Feb 20th - It's been a day from....heaven?

So, last week's email made you think everything that happens here is amazing, wonderful and full of God's life. Let me share just the last 2 day's "situations" and you can see the first 2 don't always happen, but the 3rd can always be true!

• As I was walking back to my house after sharing at devotions with the staff, a woman was walking quickly the same direction. She got far ahead of me and started yelling. As I got closer, I saw an 8- or 9-year-old child, the object of this woman's ranting. The little girl was obviously scared, and her mom (I guess) jerked the school books out of her hands and threw them on the ground, then began hitting the girl repeatedly in the head, slapping and punching her. Many people walked by as this was happening, and one woman even yelled something apparently in support of the mother, as they both laughed and the mother continued the beating. Culturally, I could do nothing. And, culturally, it's okay for this mother to behave this way. But, for me, I headed into my house and cried and prayed for the little girl. (Can't pray for the mom yet...but I'm sure I will get there at some point.)
• Had to meet with the Criminal Investigator for Budaka District this morning regarding my being in the country. There was no telling what this was about. This is a "secret" police force that, according to him, works with the US embassy and the Ugandan government to keep nefarious US visitors out of Uganda. (He didn't use the word "nefarious," by the way.) He wanted to see my passport and visa...noticed that the passport number on the visa is different than the actual passport number. I explained that his embassy in the States is the one that wrote it there. He had me fill in a form (with ink lines drawn on in not-so-straight rows) with my name, the country I am from (I wrote USA and he said, "but, what country?") Now he wants a record of every visitor that has been here with Cornerstone, and from now on a list and passport numbers for every visitor that will come. It's amazing - I've been here over 2 years and suddenly I am suspicious. Every person in Budaka knows where I live - I was the only white person for the first year, and now there are 3 of us - should be fairly obvious, I think. They know my comings and goings. It's very hard to be discreet when your skin shines in the dark of night! (BTW - we gave him a "tip" and everything was suddenly fine with my being here.)
• Yesterday at church, a woman came to get saved. The woman who told her about Jesus (her name is Rose) got saved just 2 weeks ago! So cool. She also brought her baby, who is 3 months old. His head is unnaturally large and she said it's been growing this way for about 2 months. So we prayed for him, and I thought, if this boy was in the States, his doctor would have noticed at the very beginning and there would have been medical intervention. For this woman, her husband has kicked her out of their home with the baby because he is "obviously" possessed by demons who are making his head grow so abnormally. We are waiting for a miracle - please pray with us! 
• Rose's situation - she is in her mid-20s and married a man near 60, arranged by her family. This man beats her every day. The last time, she woke up in the hospital. She had run from him, he caught up and continued beating her and some friends found her unconscious and took her to the hospital. So, she is now living in a separate house, but he is threatening her daily. 
• We went to get on a matatu (mini-van taxi) to come to Mbale today, and a piece of metal was sticking out on the inside as went to my seat and it tore the back of my skirt (good thing it was thick denim - or it would have torn my skin too!). So, I had to go back to the house and change - about 1/2 hour time waster! 
• Our 2 cooks got in a big fight yesterday (we only heard today) and it ended with Cephas throwing water on the fire that Rachael was cooking over so she had to start over, delaying the kids' dinner. Now, who are the children here???
• There are days that are so overwhelming emotionally here - the woman who has been kicked out of her house because her baby son has a tumor, the young girl being beaten by her mother, Rose being beaten every day by her husband, corruption in the government that affects me and therefore Cornerstone, immature staff, transportation that is anything but efficient, etc., etc.

So I wanted you to know that not everything is cheery and wonderful...but God is good and He is continuing to work and touch peoples' lives. Thanks for listening...oh, and I've sent you 2 pictures from yesterday of all our boys and girls (except Brenda 1, who has malaria and was in bed). When I play with these kids, talk with them and listen to their many stories, I am encouraged again to go on, regardless of the emotional cost.

Thank you so much for praying for me, for these kids, for the church and the school. We continue to believe God to do great things in Budaka. God bless you all! Thank you for continuing to support the work financially. Without you, we could not do what we are doing!!

Sitting with him in my overwhelmedness...
Laurie