Yesterday I had the First meeting with Zoe and Robbinah to discuss the way forward for the Women of the Proverbs project! Robbinah is a lovely woman of faith and of course Zoe is ever working to provide for her huge family. Last year Robbinah's son and Zoe's daughter were ringed in the church and now they are not only sister's in Christ but in-laws in Christ.
We had a fruitful meeting to merge our vision for how the Women of the Proverbs will disciple women in this district and in turn disciple the nation of Uganda!
Last week I had my First Bible Study with Cheryl Cash in the book of Hebrews! It was helpful to talk about our experiences and to be encouraged by the Words that were written to the first Hebrew believers in Jesus through times of persecution and fear of imprisonment and even execution.
On the 9th of October in 1962 the country of Uganda was granted it's independence from Great Britain by the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II to honor the civil servants of Uganda for their remarkable service.
On Independence Day 9th of October 2011 I drove us to Kampala where we arrived at new guest house called the Terrace in Bukoto. Kamkune Joyce, Akiiki Jessi, Betty Tibaleka, Kym and Lydia and I, by God's grace arrived safely in Kampala at 5:15 pm. We met our newest team member to Bundibugyo Pamela Stevens for her first dinner out in Kampala at Silver City. Kym and Lydia were mesmerized by the shining lights of the casino at Garden City Mall for the very first time. After putting Pamela in a cab back to the ARA the girls and Joyce enjoyed ice cream at sweets parlor nearby. Kym who does not eat or drink milk couldn't resist the Strawberry temptation and consumed every drop.
In answer to your prayers, though we were in Kampala, the final Tin roofing sheets 116 were being nailed in to place by Aboki Michael. Thanks be to God! The Forest Green Iron Sheets are beautiful and a welcome covering from the destructiveness of the rain on the brick walls. This week the masons are attaching the conduits for electricity in the walls as they prepare to plaster the first walls. Before we went to Kampala I ordered wooden doors for bedrooms, bathrooms and exterior doorways from St. Joseph's Technical School established by the Catholic Church.
It's been a welcome change to enjoy sun shine for a few days! We'll be needing more sand that is mined from the local swamps and cannot be trucked out in the rainy season. So we need more sun shine for this work to happen.
One of the main purposes for our trip to Kampala was to take Lydia to the dentist to be treated for a painful cavity. Lydia and Kym's First visit to the Dentist! I love the name of the dentist office we visited, Jubilee Dentist. (In the Bible jubilee means "liberty", the jubilee year was every fiftieth year and men would be released from debt and could return to their home land.) Kym bravely sat in the scary dentist chair for the first time and had a great report for her clean strong teeth. Lydia was also very courageous and had her first cavity filled with cement and never even flinched. She was also encouraged by the dentist for taking good care of her teeth. Kamakune Joyce was also seen by the Dentist and began her first of three visits for a root canal. It was the day of jubilee for all three to get dental care, relief from pain and treatment. A gift from God!
"In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his possession. And if you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor's hand, you shall not oppress one another . . .
"If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
"And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you, and shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. And then he shall depart from you — he and his children with him — and shall return to his own family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers." (Leviticus 25:8-14, 35-41)
