However, late last Sunday night i got a call on my cell phone from my boss Scott Myhre in Kenya, he said, "There has been an explosion..." A prayer shot through my brain, please God, not St. Paul's School dormitories, where Kym and Lydia are boarding!) "...Sam Kasule heard a loud noise and went outside to find a fire in the former Chedester House! Pat, the house has completely burned the rafters collapsed on fire and everything inside the house is lost!" I asked if anyone was inside and he said "No, no one was inside!" Praise GOD! I thank God that no one was in the house! This is God's covering and gift. All most everything I owned was in the house since I moved it all from Bundibugyo in March before I left Uganda. I only cried in thanksgiving for God's mercy in sparing anyone from being in the house and that it was NOT St. Paul's school dorms. Stuff can be replaced for the most part, loved ones can't. Along with Pastor Sam, church elders and Jeff Cash, Church of Christ Missionary, (who has petitioned the district MP for Fire truck for years) he gathered a group of fire fighters and came to the house. They tried their best to battle the flames with water from the rain tanks but it was all lost.
On Monday morning I caught the 5:30am Shuttle to the Dallas Airport. I thought continuously about the implications but never worried. I talked the whole time to God, "God, what are you up to? I know You have a plan. God,You are in control, not me! Give me faith to believe that You will provide for Kym, Lydia, Joyce and I. " I remembered the verse from Isaiah 61... "I will give you a crown of beauty in exchange for ashes," as i considered the losses. I remembered the hymn from the day before, "Oh, how He loves you and me." God is giving me much faith. I drove home singing with the the cd, "Blessed be the LORD..., He gives and takes away, Blessed be name the LORD, Blessed be your HOLY NAME!" As Hunter said in a recent sermon..."this is one where i have to throw away my 'what would Jesus do bracelet'". Typically I would react with anxiety, emotion and fear, but God is giving me a deep and abiding sense of His goodness, sovereignty and love over these last 48 hours. Thank you for praying for me and for us.
Pastor Sam Kasule and the church family are planning a day of pray for the Project and the plans for my future and WHM's presence in Busoro. Jeff Cheryl Cash our dear friends, missionaries with the Church of Christ cried tears of sadness for the losses as they sorted through the remains, along with the church leaders trying to secure a few remnants like Solar Panels before it gets looted. I asked Cheryl to search for the girls late father's Army ID. This is a critical document for me to have in order to apply to the Army to receive his pension for the girls. When they went in to the office room and stood in the remains of ashes and soot, Cheryl prayed. Then Jeff reached down and picked up a hand full of papers, there it was, burned on the edges but with some legible information. Thank You GOD! Sam will report this to the Police as they document the losses. Praise GOD for this find! Cheryl and Jeff also recovered about 100 photos and a few letters from my mother. Jennifer also reminded me," We can only lift our arms in faith to say that He had a reason for clearing out this path, this house, completely. Your vision and calling still stand." Scott said something similar in telling me that there is no reason to change your return plans to Uganda in August. This was a great relief and joy to hear him say. I miss the girls and hope to talk to them tomorrow as I have organized with the Headmaster to call them on his cell phone.
I am deeply grateful for your kind words in the loss and prayers of encouragement. Let us hold unswervingly to our faith in Him (that He gives to us!) through all suffering, difficulties and uncertainties.
