Friday, July 22nd Bumps on the Dusty Road

It is impossible to adequately describe for you what today was like for us.  It’s the kind of thing that has to be experienced to truly be understood.  But I’ll give it a go…

The bags were all claimed, customs cleared, and vehicles loaded at 4:00 in the dark Ugandan morning.  The team was weary from traveling by plane for so many hours, but we couldn’t wait to be in Mbale.  We traversed the hard, bumpy roads of Uganda for a several hours, some in the dark of night.  Some of these bumps in our path made the ride mildly unpleasant, and some were frankly, downright intimate in their violence, the kind of rattling that would knock your fillings loose from your teeth.  But we pressed on, and finally arrived in Mbale at 11:11am.

When we pulled into the driveway of the church, the people of Ebenezer welcomed us with children singing and adults cheering and hugging us all.  I will not forget the mob that swarmed Bro Warren when he stepped off the bus.  After a brief time outside, we moved into the church tent and the children sang several more songs of thanksgiving and praise to God.  We introduced ourselves, met the children that we sponsor, and played games with all of them. The children were enamored with our youngest team members, and it was awesome to see how they jumped right into games, dancing lessons, and follow the leader.  The children loved our phones and cameras and wanted to see our pictures and videos as we filmed them, which sometimes made it difficult to even take a picture.

The women of the church worked so hard to prepare a meal for us and for the children.  When it was time to eat, the children lined up for a plate.  Some of our team was in the kitchen washing dishes.  Melissa and I stood at the window to serve the food.  One by one the children came, and the line never seemed to get any shorter.  There were several children left to feed when the gut-wrenching news came from behind the counter, there was no more.  That was it, that was all the food there was for the children.  No more for today.  The looks on their sweet hungry little faces was more than I could take.  I scooped up the shattered pieces of my heart out of the dirt, hid a quiet spot on the porch and cried.  These precious babies.  I was pleading with the Lord, Oh God, what can we do?   His answer came loud and clear.  We love them and do as much as we can while we are with them.  And when we return home, we find sponsors for ALL of these precious children that are still in need.

I am so grateful for this time to spend with the two children that my family sponsors.  Today was so much fun, learning about their little personalities, seeing their eyes light up at our attention and affection, and talking with the adults about them.  One of our children is Ian.  He is 5 years old.  He hardly spoke a word to me today, but we took a walk together around the tent where he lives and I told him about my family at home.  He loved to look at a picture of Ryan and was excited to know they are about the same age.  He wanted to hold my hand all afternoon.  The feeling was mutual.

When I first met 2 year old Blessing, our other sponsor child, I wasn’t sure if she approved of me, I was all-smiles but she was not.  She did let me hold her, and after a minute or two, I felt her tiny frame relax into mine, still in silence.  Blessing was asleep.  Shortly thereafter, one of the women took her from me back to the tent to finish her nap.  When she woke up, she was back in my arms, and did not want to share me with the other children.  I told her that I kept her picture up in my house, so we would remember to pray for her.  I told her that I prayed that God would show her just how special she is, just how much He loves her, we love her.  We are family now.

Today our eyes were opened and our hearts broken for the pain and suffering here.  But there is also so much joy!  We truly stand amazed at how the presence of the Holy Spirit gives the people of Ebenezer Baptist Church light, hope, joy, and love overflowing.  We are so grateful to know them and to serve with them this week.  The Lord has equipped us for all the bumps on the dusty dark roads of life, back home and here in Uganda.  I praise God for this moment we’ve been given to encourage one another along our journeys.

Sherri