To God be the glory for all He did in and through Freedom in Christ Uganda in 2023/24!
Shaarda's Story - It's God's Story! Life & Ministry in the village of Obule, Uganda. 1 Thess. 2:8
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Sharing
Lydia shared a great blog post on her time on DTS with YWAM.
https://shaarda-beauty.blogspot.com/2024/08/new-beginnings-dts-part-1.html?m=1
Grace also shared on her blog a post saying goodbye to Uganda.
https://graceshaardablog.blogspot.com/2024/07/dear-uganda.html?m=1
Be blessed, I was!
Monday, July 22, 2024
Speaking Schedule and Grace Course
We’d love to see you and share with you all God is doing in Uganda! Here is our speaking schedule while we are in Michigan:
July 14 Oakwood CRC in Belding, MI
July 21 Friendship CRC in Gaylord, MI
Aug. 4 East Martin CRC
Aug. 11 Highland CRC
Sept. 1 Calvin CRC in McBain
Sept. 8 Vogel Center CRC
Sept. 15 Jamestown CRC
Sept. 22 Rudyard CRC
Sept. 29 Lake City CRC
Oct. 6 Georgetown CRC
Oct. 13 Prosper CRC
Oct. 20 Kelloggsville CRC
Nov. 3 Ivanrest CRC
Nov. 10 Lucas CRC
Nov. 17 Cadillac CRC
Nov. 24 Aetna CRC
Dec. 8 Faith Community CRC
We are also very excited to invite you to attend the FIC Grace Course Josh will be leading at East Martin CRC on Sunday evenings. Please join us in learning about and experiencing God's grace in our lives!
Dates:
Oct. 6 and 20, Nov. 3, 17, 24 and Ec. 1, 8 and 15
*Stay turned for dates for the Freedom in Christ Course at Jamestown CRC on Wednesday evenings!
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
College Bound
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The day has finally come. Lydia and Grace are leaving for college. Time to say goodbye to their home and to Uganda. We are all holding both excitement and heaviness in our hearts. We are so thankful Lydia knows God is calling her to Moody Bible College and Grace is called to Dordt University. To see them trust God as He led, called and provided for them is a blessing. They are ready and going to do great! But to go means to leave, goodbyes, closure, change and grieving. This is not leaving home in the States to go to college. This is leave your family and country. Never to be back in the same way again. A letting go to close friends here, your church, traditions, culture... Leaving behind the comfort and security of home and family. All our meals together, games every night, school each day together, ministry together, travels, and daily joys and sorrows. It's not taking the next step, but a big leap. I feel for my children. It isn't easy. My girls' goodbyes and doing it on their own at college while their parents are in another country. And our younger kids who don't want them to go. Makai tells them regularly, "Don't go! I'm going with you. I'm going to hide in your suitcase." Emalai is sad. Change...it's part of life, it isn't bad, but it can hurt. I think we will feel incomplete without our girls. They fill our home and lives and so it's hard to let go. Our house is made for 7. My heart aches as we have one last supper all together on the porch enjoying good conversation and as I say goodnight to them one last night in their beds in our home. My heart is so heavy... God has been speaking to me in this season of change and loss. Calling me to trust Him once again. Deut. 28:3 and 6 You will be blessed in the city and in the country. You will be blessed when you come in and when you go out. Joshua 1:9 Be strengthened and have courage. Do not be frighten or discouraged, FOR the Lord your God will be with you WHEREVER you go! Lydia and Grace, you will leave a hole here in Obule and in our home. I know your hearts remain here as you go. You fill our home with joy, laughter, conversations, fun, creativity, and love. You are my daughters but you've also been my friends. I will miss the companionship you gave me. Thank you for all your help! For helping to homeschool your siblings, playing endless hours with them, helping around the home, and which allowed me to be apart of the ministry. I am so thankful you were involved in the ministry here and apart of the church, youth group and community. Everyone loves you guys because they know they are loved by you! You belong to this place and people. And so it's so hard to leave... God goes before you and with you my precious daughters. I am so very proud of you! Proud of you for thriving as TCKs. Proud of you for seeking and following the Lord's call in your lives. Proud of you for doing hard things. I love you and God loves you too!!! May God use you as you study and prepare for His calling in your life. |
Pictures from the day we flew to Uganda - Feb. 2007 - Lydia 3 years old and Grace was 1 years old.
