Hello from Africa there has been so much here that GOD has allowed me to be a part of since my last email home. I told you in my last email home how I had the chance to work with the street kids and the children's ministry day at Calvary Chapel. While on June 3rd - 6th GOD gave me the opportunity to serve HIM in a very different way, this time with Missionary kids mostly Muzungu. There was around 50 or so missionaries from the IMB where here in Jinja. They were from Jinja, Kampala, Kenya and even the Sudan they were here for a 4 day prayer retreat. While they were here I had the privilege for serving as one of their children volunteers and teaching their children in VBS for those days.
I have to tell that doing VBS here in Africa is very challenging do to limited supplies and things don't always work here, like they do in the states either. I have be truly honest with you I really missed our supply closet at Tunnel Hill, being able to go Wal-Mart or calling the best church secretary around to have her order stuff for me and of course all of you who help with VBS at Tunnel Hill.
How I wish these MK and the children of Africa could see and experience how we do VBS in the states. They could not truly imagine just how VBS is suppose to be done. And you think you are tired after doing VBS from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm each night there in the states you should try doing it here in this heat from 8:30 am until 6:00 pm with only a break for lunch.
God can and does great things even with limited supplies. It was great to see these precious children bond with each other over these few days. And to hear them interact in the story telling. I looked into these precious faces of these dear boys and girls during that week and see future missionaries, Sunday school teachers, preachers and worship leaders. I can not wait to see just how GOD uses each of them as they grow up to be men and women serving HIM. I am very thankful for this chance to be a small part of their lives even if it is just for a few days.
I am also very thankful for all of your prayers during that week. I asked you specifically for a certain little preschooler and I praise GOD that I can report to you that I truly bonded with that precious little boy and I am ever thankful to report to you that your prayers were answered and he never said “THAT WORD” the whole time I had him. Please continue to remember him and his family in your prayers as the face great challenges in the Sudan.
On Sunday I had the chance to not only serve the children but also serve all their parents as well. We had on last meal together before they all headed back to their homes. We went eat at Serge’s for pizza and he were short handed and since he is husband to the owner of the baby cottage I serve at I filled in for him and took drink orders and delivered drinks and pizzas to over 70 people. (GOD will use you in a lot of ways if you are just willing to let HIM).
This week I got a great and wonderful surprise from home it was the care package that the Boyd’s, Smith’s, and all of the McClain’s sent me. It was wonderful to receive this fantastic care package. It made my day and the day of so many others as I shared what was in side.
I have to tell you I never knew how such little things can make someone so happy. You see about 4 weeks ago how Mama Agatha one of the dear Ugandan ladies (she is our Ugandan case worker) asked me if I had brought some extra notebooks with me and I told her no I had not. But I had forgotten that I had asked Julie to send me some so when she came into the office on Monday she asked me was the big box sitting there from the states and I told her yes.
Then I asked her did she remember asking me about an extra notebook and she said yes. I told her that my church family had sent me some and I would give her one. She could not believe that I would share with her what you sent me from the states. So I reached down inside that box to pull out a simple spiral notebook and handed it to her and you would have thought that I had given a million dollars. She hugged me and thanked me over and over so I asked her would one be enough she told me she would make it do. I told her that they had sent me several so I pulled out another one and handed it to her and she hugged and thanked me over and over and told me mama you have truly blessed me with your gift.
Even after being here almost 12 weeks now it still amazes me just how they are so excited over the littlest of things here. That same afternoon I opened a bag a gold fish crackers and shared them with her and several of the other Ugandan ladies here and they had never had anything like that before and to hear and see the excitement when they try these things is totally amazing.
One of the other things in my box that I was very excited about getting was applesauce (which I have been craving but Julie did not know that). On Wednesday I had given Agatha a strawberry granola bar and that got us started on another one of my great conversations about American this one was on farming and canning.
We got to talking about apples and what all can be done with them and I mentioned applesauce. She had never heard of it let alone tried it so I told her that was one of the items in my care package. I told her to hold on of just one minute while I ran up stairs to get something for her. I returned with a cup of applesauce and a spoon. She opened it and ate every last bite she said it was great and thanked me for sharing my American food with her and introducing her to applesauce.
I can not tell you just how much I appreciates all that you have sent me and these dear people. I just want you to know that GOD has used it in ways you can not imagine and for HIS honor and glory alone. So thank you a hundred times over for everything you have done and for all your prayers. I know that this may not seem like big things to you but to these dear ladies it means the world to them and to me that you sent these things. Thank you again for all you have done.
On Wednesday during our ladies bible study we were talking about going to some of the villages and I was telling them I had not been to the village yet here in Uganda and I missed that. Teresha who is the founder of “SPRING of HOPE” ministry said Friday was her clinical and she could really use the help if I wanted to come ago. I told her I would love to and that I would try to get her some other help too.
On Thursday it was truly bitter sweet for me as I moved from the baby’s home in to the owner’s parents house to house sit for the next few months at least. I know I need time away from the baby’s home but I also hated to move because I have been with my roommate Sarah for over 2 ½ months now and hated to leave her and the other volunteers that I had gotten close to. I also don’t know if I will feel safe in a big house by myself when I have lived in a room no bigger than Larry Anderson’s Sunday school class for almost 3 months now with at least 3 to 5 other girls. I moved in with Corky’s wife Dorothy and their daughter Stephanie and 3 of her 7 children. Stephanie has been her 8 months now working on her 3rd adoption here and they will be leaving here just as soon has she gets their visa worked out then I will be alone in this big house.
One of the things that I have done an awful lot of even before I ever left America and arrived in here in Africa is saying good bye, whether it was saying good bye to family and friends back home or to the people here that GOD places in my life for just a short time. I have to tell you that it does never gets any easier no matter who it is or how short a time you have known the person. Thursday night was another one of those nights where we had another one of our good bye dinners and to say our final good byes before someone else left to go back to the states. You know GOD puts people in our lives at just the right season and HIS perfect time so whether it is for a few weeks or for years GOD timing is perfect.
On Friday morning me & my roommate Sarah got up early to meet Teresha Clark of SPRING OF HOPE ministry who is one of the organizations' founders (she has a passion for helping children living with disabilities and epilepsy). We took boda bodas to the taxi park where we got on a van licensed for 14 and ended up with 22. At one point there were 5 people setting in the seat with me on a seat made for 3.
We took the taxi to the this little town were we met Teresha’s team of 3 Ugandan men, Emma (who teaches daily living skills to the children and as the Luganda translator), Charles (records, bookkeeping, organization during the clinic and education), and Moses (an occupational therapist that does a lot of PT and education as well). We all got on another van to drive into the village where there clinic is set up.
We arrived to fined a tent full of people waiting to be seen and waiting for their medication to be given out to them. Teresha had asked me would I be willing to do a GOD slot when we got there. I set under the tent with Charles as he took roll. I started my GOD spot by telling them that in the states we were getting ready to celebrate Father’s Day and I wanted to tell them about a Father that loved them so much that HE gave HIS one and only son for them and that HE would never leave them or forsake them. As I spoke Emma translated for me.
I went in to help count out pills for the clinic for a while. Then I came outside sit with Charles as he took roll. It was then that this little boy came up and grabbed my hand and tried to talk to me as only he could because you see he was deaf. His mother came up and told Charles that he needed to go beck to the deaf school but she had no money to send him. We told her that we would do what we could to send him. She told me as he was trying to communicate with me that he really loved Muzungu. I told her this muzungu loved him too.
I went back in to help count more pills when Moses came in from his nutrition class to tell Teresha that there were two that needed to go to the hospital. He asked what can we do to get them there so she turn to me ( you see on the van ride there she was talking about there need for sponsors so I had told her that GOD had provide some unexpected funds this week from a couple churches back home). Teresha look at me and said you had some extra money with you can you pay to send these kids to the doctor. I told her yes I GOD blessed me with this extra money this week that I was not expecting so yes I will help them. So I gave her the money and Moses asked me to walk back out to his class to met these two mom’s and their children.
It was there in Moses’ nutrition class that I noticed this mom holding this little girl. I am telling you that I have never seen anything like it before, you always hear about starving kids in Africa until you see it with your own eyes you can‘t believe it. This child’s arms and legs are no bigger then a stick. I have never seen anyone so skinny in my life. Moses turned to me and said that this little girl is 14 years old which I could not believe she looked to me be no older than 7 or 8 years old. I have never seen anything so sad as this little girl. She had malaria at 3 months of age, she doesn't talk, has never walked. Moses left me with them while he went in to get Teresha and she came out see this child. She said they needed money to feed this precious child. I gave the mother what they told me to give to feed this child for one month then they explain that they would be checking in on this child weekly to make sure she is improving & that the mother spends the money on milk for her.
