Luke 18:9-14

This past week has been nice, I’ve really started to get in the groove of things, and am starting to feel more at home. The bugs still bug me, but not enough to not sleep through the night. I’m still waking up several times a night though for no real reason, I’m exhausted. On Monday I went into Kampala with Christian (the guy I went with before) it was super easy this time though, a bus picked us up right at the Mukono road and drove us straight into Kampala. Where we wanted to check out a market, man I’ve got pictures you should see them! It wasn’t that great of a market, we didn’t stay but it was cool to see. We then walked over to the mall where we had to get groceries, which is always nice! They have Tons of different “biscuits” (cookies) people really like their biscuits and coffee. So I found this certain one made from Canada and Christian found one from Holland, we were Really happy. LOL this little things I guess. After that Christian had to go to the internet café, so I walked around looked at different clothes shops and a jewelry store, that had some really nice African jewelry and nic’nacs, I couldn’t help myself…. I also bought a book, couldn’t help myself there either. DO you ever find yourself in a book store and realize you’ve been there for over an hour with your hands full of books? I do it ALL the time!

This week is the start of school holidays, the kids are off for 4 weeks! AHH!! But it’s nice cuz the week they go back, I go HOME!! So that’s how I’m keeping track J But through out the week the kids all have activities, one day it’ll be a worksheet or a craft, and another day we’ll play a sport, and for the older kids we have movie nights. So I’ve found my self very involved in this especially for the older kids. This will give me a chance to get to know the kids and hopefully it’ll help my weeks go by faster. SO this afternoon was our first sports and games event. Man I remember not liking P.E. in school. But I think the kids really enjoyed it, played musical chairs, capture the flag, and two other games I’ve never heard of. It’s hard to enjoy myself because the kids don’t really listen to me, I feel like I have no authority over them, it’s very frustrating. Any suggestions? Please I need them! Than also tonight is the first film night, we’re watching Snow White, haven’t seen that movie in years.

The girl that we had picked up from the police station last week was dedicated on Sunday. She is adorable! Really loving it here, getting to know the Aunties and kids, and really trusting us all. They’ve renamed her Kristi, easier than Spaysosia. And Pita gave a story before we prayed over her, she went to the doctor last week to get a check up on her infection. And the doctor asked Kristi how she was liking Noah’s Ark, she said she loves it, she has a new Mama and Papa, and Aunties and Uncles. It almost seems like her old life has been already forgotten, I pray that it does. I pray she’ll never remember the terrible things that has happened to her, and I also pray HIV won’t effect her life, just a painful reminder of what happened. She’s always got a smile on her face, and she’s doing very well, this transition has been very good to her.

We also got 2 new babies for Easter! 1 week old, identical twin baby girls! Fleur and Rose, they’ve been named. The are very premature though and are in an incubator. Rose was so jaundiced that she was rushed to the hospital late Saturday and is still there. She’s getting blood transfusions to get her liver to start working properly, it almost failed on her. So she’s being put under a blue light every half hour and also kept in an incubator. Praying that Fleur won’t get this, and that she wont be attacked by any infections. Also praying that Rose can come home soon and be with her sister! It’s been a tough start but, I pray they’ll make it and live happy lives!

Easter

Today is Easter Saturday. I woke up today really thinking about the meaning of Easter, and ways that we use Easter to celebrate family and holidays. But from my experience of a Western Easter weekend it’s not much about Jesus dieing on the cross for us, but more about ham dinners, chocolate and family around the dinner table. Yea that’s all great stuff, but is that how we celebrate Jesus? Is that how He wants us to celebrate?
Last night at Noah’s Ark we made a big wooden cross and got all the kids to walk around the compound carrying it, reading bible verses about Jesus preparing for death and dieing on the cross. Peit got one of the boys to lie on the cross and he pretended to put nails in the boys hands, and everyone was laughing thinking this is just a joke, all for fun. But then Peit was like, Hey! This isn’t funny, sure it’s just pretend but imagine this nail actually being hammered into your hand! Imagine the pain Jesus had to go through being hung on that cross, he couldn’t breathe, he suffocated hanging there, this isn’t funny this is tragic! Maybe one of the Worst ways to die! And he did that for us! We killed him, so he could die for our sins. Luke 23: 34 says: Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”…. I feel like we still don’t know what we’re doing.
It’s great to have a family dinner and celebrate Easter, but what are you talking about around that dinner table? Is it just another holiday to you? Or is it the weekend where your sins were forgotten and you had a chance for internal life? I really encourage you to share the Easter story with people who may not know it, or have forgotten it. Think about the sacrifice Jesus did for you, how is this holiday going to be different for you than the others?
I think Jesus wants us to share His word this weekend, with our friends and family and even strangers. Yes! Eat a ham or turkey, and Yes! Eat TONS of chocolate (for me ;) ) but remember your words shared, remember who you share them with, because your words could change someone’s life.

