Apwoyo! (Pronounced "Ah-foy-yo," means "Hello" in Acholi)
I haven't been writing on here much lately, so I thought I'd share what I'm up to these days :D
I'm getting married!!!
Richard Kakanyero, the love of my life, and I are tying the knot in August in the US, and we cannot wait! We are so psyched!
This season is a challenging one because God has removed me from a lot of the ministry I was doing so that I can prepare mentally, emotionally and physically for our upcoming wedding, married life and ministry when we return to Gulu.
He has me learning a lot about self-sacrifice and being willing to do the mundane tasks of life in Africa (washing dishes, laundry, cooking etc) and not always looking for the adventurous ministry opportunity. I am learning that my family needs to be my first priority and major ministry before I can do any ministry outside the home. This is such a good thing for me!
There is a precious large white missionary family that moved into the big house on my compound, and they are a total God-send. They are the Riegers, and they have 7 children (6 are here in Uganda). They have come to teach marriage and parenting classes, and I am blessed to benefit from their many years of experience! They have adopted me as a daughter in their home and family, just like Mama and Baba did in the previous season of my life :D All I can say is Thank you Jesus!
My next-door neighbors, Will and Etta are also still a big part of Richard and my life as they are doing premarital counseling with us... so helpful to see our blindspots!
Another great thing about this season is that Richard and I are getting to spend a lot of time together:) We have submitted his visa and will be traveling to go to his visa interview in the next couple weeks. Pray for favor! We hope to be receiving the money for our plane tickets (God will provide) and flying mid-May after Richard gets his visa. If you'd like to help us get to America, you can donate through Paypal by clicking the button in the right-hand column.
So that's what's new! I'd love to hear from you when you have a free moment:0)
Grace and Peace from our Father
Friday, April 13, 2012
Trip to Sudan
So I had to make a trip out of the country recently in order to purchase another visa to remain in Uganda. I wanted to make it as quick of a trip as possible (due to lack of funds), so I took a bus to the Sudanese border.
Oh, was it an adventure...
First, the bus got stuck behind a semi that fell into a hole and was immovable off the road. Several men had to dig out the side of the road with pick axes which took an hour or so. I got out of the bus while it was attempting to squeeze by the semi on VERY slippery muddy ground, and I'm so glad I did! I watched in horror with a few other women as the bus hit the semi, slid every which way on the road, even moving horizontally at times and almost tipping over, but it made it through safely somehow, and our journey, albeit delyed... continued.
When we reached immigration at the Ugandan border, I asked an official if he could renew my visa. He had me wait until everyone else went through and then still denied me a visa. Instead he stamped my passport with exit for Uganda and told me to go to the Sudanese border. Which would have been fine, except while I was waiting, the bus left without me unknowingly!
So here I am by myself on the border of Uganda trying to find a way to travel the half hour to Sudan... I called a friend of a friend who works up in Sudan, and praise the Lord he came to pick me up and take me to Sudan! He was definately a God-send because he knows all the officials, and it was very easy from that point on to enter and exit Sudan and come back to the Ugandan border to purchase a new visa.
Mission accomplished after a lot of prayer!
Next task was to get back to Gulu. All the buses had already gone through for the day and no more were coming. I resigned to waiting a couple hours for a taxi to come, but because of the favor of God, one of the officials got me a ride with an NGO truck going to Gulu with three men. This was a divine appointment because once when we were stuck in the road (again!), I got the chance to share the gospel with one of the men and pray over him for the healing of his ulcers! He had no clue what it meant to be "born again" so it was an amazing seed planted! All glory to God.
Also on this trip I was able to show the love of Jesus to a precious Muslim couple who owned a restaurant at the Ugandan border. The man said he might come to visit my church!
All in all, I knew God had great things planned when my own plans fell apart... isn't that the way He always works? His way are certainly higher than our ways!
Oh, was it an adventure...
First, the bus got stuck behind a semi that fell into a hole and was immovable off the road. Several men had to dig out the side of the road with pick axes which took an hour or so. I got out of the bus while it was attempting to squeeze by the semi on VERY slippery muddy ground, and I'm so glad I did! I watched in horror with a few other women as the bus hit the semi, slid every which way on the road, even moving horizontally at times and almost tipping over, but it made it through safely somehow, and our journey, albeit delyed... continued.
When we reached immigration at the Ugandan border, I asked an official if he could renew my visa. He had me wait until everyone else went through and then still denied me a visa. Instead he stamped my passport with exit for Uganda and told me to go to the Sudanese border. Which would have been fine, except while I was waiting, the bus left without me unknowingly!
So here I am by myself on the border of Uganda trying to find a way to travel the half hour to Sudan... I called a friend of a friend who works up in Sudan, and praise the Lord he came to pick me up and take me to Sudan! He was definately a God-send because he knows all the officials, and it was very easy from that point on to enter and exit Sudan and come back to the Ugandan border to purchase a new visa.
Mission accomplished after a lot of prayer!
Next task was to get back to Gulu. All the buses had already gone through for the day and no more were coming. I resigned to waiting a couple hours for a taxi to come, but because of the favor of God, one of the officials got me a ride with an NGO truck going to Gulu with three men. This was a divine appointment because once when we were stuck in the road (again!), I got the chance to share the gospel with one of the men and pray over him for the healing of his ulcers! He had no clue what it meant to be "born again" so it was an amazing seed planted! All glory to God.
Also on this trip I was able to show the love of Jesus to a precious Muslim couple who owned a restaurant at the Ugandan border. The man said he might come to visit my church!
All in all, I knew God had great things planned when my own plans fell apart... isn't that the way He always works? His way are certainly higher than our ways!
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