I then when back into the clinic to help count out more medication and help out any way they needed. Spring of Hope ministry http://www.springofhope.org.uk/index.html works to provides Phenobarbital (anti-seizure medication) and folic acid (supplement) to 140 children with epilepsy. When we ended our day it was to get back on the van to leave out of that village and we took the little deaf boy that I started my day out with, with us so we could drop him off at one of the deaf schools.
Then we made one last stop and went to check on a 16 year old that they had found lying in the streets on Tuesday having a epileptic seizures. She has a one year old child that her grandmother is raising. She does not live with her grandmother she lives on the porch of a store in the village because of her condition and a mental illness and while she sleeps on that porch men who come and rape her in the dark of night. This is how she gets money to eat. Moses said that she will probably make 200 Ugandan Shillings (about 10 cents) for sleeping with them. We stopped by to check on her and Sarah and I gave the team money to get her medicine and buy her some food. They will continue to check up on her and hope that one day she will be able to go home.
I praise GOD for this opportunity to be a small part of what this great team is trying to do for GOD here in UGANDA and I look forward to serving with them again. Thank you to those who sent me extra money this week so that it come be used for these dear precious children. Thank you for all your prayers for me.
Continue to pray for these dear families who are trying to get home with there children and get all their paper work done. Gwen arrived back in Uganda on Wednesday and went to her visa appointment Friday now it is just wait and see what they ask for next. It was so good to see her and to she her with her babies.
Today is Tuesday and I received another fantastic care package from home this box was from JoAnn, Geneath, Judy, Judy, Missy and Carole. It was great and everyone is jealous of my American snacks. So I have been sharing with my Ugandan buddy’s and the family I am living with at the moment who has been here 8 months. So thank you so, so much for loving me so much and for sending me a care package.
Please remember me in your prayers as I fly to Kenya tomorrow to visit with Martin and the staff of PA for a couple days. Please pray that GOD will use me in Kenya these days. Pray for safe as I will be returning late on Saturday night and traveling through the forest after midnight and that is not always safe. Please continue to pray that GOD will be glorified and that HIS will is done. Please pray as I will be taking on a new roll at the babies home when I return on top of handling all the business there. They have asked me to help Agatha in reuniting the children that we have who have families in Uganda and to help with the home visits. Also pray as I have also been asked to help Teresha in her ministry and an other missionary has asked if I would pray about working with the street kids on a weekly bases. So please pray that GOD’S will is done.
Thank you for all your prayers for me and I miss you all so, so much. It is hard for me to believe that I have been gone three months. I stand amazed at what I have see GOD do in those three months and just what HE has taught me. I do miss being with each of you and being a part of what you are doing. But I know GOD has a mighty plan here and I am very honored to be just a small part of what HE is doing. I can not wait to see what HE does next and where HE leads me from here. I never imagined that I would have ever been a part of the things HE has allowed me to be a part of and oh the lessons HE has taught me.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Let me begin by thanking each of you for all your prayers for me and my dad. I PRAISE GOD that everything went well with his surgery. GOD was truly showed me that HE is in control and also with us in our time of need no matter where we are. HE also gave me two awesome room mates during this time that prayed with me while I was waiting for that phone and several other great volunteers that asked me about him. GOD also showed me that there is nothing more I could have done from the states that I was not already doing in Africa. HE is the one in control not me.
HE also allow me the opportunity to talk to one of my Ugandan mamas while we were waiting, she asked me was I worried about what would happen to my dad and I told her no that no matter what happened my dad would be ok and that GOD was in control. She kind of smiled this funny little smile so I asked her what and she said that the owners two girls had just asked her earlier if she noticed that every time you ask Auntie Tracey something she will said “let’s see what GOD has to say about that or “God is in control and if that is what HE wants me to do then I will.” She said they say you are always bring up GOD or talking to GOD. I told her I hope this was always true of me because I really truly to live my life under HIS control.
I have already had to say a lot of good byes in my 2 1/2 month stay here and one was to a very sweet young lady name Natalie she was one of my roommates that prayed for me during my dad's surgery. She and I had several great talks about what God is doing my life and hers. I just got the following email from her and wanted to share it with you:
THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!! you have been such an encouragement to me!! Through our talks, your prayers for me, and your messages, God has totally used you to bring me encouragement and comfort! The tremendous, unwavering faith that you have in our Lord Jesus is so so inspirational and it really inspires me to be more trusting and faithful in my own walk with God!! Thanks so much for everything Trace!! I cant wait to see and hear about all the God is doing in your life, and how He works during your time in Africa!! i will be praying for you!! Also thanks so much for continually reassuring me that you will always be there for me! It means so much and I appreciate it beyond what words can say!! Your sincerity and love just truly blows my mind!! :) i miss you tons and just want you to know that I too will always be here for you!! please keep me updated on everything going on in your life!! give everyone a big hug and kiss from me!!
God Bless,
Nat
I wanted to share these two advents with you not to brag about what I have done because I have done nothing but to remind you that kids and people pick up on everything you say and do and you may never realize it. This is way it is very important that we live our lives pleasing to GOD because we are truly the only BIBLE some people will ever read. You never know who is watching you or listening to your every word. So please live your life as an example of GOD and HIS great love because you may never know just who you are impacting.
May 22nd was another one of those days to remember and I PRAISE GOD for I have now been here two months and as most of you know on April 6th of this year I had the honor of watching two families from Nashville meet their children for the first time one of those was my friend (thanks to Jon & Stacy Pardee) Gwen Oatsvalle and the other was the Hannah family. Gwen is getting two children a little boy and a little girl and the Hannah’s are getting a little boy.
The Hannah’s have stayed in Uganda since they arrived in April to work through all the red tape and the government run around here. Thanks to the flooding that happened in Nashville they were able to job to the top of the line and receive their visa for their son. This is the first guardianship visa issued in Uganda in over 8 or 9 months now. We are very excited about the fact this was done legally and through all the right channels because so much here in Uganda is done by paying people under the table.
It was amazing to be a part of everything this precious had to go through while they have been here. And to watch them bond with their new son these last 6 weeks. It was also amazing to see GOD’S perfect timing in all of this in the fact that the Hannah’s middle child in the states is graduating from high school on May 30 that they will be home for that. GOD is truly amazing and HE is still in control.
Please keep you prayers coming for these other dear families because we still have 3 families that are trying to get visa appointments and several families that are trying to get court dates. So please keep them in your prayers. Gwen is coming back next week for her visa appointment.
Other day while I was walking to town I saw a Uganda woman who I would say had to be in her 60’s. She was trying to balance a 12 foot log on her head. She was having a hard time get it centered by herself so I stopped and asked her get I help so together we lift it and placed it on her head then I handed her the machete and she thanked me and on her way she went. It truly amazes me what these amazing people can carry on their heads and even on the back of a bicycle or motorcycle.
I know what one of the first things I want to do when I do return to Tunnel Hill is and that is get Hunter & Will to teach me to ride a motorcycle. (Will you PLEASE?)
I walk or foot as they call it here most everywhere I go. And this truly amazes the Ugandans and even the Muzungu. I try to smile and say "Hello, how are you?" to everyone I pass by. Most will smile back and say "fine, how are you?" But there are a lot of street kids that will say "Muzungu, you give me my money." And this is hard to hear coming from a child but I have been told that it is not wise to give them money because they will use it to get high.
These dear people here in Uganda have a hard life but they are also so of the happiest people you will ever meet. Most make no more than 2,000 to 3,000 shillings a day which is $1 to $2 USD a day. Could you make it on that? Could you feed and take care of your family on that? Most of them live in houses no bigger then the men bible study class, most have very little electricity if any and no running water. I try to help when I can with some of the ones I have gotten closest to here by feed them when I can and I have even help with a couples their medical expenses.
We get volunteers from all over the US and Canada here. Since I still do not have not found housing I am still rooming with the volunteers on one of the top bunks in a room that sleeps 4 it is not as big as Larry Anderson's Sunday school class room. There are two bedrooms in the volunteer house one sleeps 6 and the other 4 but we have had up to 6 in my room on several occasions now. Then we also have a room in the back were the office is that will sleep 2. Being together 24/7 you get close to most of them and it is hard to say good bye. I have gotten the oppertunity to share what GOD has done in my life this past year with most of them. We have even had a Grandmother here for the last 2 1/2 weeks with her granddaughter. They where from Alabama their names were Dorothy and Macy. So don't say you are to old to go to Africa to serve GOD.
