He continues to be faithful

This week has been really great :) It has been great getting settled in and I really am starting to feel like I have a place here. We have a bit more of a schedule laid out with school and day-to-day activities, which being my type-A self, I'm really enjoying. Getting up in the morning for school, we have a lesson/activities from 9-10:30ish, snack and outdoor time, then another lesson for some of the older ones usually focusing on literacy or numeracy, then it's lunch time, nap, and then a gross motor or multisensory type activity for everyone afterwards. Our earlier lesson is focused on either fine motor, daily living skills, or science. On Wednesday we focused on brushing our teeth (which was really cute with some of the kids), and one of our activities was painting with old toothbrushes. Once they dried, I cut them into the alphabet, laminated them and then we strung them across one of the walls in the living room - kind of like decorating my classroom, right? It looks really cute though and I'll try to get a picture up soon. Also, a fun note, for those of you who would share in my excitement about this, I'm starting PECS with two kids here who are nonverbal in hopes to get them a sort of communication system. I'm super pumped about this and I guess we'll see how it goes:) Their names are Mweru and Fiona, so you  could definitely be praying for them and me as we begin this!

Wednesday night we had Bible study and it was great. Now here's to a little more about how I have been processing things about being here..I have in the past, and still do I know, struggle with comparison and feelings of inadequacy. These definitely resurfaced heading to Bible study just thinking of the people who were going to be there (not that I really know any of them except for the Ekisa girls) but thinking of the missionary community that is here in Jinja, most of the people being in their mid to late 20s who have given up so much to be here long term or even indefinitely. I was really caught up in questioning if me being here for three months was sufficient, or how people viewed me coming in for a short time. The lesson though was so great and God really wiped away doubts I had, but also had me check the motives of why I am here. 

We read 2 Corinthians 3 - go read it, it's pretty powerful! Paul first talks about how we, as Christians, are God's recommendation letter for the world. I read that and think, "yes, makes sense, for He wants to use us to bring the good news to the world" but when I really think about it, do I realize what that means!? God wants to use me and my life as a witness to others about His love, His life, and His sacrifice. This is a slightly daunting thought. But God seems to know that too, because He then uses Paul to say that we are able to have confidence because He knows that by ourselves we are not competent in anything nor can claim anything for ourselves, but our competence is solely from God. Whereas this is so comforting, it also makes me think a lot about how I never aim to be just competent and how often in life we, especially as Americans, we do not strive to be just competent but want to go above and beyond in everything we do - but how humbling to think that we are made to be competent in Christ, and Christ alone, and without Him we are not. Verse 5 also speaks to me in thinking how often I "claim" things to my own accord instead of giving them back to God. And a big example of this is being here in Africa. This circles me back around and gets me a little off my tangent, but how I have had to check my heart for being here. I know that this is where God wants me but I also struggle in not feeling prideful in what I am doing, as hard as that is to admit. I continue to pray that this trip is forever about God, not about me, and ultimately that He may be more and I may be less, for it is truly all about his glory that I am here. 

I really feel I have learned a lot this week and am so thankful to be here. On a super fun note, here's a story about our kids:) Every night before bed, after baths, the older kids come to the living room to hang out for about an hour or so, and either watch a movie on a laptop, play music, read a story, color, or really anything else, and Thursday night was music! We have a couple of drums and lets just say that we have a couple of kids who have great rhythm! Some of the boys were playing, most were singing along to African songs with the Mammas, and everyone's dancing to some capacity. Then about halfway through a song, this little guy Jason stopped everyone, announced he wanted a new song, thought for a second, and broke out (drum included) to "If You're Happy and You Know It" and sure enough everyone joined in! It was so stinkin' cute and just about made my week:) I do pretty much love it here!

Also, Sam, our little guy with sickle cell came home yesterday from the hospital. It was such answer to prayer that he was able to come home, but he is still going to have to have another surgery because he has a bone that is dead in his foot which is where the infection was/is. If I knew more medical terms I would explain more, but my understanding is very limited:) But everyone here is so excited that he is home! Literally yesterday when the van pulled up, all of the kids were screaming and running around saying "Sam is home, Sam is home!" There really is such a family here and I truly am blessed to be a part of it! However, despite all the excitement with him coming home, Emily and Emily are really worried about covering the costs of all the medical bills, as well as all the other expenses that have been accumulating elsewhere, such as paying the Mammas, food for the kids, and other medicines for other kids. Whereas I don't really want this blog to be a billboard, I would love to ask that you prayerfully consider supporting them at www.ekisa.org. While raising support to come here, I was blessed to have raised a good several hundred dollars over what I thought my budget to be, and that will be going towards these costs as well. I have been so blessed by the support, both monetary and encouragement, of so many of those around me, and know that God will continue to provide and make happen! But please also put Ekisa on your prayer list as well that the money will come in soon:)

You all are great! Thanks so much for your continued prayers and encouragement! It literally means the world to me!!