We're Back!!!

It's good to be home. Having Nikki, Kristin and Marcia here has already been a huge blessing. I enjoy visiting with them, and learning more about them. Really just having their presence has been refreshing.

Since coming home things have been rather busy. We left for Kampala sooner than expected, leaving our to-do list unfinished. We have also had a lot of visitors, to welcome us back.

Getting away from Kotido was good for me emotionally. It was good to get a break from the constant suffering, and depravity. My compassion has been renewed but it also leaves me heart broken. More than ever I see that the Karamjong need Jesus and apart from that there is not much hope. This is evident in the different situations we find ourselves in, and the failed attempt of different organizations to help them. I try not to get discouraged, so I press on, and look to the word of God for comfort. Left with a lot of questions unanswered right now about some different situations. I don't have enough time to explain all of the situations. I am praying that God would continue to give us a vision for spreading the Gospel here. That it would penetrate the hearts, and transform lives.

I will give you a little insight into one situation, but will leave out much of the detail. It's complicated. Visited Apeyo. Didn't end up being as good as I thought it was going to be. He has shingles, and the effects of malnutrition are creeping back. We are hoping we can continue to teach his mother how to care for him properly and be able to share the Gospel with her, but it is not easy. We keep asking God to lead us and guide us daily on what His desire is for this people group.

I feel God has been teaching me so much about helping the one, and not getting overwhelmed with the multitude but being obedient to what He has put in front of me. So I press on.

Michaela

Our Time Away, and a Slideshow

If you didn't already know we went to Jinja (Kampala a couple days) to get some rest and relaxation. We had some problems come up with our vehicle's engine. It was in the shop for over a week and, then back to working. We enjoyed our time in Jinja mostly laying by the pool, however we did meet some other missionaries in Jinja which was a blessing. Not to mention they had us over for dinner and cooked us AMAZING food!

We now return home welcoming our summer missionaries, Kristin, Nikki, and Marcia (Kristi's mom). We are really excited about their time here.

We had wifi while in Jinja so I was able to make a slideshow of our time there. I hope you enjoy it.

vacation - slideshows

Reflection

Over looking the Nile River in Jinja

Hard to believe we have almost been here 8 months. It some ways it feels like the time has flown by and in other ways it feels like we have lived here forever. I sit typing this while in Jinja getting some rest and relaxation. The time here has been really great for all of us. For me personally I have tried to reflect over the months and look at the themes God has been teaching me.

God has been teaching me to trust in him. There is a war raging inside of me at times. Many times I miss the comforts I had in the States. Food and the ability to control my situations especially. And the one I am missing the most is good medical care and my health. I am not saying these things are bad but what bothers me is that Christ isn't enough for me at times. I am just being transparent. I haven't seen it so clearly until a lot of it was striped away. We have a joke among our team that Kotido brings out the worst in you. I know this is a recurrent theme in my blogs, with the Habbakuk 3:17 prayer. Sometimes I think it is hard for us "Americans" because we know what we are missing. If you never experience ice cream, than when you don't have it, you don't miss it. If you have never had a flushing toilet than you don't miss having a flushing toilet. These comforts for me seem to keep me from experiencing more of what God wants for me. Merely distractions that I have to weed through. It seems for me the movement of learning is slow but then I know God is teaching me through the process and I won't transform over night. However I never want to be content with where I am in my relationship with Christ or think I have "arrived." This is where danger lurks.

Here are some scriptures I would like to share with you.

Luke 14:33
So therefore any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
(The context of this scripture is Jesus talking about counting the cost of discipleship)


2 Cor. 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us but life in you.

John 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.

"Turn you eyes upon Jesus look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

May God Be Enough For Me,
Michaela

BTW...My husband will be posting a blog soon on our website....I know its been a LONG time!

Changes

As I look at my 6 beautiful children I am thankful for God's grace and His goodness. I am so thankful for how well they have adjusted to life here in Kotido Uganda. I am proud how they strive to follow God. For my oldest three I am proud of how far they have come and their heart to serve the Lord.

It is strange and surreal to see them mature and change. My once "little girl" is not so little anymore and Joshua is beginning to transform into a young man. My heart is jubilant and scared all at the same time. I don't want them to grow up, but it is inevitable. However it is encouraging to see the seeds God has planted starting to sprout. My prayer is that it would only continue into a bountiful harvest of fruit.

This desire is especially true as Joshua begins to reach puberty (I know it is weird for me too). Joshua has a hunger to follow God and a craving for God's word is contagious. I would like to share a story of how God has been faithful to Joshua.

When we were praying about moving to Uganda we asked the kids to pray along side of us. Joshua came to me one day and said he thought that God was asking him to go and to teach the people about God. Later he felt specifically that God wanted him to teach kids that fighting is not the answer. Previously in Joshua's life it was normal to fight with fists to solve problems. He had learned that you deal with your emotions with violence.

