Pink File Found

Oh, I feel horrible, I can't believe I didn't update the world on how things went at Immigration.  My God is so good.  I was hoping to have a passport with a stamped visa ready to show you, but that will have to come at another time.  In the meantime, let me tell you what happened last week.  I took the bus on Wednesday all the way to Kampala.  I was wondering how long things would take to renew my whole file once again.  I came prepared with photocopies of everything.
I hopped off the bus at 3:30pm and quickly jumped on a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) to go to Immigration.  My sweet friend Hellen was already there, waiting for me.  She had once again gone into the offices to search and ask questions.  When I arrived, she brought me straight to one officer that almost looked frustrated that Hellen was disturbing him again.  After greeting me, the officer told one lady to find my file... there was no way he was going to make a second file.  This lady walked out of the receiving office, and I'm not kidding you, 20 seconds later, came back with my file!!
Not only was my file found, but inside was a 2 year work permit renewal!!  I've been granted to more years in this wonderful country.  I was so excited and I only know that things worked out as quickly as they did with the help and prayers of God's amazing people.
 

A Pink File is Missing

6:32 pm - the phone rings... It's the director of the NGO (Non-Government Organization) that I am serving under, here in Uganda.  I have been in the process of getting my work permit renewed since August, and just now, he calls to tell me that my file is MIA at Immigration. 
Last week I had strep throat, now I have a cold and I'm so tired.  I just spent the day seriously working out in the village, and the last thing I wanted to hear was the my work permit request is missing.  I wish I could describe the room where my file could possibly be - but I won't do it justice - just millions of pink manila files - with no chronological or alphabetical order.  The director the NGO has been searching for my file, but has now requested that I come to Kampala and physically find it myself.  Honestly, that's the last thing I want to do right now amidst kids camps, pig sty building, and Christmas plans. 
7:00 pm - I am in tears.  Frustrated.  Bitter.  Confused.  And brainstorming about what my future could look like.  Can I get another 3 month special pass?  Will the file be found, or do I start all over with the work permit application?  Do I back my bags for a brief trip out of Uganda again, because on the 24th of December I will once again be without any kind of visa in my passport.
7:30 pm - I am sitting in my neighbour's sitting room, and they begin to offer words of encouragement.  They even call a prayer warrior in Kampala.  The phone was handed to me as I heard this lady cry out to God for my paperwork.  Now I had tears of awe... God is doing something here.  I've never been prayed over in such a heartfelt manner before.
8-8:30 pm - Texts come in from friends in Soroti.  They are praying, and going to God with this battle.  "The battle is not yours, its the Lord's.  So be still my dear favourite mzungu sister.  God will make a way... right?!  I'll keep on my knees." And then: "He knows ur name.  Remember u r a princess of Jesus.  No weapon formed against you prospers.  It will work out just fine.  Just imagine Jesus is close by and He is.  Everything will work out."  Then a text from Kampala - a dear friend is going to immigration tomorrow to spend the day physically looking for my file.  Hallelujah!!  A final text came: "Yield to Him.  When we r weak, someone said that He's so much more.  Help is on the way.  Be strong and of good courage.  Let (allow) the peace of God in Christ to consume u."
Sometimes I hate technology, but I already know that people around the world are praying.  Now it's 9:30 at night and I'm no longer teary eyed.  I'm hopeful.  Hopeful and excited... to see how God is going to work this whole situation out.

Og's Hogs Begins

Saturday - the dreams for OG's Hogs piggery start to become a reality.  O.G. stands for Oil of Gladness... the praise band that I have joined this year.

 We drove out to the village early in the morning and began to measure out the piggery.  I am so excited about this process... as a band - Oil of Gladness - we are really praying for equipment - like a drum kit, speakers and mikes, etc and we know we can't get those things without having a plan.  So we are working together to raise pigs, and maybe in a year and a half or so we might be able to see enough fruits of our labour to buy some instruments.

 Initial steps... digging out the foundation

 Bringing, thankfully, already burnt bricks to the jobsite.  We started carrying them on an old wooden door, because we had no other means, but later on a neighbour brought us a wheel barrow. 

 Unloading the bricks at the new location!

 I'm happy about bricks... bricks equal hard work, teamwork, and the start of a dream!

 Sorting through old bricks to find whole ones to use in the foundation.

Here are a few members of the Oil of Gladness band, celebrating the end of day !

