Week 11 + 12

Hello Friends!

I forgot to blog last week. Oops. So here's a double dose of my life this week:

My friend Katie made this amazing video to reflect my last three months in Uganda. It's so cool that Katie is able to use her gifts to bless others. She blesses me on a daily basis. Check out this video- it's for you!

http://vimeo.com/92328677#at=0

Easter week with my community of friends was fun and meaningful. On Tuesday I attended a Seder dinner, hosted by some friends. The Seder dinner is a part of the Passover celebration. As believers in Jesus as the Messiah, we celebrate the Seder dinner in recognition of what Jesus did and revealed at his last Passover, before giving himself over as a sacrifice for us. It was a really cool time of learning and reflection. A few days later I watched the film The Passion of the Christ with the same group. It was so cool to watch the scenes of Jesus with His disciples at the last supper, understanding the meaning and significance with each tradition fulfilled, each word spoken. The Jews celebrate their deliverance from slavery, waiting in anticipation for their Messiah to come. As believers, we know that the Rescuer has already come, delivering us from the slavery of sin. On Easter Sunday we had a large barbecue after church, complete with good food, an egg hunt for the kids, and a little tossing around of the volleyball. After that, I had a time of worship and prayer with four other girls my age. It was a really special time. All in all, a wonderful Easter.

My kids were busy with exams last week and are now on their school holidays. Since I wasn't with my kids at the school this week, I tagged along with others to see their work in Mbale. I went with Callie to check out her work with the moms. They meet each day to work on jewelry and other things to sell to create an income for themselves. I made a sweet little friend name Marian, and one of the moms showed me how to roll paper beads. Turns out, I'm not very good at it. 

I went with some friends who volunteer for an organization called Jenga to a project they help out with a couple of times a week called CRO (Child Restoration Outreach). One morning a week is spent simply playing with street kids; kicking around a soccer ball, playing games, and messing about on the playground. Another day each week they join the kids for a time of worship. I had so much fun loving on these kids in the simplest ways. It's easy to love God's children when you ask Him to give you eyes to see them the way He sees them. You take one look at them and your heart swells up with so much compassion that you can't help but scoop them up and hold them to you as if you'll never let go. As I ask God for more compassion for His kids, I'm beginning to see them as if they were like my little brothers and sisters back home. Because really, when you think about it, if God is all our dad, then these munchkins that surround me really are my little brothers and sisters. And good gracious, do I love them. 

We've continued to have worship nights at our house each week and they've been going wonderfully. This week we sang a few songs (led on guitar by my lovely friend, Bex), heard a quick word from my friend Katie, and then practiced listening to God. We were each given a number that corresponded to a person in the room. We prayed and asked God to give us a word of encouragement for that person, not knowing who they are. It can be a sentence, a scripture, or even a picture that God wants to us to relay to one another. Each person wrote down what God spoke to them, then gave it to their person when the names were revealed. It was a really great time of prayer and encouragement.

Joe and Bex, our awesome band 

To finish off the week, some friends held a Batman marathon at their house. If you know me very well at all, you'll know that nothing in the world could possibly make me happier.

Em