Angelina

Just a few hours ago, a stranger came and knocked on my door. She wanted to inform me that my friend (since 2009), Angelina, was in the medical clinic next door... paralyzed on one side.  I walked with this lady... over to the Doctor's Plaza to meet my old friend.  Angelina has incredible faith.  She cares about children and proclaiming God's Word! Angelina put a smile on her face when she heard my voice coming in to the room. Angelina was requesting that I come and pray with her.

Angelina is completely blind.

As I stood beside her bed, Angelina told me a story of how she wasn't feeling any pain, but the doctors say she maybe has a tumor or water on her brain.  Others say it might be a stroke.  I am not a medical person, so I can only leave her in the hands of the Great Physician.

Angelina's biggest prayer request is that her fingers would at least work again, because she is no longer able to read God's Word.  She wishes her fingers could just touch the braille words as she lies in bed.  I was amazed at her desire to just be with God, in His Holy Word.  She also wants the use of her legs back because she says she is not done with the work in her village.  Angelina wants to share God's truth with more of her townspeople.  She told me that many of them used to be drunkards, but God is slowly changing their hearts.

As I watched her smile, and praise God, I was again shocked at her testimony... that God is bringing her through this time, so that she would really know how to pray for others who were suffering.

May God restore the use of her hands and legs!

A Wet Palm Sunday

A Fun Day in Ministry

Six Baptist churches gathered together for a mass community service.

After months of hot/dry season... the rains came and made the day truly entertaining.

 Thankfully tents were already set up for the crowds of people.

 I love worshipping here!

 I was impressed with the song leaders... who stuck it out in the rain!

 Can you spot some friends of mine in the crowd?

 Happy Palm Sunday

 Tereza led the kids in a round of "Penguins - Attentions!"

 Over 180 kids were a part of the day... so four of us led children's program - singing, storytelling, colouring, games, memory verses, drama and lunch.

 Palm Leaves and Story Pictures

 Soroti Rock

 Parading to Jerusalem

 Hosanna in the Highest!

 Through rain and shine - we had fun!

Peter said it was the best ministry day in a long time!  Hallelujah!

Simple Summaries

• I wanted to share with my awesome children's ministry partners the joy of "Power Poppers".  This rock candy that crackles in your mouth... so before our planning meeting for Sunday began, we gathered around the coffee table and I gave them each a packet to choose - strawberry, grape, or banana.  After cutting open each package, I told them to pour a little on their tongues and just enjoy.  :)  My face lit up with glee as their faces filled with wonder.  Candy was jumping on their tongues and making crackling noises.  The young lady next to me said, "It sounds like pop corn getting ready in the pan, except it's in my mouth!"  Oh, how I love sharing new and simple pleasures with my Ugandan friends!!
• Scoobie Doo has become an ambulance.  Twice this week I have made trips to the hospital to bring home discharged patients.  The first one was an old grandmother who had her leg amputated above the knee after having a gang green infection that started in her toe.  She didn't go home with a wheel chair or crutches, and none of the relatives with her were properly trained in lifting or transferring techniques.  It was quite an activity to get Tata (Grandma) to a bed in the house.  Hopefully physiotherapy will help, but I'm not sure how she will get there.  And many of the neighbour kids are hoping that the doctor won't cut off their legs too if they ever get a wound.  :)
• The second patient was a young mother who had a C-section this week.  I had to bring home a mom who was still in a lot of pain from a fresh incision and the roads to her home were super bumpy.  (And by the way, every road in Soroti is being worked on right now, so there is lots of re-routing or blocked intersections... rather crazy in my opinion, but also fun... although I can't be a rally driver when I'm traveling with patients.
• Back to the meeting with my children's ministry peeps... we had an awesome evening of planning.  On Sunday there is a biannual gathering of all the Baptist churches in town, and the four of us are in charge of planning the children's program for the day.  We stuck to the church calendar and planned out a super fun Palm Sunday event... with a story, drama, games, and songs.  It's fun being in a meeting where everyone laughs, participates, adds, encourages, and discusses... I can't wait for Sunday!
• I didn't make it to the village as planned, to see the piglets and to check on our feed trough cement projects... I think God had other items in mind.  I attended a lunch hour prayer meeting at the Anglican Cathedral in town... because tomorrow I've been asked to share God's Word there, and I wanted to know how the program runs.  And I wanted to encourage a friend who is trying to get her thesis submitted for her Master's program.
• Not much more to say today... except that I am trusting in a big, big God!! 

