May 2013 Update 4

Is it really already Sunday??? I can’t believe how fast the week went. Amazing how you spend months preparing and the. It is over in a flash. Today I will try to soak in as much as I can. The kids are tired this morning from the late night, happy still from the celebration and yet the reality that we are leaving is settling in. We had a bit of a later start with breakfast and then we had the kids get packed up. We sorted through things to make sure everyone was leaving with only their things.  They has some time to just relax and hang out before we headed to worship. Raoul will be with us again this morning, but I really want to finish our story. There’s nothing worse than starting a good story, book, movie and not getting to see how it ends. So we began with a couple songs with the kids and the. I went to share the end to our story. This time the kids listened well, although I did see a few “resting”. I reviewed and told the whole story leading up to us, our response to what our hero has done for us. Each of us must choose whether we will accept this gift and cross over the bridge to where the Father is waiting with open arms. We spoke about what that means for us. If we choose Christ, we are inviting the Holy Spirit to come and change us day by day to look more like Jesus. I spoke more to the vision I believe God has for uganda and how he wants to use each of them to bring about that future. I then shared the ending we know is coming. We know that Jesus is coming back. We looked at John 14 where Jesus prepares the disciples for his leaving by speaking of his Father’s house. I’m excited to see what my room looks like, are you?!?  Raoul came and lead us in some worship and the kids were definitely awake now. Raoul gets the blood pumping! We ended the morning coming together to the Lord’s table. It is such a privilege and joy to come together to the table. It shows the kids that we are equals, equally sinful and equally needing the saving grace of Christ. So sweet to share with these brothers and sisters in Christ. Earlier in the week, Erin had taught the group an American worship song that we have been singing together, so we ended with that song and with a blessing. All that is left is lunch. We spent some time taking photos before. We got the full camp picture and sent everyone to go sit as teams. I was about to head in when one of the girls stopped me. This gal and I have been joking throughout the week because we share the same Ugandan name, Mirembe which means peace. She came and spoke quietly to me. She said that she has been going to church with her mom for years, but she had never chosen to follow Christ for herself. She said that today she was to make that choice. AMEN!!! Thank you Jesus! I asked her a few questions and then we prayed together. So sweet!  I just grabbed her and hugged her and said welcome! Today you have crossed from death to life!! As we finished another girl came and Mirembe said she too wants to make the same decision. Man!! God you are so good!! Many in ministry go years not knowing what fruit will bear, but He has blessed me to welcome 2 new sisters into the kingdom. I asked her a few questions as well and then we prayed together. Please rejoice with me, Mirembe and Grace were lost, but now they are found!!  Linda was there with us and both of us were teary eyed and excited!! I told them that I want to be here when they are baptized and they asked me to do it when I return. That will be my first baptism. Crazy!! Here just a day and a half ago, I was feeling like these kids weren’t understanding, they were just playing and that’s it and today The Lord let me lead these two to His throne. Our God is so GOOD!!! We headed into lunch together after many hugs!!

Such a sweet ending to a busy week!! I was able to present both of them with new bibles as well as one of the staff from HELP international. Thank you so much for your prayers for this week!! I know God will continue to work in these kids. We finished lunch and when the bus arrived, we walked the kids out. There were many hugs and some tears. The 7 kids from the other school remained and played as we waited for their ride.  They asked when they would get to return to camp. We’ll see. These kids are in P7, so they will take their exit exams in November. I said maybe in January we can celebrate their graduating from primary school.  We packed up all of our camp things and all the rest of us left around the same time. We headed back into town to our hotel to rest a bit. Tonight we will go for Chinese food at Ling Lings with Linda and Joseph from CoG and hopefully early to bed.

Our God deserves our praises for all He does!! Please continue to pray for these kids as they head back home. Many of them come from really difficult situations and camp will be a highlight of their lives. Pray that as the face difficult situations that they will turn to Jesus. Pray also that they will teach others what they have learned. Our mission is to change students so they will be change makers in their own families and villages. This is our hope!! Thank you!! We love you!!