Blessings.....

Wednesday, Oct 16, 2013

As the sun has set and the moon appears suspended in the clear night sky, I can’t believe tomorrow is our last full day, here in Uganda. Returning to the guest home after a full day of activities, we were able to relax, sharing snacks and beverages with Eddie and Mark (our Ugandan friends).  The last activity of the day involved visiting the young baby that many of you may know as “Whitney” from our trip 7 months ago.  “Whitney’s” story is explained further back in the blog. You need to know that he has been taken in by a amazing Congolese refugee family, living here in Uganda and has been renamed “Blessing”.  

Indeed, this child is a blessing and we were blessed today to see Blessing.  The last we saw him, he was clinging to life, weighing roughly 11 lbs, suffering from severe malnutrition and abuse.  The child was literally starving to death.

Today we were able to meet his new family.  Francois and Sarah are fostering Blessing and desire to adopt him.  As we were approaching, we were greeted at the dirt path leading to their home, with a man looking to be in his 50’s, displaying one of the biggest, brightest, joy-filled smiles I have ever experienced.  His wife and son, Blessing, awaited our arrival on their porch. My eyes had a difficult time convincing my brain, that this plump, bright-eyed, toddler, with 2 shiny new teeth, was the same child we found in Bweya!  

It was easy to see the love Francois & Sarah have for this precious baby boy.  Treva, you will be happy to know we took LOTS of pics and we look forward to sharing them with you!  I wish everyone in the US could see first-hand, the miracle of child sponsorship.  It literally saves lives!

Having adopted children ourselves, it was a unique bond Debbie and I share with this family...the indescribable love for a child that is birthed out of one’s heart versus the womb.  

It was especially emotional for Debbie as she was the one who relentlessly pursued the tragic injustice, daily encountered, by Blessing.  Debbie slowed down on that particular Sunday, yielding to the quiet whispers of our God...and what a humbling experience.  Her 

pausing yielded life.  I pray we all are sensitive to His whispers to yield. 

"Whitney"/Blessing in March 2013

March 2013

The pictures say it all....7 months later. 

While our day may have ended with lil Blessing, our day began with a blessing as well.  This blessing was one ekissa was happy to pass along.  Thanks to the generous blessings of many of you, we were able to contact the local power company, purchase 3 utility poles & wire, to provide electricity from the main road in Bweya, to the church property!  Yes, not only will Bweya Community Church be sharing spiritual light into a dark world, but they will soon be providing physical light!

Pastor Gerald shared with us this week, that the congregation is able to collect a small tithe each week.
While ekissa has provided for the most expensive aspect of having electricity, we are challenging the church to try to raise a portion of the remaining financial needs in having the church wired for the electrical service.   So, it will take another month or two, but the church will soon have electricity!

Life is funny as "kids will be kids", no matter the country! As we sat in our van, we looked out to see a young boy swing a small hand-held broom to hit another child.  The response from the child who was hit with the broom, was to grab a live chicken by the feet, turning this LIVE chicken upside down , and begin swinging & hitting the "broom swinging bully"  with the beak of the chicken!  Did I mention this was a LIVE chicken!!  Sooooo wish we could have captured it on video.  This certainly gave new meaning to, "I've got a bone to pick with you!".  No doubt  that beak-head was screaming "fowel"!  HA!

Well, we're headed to bed as Debbie and I have averaged somewhere between 3-6 hours of sleep each night.  Thank you for praying for us and please continue as Jake leaves tomorrow afternoon and then we leave 24 hours later.

We've had an extremely fruitful trip and again, have been blessed beyond measure by the beautiful people of Uganda.

Sarah