, but those pigs were so clean that I would have gladly stepped foot inside their concrete rooms without hesitation if I thought they would have allowed me.   Sharon was using her favorite phrase “Wow, wow, wow!” over and over again and I thought "that is exactly what I was going to say!"

We saw a green house type building that held 4 huge tanks containing 500-800 tilapia fish growing next to some specific plant and a water circulation system and some over-my-head description of how the plants benefited from the fish waste and the fish benefited from the plant waste.  God has created everything for himself and his creation magnifies and glorifies Him, it just takes my breath away every once in a while and far too seldom, but Saturday afternoon I felt such awe that I wonder if it wasn’t a glimpse of the Heaven and Earth that will one day be revealed to us.  

We enjoyed every other part of the tour, including the homes that housed each “family”.  We got to visit in one home and asked the kids there to advise us on the most important things to focus on at Chayah.  It took some encouragement, but they made sure we had a list of the things kids need most.

We experienced so much that in some regards instead of looking at our ministry from the ground up, we were looking at possibilities from the top down.  Even as I write this a day later, I think the thoughts and directions to consider are swirling like a tornado, fast and furious and exciting and overwhelming.  We are confident that the storm of what might be ahead will settle with much prayer and plenty of time.   

We are very grateful for the opportunities to see what others have done and with both ministries coming from the hearts of Ugandans for Uganda it is really a perspective we haven’t had much access to.   We are mindful that our language abilities make our speech simple, but that doesn’t mean that hearts or minds on either side are less than the wisdom God imparts to us. 

A simple life, free of material possessions or demands does not represent failure.  We can teach little here, we can learn much and together submit ourselves to the leadership of God.

I should end there…on a lofty spiritual thought…but please hang in there for the moment we were sitting on the grass at the end of our time a Bethany Village when Janet heard and saw the boat coming for us. (Furrowed brow)  “Oh God!”  “Jodi, do you think those drivers are born again?” (Very nervous yet hysterical laughter) “OH MY JEHOVAH!”

….and we got back in the boat for the second most entertaining boat ride of our lives because at that point in time we all thought we were on an island with no other options…it was later at dinner that we were told it was a peninsula… and… I could see the undeniable look on her face…do you people mean we could have DRIVEN? “Oh my Jehovah!”

Off to Kampala

Its Friday morning in Jinja and our day will be packed once again as we make the very most of our last day in this area and head out for the capitol of Kampala.  Flights for six of us leave about noon on Sunday and I will be staying another eight days.

Kampala...picture colorful buildings, stained with crimson dust and motorcyles competing for a niche with public transport vans.

Last evening we had a dinner meeting with the combined board from Uganda, US and our friend from African Hearts.  The gratitude we really felt towards them was shared and God's strength, empowering and leading has been evident.  Suggestions for improvement, ideas about discipline, education, and strategies for the future.  We are so grateful for the way God has provided wise counsel and given us people who invest in educating us and caring for our future.

This morning we will be meeting with our attorney who promises to bring us updates on our NGO registration, accompanied by a new list of procedures, fees and legal protection. We will also receive the official drawings of our property and we are praying it comes with to-scale measurements.  But then again...we'll work with what we are given.

Chayah's children will arrive about 11am to swim and then we'll have ice cream together, we'll say our goodbyes, pack up and head to the big city.   Gratefully I don't have to endure the separation for another week.

Tomorrow, our university girl Sharon will meet us and go with us to visit two other ministries.  Her major is computer information systems and we'd bless her to move on to wherever the Lord leads but her love and leadership with children has led us to pray God will lead her back to Chayah to use her heart and skills with us.  

I don't know what the internet or time will allow for later today, surely lots of travel time, heat, humidity will accompany us until we arrive back in US air space.  Pray the team home please, they leave about 1am Sunday morning US time.  We'd be so grateful.

Baptism in the Nile

Thursday began with breakfast and an early morning arrival at Chayah.  The last of the baptism classes was held in the front yard and arrangements had been made to walk to a certain cove in the Nile for the special event.