This past Sat morning I got the opportunity to to help serve at Carvery Chapel and to help with their children's ministry event it was a race for kids 5 and up. I took Macy with me and we were asked to work with the kids who were under 5 years old. We had 60 that were under 5 years of age most were street kids and most of them did not understand any thing this Muzungu said but we played with them and sang to them and I even told bible stories to them for over 4 1/2 hours. One of the songs I sang was "Zaccahaeus was a wee little man" and I had one of the Ugandan ladies there come up to me and ask me to write it down for her so she could teach it to her kids later. These kids loved to rub on my white "Muzungu" skin I told them "that they my see me different then them but GOD see us all the same." Then we watched the older kids race and heard their bible stories. It was a fun event there was over 400 or more children there and they all heard about JESUS.
I walked to town just after I finished with that wonderful event and was picked by some of the ladies I have bible study with on Wednesday mornings. They asked me where I had been and I told them I just been with 60 street kids under the age of 5 for over 4 1/2 hours that did not understand Muzungu. And one of them asked me "And that makes you happy?" I told her yes that makes me very happy that I got to minister to them and love on them.
I went to the post office just after that to receive a very special envelope from the PRE-SCHOOLER of Tunnel Hill 1st Baptist Church and also a card from the Adult Sunday school class. That just made my day. I am still look for my care packages from home they still have not arrived yet but in GOD'S perfecting time they will come just on the right day just like these did. Thank you to all my pre-schooler who drew pictures for me. I love and miss each of you every much. Thank you for all your prayers for me and your love that is what keeps me going.
Please pray for me this week I am still not over this BUG that I have taken and I still in a lot of pain and very tire and week. Pray as I am suppose to be teaching missionary children this week and I still don't have materials together yet. Please pray for me as I love on this pre-schooler that they have warned me about that is know for saying the "F" word. Pray that GOD will give me wisdom with him. Pray for the IMB missionaries that will be at this prayer conference that they will get refreshed and restored themselves. Pray for our Ugandan workers several have malaria and pray for our children several have bad colds. I do have a PRAISE one of our Canadian volunteers received Christ as her savior this week. She is the one I told you about in one of my early letters home, the one who had all the questions for me about my "True Love Waits" ring and everything else. God really started dealing with her this week about what happens to you
when you die. So we are very excited to welcome her into the family and that she now knows that she is HIS forever.
God has done and is still doing some amazing things here and I can't wait to see what is next. Thank you for all your love and prayers for me. I miss each of you every much. I am praying for you and your VBS and for Super Wow, how wish I could be there to help. I look forward to hearing from all of you very soon.
Blessings
Trace
HE also allow me the opportunity to talk to one of my Ugandan mamas while we were waiting, she asked me was I worried about what would happen to my dad and I told her no that no matter what happened my dad would be ok and that GOD was in control. She kind of smiled this funny little smile so I asked her what and she said that the owners two girls had just asked her earlier if she noticed that every time you ask Auntie Tracey something she will said “let’s see what GOD has to say about that or “God is in control and if that is what HE wants me to do then I will.” She said they say you are always bring up GOD or talking to GOD. I told her I hope this was always true of me because I really truly to live my life under HIS control.
I have already had to say a lot of good byes in my 2 1/2 month stay here and one was to a very sweet young lady name Natalie she was one of my roommates that prayed for me during my dad's surgery. She and I had several great talks about what God is doing my life and hers. I just got the following email from her and wanted to share it with you:
THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!! you have been such an encouragement to me!! Through our talks, your prayers for me, and your messages, God has totally used you to bring me encouragement and comfort! The tremendous, unwavering faith that you have in our Lord Jesus is so so inspirational and it really inspires me to be more trusting and faithful in my own walk with God!! Thanks so much for everything Trace!! I cant wait to see and hear about all the God is doing in your life, and how He works during your time in Africa!! i will be praying for you!! Also thanks so much for continually reassuring me that you will always be there for me! It means so much and I appreciate it beyond what words can say!! Your sincerity and love just truly blows my mind!! :) i miss you tons and just want you to know that I too will always be here for you!! please keep me updated on everything going on in your life!! give everyone a big hug and kiss from me!!
God Bless,
Nat
I wanted to share these two advents with you not to brag about what I have done because I have done nothing but to remind you that kids and people pick up on everything you say and do and you may never realize it. This is way it is very important that we live our lives pleasing to GOD because we are truly the only BIBLE some people will ever read. You never know who is watching you or listening to your every word. So please live your life as an example of GOD and HIS great love because you may never know just who you are impacting.
May 22nd was another one of those days to remember and I PRAISE GOD for I have now been here two months and as most of you know on April 6th of this year I had the honor of watching two families from Nashville meet their children for the first time one of those was my friend (thanks to Jon & Stacy Pardee) Gwen Oatsvalle and the other was the Hannah family. Gwen is getting two children a little boy and a little girl and the Hannah’s are getting a little boy.
The Hannah’s have stayed in Uganda since they arrived in April to work through all the red tape and the government run around here. Thanks to the flooding that happened in Nashville they were able to job to the top of the line and receive their visa for their son. This is the first guardianship visa issued in Uganda in over 8 or 9 months now. We are very excited about the fact this was done legally and through all the right channels because so much here in Uganda is done by paying people under the table.
It was amazing to be a part of everything this precious had to go through while they have been here. And to watch them bond with their new son these last 6 weeks. It was also amazing to see GOD’S perfect timing in all of this in the fact that the Hannah’s middle child in the states is graduating from high school on May 30 that they will be home for that. GOD is truly amazing and HE is still in control.
Please keep you prayers coming for these other dear families because we still have 3 families that are trying to get visa appointments and several families that are trying to get court dates. So please keep them in your prayers. Gwen is coming back next week for her visa appointment.
Other day while I was walking to town I saw a Uganda woman who I would say had to be in her 60’s. She was trying to balance a 12 foot log on her head. She was having a hard time get it centered by herself so I stopped and asked her get I help so together we lift it and placed it on her head then I handed her the machete and she thanked me and on her way she went. It truly amazes me what these amazing people can carry on their heads and even on the back of a bicycle or motorcycle.
I know what one of the first things I want to do when I do return to Tunnel Hill is and that is get Hunter & Will to teach me to ride a motorcycle. (Will you PLEASE?)
I walk or foot as they call it here most everywhere I go. And this truly amazes the Ugandans and even the Muzungu. I try to smile and say "Hello, how are you?" to everyone I pass by. Most will smile back and say "fine, how are you?" But there are a lot of street kids that will say "Muzungu, you give me my money." And this is hard to hear coming from a child but I have been told that it is not wise to give them money because they will use it to get high.
These dear people here in Uganda have a hard life but they are also so of the happiest people you will ever meet. Most make no more than 2,000 to 3,000 shillings a day which is $1 to $2 USD a day. Could you make it on that? Could you feed and take care of your family on that? Most of them live in houses no bigger then the men bible study class, most have very little electricity if any and no running water. I try to help when I can with some of the ones I have gotten closest to here by feed them when I can and I have even help with a couples their medical expenses.
We get volunteers from all over the US and Canada here. Since I still do not have not found housing I am still rooming with the volunteers on one of the top bunks in a room that sleeps 4 it is not as big as Larry Anderson's Sunday school class room. There are two bedrooms in the volunteer house one sleeps 6 and the other 4 but we have had up to 6 in my room on several occasions now. Then we also have a room in the back were the office is that will sleep 2. Being together 24/7 you get close to most of them and it is hard to say good bye. I have gotten the oppertunity to share what GOD has done in my life this past year with most of them. We have even had a Grandmother here for the last 2 1/2 weeks with her granddaughter. They where from Alabama their names were Dorothy and Macy. So don't say you are to old to go to Africa to serve GOD.
This past Sat morning I got the opportunity to to help serve at Carvery Chapel and to help with their children's ministry event it was a race for kids 5 and up. I took Macy with me and we were asked to work with the kids who were under 5 years old. We had 60 that were under 5 years of age most were street kids and most of them did not understand any thing this Muzungu said but we played with them and sang to them and I even told bible stories to them for over 4 1/2 hours. One of the songs I sang was "Zaccahaeus was a wee little man" and I had one of the Ugandan ladies there come up to me and ask me to write it down for her so she could teach it to her kids later. These kids loved to rub on my white "Muzungu" skin I told them "that they my see me different then them but GOD see us all the same." Then we watched the older kids race and heard their bible stories. It was a fun event there was over 400 or more children there and they all heard about JESUS.
