Last Post for this Uganda Trip

On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 7:12 AM

This is a tough email to write, first of all because I had to say goodbye to people and a lifestyle that I love very much.  It is not a forever bye, I know I will return, but I just never know when that might be.  Uganda and my life in Uganda has become a huge part of me and so every time I leave there, I feel like another piece of my heart is getting left behind.   After some of you just read the first few lines, you might want to ask me well “Why are you not living there yet?”  Well here is the answer to that question.  I don’t feel like God is calling me to Uganda, at least not at this point in my life and also not full time.  God has me involved in Uganda right now on a part time basis.  So for now, I will just continue to go there on short trips, and when and if God calls me to go full time, I pray that I will be listening.

So in this email, I want to wrap up my time in Uganda and this three month experience.  For those of you who don’t know this is my fifth trip to Uganda in the past five years and without all the prayers and encouragement it wouldn’t be possible.  This trip I had a goal of raising funds for a project and other things, so I also want to fill people in on where I left things with both of the projects. So let me begin…

So the big project to build the teen building has begun!! It actually began last month and it has been fun each day to watch the progress of the builders.  Can I just tell you how good God is??  Back in December I looked at the project list of GSF.  There was a list of about 5 different things to raise money for.  Because of the time that I enjoy spending with the older kids, the teen building project is the one that stuck out to me.  The project was to raise $29,000.00!!  That sounded like a huge amount to me, and to be honest, I was hoping to just raise at least half of that.  Of course, I didn’t want people to know that though.  J  We serve an amazing God don’t we?  I began raising this money the second week of December and by the time I left for Uganda January 25^th the whole $29,000.00 had been raised.  I was so amazed and blessed by everyone’s generosity.  People are so willing to help out any way they can, and I feel blessed to have so many supportive and amazing friends and family.  The men were putting the foundation work in when I left the orphanage.  EMI has assured me that they will keep me posted on the project, so I will in return keep everyone updated.  I hope that the next time I get to the orphanage the project will be finished.  The other thing that I asked for support was actually I think two weeks ago.  I asked for support to purchase mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets and a few other items.  I was able to purchase 30 mattresses before I left Uganda.  I will post some pictures on Facebook, of the moms on the feeding programs with their new mattresses for the babies.  They were so grateful and left the orphanage that day with huge smiles.  God is good, and will somehow always provide.   

I just want to thank everyone for keeping up with me while I was in Uganda for the past 3 months.  The time there wasn’t always easy and there were definitely times that I was saying “Ok God why in the world am I here for 3 months?”  Overall, the time was great.  I built some great new friendships with the missionaries as well as spending more time with the house moms and really making an effort to get to know them.  There were still random times throughout the time there; that I was asking God what His plan was for my life in regards to Uganda and GSF.   

I definitely left the orphanage with mixed emotions.  I know I will see the kids and everyone there again, but it doesn’t make it easier.  Those kids and people have been an everyday part of my life for the past 3 months; it is hard to not see them each day. It is also going to be hard to get back to wearing closed toe shoes!!! J  I have been wearing flip- flops for 3 months.  The only thing I won’t miss is wearing a skirt every day. But I guess that is a small sacrifice that I make for all the blessings I get in return.  I am excited to see what is next in my life.  I feel like each time I visited the orphanage, I come back a little bit changed.  After being there since January, my life will be forever changed.

Here are a few things I am going to miss.  Well I just mentioned about the flip- flops and most of you who know me well, I am definitely going to miss the warm weather.  But even more important then that, I am going to miss hearing Auntie Debbie all the time.  One of the little girls Gala, she is in K3 and she cries about everything, but when I see her, she yells out “Auntie Debbie” and then comes running towards me and I have to get my stance so she won’t knock me over and then swing her up in my arms.  I am going to miss Chloe, her laugh is so amazing.  You can’t help but laugh with her. I am going to miss Lilly.  She is one of our special needs kids and she loves to laugh.  She will constantly say “I am not Lilly!” She has become so much more verbal since I began coming to GSF five years ago. You can’t help but love her.  I am going to miss Chad one of the teen boys, who is always interrupting and since you are talking you ignore him and instead of him waiting until you are finished with your conversation he just keeps speaking louder, so you will talk to him.  I will miss going into the toddlers home and the little boys coming over to you and saying “I want to kiss your cheek!”  I love listening to the kids singing.  I think I could sit and listen to them sing all day.  I might even miss the teens being a pain.  J  Don’t laugh, but I’ll miss having nail parties with the house moms.  I’ll definitely miss our many “romantic” candle lit dinners.  Although it is not by choice that our power goes out, you just have to laugh and enjoy the rest of your dinner with the girls.  I’ll miss the home made chips that Amanda will make when she makes tacos.  I’ll miss the fellowship with the other missionaries.  I am going to miss two of the older girls feeling comfortable enough to call me mom.  Both these girls I have gotten closer and closer with over the past five years.  This is the one time that I wished I was older so, I could be a mom to them.  But they consider me mom and I am ok with that. I know I will miss all the hugs that I get through out the day.  I am finding myself initiating the hugs with the kids as well as the adults.  I think God is showing me that even though I haven’t been much of a hugger that has changed.  I am learning that my bubble hardly exists in an orphanage and I am actually beginning to be ok with that.  These are just a few of the things that have become a huge part of my life over the past three months.

Well this got really long, but I wanted to try and just sum up everything for you.  I hope that even though I am not in Uganda right now, I pray that you won’t forget about these kids and the amazing missionaries that work full time there.  Living in an orphanage has different challenges every day.  You may not know the missionaries, but please keep all of them in your prayers, I know they will appreciate it.  Also please continue to pray for me and my involvement with the orphanage.  Right now, I don’t feel like God is calling me there full time, but I am praying that God will give me a clear understanding of the role I will continue to play in these kids and missionaries live at GSF. 

Thank you for all the encouraging emails and face book messages.  It is always an encouragement to know that I had people all around the world praying for me and my ministry.  Thank you for being a part of my life in Uganda.