The retreat area had very specific regulations requiring our silence and then quiet as we reached the water’s edge.  The older children were briefed as we took in the picturesque and our blond-headed servant scouted the waters for crocodiles.  Be assured there were several reports of something suspicious floating nearby, but it very possibly could have been sticks masquerading as crocs.  Always the adventurer, we were glad we had his keen eyes to protect the masses.

As each Chayah child entered the water, professed their faith, were baptized and walked out, we were so proud of their commitment and pray they walk out their faith every day until eternity takes over.  They are beautiful and like us, so imperfect, so human and also like each of us, their days will vacillate between the good, the bad and the ugliness of our sin natures.  Life renewed, redeemed and promised to the Savior is a very long walk of obedience and disobedience, success, failure and to be sure, a deepening realization that everything is fleeting, and worthless without the love of God himself.

We prayed for them as a group and headed back to Chayah.  Long talks with the older girls, football games in the front yard and a wonderful lunch filled the rest of the morning.  A water balloon toss led to a water balloon fight including screams, squeals and sprinkles.  

Tomorrow they meet us at the hotel, swim for a bit and wrap up our team’s part of this trip with ice cream so today was our last chance to gather them for some final words of affirmation, a challenge and reminders of our love…at least what can possibly be put into words.  We finished by reminding them once again, that God’s love is not dependent on their performance, their age, they school success…but is based solely on the truth that they belong to him and like every good father he loves them without condition.  

We’ll say it again and again, as long as they will listen and maybe even long after that.  It’s the one thing we can be sure of. 

Kernels of cobs and wisdom

The internet is waning at all the wrong times.  We stand toe to toe every morning and evening and I stare fiercely into its blank face willing it to surrender.  I’ve seen the other foreigners at the hotel competing for the same wireless portion and I’m convinced, based on the grey in their hair, that I can keep my lids propped open long after they have surrendered…and yet late night success doesn’t come either.  It’s not for lack of trying that it is taking days for the signal to bounce through outer space before being caught by the world wide WEB.

Wednesday we met with the operations director of another ministry based here.  He told us many things, confirmed others and convinced us that education was a place that really needed attention.  There are so many schools here…quantity but without good quality by Western standards I guess.  The secondary school preparing to open for the 2017 school year and just down the road from our new property seems like it will be an entirely different method and standard than most Uganda.

It is exciting to be sure that our own might have an opportunity to attend their school and has gotten us wondering if a primary school on our property could feed into their new secondary school.  Is God showing us more of his vision for Chayah Ministries, we wonder.  Time and prayer will answer the question for sure.

A search of the Jinja area has confirmed that there is no ink for our printer here.  Perhaps our trip through the capitol will be more successful.  We visited a dress maker who is holding some uniforms for the kids hostage…for 4 months they have needed zippers…and probably another 50,000shillings and most possibly it is the latter.  At this rate the sizes will be in question when they are completed.   

Arriving at Chayah to a heaping pile of freshly harvested maize brought all hands on deck to break the hard dry kernels from the cobs.  Even the smallest fingers make quick work each piece.  The bags will be taken to the grinder soon and turned into flour.  

Legos, a Twister game and Spoons captured the attention of our family for several hours this afternoon.  Matt worked on the computers and John wrangled more guitar lessons out of Evan or Dann.  He is a focused young man, excelling in soccer, guitar and preaching.  Most of all he is a leader to the younger ones, gentle, humble and with such strength of character.  

Back at the hotel the probation officer (aka: children’s services) from Kakira and a ministry advisor from African Hearts of Kampala both arrived for meetings.  It is a trip unlike the others as we soak up the advice and help from those who have long standing experience with caring for at-risk children.  

As Chayah has settled in and become solid and stable in the day to day activities of a large family, we get to begin asking the Lord for a long term vision gathering as much information from trusted others and then waiting for God’s nudge into our next step.

He keeps us guessing for sure.  We don’t yet have a blue print for the ages, but are grateful he carries us through this current place. 

