Sickness Continues

October 21

We are sorry to keep writing but we are so tired and down with all the sickness around here.  Luka is sick for the third time in one week.  He is down on the couch, white, fever, throwing up, congestion, ear pain sometimes... He is such a stinker though and REFUSES to take any medicine.  We are trying to figure out weather to start an antibiotic or what to do.  Pray for Luka to be healed of whatever it is he has.  Malai still has a cold but the fevers have stopped.  We wonder if we should put her on an antibiotic for a sinus infection or ear infection but don't know.  Josh's whole body hurts and he doesn't feel well with a cold and fever too.  My body hurts too, not as bad as Josh's, and just don't feel good.  I fell yesterday and twisted my ankle too.  I could hardly walk this morning but thankfully I could after a while.  

We are a mess.  We'd like to get away but we don't feel well enough to go anywhere.  We'd love to be in Michigan where we could see the doctor and be cared for by Grandparents :).  I think we are just discouraged with everything we have been going through lately.  

Thank you for praying for us!  We are encouraged knowing we are not alone and being lifted up to the Lord.  

Oct. 23 Update

Well we praise God Luka was healed from his sickness and is back to playing.  However, Josh and I both ended up with the flu.  My body hurt so bad even my fingers hurt and I had fevers that left me shaking (cold) then sweating.  It was awful!  This is the first time in two days I am able to sit upright.  Josh was miserable at the same time and we spent all of yesterday and most of today in bed.  How thankful we are for Lydia, Grace and Karlie to help while we were down and out.  It is no fun being sick.  And of all things I had scheduled for our kids to go to a friends house all day today so Josh and I could have an in home date.  We were all so bummed to have to cancel.  Thanks for continuing to pray for us.

 

Esther Eye

Oct. 13, 2014

This is Esther.  She is one of our neighbors and a good friend of our children.  Esther is about 13 years old and has a quiet, sweet nature with a great smile.  The other day we noticed something was wrong with her eye.  It is clouded over, painful, and sensitive to light.  She said it was injured when grass got in it.  It took awhile to get the whole story but from what we gathered she got a piece of grass in it two years ago (!) and the problem comes and goes.  We all prayed for her and asked God to heal her eye.  We also gave her sunglasses which she wears everywhere to protect her eye. 

Grace was crying that night for her friend Esther.  It was on all of our hearts.  We love Esther and did not want to see her loose her sight.  We all prayed some more and knew we wanted to at least try to help her. 

Today Esther, her dad, our neighbor (to translate), Grace, Malai and I went to the hospital.  After waiting an hour and a half we saw a doctor who felt it was cataracts and told us to go to the eye doctor.  We went to the clinic where he was suppose to be but they said he was at the main hospital so we went there.  Thankfully the doctor got us in right away.  The nurse had Esther read the letter board to check her vision.  It was so sad to see her unable to see out of the injured eye.  She could only see when the nurse was waving her hand one foot away from her.  The good thing is her good eye saw very well.  When she saw the doctor she could not see his hand or light at all.  He said she is blind in that eye from an infection that was not treated.  Actually, after asking the father it was treated with bush medicine which the doctor told him is like poison and may have caused the blindness.  I wanted to cry.  I confirmed over and over that nothing could be done.  Asked why she had pain and the light hurt it.  He gave her some medicine for the eye and told us to come back after one month to see if there is any nerves left (or something like that?). 

Oh sweet Esther was now wiping away tears.  I gave her a hug and tears welded up in my eyes.  How do you feel when you just find out you are blind in one eye and will never see again?  It seems grieving here isn’t acceptable.  They will say don’t cry.  Where are the hugs and I am sorry?  As I hugged Esther I reminded her that she still had one eye that saw very well, that God could still heal her eye, and that she was still good and God loved her.  I wish I could fix it for her but I can’t.  I know God will use this too. 

So pray for Esther with us.  Pray that God does a miracle and gives her sight again (faith!).  Pray for God to give Esther peace and courage knowing she is blind in one eye.  Pray also for her father to come to know Christ.  Her mother goes to church but her father doesn’t.  Hearing that bush medicine was used on her eye is always so discouraging and a reminder of the stronghold satan has on people.  May David (father) see Jesus love and power through this and give his life to Him. 

Our School

I just wanted to share some picture from our classroom.  The kids are doing great - and like it too!  Lydia is in 6th grade - Middle School!  Grace is in 4th grade and Luka started Kindergarten.  Luka is doing great.  He loves math and can add and subtract in his head already.  Karlie is doing a wonderful job as teacher.  We are thankful for the time she invests into it and her friendship with our kid outside the classroom.  Emalai is a bit lost with everyone in school.  She is known for sneaking in and Karlie can't say no to her cute face.  I am thankful for a teacher and for all the learning and fun they are having together in school.