Gods Little Signs

Before I can to Uganda I started planning my return, and I continue to plan my return. Figuring out where I'm going to live for the summer, do I have a job when I get home, will I have money to put gas in my car before I start working? All these things linger in my head, and it's hard because I worry and stress about something I cannot fix or change at the moment, or for that matter even be thinking about! Thinking about this more the past couple days I've been asking God to really show me what I should be doing, how I should start preparing and also forgetting for the time being. 

I open up my bible this morning to Luke 12: 22-26

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very thing, why do you worry about the rest?"

I found this verse so reassuring because Brenna means raven or little raven. I laugh at how God shows up in my life, I ask for big bright lighted signs! And He Always gives them to me!!

Another sign God gives me lots is the number 23. I know it sounds weird and many people are like..."are you serious Brenna?" But He does!! The number started out as a song from a band i loved with a girlfriend of mine in middle school. But after loving the song the number started showing up everywhere! During good times of my life, and also bad times. I started to wonder if it was God guiding me, showing me signs that I had desperately prayed for. After a while I figured it had to be, I'd wake up one morning ask God for a sign and there 23 would pop up. Or even that first day I went into Kampala and was so concerned I wouldn't get back to the compound safely, I prayed for God to show up and take over, than I see 23 on a guys shirt in a bus I was taking. I think it's God's way of saying "Brenna I'm in control, let Me take over". Okay God! You do that, I'll just go for the ride :) Sounds good....

Well He for sure has taken me on a ride, it's been good and bad, but I've learned from everything. God is Good!

What's your sign? Do you have a sign? Have you asked God for a sign? I encourage you to ask Him for it!

Love Brenna

Spaysosia

I woke up this morning to find myself with 2 slices of bread and no milk left. This meant I had to venture out into that great city of Kampala again, and lucky to me Pita just happened to be going today for buy groceries for Easter, Perfect! And what’s even better about this is Pita has her own car with her own driver… meaning no “border-border” or buses, YAY! This worked out perfect because Pita had quit a few things to get so I’m sure she appreciated the help. During our drive Pita and the driver Jimmy were talking about a baby Pita had received from the police a couple weeks back, this baby was about 6 weeks old, very malnourished and had to be fed almost every hour. Pita spent 5 days caring for this child and the baby actually pasted away, she was saying how hard it was because the parents who had given up the child just didn’t want it and really should have gone to jail for not caring for it. Than the topic came up of how Pita really need a while before the next baby came into her life, and jokingly said “we should stop talking about this or I’ll get a phone call from the Police station today”. Well at our last stop we did get a phone call from Peit saying the Police station called about a baby that needed to be picked up. Funny how God works. So we hurried with our shopping and headed to the Police station expecting an infant, that has been poorly cared for.
We get to the station and Pita reads over the Police report and finds out it’s a 4 years old girl who has been sexually abused by her step father, her mother neglected the fact and her daughter as well. The only reason why the police found out about the situation was because the neighbors became concerned of the child’s different behavior! So the police go over to the home and force the mother to get the child looked at by a doctor. The step father is HIV positive and if the child had seen a doctor in the 24 hours of this happening they would have been able to give her a drug to kill off any virus, but sine the mother neglected to take her daughter to the doctor she has now been tested for the virus and it was found. I guess they can’t really do anything for another 6 months to see if she really is HIV positive than they start her on medication. So please pray this young girl is HIV negative!!!
We sit in this small cement room “office” and wait for the police to fill out the rest of the papers and bring the child in with the mother. The mother is smaller than me and had no interest in her daughter. Of course the child is clinging to the only familiar face she knows but the woman just pushed her away like she was a bug. I wanted to cry for this young girl, how can a mother do this to her child!?
We signed the papers took some pictures and took the girl and left. Most of the way home she’s crying asking for mama, it was so heart breaking. And of course she doesn’t speak any English, so trying to comfort her is minimal. We get back to Noah’s Ark and introduce her to an Auntie that speaks Ugandian, she got all cleaned up and put into clean clothes and really started to look more relaxed. Every time she’d see me she would come running up to me and just cling onto me, I think because I was at the police station and a familiar face. She trusts no one, especially men, she’s very timed around them, I pray that she’ll eventually get over that.
Seeing this child and knowing her story makes me know why I’m here. To help the lost be found. I can’t wait to watch her gain trust with others in the next couple weeks, to learn English and to make friends; become a sister to Noah’s Ark.

