To go through the refining/purifying process and be molded by The Potter, which is wonderful, but a somewhat painful place to be, YET to also be a delicate flower that is just unfolding and blooming...SIMULTANEOUSLY!! Seriously, is this possible to do both at the same time?! Well, with God all things are possible :) I'm in the midst of it right now! I have no idea how I'm changing exactly, I can just tell you that I'm changing....BIG TIME!! Change is a good thing. Change is an uncomfortable thing. However, I never want to be static and stop moving because I know you can't walk into your divine destiny by remaining where you are. I never want to be completely comfortable where I'm at because it means I'm satisfied with the consecration and transformation process....I always want to continue to know Him more and continue to grow and be transformed into His likeness. Soooo, right now I'm uncomfortably comfortable ;) Comfortable because I know I'm in His Hands and He is in control of my life, but uncomfortable because I'm being molded and unfolded at the same time :) I (we) must be willing to face my fears and step out of the darkness of insecurities!! I (we) either chose the pain of change or the pain of regret!!
First, I wanted to follow-up on the garbage clean-up from last week (posted a couple new pics to the right). One of my Ugandan classmates informed me this week about the impact we had on that community, and I wanted to share it with you all (because you just never know the impact you can have on people by sharing the love of Jesus). Of course the muzungus (white people) didn't know any of this during the clean-up, because we don't understand the native languages! My classmate told me that many people were standing around shouting insults at us (apparently they were "violent, criminal, gang-filled slums" that we were in). They thought we were there trying to make money by cleaning up the slums (because some people were taking pictures and the church video camera was there filming), and they were telling the muzungus that they should be in their air-condioned offices working. They also didn't think we could finish cleaning the whole heap of trash, so a huge crowd of people gathered around, just to watch us fail (I did see tons of people just standing there watching us, but had no idea why). However, that day, we just continued to work hour after hour after hour...continued smiling and smiling...continued singing songs of praise. Slowly their insults turned to questions. Why are you doing this? Who are you here with? What do you want from us? Then, finally they realized we weren't getting paid anything, realized we were staying until completion, and realized we were only there to show them love and meet a simple need....then their questions turned into "thank-you's". Pretty incredible...insults turned to questions turned to appreciation! Though there are sooo many needs in Uganda, we refused to sit around and do nothing, and I believe impacted a "rough community" with the love of Jesus and glorifed Him.
Next, I wanted to update on one of the Living Hope families. The young 17 year old who is HIV positive that deeply affected me the very first time we met him, is in terrible condition. In fact, this is the worst condition that we've ever seen him! He was unable to come out and visit us due to weakness, so we talked with the uncle (the caregiver) for a bit. Then, several of us went into his bedroom to visit and pray. He was laying on a blanket, on the floor and curled in the fetal position (because he was in so much pain). He had no shirt on, just boxers, which now appeared at least 3 times too big for him. He was soooo cachectic, frail, skin and bones...indescribable! He could barely whisper, he was in so much pain and so weak. We basically sat there in shock at his terrible condition and frail body, and thankfully one of my other team members offered to pray. I knew if I tried to utter a word out, I was going to start sobbing uncontrollable tears. It was an extremely difficult visit, but we must trust that he's in the Lord's Hands!
PS Well, to end on a humerous note....the best bug dance award this week officially goes to one of my roomates, Nina!! One night we were both out on our balcony (on the 2nd floor), gathering our sneakers for the next day. She saw that several creatures had crawled into her sneakers so she was banging the shoes against the railing to get them out. Well, about that time, apparently a rather large bug landed on her foot (and she was wearing flip flops). She began a little high-pitched, very girlie scream with a syncronized flailing of her arms and legs. Well, one of her legs flung a little too hard and sure enough...a flip flop went flying into the air....it did several spins in the air before it landed!! Of course it couldn't land on our balcony or on the roof below us or on the ground below that....somehow if lands perfectly on the large satellite dish hanging a bit below our balcony!!!! We were crying because we were laughing soooo hard!! The actual probablitlity of it getting stuck on there...slim to none!! After unsuccessfully trying to "fish" the flip-flop off with a hanger and string, we begged one of the security guards we know to help us...who had to act like a monkey and climb a wall to climb another wall to climb the roof and then walk across the roof in order to reach the satellite dish! Yeah, good times and most of that was caught of my video camera! TIA kinda fun ;)
Thanks for reading! Miss and love you all :)
HAPPY EASTER....HE IS RISEN!!!!!
Living to know Him more and more,
Michelle
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
What TIA is all about!!!
Of all the mission trips I've been on and volunteer work I've done in the past, I can't say I've ever done anything quite like this before!! On Saturday, we partnered with some people from the city council and went down to the slums for a "city clean-up". Now, I've done beach clean-ups and street clean-ups before ...but NOTHING like this!
At first, we picked up trash around some of the little local shops. (A little different when there's no concrete, it's all dirt and mud that you are trying to pick trash up from). However, when we went to dump the trash bags into the compost(which basically sits in the middle of the slums)...it was disgusting!! The whole compost was overflowing...there was trash piled EVERYWHERE! We called and got the dump box hauled away and we then filled another box...using wheelbarrows and reusing large, thick bags. Then, one last dump truck came and we filled that one with the remaining trash until the place was clean! Spending nearly 3 hours literally standing on heaps of trash was a new experience for me! The smell was horrendous! Upon lifting the "make-shift reusable bags" onto the truck, there was trash that fell out and dumped all over you. At one point it was raining, making the smell and mud even worse. Then, it was humid and sunny, which drained our energy. The conditions were rough! I had to literally keep singing worship songs in my head and keep my nose buried in my sleeve at times, because the smell made me want to vomit. Days later, the stench is still in my fingers....I'm STILL trying to scrub it out! I haven't quite formulated all my thoughts about this whole experience, BUT it was a very humbling experience, and yes, I would do it again, despite the rough conditions!
