Sweet Worship

Sweet worship

Sorry for the delay in posting. I am trying to count my blessings when I start feeling frusterated about the internet situation. I AM grateful to have gotten the chance to post this.

Well, I have settled in, though I don’t feel like I have had a weekend around just to relax yet because the past two weekends I have gone to Kampala at least for part of the time. Last week I began teaching again. This has made my days go by so much faster. Really, I have asked myself numberous times throughout the past week where my day has gone. It seems like I don’t have enough hours in the day to do everything that I want. Teachign is looking a bit different this year. Obviously, needing to follow the Uganda curriculum in regard to time tables, I have worked with the teachers to see where phonics can fit in. So, this term I am teaching all of the P4 and P6 everyday and then P3 twice a week, as opposed to teaching small groups. I still have a few small groups, but mostly I am focusing on the whole class. This is a bit challenging because I am not able to give such personalized attention to areas of need, but I know that God will work out the details. The new head mistress is really wonderful, knowing how to balance beign someone approachable, while also administrating and enforcing requirements. And I am slowly getting to know the new teachers. All in all it seems like a fresh wind has blown in and I am very pleased!! Everyday I hear the little voices singing songs or counting numbers to 99. Ha. It blesses my heart.

This weekend I went with 6 other people to pick up Mama, Pastor, and Dyanna (the new nurse for the clinic at LCH) at the airport. We left SO early in the morning (3:30) to get them and then when we arrived back in Mbale that evening there was a steady stream of very excited Ugandans to see and welcome Mama and Pastor back home. The people here are so full of love and have such a great sense of extended family ties.

But the main story that I wanted to tell you about was how the Lord completely blessed my heart on Friday. Since Nelly (the administrator’s daughter) got back from being extremely sick and we had a praise service with all the staff and kids, a weekly fellowship has continued. This Friaday was the same. After lunch the kids start collecting themselves and move chairs for the staff. Someone acts as the MC of the event, welcoming everyone to the fellowship time. And then we have some praise and worship time. If you have been in Ugandan churches, you might have picked up that they have a specific time (and set of songs) for praising and a specific time for worship. Well, I have yet to really figure out the difference, so I cant tell you what part we were on. But there was one point when the kids were singing, many with their eyes closed and their hands up in the air. Of course my words cannot justify it. But to see them there, pure and undefiled worship to their Father in heaven. Such childlike faith. The beauty and simplicity of them calling out the name, “Our Lord” in their own language. It was moving, like to the point of goosebumps and teary eyes. The Lord is doing a mighty work here! He has rescued and redeemed these kids from where they were to be in a place where they can be free to worship Him and know that He is the giver of every good and perfect gift!! And that the Lord has called each staff member there to LCH for a specific purpose and we have the opportunity to be the hands and feet and loving embrace to these kids! We then went into a time of prayer, each one lifting up their own voices and cries to the Lord. Sweet Fatuma was next to me and in the mix of her Luganda/English prayer I heard her repeat over and over, “I love you Jesus! I love you Jesus! I love you Jesus!” What a beautiful challenge to just sit before the Lord and love him. Plain and simple with nothing else attached. So, I am truly blessing the Lord for the work He is doing through the weekly fellowships. They are blessing us individually, but also are brining us all into one accord under the grace of Jesus Christ and reminding all of us that it is ALL for His glory!