Good Gifts

One of the things I enjoy most about Christmas is buying gifts for others, so much so that I often forget that I also will be receiving gifts. 

Once home with the treasures I've chosen, there is the hiding of them that heightens the anticipation of the 25th. I find myself wanting to give immediately and yet knowing I must wait. Then I quietly and secretly find a place for the wrapping extravaganza--it's purpose, of course, is to conceal for a time with beautiful paper, ribbons, bows. I always hope my finished product has a visually appealing look that will contribute to a joyous, peaceful, and festive atmosphere. All of this builds anticipation so that we arrive on Christmas day with much expectation. Culminating weeks of looking forward, Christmas holds promise of gifts no longer concealed, but revealed. Past the outward presentation of the giver's handiwork, once opened, a gift is seen for what it is and with hope that it's enjoyment will exist far beyond the initial discovery. Depending on what the gift is there can be years of enjoyment awaiting the receiver. This is where the smile on my face comes from--hoping I've given something that will be enjoyed for a long time. And then, the realization that I also have gifts to unwrap from those who have taken time and given thought to what to give me. The joy I feel as their anticipation is expressed in sitting forward and watching intently to see the delight on my face as I work through ribbons, bows, and paper to see what they've chosen for me. I also benefit from knowing that I've blessed them when I receive their gift with a smile and thanks.   

Why do we do all this on Christmas?

It all began with the greatest gift ever given--a life sacrificed for ours; it stems from a Father who sent His only Son to live among us (Emmanuel) and bring us life through His painful sacrifice. Now we can live in Him and oh, that we could see the delight on His face when we receive and unwrap with joy His gift of life and light. Matthew 7:11 "If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him." 

His gift is not concealed or wrapped underneath temporary or limited surface beauty. His gift is illuminated with perfect light. "Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth." James 1:17-18

May we live our lives on this earth enjoying the gift of salvation He has provided for us, and in its lifelong enjoyment may we deepen in our experience with Him--anticipating the ultimate, eternal Christmas in which we live with and worship Him forever.

Returning to our thoughts of celebrating Christmas here and now, let us frame our present with the understanding that our good Father is with us and desires us to see that as He is the one who enables us to bless each other with temporary gifts, He hopes we look up to see the forever gift He has held out for us to receive and take with our whole heart. Let us ask Him to open our eyes, minds and hearts to fully see and receive His gift of life in Jesus Christ. 

May this Christmas be one beyond the wonder and delight of prettily wrapped packages and the treasures inside them. May the ultimate gift of Jesus Christ bring true life and light to you!

It's Our Family's Anniversary!!!

 Today is an emotional day for me. 

It marks significant beginnings and endings.

June 5th has carried weight and caused reflection for the past 15 years. 

In 2006 we landed as a family of 5 for the first time in Uganda. Toby, Acacia and Kevin were 4, 3, and 2. Our belongings filled 3 luggage carts. In a driving rainstorm, Geoff pushed one of the carts as we navigated the outside walkways to the waiting vehicle there to receive and retrieve us--THANKS Dave and Raych Clay!!! Silently Geoff wondered what he had gotten his family into. Not silent at all were the cries of a couple of the exhausted children in an unfamiliar environment. 

Our actual first commitment to New Hope Uganda was for 18 months. But, in our hearts we were there for however long God had for us to be a part of the thriving, vibrant, compassionate ministry. Secretly we hoped it would be, at a minimum, at least until all three of our kids were finished with their senior year in high school.

Thirteen years later to the day, June 5, 2019, we were back again at the Entebbe airport saying our goodbyes to Sam, Nabukeera, and the Dangers family. We would never again work full time on the ground in Uganda as servants of God at New Hope Uganda. In fact, to date, the 5 of us have not been together in Uganda again. 

Yesterday, June 4th, was Geoff's last day as Vice President of Ministry Relations for New Hope Uganda Ministries, a position he's held in the U.S. since January 2020. We took a sabbatical from June-December 2019 and as soon as his sabbatical finished he was anxious to start working again for the ministry we love so much. 

But, God has a new season for us. He has made that very clear. It's not been easy shifting our focus, changing where we put our hand, and knowing we won't be an active part of that ministry day-to-day.

It is no coincidence that today, June 5th, is the first day of our new season. 

The future is not totally clear for any of us. I'm reminded of a few sentences in a book called, "James," that became painfully real to us in 2009 when we were involved in a horrendous motor vehicle accident with a lorry laden with charcoal. There we were traveling down the dirt road, returning home from Kampala, the Monday after Easter with many groceries and items for a soon arriving new missionary family, the Biedlers. Around a corner of the freshly grated dirt road came the overloaded, speeding lorry sliding toward us as the driver applied, with futility, the brakes. It clipped the front of our van on the side where I was sitting and pushed us backward into the ditch, and then the charcoal, piled way too high, careened down on us, smashing the van and windshield, cutting Kevin's face, breaking his leg and pinning me in. I'll spare the rest of the details. But, suddenly everything changed. Our plans for how our next month was going to look, for how we were to welcome the Biedlers, for lessons in homeschool, etc. immediately were upended. 