School

Just wanted to share some pictures from the school our church in Obule started.  Some of you may remember Josh spoke about this school when we spoke at churches this summer.  Pray for good education in Obule.  Pray for someone to walk alongside and empower educators here.  Pray for the leaders of our church as they desire to see this school equip children in education and in the Word of God.  There are many challenges to overcome but if God is with us who can be against us?  One last thought, be thankful for the school and education you received.  It is a blessing.

  

Healing

Thank you again for praying for us this week.  It is not fun being sick especially far from comforts and good medical services.  We could have used Grandma a few times this week.  We are thankful for teammates who fed us and cared for us.  

We praise God for healing!  He heard every prayer and His power worked healing in Emalai's body.  She is almost back to normal and we are giving God the glory.  Last night was her first fever free night.  Pray with us that she now sleeps peacefully, all night, and under a bed net.
As for me, I am better but not well.  I am thankful to be up now and gaining strength, but I still feel nauseous at times and there is a funny pain that runs down my legs keeping me from sitting some times.  I really don't know what is going on but I know I am not myself yet.  Pray for full healing so we can get back to some kind of normal around here.

Thank you for bringing us before the Great Physician this week!

Mandy (and family)

Sickness

Thank you for praying for us.  Malai seemed to be doing better but yesterday morning she slept and slept.  Then we realized she had a fever of 104.5 degrees.  We began praying over her and took her to our nurse teammate to check for Malaria.  The test came back positive for all forms of Malaria.  We started the treatment already.

It seems Malai had what Mandy had and, because of her weakened body, Malaria was able to attack her too.  (She has been on anti malarial medicine but we were switching from one to another and it seems the week gap was just enough to let Malaria attack.) 

Please pray for the fever to lower (it has on Tylenol thankfully), that Malai drinks and doesn't get dehydrated, and is healed from Malaria quickly and completely.

Honestly it has been a miserable four days.  Mandy was down and out with fever (chills, then sweats), aching, and a headache that made her head want to explode.  Yesterday she was weak and got very nauseous when she tried to be up, but her back is killing from laying down.  It is hard on the whole family when mom is sick.  Josh has stepped in as Mr. Mom but he ready to hand that back to her.  We are both down after these long, yucky days.  Thankfully, Mandy is well enough to be up today with naps here and there.  (She was also tested for Malaria and it was negative.)

Every time one of our children gets sick here (far from good medical care) we get scared.  We continue to call on the healing power of Jesus.  Thanks again for praying. It is a blessing to feel your care and covered in prayer.

Update Wednesday:

Thanks for your prayers.  There has been some improvement in both Mandy and Emalai, but we ask you continue to pray for each of them.

Mandy ate supper last night - her first meal since Friday.  She is able to be up some of the time, but still has waves of nausea.  Her body still aches as well.  She has to lay down numerous times a day.

Emalai is feeling well enough to complain now.  Her fever is down now with the help of tylenol.  Yesterday tylenol did not really help so it is a step in the right direction.

Thanks for your prayers.

Pictures & Update from Obule

Grandpa & Grandma Beute with the grandkids our last weekend in MI

Feeding the birds with Beute cousins at the petting zoo

Malai loved her cousin's dog Maggie.  She led it around on a leash and called it's name.  What a NICE dog to let a one year old play with it.

Saying goodbye to some of the Beute cousins

Journey to Africa

This is what happens after all those hours of flying.  Luka crashed on the airport floor as we waited for our luggage.

Drive to Obule

Oh the joys or trials, checking for jiggers on our feet each night.

Luka!

Visiting our friend's 9th child - a baby girl.

Our home now with grass!

People busy plowing with all the rain.

The beauty says it all...

September 7, 2014

I wish I could share everything in my heart after the last six months let alone the last couple weeks.  The love/hate relationship I have with my life on the mission field is difficult to put into words.  We live in two opposite cultures – our home in Africa and our family in America, our calling and passion in one place and our traditions and enjoyment in another.  We live amongst suffering, poverty, dirt, and injustice and at the same time joy, simplicity, beauty and peace.  Missing things of this world and becoming sickened by them at the same time.  Torn from the ones we love yet loving the people we get to live and work with.  Frustrated by cultural norms and overwhelmed by so much what seems will never change yet privileged to see God at work when it is only He who could bring transformation.  Our children’s growth marked by a year on the mission field and a few months of home service.  A constant flow of people in and out of our lives filled with many hello and goodbyes.  Packing, moving, packing, traveling in unsafe times, yet getting to see the world.  Feeling you don’t belong anywhere which leads to a longing for my Heavenly home.  Living in a place without trustworthy medical care forced me to learn that we put too much trust in our medical care and learning to trust fully in our true Healer.  Worrying about your kids yet seeing they love it and do better than me.  Insects, reptiles, and other dangers and threats making me see that we only live in false security in our other home.  The list goes on and on…   

It is a life filled with unique blessings and hardships.  And my conclusion, like so many other times, is that God is what I need.  I guess it is like Paul who found contentment in all things – weather living in America or in Uganda – I can have strength to do all things because Christ is my contentment.  He is with me and that is all I need no matter where I am.    