Serere Youth Conference

This week a youth retreat was organized in the village and I was so impressed.  Church leaders worked hard to pull off a multi-denominational event... Catholics, Pentecostals, Anglicans, and others served together to host almost 900 youth.  Each of these youth came with the fee in hand, which is so different than the conference in town last year - where most of the youth wanted to attend the conference for free.  One child even walked over 30 kilometres to attend this retreat.

My role for the first two days was to look after registration.  Thankfully I am beginning to understand Teso pronunciation and the spelling of certain names.  Salume, Musa, Oliver, and Debolah are there amidst many Sarah's, David's, Michael's, Joseph's, and Mary Grace's.

 Unexpectedly we had a lot of children show up for the conference as well, with money in hand, so we quickly put some "Sports Outreach" leaders into actions, so that the little ones could have their own workshops while the youth talked about Work, Sex, and Relationships.  Otherwise the kids would join the youth for worship and sermons.  Such a great experience. 

Training in Kadie

I think training is one of my favourite things to do.  I was called out to Kadie, Otuboi for another children's ministry and evangelism training.  I went with Peter and Teddy, two very good friends of mine.  They are awesome at working with children and I knew that together we could teach a few fun things in the deeper village.

 Storytelling

 Small group discussions

 Dancing for Jesus

 Listen, See, Do... different learning methods

 Luke 15 - the woman who lost her coin

 And then threw a party with her neighbours when the coin was found!!

 17 Stories curriculum

 Explaining the children's portion. 

About 3/4 of the way through the second day, the pastor received a little sheet of paper, requesting that I pause in the training because one lady really wanted to give her life to Jesus and she wanted me to pray with her.  Goosebumps and a hallelujah.  I was so excited as Betty walked forward.  I laid hands on her and prayed for her to become a sister in Christ.  The church celebrated with me!! 

And then we headed outside for more learning opportunities.

 Object lessons from the Scriptures

 And games like "Simon Says"

The whole crowd from Kalaki district

OG's Hogs

Oil of Gladness - Live Band

I love these people.

On Friday nights, and sometimes other times throughout the week also, we gather together at my house to make sweet music to our Saviour.  I have probably mentioned these awesome friends before, but I absolutely cherish our times of fellowship and music.  There are close to 15 of us in the group, but not all of them can always make it.

Recently, Moses and I attended a Timothy Leadership Training on "Serving God through Work and Worship" and the Lord laid on our hearts to create a 6 month action plan for O.G.   

Moses, on the right, is a great pianist, guitarist, and vocalist.  Together, the two of us developed a written proposal for our team, and so far the whole groups seems to be tracking with us.  We desire to have more opportunities for music ministry - in the churches, at weddings, or for other events.  We hope to have Bible studies about worship a couple of times a month, so that we can grow in God and His Word.  And we'd like to create an income generating project so that money can be raised to buy equipment.  The group has decided we would start a piggery. Thus the name - OG's Hogs.  O... G... for Oil of Gladness, has now switched in pronunciation.  :)  But only for the farm.  :)  Within the next two years we hope to start raising enough money to get a drum kit, bass guitar, speakers, monitor, etc.

 Here I am with the ladies on Saturday - hamming it up at a wedding reception. 

 Ministry and Mates, who could ask for more!

 Dancing with Joy!

 After our wedding work was finished, a few of us went to visit another member who just had a baby boy.  We showed him with blessings and prayers. 

Thrown Into the Lion's Den

Last Sunday all the Baptist churches in Soroti met together for a mass celebration.  Starting at 10 am the crowds were so huge that the children we sent off the chairs to sit on mats under the tree.  I decided to join the children, since I wouldn't be staying for the whole service.  Ugandan friends quickly asked me to come to the kitchen to get communion plates ready, and I unexpectedly joined the choir for one very fun African song - "Siyabonga Jesu"

 The children joined the adults for worship, testimonies, and special presentations, which took almost two hours before we walked over to the church for Sunday School.

 From there, I along with my delightful and faithful friends - Peter and Teddy, we taught 140 children the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den.  I always love telling stories to the children!  All of these kids were 8-12 years old... we sent the younger ones to another place, with 3 of their own teachers as well.  Huge classes.

 The children made paper plate masks of lions.

And wrote on the back "Obey God - Be Wise, True, and a person of prayer!" 

It was such a fun Sunday - the whole service finished at 4:30, after sharing a meal together.

 Serving rice pilau to all the children

A late lunch

And even later for the teachers.  :)