James 4:13-17, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit,' yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogance, All such boasting is evil. So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

Obviously, the words in this passage soberly framed our outlook and experience that day in March, 2009. And not just on that day, but God brought the last sentence to the forefront again in October 2019 when Geoff and I realized we needed to plant ourselves in Denver to be near his parents. The right thing for us to do is to be present for his parents as life deals unexpected changes and required shifts. We could have said no to God's move on our hearts for Denver and returned to the ministry we love, but that would not have been right because it was not what He asked us to do. 

Geoff's VP position kept us connected to New Hope Uganda and softened the shift to the U.S. away from Uganda.

Now? Yes, we're excited for his new position, but admittedly sorrowful over not being an active part of New Hope Uganda.

Another new beginning. 

Geoff's new chapter is a new chapter for all of us. The kids have never known Geoff to work outside of the ministry; have not known what it is like to not have Dad present and available to them in the middle of their days. We have had the rare experience of not only eating dinner together each day, but also breakfast and most lunches, too. Of course, the kids being at FRCS since august 2019 and Toby going off to JBU last fall has changed the look of our days, but Geoff was still available at a moment's notice. 

In addition, Acacia and Kevin's graduation from high school last week ushered in new seasons for us. in a couple short months Kevin will begin university, along with ROTC, while Acacia explores various aspects of agriculture and other opportunities during her gap year, and Toby will return to JBU in Arkansas. 

But, for now it is summer and Toby is here, hallelujah. So, we are all together again. The kids each have at least one job outside the home for the summer--also something new for us. 

So. Much. Change.

New schedules, new foci, new living situations, new jobs. The old song rings true for us these days, we don't know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.

And that is the stabilizing support for all the emotion welling up within.

Praise God He never changes. 

Praise God for new seasons.

Praise God He is always with us.

Amen.

                                            The Britton Clan--June 5th, 2021

Belonging

As we prepared to visit Uganda last month many people asked what I was looking forward to experiencing while there. With curiosity some asked which unique-to-Uganda food I hoped to eat. Some wondered if my strongest desire was to be in “my” house again, soaking up the sense of home. Some asked who I was looking forward to visiting. Others wanted to know what I hoped Acacia and Kevin would experience while there.

Before we boarded the airplane I offered each person who asked definitive answers to their questions. But, as I sat in the Easter Sunday church gathering in Uganda a profound sense of why I had looked forward to being at New Hope Uganda washed over me, filling me with warmth and tears. 

As I sat near others whom I loved and lived with for 13 years I realized I belonged. Truly belonged. My friends at New Hope Uganda know me. We’ve walked together through joyful and distressing times! We understand each other’s heart’s desires. The culture in which we lived and moved and “had our being” for the past many years is familiar. The people we served alongside treasure and value a future for children and staff of the ministry and our foci converge in what should be done to bring Jesus Christ to the forefront of lives and ministry. 

Belonging. A sense of being understood, valued, loved, and accepted. We never outgrow these desires though how we understand and process what each one means to us changes over time.

I’m thankful for the belonging I’ve been privileged to experience due to the years we’ve spent living and working with dear friends. It is not my “home culture”, but it is where I feel at home. 

For my family and friends in the U.S. it may be difficult to understand how I can feel at home in a “foreign” place. Even I wonder how to explain it. The sharing of daily life and walking together through both positive and negative aspects of life over the course of many years, forges a deeply felt connection. My sense of belonging there doesn’t negate my love and appreciation for those in my life who are not involved with New hope Uganda.

When I was young my family moved often, and not just to different houses, but to different states and multiple cities within states. I always wondered what it would have been like to have grown up in one place with the same people through many years. 

Some of what we experienced at New Hope Uganda satisfies such a longing. We arrived to work with the ministry when our children were ages 2, 3, and 4. We were young and as we advanced through the stages of life from “toddlerdom” to high school graduates we did so alongside friends who saw our flaws, celebrated our victories, cried with us through loss, and encouraged us in multiple ways. 

Knowing that we are soon entering the next stage of life in which our kids are moving into their own adult transition was highlighted strongly while we were on the ground at New Hope Uganda last month. Many of their friends have also “moved on” or are soon to be off-site, away from their family homes pursuing what God has next for them. In being present with our long-time friends we were thankful to have the opportunity to again feel at home at a time when so much is in flux.

We don’t know what exactly the future holds, but we know that our hearts will forever be intertwined with those of New Hope Uganda with whom we have shared life at different points throughout these past 15 years.

We are grateful to God for the richness of relationship we enjoy. We are grateful for memories of iron sharpening iron, treasured interactions, the value and reward of deep, enduring friendships, and we hold in our hearts the hope of future in-person visits. 

These are but a few of the dear people we had the privilege to see and share smiles with!

Grand babies of the New Hope Uganda family!!

Kevin enjoys his many friends of David Family

Our first neighbors and dear friends

 

A sweet newly married couple who are dear to our hearts

The joy of seeing a young man who lives honorably

A quick impromptu visit on the veranda with a dear young man who is also Toby's best friend

Our sweet Ugandan family

Lunch in the city at my favorite restaurant, with Sam and Nabukeera

A tradition--special visit with the Katabazi clan

With my friend whom I've known for 28 years

Geoff and the young man whose wedding we attended in Oct 2019. He is now a vital leader in the New Hope Uganda community.

