DLM Newsletter October 2023

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Our day began at 6:45 am as we left home for our journey into Kampala. We arrived at the mall in Kampala at 8:40 am. We ordered breakfast at a restaurant in the mall and then went shopping for a few household items as we waited for the food. Mama Fab and Brian joined us for breakfast. After breakfast, Mama, Mama Fab, and I left for church. Church is from 11 am to 1 pm.

After leaving church, we went to the primary school (where our sponsored children attend) for Bible study. There was a downpour of rain as well as hail. We sat in the car in the school compound and waited until the rain subsided before we went inside a classroom to begin Bible Study.

We finally started Bible study around 3 pm and finished at 4:30 pm. The kids played bingo. I read a story to them, which I bought while home in the States, called The Prince’s Poison Cup by R.C. Sproul. We read the Bible and highlighted a passage in Genesis that went along with the story. Lastly, the kids ate chapati and drank soda. There were 20 kids in Bible study today!!! This was my first time with the kids since end of June, and I have missed them greatly!! We were all so happy to see each other again! Of course the kids were happy to have “Mama Aunt Cici” visiting, too!

Due to the torrential rains and the poor dirt roads here with huge potholes, the route we were planning to take (and most other routes) was impassable. We spent almost an hour trying to find an alternate route that was only a mile from where we began. I was using the maps like the old times and following road signs!! Finally, we reached home in the village at dark around 7:10 pm. Glory to God for the safe journey He gave us and the time we had with the kids at Bible study.

Thursday, October 5, 2023

We traveled to Entebbe today to pick up our volunteer from the airport. We decided to leave home early to avoid jam (traffic) so we could do a little shopping and take in a movie at the mall before picking up our volunteer. The movie theater allows you to pick your own seats, and, yes, they have popcorn and soda. Our visitor, Mrs. Melissa, arrived in Entebbe around 11:00 pm. We are so thankful for her safe journey!!

Friday, October 6, 2023

The day after a volunteer arrives, we typically take the day to allow our visitor to unpack and and recover from the two long flights. We enjoyed a traditional meal of matoke and g-nuts (ground nuts or peanuts) that Mama Fab cooked us. We finalized plans for our program tomorrow in Kampala with our sponsor children. We helped our groundskeeper plant poles for our new clothes line. He will finish the project tomorrow, and we will be able to use it soon. Glory to God for blessing us!!!

Saturday, October 7, 2023

We left out this morning at 9:15 am and reached the school in Kampala at 11:20 am. We were so happy to see every single one of our sponsor kids today for a project. We left the school at 3:00 pm to visit the craft market for Auntie Melissa and then off to shop for a new mattress. The day concluded with dinner at Cafe Java’s with grilled chicken, grilled tilapia, and fish fingers with some delicious sides. We left Kampala at 6:30 pm and found ourselves in lots of jam heading out of the city. We arrived home at 9:20 pm. It’s been a very long day, but we’ve counted many, many blessings!

Sunday, October 8, 2023

We left out this Sunday morning at 6:45 am heading to a nearby petrol station to get gas and coffee from Endiro Coffee. Once we fueled up the Subaru and purchased our coffee, we set out for Kampala at 7:20 am. We reached La Patisserie at 9:00 am for a delicious buffet breakfast. We picked up Mama Fab and went to church. The sermon was based on James 2:19 - The demons also believe and tremble.

Church ended at 12:50 pm, and off to school we went, reaching at 1:30 pm. BINGO was a super hit with candy prizes from Auntie Melissa. Auntie Melissa and Mama Fab went with the smaller kids to read Christian books to them and lead them in singing some songs. The little ones loved this time with Auntie Melissa and Mama Fab. Soon after that, Mama let the younger kids play with the jump ropes and balls and even played ball with them. The older children were in Bible Study with me. We read and highlighted several more verses that went along with the book we read last week.

Mama Fab, Auntie Melissa, Mama, and I left the school at 4:10 pm. We arrived home at 6:10 pm. It’s been a long but great and blessed day! Glory to God!

Monday, October 9, 2023

It was good to be at home today! Mama Fab returned with us on Sunday so she could help us with cleaning and preparing a Ugandan meal for Auntie Melissa. Auntie Melissa assisted Mama Fab with the food preparations for our meal of rice and beans. Mama Fab is an excellent cook! I finished putting up weather stripping around the windows to prevent bugs and mosquitos from entering the house through the cracks. Mama and I put up screen in my bathroom to keep the bugs out! We washed a few more blankets and even hung one large comforter on the new clothes line.

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Today was the last full day with Mama and Mrs. Melissa. Mama completed the final washing of all the blankets today. We all worked together to decorate the walls with Scripture wall art. Mama Fab taught Mrs. Melissa a lesson on chapati making, which was part of our dinner. We enjoyed baked chicken, rice and beans, and chapati! Glory to God for blessing us!!