Healing

Peit said something really thought provoking in church today. Talking about all these sick kids lately, he said, “ I thank God for sickness because that gives us a chance to be healed and for God to save us”, I thought that was so awesome, considering my Granmas health lately. It’s really made me wonder why God does things the way He does, and why there’s cancer and other no-curable diseases. And also why people suffer. Than Peit said that and it made me think, my Granmas cancer could bring my family to Christ, she’s already had one miracle lets make it two, and three! Those tumors in her brain, I pray God shrinks them everyday, I pray He does the impossible, so one day my family can praise God and the miracles He has done!

cockroaches.... yuckkk

This morning I got disturbing news that the childrens home was being sprayed because of cockroaches being found in babies beds…. Yuck!!!! When I think of a cockroach I think of those Huge long beetle looking things, but apparently these things are small…. And now that I think about it, last night before I went to bed I saw this strange looking bug in my hallway, it was black with lots of legs and long antennas…. And as I walked into my bathroom just now I saw another one…. I think I’m infested, if you see one there’s always more? Right….? Omg I pray it’s a harmless bug!!! I kinda don’t want to sleep tonight now….

My week has been really good! Even though it hasn’t been so good around here, the young girl Petra came home from the hospital today!!! Praise God! She just starting improving over night it seemed, God is crazy good!!! She’s still very weak, but she’ll be walking around in no time, no brain damage or anything! SO my mornings I spend in the kitchen, really getting to know the Aunties that work there, they are really good to me. They make me Ugandian tea every morning, and let me show them how to make things too. Today I made French toast… hehe! Lots of dishes to clean and food to prepare. The gardeners just brought up a bunch of broccoli this week and the ladies don’t know how to cook it, so it’s basically just mush…. So the manager is trying to figure out ways to cook this vegetable, lol!
I also got a tour of the garden today, got Tons of pictures! Which I will post on face book as soon as I get a chance. The whole childrens home can be fed by this garden, any veggie you can grow in this heat is here!
Closer to the end of the day, spent time playing with kids, and had dinner with Pita and Piet watched some Ghost Rider with the kids, and now I’m off to bed. Man what a cheesy show….

My mom has been bugging me to read some of Hebrews, starting at chapter 10, which I should have listened days ago.
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he had promised. For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. Hebrews 10: 35-38

I kind of feel bad now that I had feelings of going home early and not wanting to be here. I’m here because this is Gods plan! And I could have ruined it because I was home sick! There are people here who are supporting me and asking how I’m doing, that’s what I should have done right away, not cried in my room about it. I feel like God just smacked me straight…. I guess we all need it now and then, or we wouldn’t need Him.

It’s funny how you guys also gave me verses from Hebrews… maybe I should read the whole thing. Thankyou for your comments of encouragement!!!

Love you all
Brenna

Dutch Pancakes

Does anyone know what Luke 5: 33-39 means? It has stumped me all day. I know it has something to do with fasting, but I’m not quit sure what. Can someone explain??!!


