The Grace to Give Thanks for the "Unknowables"

I didn’t know how I was going to get through this day. 

I had a roughed out plan, but looming large over me was not knowing the “unknowables”. Will I be able to handle the interruptions with grace, find joy in the required interactions, bring peace when I feel I’m lacking? I thought of my friend Susan and wondered if I should call her to pray with me. The phone rang and Susan’s name filled the screen display. I smiled, encouraged that God would speak to my friend to call me. 

Of course she first asked about me and I gave a vague, non-detailed answer, “not really ok.” I deflected attention and asked how she was. Her inflection fell a bit, “Not really ok, well, fine physically, but the rest is troubled. My uncle died this morning.” Immediately the focus shifted from “HOW can I get through this day?” to, “God, You are with me in these moments in which I must use your strength to comfort and encourage another.” 

Fortunately, I was already dressed and ready for the day and was able to be with her on site here at New Hope within minutes of the phone call. We talked briefly, she shared a little about him and I prayed for her. I’m thankful for our faithful God who gives us, broken and wounded vessels, the words and wisdom to strengthen others in their sorrow--even when our weakness seems overbearing and immovable. 

As we finished she stated that she needed to see Uncle Keith, her supervisor, to tell him about the death and her need to travel to the burial. I wanted to visit with LauraBeth, his wife, so we set out together for their home. On the path we were joined by Betty, another staff member who was also making her way to the McFarland home. Three people representing different areas of the ministry in which the McFarland’s lives intersect, arriving at their front door before 8:30 am. 

No wondering about whether or not they’d be awake, up and around--they have five children from the ages of one to twelve. No surprise that there was plenty of noise flowing out of the screened windows as we approached and lots of activity throughout the house, even spilling out onto the veranda. Still, it was early and obvious that not all the basic preparations for the day had been completed. I noticed that LauraBeth quickly moved to a back room and donned herself with the acceptable clothing for visitors. I felt a bit uncomfortable calling on someone so early; for my Ugandan friends, it was just life--what we do. Life’s struggles mean that we live and move among our friends at all hours of the day and night--no need for fitting within acceptable social parameters for when to call on someone. Life is lived and death is processed 24/7.

As Susan pulled LauraBeth and Keith aside to deliver the news, I interacted with the McFarland’s visiting cousins who’d come from Florida for a 3-week visit. And I couldn’t help myself when Noah, one of the young children in the home, misidentified the placement of the stomach---right then and there we had anatomy class and everyone was enlightened. Ah, molding young minds to know where sit the liver, pancreas, stomach and intestines--such bliss, and all before 9 a.m.!

As the cousins excused themselves to go tutor at the primary school, the children ran outside through all available doors, and I felt I was in the middle of a live “Family Circle” cartoon--you know the one with the criss-crossing paths of dotted-lines of the kids movements ALL OVER the cartoon picture? 

Then, suddenly I was drawn back to the room when Keith called Betty and I into their circle with Susan for prayer. Here I was gathered close and holding hands with believers, calling on the Living, Holy, Loving Father, the One who never sleeps. The privilege of the interaction was not lost on me. Me, so weary just an hour ago and now being built up by words speaking the truth--even though the catalyst for their utterance was grief.

It was a still, peaceful, connecting time with the Father of all comfort. And I was grateful for the powerful ways God fills us with what we need to live and move and have our being in Him.

And as quickly as we’d come, Susan returned to work, Keith took one of the kids with him to where he was going, Betty left and LauraBeth graciously invited me to sit and talk awhile. I wish I could be so gentle and welcoming when numerous people descend on my abode! 

As if she had time to shoot the breeze, she did. We talked of homeschool, visitors, house activities, recent events and we prayed together. I am thankful to live where we live, among the people we live among. Challenges? Yes! But, the sufficient means in relationships given by God to thrive. Grateful and humbled at the Goodness of God in His people. 

As we spoke “Amen,” her young daughter arrived to reiterate the happenings at the playground. Once we surmised that one of her brothers sustained a wound (large or small we weren’t sure), and that he’d cried (but wasn’t crying now), and that they needed mama and a bandaid (and the bactine, which she reached up on her tip toes to grab from the desk), we realized the rest of our day was upon us.

We walked together until the paths diverged and spoke our blessings over each of our days as we parted.

I wanted to keep an attitude of thankfulness alive in me and so I remembered with gratefulness how full my morning had already been. I spoke to the Lord in prayer as I walked home, overwhelmed with His ability to turn the tide of a seemingly sorrowful day into one of strength and contentment.

Once home again, LauraBeth texted to say that it was a good thing she went to tend to the wound as there was also a big, hairy, stinging caterpillar in her toddler’s hair! A few texts later she marveled that all of this had happened before 10 a.m. And in one final text came the revelation that “ALL” EXCLUDED BRUSHING HER TEETH! 

