Our Final Day, June 29th, 2008

Sunday 6-29-08 Our Final Day

Our team meeting this morning was one of tears, thanksgiving and appreciation. This has been an amazing mission with an incredible team of people who have given selflessly and touched the hearts of the people and the hearts of each other as well. Though we are going home I believe all of us will be leaving a piece of our hearts here in Uganda.

We all attended Church together at the Church that meets at Hope Children’s Home. There are about 200 people who worship in this place so the building is comfortably full. The spirit is rich, joyful and loving there and the worship is lively and sweet. This morning Randy and I were chosen to give a word to the people and they were so welcoming and receptive to all we had to say. I was able to talk about forgiveness and how as soon as we ask our God to forgive He does so and takes our sin as far as the east is from the west. The Lord also gave me Psalms 20 as a blessing to read over them. Randy encouraged the Church to share the “Good News” of salvation with everyone and not loose opportunities to share. Lori got up and shared next about God having a plan for their lives and encouraged them not to give up. It was a wonderful service that none of us will soon forget.

After Church, it was time to say our goodbyes. This is a lot easier said than done. There was not a dry eye in the compound. All of us were so sad and not wanting our time together to end. We have all been touched through each other by the hand of God and none of us will be the same again.

After leaving Hope we went back to the Hotel where Randy and I packed up, shopped for a few souvenirs and headed to the airport around 6:30pm. It was a long grueling day and night for us traveling home. 37 hours from Hotel to Home. When we finally opened our own front door, much to our pleasure there were all our children to welcome us home. They each had had their own adventures to share, which was fun and we were all so happy to be together again.

Still, in the time that has passed since we arrived home I find in my heart a longing. I don’t know how well I can express it, but I will try. My prayer six months ago was “Lord I pray you would show me the work you have planned for me before the foundations of the world”. I have also prayed that Randy and I would be on the same page. Randy and I both know that we know, the Lord has a work for us that does not involve building up our own lives, but instead being poured out to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Our time in Uganda has shown us beyond a shadow of a doubt that “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Our cups overflow with the joy of the Lord and we believe that this is what we were created to do.

Yet the question remains how do we get from here to there? We have so much stuff, what will be best for our kids? How do we change our lives completely around? I think the answer is we continue to look to the Lord. We continue to trust Him day by day and soon we will find ourselves moving in His Spirit and living the life He has destined us to live.
Please pray for us. We want to do that which He has for us and not miss anything. And please pray for the people of Uganda, that they would come to know Jesus as their personal savior and be blessed and helped by Him all the days of their lives.