September 30, 2008

Wow, what an incredible day! First of all, I have to say thank you to everyone who sent me birthday greetings; that made me feel so loved! And I want to thank my wonderful team since they sang “Happy Birthday” to me at breakfast and made me feel very special.

We went to the Kasubi school today. Unfortunately it was an official Ramadan holiday (Eid) so most of the students were off. That didn't stop us from having exciting plans. The group that I was in (Grant, Mark, Debbie, Alexis and I along with our interpreter Annette and Rose a missionary from Canada) went to do home visits to grandmothers. What a blessing those ladies were! They were so happy to see us and kept thanking us over and over. We were given seats of honor and made to feel like very special guests. We saw one grandmother and her granddaughter peeling bananas and preparing them to steam. They sang songs for us and danced a little. In another home we barely made it into their house before the rains come pouring! They invited us in and we sat on mats and listened as the rain beat down upon their tin roof. Debbie had her feet baptized by the rain! It was almost fully dark but the grandmother instructed her granddaughter to put the lamp on. We sat almost fully in the dark and sang songs and prayed with this family. It was such a surreal feeling but we all could feel the presence of God with us. Praise the Lord!

Others on the team were able to go to Home Visits in the afternoon to the TAPP program (the program to provide assistance to those people with Aids. They were moved as well as they met many families who are enduring heartache and pain and yet are so welcoming to us who visit them.

We were serenaded by the wonderful High School choir with several beautiful songs. A few people got up and danced with them (I won't mention any names but you would know them if I said them!) and it was a blessed experience. We didn't want to leave!

After another wonderful evening meal we had devotions and talked about what is coming up the next few days. We will be going to Nampunge tomorrow afternoon but since we were unable to see the children at the Kasubi school (at least most of them) several of us are going to be teaching! I am so excited about this! Brenda will be teaching P.E., Debbie and Alexis will be teaching the Nursery school (Pre-K) and I get to teach High School Social Studies! I am excited and nervous but looking forward to this. Debbie, Alexis and I got to spend about an hour with eight high school girls this afternoon and what precious young ladies. Please pray for all of us.

After we leave the school it's off to the village of Nampunge! I will try to tell you more about that in the morning but suffice it to say, we won't be back here (except the medical team and they will be coming back in order to get ready for more medical visits) so unless I can get on in the morning, this will be it until Sunday night. Pray for us that God will use us in a mighty and fabulous way.

One more thing: I love this wonderful team! They surprised me with a little Debbie's cake, a birthday card, song and some genuine African articles. I have felt very loved today and I want to thank all of them. They are so loving.

Well, it's time for a shower and then off to bed. Hopefully. We are all still preparing for the morning.

Love and miss you all!

Valerie