May 27 – Sunday

Remember how I asked for prayer for our Indian shop keepers here and a way to witness to them? Well the other day Angie and I were getting groceries and Situ (See two) the friendly man was working so I decided to ask him if that was his wife I saw in the shop. He said it was so I told him that we love Indian food. Before I could get my next words out he invited us to come and eat some of their Indian food. I was so surprised. He took us to the back of the shop, which is their home, where his wife was cooking and their two year old daughter was sleeping. Stu's wife know very little English. She made us a wonderful little meal of potatoes, mango sauce, and these great flat bread type things. She rolled out the dough very thin cooked it on a frying pan them put it on a fire where it puffed up – how fun. We had a nice time talking and eating with them. Situ has been here with some of his brother since 2000. His wife came three years ago I think. Situ owns the store, Om, with his brother and cousin. I was very touched by their hospitality and generosity. Angie asked if his wife would be willing to cook for us and we would pay her. He quickly said no but that they will cook for you anytime, money is not a problem, we are friends now. Praise God! We are friends. I hope this is the open door we prayed for. I was so excited about our time with Situ and his wife. In Nigeria we were always fed when we visited our friends, actually when Josh was hungry for local food we would just go out greeting until someone fed us. It doesn't seem to be quite the same in Uganda so far. I don't think people have as much here. But the hospitality of the Indian culture was impressive. I loved it. It challenges me to be generous and hospitable too.

The adoption process continues for Tim and Angie. They are waiting for the Grandfather's signature. Tim and Angie go everyday to hold Moses. Angie said she lies awake at night feeling like a part of their family is missing. The waiting is really hard. The other day Angie was there and Micheal, a five year old with HIV, said to Angie your taking Moses home and going to be his mother. Angie said yes I am. Then Micheal asked, “Can you take me home to live with you too?” Talk about break your heart! It does get harder to go to Amerce because we know the kids now and love them. The kids come and go. Some go back to their families, some die, and some stay because they have no home. Yes they are loved and cared for at Amerce but no orphanage can give the individual love a child needs. A few of the kids just cry every time you put them down. They love to be held and have special attention and play time. Tom, a little boy who is just bigger than skin and bones and looks so sad, really craves love. Micheal is maybe the size of a six month old but is really over a year and a half. He is weak and tired yet he can laugh and smile with the rest of them when he is played with. (And boy can he eat!) Franco is such a sweetheart and knows how to love. He is capturing all of our heart. Grace and Lydia now know the baby place and tell us every time we pass by there. Lydia talks about the kids a lot and uses all of their names for her babies. I am so glad they love to go there and play with the kids.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that the orphanage in Jinja now called Tim and Angie and said they have a baby for them. Caleb is a month and a half and was left at the hospital. Tim and Angie are really wondering what God is doing and telling them. They are going on with adopting Moses but if things do fall through they now God has other babies in the waiting.

We had the privilege of witnessing baptisms today. Patrick's church (Patrick who teaches at the Bible College) had seven ladies and one girl who were being baptized. So we loaded everyone in the van and headed to the lake. Talk about memories from Mahula – a overly full vehicle, singing loudly all the way there... I was so glad we went though. Baptisms will always be a beautiful thing. It always brings tears to my eyes. What a time of celebration! Some of the ladies were really old and unsure of the water but when they came up from being baptized they couldn't have smiled any bigger. Lydia really enjoyed watching the baptisms too. I am so glad she gets to share in these experiences. What a great day – the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and God's family was growing. Praise the Lord!