Yup, some days are like that. The “unknowables” you pondered at 5:30 a.m. disclose themselves as a lack of ability to get the basics done due to unexpected, early interruptions in the daily schedule. 

And thank God for it, because without such interruptions we’d all have moved into the day without the richness of relational interaction that fostered encouragement for us all.

God Be With Ye--GOODBYE!!

Of the slew of blessings and difficulties strewn across our wee missionary path, goodbyes and hellos have to be two of the most challenging.

In the eight years we've lived at New Hope in Uganda, the people we've waved goodbye to are difficult to count. Not just because it would take TIME to count them all, but truly who wants to review the past and remember the sadness and gripping emotions of waving someone off for perhaps the rest of your life. Honestly, when we think of the people we've loved and walked alongside in our work here, taking into account the vast amount of world represented in said group, it is quite possible we will never see many of them again. And soon after we turn around to return to our homes, they drive off, and in no time, it seems, we welcome new people into our lives.

Just this past weekend we spent tearful, emotion-laden moments saying goodbye to Alair and the kids who are going to join Caleb in the states. Caleb left on a medical emergency at the end of May and Alair spent the past seven weeks completing the paperwork necessary to leave the country with their three children. On Saturday, Alair left at 9:30 a.m. along with Hannah, another dear co-missionary who will be gone from us until January. Mid-afternoon the same day the Dolge family arrived at the same domicile to call it their home for the next few years. To be honest, I'm embarrassed to say, I didn't have the emotional energy to welcome them in person, but sent welcome notes to post on their front door instead. Today I enjoyed catching up a little bit with one of the members of their family and later on managed waving hello to the rest of them.

Last month we said goodbye to the Williams and next month we say hello to a young lady coming to work with the ministry. Both hellos and goodbyes continue.

At present we have two different teams here to help with different projects and trying to keep my mind organized enough to know who belongs to which team is daunting, so I just smile and wave. Yesterday Geoff and I picked up four from the UK team when they'd taken cover under the big mango tree from the surprise afternoon rain storm. At least I now know the names of those four!

Speaking of goodbye, yesterday we also said "Goodbye" to Beth, the lovely young lady who has lived in our home for the past two months. She didn't leave the ministry, in fact we saw her three different times today. She just moved to another home where she'd have more space and a little more privacy than our wild and wacky home can provide!

And soon coming will be another goodbye to make. The kids' teacher, Danette, and her husband Ferris will be leaving next week as they've finished their one-year commitment to New Hope. We culminated the kids' school season with Danette with a "field day" today complete with 3-legged races, 100 and 200 meter dashes, egg-on-spoon races, a ball toss and a very wet water fight! We'll have them over for supper tomorrow and on Friday they will host our family and the Hoover's--the other family whose children she taught.

In between those two special dinners we will chill out with the Dangers--people who have spent more than 25 years enduring the need for goodbyes and hellos. I suspect we'll find some comfort in sorting all these things out together!

Just a few days ago we were able to spend some time with the Browns who arrived at New Hope eight years ago the same month we did! It had been toooooo long since we'd had time to talk and catch up and it was therapy! These little pockets of time with friends help with the pain of saying goodbye to others.

As Alair finished up her packing, Danette aimed at finishing well a school year with the kids and Hannah prepared her music students for a final recital before she left, we found ourselves snapping a lot of photos trying to soften the inevitable changes upon us. Unfortunately I did not take the camera to the field day today, so you'll just have to imagine me running a 200 meter dash.

In less than two days I'm off to Kampala to pick up Auntie Ketty and Wesley who will be arriving from Nairobi and Ketty's second round of chemo and radiation. She will spend another month here with her family before beginning the third phase of treatment. The 6-course chemotherapy treatment will last about 5 months. We have yet to determine where it will take place--whether here in Uganda or back in Nairobi. Please pray with us for wisdom and for funds.

As Alair went to Kampala almost three times weekly these past seven weeks, I watched her boys each Friday. On Friday evenings we welcomed her back from town and shared a meal together at our house. This past Friday was our last for this short tradition and I am grateful for being able to have some closure with a dear friend in a chapter that is not over for her yet.

She gave me this beautiful bouquet of red roses as a thank you.

Nora captures the hearts of us all and she particularly was drawn to Toby last Friday.

Geoff and JT, Caleb's cousin who has frequented New Hope over the past few years and is now on a short term venture in Jinja. He arrived just in time to help Alair do the final packing and organizing.

The Britton and Mitchell gangs, with lovely Beth in the front left holding Nora.

Hannah and Vicki at the music recital last week.

Geoff and Tim had a bunch of laughs over what exactly I don't know. But, everyone had a great time on recital night!