And pictures from 2024 as they leave Uganda for college in the States.
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| This was the day we arrived in Soroti. |
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| And today...oh how far we've come. |
Our family then (2007) and now (2024).
This is the first video the girls made of their lives as missionary kids.
This is the second video of their lives in the village of Obule.
And a last video as the girls leave their home for college.
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| Sorting and packing up 17 years of their lives - and still smiling at this point! |
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Spain
We went to Spain! Josh had a week of FIC leadership meetings in Barcelona, Spain the end of May. It was a huge blessing for Josh, and for our family, to be with FIC leaders. We always walk away humbled to work with such wonderful people. Josh was encouraged by the unity he saw and felt in the group. He was commissioned for his new position as head of new discipleship resources. It was a very special moment as Steve prayed over us. Josh said he felt inadequate, but over the week people told Josh how much they appreciate him and are thankful he's on the team. The kids and I loved joining them for supper and fun and fellowship in the evenings. We got to know each other and laughed a lot. It was sad to say goodbye again - can't wait till next year!
After the meetings, our family took a vacation on the Costa Brava (Spain's Northern Coast on the Mediterranean Sea). Honestly, there is always some stress vacationing in a foreign country, in a different language, and figuring things out. But we did well, all in all, and had a relaxing, beautiful and fun vacation. The coastal walks we took were my favorite. Beautiful aqua water and rocky cliffs! We wouldn't choose the coast of Spain for a vacation again though. Unfortunately there is a lot of topless sun bathers that we had to work around. It was disappointing for sure. Spain had a lot or immodesty and worldliness leading us to pray and hope we were the light of Jesus while we were there.
Here is a look at our journey to Spain...
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| We flew MAF from Soroti to Entebbe partly because we don't trust our van and partly to pick up our new-to-us truck on the way back! (Flying takes one hour instead of driving about 8 hours!) |
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| We flew over our house and village! |
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| Our kids love to travel! |
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| Josh and I went on a date our first night in Barcelona . I do love all the outdoor cafes! Couldn't always read the menus though. Between Josh, Luka and Grace's Spanish in school we made it. Only to find out half of the stuff is in the Cantalon language! We were surprised by the all day smoking and drinking at the cafes. A different world for us. |
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| I love seeing and exploring new places and cultures, especially anything old and beautiful! |
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| Christopher Columbus statue |
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| Roof top of the monastery where they had the meetings. |
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| Josh commissioned to lead. |
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| Lots of new foods at our suppers in Spain. |
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| The group took an afternoon sightseeing. This is the famous La Sagrada Familia. A HUGE church built by Gaudi. Started in 1882 and I heard hopes to be done in 2026 or 2033 or maybe 2060! |
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| Spend the day with our FIC friend who lives in Spain, Josue! |
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| And met up with Kathryn! Kathryn grew up in Soroti, Uganda with our kids. We haven't seen her since she left ten years ago. She is now teaching in Barcelona. We had such a fun time together! |
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| Our nightly treat walking back to our apartment. |
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| FIC International Leadership Team |
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| Our vacation home. |
Sea Glass was everywhere on the coast.
Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea day and night. Rocky, instantly deep and good waves.
Market!
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| Shopping |
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| Tossa de Mar |
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| Blanes (a town in NE Spain) |
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| Grace and I went to see an Iberian settlement from 300BC. (The rock base was all original, the rest is to show us what it was like.) |
Makai was determined that Luka was going to eat octopus in Spain. He finally got it our last day - and didn't like it. Makai even had the kids' helpers at the hotel paint "Luka eating octopus" on his leg. What a funny boy!
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| Grateful for our trip to Spain! |
See Grace's beautiful blog on Spain too at: https://graceshaardablog.blogspot.com/2024/06/spain.html
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