I walked to town just after I finished with that wonderful event and was picked by some of the ladies I have bible study with on Wednesday mornings. They asked me where I had been and I told them I just been with 60 street kids under the age of 5 for over 4 1/2 hours that did not understand Muzungu. And one of them asked me "And that makes you happy?" I told her yes that makes me very happy that I got to minister to them and love on them.
I went to the post office just after that to receive a very special envelope from the PRE-SCHOOLER of Tunnel Hill 1st Baptist Church and also a card from the Adult Sunday school class. That just made my day. I am still look for my care packages from home they still have not arrived yet but in GOD'S perfecting time they will come just on the right day just like these did. Thank you to all my pre-schooler who drew pictures for me. I love and miss each of you every much. Thank you for all your prayers for me and your love that is what keeps me going.
Please pray for me this week I am still not over this BUG that I have taken and I still in a lot of pain and very tire and week. Pray as I am suppose to be teaching missionary children this week and I still don't have materials together yet. Please pray for me as I love on this pre-schooler that they have warned me about that is know for saying the "F" word. Pray that GOD will give me wisdom with him. Pray for the IMB missionaries that will be at this prayer conference that they will get refreshed and restored themselves. Pray for our Ugandan workers several have malaria and pray for our children several have bad colds. I do have a PRAISE one of our Canadian volunteers received Christ as her savior this week. She is the one I told you about in one of my early letters home, the one who had all the questions for me about my "True Love Waits" ring and everything else. God really started dealing with her this week about what happens to you
when you die. So we are very excited to welcome her into the family and that she now knows that she is HIS forever.
God has done and is still doing some amazing things here and I can't wait to see what is next. Thank you for all your love and prayers for me. I miss each of you every much. I am praying for you and your VBS and for Super Wow, how wish I could be there to help. I look forward to hearing from all of you very soon.
Blessings
Trace
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Hello from Africa: I am sorry that it has been some days now since I have talked to some of you or emailed. We have a lot of long power outage and then our internet has been out since Friday afternoon which meets no way to contact you. I have to confess to you that I am still very spoiled and dependent on being able to talking to all of you at home. And now that our service has been down I have been lost, going through withdrawal and at times feeling completely alone and out a touch with the outside world since I can not email or talk to all of you back home and it makes for long nights since I still am not sleeping. I have even going into town a couple times now to use the internet there but with the 7 hour time difference that is hard to do because when it is safe for me to go into town most for you are still in the bed.
I know I have whined a lot in most of my emails home about things here and to be honest with you for the most part I truly am BIG whiney baby but that is not the real reason why I tell you all things that happen here. The real reason I tell you all of these things because I just want you to see just gleams of what I see on a daily base here but more importantly then that I want you know just how GOOD GOD HAS BEEN TO YOU and just how blessed you really are in the states. If you could only see what I have seen.
Even though I see all this great poverty around me every single day there is still great beauty all around me too like Bujagali Falls and Lake Victoria “the source of the NILE” but to get to these beautiful breathe taking place you still have to drive though some of the poorest parts of this town. It makes you really see just how blessed we are in the states (yes I know we have poverty in the states but it still does not compare to what these 3rd world counties have to go through).
Here is just one of the things I see on a daily bases I see kids and sometimes even adults digging through trash piles and dumpsters to find food. But even as hard as that is for me to see with your own eyes I truly believe that harder for me is hearing other “Christians” who keep telling me that I will get use to all this poverty around me and to also see them also take advantage of these people. Here is one example of what I mean by this: where I am at the “Baby’s Cottage” is a good 15 to 20 min walk into town or you can take a Bota Bota ( a motorcycle) the driver will ask you for a 1000 shillings which is 50 cents in the states and I pay this willingly. But I have been told that I am over paying and I should never pay more than 500 shillings 25 cents for a ride. Back home I pay what people ask and not even think twice about it and I even leave a tip in most cases so why should I treat these people any different than I do back home. Just like the boat ride I took Monday we paid 50,000 shilling all together which is $25 for a 2 hour ride and in the states I would have paid way more than that per person. And I could give many, many more examples of this. But why would we treat this people any different then the people back home and how can you ever say you will get use to all this poverty around you.
God has shown me and taught me so much since I have been here, I will never look at things through the same rose colored glasses anymore. I came into this look for something totally different than what I wound up here to do and no I have to honestly tell you it has not been easy for me and it probably never will be because I take too much to heart, I let too much get to me and I get every emotional about everything but as Tyson likes to say that is just the way GOD wired me and you know what I would not change that for nothing because that’s what makes me, me. And no this will never be Tunnel Hill but for now this is where GOD has placed me to serve HIM and so I have to learn to except it as home for now until HE is ready to move me again or to bring me back to all of you.
GOD has a reason for sending me here and I just have to keep trusting in HIM because HE will see it through and HE will keep Providing for me and HE will keep Protecting me. I saw that again Sunday on our walk to church. I was a head of the other girls when just as I went to make my next step I saw out of the corner of my eye a snake coming out of the grass about a foot in front of me so I just stopped and told the others to do the same while it when a cross the street just in front of us. It was about 2 feet long and a dark shade of green. So yes I see GOD’S protection all around me each and everyday. I also know that in HIS time HE will provide the perfect place for me to live and HE will put me right where HE wants me to serve HIM.
If I have learned anything so far on this trip to Africa IT IS NOT ABOUT ME BUT IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD, Corinthians 3:18 says “But all of us who are Christians ….. Reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord.” One of my favorite writers puts it this way “The goal should not be about our own glory. In fact, trying to make life “all about us” pushes happiness further out of reach. Be this is hard to even think about because we live in a “ME CENTERED WORLD”. We are very mistaken if we think the universe revolves around us because it does not BUT IT DOES REVOLE AROUND JESUS CHRIST. He should be our one true focus and nothing else. So I need to raise each and everyday focused on GOD asking what HE would have me to do to serve HIM today.
My first focus should be serving GOD (but that is not always the case because I still can and do get focused on myself) and my second focus should be serving this 59 babies He has placed in my care. We received two new babies today. It was a set of twin girls about 3 weeks old, their mother only got to care for them for a week before she took malaria and died and their father can not take care of them so they are with us.They are so tiny, so fridge but they will truly be loved and cared for here.
In REV. 3:7b-8 it says, "What he (God) opens no one cane shut, and what he (GOD) shuts no one can open. I know your deeds, See, I (GOD) have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I (GOD) know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
He also tells us in John 15:18-20, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
So GOD has brought me here for a reason and I may never see or understand the fruits of my labor here but HE does and HE will get the HONOR and GLORY for it. All HE asks is that I serve HIM and that I is my one true goal in life to serve HIM each and everyday of my life.
An one more thing that GOD has showed me since I have been here is sometime HE has to take us from the people and things that we love the most in order to for us to come FACE TO FACE with HIM. HE has to take us out of our comfort zone sometimes to get our full attention and to help us get back on track to what our real focus in life should be HIM.
Thank you again for all the prayers, love and encouragement. I miss each of you more than I ever dreamed possible. Please pray for this dear precious babies that GOD has placed in my life. Continue to pray for housing and sleep. Pray that I will serve HIM with everything that I have in me and that HE will is done in my life.
I truly am BLESSED to have been chosen by GOD to serve HIM here. I will continue to stand in the gap for these dear precious babies until they can get a “FOREVER FAMILY”.
I know I have whined a lot in most of my emails home about things here and to be honest with you for the most part I truly am BIG whiney baby but that is not the real reason why I tell you all things that happen here. The real reason I tell you all of these things because I just want you to see just gleams of what I see on a daily base here but more importantly then that I want you know just how GOOD GOD HAS BEEN TO YOU and just how blessed you really are in the states. If you could only see what I have seen.
Even though I see all this great poverty around me every single day there is still great beauty all around me too like Bujagali Falls and Lake Victoria “the source of the NILE” but to get to these beautiful breathe taking place you still have to drive though some of the poorest parts of this town. It makes you really see just how blessed we are in the states (yes I know we have poverty in the states but it still does not compare to what these 3rd world counties have to go through).
Here is just one of the things I see on a daily bases I see kids and sometimes even adults digging through trash piles and dumpsters to find food. But even as hard as that is for me to see with your own eyes I truly believe that harder for me is hearing other “Christians” who keep telling me that I will get use to all this poverty around me and to also see them also take advantage of these people. Here is one example of what I mean by this: where I am at the “Baby’s Cottage” is a good 15 to 20 min walk into town or you can take a Bota Bota ( a motorcycle) the driver will ask you for a 1000 shillings which is 50 cents in the states and I pay this willingly. But I have been told that I am over paying and I should never pay more than 500 shillings 25 cents for a ride. Back home I pay what people ask and not even think twice about it and I even leave a tip in most cases so why should I treat these people any different than I do back home. Just like the boat ride I took Monday we paid 50,000 shilling all together which is $25 for a 2 hour ride and in the states I would have paid way more than that per person. And I could give many, many more examples of this. But why would we treat this people any different then the people back home and how can you ever say you will get use to all this poverty around you.