Tweets & Instagram

Some of those closest to me remind me that fewer and fewer people check in on long blog posts and that instagram and twitter are the new favorites.  Short and to the point, fewer words more pictures...instant information.  We have joked in the past about words like "Rom-Com" to describe a movie characterized as a romantic comedy...that somehow we just don't have time to say the entire phrase, or that the listener doesn't have time for so many syllables.  

It's possible then that I struggle through the documenting of our days here on the blog for myself alone, or perhaps for the sake of what will someday become our history .   There was a time, the first few trips, when our coming to Africa was a novelty to us and blogging was the journal that friends and family enjoyed in nearly "real time"...replacing the age of living room slide shows that used to follow someone's vacation or trip abroad.

It's possible that followers of the posts have also grown accustomed to the events that become the stories of our days here. Our shortening attention spans and the quickening of one out-dated communication style for the next may very likely mean that the characters of this type of page will remain lonely for an audience.

Ah, but here we are forced to sit down and speak and often go round the same block several times to ensure there is understanding.  Discussing the temperament of a child, behavior, or sensitivities often have such subtle nuances that the right words don't come from someone who is using a second language  It takes time and lots of the "almost right" words to finally really understand...and even so, maybe not accurately.  But the end is worth the struggle because food, house, schooling are not nearly enough to be called "caring" for a child.  Meeting his physical needs, yes, his academic desires, probably and his protection from the elements, easy to do.   But addressing his heart in a way that brings wholeness, healing and trust requires so much more.

We've had to wrestle through some difficult choices this trip.  There has been great excitement with the land, lots of fun with the kids and tomorrow baptism of some will be wonderful and fulfilling and there will be great joy.  But we have also found that supporting Janet in raising up some mighty strong children who love Jesus and want to follow him above all else..well it involves rearranging priorities for all of us just like it does at home.  The world everywhere broadcasts its temptations and Satan wraps them in attractive packaging, luring us in whispering lies to vulnerable souls.  

And so we sit and listen to understand, add the weightiness of a culture we've only barely experienced and lay it all in a big heap before Jesus, asking him to sort it out and show us the way.  Not the US way, not the Ugandan way, but the unique way that brings life and health, the courage to trust and be loved and then to learn what it means to serve and love others.  Its a universal challenge and that element we get.  

Chayah did not begin in a village or the plan of a servant.  It began in the heart and mind of a loving God.  What He begins, he completes, that we know...its the middle that brings us to our knees asking which way to turn and what His will is.  The middle that will make us look in the mirror and question how on earth we could be qualified or entrusted with such responsibility all the while knowing we don't qualify at all.  

So what God does really, really well is to work in a hundred different necessary ways all at the same time, using brokenness to minister to brokenness.  Relationships grow, God is honored and glorified and his goodness so dwarfs our best efforts that we have no other choice than to submit and surrender it all to him again and again.  

There's no sense in a twitter account...a single photo on instagram couldn't describe our great need... but if I had to try I guess my tweet would be...

He is just so very faithful.

VBS...Chayah style

The Chayah gates opened to us about 9:15am and to the children of the neighborhood area at 10.  It was a slow trickle until we began about 11, but grew to about 125+.  The whole program was organized and led by Chayah children and ran more smoothly than we could have done. 

The language barrier was eliminated and new confidence formed as we supported what they had planned by holding infant siblings that had been carried in and clapped and danced to their music selections.  Dann played the guitar for one familiar rendition of "Jesus Loves Me" and Micah jumped in to lead the dance moves in accompaniment.  

The group was split into two according to age and the youngest ones escorted to the back veranda shade for a story taught by Melisa.  Craft bags of fruit loops and string were handed out and everyone made edible necklaces.  I'm not sure the crunchy sweet rings lasted past the exit gate, but they certainly enjoyed the process of making them.

The older group made rubber band jewelry and I suppose that that craze has somehow crossed international waters because very little instruction was needed.  John taught the lesson on Abraham and Isaac.

