Hope Restored!

Right now, I feel like jumping up and down and screaming like a little girl. I feel like embarrassing myself completely by dancing around like a maniac. I feel like shouting to the whole world how good God is. (I also feel like I haven’t written a blog post in a really, really long time, but that’s beside the point.) Our God is good and faithful and absolutely amazing.

A new church we ministered to.

The majority of last week I was in Western Uganda with Mommy, Daddy, and my brother Eddie. The plan was to go minister to a church there and then a few days later go to Kagalama (which actually we found out is Kagarama… but they pronounce “l” and “r” the same! What?!). But anyways, I went thinking that I would be listening to Daddy, Mommy and Eddie preach, and then do all my work in Kagarama. Ha! Was I wrong. The Saturday before we left, I spoke at a youth prayer and fasting day at our church because God had really been laying it on my heart to speak His words and thereafter, receive His blessings. After that absolutely amazing experience, I thought that the calling of “speaking the words God gives me” was over and done with – and I was relieved!!  Speaking is not my forte. But God, as happens SO many times in my life, had a different plan. We ended up preaching in two different villages - spending Monday and Tuesday in a village called Nyamishwiga and one day in a nearby village, Rwampanga (yeah, try to pronounce those!). So, three days of ministering, and guess what?

I was called upon to preach.....

   ...Three times. 

As I listened to God’s words come out of my own mouth and felt the power of the Holy Spirit within me, I came to the realization of how great our God really is. I saw Him moving in peoples’ hearts and encouraging them – through an 18 year old girl from the middle of Nowhere, Kansas who has no college education and has never taken a public speaking class in her life. And again I was reminded of a verse that I shared with people so much before coming to Uganda,

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong…so that no one may boast before Him.”

-1 Corinthians 1:27 & 29

And this one:

”For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

-1 Corinthians 1:17

But do you know what happened after that?

P1 and P2 classes.

God’s abundant blessings began to be poured out, and I didn't even realize it! After ministering for those three days, we left early in the morning on Thursday to go see our kids in Kagarama. Can I tell you how awesome our God is? When we arrived, what I saw made my heart overflow!! Where our children had been devoid of hope and afraid, God came in and did a mighty work! As we arrived, my sons and daughters all came rushing to the car. They surrounded me as I got out, full of smiles and laughter and greetings. One of my little guys even came up and hugged me – that’s a first for my children! God placed a divine hope within our sons and daughters! He has started opening their hearts to the love that we have for them, and they’re responding. God is SO good! I wish I could put in words the overwhelming joy I have just thinking about how God is moving in my children, but words simply cannot express. Not only that, but when we reached home in Masaka, God’s blessings continued to be poured out. I received awesome news about provision for our children, provision for the buildings, and sponsors. God is SO good! And He is faithful. Glorify His holy Name! Praise Him! He is worthy of all the honor, all the glory, all the praise. Worship and praise His name with me, because He is a mighty, caring God who will NEVER fail us, and will ALWAYS fulfill His promises!   

 Blessings!

With Tumusiime
 (one of our 2 new little guys)

With my children! (Plus some!)