God has shown me and taught me so much since I have been here, I will never look at things through the same rose colored glasses anymore. I came into this look for something totally different than what I wound up here to do and no I have to honestly tell you it has not been easy for me and it probably never will be because I take too much to heart, I let too much get to me and I get every emotional about everything but as Tyson likes to say that is just the way GOD wired me and you know what I would not change that for nothing because that’s what makes me, me. And no this will never be Tunnel Hill but for now this is where GOD has placed me to serve HIM and so I have to learn to except it as home for now until HE is ready to move me again or to bring me back to all of you.
GOD has a reason for sending me here and I just have to keep trusting in HIM because HE will see it through and HE will keep Providing for me and HE will keep Protecting me. I saw that again Sunday on our walk to church. I was a head of the other girls when just as I went to make my next step I saw out of the corner of my eye a snake coming out of the grass about a foot in front of me so I just stopped and told the others to do the same while it when a cross the street just in front of us. It was about 2 feet long and a dark shade of green. So yes I see GOD’S protection all around me each and everyday. I also know that in HIS time HE will provide the perfect place for me to live and HE will put me right where HE wants me to serve HIM.
If I have learned anything so far on this trip to Africa IT IS NOT ABOUT ME BUT IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD, Corinthians 3:18 says “But all of us who are Christians ….. Reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord.” One of my favorite writers puts it this way “The goal should not be about our own glory. In fact, trying to make life “all about us” pushes happiness further out of reach. Be this is hard to even think about because we live in a “ME CENTERED WORLD”. We are very mistaken if we think the universe revolves around us because it does not BUT IT DOES REVOLE AROUND JESUS CHRIST. He should be our one true focus and nothing else. So I need to raise each and everyday focused on GOD asking what HE would have me to do to serve HIM today.
My first focus should be serving GOD (but that is not always the case because I still can and do get focused on myself) and my second focus should be serving this 59 babies He has placed in my care. We received two new babies today. It was a set of twin girls about 3 weeks old, their mother only got to care for them for a week before she took malaria and died and their father can not take care of them so they are with us.They are so tiny, so fridge but they will truly be loved and cared for here.
In REV. 3:7b-8 it says, "What he (God) opens no one cane shut, and what he (GOD) shuts no one can open. I know your deeds, See, I (GOD) have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I (GOD) know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
He also tells us in John 15:18-20, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
So GOD has brought me here for a reason and I may never see or understand the fruits of my labor here but HE does and HE will get the HONOR and GLORY for it. All HE asks is that I serve HIM and that I is my one true goal in life to serve HIM each and everyday of my life.
An one more thing that GOD has showed me since I have been here is sometime HE has to take us from the people and things that we love the most in order to for us to come FACE TO FACE with HIM. HE has to take us out of our comfort zone sometimes to get our full attention and to help us get back on track to what our real focus in life should be HIM.
Thank you again for all the prayers, love and encouragement. I miss each of you more than I ever dreamed possible. Please pray for this dear precious babies that GOD has placed in my life. Continue to pray for housing and sleep. Pray that I will serve HIM with everything that I have in me and that HE will is done in my life.
I truly am BLESSED to have been chosen by GOD to serve HIM here. I will continue to stand in the gap for these dear precious babies until they can get a “FOREVER FAMILY”.
Subject: news from uganda
4/9/2010
Hello to all from Jinja Uganda, I pray all is well with all of you and miss all of you very much. Today makes my 17th day here in Jinja and 19 days since I left all of you in Tunnel Hill. I am still trying it all in and figure out just what my roll is here even though I am officially suppose to be the administrator here at Amani. I have already learned that I that my duties change on a daily bases so if the director sends word for me to be at her house to keep her kids for the day then that is my job that day or if there is a sick child to be held then that’s what I do or if they need help hanging out the laundry then that’s where I will be or if it is work to be done in the office then I will do it. I know GOD has chosen me to serve HIM here for a reason and I may never fully know or understand what that reason is but for now I will serve HIM here how I am to serve HIM here doing what ever He has for me to do.
This week I learned just how little this country takes stock in a child’s life. We received a new little girl this week we think she may be 2 ½ or 3 years old but we are not sure, we don’t even know her name, she had been left just out in the street like you would leave trash. She is very scared and unsure of her new home much like I was and still am at times here.
I was in my office yesterday by myself trying to figure out some of the things I am suppose to be doing in my new job when one of the other volunteers come by with her in their arms crying and very scared. So I reached out to take in my arms and I sit down with her at my decks and asked her did she want to stay with me for a little while. Sitting there rocking the terrified little girl in my arms and started sing to her the song that I sing to Henry P and Larkin Lou back home in the states ( I know I am not the greatest singer but you know what that did not matter) it quieted her down and she lay on my chest until time for lunch. I after here nap I went and held here out on the front lawn while the other kids played.
You what I have been where she is and I know just how she feels being in this strange place, scared, unsure who or what you can trusted, all alone with out friends of family to pick up, love you and tell you things are going to be ok and that you are going to be alright and you are going to make it here. I know exactly how this child feels and what she is facing right now. And I have to praise God that I could fill that gap for this little girl even if it just a few minutes a day.
I have to tell you that I also experienced that helpless feeling that most of you as parents have gone through when you have a sick child and there is not a lot you can do but pray.
One of my smallest babies as an ear infection and she did not want to eat. So I called the hand mama to get her some medicine and all I could do is pray, hold her, love her & sing to her. I would do anything to take the pain away from this precious little baby. You just feel so helpless that they have to go through any of this especially when they are this little.
So no I still don’t know what my really role is here and I may never truly know why God has chosen to use someone like me here but for now it is to serve this precious babies and people however GOD wants me to. Whether that be through hanging out laundry, holding a scared or sick child or even doing the books I will do it all to bring HONOR and GLORY to GOD. Because I here to serve GOD and HIS children no matter how hard it my be.
God is still teaching me a lot of life lessons here each and everyday. HE has also showed me that there a lot of things that I would never understand like throwing a precious child out like trash. HE has and is showing me everyday that HE is where my strength comes from and where my rest comes from each and everyday (especially since I still don’t sleep). HE is where my protection come from each and every day. Several of the girls in the room across from me have bad staff infections and the two rooming with me have had stomach viruses this week. And the lady teaching me in the office has just came down with malaria. They also killed another snake here this week. I even took a really bad fall this week out of a van and hit the ground really hard but GOD has and is still protecting me everyday.
Another lesson I learned this week was how not to order fish. I went to eat with a group of people on Monday night and ordered fish & chips which I have ordered several times now but I did not know at this particular restaurant that had to tell them that I only wanted a fillet and not the whole fish so when my supper came out it was still looking at me.
I thought I had handled it pretty good but everyone with me said the look on my face was priceless.
This is definitely not the fairytale life I would have always dreamed I would be living, you know the one I am talking about with a wonderful husband who is better than Prince Charming and 2 or 3 perfect children in a big house with a big yard. Instead there is 57 crying babies, dippers to change, babies to be fed and laundry to be done 24/7 it never ends here. You sleep on bunk beds, you share a house and showers with 9 other women besides the mamas and babies. There are always power outages at all hours for any length of time, all the dirt & red mud then there’s the no water when you least expect. And of course there’s all the critters you deal with snakes, lizards, spiders, mosquitoes and so much more. No this is not the fairytale life that all of you or even I would have dream about but one thing I know for sure is the life God planed for me for now anyway and it is a very rewarding just the same. (And whose to say HE won’t give me the other
life someday too.) But right now HE blessed me with 57 children to be “Auntie” to and my reward is seeing the smiles on their little faces and in knowing that I can show them GOD’S great love for each them, each and everyday that I am here and that I can fill that gap in their lives until they get a “FOREVER FAMILY“. And I also have the privilege of worker along side this dear Ugandan women. No I may never truly see the impact I made while I am here or even in the states for that matter and I will never know if I truly made a difference in anyone’s life but that’s ok because it is not about me anyway it is all about GOD and HIM being the one to receive the HONOR AND GLORY for everything that happens and not me.
