George and her boys
Kels and I with Jamiel and Jane
Beautiful sunset on an island on Lake Victoria
Wow, it has been so long since I have blogged. When I look at my last post and think about all that has happened in between, I get a little anxious, realizing that there is no way on earth I can sum up the past month in a blog post. As I sit in our room, recollecting on my past three months in this place I now call home, it brings me to tears to think of all the ways the Lord has changed my heart and taught me more about His people, His children, and even my own self.
One of my dear best friends wrote me a letter recently and requested that Kelsey and I talk about what a typical day looks like at Ekisa. So here is the low-down of what goes on in this incredible place.
The children wake up around 6:30-7 and the volunteers usually wake up around 8ish. In the mornings we focus on chores that need to be done around the house: helping the mamas with laundry, cleaning out the fridge, doing medical stuff, organize crafts and toys, etc. Lunchtime is around noon and we typically help feed the kiddos that can’t eat by themselves. After lunch is naptime, from 1-3, in which we either hang out and rest at the house or go into town by taking a boda (motorcycle) and eat lunch or do grocery shopping (go to market). After naptime, we have intentional time with the kids. We are assigned a different child each day to spend one-on-one time with to make them feel special. Sometimes in this part of the day we will take a couple kids to town to get a soda and sweetie (candy). They LOVE going into town and wearing their smart clothes for all to see. Also, the boda ride is always a hit. Dinnertime is around 6 and then they bathe and we all hang out in the living room from 7-8, which is always mass chaos but my favorite part of the day. The kids go to bed at 8 and we go around and give them all kisses and usually snuggle a bit. After they are in bed, we make dinner and usually just watch a movie and hang out. Mondays we have worship night and Wednesdays we have Biblestudy with the other young missionaries in Jinja.
That’s kinda the run down of what our typical days look like. This past month there has been so much change. At one point, there were 7 girls living in the volunteer room, and now there are just three. We have had to say “goodbye” to some of our closest friends that share this bond with us, that truly no one else will understand fully like they do. Dynamics change when people leave, and Kelsey and I have been working to adjust to that. While change is uncomfortable, we have to realize that the Lord is causing this uncomfortable season of our time here for such a specific purpose. The past two weeks of our close friends being gone I have learned more about myself and my own heart than I probably ever have in my life. The Lord continues to break me and change me into the woman of God HE wants me to be, not the woman of God I think I am or I think I need to be. I have realized so many areas of my life I thought I had “all together” now laying at the feet of the cross as the Lord has convicted me of my own pride and selfishness. As scary and hard as it is, I continue asking for this brokenness. For in the brokenness, my Jesus is closest and His arms are holding me tightest. One of the things I hoped to learn as I came to Africa is to completely rely on the Lord in each waking moment of my day. I could easily wake up each day and wallow in my self pity and dwell on the brokenness and hurt in my heart, or instead I can bring it to the foot of the cross where I only see the face of my Savior and no longer can see my brokenness anymore. That is where I want to be. Seeing His face each day, each moment instead of dwelling in my own problems that He has already put aside and forgotten about. I am on this earth to bring my loving Savior glory and praise and I cannot do that when I am focusing on my own heart.
Our Dad is SOVEREIGN, POWERFUL, LOVING, PERFECT, COMPASSIONATE, JOYOUS, PATIENT, KIND, SELFLESS, HUMBLE, GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, ALMIGHTY, CREATOR, LOVER OF MY SOUL. The list could go on and on until the end of time. Be encouraged by that today. That even though things in life seem so earth shattering and its seems like things will never be good again, HE IS WORKING and His timing and plan are perfect. He’s got it, so you don’t have to.
-Care
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