This week I also got to teach a lesson to the academy class (kids who's parent(s) are in jail and have no other place to go)....which I LOVED doing!!!!! Plus my group's assignment at the Remand Home (the juvenile detention center) was a "special song" and we did a song in Luganda. My group took the time last week to teach me the song (not easy to learn the words, nevertheless sing them!) and I'm the only white person on this team! Sooooo, of course, all eyes were on me during the song (to see if I was really singing it, hehe)!! I looked at one of our 360 leaders during the performance (he's a Ugandan) and he was looking right at me smiling ear to ear....got the biggest kick out of me singing in Luganda :) I really enjoyed it and now can't get the song out of my head!
Ok, like I promised, I'll now explain TIA :) It's very simple, but used quite frequently..... This Is Africa!! Those who have been on mission trips to Africa know this acronym well and know how to use it :) Here's a couple of our examples so far:
1. We have a toaster at the guesthouse with 4 slots for bread (potentially cooking 4 slices of bread at a time), BUT only one side of one slot works. Soooo, you can literally only cook 1/2 slice of bread at a time, then have to flip it over and wait for the other 1/2 side to cook...TIA
2. We show up to small group on time and noone else is there yet. The host then tells us that she has to go pick up her husband and she leaves 3 muzungus (while people) just sitting in her house alone until someone else arrives....TIA
3. Anytime I try crossing the street in Africa, I always feel like I'm playing a human game of Frogger (remember the video game Frogger??). There are taxi vans traveling at high speeds going straight and diagonally, bikes shooting past every which way, boda boda's (the motorcycle-like things) going all different directions (including the wrong direction), people walking all different directions, traffic constantly stopping and starting....yeah, feels like a game of Frogger!! Take one step out....look out for the taxi....run to the middle...watch the boda from behind....look out for the boda beside you.....watch the 3 children that have now congregated around your feet and are following you....yep, feels like Frogger! In fact, I won't cross the street unless there's a Ugandan beside me, I just wait for them to cross and follow them...I cheat at the "human Frogger" game ;) TIA
4. You are peacefully sitting around having a conversation in the evening and suddenly see one of the girl's in your group jumping up shouting "Ahhhh, it's one of those flying grasshopper's with rabies...". You don't ask, just hysterically start laughing, make sure it's not on you, and reply "TIA"!
5. You walk through the village and literally get a mob of kids following behind you chanting "muzungu" (which again means white person) and you begin to get a taste of how Jesus must have felt walking through some streets, being seen for the first time, TIA!
6. When you actually start having your favorite potholes, TIA!
7. When normal conversations between you and your roomies, while walking through the streets is..."I feel like I'm swimming in my shoes"...."Yeah, I've got mud squishing between my toes all in my sandals"...."Oh no, look at Nina's capris, she's got mud all up the back of them". TIA!
8. There is a different time system here! If a function is supposed to start at 11, don't expect it to start before 11:30 or 12. In fact, the wedding that Sue and I got to attend...there were supposed to be 400 people attending and 10 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, there were literally 10 people in the sanctuary (including us). We looked at each other and laughed and at the same time said "TIA"!
Now you know one of the most commonly used phrases among western teams that travel to Africa! You know how wonderful people are over here! There's obviously overwhelming needs over here! Soooo, what's stopping you from coming over here???? Come on, take that step forward, and come experience Africa...it will change your outlook and perspective on life FOREVER :)
Until next Monday!
Living to know Him more and more,
Michelle
At first, we picked up trash around some of the little local shops. (A little different when there's no concrete, it's all dirt and mud that you are trying to pick trash up from). However, when we went to dump the trash bags into the compost(which basically sits in the middle of the slums)...it was disgusting!! The whole compost was overflowing...there was trash piled EVERYWHERE! We called and got the dump box hauled away and we then filled another box...using wheelbarrows and reusing large, thick bags. Then, one last dump truck came and we filled that one with the remaining trash until the place was clean! Spending nearly 3 hours literally standing on heaps of trash was a new experience for me! The smell was horrendous! Upon lifting the "make-shift reusable bags" onto the truck, there was trash that fell out and dumped all over you. At one point it was raining, making the smell and mud even worse. Then, it was humid and sunny, which drained our energy. The conditions were rough! I had to literally keep singing worship songs in my head and keep my nose buried in my sleeve at times, because the smell made me want to vomit. Days later, the stench is still in my fingers....I'm STILL trying to scrub it out! I haven't quite formulated all my thoughts about this whole experience, BUT it was a very humbling experience, and yes, I would do it again, despite the rough conditions!
This week I also got to teach a lesson to the academy class (kids who's parent(s) are in jail and have no other place to go)....which I LOVED doing!!!!! Plus my group's assignment at the Remand Home (the juvenile detention center) was a "special song" and we did a song in Luganda. My group took the time last week to teach me the song (not easy to learn the words, nevertheless sing them!) and I'm the only white person on this team! Sooooo, of course, all eyes were on me during the song (to see if I was really singing it, hehe)!! I looked at one of our 360 leaders during the performance (he's a Ugandan) and he was looking right at me smiling ear to ear....got the biggest kick out of me singing in Luganda :) I really enjoyed it and now can't get the song out of my head!