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Our visitor, Auntie Melissa, and Mama left Uganda yesterday. Today around 2:30 pm, they arrived safely in Atlanta. I was blessed having them here helping me organize the ministry house and spending time with our sponsor children at their school in Kampala.

Sadly, we also found out my great Aunt Brenda passed away on Wednesday, October 11. We certainly felt your prayers!

Glory to God alone.

Friday, October 13, 2023

Mama Fab and I planted some vegetables today after the groundskeeper tilled a small plot of soil with a hoe. We planted lettuce, watermelon, zucchini, squash, and cucumber. I'm excited to experiment gardening, and hopefully, we will see a harvest since we are in the rainy season!

These are white ants. After a heavy rain, they will come towards the light during the night and often die and fall to the ground. In the morning, you can find hundreds. The cats like to eat them, but even Mama Fab and her granddaughters enjoy them, too. They dry them out in the sun and then stir fry them. They then make a sauce/soup with it and eat it over posho or sweet potatoes or other foods. The birds also come and eat them in the mornings, so I had to wake Mama Fab up before 6:00 am so she could collect them before the birds came and ate most of them! Haha! She said she and the girls ate them for many days and enjoyed them so much!

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Today was filled with lots of driving. I first drove 2 hours to visit Sharuwah and Baby Favor. It was visitation day for one group of our secondary kids, so I was able to briefly see them at school with Mama Fab. Then I drove an hour to a doctor's visit for what is most likely a pinched nerve. Finally, I drove almost 2.5 hours back home to the village. It’s been a long day! Tomorrow, I’ll make the 2 hour trek back into town for church and Bible study. Glory to God for the safe travels and all His blessings!

Sunday, October 15, 2023

I drove for an hour and 45 minutes to Kampala today and picked up 3 Bible study boys to go to church. After church, we went to the school for Bible study. Of course, we played bingo, read scripture, took a little quiz, and had a snack. Today’s attribute of God is that God is unchangeable. Listen to the kids read the first part of Malachi 3:6. “I am the Lord, and I do not change.” We read and highlighted other verses in both the Old and New Testament that showed us this attribute. After Bible study, I drove the almost 2 hour drive back home. I’m always so thankful for the safety He provides when traveling. I love spending time with the Bible study kids, reading and learning God’s word together! Glory to God Alone!!

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Today has been a cleaning day! I swept, vacuumed, and mopped my bathroom, my bedroom, and the kitchen/dining/living area. I’ve also done some administrative work like filing social security payments and employment taxes for Mama Fab. Glory to God for the ability to clean the house. I’m thankful for all of my blessings from Him!

Romans 11:36 reminds me, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”!

Friday, October 20, 2023

Today, I prepared and organized the Bible study lessons for the next few weeks as we finish learning about the attributes of God. I also did some financial work. I’m thankful for the beautiful sky the Lord paints each night! Glory to Him alone!

Saturday, October 21, 2023

I’m very thankful for a driver today. Some of our secondary school students had their VD (visitation day) at their school, which is at least 2.5 hours away from their homes in Kabowa.

I have to leave very early to avoid traffic. The driver and I left the ministry home at 5:30 am. We reached Kampala to pick up the first parent around 7 am. The second parent was picked up on the journey a bit ahead at about 7:45 am. We arrived at their school around 9:30 am. In Uganda, meetings (or anything really) hardly ever start on time. The meeting was to start at 9 am. Other parents didn’t even begin reaching until 11 am. The meeting started at 12:30 pm. Two of DLM’s four kids were involved in tribal dances as entertainment for the parents. It was fun watching them perform! Two of our moms brought and served food for the children. We even had a cake, as the kids wanted to celebrate my birthday which is in 3 days. Also, half of them just recently had a birthday, as well, so it was a celebration cake for all of us! The parents and I left around 2:00 pm, and I reached home in the village at 6:00 pm.

I’m so thankful the Lord kept us safe throughout the whole day and thankful for the blessing of seeing these children. Glory to God alone!

Sunday, October 22, 2023

On Sunday morning, I left home at 8:00 am. I experienced little jam (traffic) so I reached earlier than I had planned. It took 2 hours from my house to the mall in Kampala. I ate breakfast and even had creme brûlée. Then, I picked up the 3 boys and went to church. Mama Fab had to take Fab to the doctor so she wasn’t able to come to church with us.

During Bible study, we talked about how God is good. The kids read and highlighted many scriptures that tell us that God is good. One of the verses was James 1:17. “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” We also sang A Mighty Fortress written by Martin Luther. I gave them printed lyrics to sing along. The kids had time to shade (color) today, as well, which they enjoy doing. Bingo was also played and snacks were enjoyed at the end!

