And in one month...

…Mom and Dad are here (or at least begin their journey here)! And I am so excited! I don’t think that I’m as home sick as I thought I would be at this point, but man am I looking forward to having them here.

In looking forward to things we are going to do, I think what excites me the most is just knowing that they get to see and experience my life here. For at least this year, this place is my life; these friends; these kids; this job; this ministry; this warm weather (as sad as I will be when it starts snowing at home); and Mom and Dad get to be a part of it.

And I know that with them coming here, they’ll get it. Get the way this place tugs on my heart-strings and has drawn me back. Get the love that has developed for each of our kids at Ekisa, and how easy it is for any number of them to make my day. Get the community I feel here and in it’s own way reminds me of small-town Berryville, which feels like home. But more than anything, get that me being here is not actually about me at all, but is seeking to glorify the Lord and the plans He has laid out for me.

These are all things that I know they have caught glimpses of. They have seen and heard the joy that I feel in being here, have gone through pictures that barely scratch the surface of these kids’ personalities and beauty, and have joined me in praying and seeking wisdom that this really is where God has called me. Now, in one month, they really get to be here. I am so excited, and ask for prayers for safe travels for them, the calming of anxieties, and for the building of excitement in travelling half-way around the world to see their favorite oldest daughter:)

Meet Gideon

This past month has blown by. So much so that I’m not going to even try to update everything, other than saying that life here is good. I love my community – have gotten involved in a Bible study, as well as a mentor relationship, have made great friends, and in church we are going through 1 John, which I love! Spiritually I feel more and more drawn out of my comfort zone, but forced all the more to rely fully and completely on the Lord – which ultimately is a blessing and an answer to prayers. 

We got to celebrate with Jason as he went to live with his family, and throw him a leaving party, as they all left Jinja to move back to Mbale, about three hours away where his aunt is from. Very bittersweet emotions in saying goodbye, but in also seeing him go home to his family. Something we would love for all of our kids. 

Despite these joys of celebrating and saying goodbyes to one of our little loved ones, we were also having to open our arms to embrace one of our community care kids, Gideon.

Photo Credit - Em Worrall

Gideon is six years old, has Sickle Cell Disease, and has been in our community care program for more than a year. He has lived with his uncle and his siblings, however, for the past several months when he has come to Jinja to go to the Sickle Cell clinic for appointments, he has been very sick, malnourished, and has needed blood transfusions two different times. His uncle loves him, but is often unable provide for all of Gideon’s medical and nutritional needs.

When he came in September we had to make the sobering decision for Gideon to stay at Ekisa until he his health stabilizes. Within the first week he was with us he had to be admitted into the hospital for a blood transfusion and malaria treatment, and the next week he was in Sickle Cell crisis. I hate Sickle Cell. It’s awful and breaks your heart to hear the cries of pain that you can’t do anything about.

But then coming out of it we got to see the smiles, giggles, and joy that truly embody Gideon. He has such a high pitch little voice, and a smile that beams across his face, as he says “hi auntie” when I walk into the room. Oh, you just want to squeeze him:) We had about two weeks of this, before Friday night when he started crying and complaining of pain. He was back in crisis.

I wish I could tell you more about Gideon, as I’m sure his little boy would grab a hold of your heart as quickly as he did mine. But for now, please pray for Gideon. He had to go back to the hospital yesterday due to his crisis, as well as further treatment for a strain of resistant malaria. And last night he had to be taken to Kampala for more advanced medical attention.

Please pray for healing for him; comfort for his pain; wisdom for the doctors; that the number of children born with Sickle Cell would drastically drop; and the Lord would raise a doctor to develop a cure/treatment. We pray to a big God, with whom miraculous things can happen. I don’t put these prayers past him. I ask that you join with me in boldly praying.
 
- Auntie B

"Jesus replied, 'Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.'" - Matthew 11:4-5