The past couple days have been good. We had a devotional on Monday morning and I asked for prayer about how I’ve been feeling. After Peit and I talked and he was saying it’s very normal for people to come here and be home sick and have culture shock. You just gotta get in the groove of things, but it’s nice now that people here know, they can keep me accountable.
There’s a young girl named Petra in the hospital, she’s been there since Sunday afternoon, thinking it was malaria. But now the doctors aren’t really sure, and she’s highly sedated, so please pray that God will heal her, and give the doctors the knowledge to treat her, this has been a huge  stress on the whole compound. Pita and Peit have been in the hospital  most of the week, so Peit has asked be to spend the afternoons around their place making sure the kids have what they need. There’s also another girl named Naomi, she’s also sick very high fevers and bad head aches, I’ve been spending most of my time with her just comforting her. It sucks when kids are sick, I feel like my mom when I was sick, do you need this, can I get you that? Haha and we all say we’ll never be like our parents….

So I have lots of prayer requests for these kids!! And since I’m around them, pray I stay healthy too!! We had pancakes for dinner last night, it was sooo good. (they don’t use syrup though…) So, things are going well with me! Thank-you for all your prayers and love already, please keep it up!!!

Love Brenna

Growth

Today’s service was about Growth. Which is very fitting to why I’m here. I feel like the purpose God was trying to teach me was that I will only grow by serving, and I am here to serve. A story that was used lots today was Jesus washing his disciples feet. When Jesus did this he was teaching his disciples humility, washing peoples feet in those days was a dirty, low life job. So when Jesus began to wash others feet, he was showing that no job is too little or too big for us to do. If the Son of God himself can serve like that, than no one is too good to serve others in any way.


Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
John 13:7

This verse hits in many ways, because when I first got here I was struggling, and still am. My mom gave this verse as an encouragement to me, knowing that God has a plan for me here, and though I don’t know what it is He does and it’s good. When I read through John 13 I realized that it was the story of Jesus washing his disciples feet. How strange…. God works in mysterious ways… haha

April 9 -- my adventure in kampala

Today I decided to make some choices for myself, and that was to ask questions. So this morning I cried again and thought how terrible it is that I’m here. But I got up and went over to the childrens home and asked Pita if I could help in the office. And yes! There was something to do in the office, yay I’ve got a job! Lots of kids have sponsors in Canada, so my job is to take a picture of them and get them to write a letter to their sponsor. Sounds easy enough, and gives me a chance to meet some of the kids, we’ll see how it goes. Another question was about internet, there are two internet sticks available for volunteers, of course they are already being used, but I was told to ask one of the girls if I could chip in each month and share. We’ll see hopefully they’ll agree to it, I’d love to blog more and keep in touch with my support group. Lastly, about food, I asked if sometime this week someone would go into town with me so I could get some food. And with that question I find out that Christian, a volunteer from Holland was going into Kampala today. Perfect! I’d get some groceries and explore a little, just what I needed to get out of my dumps.
First we walk up the road to the main road into Mukono, where a “border-border” picks us up. Which is a scooter/motorbike that taxis people around town, and from what Christian says it’s called a “border-border” because people used to travel from border to border in Uganda and these motorbikes would take them. These men I’m telling you are ruthless! Weave in and out of traffic like they’re immortal, with sometimes 3 people on their bike. Once we got into Mukono we got into this “bus” which is actually a 15 passenger van, but sometimes can hold up to 20 people in it. And I thought the motor bikes were ruthless, well these guys are just as bad. Suicide passing, honking their horns, weaving in and out of traffic. There’s no traffic laws, can you tell?