For you see I am just a Muzungu (white person) who doesn't know where she truly belongs or what her real role in life is but I am willing to serve HIM wherever and however HE wants me. But I still honestly have to tell you that if it were not for all of your prayers, emails, facebook chats, and skype calls I would have truly given up by now and came home already because even as rewarding as this is it is also very draining physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. And there is still a lot of red flags here and things here that have my heart very sadden and trouble. Even to the point of question GOD as to why things like this have to happen to precious babies and why send someone like me, what can I do that is going to make any difference here. But I know one thing for sure GOD had a reason and a plan for me to be here and I have to stick it out no matter just how hard it gets. So thank you for staying up with me and chatting during the all the
many nights that I don't sleep. Please continue to pray for me that sleep will come and the children here would all get FOREVER FAMILIES. Please KEEP praying that I would find a save, cheap and close house here to live. Pray that GOD'S WILL, will be done in my life and that I will give him the HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.
I miss each of you very much and love you more than you will have know. THANK YOU again for everything you have and are doing for me. Blessing to you all and you are all in my prayers.
In Christ
Tracey
Hello to all from Jinja Uganda, I pray all is well with all of you and miss all of you very much. Today makes my 17th day here in Jinja and 19 days since I left all of you in Tunnel Hill. I am still trying it all in and figure out just what my roll is here even though I am officially suppose to be the administrator here at Amani. I have already learned that I that my duties change on a daily bases so if the director sends word for me to be at her house to keep her kids for the day then that is my job that day or if there is a sick child to be held then that’s what I do or if they need help hanging out the laundry then that’s where I will be or if it is work to be done in the office then I will do it. I know GOD has chosen me to serve HIM here for a reason and I may never fully know or understand what that reason is but for now I will serve HIM here how I am to serve HIM here doing what ever He has for me to do.
This week I learned just how little this country takes stock in a child’s life. We received a new little girl this week we think she may be 2 ½ or 3 years old but we are not sure, we don’t even know her name, she had been left just out in the street like you would leave trash. She is very scared and unsure of her new home much like I was and still am at times here.
I was in my office yesterday by myself trying to figure out some of the things I am suppose to be doing in my new job when one of the other volunteers come by with her in their arms crying and very scared. So I reached out to take in my arms and I sit down with her at my decks and asked her did she want to stay with me for a little while. Sitting there rocking the terrified little girl in my arms and started sing to her the song that I sing to Henry P and Larkin Lou back home in the states ( I know I am not the greatest singer but you know what that did not matter) it quieted her down and she lay on my chest until time for lunch. I after here nap I went and held here out on the front lawn while the other kids played.
You what I have been where she is and I know just how she feels being in this strange place, scared, unsure who or what you can trusted, all alone with out friends of family to pick up, love you and tell you things are going to be ok and that you are going to be alright and you are going to make it here. I know exactly how this child feels and what she is facing right now. And I have to praise God that I could fill that gap for this little girl even if it just a few minutes a day.
I have to tell you that I also experienced that helpless feeling that most of you as parents have gone through when you have a sick child and there is not a lot you can do but pray.
One of my smallest babies as an ear infection and she did not want to eat. So I called the hand mama to get her some medicine and all I could do is pray, hold her, love her & sing to her. I would do anything to take the pain away from this precious little baby. You just feel so helpless that they have to go through any of this especially when they are this little.
So no I still don’t know what my really role is here and I may never truly know why God has chosen to use someone like me here but for now it is to serve this precious babies and people however GOD wants me to. Whether that be through hanging out laundry, holding a scared or sick child or even doing the books I will do it all to bring HONOR and GLORY to GOD. Because I here to serve GOD and HIS children no matter how hard it my be.
God is still teaching me a lot of life lessons here each and everyday. HE has also showed me that there a lot of things that I would never understand like throwing a precious child out like trash. HE has and is showing me everyday that HE is where my strength comes from and where my rest comes from each and everyday (especially since I still don’t sleep). HE is where my protection come from each and every day. Several of the girls in the room across from me have bad staff infections and the two rooming with me have had stomach viruses this week. And the lady teaching me in the office has just came down with malaria. They also killed another snake here this week. I even took a really bad fall this week out of a van and hit the ground really hard but GOD has and is still protecting me everyday.
Another lesson I learned this week was how not to order fish. I went to eat with a group of people on Monday night and ordered fish & chips which I have ordered several times now but I did not know at this particular restaurant that had to tell them that I only wanted a fillet and not the whole fish so when my supper came out it was still looking at me.
I thought I had handled it pretty good but everyone with me said the look on my face was priceless.
This is definitely not the fairytale life I would have always dreamed I would be living, you know the one I am talking about with a wonderful husband who is better than Prince Charming and 2 or 3 perfect children in a big house with a big yard. Instead there is 57 crying babies, dippers to change, babies to be fed and laundry to be done 24/7 it never ends here. You sleep on bunk beds, you share a house and showers with 9 other women besides the mamas and babies. There are always power outages at all hours for any length of time, all the dirt & red mud then there’s the no water when you least expect. And of course there’s all the critters you deal with snakes, lizards, spiders, mosquitoes and so much more. No this is not the fairytale life that all of you or even I would have dream about but one thing I know for sure is the life God planed for me for now anyway and it is a very rewarding just the same. (And whose to say HE won’t give me the other
life someday too.) But right now HE blessed me with 57 children to be “Auntie” to and my reward is seeing the smiles on their little faces and in knowing that I can show them GOD’S great love for each them, each and everyday that I am here and that I can fill that gap in their lives until they get a “FOREVER FAMILY“. And I also have the privilege of worker along side this dear Ugandan women. No I may never truly see the impact I made while I am here or even in the states for that matter and I will never know if I truly made a difference in anyone’s life but that’s ok because it is not about me anyway it is all about GOD and HIM being the one to receive the HONOR AND GLORY for everything that happens and not me.
For you see I am just a Muzungu (white person) who doesn't know where she truly belongs or what her real role in life is but I am willing to serve HIM wherever and however HE wants me. But I still honestly have to tell you that if it were not for all of your prayers, emails, facebook chats, and skype calls I would have truly given up by now and came home already because even as rewarding as this is it is also very draining physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. And there is still a lot of red flags here and things here that have my heart very sadden and trouble. Even to the point of question GOD as to why things like this have to happen to precious babies and why send someone like me, what can I do that is going to make any difference here. But I know one thing for sure GOD had a reason and a plan for me to be here and I have to stick it out no matter just how hard it gets. So thank you for staying up with me and chatting during the all the
many nights that I don't sleep. Please continue to pray for me that sleep will come and the children here would all get FOREVER FAMILIES. Please KEEP praying that I would find a save, cheap and close house here to live. Pray that GOD'S WILL, will be done in my life and that I will give him the HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.
I miss each of you very much and love you more than you will have know. THANK YOU again for everything you have and are doing for me. Blessing to you all and you are all in my prayers.
In Christ
Tracey
Greetings from Uganda,
Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and love. I have now been Uganda for 2 weeks and I have to honestly say everyday is still an adjustment for me. God has really been showing me that we never know how bad someone else has it until we walk in their shoes (like our newest toodler she was just left laying on the street just a few streets over Monday night, she is very sick so please pray for her) but yet at the same time HE has showed me beauty like I have never seen it before here. God never promised that our life’s would be easy when we surrender them to HIM. But HE did promise that HE would never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." And Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged.") I know God has a mighty plan for my life and right now that plan was me living and serving in Jinja Uganda East Africa. And I will serve Him with my whole heart. No matter how hard that may be or how challenging it may become.
I have to confess to you that I have doubts about this, the week before I left the states I had a lot of doubts was I really suppose to come and serve here and the night before I left GOD put a beautiful RAINBOW in the sky to show me HE still keeps HIS promises and that HE is still in control theneven once I got here fear and doubts took over again and I started feeling like I can’t do this and how and why would GOD use someone like me. But then on GOOD FRIDAY GOD showed me again that special sign of HIS, another beautiful RAINBOW as if to say “have you already forgotten I (GOD) promised never to leave you or forsake you, I (GOD) am here and I(GOD) am still in control just trust ME. God calls each of us in James 1:27 to look after the orphans and widows James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." And from 1991 to 2010
I had the honor of taking care of widows and now HE has given me the opportunity to come here to take care of these precious orphans.
GOD has always giving me a great desire to be a mommy and to want lots and lots of children and even though I have never physically given birth HE has always given me children now was given me 57 to love and take care until they get a FOREVER FAMILY. His word is true and HE keeps HIS promises Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD. And I am now that desolate woman with 57 amazing babies. I now know what it means when they say a mother’s work is never done because here it is not ever done. And I also now know how it feels to have to hold them down while they get stuck with a needle at the doctors and how you would let the doctor stick you a 100 if your child did not have to go through that.
