A blessed weekend

We have just spent a couple of great days this weekend, being blessed by children. On Saturday, it was really lovely to be able to make the trip up to Nakaseeta. First the business of buying food and supplies, which of course is always a bit of a fun adventure. On arrival in town we caught up again with William, he is a friend who we met as a result of him driving the bus for us. However, of course the friendship has developed and we appreciate him very much. I don't think I will get over the fact that people will go out of their way to help you. He does not get any return for this other than friendship, yet nothing is too much bother. We have so much to learn about helping others.  It was fun to get the oil, sugar etc from the same place and to be welcomed by "hello mummy, you have been lost!" so, many people in all parts of our lives. In fact, she and William shared a joke about how I will always carry stuff.

Children singing to us at House of Peace

Our arrival with all the food out the front of House of Peace

Enough of that, off we went to the House of Peace, and let me say I appreciated the new car, it is definitely more of a four wheel drive and the road was worse than it has been. Then, we arrive. Oh, they were happy to see us. Fortunately, I had the car behind me so that I wasn't bowled over by Aisha  and Christine. The love they have is so special, they are truly special girls. On the way, we realized that pads had not been on the list and would be needed. I quietly asked them and discovered that they were needed. I struggle with life if anything is missing, these girls didn't ask, they just cope. There is no matron now and they do the cooking. That means a two hour walk to school, a day at school, two hour walk home and then cook dinner for all of the 40 children. Some study if there is a chance and bed. It is not their life that stood out but how their circumstances do not determine how they live. Yes, I am sure that things do get them down but what they showed to us was not this. It was love, acceptance and thanks. They honored us for traveling so far on an airplane, for caring for them, yet what we have done is so little compared to their daily life. When the rice was unpacked from the car, there was great excitement, obviously they have not eaten rice for a while. I know that just recently it has just been posho and salt. Now, posho and beans is barely palatable but posho and no sauce, no thank you! I suppose the thing that moved me the most though was a song they sang, that Patrick had written. I do not remember the exact words but it went like we are the youth, we have been left without a generation to bring us up, we come to you for advice. They have been let down, they have been orphaned, largely by AIDs, others have not been there for them in the way they should have been and now they need to move on with their lives but they are just children. Who has let them down? They speak for so many, the responsibilities of parenthood are large, the responsibilities of being blessed are large, suddenly helping and walking with them seems such a privilege again. It was so sad to say goodbye, to feel like one was leaving without adequate time. However, to know their prayers go with us gives us strength.

Some of our friends, the children at House of Peace

Then, today we had a great service at our church here, though being placed at the front and the sound system not being appropriately adjusted took the edge off the singing. However, we did have a great teaching on gifts of the spirit and five fold ministries. Then, back to Wairaka to share the service here with the children. The children ministered (as the expression here is) with singing and it is always good to see the children from the village share their love of God. The children were also amazing as they were in the service for two hours, with two children on my knee due to very limited space and sitting on a wooden bench I was probably more fidgety than most of them.
We have a great afternoon spending some quiet time and then went to the village and spent time with the children. We are so loved by these children and there is no doubt that the feeling is shared. It was an afternoon of fun, laughing with little ones playing in bags like a sack race. Or, dancing and watching dancing, and a trip to show the children the new house and school. Though the later was disappointing for many of them as they were the older children and will be too old for the school. Then, a wonderful supper, we miss matoke and meat followed by devotions. The new and the old together combined to sing, dance, worship in all sorts of ways. One of the children gave a strong message from the verses, beloved let us love one another because love is from God and if we do not love then we do not love God. In a great clear way, with no condemnation shared the truth, if we are not loving one another, then even if we are going to church and looking like the best worshipped, we do not really love God. The words in the Bible are clear and he did not take any liberties but spelt it out plainly. There was nothing to add, what a great work God is doing in and through the lives of children of Uganda. As children grow, they will change this country, more than 50 percent of the population are under 15 years of age, their impact can and will with God's help be significant.


By the way, the school and house continue to progress at a great rate, tiling for the bathroom tomorrow and by the end of the week, maybe the school building will be up to ring beam.