Sam loves babies and took advantage of holding Nora after the recital was finished. 

A lovely fish-kiss-selfie with my sweet Acacia

Kara, happy to be through with the pressure of a recital and loving the desserts offered afterward!

Have you met my son and his unrelated twin? In the Buganda tribe the elder twin is Wasswa and the younger Kato. Behold, L to R Wasswa and Kato (aka Kevin and John, who are a mere 2 months apart and most days inseparable.)

Aunt Hannah and most of her music students (minus one who was  unable to attend.)

Toby played Mumbo Jumbo

Kevin played something I can't pronounce!

Acacia presented The Colors of The Wind from Pocahontas

Next up was their final performance of the drama, "The Fisherman and His Sister" in which Toby was the fisherman, Acacia was the sister and Kevin was part of the sea.

Toby meets the "Fish who grants wishes" (Haddassah)

A final bow for the cast

And the presentation of a cake of appreciation for teacher Danette

Aunt Ketty and Acacia on the day Aunt Ketty left us for Nairobi for the second time. We ALL look forward to Wednesday when we welcome her back for another month!

Quiet time?

At my house a “quiet time” is mostly non-existent. By strict definition, quiet is, well, no noise, or at least at a volume well below the norm for the environment. Time as its own entity could be any length, but in respect to the term “quiet time” there is an expectation of “enough” time to feel that one has been blessed to enjoy the desired allotment of moments to garner strength in relationship with the Lord God and gain His perspective on life’s current circumstances.

My current circumstances and environment fully comprise a total lack of any semblance to the strict definition of “quiet time.”

Snapping, crackling kindling on a steady approach to my house, with the loud, raucous play shouts of the children next door put an abrupt stop to my endeavoring to sink more deeply into the mattress this morning. I fight the need to roll out of bed and put a pause on the impending need to grab a wet towel and beat back the flames. Once I realize I am not sinking deeper but instead slowly tensing up, I jump out of bed and peek through the shutters to see . . . no flames. The sound was the incessant popping of water falling from the top of an elevated water tank to its cement foundation because the pump had been carelessly left unattended during filling. 

Now irrevocably up and out of bed, there was too much adrenalin released to attempt sinking back in. I sigh. The neighbors abundance of water is in stark contrast to our absence of water on this side of the hedge. I slowly move to the bathroom to brush my teeth. More water issues as there is no water in the water bottle we use for tooth brushing. I grab it and shuffle down the hall to fill the bottle. As I round the corner I am greeted by someone at the door asking for something. I mumble for them to “first wait” and I commence my oral hygiene back down the hall. On my return to the kitchen, my first stop is to put water on for coffee, THEN retrieve the needed item for the one at the door at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday!  Banange. 

Coffee in hand, I retreat to the illusion of my quiet room in an attempt to garner and gain both the comfort of His presence and the strength of His wisdom for today. Today is where we are, it’s what we have, tomorrow is not guaranteed and yesterday’s minutes, for positive or negative, have been approved.

With coffee and Bible in hand, I was able to spend some good time reading the word, writing in my journal and pondering what I should ask for today. Peace of mind and joy of heart. Those are my two greatest needs.

And then I ventured over to a friend’s house to witness true chaos. She’d been trying to get out the door to go to pick up something down the village road for the past two hours. As I arrived there was someone waiting for something, neighbor kids playing in the living room, a compound helper returning from a job and looking for more instructions, three boys wanting to move some furniture, and when you thought there couldn’t be another person at the door, lo, there appeared a group of about seven kids from her family group come to help her clean and do odd jobs. They’d arrived about three hours earlier than she expected! I was there to catch some time to talk about something we didn’t get to finish talking about yesterday at my house--due to a slew of similar interruptions. Our plan was to talk as we drove down the village road--thus killing two birds with one stone. Trouble was that all these other birds showed up at the moment we were trying to climb in the car and the immediate squeezed out the important. Such is the nature of most Saturdays at New Hope. 

Quiet time is tough to find, but interaction with others--abundant.

If you like pictures, you'll love this one!

WARNING: This is not a very creative blog. I don't have clever words today and I'm not going to do much but fill you in on some recent happenings. BUT, if you like pictures, then you'll love this one!

Toby turned 13 on the 19th of June. He had counted the days since May and was excited for the celebration--except for one thing.

Celebrating 13 years of our first born. He fills our days with joy and brings so much to our lives.

Gracious Toby. Charles stopped by to "say hi" and carried out our  David Family tradition of drenching the birthday person on their special day. This was Toby's first of three "birthday drenchings" The drenchings were the dreaded, "one thing."

