15 August 2010


I got up this morning to the power being off again and it had been off since the middle of the night and it stayed off until almost 4. Since there was no power I spent the day reading and studying GOD’S word and here are some verses that HE reviled to me during my power outage today.

“CALLED BY GOD FOR A PURPOSE”

Jeremiah 29:11

I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.

Ephesians 3:20

With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.

Philippians 2:3-4

When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.

Matthew 16:24-27

Then Jesus said to his followers, "If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me. Those who want to save their lives will give up true life, and those who give up their lives for me will have true life. It is worthless to have the whole world if they lose their souls. They could never pay enough to buy back their souls. The Son of Man will come again with his Father's glory and with his angels. At that time, he will reward them for what they have done.

John 15:12-13

"This is my command: Love each other as I have loved you. The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.

GOD has a way of using us for HIS good no matter what our personal motivations are. GOD works within out heart to reveal what our true calling is. We just have to be willing & faithful for HIM to work through us for HIS TRUE PURPOSE to done and this will make a difference in the lives of those around us and HE WILL RECEIVE THE HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.

It was good to have some alone time with GOD and some much needed rest. Then I went out to see my dear neighbor Lois, I have not see her since Thurs since I was in the village Friday and she was gone most of the day yesterday. I took her some of the green beans and potatoes I had fixed yesterday. We had a good chat, she caught me up on the things at the babies home and then she asked me how my trip the village went so of course I had to tell her all about Betty and she Praise GOD with me that she had improved and was going to get help. We talked a good well longer and then I played in the yard with one her little girls (the other is visiting family) so Sophia and I played ball awhile before I had to go in to get dinner started.

14 August 2010

Today I was home all day looking after a sick roommate who has strep throat so I stayed home and typed and cooked. I fixed fresh green beans and potatoes, cooked carrots and baked a HAM ( from the states). My roommate asked me was it thanksgiving I told her no it was just a gift from home. So this week I have enjoyed several wonderful foods from home like mac & cheese, a chicken sandwich and several other things. THANKS so much for loving me.


I did a lot of thinking today about my 5 months here in Uganda. Here is what I have learned:

My name is Muzungu or “Auntie Tracey” and even sometimes Mama.

“I go where?” I go to Jinja Uganda East Africa or Amani Baby Cottage

“To do what?” to serve GOD and to care for HIS children whether they are at the orphanage, street boys or out in a village.

I am here because GOD called me here and I will stay and serve HIM here as long as HE wants me here. HE brought me here to Serve HIS CHILDREN and to love them like no one else can. And if nothing else happens while I am here I know HE SENT ME HERE FOR BETTY.

I PRAISE GOD FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE IN THESE 5 MONTH AND I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HE DOES NEXT.


13 August 2010

I got up early to get ready to go out to the village to see my “Sweet Betty”, to be honest I can not wait to see her and to see if Renee can help her. Renee & Shana pick me up first then we picked up Teresha and her team and head out. We got there to find a lot of people waiting but Betty was not there yet. Teresha had asked me to give another GOD slot this morning but when we arrived there was a political person there giving a speech. So I went inside the clinic and started getting meds ready to give out.

Then when he was finally done Emma came to get me and said it was my turn. Emma is my translator and so he and I told the story of “the Prodigal Son’ or “the Lost son” and then I told them that the father in the story is just like how GOD is with us HE is waiting with HIS open arms for us to return to HIM and how like this father gave the fatted calf, GOD gave the ultimate sacrifice HE gave His only SON for our sins.

Just as I started back in Teresha and Renee were starting out because Betty was her and they were going out to see her. So I continued to count pills and get packets ready then Emma came back to the clinic to tell me I did a good job and to thanked me for telling that story because it had been a very long time since he had heard that story and that it was so good to hear again.

Teresha returned and said that Renee was going to come back Monday to pick up Betty and take her to “SERVING HIS CHILDREN“. That is if Mr. Opio the local probation officer okays it. (We are PRAYING that it happens). Words can not express just how grateful I am and I praise GOD for her getting this chance to get better. I know she has a long way to go but I also know that I serve a GOD of miracles and that HE is the great physician. I had to go out and see her for myself and oh I my eyes could not believe it and I wanted to shout for joy because she has already improved so much from last month. She is not the same little girl I met 3 months ago.

As most of you know I met this dear child in June when I made my first trip out with “Spring of Hope” out to rural areas of Kayunga, Mukono districts in Wabwoko where they do their clinical services. I had already heard about this 14 year old child which Moses the Occupational therapist for “Spring of Hope” had met just a few days before. Betty is a 14 year old little girl who suffers from very bad malnutrition, Cerebral malaria and cerebral palsy just to start with.

I first noticed Betty in her mother’s arms and was not until later that I saw her fragile bony little arms and legs. She stole my heart right away but she was so bad that I thought she would ever make it until the next month we I came out again and I also never thought that her mom would actually use the money I gave her to feed Betty. But PRAISE GOD she did and there has an improvement last month when I came out in July.