The sweet and simple smiles of Kakande!

While we got our Covid test one of the daughters of the ministry, who now works as a nurse in Kampala, happened to see us when she arrived at the clinic on official business. She made sure she greeted us once her tasks were complete.

Our first lunch in Uganda was spent with special friends who traveled across town especially to see us.

While in the grocery store I heard my name called! It was my long time friend whom I had wanted to see, but didn't think I would get to. God makes great things happen!

One of my very favorite people in the whole world!

Tea time with friends who work at Musana Camps. We also didn't think we would get to see them, but God worked it out.

Fun times with the parents of David Family

A young girl from David Family stopped by for 5 minutes on her way by.

Two young men who grew up in David Family. They blessed us by going out of their way to see us.

Acacia's best friend whom we were able to see, even though she is far away in nursing school these days.

Jackfruit is a truly social snack!!!

Another dear staff member who surprised us with a visit one afternoon!

I sought out this dear lady. She is a treasure to me, and a business woman in the community who blesses many with her well-reared chickens!!!

Geoff and Sam!

These two were just walking by our house and we squeezed in a hug!

At David Family there are always new people to love on. We receive a warm welcome, even though these girls had not been a part of the family when we left in 2019.

Our three kids!!!!!

A Perfect Picture

 On my walk through Grant Ranch yesterday morning the Rocky Mountains stunningly rose above the rooftops, speaking volumes of God's creative beauty and power, bringing me to reflect on my interactions of late. 

Throughout my week I speak with pregnant moms who want the very best for their unborn child. In relating with them I am reminded that change happens quickly. When a woman is pregnant, nine months can at times feel overwhelmingly long to her. But, truthfully the changes in pregnancy rapidly shift unknowns to knowns, though still often riddled with uncertainty. 

Pregnant moms have an ever-changing landscape before them, especially the moms who come to me as they are fully exploring all of the options they have for the child they carry. Looking into what-ifs and trying to move in what they feel is the best direction isn't easy. It's not unlike the stage Geoff, the kids and I find ourselves in right now. Options are plentiful, but weighing those options can feel heavy. 

Toby is settled in at JBU, but will find that four years of university flies as a balloon carried up high and swift on the wind. Acacia is still trying to determine what might be next after graduation--so many options, and Kevin has his eyes set on a few possibilities of how he himself can get into the sky as a pilot in the Air Force, but nothing is yet set. 

Women coming to the end of a pregnancy face labor and delivery with the stage called transition being the swiftest moving phase. But, transition for the missionary returning from the field to the home culture is NOT so fast-paced!! 

I've heard fellow returnees say it truly took years for them to feel they'd made it through transition. Just recently a fellow missionary who worked with us at New Hope Uganda stated he felt he was in transition for the greater part of six years! 

I've wondered during my own experience if the stages of transition back to a home culture after years spent adjusting to a host culture is very much like the grief process. Movement isn't so much linear  but circles round repeatedly through stages much like those of the well known Kubler-Ross presentation of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, albeit from a different perspective with each cycle through. Transition itself is a mountain of emotions presenting any one or multiples of denial ("I'm not hurting about the loss I've just experienced, I'm just really tired"); anger ("Why is it so hard and why am I hurting?"); bargaining ("If I can just get through today, tomorrow, the next week, I'll have progressed and be MUCH closer to finishing transition, right?); depression ("Nope, this is too hard, I'm gonna take another nap") and acceptance ("Thank you God for being with me even when I don't always like where I am or what I'm feeling," and "This is where we are, let's get on with it.") I found a perfect picture on the internet to illustrate what I'm trying to express . . .

As I continue to walk, the mountains ahead of me forcefully speak majesty, power, plan and blessing. Each stage of each day, month, year and decade is filled with promise as we look up and lean into God. Just as the mountains invite me to climb to higher ground, so does my Father God. Leaning into the blessing that He's given in this moment in the current stage is to say with my whole self, "THANK YOU GOD! I recognize Your hand. I recognize what You're doing. I see that You are working on my behalf in Your Kingdom!" To lean in, fully accept, and express thanks every day means that I am fully living as He intended in this moment. Though, it doesn't mean I'm through transitioning yet. 

So, as I walk with pregnant moms through the many stages of their experience I find their exploration and experience reflect mine in many ways. It's the knowing in general what's coming, but not knowing the details; it's the knowing that transition is inevitable, but not knowing exactly how to respond in the process. The one difference? They know they will only spend nine months in pregnancy and a relatively short time in transition. I have no idea how long it might take me to feel I've fully transitioned from our thirteen years we invested in the people and ministry of New Hope Uganda.  And, just like elements of grief that linger throughout life, I will always carry in my heart a place for beautiful Uganda.

It's comforting and peaceful to know that God is in control and HE is fully trustworthy in the many stages of my transition, and yes, through the many stages of grief as I miss my beloved Uganda and her people dear to my heart.

 

Our sweet young people!

My dear friend Grace.