Blessing, Birthday and More

April 4, 2011

I am not sure any of you will read this since so many of you are enjoying spring break. Some of my loved ones are on the beach right now soaking in the sun. We have enough sun here to last a life time! Really though I could have thrown quite a pity party about not being on the beach with them but God has given me so much encouragement these last couple weeks that I am just thankful to be here.

God continues to allow me to meet with other missionary women throughout my week and I love it. I love being able to love them and help in anyway. I recommended a training called Transformation of the Heart to one of my new friends and she came back from it saying she has joy for the first time in her life. My friend has been through a lot and I am thrilled to see God bring peace and freedom to her life. It is so exciting to hear and be apart of. To see God change some ones life is the greatest joy on earth!

Our women’s Bible study continues to be a blessing too. Did I tell you we are starting in Genesis and going through the Bible? Yes we plan to be here for years. We are hitting the main stories and some of the unfamiliar ones so we can all learn more. We are on to Noah this week. I love going deep with the ladies and taking each verse and learning from it. This past week I was all prepared but did not feel like leading – my attitude was not right. So I prayed! God is so faithful. He entered that room and spoke to us through His Word. Now that changed my attitude in a hurry. It is an exciting time I look forward to each week – God’s Word and godly friends.

I also had fun with a couple of my friends as they highlighted my hair! I was quite nervous seeing this was my first at home experience but they did a great job – subtle, natural lightening – and we had a great time talking (all three hours).

I am so thankful that my friend Sherry is helping teach Lydia while Beckie is visiting the States. Actually, Lydia is the one who is really excited. The first day she came out and said, “Mom, she is a great teacher!” I know I maybe a wimp but teaching four days just kinda takes over my whole life, everything else gets put on the back burner, and I get cranky cause I can’t do it all. So we are all thankful for Sherry and Andrea who teaches Grace the same days. Are we blessed with great friends and team mates of what?!

I could tell you so much more about our week but you may be bored by what I think is filling you in. Sometimes I need to learn to keep my mouth shut and realize not everyone needs to know everything. So what do you want to know?... Today I picked up Angelina and Charles (the blind man who Josh led to Christ a few months ago), and his son Ivan to take them to the blind school. Ivan was going to attend the school and he was SO excited. Ivan is eight years old and has been going to the nursery school in the village but learning nothing because they don’t know how to help him from there. Angelina, a blind leader Josh works with, saw that Ivan needed to go to the blind school so she organized it all and I had the privilege of taking them today.

I took Lydia, Grace and Sherry with me. I was so proud of Lydia as she led Ivan by the hand. I love to see compassion in my kids. It is difficult to lead a blind child when they don’t speak any English but she tried. Ivan was all smiles. He was thrilled to be at school. I was so happy for him. I love visiting the blind school. The teachers all know us now and most of the students. Sherry was so impressed and touched by it all. We visited several classes. The students all said their names, where they were from and what they liked about school. The whole thing is fascinating. These kids are amazing. The do it all – blind! And they are happy. Really they put me to shame and put life back into perspective for me. I love them. I was excited to see several of the students this time had made great improvements from the last time I was there. There is one girl there from Karamoja who was blinded when she was caught in cross fire. She came with so much trauma and anger but today she was smiling and could now speak some English. I was so proud of her! There is also a boy who did not speak for one year but now is talking. I love seeing what education and a lot of love can do. So Ivan is now at school.

Angelina was telling us how impoverished Charles and his wife are (four children and two of them are blind). She said Ivan had no clothes so she got him some and she gave one of her skirts and shirts to Charles wife who has none. Angelina said they eat only once a day. I asked how they would pay for school (we helped with all the things he needed to stay there) and she said the school is accepting whatever they can bring of anyway they can help. My heart just breaks for people like them. I am so thankful for Angelina who helps in so many ways and gives. What an inspiration. So often we are so careful here how we give and who we give to because it creates such a mess and huge dependency problems (long story I wont get into and you may not understand unless you live here – trust me) but with people like this who are trying I can’t wait to help in some way. It really is a blessing to bless others. I am thankful God gives me these encounters to wake me up and challenge me.

Hey, it is Josh’s 33rd birthday tomorrow! So write and let him know how much he means to you. I am so thankful for him. He is an amazing husband and father. Truly seeks after God. I am doing a Bible study on David and I know Josh is also a man after God’s heart. His life is worth celebrating. (On birthdays I like to thank the parents too for choosing live and for a job well done. So a BIG thank you to you Dad and Mom Shaarda!) We are going to Mbale over night tomorrow partly to celebrate, partly to visit a home school co-op there, and partly to watch the final four championship game. Go Butler!