Here's the second and most thorough soaking! Toby was such a great sport. He knew they had buckets and basins hiding around the compound, but he allowed himself to be "invited" over to David Family late afternoon to "see something." He smile and laughed and the kids enjoyed "blessing" him. Unfortunately, the final drenching was after dark and I didn't manage to get a photo!

One of his favorite gifts was a kit of inventions. He set to work on it immediately and "invented" a telegraph.

His other favorite gift! We found Dr. Pepper in Jinja back in May and bought 5 cans for his upcoming birthday. He'd asked for them when we were in Jinja, but we told him maybe another time. We had someone else buy them for us, so he was completely surprised!

Hanging out by the pool. We took him into Kampala for swimming and the movies, ("Captain America 2")

So, Toby is 13 and still a great big brother, helpful son and great friend to many. We are very thankful to God for blessing us with Toby!

Not too long after Toby's birthday we had to say good-bye again to Aunt Ketty. In this photo we've got our matching "yaya" shirts on. They were given to me free at the Yaya Center Mall when I was in Nairobi with Ketty in May. We vowed to take a photo together, but it took us a month to get it done! For a very recent update on her progress, visit Kimberly White's blog www.choosingtoliveanundauntedlife.blogspot.com

Last weekend we visited Aziza at her secondary school. The boarding schools the children attend for upper level secondary school hold visitation days a couple of times a year for the parents. To see her joy as she ran to meet us almost made me cry. She thought no one was coming to visit her and when she heard her name over the loud speaker, she ran out of her dormitory and down the hill to see us!

Aziza and Mabel laugh together. Mabel said she HAD to visit Aziza because when she was in secondary school Aziza visited her at every visitation day. It is an important memory and she wanted to bless the one who had blessed her!

Joy between mother and daughter.

Aziza was so pleased to show us around her school.

We sat and had some snacks together while catching up.

Before leaving for visitation day, we hosted Bogere for lunch. It was his 23rd birthday and after filling his stomach with good food and cake, we also drenched him in honor of his special day!

We had arranged a "signal" with David Family so they all came running at once and thoroughly soaked Bogy!

We hosted the 4th of July party at our house for the western staff. Geoff and Jay took care of the BBQ, the McFarland's, freshly back from the U.S., made sure everyone enjoyed some games, and Hannah did a great job of planning, organizing and decorating for the event. 

Sharing stories at the BBQ

Wesley and Nora were quite inseparable for most of the party.

Getting a chance to laugh and visit with each other was the best part!

Kevin and Kakande--partners for the 3-legged race. Kakande was SOOO excited!

Nico and Nate, brothers who stuck together even after the 3-legged race! 

The back to back race brought out the most creativity! Some ran sideways,  some with one moving forward and one moving backward, and Toby's partner just simply picked him up on his back and carried Toby across the finish line!

The little girls loved the flags! Beth created the garland hanging in the back of this photo.

This past weekend Geoff and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary with a night out in Jinja. Sunday we visited Nabukeera at her visitation day, and then traveled onto Entebbe where we picked up Uncle Josh Craner from the airport! It was a weekend full of travel ending last night when we took Josh to his temporary quarters near Johnathan Family. The Johnathan kids rushed to meet him and we drove away as he was still hugging and greeting them all!

Geoff's travels aren't over yet, though, as he left this morning at 4 a.m. for Musana camps. He and two of our young adults arrived at 8 a.m. to begin learning the "R.O.P.E.S." from some Kenyans.  R.O.P.E.S. is "Rights of Passage Experiences" for adolescents. The program has been successfully carried out in Kenya for many years and we will be gleaning from their expertise as we seek to sharpen our approach in assisting our young men and women toward maturity. He joined the rest of his CSD staff who traveled yesterday to the campsite. 

Meanwhile, back at the Britton Ranch, we are again out of water (and have been since May). Our cistern is currently under construction with a finish date of next week. Being that we are in the middle of the dry season, we are not sure we will be able to fill the cistern once it's finished, but we will at least  try to find enough water to alleviate some of the many trips we've been making to the bore hole and water tower.

one of the workers is seen here mixing cement

In an effort to lighten the "haul water" load, Geoff installed an ultraviolet light water purification set up. It took awhile to get some kinks worked out, but it is functioning well now. Eventually we will build a cabinet around the components leaving only the tap exposed.

The boys fill this only twice a week. From this container water flows through a pipe into the house and through the ultraviolet filter system.

This is the set up on the inside of the house. 

The water filter addition was his major project he completed during his leave from work last week. Geoff does not consider "doing nothing" as rest. If he tried to do nothing it would stress him out. So, he chooses projects to complete and in so doing, he rests. I'm thankful for the "week off projects" of the past few years: kitchen tiling, house painting, plumbing repairs, furniture additions, tire swings, bat removal and an outdoor BBQ to name a few.

That's it for now. Hopefully, my creativity will return soon!