Yes the days are long, hot and tiring and there is a lot to be done. Like feed babies, changing babies, loving on babies and doing laundry. There is also things that are not as convenient as they are at home like make sure your water is boiled or ran through a filter with bleach before you drink. And you have to be always be careful of snakes and other dangers (they killed another one last night at the directors house). But the love these precious children give far out weigh anything you have to give up or go through.
One thing GOD showed me through the EASTER season here was that no matter what I go through HE went through much, much more for mysake.
And I don’t know why HE would choose to love and use someone like me but HE does and for that I will always be grateful and GIVE THE HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.
Please continue to pray that I would have opportunities to share HIS LOVE with others and that people would see HIM in me as I serve. Please keep praying for housing for me. Please pray for safety. Pray that these children would all get FOREVER FAMILIES. Thank you again for all your prayers and love.
Blessings In Christ
Tracey
Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and love. I have now been Uganda for 2 weeks and I have to honestly say everyday is still an adjustment for me. God has really been showing me that we never know how bad someone else has it until we walk in their shoes (like our newest toodler she was just left laying on the street just a few streets over Monday night, she is very sick so please pray for her) but yet at the same time HE has showed me beauty like I have never seen it before here. God never promised that our life’s would be easy when we surrender them to HIM. But HE did promise that HE would never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." And Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged.") I know God has a mighty plan for my life and right now that plan was me living and serving in Jinja Uganda East Africa. And I will serve Him with my whole heart. No matter how hard that may be or how challenging it may become.
I have to confess to you that I have doubts about this, the week before I left the states I had a lot of doubts was I really suppose to come and serve here and the night before I left GOD put a beautiful RAINBOW in the sky to show me HE still keeps HIS promises and that HE is still in control theneven once I got here fear and doubts took over again and I started feeling like I can’t do this and how and why would GOD use someone like me. But then on GOOD FRIDAY GOD showed me again that special sign of HIS, another beautiful RAINBOW as if to say “have you already forgotten I (GOD) promised never to leave you or forsake you, I (GOD) am here and I(GOD) am still in control just trust ME. God calls each of us in James 1:27 to look after the orphans and widows James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." And from 1991 to 2010
I had the honor of taking care of widows and now HE has given me the opportunity to come here to take care of these precious orphans.
GOD has always giving me a great desire to be a mommy and to want lots and lots of children and even though I have never physically given birth HE has always given me children now was given me 57 to love and take care until they get a FOREVER FAMILY. His word is true and HE keeps HIS promises Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD. And I am now that desolate woman with 57 amazing babies. I now know what it means when they say a mother’s work is never done because here it is not ever done. And I also now know how it feels to have to hold them down while they get stuck with a needle at the doctors and how you would let the doctor stick you a 100 if your child did not have to go through that.
Yes the days are long, hot and tiring and there is a lot to be done. Like feed babies, changing babies, loving on babies and doing laundry. There is also things that are not as convenient as they are at home like make sure your water is boiled or ran through a filter with bleach before you drink. And you have to be always be careful of snakes and other dangers (they killed another one last night at the directors house). But the love these precious children give far out weigh anything you have to give up or go through.
One thing GOD showed me through the EASTER season here was that no matter what I go through HE went through much, much more for mysake.
And I don’t know why HE would choose to love and use someone like me but HE does and for that I will always be grateful and GIVE THE HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.
Please continue to pray that I would have opportunities to share HIS LOVE with others and that people would see HIM in me as I serve. Please keep praying for housing for me. Please pray for safety. Pray that these children would all get FOREVER FAMILIES. Thank you again for all your prayers and love.
Blessings In Christ
Tracey
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Hello and Greetings from Uganda this Easter weekend: I pray all is well with each of you. I am good. I have to say that I truly stand in amazement and wonder how GOD could possibly use someone like me, someone as self center, selfish as me, someone who whines and complains as much as me. But yet He does and that just amazes me. I stood at the cross last night, HE did that for me and the least I can do is serve HIM where ever HE puts me. I have learned a lot in my short time here and I know I will learn so much, much more if I am just willing to let Him teach me and show me through life lessons here.
GOD has taught me just how humbling life can be here and just how spoiled I am in the states. For those of you with a large washer and dryer be very thankful because I hand wash and ring out my own clothes to dry on top of all the laundry I hang out here for the babies home (and Ugandan red mud has Georgia beat hands down). Here are some of the other things you should be very thankful for Power, here is goes off everyday at least once and it can be off for just a few minutes or up to hours before it comes back on. Water goes off on a whim here too so you learn to shower and do dishes when it is on. And drink water is more challenging here too, it has to be filtered with bleach or boiled if it is not bottled water. These are just a few of the many things to be thankful for.
GOD has also show me just how HE protects us here: one of the other girls rooming here went to light the oven the other night and the gas had built up in it and it made this really load BOOMING noise, fire shot out and shook the whole house and thankfully she was not even burned and it did not explode PRAISE GOD. Then we had a burglar who try to break in the other night but one of the MOMMIES (the Ugandan women scared him off) and Thurs. night they killed a black mamba snake right outside our home (very poison-est).
GOD is really showing me to rely on HIM for HE is where my strength comes from because there are very long days here and even longer nights since I don't sleep. Here at the babies home I am known as "AUNTIE Tracey" and the Ugandan women are the mommies for the most part here. We have 56 kids here now and I room upstairs with the youngest babies. So there is always something to be done here and always children to love and held. I was told other night the same thing I am told back home in Tunnel Hill "every time we see you, you always have a baby in your arms". To be honest I don't know how to act without one in my arms. I have always wanted children of my own and this is how GOD has allowed me to have them both in the states and here.
It is a very different life here but it is a very rewarding life too. Earlier this week I have had the privilege helping to take 3 kids to Kampala (I have to say you think Georgia potholes are bad you have not seen potholes until you experience Uganda's) to get their physicals started for their adoption and then today I had honor of getting to see them meet their FOREVER FAMILIES for the first time. I have also had the change to get to know some of the Ugandan women here (the mommies) and I have even had the opportunity to talk to them about my first and true love Jesus and about what HE has and is doing in my life. One of them has asked me to teach her bible study class once I get settled in good (so please pray about that). And have gotten to go help another one of our mommies with the shopping here last week and that was nice to get to get to spend sometime to get to know her. I have also gotten to attend two different churches here for services and both were good. So please pray that GOD will show me where HE wants me to serve HIM while I am here because I real miss having a church family.
I have to be honest with you this trip has been much harder to adjust too this time especially being all alone here and since I been very use to having all of you a round me for love and support whenever I needed it. Here in Uganda I am just another Muzungu (white person) to the Ugandan's and to the other muzungu's I am just an outsider and don't belong. If it had not been for all of your prayers, emails, facebook chats, and skype calls I would have already packed up and come crying back home. But I know GOD has a reason and a plan for me to be here and I have to stick it out no matter just how hard it gets. So thank you for staying up with me and chatting during the night while I can't sleep. Please continue to pray for me and the children here that they would all get FOREVER FAMILIES. Pray that I would find a save, cheap and close house here to live. Pray that GOD'S WILL, will be done in my life and that I will give him the HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.
I miss each of you very much and love you more than you will have know. THANK YOU again for everything you have and are doing for me. Blessing to you all and you are all in my prayers. And I HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU HAVE A HAPPY EASTER.
In Christ
Tracey
GOD has taught me just how humbling life can be here and just how spoiled I am in the states. For those of you with a large washer and dryer be very thankful because I hand wash and ring out my own clothes to dry on top of all the laundry I hang out here for the babies home (and Ugandan red mud has Georgia beat hands down). Here are some of the other things you should be very thankful for Power, here is goes off everyday at least once and it can be off for just a few minutes or up to hours before it comes back on. Water goes off on a whim here too so you learn to shower and do dishes when it is on. And drink water is more challenging here too, it has to be filtered with bleach or boiled if it is not bottled water. These are just a few of the many things to be thankful for.
GOD has also show me just how HE protects us here: one of the other girls rooming here went to light the oven the other night and the gas had built up in it and it made this really load BOOMING noise, fire shot out and shook the whole house and thankfully she was not even burned and it did not explode PRAISE GOD. Then we had a burglar who try to break in the other night but one of the MOMMIES (the Ugandan women scared him off) and Thurs. night they killed a black mamba snake right outside our home (very poison-est).
