what. a. week.

Well I have completed one full week at Suubi in the process being able to work at each of the different areas in the home; babies, special needs, small toddlers and big toddlers. Quite the experience in each one of them to say the least. I’m positive every single day I write in my journal that, ‘this has been the most exhausting day yet.’ My least favorite would be the big toddlers, not just for their persistent energy but just that age in general. Some people are gifted and have the ability in them to serve these kids amazingly. I do not. Simply put. : )

I would rather spend my hours in the baby or small toddler room. For each section in the home comes the specific nannies that are skilled to work with the specific age group they are with. Special needs, like the other areas, require a whole lot of patience and a huge/tough heart. The stories are hard and can touch your heart in a deep place you maybe didn’t even know existed. You must be willing and ready to accept that progress may not be seen for a long time. Growth is gradual.

This is funny how these words come about ‘growth is gradual’. The last of my few devotions in January were all about how growth is gradual, guaranteed and gracious. I see this in my own life as well. Babies and kids take a long time to grow and develop. They make a lot of mistakes before they finally mature in an area. Being here with toddlers, I’ve noticed kids fall. And when they fall, they fall hard. Usually right onto their butts, a few tears and then they get up and a few seconds later, they generally fall again. But eventually, despite all the falling, the tears and the oh-so-hard work - soon they are walking. Unsteady at first but then gradually stronger.

It’s a process.

I see this oddly similar to my spiritual life. Which technically shouldn’t just be a life category, (social life, spiritual life, emotional life) but our whole lives. But that’s another post :) A person is never quite done growing all the days of this earthly life. It’s a growth where God continues to daily, hourly give you the grace to keep on the race he has created just for you. Your growth never stops. You may be unsteady at times and fall right on your butt but the key is to keep getting back up, persevere and learn from why you fell. You’ll never get anywhere if you sit on your butt.

We must never lose the willing spirit to learn.

When you’re willing to trust, growth is gradual, guaranteed and gracious. He will ALWAYS meet you where you are at; whether that is on the floor or running like the wind.

refreshed.

We have moved to Suubi and I absolutely love it! God definitely helped changed my heart from not wanting come to Suubi at all to being eager to move! And would you look at that. In God’s perfect timing I already LOVE it here and cannot wait to spend a few more weeks here. It feels good to settle in and unpack the suitcase!

We start work Monday morning again, I’m excited to get back to it after hearing the kids screams and giggles underneath us for a day or two now. Our apartment is right above the babies home.

Suubi is a children’s village under Watoto and also has a babies home. It is almost in the middle of nowhere, but that is okay. It is tranquil, serene and calm, especially in the morning and evenings. The view is spectacular. Absolutely stunning. This is from my porch.

Since the power has a tendency to go out often and Internet is costly, I find myself spending much time reading books or my Bible. Yesterday I read so much I felt like my eyes were going to pop out. But what an encouragement it is to spend lots of time in God’s word.

 The good thing is that it gets dark early and we are usually tired from watching our beautiful children all day, so we go to bed uber early. It’s great to feel rested when you wake up in the morning! Praise Jesus for new days!

my thoughts.

I have no words that are adequate to properly explain to the world what this country is like. Only pictures in my mind that are too real. All too real. Pictures that form a memory that create the events that shape a time in my life when I once was living in Africa. To pick an event or story to share with you from less than two weeks of being here is hard. I feel as though I have gone through many emotions and many happenings already!

 Basically it all comes down to…

LOVE

LOVE is…
the reason we live. (called)
the reason we hope. (Jesus)
the reason we believe. (faith)
the reason we breathe. (grace)
the reason we persevere. (trust)
God.

When you are put into a situation where all you have to depend on is God, you cling. You cling to the hope you have and that is what is different between countries. There are countries that realize their dependence on the Holy Spirit for life and then there are countries that miss the Holy Spirit. Quite frankly the majority of North Americans are so incredibly blessed that often we miss what is right before us.  We miss the Holy Spirit. Our God who desires to move, to bless, to transform lives is aching for us to trust Him.

Culture can successfully deceive us that we have any actual need.

But only if we choose to let it.

It says, ‘You are self-sufficient’ ‘You are adequate on your own strength.’  We miss that we have a desperate need of reliance and we are in need of strength from God. Why are we content with attempting to be adequate in the eyes of others, but the God of universe we so often forget to be concerned with? His opinion, His plan is the only one that matters. We serve a big God who is ready and willing to carry out an extraordinary plan, through us ordinary sinful creatures if we love and trust Him.

His ways are above my ways and the extraordinary plan isn’t promised to be easy, but to receive eternal life and a relentlessly forgiving love? Sounds worth trusting to me.

When all you have is God, when you realize all you need is Jesus, then He becomes center and Lord over all. And that is the difference between countries. 

Countries that have become blinded by the blessings and countries that have learned to receive the blessings with gratitude.

Let us not become blind with privilege.