There were skits by both Shalom and Little Stars and music performed by all.  They really took ownership of this day's program and I think with a few helpers they could pull it off again without hesitation.

The littles were fed lunch while the older ones played a variety of games.  Plates were washed and the groups traded locations until everyone was fed.  The gospel of Jesus love and sacrifice was shared and the many smiling faces were excused.  Most hung around for a bit, but eventually we were able to say good bye to those that remained.  

Its an interesting and I think unsettling a bit to see the faces of the visitors as they sat inside the compound walls of Chayah for the first time.  I wondered what they thought, prayed against the most logical reaction; that white people bring money and lots of fun things.  

Its nearly as difficult to hide the color of our skin as it is to hide the love and support God has called us to here.  Attempting to insure the distinction between mere foreigners and the God of the universe proves worthwhile, but often lost in translation.  Food is provided to many while Muzungus are visiting.  Very simple crafts for everyone show up along with American visitors and yet we come to share about Jesus, certainly not to confuse anyone about who is who.  

Desperate lives look to solutions for suffering wherever they see them and confusion easily ensues when the gift overshadows the message of the "giver of all things.."  How can compassion, service and love wrapped up in a game of jumprope or capture the flag be so easily misunderstood.  Every attempt is purposeful and intended to glorify the one who has prompted every good work and provided every good gift.

We learn as we go, evaluate and adjust and pray that where ever we fall short, God's spirit will intercept or intervene and testify to everyone that there is only one Savior and his name is Jesus.

We are so very grateful for the chance to be here and for good health and a filling that has carried us.  If you are looking for a way to pray for us, it would be for wisdom in making some pretty important decisions both for the ongoing best interest of the children and for the planning of our next phase.  It is becoming more clear to us that additional staff will be needed and we are exceedingly particular about ensuring we follow God's lead and that he brings us his very best candidates.  He is faithful and good, full of wisdom and love...we depend on it and he never disappoints. 

Tomorrow crafts, games and a trip to the playground are on the agenda...but its Uganda so...well who knows!

The "children's hospital"

We arrived to Chayah home this morning to check in on our recovering patient, Mama Katherine.  She was asking if this hospital she was in (Chayah’s sitting room) was a government hospital, if all sick children were brought here, and wondered how she would ever pay the bill.  I guess we can add some degree of dementia to the list of diagnoses.

We headed out to the garage area and church began. 

 Everyone was involved in some part of either worship or teaching and neighbors trickled in over the next 2 hours.  The smiles, voices and dancing were such a treat for us and proved once again that they are beautiful from the inside and out and growing in their faith and confidence in leadership.

After church we all had some free time.  Stickers, coloring and talking were the order of the hours before lunch.  Meat, rice, beans, potatoes and pineapple were served in our buffet and lunch was enjoyed in the shade of the tree in the yard.  Mama Ruth was ready to get back to her home so the younger ones headed inside to nap while the older ones left the gate with a few American chaperones to become “radios” announcing that tomorrow would be a one day VBS program at Chayah’s home.  

While they were out publicizing our plans for tomorrow, we drove and then carried our patient back to her dark one room home.  We are praying that she takes each of her medications as directed.  With no one to care for her and a mind that is failing, we pray for her health to be restored whether she forgets and takes all the pills in one day or fails to take them at all.

We picked up rice, beans, extra plates and some onions for tomorrow’s meal of all the little ones that show up. 

 It was nearly 6pm when we arrived back at the hotel and we discussed our day and planned for tomorrow.  It was a really great day of connecting with the kids, seeing them at ease and talkative, sharing stories of tradition and tribes and having a slower day. 

Tomorrow will be another story.  We have no idea how many to expect, but are prepared for the number God sends us.  I’m going to sign off.  The internet is not cooperating tonight all, so perhaps the morning will bring more bars and a quick upload.  

Thank you for praying…everyone seems in pretty good health but hitting the pillow every night exhausted yet encouraged.  ‘Nite!