Listen to one of the kids praying as we closed Bible study. He prays they will put into action what they learned, that God would bless the sponsors of the ministry, and for their eats (snack) they are going to take. It was a sweet prayer. I love hearing the kids pray from their hearts and give thanks to God for His blessings!

I left Bible study at 5:00 pm and reached home a little before 7:00 pm. Glory to God for a wonderful Lord’s Day!

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Thank you all so very much for all the birthday wishes. I’ve read each of them, and I appreciate each one of them. I’m certainly blessed!!

I enjoyed this beautiful view this morning on the verandah while reading my Bible and watching my cats play! I ended the day with a short walk with my dog, Shadow Lynn!

Glory to God for the life He has given me and all the undeserved blessings!

Thursday, October 26, 2023

I left home at 7:15 am this morning with a driver taking me into town (Kampala). I had to renew my Ugandan driving license. I paid $85 to have it renewed for 5 years. The whole process from entering the office to leaving with my new permit took an hour. You have to pre pay and then go to the office with the receipt of payment, a form of identification, and your old permit. You go through a few steps where they verify your payment and enter you into their system. Then you move to another room where you wait to enter a booth. This is where they take the new picture and enter more information. Finally, you move to another large area where you wait for them to call your name with the newly printed permit. The process was very organized and simple even though it is very different than in the US! They also don’t put your height and weight on the permits here. Haha!

After leaving there, I shopped at a supermarket down the road in town. I enjoyed some Pizza Hut pizza before having a doctor’s appointment. Finally, the driver took me to the outskirts of town for me to drive myself back to the village! It only took one hour and 10 minutes to reach because there wasn’t any jam at 2:00 pm when I started the drive home. I’m thankful for another safe journey God provided! Glory to God for a very productive day going to Kampala!

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Yesterday and today have been restful days as I spent most of my time reading the Word. I enjoyed being outside, sitting on the verandah and walking with Shadow Lynn. Brian and another man came last night for about an hour to fix one of the newer metal bed frames. My garden is starting to have some growth. The sprouts you see furthest away in the picture are local beans the groundskeeper planted at the same time as Mama Fab and I planted the American seeds. We shall see if the American seeds will start coming up in time. Glory to God Alone!

Sunday, October 29, 2023

My Sunday morning started as usual with the drive to Kampala. I was able to take the 3 boys (who always come to church with me) to a nice restaurant for a breakfast buffet. We celebrated their last week of primary school, as they will take their primary leaving exam next week! Of course, they have never been to a restaurant so nice. They were using their forks well and trying to use their knives, too. One of the boys asked me if he could pick a breakfast pizza up with his hands! Haha! I said he could use his hands for that!! Most times at buffets, I never feel like I get my monies worth so I told them I needed them not to be shy but to eat as much as they wanted. Once I saw them struggling to continue eating more, I told them they didn’t have to keep eating if they were going to be sick. They said they couldn’t give the restaurant free money! I inquired what they were meaning. Basically their way of saying to eat the monies worth! Haha! They are funny boys.

We even went on a tour “field trip” to the grocery store connected to the restaurant that sells mostly imported foods at very high prices, of course. They were amazed at the prices of items. I took these photos of them, and they wanted me to send to their moms. They said even their moms or family members have never been to a restaurant that nice. It really puts into perspective how blessed I am as well as so many of my friends and family. A breakfast buffet of $19 per person is not cheap by any means, but I also wouldn’t call that one of the most expensive restaurants we have in America. To put it into perspective, minimum wage is about $36 per month. So this celebratory breakfast could be half of their parent’s monthly salary. To say they were excited and happy for that experience is an understatement. They know it was only God providing them the opportunity through supporters of DLM giving financially. They were so thankful to the Lord! Glory to God! I enjoyed being with them before going to church.

After church, we went to the school for Bible study. With Tuesday being Reformation day, we talked about some of the reformers like Martin Luther, John Huss, and William Tyndale. The desire of these men was to bring the church back to the truths of the Word of God, and their message could be summed up in the 5 Solas. We are saved by Grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone according to scripture alone for the glory of God alone! Listen to the kids sing this truth! Many of the reformers died for standing for the Truth. We read and highlighted Matthew 5:12 that says, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”. Thankful for the faithful men God used to guide His people. Of course we played bingo, and then we ended with our snack and prayer! Soli Deo Gloria ~ Glory to God alone!

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

With the rainy season upon us, the ministry home compound has been quite messy with “red Georgia clay” and with no grass. Praise the Lord, God has provided the funding to complete the landscape project. Yesterday was Day 1 of the landscape project for the ministry home compound! Leveling was done yesterday. Today, day 2, maram was brought in by a small truck. The maram is a rocky soil that will be used for the driveway.