Ok, like I promised, I'll now explain TIA :) It's very simple, but used quite frequently..... This Is Africa!! Those who have been on mission trips to Africa know this acronym well and know how to use it :) Here's a couple of our examples so far:
1. We have a toaster at the guesthouse with 4 slots for bread (potentially cooking 4 slices of bread at a time), BUT only one side of one slot works. Soooo, you can literally only cook 1/2 slice of bread at a time, then have to flip it over and wait for the other 1/2 side to cook...TIA
2. We show up to small group on time and noone else is there yet. The host then tells us that she has to go pick up her husband and she leaves 3 muzungus (while people) just sitting in her house alone until someone else arrives....TIA
3. Anytime I try crossing the street in Africa, I always feel like I'm playing a human game of Frogger (remember the video game Frogger??). There are taxi vans traveling at high speeds going straight and diagonally, bikes shooting past every which way, boda boda's (the motorcycle-like things) going all different directions (including the wrong direction), people walking all different directions, traffic constantly stopping and starting....yeah, feels like a game of Frogger!! Take one step out....look out for the taxi....run to the middle...watch the boda from behind....look out for the boda beside you.....watch the 3 children that have now congregated around your feet and are following you....yep, feels like Frogger! In fact, I won't cross the street unless there's a Ugandan beside me, I just wait for them to cross and follow them...I cheat at the "human Frogger" game ;) TIA
4. You are peacefully sitting around having a conversation in the evening and suddenly see one of the girl's in your group jumping up shouting "Ahhhh, it's one of those flying grasshopper's with rabies...". You don't ask, just hysterically start laughing, make sure it's not on you, and reply "TIA"!
5. You walk through the village and literally get a mob of kids following behind you chanting "muzungu" (which again means white person) and you begin to get a taste of how Jesus must have felt walking through some streets, being seen for the first time, TIA!
6. When you actually start having your favorite potholes, TIA!
7. When normal conversations between you and your roomies, while walking through the streets is..."I feel like I'm swimming in my shoes"...."Yeah, I've got mud squishing between my toes all in my sandals"...."Oh no, look at Nina's capris, she's got mud all up the back of them". TIA!
8. There is a different time system here! If a function is supposed to start at 11, don't expect it to start before 11:30 or 12. In fact, the wedding that Sue and I got to attend...there were supposed to be 400 people attending and 10 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, there were literally 10 people in the sanctuary (including us). We looked at each other and laughed and at the same time said "TIA"!
Now you know one of the most commonly used phrases among western teams that travel to Africa! You know how wonderful people are over here! There's obviously overwhelming needs over here! Soooo, what's stopping you from coming over here???? Come on, take that step forward, and come experience Africa...it will change your outlook and perspective on life FOREVER :)
Until next Monday!
Living to know Him more and more,
Michelle
Monday, March 15, 2010
Walking the walk, not just talking the talk!!
My quads are incredibly sore...my shoulders are bright red...the tops of 3 of my fingers have blisters...what has Michelle been up to lately???? :)
Well, my quads are sore because I decided to begin and end my running career in Uganda :) Between the elevation, the dust, the heat, and the huge hills (which feel like mountains to run up)...yeah, I think I'll stick to walking, if I'm going to exercise at all here! My shoulders are red because on my day off last week, I went to a local pool and laid out for about 2 hours and got pretty burned...oops! But how cool that I actually laid out in Africa! I'm really making this place my home :) Then, my 3 fingers on my left hand literally are forming blisters because I'm learning how to play the guitar :) I'm sooooo excited!! I've got 3 chords down already, and now just need to learn how to switch between them a little faster! One of the guys on the international team is teaching me...not only is he a gifted musician...he's very patient and an excellent teacher! Andrew doesn't know this yet, but when I get back, I'm going to ask him to hook me up with someone who can give me lessons on my keyboard...that's your forwarning, Andrew...hope you follow these blogs ;) I'm very excited about all this!! :)
Had a rough week with outreach ministry...my group was supposed to do prison ministry but had difficulty with paperwork and signatures, and we couldn't go. Also, our usual hospital ministry got canceled this week, as well. However, despite this, we still had an AMAZING week!! The international team is bonding closer and closer...we've had some VERY powerful talks and "God times" (not sure how else to word it). I've also personally been growing in the Lord...it feels like I'm taking one step forward and ten steps back at times...but I'm not functioning based on "feelings"...I'm listening to HIS voice and guidance!!
