Our small group of Deb Breeden, Steve Fridley, Michaela Hammel, Sue Hammel, and John Johnson, who will be with us for the first week, arrived safely Sunday morning to the Stevensons in Uganda.
We were able to relax when we arrived Sunday, which was wonderful after two days of traveling and several long flights. The Stevensons have a beautiful back yard which we enjoyed listening to the birds and the other wonderful sounds of Uganda.
Our first day, on Monday, we spent in Bukasa, at the Naomi Froese School. We took a tour of the whole school and all of us who had been there before were glad to see the changes and additions. We went into each classroom and the children greeted us warmly with their beautiful smiles.
We enjoyed a nice lunch at the school and then we went on 4 TAPP visits. The TAPP visits are so meaningful to all of us. We visit women in their homes, that are no bigger than the size of most of our bathrooms, but the women want each of us to go in and sit down. We squeeze in and sit on their beds or maybe the one chair they have, if that. We got to meet Slyvia, Maureen, Annette, Freida and the children that live in their homes. We hear their stories of their family and their lives. We ask for prayers requests and we pray with them and their family and leave some food and very small gifts.
Michaela and Sue were able to visit their sponsor child who goes to school there. They had a great visit with her. She is in grade nine and doing great in school. We left late for home so our ride home was long and hot. For those of you who have been to Uganda, know there is one thing that has not changed - there is a lot of traffic and it is still scary crazy traffic with all the boda bodas weaving in and out. We had a wonderful meal at home and Deb led a very meaningful devotion on being God's Beloved. We pray we can leave that message with these precious people of God in Uganda.
On Tuesday (today) we visited Mutungo. While there, we visited the Hope Training School we have all been too and we were so glad to see the growth in programs they have had. They now have a leather class, a shoe making class, a hair dressing class, a tailoring class, and cooking class. It was so exciting to see their growth. We had a great lunch (with chapatti) and then some more TAPP and Jja Jja visits. Today, we met and prayed with Lahuma, Arestay, Christine and their children. Again, wonderful visits and fellowship time. I will share that the last visit was to a grandmother ( Jja Jja) who lives in a home that really was just a shed on the side of someone else's home. We met with her outside with her 5 granchildren who live with her. We ask for your prayers for these women.
We returned in time to visit the Mutungo School, Primary 1 through 7. The students always stand and welcomely greet us. It was good to see there sniling faces. We were treated to a musical performance by the students and the teachers.
We returned home in good time tonight and we were able to celebrate Tim's birthday with a marvelous birthday cake. Sue led devotions sharing on how God wants us to be in community and invest in relationships. Taking from Deb's devotion on being God's Beloved as we live in relationship and we pray we can share and they receive that message to the people we visit and meet each day. Thank you for your prayers for us and for your hearts of love for the people of Uganda.
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