I’m so thankful that GOD put all of this together and that Betty is going to get the much needed care she needs. I also found out yesterday that her mom is in the hospital in a coma and that her dad is not around because he has 7 wives so her sister brought her to the clinic today. I was talking to Renee about her and she said she can’t believe that she is 14 and has made it this long as frail, and malnourished as she is. I told her that one of my boys (my nephew) back home that just turned 14 this week and that I am very thankful and Praise GOD that Will is so health and happy and apart of such wonderful and loving family.

I sit there and just loved on this dear child and held her little hands and she held on to my finger and smile at me as I talked to her about her going to Auntie Renee’s next week. I told her I would come and check on her and take her swimming and for milk shake real soon. I praise GOD that this child is going to have a fighting chance and that her family will be taught how to feed her and care for her.

Moses poked me while I was holding her and asked me was I happy. I told him YES and he asked me could I see the difference in her over the last 3 month. I told him YES that she was not the same child that I first met and that she had really improved. He said even her color has gotten so much better.

Then I went back in hand continued to count out meds and hand them out. We saw over 125 kids today from 10 to 4 and to GOD BE THE GLORY. Emma, Charles and Moses all told me well done and thanked me for my long day of hard work

We waited and waited for our matatu (taxi) to show up. As we sit there waiting I was telling Moses again just how excited I was about Betty’s improvement over the last 2 months and how I could not wait to see how she does in this feeding program and how she will do with some physical therapy. I told him that I was truly afraid that first month that I met Betty that she was not going to be alive when I came back out last month. But she was and she had improved last month and now she is even more improved than ever before. I praise GOD for that and for the help she and her family are about to get.

Moses told me he too did not think that she was going to make it either at first, he thought he was about to lose another child to malnutrition. He thank me for being willing to help and the asked me was still going to be around for awhile and I told yes good. He said GOD has really used here and not just with Betty. He told me that you have also made a difference in the life other girl you started helping in June the 15 year old that was sleeping out on the street. She is no long out on the street being raped, she is back with her grandmother and on meds because you are willing to support her every month. He said I know GOD still wants to use you here. I PRAISE GOD for the differences HE is making here.

Then as we continued to wait for our matatu we were sitting on the ground behind our registration tent and I notice some children from the village getting braver and braver by getting closer and closer to me and saying muzungu, hey muzungu so I smiled at them and waved. I started taking pictures of them and asking them did they want to see and then they realized not only could I take pictures but I could video them. They would say muzunga I sing for you or muzunga I dance for you so I would record them and show them what they did. They loved it and this entertainment continued for over an hour.

It was just after 6 when our matatu finally showed up and it was a long ride home. They made dozens stops to pick people up and drop off. At one point this 14 passenger van had 21 and a chicken plus a lot of other things. So it makes for along bumpy ride. When we finally arrived in Jinja (Home Sweet Home) Teresha and I walked into town to get something to eat and on the way there she turned to me and said “you really do like kids don’t you” and I said “yes, I love them”, she said “I know you really do because I saw that today.”

12 Aug 2010

Today I made my first trip out to Masese 1 to see Renee’s feeding program and to talked to her about getting “Sweet Betty” in to her malnutrition program. The drive on the back of a boda was breath taking on side and heartbreaking on the other. It was a 20 or so minute drive, one side you see beautiful lake Victoria and one the other this poor village and its dear people.

I got to Renee’s to find the kids already lining up for the feeding program. You see she feeds kids every Tues and Thurs at 1:00. They come with their bowls in hand to receive a scoop of rice, a scoop of beans and a piece of fruit. They start lining up a couple hours before and wait until Charles opens the gates and “Auntie Renee” greets them. Then they form a line and follow her around to the back of the house once that line reach from the back of the house to the gate they start a second line. Once the second line is formed the bless their food and the giving out of rice, beans and fruit begins.

It was amazing to see this what Renee and her friend Shana are doing with for these dear children and to get to be a small part of it today. As Renee scoop rice and Shana scoop beans I gave out an orange to each child and there were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of children. We started just after 1 and served until almost 3. About 2:30 or so we here down to our last group of children or so we thought when they came to tell us that there were about 20 more at the gate so Renee told them to let them in and we looked at each other and said that was more like a hundred and twenty instead.

Praise God they were all feed. We gave out 4 BIG POTS of RICE & BEANS and a ORANGE to every child. I saw so many children blessed to day by “Serving His Children” ministry today. There were little kids no more than 4 or 5 years old carrying little ones on their backs to get fed.

But this is only part of what Renee and her ministry does the other part is they take in the really malnutrition and works to make them well. And that was the other reason I had came today was to see about getting my “Sweet Betty” into her program and to see if she could help her. I met some of the other kids that she is currently working with like two sets of twins.

Renee and Shana are going to go out to Betty’s village with us tomorrow to see if there is anything that can be done to help her to improve. I can’t wait for her to met this precious child. It was truly an amazing couple hours I spent with this great ministry and I look forward to working with them again really soon.
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PLEASE PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went by Danyne’s to drop off one of her daughters to her that she left with me at the babies home and to have coffee. When I walked in she told me you know you better not say something if you did not real mean. I looked at her really strange because I was not sure what you mean so she reminded me. Last Friday she and I were standing in the yard at the babies home talking when this little girl that I became very close to me over the last 5 months walked by, she said something about the little girl and told her that I thought a lot of this child and that I had even been bringing her a snack a couple afternoons a week.