"I want to take Your Word and shine it all around...first help me just to live it, Lord...". This is the bridge to a wonderful song, and became my prayer for several days. Be careful what you pray! I so desperately want to love and serve Him and tell others about Him, but I'm not even living some of the scripture that I share and teach others about. Do I read the Bible? Yes. Do I believe what's written in the Bible? Yes. Was I truly living all the scripture that I was reading? No!! I wasn't purposefully being disobedient. It's like Paul talks about in Romans, I want to do what is right and good, but I don't. However, it was as if I wasn't comprehending and grasping the full meaning of what I was reading...wasn't truly absorbing it enough to be obedient to it!! I can't do this on my own, obviously, and this is why I warn...be careful what you pray for!! :) Now, unbelievably, the scripture that I memorize and meditate on, is coming alive and I'm constantly being shown and corrected when I'm not living it out in my daily life AND how I can live it out!! There are many times I actually stop singing a song in the middle of worship...either to really listen to the words I'm singing or because I'm left so breathless when I actually understand the meaning of what I'm singing! It's hard to express in words the awesomeness of this paradigm shift, if you will...but maybe some examples would help!! :)
"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences". Proverbs 18:21 Have you ever really,truly understood the power of your own words? I mean truly had an understanding? Had a nice, long time of repentance when I realized the depth of this verse and how much I have brought death with my own words!! Then, the next day, He showed me firsthand the meaning of this scripture and the deep affect/effect it can have on His precious people (boy did I learn and get it and will not make that mistake again!!!!). Not only am I now aware (watching) my own tongue...I'm now aware of my thoughts AND of the conversations I'm involved with. I find myself not adding anything to certain conversations that I know would be displeasing to the Lord, potentially harm His People, and be unfruitful. This also coincides with another scripture I'm intimately being transformed on, Philippians 2:14-15, "Do everything without complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you". (Coincidentally, I'm typing this blog on one of the hottest nights we've had...I literally have sweat dripping everywhere and it's 10pm!!) Well, after intimately learning and slowly being transformed and held accountable to live this verse out...the Lord stepped it up one more level and asked me to share my intimate experience with the international team and they were to be my accountability partners for me living out this verse! This was a stretch for me and very humbling!!
One other verse is 2 Cor 10:3-5, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every though to make it obedient to Christ". Do we have any understanding the power of the weapons that Christians have access to? They have divine power to demolish strongholds!! Who ever said that a gun is powerful than forgiveness?? Who ever said that addictions are more powerful than prayer and functioning in the gifts of the Holy Spirit?? Who ever said that pride is more powerful than loving the unlovable and forgotten?? Our weapons may look and feel different, but they have divine power to demolish strongholds!! I also love the end of this scripture, that we are to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ...not easy, but worth the tough process to live out this scripture in your life :)
Also, I played the song, "My Glorious" by Newsong the other day on my iPOD. I've listened to that song many times before. However, I had a divine moment of understanding this time! Did I really ever understand what I was singing before? "...all You ever do is change the old for new....God is bigger than the air I breathe...God will save the day...". Unbelievable lyrics and now I sing with a whole new attitude in my heart and proclamation from my lips! I don't just sing anymore, I testify and proclaim and believe!
Not sure our agenda this week, except that we are going back to the Remand Home (like a juvenile detention center) and the Wells of Hope Academy (where I'm teaching the lesson for our group). Next blog (for those who haven't been to Africa), I want to share the meaning of TIA and some fun examples we've had so far...you won't want to miss it :)
Thanks for reading!!
Living my life to know Him more and more,
Michelle
Well, my quads are sore because I decided to begin and end my running career in Uganda :) Between the elevation, the dust, the heat, and the huge hills (which feel like mountains to run up)...yeah, I think I'll stick to walking, if I'm going to exercise at all here! My shoulders are red because on my day off last week, I went to a local pool and laid out for about 2 hours and got pretty burned...oops! But how cool that I actually laid out in Africa! I'm really making this place my home :) Then, my 3 fingers on my left hand literally are forming blisters because I'm learning how to play the guitar :) I'm sooooo excited!! I've got 3 chords down already, and now just need to learn how to switch between them a little faster! One of the guys on the international team is teaching me...not only is he a gifted musician...he's very patient and an excellent teacher! Andrew doesn't know this yet, but when I get back, I'm going to ask him to hook me up with someone who can give me lessons on my keyboard...that's your forwarning, Andrew...hope you follow these blogs ;) I'm very excited about all this!! :)
Had a rough week with outreach ministry...my group was supposed to do prison ministry but had difficulty with paperwork and signatures, and we couldn't go. Also, our usual hospital ministry got canceled this week, as well. However, despite this, we still had an AMAZING week!! The international team is bonding closer and closer...we've had some VERY powerful talks and "God times" (not sure how else to word it). I've also personally been growing in the Lord...it feels like I'm taking one step forward and ten steps back at times...but I'm not functioning based on "feelings"...I'm listening to HIS voice and guidance!!
"I want to take Your Word and shine it all around...first help me just to live it, Lord...". This is the bridge to a wonderful song, and became my prayer for several days. Be careful what you pray! I so desperately want to love and serve Him and tell others about Him, but I'm not even living some of the scripture that I share and teach others about. Do I read the Bible? Yes. Do I believe what's written in the Bible? Yes. Was I truly living all the scripture that I was reading? No!! I wasn't purposefully being disobedient. It's like Paul talks about in Romans, I want to do what is right and good, but I don't. However, it was as if I wasn't comprehending and grasping the full meaning of what I was reading...wasn't truly absorbing it enough to be obedient to it!! I can't do this on my own, obviously, and this is why I warn...be careful what you pray for!! :) Now, unbelievably, the scripture that I memorize and meditate on, is coming alive and I'm constantly being shown and corrected when I'm not living it out in my daily life AND how I can live it out!! There are many times I actually stop singing a song in the middle of worship...either to really listen to the words I'm singing or because I'm left so breathless when I actually understand the meaning of what I'm singing! It's hard to express in words the awesomeness of this paradigm shift, if you will...but maybe some examples would help!! :)
"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences". Proverbs 18:21 Have you ever really,truly understood the power of your own words? I mean truly had an understanding? Had a nice, long time of repentance when I realized the depth of this verse and how much I have brought death with my own words!! Then, the next day, He showed me firsthand the meaning of this scripture and the deep affect/effect it can have on His precious people (boy did I learn and get it and will not make that mistake again!!!!). Not only am I now aware (watching) my own tongue...I'm now aware of my thoughts AND of the conversations I'm involved with. I find myself not adding anything to certain conversations that I know would be displeasing to the Lord, potentially harm His People, and be unfruitful. This also coincides with another scripture I'm intimately being transformed on, Philippians 2:14-15, "Do everything without complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you". (Coincidentally, I'm typing this blog on one of the hottest nights we've had...I literally have sweat dripping everywhere and it's 10pm!!) Well, after intimately learning and slowly being transformed and held accountable to live this verse out...the Lord stepped it up one more level and asked me to share my intimate experience with the international team and they were to be my accountability partners for me living out this verse! This was a stretch for me and very humbling!!
