A day of swimming

God put us in touch with a wonderful family on our very first day in Uganda!
And in the three weeks we've been here, Brenna and were able to spend several days getting to know these sweet sweet kids and their mom.

A little story behind this family . . .

Sarah is a single mother with three biological daughters. But, she has taken on the responsibility of bringing up half a dozen other children in her home.

Brenna and I have been blessed to get to know 7 of those kids(:
Being a single mother is not easy, especially with that many children.
Sarah buys clothes and re-sells them to provide for her family, but that business is not always successful.
What we heard from one of her older daughters is that many nights, they go to bed hungry. Sometimes just partaking in one meal a day. NGM blessed Sarah and her family with some food a couple of weeks ago, on our first day in Uganda, and we accompanied Pap Hunter and Chris in taking the food to their home. Since then, we have been building relationship with them, and spending time with them whenever we have had the chance.

This beautiful lady is Mama Sarah

At the end of our first week here in Uganda, we were blessed to take Sarah's kids swimming for their first time ever. We went to the market to buy "swimming costumes" (as they are called here) and then we went to Hotel Paradise where we spent nearly 6 hours enjoying the water and each others company. 

We had lunch together. 

We played long and hard in the water. 

It was such a wonderful time, I think everyone would agree!

And I'm sure we all slept very well that night :):)

Even Peter (our taxi driver and dear friend) came to have fun in the pool with us!

Precious, Patience, and Grace

Some of the girls feared the water a little :P

Brenna and Ezra drying off before lunch

Everyone was so happy and joyfilled

The view of the Nile River from the hotel pool

Beautiful Brenna catching some sun (maybe more than she intended)

There was so much laughter and excitement through the whole day

Andrew giving some small lessons on swimming

 

I know these faces don't look like they enjoyed their day, but in truth they really did! Everyone was just so tired from playing hard and being in the sun, and ready to go home to rest. So we caught a few boda's that delivered everyone safe to Paul and Pams home on Muvuli Crescent.

We love this family so so much! And we are so grateful to have had our paths cross with Sarah and her beautiful Children.

Make Me Broken

There is a song by sidewalk Prophets that Brenna and I have been singing over and over. First we just chose this song to play for a benefit concert before we came to Uganda, but then.. . when we reached Africa and sang it one afternoon Paul Hunter asked us to share the song at Church; So we got up and sang it our very first Sunday in Africa in front of 800 people!

 We have continued to share the message in this song at different events, including a Teen Challenge meeting we went to last week in Kampala.
Each time we sing this song I just come to love it more and more.
I found out that the verses which inspired this song came from Psalm 51:1-2, 10-11 which says, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”

Most of the time I would never think of asking God to make me broken, but I think it is something that I need...to be made uncomfortable so that I might be in a place to do great things for him. I've gotten too comfortable where I am. 

Another thing that I have realized is that I'm not as free, and open as I thought I was. When it comes to sharing our heart on the veranda each morning, I find it so so hard to communicate even with those I know. 

Its not a good thing, because if I can not even share the gospel with the people I am close to, how can I go out and share the love of God when I struggle so much just within myself?

So I have just been asking God to break my down, and show me please how to be free. 

Make me broken
So I can be healed
‘Cause I’m so calloused
And now I can’t feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make me empty
So I can be filled
‘Cause I’m still holding
Onto my will
And I’m completed
When you are with me
Make me empty

[Chorus:]
‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely
So I can be Yours
‘Til I want no one
More than You, Lord
‘Cause in the darkness
I know You will hold me
Make me lonely

[Chorus:]
‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making me

---

I wrote what is above just a day ago, and there is so much that has gone on in my heart since then. And I know that God is doing what I asked. . . he's breaking me down, and its hard and painful somehow.

Im struggling to connect to people that I am living with here. . .I feel very far, and I dont know if it is because I have been too dependent on my friendships and relationships with people. . . Is this Gods way of showing me I need to depend more on him and less on the people around me? . . . It is very hard for me to be distant from people, cause I feel like I need them. 

 There is so much that I'm thinking about, and so much in me that I know needs to grow. Papa Hunter has so much good teahing, so much to say, and its hard for me to prosses it all and apply it to my life.

I know who I am, and I think I know why I am here . . . 

. . . but I dont know if I know where I am going.  

What I am doing. . . I dont want it to be for me. It is to be for God, for his kingdom, and for his glory.