Pigs and Pilau

The plan for the day was to go to a boarding school visitation day - encourage students, share a special meal with them, and get their reports.  While cooking at a friend's house, I receive a text that our pigs our very sick.  I wasn't planning on a trip to the village, but it had also been three weeks since I'd been to check on the piggery... so after a quick phone call to the guys, we were on our way. 

The pigs weren't sick.  :)  One sow had piglets!!

 Checking out the gender... 2 females and 3 males.  Only 5 piglets, but hey, that's how income-generating projects start sometimes.  Small.

 Not everyone thinks the piglets are as a cute as I do. :)

 Resting - apparently they were born on the 14th.

 Too adorable

 Then we rushed back to town and proceeded to the boarding school for an afternoon of encouragement.

 Students were happy we came with pilau, chicken, chapatti, and soda.

 Friends joined in the festivities.

Oh, and who can forget Irish chips.  Yum Yum.

Hysteria or Demons

The other night, as I was about to tuck in to bed, I hear a knock at my door.  One of the neighbours had come over to see if I could help out in an interesting situation.  Apparently a young girl at one of the secondary boarding schools had passed out, and so my neighbour wanted me to go out to the school and pick up the girl and bring her to the hospital or clinic.  Sure, I could offer my car and services.
Upon arriving at the school, I see about 20 girls and a few teachers surrounding a girl who was lying down on the verandah.  Girls were crying, praying, and singing together.  I wasn't sure if the girl had died, but as we got closer I could hear moaning, and then I heard many of the girls praying prayers to cast out demons in the name of Jesus.  Wow, culturally shocking for me. 
One young lady stepped up as a leader and told us how this girl had been healthy all day, and then, in the evening, as they were heading back to Preps (class) she started to have an attack.  My neighbour thought it would be good for us to take the girl to town.  About 8 people tried to pick up the girl... she began shouting, and struggling with incredible strength. 
I hopped in behind the wheel, extremely nervous that this young lady was sitting right behind me.  I didn't know what stayed of mind or physical strength she was in, and I didn't want her to attack me while I was driving.  As we started to drive away from the school, the girl was moaning loudly, crying, and unable to speak.  It was decided that we would take her to an Auntie's house, rather than the clinic. 
Pulling up to the house, many people came out of the darkness (11pm) to help remove this strong young girl from my back seat.  They laid her down on the verandah, carried Bibles, prayed for the demons to leave and for the peace of Christ to take over.  The young girl was gripping her stomach a lot during this time, so a few people also thought it was for us to now take her to a clinic.  She was calming down enough that people thought maybe now she could get tests and an IV treatment.  There's always a possibility that this is cerebral malaria.  Others were throwing out words like female hysteria (which is a common occurrence in girls boarding schools apparently) - uncontrollable emotional outbreaks. 
Once again we loaded the car.  This time my Subaru Forester carried 7 passengers plus myself.  I drove back to Main Street and dropped her off at the clinic.  After she was admitted in to an tiny room for assessment, all the friends and family thanked my for my services and told me that I could go home.  I drove back to my flat, pondering about how I had never had this kind of cultural thing happen around me before this night.  I prayed for the girl... and today I received word that she is out of the clinic and doing much better.  But I don't think I ever understood the cause. 
May the Lord watch over our children in schools and boarding.

Oil of Gladness Goes to Bethany

One of my favourite ministry events:

An afternoon at Bethany Girls Boarding School.

 Oil of Gladness went to minister in song, Word, testimony, and prayer.

 I shared one of my testimonies about overcoming fear and trusting God.

 The time of worship was truly encouraging for everyone!

 Singing with O.G.

 I was able to present one of my Biblical monologues

 Wondering how to answer the girls questions during an open time of counselling.

Special numbers.

I had fun leading a little Bible quiz with the girls and one well-versed young lady won a Bible.  My heart was touched through all the prayer and music.  God's Word was heard that day!