One other verse is 2 Cor 10:3-5, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every though to make it obedient to Christ". Do we have any understanding the power of the weapons that Christians have access to? They have divine power to demolish strongholds!! Who ever said that a gun is powerful than forgiveness?? Who ever said that addictions are more powerful than prayer and functioning in the gifts of the Holy Spirit?? Who ever said that pride is more powerful than loving the unlovable and forgotten?? Our weapons may look and feel different, but they have divine power to demolish strongholds!! I also love the end of this scripture, that we are to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ...not easy, but worth the tough process to live out this scripture in your life :)
Also, I played the song, "My Glorious" by Newsong the other day on my iPOD. I've listened to that song many times before. However, I had a divine moment of understanding this time! Did I really ever understand what I was singing before? "...all You ever do is change the old for new....God is bigger than the air I breathe...God will save the day...". Unbelievable lyrics and now I sing with a whole new attitude in my heart and proclamation from my lips! I don't just sing anymore, I testify and proclaim and believe!
Not sure our agenda this week, except that we are going back to the Remand Home (like a juvenile detention center) and the Wells of Hope Academy (where I'm teaching the lesson for our group). Next blog (for those who haven't been to Africa), I want to share the meaning of TIA and some fun examples we've had so far...you won't want to miss it :)
Thanks for reading!!
Living my life to know Him more and more,
Michelle
Monday, March 8, 2010
The "honeymoon" period is over!!!
I'm writing this blog very early in the week, so it doesn't encapsulate the whole week, but this experience VERY much affected me!!!
Let me take you back...
Well, I've officially been here 2 months. The "honeymoon" period IS officially over! The time where everything is fresh and new...exciting to encounter...easy to let things roll off your shoulder....yep, it's over!! This is the real deal! I've now made my home in Uganda. I'm in full-time ministry and doing it day-in and day-out! WOW!
So, this past Monday, I officially realized the honeymoon is over and this is my life! I'll share the text that I sent to a friend of mine that day, "haven't talked to anyone back home in 2 months and anticipated skyping my mom today...technical issues and didn't happen...I think I'm going to cry! If there is one more tech issues, I'm going to dig a powerline myself...if I have to pee in one more nasty home with flies coming out of it, I'm trading my parts in for guy parts...if I have to take one more ice cold shower, I'm chopping off my long hair (which has gotten wicked long over here)...if one more gigantic, unidentifiable bug crawls up some part of my body, I'm going to wrap a mosquito net around me permanently and call it a toga!! I still have such a heartbeat for missions...I'm just haven't a moment...the honeymoon is over!!!"
No matter where you are in life, you've had this realization moment that "the honeymoon period is over" (whether or not you are or have ever been married)! You get a wonderful new job...you move to a new city...you buy a new house...you do get married...you start a new ministry...you have a baby....everything is new and exciting and fresh at first and then this moment hits!!! The best thing to do is keep on keepin' on!! Push through the frustration...and keep your eyes fixed on the Lord and not your circumstances.
Well, that was Monday and on Tuesday we were doing Living Hope ministry again (where we visit our HIV affected families), that impacted me so much last time (see my previous blog). Here are several truths the Lord taught me on our visit today (I narrowed it down to one truth per family because I have way too much that I learned!!):
1. Our prayers/thoughts are sometimes sooooo self-centered, it's ridiculous!! The first lady we went to visit again is a Muslim. After visiting her last time, she actually attended our church a couple times! This time we did praise and worship, prayed, fellowshipped, and shared a bit of the Word with her. Somehow I got elected to share the Word?! Wasn't quite prepared for that, but God is faithful! I had actually purchased 2 bibles in Luganda (one to give to her) and the Lord had given me a verse to share with her (in Luganda, hehe)...so I fumbled through it, while my other teammates giggled, but were thrilled and encouraged my broken Luganda, hehe. I then used that verse to deliver a brief message with the help of the Holy Spirit :) She still isn't ready to give her life Christ yet, BUT we are helping her get plugged into a church that's close and Luganda speaking! However, while talking to her, she informed us that when it rains, her house usually floods. It's basically a one bedroom concrete house in the slums...no running water...no electricity. The water comes up inches and feet...most of the time rising her bed on top of all the water!! Just the day before, some people on our team were praying that it didn't rain so our laundry would actually get dry, so we wouldn't be stuck inside all day, and so we could go out to the pool that's up the road. This woman prays it doesn't rain because her house floods everytime it rains!! How selfish our prayers can be!!!
