Some of my reflections

Something that I believe God showed me while I was in Uganda, is my need for brokenness.

I know that's a strange thing to say...but honestly...If one doesn't experience brokenness...how can they see their need to be healed? In the same way, how can someone who doesn't know they are lost see their need for help?

The song I shared with you all a while back said "Make me broken, so I can be healed. Cause I am so calloused. and now I cant feel. . . 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."

God gave me a drive and a passion to make a difference. I've always said I want to make a difference, to be a difference...but I feel as though I haven't even taken that leap of faith out of my comfort zone to allow room in my life for that to happen. I'm pretty good at being comfortable.....but Jesus never said that his will for us in life was to be comfortable. 

I didn't want to leave Africa, but I was ready to come back, because I felt hope and excitement for whatever God would use me to do here. I still don't know how I am impacting this world, this town, these people. But maybe I am not supposed to see....maybe I just need to trust and continue to live! And maybe that is to save me from pride, and to encourage humility.

God is good, all the time. And all the time God is is Good. 

Mustafa

Mustafa is a Muslim and a father to 7 children. He couldn't work because he was paralyzed on the left side of his body 4 years ago. Mustafa had to stay seated in front of his house (one small room) and babysit his baby as his wife works to keep the family alive.
Sometimes they went for weeks without food, depending on only water because there was no money to take care of his family. His wife earned 20,000 Uganda shillings every month ($7) and this money was meant to pay for rent, tuition for the children, and food.

Mustafa and his family was in a very hard place, like many other families in Uganda. But God brought Ezra and Peter the opportunity to meet this man as they were taking a short cut to make their was back to the highway on one of their ministry outing with a team from Idaho. When they came upon Mustafa, he was seated right where he had been seated for the past 4 years, in front of his home. I think Ezra and Peter felt God leading them to talk to this man. Right there they shared Christ with Mustafa. As they talked with him he repeated over and over that he had never heard these words before in his life. He couldn't believe someone LOVES him just the way he is and had given him the opportunity to be a part of this one big eternal family.

Over the past years that he had been paralyzed, Mustafa tried to commit suicide several times.
For about an hour Ezra, and those with him,  shared Jesus Christ with Mustafa. And later he accepted to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Through Ezra, Peter, and the Team that was with them...God brought healing to Mustafa's life. He now walks, Praise God! And is able to work to earn money and provide for his family.


Brenna and I were blessed to join Ezra and Peter one Sunday evening as they went back to Mustafa's village to have bible study. To my surprise a large group of Mustafa's family and neighbors also came to hear what these Christians had to share.  God is doing great things in those people. And it was exciting to witness(:

Later at the end of our three weeks in Uganda, Papa Hunter asked Brenna and I if we would be willing to use some of the money that had been given us to buy food for Mustafa and his family. Brenna and I were overjoyed to bless this family in that way(: and they were even more joyous and thankful to receive the food.

 

14 things I learned in/about Uganda. . .

1. Always say hello.

Ugandans are so so so welcoming. Literally everywhere you go, “you are welcome” or “you are most welcome”. Ugandans are just friendly people in general, and many will give a polite wave or smile when you pass them on the street
And I have begun to really notice in coming back this time that almost every white person I pass on a "street" (in stores..etc) makes a deliberate intention to 'not' make eye contact with me. And I'm trying to figure out why that is.


2. Life goes on, with or without electricity.

It is not uncommon to wake up with no electricity, or to have the electricity go out at bed time and stay out till the next day at bed time. Still, life goes on. Not much changes except the careful usage of water.


3. You don’t have to have money to be rich.

Some of the happiest most generous and welcoming people I met in Uganda were not rich in possession, but rather were some of the poorest people who face many hardships, and suffering I had never laid eyes on....but oh, the treasure they held inside of their souls – joy, love, and peace from our Heavenly Father.


4. People with the least are often willing to give the most.


5. Moments would last longer if we would move slower.

Let me just tell you.....No one moves quickly in Uganda, and yet..everyone completes their daily tasks, and being productive happens without the stress and anxiety and rushing about (like chickens with their heads cut off) That is one thing I Love about Uganda.
Maybe, If we were to slowed down, we might find slowing down is one of the most productive things we can do?



6. The simple raising of the eyebrows can mean a dozen different things from a greeting, to agreement, or even telling someone to "come here."


7. A common phrase is "TIA" (This is Africa)
When you are driving through the city of Kampala and see a herd of cows waiting to cross the highway..."This is Africa"

Or when you see a 6 year old girl crying a tiny baby on her back..."This is Africa"
When the power goes out..."This is Africa"

When you see an entire dinning room set being transportation on a boda boda? "TIA"



8. When Someone says you "look smart" it means you look nice.



9. “Let me come” means the same thing as “I will be right back.”