I said she has gotten to where she comes asking if I am around or in the office and how she has stolen my heart. I then said to her I would take this child in a heartbeat if she did not belong to someone else and it was not until then that I found out that she is actually being fostered by the mama that has her.

Now I am finding out since that conversation last Friday the foster mom has been reported (for what I don’t know) and this child may end up being removed depending on what the probation office decides on Monday. Please pray about this with me as to what GOD would have done. Because I know no matter how much I care for this child I can not take her if it is not GOD’S WILL for me too. Realistically how can I even think about it I have no job, no income, no home, no insurance just to name a few. All I could give her is LOVE and show GOD’S LOVE. Please pray that she would find the FOREVER GOD wants her to have.

11 August 2010

I went this afternoon to teach my street boys only to find out that Jonathan my interpreter was not there again this week for me to be able to teach the boys. Last week he was gone to take a sick child to the hospital but this week I don’t know where he was.

Last week I brought them a video slide show of all the pictures and videos I have taken of them since I began coming to see them. They were so excited to see themselves on a television screen and to hear themselves sing and quote their bible verses. They thanked me over and over for their gift. This week I took them some of the notebooks that Jane, Kristie and Julie had sent me this week. And they hugged and thanked me again.

I may not have been able to teach them these last two weeks but I was able to share the love of Christ with them. And give them things they needed because of my friends in Tunnel Hill. Thank you for all you do for me and these children.

I returned to the office to find Mama Agatha and Mama Susan in a deep Ugandan conversation. Then Mama Agatha asked me how my teaching went and I told her that my interpreter was not there again. They both told me sorry and begin talking in Ugandan again and then Mama Susan asked me was I reaping here and Agatha just smiled. I told her I did not know if I was reaping here but I thought that I had done some sowing here or at least I hoped I had. Mama Agatha smiled said you are reaped in just look at "your girl" and the other children who come to find you and smile when you take them in your arms or talk to them, look at these boys you go to see each week and the kids in the village you go out to visit and work with. Look at Betty and the other teenage you have help and there are a lot of other things too. So Mama Susan looked at me said you are reaping but you just may not know it and no one else may not realize it until you are gone; you don‘t really no what an impact you make somewhere until you are going and not there to do anymore.

10 August 2010

Today is going to be another one of those hard days I got up at 3:00 after not going to bed unto 12 to see one of the girls staying with me off. She was leaving to go to South Africa. Then I went into the office to work on the books and to get ready to say good bye to my dear Grace; who I have go to know and love these least 3 months. I am going to hate to see her go and to say good bye, she does not want to leave but she must return to the states to finish her last year of school. I know God has BIG plans for this young lady.

Today was also sad because it was my Mickey’s birthday and I really not being there to take her out like I have for so many years. But GOD gave me a blessing instead the FEDEX man came to day to bless me with three boxes from home from my dear friends Jane, Julie and Kristie and their dear families. It was truly like Christmas for me. Before I even got home with them I had given two family notebooks for their children to start school with. And I share some of my other goodies it was things they had never had before like pudding and jello just to name a few. I can’t tell you just what these little things mean to them and me. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

9 August

I went in early to worked hard in the office and was there until after 6. Then I went to the Keep with all the long term volunteers and Grace to have her going away meal before she leaves tomorrow. It seems that is all I do here is say “GOOD BYE”.

Today was also very hard because it was my niece Megan’s 8th birthday and my dad‘s 59th birthday as well. I did call them and as I was talking to her and her little sister Aly. Aly told me that they were celebrating Megan’s birthday and getting ready for her party this weekend. Then in this sweet little voice she says “YOU CAN COME” “YOU CAN COME” aunt Tracey “YOU CAN COME“. Her mom tried to explain to her that I am in Africa and I can’t just come like I use too. I have to tell you it was hard not say baby I will get a plane ticket and be on the next plane out come just like you said.

There are several more birthdays this week and month that I am missing out on like Joann’s, Connor, Bella, Grayson‘s, Hallie’s, Kooper’s, Ansley’s and Shelby’s just to name a few. And all of these are going to be really, really hard for me to miss.


7 August

August is going to be very hard for me because I am missing out on all a lot of birthdays of my babies back home and a very special friend. Today is Will’s (my one and only nephew as he use to tell me) he is 14 today it is so hard being this far away from him and all of the others. It is also hard knowing I am missing out on so many things going on in their lives and getting to be there to give them that something especial from their Auntie & to spoil them rotten.

I did do something special today and that was take the kids on a boat ride. I was so excited that I got to take my little girl on her very first boat ride and got to hold her and love on her for a couple hours. I got to show her monkeys, birds, and a couple big monitor lizard. It was wonderful seeing it all through her eyes and being able to take her on her first boat ride. I thought to myself how could anyone have abandoned this precious child? And left her at a gate like she was garbage. I look into those BIG brown eyes and my heartaches for her.