2. There's really nothing sweeter than a child singing "only Jesus...only Jesus...only Jesus..."!! I'm sorry, but your heart has got to melt! The second home we visited was the 3 & 1/2 year old little girl with HIV that was abandoned at a caregiver's home. The caregiver also watches several other children...there were 3 children when we visited today. So we all crammed in this little room and sang songs, talked, colored, and prayed. When that precious 3 year old started singing...I think everyone in the room stopped and all our hearts melted! Just beyond precious. I tried to sneak one of the kids out and into our van with me...but my teammates busted me ;)
3. Step foot in a public hospital in Africa and see a precious 17 year old boy with HIV laying there fighting for his life....yep, you are quickly recentered, refocused, and regretting that text that you sent your friend the day before! This was the guy last time that left such an impression on me, but this time we couldn't visit him at home, because he's been in the hospital for the past 2 weeks. We decided as a team that we wanted to make a hospital visit to see him...so off we went. There he lay...too weak to smile...tubes in his nose to feed him...even thinner than before (if that was even possible)...he really didn't look good at all. We talked with the ladies that were there helping to care for him and then prayed for him. I couldn't help but still look at him and smile; he has such a precious spirit and it really touches my heart, I just can't explain it! (We left him a bible in Luganda as well, hopefully someone can read it to him, I really, really want that kid saved....I wrote a notecard with John 3:16 written out in Luganda and left it sticking out of the top of the Bible...I'm trying every little way I can to reach out to this kid!)
It's amazing how the Lord can humble you in less than 24 hours. I had a little breakdown or tantrum over here, and that's just not tolerated in the position that I'm walking! I get it :)
So whereever you are at today, whatever you are going through...God cares (whether you can "feel" Him close or not)...press on...Keep on keepin' on...you're gonna make it!!!!
Until next Monday...
Living to Glorify Him,
Michelle
Let me take you back...
Well, I've officially been here 2 months. The "honeymoon" period IS officially over! The time where everything is fresh and new...exciting to encounter...easy to let things roll off your shoulder....yep, it's over!! This is the real deal! I've now made my home in Uganda. I'm in full-time ministry and doing it day-in and day-out! WOW!
So, this past Monday, I officially realized the honeymoon is over and this is my life! I'll share the text that I sent to a friend of mine that day, "haven't talked to anyone back home in 2 months and anticipated skyping my mom today...technical issues and didn't happen...I think I'm going to cry! If there is one more tech issues, I'm going to dig a powerline myself...if I have to pee in one more nasty home with flies coming out of it, I'm trading my parts in for guy parts...if I have to take one more ice cold shower, I'm chopping off my long hair (which has gotten wicked long over here)...if one more gigantic, unidentifiable bug crawls up some part of my body, I'm going to wrap a mosquito net around me permanently and call it a toga!! I still have such a heartbeat for missions...I'm just haven't a moment...the honeymoon is over!!!"
No matter where you are in life, you've had this realization moment that "the honeymoon period is over" (whether or not you are or have ever been married)! You get a wonderful new job...you move to a new city...you buy a new house...you do get married...you start a new ministry...you have a baby....everything is new and exciting and fresh at first and then this moment hits!!! The best thing to do is keep on keepin' on!! Push through the frustration...and keep your eyes fixed on the Lord and not your circumstances.
Well, that was Monday and on Tuesday we were doing Living Hope ministry again (where we visit our HIV affected families), that impacted me so much last time (see my previous blog). Here are several truths the Lord taught me on our visit today (I narrowed it down to one truth per family because I have way too much that I learned!!):
1. Our prayers/thoughts are sometimes sooooo self-centered, it's ridiculous!! The first lady we went to visit again is a Muslim. After visiting her last time, she actually attended our church a couple times! This time we did praise and worship, prayed, fellowshipped, and shared a bit of the Word with her. Somehow I got elected to share the Word?! Wasn't quite prepared for that, but God is faithful! I had actually purchased 2 bibles in Luganda (one to give to her) and the Lord had given me a verse to share with her (in Luganda, hehe)...so I fumbled through it, while my other teammates giggled, but were thrilled and encouraged my broken Luganda, hehe. I then used that verse to deliver a brief message with the help of the Holy Spirit :) She still isn't ready to give her life Christ yet, BUT we are helping her get plugged into a church that's close and Luganda speaking! However, while talking to her, she informed us that when it rains, her house usually floods. It's basically a one bedroom concrete house in the slums...no running water...no electricity. The water comes up inches and feet...most of the time rising her bed on top of all the water!! Just the day before, some people on our team were praying that it didn't rain so our laundry would actually get dry, so we wouldn't be stuck inside all day, and so we could go out to the pool that's up the road. This woman prays it doesn't rain because her house floods everytime it rains!! How selfish our prayers can be!!!
2. There's really nothing sweeter than a child singing "only Jesus...only Jesus...only Jesus..."!! I'm sorry, but your heart has got to melt! The second home we visited was the 3 & 1/2 year old little girl with HIV that was abandoned at a caregiver's home. The caregiver also watches several other children...there were 3 children when we visited today. So we all crammed in this little room and sang songs, talked, colored, and prayed. When that precious 3 year old started singing...I think everyone in the room stopped and all our hearts melted! Just beyond precious. I tried to sneak one of the kids out and into our van with me...but my teammates busted me ;)
3. Step foot in a public hospital in Africa and see a precious 17 year old boy with HIV laying there fighting for his life....yep, you are quickly recentered, refocused, and regretting that text that you sent your friend the day before! This was the guy last time that left such an impression on me, but this time we couldn't visit him at home, because he's been in the hospital for the past 2 weeks. We decided as a team that we wanted to make a hospital visit to see him...so off we went. There he lay...too weak to smile...tubes in his nose to feed him...even thinner than before (if that was even possible)...he really didn't look good at all. We talked with the ladies that were there helping to care for him and then prayed for him. I couldn't help but still look at him and smile; he has such a precious spirit and it really touches my heart, I just can't explain it! (We left him a bible in Luganda as well, hopefully someone can read it to him, I really, really want that kid saved....I wrote a notecard with John 3:16 written out in Luganda and left it sticking out of the top of the Bible...I'm trying every little way I can to reach out to this kid!)
