Update from UGANDA:

I cannot believe I am going into my SIXTH week here in Jinja.

"He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, I shall not be greatly shaken."
Psalm 62:2

Here are some pictures that capture these past few weeks...

   

Last week we took these silly boys to swim at Jinja/Nile Resort. This is one of the prettiest places I have ever been! It cost $200/night to stay or better yet is cost less than $2/person to spend the day swimming! Jason, Jamile, Walter, and Samuel enjoyed every minute of it. 

  

This is the scenery from the pool. It is alongside the Nile River. 

Oh...and the monkeys are EVERYWHERE!!!

Precious Walter. 

Silly Jason. He never meets a stranger. 

Jamile is rockin' the shades. 

Samuel 

Of course...sweeties are a must on every outing! 

We also enjoyed playing on the playground at Jinja/Nile Resort. 

Happy Birthday, Walter!!! Janis and I enjoyed celebrating this special boy! He is wonderfully and fearfully  made. 

Last weekend I had the privilege of going out to KitoKuro village with Mrs. Ida. She works along side Kibo ministry. She takes 10 weeks in a village to meet with the woman and have a biblestudy along with doing a woman's health initiative. This was an unbelievable experience. Ida has been very proactive in investing within these woman's lives. I look forward to spending a few more Saturdays with her and getting every bit of wisdom she has to offer.

For one of our activities this week, we brought out the paint. The kids had more paint on themselves and the porch than on their pictures. We had a blast none the less. 

A new first this week was going into the market. There are thousands of people set up to sell anything and everything. A little bit overwhelming, but it was a neat experience to see these people's livelihood. 

Erica mobys with baby Janet quite often...so Zuena decided she wanted to moby like baby Janet. I love that girl. There is never a dull moment. 

Here are a few pictures from our time outside this week. 

The things you can get away with in Africa....fitting ten people in a '94 Toyota Rav4. 

The Ekisa group. I have so enjoyed getting to know these girls! The Lord is so faithful to provide community. 

Another HUGE blessing has been Skype. I know that sounds silly, but whenever you have an incredible family and friends it helps to be able to have contact. On Sunday I skyped with my family and joined them for lunch. :) 

I love and miss you all dearly! There will be a post with a little more writing and less pictures to come. Hopefully, within the next few days. I kinda stink at this blogging thing. haha


-Whitney

Hey Friends!

            I have tried to sit down and write this post time and time again this week…I have found myself at a loss of words, I have found it challenging to put into words everything the Lord is doing, and how to express everything I am experiencing in general. So let me start off by saying the children here at Ekisa are simply AMAZING. (I am sure I have mentioned that before, but I think it is worth saying againJ) I have fallen in love with each of them for different reasons. They are each FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. Ekisa is truly like a family. I adore that.

 Here are just a few of the adorable faces I get to see every day...

 Yep, they have melted my heart too!! 

            During my time here I have been going to Acacia church on Sunday. It is made up of about half missionaries and half Ugandans. I have enjoyed being apart of what the Lord is doing there. I am challenged weekly as we gather to worship and praise the Lord for all HE has done within the previous week. As we are sharing requests and praise just about weekly there is someone who speaks up to praise the Lord for life. Wow. How often do we take for granted the gift of life? These people get it. They realize that life is a gift and we should use it to the fullest to make the Lord known. 

           This week I have had such a heavy heart. A heavy heart for people who have lost loved ones, for the poverty that I am surrounded by, sickness, and for the people I am surrounded by here in Jinja, family, and friends who do not know Christ personally. This week I have been broken by how desensitized I am. I want to try to meet all of these needs by myself-I want to comfort these people, provide food and shelter for the poor, heal the sick, etc. I. I. I. I. I. There is a problem here. I cannot do any of this. How temporary it would be if I could meet these needs. How can I be so selfish to attempt to fix these problems instead of sharing the gospel-which is eternal. This not only goes for my time spent here in Jinja, but should continue as I return home in a few weeks. We have a God who is our COMFORTER, PROVIDER, HEALER, and more importantly our SAVIOR. I have been reminded daily of how depraved I am. I limit the Spirit in my own life on a daily basis. When is the last time you took time to share the gospel with someone? When is the last time you took time to invest within your loved ones who do not know Christ?(I am asking myself these same questions.) We as the church have got to start stepping up and not taking life for granted. We need to cease every opportunity that is given for us to love people as Christ has loved us. How much do we truly cherish the gospel. Our lives should be centered around it. I would say to sum up my time here the Lord has magnified within my life the importance of the gospel. So Beloveds I challenge you not to limit the Spirit within your own life. Allow the Spirit to work through you and get out of your comfort to share the gospel daily to those you are surrounded by. 

            This week I have been reading through Galatians. I highly encourage and challenge you to read through Galatians. Dwell and meditate on what you are reading.Here are a few of the verses that the Lord has been using to stir my heart. 

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God: Or am I trying to please man? IF I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10 Who are we trying to please? God or man? You can't be doing both. 

"I have been crucified with Christ, It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." -Galatians 2:20 Praise the Lord. He has bore our(believers) sins. If you do not know Christ there is hope. Christ has paid the debt. 

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written. Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree-so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we mint receive the promised Spirit through faith." -Galatians 3:13-14 Christ is our Redeemer. 

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh/ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." -Galatians 5:16-17 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL: against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one a noter, envying one another." -Galatians 5:22-26

"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which he world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." -Galatians 6:14

          Here are pictures to capture some of the fun, crazy, significant times this past week:

This week we had the privilege of taking Mama Nam and her two children, Jamel(3) and Grace(9 months) to lunch. Mama Nam came to live at Ekisa months ago. She lived with her grandmother previously and she sold her into prostitution. The Lord has done an incredible work within her. 

We spend majority of our day outside playing around the compound. 

Every little girl loves to swing. 

Baby Isaac getting a little snooze in the midst of physical therapy. 

You never see this guy without a huge smile across his face. I have never seen a child so happy and content. Pure JOY. 

This week we have had a few teams come in for the day to spend some time with the kids. Thursday a team came to take the children swimming. They had a BLAST!! 

I felt the need to document this....because this is where Zuena spends the majority of her time. haha.

This week there was a team who brought each of the children stuffed animals. 

I am beyond thankful for new friendships.

I guess you probably know what this means....I never, ever care to ever experience chickens being slaughtered EVER again. You go and by live chickens at market here and you have to kill them, pluck them,...and so on. I am highly considering being a vegetarian now. 

We have had a rat living in the volunteer room for the past week. Stacy got up Wednesday to open her suitcase and find that not so little critter. 

As you can see...there is never a dull moment here at the Ekisa house! haha The kids here are quite fond of Justin Bieber and his song "Baby". They all love to sing it. So one of the past volunteers sent these mask along with a Justin Bieber clock for some decor. 

       If you haven't noticed, I am quite fond of sharing pictures. I find that to be the best way to share everything that has been going on. I apologize for how scattered my thoughts are throughout this post. haha. Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouraging words! You really have no idea how thankful I am for them. Thank you all for praying specifically for Josh as he was fighting against sickness. He is finally well and back to his happy self. Praise the Lord! Sickness here is coming to an end. We still have a few kiddos getting over chicken pox, but we are on the mend. Please continue to pray for these incredible children as well as the community here in Jinja. 

Love you all!!

Whitney 

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for HIS good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain." -Phil. 2:13-16