The Extraordinary has Become a Beautiful Normal...

"Live a life less ordinary, live a life extraordinary with me." These are words from a song... they've been stuck in my head the last two days! I was speaking with my dear friend Heidi (I hope you guys have a good idea of her now. I will try to get a lovely picture sometime soon.) I was telling her how I know that I have friends and family back home wanting me to update, but I have kind of settled into a routine and life here just is sinking into normalcy.. I struggle sometimes to update my blog because I feel as if you want all of these amazing stories, when I'm starting to get use to the life of living here in Uganda. And the Lord's incredible work each day has become normal..  Each day definitely has lovely blessings, but I feel like this wonderfulness has just become normal. Which is wonderful in itself. So anyway, I apologize for not updating, but life is becoming more and more beautifully normal here in Uganda. 

What is normal? Hmm... the boda boda rides are still exciting, but becoming normal. One of my favorite normals, actually!

Meeting with women in the Ladies Programme that are coming out of prostitution and ready to start their own business is normal. What an incredible thing!

Loving on boys that have become WAY too sexualized through abuse on the streets is normal. Cleaning their disgusting wounds from whatever they do on the streets is normal.

Becoming disgustingly dirty every day by walking through dust and dirt (and probably much worse things in the slum) is normal.. and even the cold showers at night!

It is strange really.. and even a struggle. I go back and forth between thinking.. "this is normal" to "this is incredible!" The Lord is doing incredible work through David & Abby and the rest of the API staff... but the Lord's immense power and His constant provision and faithfulness is becoming normal. However, it is a beautiful normal. I guess I have always thought of "normal" as "boring". I love that the Lord is blessing me with an extraordinary normal though. An extraordinary ordinary, if you will. It is wonderful. And I love it. 

Extending my Stay...

I have contacted my travel agent about possibly staying longer here in Uganda.. Heidi asked me yesterday, "Has anyone said any reasons NOT to stay longer? Because to me it sounds like your decision has already been made! Why NOT stay?" And since my time in Japan last summer, my motto has been "Go until God says 'no' ". So why not stay an additional month to love on these boys and relieve some work for Abby & David? (who, by the way, have said they would LOVE for me to stay, which is an encouragement of course!) Sooo.. my travel agent said I could fly out on September 4th and return to Russellville on the 5th. I haven't officially confirmed with her yet, but I am planning on doing it soon. The only setback is financial.. and I have some in savings, so I am excited for what may come!!

Girl Time!

I have recently been asked to speak with 2 different groups of young girls. I am very excited about this! This Saturday I will be heading to love on some girls that live in a home here in Kampala. Their ages range from 12-17. They are street girls that were either orphaned, kicked out, or for some other reason living on the streets. I am very excited to share with them and praying that the Lord will lead me directly to what He wants me to share.. Uncle Abdul will be taking me and translating and he said I could do absolutely anything. And plus just hang out and talk with them. I'm going to ask if Abby will let me borrow some fingernail polish and we can paint nails. The girls here LOVE to paint nails, of course! So I thought it would be fun.  That will be Saturday afternoon (and Saturday morning I just might be attending a dog show here in Kampala, no joke!)


The 2nd group of girls lives out in the village. Uncle Peter (who lives in the younger boys home out in Bombo) works with the local Suubi Community Church that we attend on the weekends. He asked if I would come and speak with the girls there some Tuesday. He texted me last night saying that I have been scheduled for next Tuesday evening! He said "You will talk about female issues, sexual purity..." and that was it. haha. So I am definitely praying that the Lord will guide me there as well. I will travel there on Tuesday morning of next week with Nakato (my lovely housekeeper and David's younger sister) for David and Nakato's mother, Momma Joyce, lives out on the land with the younger boys as well. So Nakato will have some sweet time visiting with her mother and I will go share with the girls. Then we will stay the evening on Tuesday and return to Kampala Wednesday.

In Closing...

So, I am going to head on out. We have two graduate students from Arizona that are staying in the house for a few days stay before moving on to Congo for their thesis. Both of them are very sweet and will be joining me to the Ladies Programme and the Street Kids today.. I am excited for them to join us. I'm thinking we will have some yummy food at an Indian/Chinese restaurant close to the Chivulu slum before street program...Abby will be so happy because it is her favorite restaurant! :) I talked about it with the girls yesterday and they are excited.


Okay, off to go over my notes on teaching about Joseph and his faithfulness to the Lord throughout his slavery and imprisonment. Praying that it speaks volumes to the young boys today.


Love to you all. Will soon update with some testimonies of the women from the programme!