It's amazing how the Lord can humble you in less than 24 hours. I had a little breakdown or tantrum over here, and that's just not tolerated in the position that I'm walking! I get it :)
So whereever you are at today, whatever you are going through...God cares (whether you can "feel" Him close or not)...press on...Keep on keepin' on...you're gonna make it!!!!
Until next Monday...
Living to Glorify Him,
Michelle
Monday, March 1, 2010
It's all about love...it's all about people... it's all about love for people :)
What a week! Where do I begin??
Our classroom teachings were awesome! I was reminded of the amazing relationships I have back home and the amazing mentors I have! I'm truly blessed and stand in awe of the incredible plans God has for my life. Going all the way back to Genesis with Adam and Eve. God made Adam, hand-crafted and designed him; He didn't "command" Adam to be formed like other creatures/creations. Then, He didn't just say "peace out, Adam" and leave Him on His own to figure things out. No, God provided a home in the garden of Eden, supplied Adam with food (lots of fruits), gave him a job/responsibility of tending the garden and then later naming all the animals, and then created a perfect helpmate companion, Eve. Just reminding myself of all these truths which are found all the way back at the beginning of the Bible...how God hand-made Adam and didn't leave him to figure things out on his own...how He tended to his needs and created him for purpose and relationship! (God loves people!!) This was part of a devotion that the Lord really spoke to me about personally...this doesn't even touch on some AMAZING teaching we got this week on worship, Paul/Timothy dynamic duo, understanding the meaning of salvation, and discernment!!!!
Ministry this week was awesome! We went to 2 new places this week, the Remand Home and Wells of Hope Academy. The Remand Home is basically a detention center or juvenile prison. However, it's VERY different from one you would find in the States. They don't treat the kids as prisoners. In fact, we are reprimanded if we use that term to or around them! They facilitate an environment of respect and change...it's quite an interesting program they run. Kids are there for various amounts of time, depending on the severity of the crimes, some have robbed, others involved in gang violence, others have murdered. Our team was split into groups and we had a "program" for them including, praise/worship, a skit, memory verse, special song, message, prayer, and played a game. We had a central theme, but had never practiced (rehearsed) anything together as a big group. However, it flowed together amazingly and I do believe these kids were impacted!!
We left straight from there and headed to Wells of Hope Academy. This is a small "boarding school", which takes in children whose parent(s) are in jail, and they have noone else to take care of them. The school actually just opened several months ago. We got a quick tour and were able to see where the kids sleep. The boys room is about as big as my apartment living room and holds 15 kids, and only filled with triple bunk beds in which 2-3 kids sleep in each bed (the kids are aged 4-15 years old). Food supply is minimal. The bathroom is ummm.... less than ideal. But the alternative for these children would be a life on the streets!! Not entirely sure why, but immediately after stepping off the bus, I fell in love with this place! My group (consisting of 11 people) had the primary 4 class, which were 7-9 year olds, and there were only 7 people in the class....so we outnumbered them...but had the best time!!! Taught them a dance and song, played 2 games, shared a Bible story, a memory verse, and prayed with them....and almost got left by our bus because we were in there so long :) It really made me miss teaching Sunday school!!!! Really, really, really, really loved this place!!
I also got to attend a real African wedding ceremony this week...how cool is that!! Don't worry, I was not the bride :) It was an amazing experience and pretty cool traditions to see. Really felt blessed to be able to attend it and may be able to integrate some things into my own wedding or maybe my sister's wedding that's coming up ;)
Continuing to meet new people at our guesthouse! Right now, there are 2 different ladies from Missouri staying here that are in the process of adopting. They were staying at the orphanage with the kids, but are now at our guesthouse with the kids. The little girl is 9 months and little boy is 12 months. For someone who doesn't like babies...wow I've fallen in love with the little girl!! If they weren't adopting her...I might just be coming home with a baby :) She is beyond precious! I've spent a lot of time talking to the ladies about the adoption process, their families back home (how much they miss their husbands and other kids), why they are adopting from Uganda, their churches, etc. The little girl, Izzy, was found dumped in a bush (just after birth) with the umbilical cord still attached, so if she wasn't rescued and brought to the orphanage, she would have bled to death. She is the sweetest thing!! She's always smiling, giggling, cuddles with me, and when I hold her, she's so content...and nestles right into my chest. Seriously glad she's being adopted because I'm not sure I would be able to leave Uganda without her...she would be coming to the States with me or I would be staying in Uganda permanently ;) Soooo cool the people we even get to meet just at our guesthouse! (Also just met a missionary from the Netherlands whose on some big missionary board and a guy who's stationed over here from the US army). Soooo cool!
It truly is all about LOVE and all about PEOPLE! There's no doubt I'm in this amazing place and at this amazing stage because of the Lord and the work He's doing in me and through me, and continues to faithfully do! I'm being changed minute by minute into His image, and don't even realize it...I have a new love, a new outlook, a new boldness, a new purpose...whether these are new or renewed...not sure, don't care. What I do know, is that there's no other place to be than walking hand in hand with Jesus, in His Presence, living out His Will!!!!