Once we get into Kampala, it’s busier than Vancouver on a bad day. There are people selling things everywhere, such as sunglasses, or country flags, or candy. We walk to this food court and order some ice cream, oh my I missed that sweat treat, even if it hasn’t been a week since I’ve had it. I needed it.  After our ice cream we walk to the “mall” which really is a mall, it’s got all sorts of shops and a big grocery store, even a food court. (apparently Holland doesn’t have food courts, so Christian thought it was strange) They also had a internet café where I got to blog for the first time, and let everyone know I’m okay. I needed that too. These grocery stores basically have everything you need, I got a loaf of bread, apples, kiwis, grapes, and some pizza. It should hopefully last me the week until I can find someone to go into Mukono with next week. I ordered a hot dog at the food court, they put tomatoes and cucumbers in it… strange, but good. After that we walked over to the other mall because Christian needed to use the bank, then we were on our journey home.

And was it ever a journey. First, we stand on the side of the road trying to catch a bus to take us back to Mukono for about 15 minutes but no one would stop for us. So we walked a little further back down the street and found a bus that was charging 3000 ugandian shillings, which apparently is a lot. But we took it anyways, the bus took us half way down Kampala when it decided they didn’t want to drive into Mukono anymore… haha, so basically go find another bus. Thanks. But quickly we find another bus that would take us to Mukono for 3000 shillings for the both of us (score?) but we waited for about 20 minutes for these guys to find other people to fill the bus up, oh my. So we wait and wait and wait, and mean while the clouds begin to get darker and the wind begins to pick up, which only means one thing, rain. Once the bus was full the driver had a hard time getting the bus to start, than he kept stalling, man I could tell he was riding the clutch too. So we stop, than go again, than stop, than go again, until he decided that the bus was out of gas. AHHH! So the bus drivers partner jumps onto a “border-border” to the gas station. Lovely, we’ve stopped again for another 15 minutes, I’m wondering if we’ll ever get home at this point. The partner comes back with gas and we start again just in time for the rain, which in a way was a blessing cuz it was so sticky and hot in that bus with 17 people in it.

We finally get back to Mukono in one piece, thank the Lord! We jump onto a “border-border” and hold on for dear life. The man was nice enough to drive us straight to the compound, which by the way is a dirt road… seriously holding onto dear life here!! But surely we get back in one piece, what an adventure!

So here I am at 5:30 in the afternoon patiently waiting for bed. I hand washed some of my clothes, we’ll see how long it takes to dry and how clean they actually are. I’m going to start my devotions in the mornings now, I think that’ll help with my loneliness, to start off with God. So I guess I’ll journal throughout the day instead of just at night.



Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

On one of the bus rides home today I saw Isaiah 60:1 on a mans t-shirt. Than I saw 23 on another mans t-shirt. Thanks God for showing up today.


I experienced my first birthday at the childrens home. A little boy turning 2. Soo funny! They make this big cake, and set it on a table and brought the baby to the table so he could sit by the cake. And every night after dinner the kids sing their thanks to God for food and life things like that. And this poor little boy is just sitting there looking terrified! Haha we’re all singing happy birthday to him, and he’s got this look of terror on his face! So priceless, I couldn’t help but laugh. Too cute.

kampala

Hello my friends. I am safe in an internet cafe in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. My plane ride was good, but very long!My luggage got left in Amstredam so I went a day without very much.But everything was there when I got is praise the Lord, you hear horror stories of things being stolen out of your luggage.

The time change has hit me a little, but I'm slowly getting over it. This is my 3rd day here, and I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought. I need prayer for strength, I'm very lonely and finding it hard to find my place here.

It is crazy busy all the time, the kids are always around and wanting attention. I'm staying in a guest house, that is Huge! A kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom. It's meant for big groups but I lucked out I guess. The first day I was here, I was welcomed by monkeys on my back porch and a gecko under my towel. Scared the crap out of me!

I'm reading the book of Luke, and it"s crazy how God will always show up when you least expect it. I feel like He's thanking me for my obedience to him, and blessing me for it. I'm not quit seeing the blessings right now, but He's also shown me patience is key. Which is very mean beacuse He didn't give me very much patience... lol But I'm trying to keep a positive attitude and hoping that my emotions get better with time.

Please keep me in your prayers, I reallly need it right now. I'll try to blog as much as I can. But I am journalling so when I get home and if you're curious I've got it all writen down.

Love you all. Hope all is well.
Brenna