Aug 2nd Update

Hey, Everyone!

It’s a great day so far…I am in Mbale early today as we have a burial to go to today. One of the members of the church, Prossy, has lost her older brother. Prossy is a nurse who has a pharmacy shop here in Budaka. So today we go “deep” (about 30 km from Budaka town) into one of the villages to attend the burial. Here in Uganda, when someone dies, the gathering is a burial, and they actually bury the body (not usually in a casket unless the people are very wealthy). It has to be buried within about 24-36 hours of death as there is no refrigeration. I am sure I will write about it more next week after being there. There are only 2 things I know from Rogers about it: 1) women and men are separated during the time and 2) we take condolence money to give to Prossy. Actually, Rogers told me that many people see burials of relatives as a great money-maker. Hmmm…wonder if someone gets in great debt what they might do…

Natasha, Vanessa, Isaac and Moses are doing very well. Actually, yesterday afternoon Natasha came to talk to me and complained that all the other girls have flowers on their sheets and hers don’t. She wants new sheets – so, I know she is adjusting (and also getting set straight about what is important and not important. LOL)

This Saturday begins our first Saturday School. We have asked everyone at church to bring at least one unsaved child from Budaka to a 10am-12pm Kids’ fun day. We will meet at the orphanage, then go either to the church facility (if there are less than 50 kids) or the Wilta Inn down the street. I have planned games, songs, snacks and a Bible story. Our goal is to reach unchurched kids and families in Budaka. This week’s theme will be Jesus Loves You!. Please be praying with us for our Father to touch children’s hearts with the wonderful news of Jesus and His love for children.

Tomorrow and Wednesday we have scheduled English classes for our staff. Tomorrow I will start with the basics – what nouns, verbs and adjectives are. We will practice using various things around the orphanage as our nouns and having everyone make sentences with verbs I have written on cards. Should be interesting…I’ll let you know.

I am hoping to include a picture of Jessica, whom I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. (The internet is VERY slow today, so you might get this without the picture, in which case I will send it Thursday.) It is amazing the difference in her! The healing began and she was dramatically different in only 4 days, but now even more changed. We also sent her to a skin disease clinic in Jinja and the doctors have given her some medicine that will continue the healing process. Yesterday as we were just about to leave for church an older man came to the house and asked to speak with Rogers and I. Turns out, he is her grandfather who has had only a minimal relationship with God and came to say thank you to us for what “we” have done for his granddaughter. He said he has decided to come to our church because of what our God can do. He is the Local Council 1 chairman in Kabuna, a village near Budaka. That means much influence in that area. Isn’t God amazing???

Yesterday at church, people just kept coming and coming – we soon ran out of chairs. We had to have all the children sit 2 to a chair. We had 48 kids (24, of course are ours from the orphanage) and 55 adults. First time we’ve been that many – don’t know what we will do for space and chairs. We are discussing possibilities at this point. Praise God for these kinds of troubles. God is at work.

Then, after church, one of the young women came back with a young man. Rogers recognized him as one of the boda boda (motorcycle taxi) drivers he sometimes uses. He is Muslim. Yesterday, because of the influence of 2-3 members of the church, as well as things Rogers has said to him, he decided to give his life to Jesus. He came to ask Rogers to help him get saved. Praise the Lord!! God is at work (I know, I’m repeating myself…but I just keep being amazed at what He is doing!)

Okay, so many more stories to tell, but have to keep it at least fairly brief so you will read it. Hope your life is also full of God’s amazing work. Please know that your prayers and money are going to affect much change in the community of Budaka. As Romans 8 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” And, “How will He not also…graciously give us all things?” He is giving all of us, both you and me, His life. Please stop and thank Him for His goodness to us. I love you all…and am glad for our work together.

Laurie