Have you ever hurt inside?  Pain that you can actually feel?  Sometimes we think it gets easier saying goodbye until we have to do it again.  I guess the pain is shorter but when you love it still hurts to leave.  My pain really comes when I see my kids cry.  When they are hugging their grandparents and both are sobbing.  When I realize the love and support our parents have for us, as they let their grandkids go once again.  All we can do is hold one another and cry.  I don’t take people and time together for grated.  Every time we are together is special.  I never seem to be able to get all I want to say out.  I say goodbye not knowing when we will be together again or what may happen in between that time.  In the last week of filled with the stress of packing up, storing, or getting rid of everything and the emotions of transition and saying goodbye, I constantly remember and am thankful for every person who prays for us.  It is hard but we are called to go.  God is enough and I am strengthened by the prayers of His people.

And after 15 hours of flying, crossing 7 time zones, 24 hours of travel, two nights in the capital adjusting to sleep and gathering groceries, a extra long 8 hour drive in a full van with 7 people, 16 pieces of luggage plus carry-ons… and we made it home.  What a lot of answered prayers.  What a faithful God!

We are so happy to be home.  This was our first time returning to our home in the village so I wasn’t sure how I would feel or what we would find our house like after being gone 5 months.  I was surprised to feel so excited to be home, so welcomed back.  Before we would arrive to our home in Soroti and just be at a house behind walls but our ministry and relationships were in the village.  This time we came home to the village where we love people and are apart of the community, and we were welcomed back with great love.  We were also blessed to find everything clean and in working order.  That is so nice.  I didn’t know if I only remembered my house nice and it was really just a cement village home or if it really was nice.  I was glad to find out I still liked it even after living in American standards and comforts. 

Our kids love being back!  Their toys are all new again and they were back playing with all their friends.  I am amazed at their attitudes and ability to adjust so well.  Their positivity and thankfulness challenges me.  They are now back in school and it also seems to be going very well.  Hard to believe we have a Kindergartener, 4^th grader and 6^th grader!  After school they play with their friends.  I love watching them play their village games together and realize my kids are just one of them.  We let them play till almost 7pm when it starts to get dark because everyone is having so much fun.  Then we come in to for supper, baths and getting ready for bed.

Karlie, our new teacher, is doing well.  She was SO quiet the first few days but I think she was jetlagged and just taking the new world around her in.  I have appreciated how flexible, willing to try new things, learn and take advice, helpful, and positive she has been.  She seems to really like it here.  I love how she plays the games with all the kids in the afternoon.  She seems to be doing well with teaching too.  Everything is new for her but she is doing great with it all.  How thankful we are.

Josh is hanging in there.  His hip has limited him so much.  It can be very discouraging.  But he tries to stay positive and do all he can well not being physically active.  It will be a happy day when he can walk to church with us, walk to go greet neighbors, and play with the kids again!  For now we are driving most places.  He is keeping busy as Area Director which can be difficult because it drains him. He keeps relying on the Lord as the true leader and the One who equips.  He was able to teach the other day and has his next teaching on the calendar so that fills him up.

As for me, honestly my emotions can be so all over the board.  One day I am so thankful and love it here and the next I am struggling.  I need your prayers.  I realize building God’s kingdom comes with discouragement, hardships and even oppression.  I also know working with people is difficult.  So pray for us.  I keep going to my Rock to keep my stable.  Some days I have to hold tightly to His truth when I don’t feel it.  My human nature wants to hide, quite, just be normal, be alone or get upset…but I know that isn’t what God wants.  I feel bad because we all know mom’s emotions and attitude affect the whole family.  So I am thankful I can bring it to God and find peace again in Him.  (Thanks for praying for me!)

Other than those emotions, I am learning how to live here again.  Some ways it is simpler and routine and some ways it is more work.  Keeping up with feeding the family keeps me really busy.  Cooking here takes time.  Water here can take time when you have to filter it, reuse it, and such (although rainy season is easier).  I wish I could have a balance between the crazy busy I don’t like in America and the sometimes so routine there is boredom living in Obule.  Emalai isn’t sleeping great yet (although she has never been our best sleeper).  She wakes up one in the night and wants nothing to do with her bed and loves to sleep on the concrete floor.  Why?  We do not know but as long as she sleeps (and no one steps on her) we are happy.  It has been raining so it hasn’t been hot otherwise we would think that was her reasoning to sleep on the floor.  She has gotten some mosquito bites not being under her bed net too so hopefully she will sleep all night in peace very soon (another prayer request).     

I better end there.  Thanks for keeping up with us and praying with us.  I am excited to see what God is doing here because I know He is!  Love you all, bye for now.