10. “well done” is a typical Ugandan greeting "Jebole"



11. “Muzungu” means white person. If you’re white, get used to hearing it 800 times every time you walk outside. “Muzungu, how are you!?”


12. also, You will shake hands with at least 50 people a day.....after all.....this is Africa



13. You're time means more

You don’t always have something (material things) you can do or give to help someone in need, but that doesn't even matter in most cases....what you do have is you presence to give. Quality time spent with someone, listening and talking to them is just about the greatest things you can do for someone in Uganda. And they will cherish those moments with you for a long long time...if not forever.



14. God is the same God in Uganda and the United States.

God seemed closer and more real while in Uganda, but does this mean God is not as close or real here? I think no – God is God wherever you are. I do think we have more luxuries, distractions, and potential idols in our middle-class American lives. As a result, living a life devoted to God takes a more conscious focus on giving up of oneself – something that felt so natural in Uganda.

Olivia Kirabo

Olivia got pregnant in high school. When she went to the government hospital to deliver the baby, they took her to the operating room for a Cesarean. She walked in under her own power, but has never walked since. She was given a spinal in the wrong place and is now a paraplegic. She had serious wounds on both buttocks from sitting in her wheel chair. By the time the sores were discovered they were large enough to hold a small mango!

Since the discovery of the sores in late January, Olivia has been in the hospital under nursing care, and went through surgery just a few weeks before our arrival in Uganda. 

Brenna and I had been following Olivia's story even before we made our trip to Uganda, so we were very excited to meet this young lady and build a friendship with her. Knowing that Olivia has very little, we came with a gift for her, a couple of shirts and a pair of socks. I think she was very happy(: 

After our second visit with Olivia at Al Shafa Modern Hospital where she had been recovering from her surgery, we learned that Olivia loves to draw and write. She had already filled up one journal that had been given to her by another team back in march. So, Brenna and I excitedly went to town to perches a couple of journals, and some pens for her. I wish you could have seen the beautiful hand writing this lady has!

On April 28th, just a day after we had visited and given the journals to Olivia, Papa Hunter took her to Kampala for a check up with her surgeon. They returned with the news that her wounds were healing so nicely that she could return home the very next day! So, on Wednesday in the late morning, we all piled into the van and headed to the hospital to take Olivia back home to her village with her mother and two year old son.

Mama Olivia (Olivia's mom) could not stop thanking people for loving and caring for her daughter. She was just SO excited. Nearly three months is a long time to be without the daughter you have cared for from the beginning and especially after she was paralyzed from the waist down.

In addition to the journals Brenna and I also got Olivia a smart phone that will connect to the internet, so that she would be able to stay connected with friends such as Papa Hunter and NGM, and also us!

It was so exciting to see Olivia reunited with her family, but it was so sad to say goodbye to her. I am looking forward to hearing updates from Olivia about the things God is doing in her life. Continue to pray for this girl and her complete recovery, as well as health, and her spiritual growth too.

God has been so good in Olivia's life, and I know he will continue to work in her and through her.

 

Little Sharon

This is Sharon. Another sweet girl that Brenna and I met on our first day in Uganda.

Several weeks ago, Sharon was knocked down by a boda (Motorcycle taxi) and then ran over by a second boda, breaking both arms and one leg. It appeared that both arms needed surgery and a plate attached to the bones. Thankful no surgery need to be done on the femur, it only required a cast. All together she had FIVE fractures, had some initial internal bleeding, but no bleeding in the brain. She was in intense pain.   As Sharon lay in the hospital in, NGM created a funding account for her to raise support, as her family had no money to pay for the sugary and medications. They appeared to be the poorest among the poor.

She was in the Jinja Main Hospital in Uganda, but as she did not receive the medical attention she needed, Paul Hunter went through great efforts to discharge Sharon from there and transport her to IHK (international hospital Kampala) Where (Thanks to the love of those who have volunteered to contribute to the medical expenses) Sharon underwent the sugary she needed. 

But she has healed amazingly! And that following week we got to take her to Kampala to have her cast removed. :)



I think she was pretty excited to get that cast off her leg :) Thou I'm sure there was some fear when they took the blade to cute the cast off. And in a year Sharon go back to IHK to have the screws and plates removed from her arms.  Praise the Lord!





We made another visit to see Sharon a week after her visit to IHK to get her cast off.  We had received a call from her family that one of the surgery incisions in her arm had broken open and had started to leak puss. Andrew Snyder, came to the rescue. A little antibiotic ointment, and a bandage, and she was good to go.





It's incredible to see how God works and brings people into the lives of Paul Hunter and the people of Next Generation Ministries.
Because Sharon was brought into their lives, she got the help she needed. And by God's grace, this little girl is alive...and walking again! I think God has great plans for this precious girl. :)