PS Had a "chill night" last night after a long day of ministry...we played cards and watched "Taken" on a netbook computer. Yep, 8 of us gathered around to watch Taken...not quite the same effect on a Netbook, but it was awesome!!! We spent an hour afterwards talking about human trafficking. One of the guys of the team said he's never seen anyone react to the movie quite the way I did...get more on fire for the Lord...motivated to more mission work and a righteous anger well up in me...hey, noone said I was "normal"! We had such a great night!
Living to Glorify Him,
Michelle
Our classroom teachings were awesome! I was reminded of the amazing relationships I have back home and the amazing mentors I have! I'm truly blessed and stand in awe of the incredible plans God has for my life. Going all the way back to Genesis with Adam and Eve. God made Adam, hand-crafted and designed him; He didn't "command" Adam to be formed like other creatures/creations. Then, He didn't just say "peace out, Adam" and leave Him on His own to figure things out. No, God provided a home in the garden of Eden, supplied Adam with food (lots of fruits), gave him a job/responsibility of tending the garden and then later naming all the animals, and then created a perfect helpmate companion, Eve. Just reminding myself of all these truths which are found all the way back at the beginning of the Bible...how God hand-made Adam and didn't leave him to figure things out on his own...how He tended to his needs and created him for purpose and relationship! (God loves people!!) This was part of a devotion that the Lord really spoke to me about personally...this doesn't even touch on some AMAZING teaching we got this week on worship, Paul/Timothy dynamic duo, understanding the meaning of salvation, and discernment!!!!
Ministry this week was awesome! We went to 2 new places this week, the Remand Home and Wells of Hope Academy. The Remand Home is basically a detention center or juvenile prison. However, it's VERY different from one you would find in the States. They don't treat the kids as prisoners. In fact, we are reprimanded if we use that term to or around them! They facilitate an environment of respect and change...it's quite an interesting program they run. Kids are there for various amounts of time, depending on the severity of the crimes, some have robbed, others involved in gang violence, others have murdered. Our team was split into groups and we had a "program" for them including, praise/worship, a skit, memory verse, special song, message, prayer, and played a game. We had a central theme, but had never practiced (rehearsed) anything together as a big group. However, it flowed together amazingly and I do believe these kids were impacted!!
We left straight from there and headed to Wells of Hope Academy. This is a small "boarding school", which takes in children whose parent(s) are in jail, and they have noone else to take care of them. The school actually just opened several months ago. We got a quick tour and were able to see where the kids sleep. The boys room is about as big as my apartment living room and holds 15 kids, and only filled with triple bunk beds in which 2-3 kids sleep in each bed (the kids are aged 4-15 years old). Food supply is minimal. The bathroom is ummm.... less than ideal. But the alternative for these children would be a life on the streets!! Not entirely sure why, but immediately after stepping off the bus, I fell in love with this place! My group (consisting of 11 people) had the primary 4 class, which were 7-9 year olds, and there were only 7 people in the class....so we outnumbered them...but had the best time!!! Taught them a dance and song, played 2 games, shared a Bible story, a memory verse, and prayed with them....and almost got left by our bus because we were in there so long :) It really made me miss teaching Sunday school!!!! Really, really, really, really loved this place!!
I also got to attend a real African wedding ceremony this week...how cool is that!! Don't worry, I was not the bride :) It was an amazing experience and pretty cool traditions to see. Really felt blessed to be able to attend it and may be able to integrate some things into my own wedding or maybe my sister's wedding that's coming up ;)
Continuing to meet new people at our guesthouse! Right now, there are 2 different ladies from Missouri staying here that are in the process of adopting. They were staying at the orphanage with the kids, but are now at our guesthouse with the kids. The little girl is 9 months and little boy is 12 months. For someone who doesn't like babies...wow I've fallen in love with the little girl!! If they weren't adopting her...I might just be coming home with a baby :) She is beyond precious! I've spent a lot of time talking to the ladies about the adoption process, their families back home (how much they miss their husbands and other kids), why they are adopting from Uganda, their churches, etc. The little girl, Izzy, was found dumped in a bush (just after birth) with the umbilical cord still attached, so if she wasn't rescued and brought to the orphanage, she would have bled to death. She is the sweetest thing!! She's always smiling, giggling, cuddles with me, and when I hold her, she's so content...and nestles right into my chest. Seriously glad she's being adopted because I'm not sure I would be able to leave Uganda without her...she would be coming to the States with me or I would be staying in Uganda permanently ;) Soooo cool the people we even get to meet just at our guesthouse! (Also just met a missionary from the Netherlands whose on some big missionary board and a guy who's stationed over here from the US army). Soooo cool!
It truly is all about LOVE and all about PEOPLE! There's no doubt I'm in this amazing place and at this amazing stage because of the Lord and the work He's doing in me and through me, and continues to faithfully do! I'm being changed minute by minute into His image, and don't even realize it...I have a new love, a new outlook, a new boldness, a new purpose...whether these are new or renewed...not sure, don't care. What I do know, is that there's no other place to be than walking hand in hand with Jesus, in His Presence, living out His Will!!!!
PS Had a "chill night" last night after a long day of ministry...we played cards and watched "Taken" on a netbook computer. Yep, 8 of us gathered around to watch Taken...not quite the same effect on a Netbook, but it was awesome!!! We spent an hour afterwards talking about human trafficking. One of the guys of the team said he's never seen anyone react to the movie quite the way I did...get more on fire for the Lord...motivated to more mission work and a righteous anger well up in me...hey, noone said I was "normal"! We had such a great night!
Living to Glorify Him,
Michelle
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