Shaarda's Story - It's God's Story!

October 30

We had a really good week. We started home school. Sometimes I feel like I am playing school when I teach the girls. I like being with the girls and it is exciting to see them learn. But there are times I really feel unqualified and do not like being a teacher. Already in one week there was a day I thought, “This is only day 3 of a whole year of school!” (Not said in a good tone.) Thankfully, there was only one day the girls fell apart complaining and ended the school day in tears. The girls all in all enjoyed their first week. I am very pleased how teaching the two of them went. They are both doing great work. I think we even figured out a schedule that works for our family. We start at 10am (this family does not do early morning) while Tabitha plays with Luka. We break at noon for lunch and return to school about 1:30 while Luka takes a nap. We are finished around 3:30pm. I still am concerned about not being able to do it all while having a full time job teaching, but this week I did it and I will trust in God for each new day.

We had ladies Bible study again this week. The Bible study is for the women on our team and other expatriates serving in Uganda that need fellowship with other Christian women. I was so glad to be digging into God’s Word again with the ladies. We are going through the Bible and are now in Numbers. I love all God’s Word teaches me! It is my joy. Every week as we go verse by verse in a chapter God has a message for us. This week we even got to have Bible study by candlelight (no power).

Luka is potty training. He does well some days when we remember to take him to the bathroom, but when we don’t he doesn’t come and tell us. Pray for success!

We went to Tabitha’s yesterday to visit her and the kids and to meet Irene’s new baby Amanda. I forgot to tell you but the end of August Irene (Tabitha’s 17 year old niece she has raised) had a baby girl. Amanda (named after me) is a beautiful baby. She is happy and loved by the family. Irene is still very much a child and not a mother. She nurses Amanda but I think Tabitha really acts as mother. It was wonderful to see the whole family full of smiles. Lydia loved holding Amanda. The other day she told me she was going to pray for another baby (for us). Then Luka bothered her and she changed her mind. However a day later she was praying again after watching a home movie when Grace was a baby. Lydia prayed at the age of 4/5 for a baby brother and got Luka so she thinks that if she prays again she will get another sibling. (I love her faith!) And now with holding baby Amanda she is on the baby band wagon.

Hey looks like Chad and Katie (Josh’s sister) will be coming in January to help out our team. We will be having a team retreat (strategic planning) and Chad and Katie will be watching some of the kids during meeting time. The week after the retreat they will come to Soroti and see our lives there. Pray for them as they prepare and raise funds. We are excited!

You can be praying for our team. There seems to be so many needs and things going on. We enjoy getting together each week for fellowship, worship, birthdays, meeting, meals or whatever. We started a marriage Bible study with one of our teammates which we are really looking forward to. We know God has called this team together and we are thankful He can use us in it.

I am still getting back into Uganda. There are so many emotions sometimes I just want to not feel. Then I think about our American home and I just can’t handle the difference. Actually, when I think about all the needs, suffering, and spiritual situation here and then all of the needs, suffering, and spiritual situation in America (let alone the whole world) I can become heartbroken. I am so glad I know where to go to cast all my burdens and when I need some hope – God is in control and His plan is good. I don’t feel like putting it all into words now. Just one thought, we were at church today and child after child came in with rags as clothes. I looked around and maybe ten percent of the kids had shoes on. Sometimes I can shrug it off and say that is how it is in Africa and other times God speaks to me. He has me here for a reason. No I can’t do everything but I am rich to be generous. God gave us much to give much. Not out of duty but love. These are not poor people in Africa but people in my church I love. I was so touch as our church sang, “I fall before the Lord and look up and see His majesty to fall before Him again.” As they sung Charles bowed humbly before the Lord on the ground. I thought that is love for God. These people we look at as poor are rich in Christ. I think of our time in Michigan and think who did I see humbly bow before the Lord? We (I include myself) worry about who will see, what we look like, that it isn’t what is done in our church… instead of worshipping our Lord. Maybe it is pride that gets in the way of our humility? Maybe we don’t know or love our Lord enough to get our knees dirty and to let our reputation go? Maybe we are too quiet and ashamed in our love for God? Has our wealth made us poor in spirit? Uganda is full of sin and suffering, but today Charles and others at our church humbled me with their faith in God. Love for their Savior they totally depend on. I am so thankful God shows Himself to me in His Ugandan Children.

No matter what we are going through today. No matter how poor (physically or spiritually) we maybe today. Fall before the Lord. Love Him. And may His love empower us to love others. Let’s worship God beautifully this week as we live for Him.

(Incase you wanted to know, our wash machine is working! What a beautiful sound. I have never been so excited to do laundry. The clothes dry so fast outside now that they are spun in the washer. Tabitha is happy too. It is great timing cause now she has time to just play with Luka while we school. )