Anticipation

This is what the bulk of the children's medical records look like when it comes to weight. The top line is the line for healthy weight for age. The second line is underweight for age. The bottome line is extreme underweight for age.
Some of the children around Kikambwe.
Clinic day at Rapha! My Favorite Day of the Week.
Who needs Walmart when you have shops like this?
Nambossa (i'm pretty sure that's her uganda name) and I. she's one of my nursery class kids!

While having a small quiet time yesterday, I came across such a beautiful story of the Lord's faithfulness. Abraham decided it was time for Isaac to be married, so he sent one of his servants out to find Isaac a wife. The servant prayed to God that whenever he meets the right girl for Isaac, he will know it because she will offer to draw water for him and his cattle as well. Before the prayer was even finished, Rebekah came along and fulfilled exactly what the servant prayed she would. In such thankfulness to the Lord, right then “the man (servant) bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master.'” (Genesis 24:26-27)

This servant bowed down and worshiped the Lord AS SOON AS He proved himself faithful. The man wasn't discreet about it, and instead even BOWED down in utter reverence for the Lord.

As I write this, tears stream down my face as I realize how faithful the Lord is. HE has provided the funds for me to come to Africa all 3 times. HE has provided every cent for the Shalom Nutritional Project proposal to be written. HE is the whole reason I am able to stay here for three months and not feel the homesickness I felt last trip. HE is who brought me to Rapha Medical Centre to begin with. Even in the US, HE is the One who guides me and holds my hand as I go week by week working with Student Venture. See, it's not me at all. It is all HIM. It has taken me till now to realize how faithful HE is, and how if it weren't for HIM I wouldn't be here today. And even though I wasn't as quick or as intentional as the servant was to thank HIM, I write this today telling you all that all Praise goes to the Lord for all HE has done. HE is so good.

If I were to be completely honest, the bulk of this past week has been spent anticipating (and often times worrying) what all awaits me when I get back to the States. I've applied for a part-time internship with the Student Venture I've been volunteering with, so if I get accepted I will need to work on raising my support for that. There's the Nutritional Project, which will require much attention as we fundraise and work to start it up in January. And then on top of all that, there's school which requires a lot of attention. I've been kind of down thinking about how IMPOSSIBLE it will be for me to do all 3 of those tasks well when I get back. But just realizing (once again) how faithful God is has been such encouragement. Yes, it will be impossible for ME to do those three things, but wow HE can do the impossible. So, for now I'm just clinging to the promise that He is my Ultimate Provider and praying/believing in a miracle.

I spent Tuesday evening-Friday morning at Rapha. After 10 very long days, we FINALLY got running water back at Rapha on Tuesday. When I heard one of the taps start running, I about cried out of excitement. I even flushed the toilet a time or two for the heck of it ha. We haven't been so lucky in getting water back at home in Kampala. Apparently, when the construction workers were widening the road, they damaged the pipe that carries water to all of the houses around us. To top it off, the water company didn't realize that was the problem until AFTER the construction workers finished working on our part of the road. So for now we're waiting on the construction workers to dig back up the road so the water company can fix the pipes.

On the taxi ride back to Rapha, I saw the aftermath of a REALLY bad accident. A huge Greyhound bus hit a small truck head on, killing everyone in the small truck. The taxi passed by right as they were pulling one of the bodies out of the truck. Seeing that was definitely a first for me, and drew to my attention how fleeting life really is, and how thankful I am to be given another day to live.

On Wednesday I worked at the school helping out the teacher in the nursery class. I have no idea how that lady manages 25ish kids age 3-5, but I Praise the Lord that she somehow does. Her name is Teacher Candie if yall would like to send up a special prayer for this hard-working woman. There was one little boy with what appeared to be syphilis sores growing on and around his right ear. I'm praying that he will be healed of that disease because it must be a very painful thing for him to handle.

Thursday at Rapha I was blessed to meet a little 3 year old girl named Sophie who is suffering from an enlarged heart because of the malfunctioning of one of her heart valves. She was first discovered in a community outreach conducted by an English doctor who comes yearly to Rapha specifically to reach out to the community. One of the nurses told me that when they first saw her, she could significantly see her heart beating from outside of her chest. They took her to the hospital in Kampala to run some tests, and learned she will have to get surgery abroad. Sophie was put on a waiting list allowing her to come to the US (I think) and receive that surgery and also transportation and accommodation for free, however the organization who funds it can only afford to take 10 people a year abroad for their respective surgeries (and there must be a million people on that waiting list I'm sure). When the nurse introduced me to Sophie and pulled up her little shirt so I could see for myself, sure enough I could see her little heart pumping, and when I touched it I could feel that it was pumping abnormally. I'm definitely going to be on my knees for that little girl and also for the others who are on that list to receive surgeries, that the Lord will deliver each of them in His own perfect way from whatever sickness each of them is experiencing.

On Friday, I came back to Kampala to meet with our project proposal team. It was so encouraging to hear from Joshua (the man in charge of the budgeting) and Dr. Betty (a doctor well educated in malnutrition) that they see huge potential in the plans we are making for the project. Joshua even challenged everyone writing out the proposal that we all need to take ownership for this project and that even in Uganda, the proposal writers should be meeting with individuals and companies to raise funds for Shalom.

Saturday, I spent the day walking through Kampala with David searching out travel agencies to find out how much they charge for safaris to Murchison Falls National Park so I'll have that information back in the states for individuals/groups to know if they're visiting Uganda and this is what I came out knowing: Travel Agencies make A LOT of money. David and I concluded that my best bet may be to try and cost out a safari trip that does not include the use of a travel agency. As we were walking along one of the main roads, a little girl came up to me with her hand open wide begging for money. At first I thought she would stop after I walked about 5 steps away, but then she continued walking with me for quite a distance, and much to my surprise her MOTHER came right behind her giving her advice on how to beg better. Extortion of children by their mothers to raise money really frustrates me, especially since there are SO many ministries here in Uganda whose prime purpose is to help families who beg find legitimate jobs, but I guess the money that momma is making from extorting her children must prove to be more lucrative.

Before I finish this blog post, I just want to thank each and every one of you who have been praying alongside of me the last few months. It has been quite a ride, and I am so thankful to have yall's support during this trip. Please, please, please don't stop praying!