GOD is really showing me to rely on HIM for HE is where my strength comes from because there are very long days here and even longer nights since I don't sleep. Here at the babies home I am known as "AUNTIE Tracey" and the Ugandan women are the mommies for the most part here. We have 56 kids here now and I room upstairs with the youngest babies. So there is always something to be done here and always children to love and held. I was told other night the same thing I am told back home in Tunnel Hill "every time we see you, you always have a baby in your arms". To be honest I don't know how to act without one in my arms. I have always wanted children of my own and this is how GOD has allowed me to have them both in the states and here.
It is a very different life here but it is a very rewarding life too. Earlier this week I have had the privilege helping to take 3 kids to Kampala (I have to say you think Georgia potholes are bad you have not seen potholes until you experience Uganda's) to get their physicals started for their adoption and then today I had honor of getting to see them meet their FOREVER FAMILIES for the first time. I have also had the change to get to know some of the Ugandan women here (the mommies) and I have even had the opportunity to talk to them about my first and true love Jesus and about what HE has and is doing in my life. One of them has asked me to teach her bible study class once I get settled in good (so please pray about that). And have gotten to go help another one of our mommies with the shopping here last week and that was nice to get to get to spend sometime to get to know her. I have also gotten to attend two different churches here for services and both were good. So please pray that GOD will show me where HE wants me to serve HIM while I am here because I real miss having a church family.
I have to be honest with you this trip has been much harder to adjust too this time especially being all alone here and since I been very use to having all of you a round me for love and support whenever I needed it. Here in Uganda I am just another Muzungu (white person) to the Ugandan's and to the other muzungu's I am just an outsider and don't belong. If it had not been for all of your prayers, emails, facebook chats, and skype calls I would have already packed up and come crying back home. But I know GOD has a reason and a plan for me to be here and I have to stick it out no matter just how hard it gets. So thank you for staying up with me and chatting during the night while I can't sleep. Please continue to pray for me and the children here that they would all get FOREVER FAMILIES. Pray that I would find a save, cheap and close house here to live. Pray that GOD'S WILL, will be done in my life and that I will give him the HONOR AND GLORY FOR IT ALL.
I miss each of you very much and love you more than you will have know. THANK YOU again for everything you have and are doing for me. Blessing to you all and you are all in my prayers. And I HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU HAVE A HAPPY EASTER.
In Christ
Tracey
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
March 27TH & 28TH
Sorry I have been a few days posting but here is what is happen here in Jinja. HE GOD IS TEACHING ME EVERYDAY THAT I HAVE TO RELAY ON HIM AND I KNOW THAT HIS WHERE MY STRENGTH COMES FROM. HE HAS A REASON FOR ME TO BE HERE AND WHO KNOWS IT MAY EVEN BE TO BRING HOME ONE OF THESE DEAR BABIES.
HE HAS ALSO TAUGHT ME TO BE THANKFUL IN THE LITTLE THINGS. LIKE WALKING TO THE MARKET WITH MAGGIE, AND WALKING TO TOWN WITH EMILY. AND SHOWERS WHEN I CAN GET ONE (WHEN THE WATER WORKS). AND GETTING TO KNOW ONE OF THE OTHER LONG TERM VOLUNTEERS A LITTLE BETTER WE WALKED TO DINNER SAT NIGHT (MY FIRST INDIAN MEAL HERE) AND WENT BACK TO HERE HOUSE TO WATCH A MOVIE (IT WAS IN FRENCH SO I HAD TO READ THE SUB TITTLES) THEN IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN AND TO LATE FOR ME TO SAFELY GO BACK HOME SO I SPENT THE NIGHT AT HER HOUSE. GOT UP SUNDAY MORNING AND PLAYED WITH HER TWO BOYS THEN WENT TO CHURCH AND HAD CHINESE FOOD (IT ALMOST FELT LIKE BEING BACK HOME).
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS FOR ME THIS WEEK AND FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT HAVE SO MANY DEAR FRIENDS THAT I KNOW HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR ME THIS WEEK. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS. LIFE HERE IS HARD THEN YOU CAN IMAGINE. WE TAKE SO MUCH FOR GRANTED IN THE STATES MUCH MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT ABOUT LIKE POWER, WATER, WASHING MACHINES AND DRYERS, AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS. BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I THANK WE TAKE FOR GRANTED IS OUR FRIENDSHIPS. THAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST THING FOR ME MISSING ALL OF YOU. I AM VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE EMAIL, FACEBOOK, AND NOW SKYPE.
I HAVE TO SAY IF IT WAS UP TO ME I WOULD HAVE ALREADY TURNED AROUND AND CAME HOME. BUT IT IS NOT UP TO ME GOD HAS CALLED ME HERE FOR A REASON AND I HAVE TO STAY TO SEE IT THROUGH NO MATTER HOW HARD IT MAY GET. I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEEK HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE AND THAT IS MUCH HARDER WHEN YOU ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND ARE TOTALLY ALONE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE YOU DON’T EVEN SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE.
I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE HIM HERE AND TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE A GOOD MOMMY OR “AUNTIE” AS THEY CALL ME HERE TO THESE 58 DEAR BABIES.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY AS I SEEK GOD’S WILL AND TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS NOT FROM ME NOT JUST WHAT THEY WANT FROM ME HERE. PRAY FOR ME AS I STEP INTO MY NEW ROLE AS AMANI'S BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR AS I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I AM DOING AND IF I AM CAN EVEN DO ALL THEY ARE EXPECTING FROM ME. ALSO CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT I FIND HOUSING (CHEAP, SAFE & VERY CLOSE HOUSING).
Sorry I have been a few days posting but here is what is happen here in Jinja. HE GOD IS TEACHING ME EVERYDAY THAT I HAVE TO RELAY ON HIM AND I KNOW THAT HIS WHERE MY STRENGTH COMES FROM. HE HAS A REASON FOR ME TO BE HERE AND WHO KNOWS IT MAY EVEN BE TO BRING HOME ONE OF THESE DEAR BABIES.
HE HAS ALSO TAUGHT ME TO BE THANKFUL IN THE LITTLE THINGS. LIKE WALKING TO THE MARKET WITH MAGGIE, AND WALKING TO TOWN WITH EMILY. AND SHOWERS WHEN I CAN GET ONE (WHEN THE WATER WORKS). AND GETTING TO KNOW ONE OF THE OTHER LONG TERM VOLUNTEERS A LITTLE BETTER WE WALKED TO DINNER SAT NIGHT (MY FIRST INDIAN MEAL HERE) AND WENT BACK TO HERE HOUSE TO WATCH A MOVIE (IT WAS IN FRENCH SO I HAD TO READ THE SUB TITTLES) THEN IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN AND TO LATE FOR ME TO SAFELY GO BACK HOME SO I SPENT THE NIGHT AT HER HOUSE. GOT UP SUNDAY MORNING AND PLAYED WITH HER TWO BOYS THEN WENT TO CHURCH AND HAD CHINESE FOOD (IT ALMOST FELT LIKE BEING BACK HOME).
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS FOR ME THIS WEEK AND FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT HAVE SO MANY DEAR FRIENDS THAT I KNOW HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR ME THIS WEEK. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS. LIFE HERE IS HARD THEN YOU CAN IMAGINE. WE TAKE SO MUCH FOR GRANTED IN THE STATES MUCH MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT ABOUT LIKE POWER, WATER, WASHING MACHINES AND DRYERS, AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS. BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I THANK WE TAKE FOR GRANTED IS OUR FRIENDSHIPS. THAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST THING FOR ME MISSING ALL OF YOU. I AM VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE EMAIL, FACEBOOK, AND NOW SKYPE.
I HAVE TO SAY IF IT WAS UP TO ME I WOULD HAVE ALREADY TURNED AROUND AND CAME HOME. BUT IT IS NOT UP TO ME GOD HAS CALLED ME HERE FOR A REASON AND I HAVE TO STAY TO SEE IT THROUGH NO MATTER HOW HARD IT MAY GET. I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEEK HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE AND THAT IS MUCH HARDER WHEN YOU ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND ARE TOTALLY ALONE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE YOU DON’T EVEN SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE.
I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE HIM HERE AND TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE A GOOD MOMMY OR “AUNTIE” AS THEY CALL ME HERE TO THESE 58 DEAR BABIES.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY AS I SEEK GOD’S WILL AND TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS NOT FROM ME NOT JUST WHAT THEY WANT FROM ME HERE. PRAY FOR ME AS I STEP INTO MY NEW ROLE AS AMANI'S BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR AS I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I AM DOING AND IF I AM CAN EVEN DO ALL THEY ARE EXPECTING FROM ME. ALSO CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT I FIND HOUSING (CHEAP, SAFE & VERY CLOSE HOUSING).
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