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.