A couple weeks after we were here, an interesting situation happened. Joshua was playing football (soccer for the State side people) at at field nearby and a kid got mad at Joshua and threw a rock at him hitting him in the head. I was in the yard and saw him walking home and by the way he was walking and the way he looked I knew something was wrong. Once arriving through the gate I learned that a boy was mad at him and threw a rock hitting him in the head, leaving a gash. Joshua responded by yelling at the boy, "Why did you do that?" The boy said nothing just expected Joshua to fight with him and throw a rock back. Rather than doing that, he walked away. That had to be one of the hardest things for Joshua, to walk away in a moment of anger, but he did it. He denied his ever so strong emotions, and obey what he felt God wanted him to do. The boy seemed to be somewhat of a coward and wouldn't come around Joshua or our house. It seems he was afraid of him. Maybe it was more because Joshua hadn't done what was expected and didn't seek revenge.

Several weeks even months went by. We saw this rock thrower here and there and Joshua didn't hold a grudge against him. We talked with Joshua about forgiving him and Joshua knew what the scriptures say about the importance of us forgiving. We told Joshua how proud we were of him in his obedience to God. Then one day Joshua asked me if this infamous rock thrower named Emmanuel could come in our gate and play. With the biggest smile on my face while fighting back the tears of joy, and thankfulness to God I said, "YES!"

I am happy to say that now Emmanuel is one of Joshua's closest friends. He comes to play with Joshua often and Joshua enjoys showing him his illustrated Bible he got for Christmas. He went to Emmanuel's house to meet his family and ran home to ask me if he could give Emmanuel one of his t-shirts because he hardly had any clothes. Of course my response was, "Yes!" once more.

Even though it is hard to think of my kids growing up and someday leaving the nest it is encouraging to see God work in their lives. It is exciting to see His promises fulfilled in them.

Thank you Jesus for my children. They encourage me to be a better mom and Christian. Their testimonies speak loud to me and I am grateful. Thank you for the work you are doing in their lives. Thank you for your love and forgiveness. Thank you that we get to serve here in Kotido and be the hands and feet of Jesus. Thank you that my children are a part of your plan here. Thank you for the opportunity to be a servant. Continue helping me to be a mom you desire me to be. Help me to show them who YOU are and who YOU want them to be. May You continue to show your love and grace in their lives. You are GOOD!

PIctures

I feel like there is so much to say, and nothing to say at all. They say that a pictures speaks a thousand words so here is 7,000 words

We recently went to sliding rock! The kids had a blast and these are some of the pictures that Kristi and Misty took.

Carter

Joshua and Ezra Williams

Janaya and Kenneth Williams

Cody in the "train." Rikot, Cody, Janaya, and Nevaeh.

Some women holding Eliana at our Bible Storying Fellowship

Eliana 5 weeks old

My Girls
F.Y.I. I am feeling much better after getting medicine for Typhoid. I am dealing with side effects to the drug but doing better. Thank you for your prayers.

Michaela

Newsletter

I had great intentions of posting pictures but it is not working so this week you will just have to settle for our monthly newsletter. I know a lot of you receive it already via email but that is the best I have to offer :)
We are doing ok. I have not been feeling well (physically) and the baby is rather colicky, so if you think about it we could use your prayers there.
To get the newsletter you will have to go to www.FollowingJesusToUganda.com then click on the link Newsletter. You can then download April's newsletter.
Hopefully I will be able to post pictures soon.
Michaela

Vehicle update, homesick, and another picture

The day after I posted the prayer request about our vehicle Kenneth found the perfect one for our price range while he was in Kampala! We were very excited how quickly it all happened and Cody is currently on his way to Kampala to pick it up. We are very thankful for your prayers and we are grateful to all of you who were a part of helping us purchase the vehicle.

Things are mostly going good for us. We continually fight different illnesses and honestly it is getting old. However as a missionary I am really beginning to learn and grasp that life is very different (or maybe I am in between). At some point all of this won't be so shocking all the time. Having orphans, widows and monkeys come to your gate on the same day, are starting to feel normal. Knowing that I need to hold tightly to God and continue to hold onto His word, and its power. I will add that during these physical draining times is when I miss home the most. I miss being with my friends and family. I miss chicken noodle soup when I am sick. I miss a cold drink, ice, ice cream, a comfortable bed, a shower, a flushing toilet that doesn't stink, a grocery store with everything I need and then some, people who understand me, etc.... I am continually reminded of the many blessings God has given me despite being homesick. Really I can't complain and I should focus on these things.

A good friend sent me a book called "At The Edge of The Village." It is about a family that served for 16 years in the Ivory Coast. I have really enjoyed the book because I can relate to the author so much. She has 4 kids that she home schools and she tells just different stories of their adventures as missionaries. You laugh you cry. Several stories I could really relate to. One part she write about in particular.

We have squirmed in the past, and will do so again in the future, because Africa is just "that type of place." Since we work in "that type of place," we will always be meeting with unpleasant, jumpy situations. They are just some of the occupational hazards in the life of an African missionary. In our work we are called by many names: translator, pastor, and missionary; but for now just call us "Squirming in Africa."

And just because I am obsessed with our new daughter.....

A picture with her eyes open!
Squirming,
Michaela