Vague not vogue

It is that point in the evening when I am trying to settle down to sleep and my brain is going a million miles an hour...  I am laying in my mosquito net with the fan going as it is rather balmy and I am pondering doors and believers giving advice that goes against God's word.

I am going to be vague in my ponderings as dirty laundry doesn't need to be aired in public...

If you have followed this blog for any length of time... you know my obsession with doors and how many times I have struggled with God on closed doors.  Doors that he has closed and locked for my protection.  Well now there is a door in my life that I keep praying will close so I can move on but the almighty foot is blocking it open.  No matter how much I beg, plead, and push... the door is getting no where close to being shut and it is frustrating because I don't see the purpose of it staying open... it just isn't making logical sense at the moment as I can't walk through the open door right now.

The other issue that I have struggled with is people in my life giving me advice of things I should (or shouldn't) be doing that don't line up with God's word.  As I have been telling my girls out here... the Bible is basic instructions before leaving earth... it is designed to be our road map in this life and I am not going to do anything intentionally to go against it.  That includes following the ways of God over the ways of man.  It has never been my intention to look or be normal... that is just not the way I roll.  We are called to edify and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to do what is good.  What kind of friend would I be that purposefully led a sister into sin that could cause a lot of pain, suffering, and possible death...really?

Please know that if you offer advice and I don't follow it... it is not because I don't love you... it s
Is because I love God more and I am following what He says above all else.

The case of the missing keys

Friday afternoon as I was walking around the school as the kiddos were cleaning up... I noticed that the nursery block  of classrooms were not locked up.  It has been stated numerous times that when the teacher leaves for the day the classroom needs to be tidy and  locked up... meaning doors and windows. 

After asking the head teacher for the keys to lock up every thing... I find out the keys are missing and have been since Monday.  I ask why I was not told about this sooner and the othwr teachers kept saying we will find them.  None of the nursery teachers are taking responsibility of the missing keys and are playing the blame game...  which bothers me more than the missing keys. 

So I went up to teacher housing before Bible study and made it clear that if the keys were not in my hand by sundown there would be a consequence... I don't care  whose fault it may be but the classrooms needed to be locked.  I explained that you wouldn't leave for a long period of time and leave your house unlocked so why do it to your classroom.  It is only asking for trouble. 

Well after bible study was over I walked to my apartment and John and I went in search of the extra sets of keys.  Once found... we made sure all the doors and windows of all 5 classrooms were locked.  By this point the sun had gone down and no keys were in my possession.

Monday morning the teachers in the nursery block will be locked out of their classrooms unless someone finds the keys and admits the issue.  The Primary teachers have the keys to their classroom so that is not an issue.  I am interested to see how this plays out... 

What is my bride price?

Recently this has been a topic up for debate...  when I first moved to Uganda my bride price was set at 500 cows... when I went to Egypt my bride price went up to 1000 camels...  did I go up in value or what? 

Anyway this has all been an ongoing joke that has kept away unwanted trouble!

Today in women's Bible study we were discussing how the Proverbs 31 woman makes preparations for the future.  The particular verse is 21 that talks about how she does not fear the snow as her household is doubly clothed in scarlet.  I struggled as I prepped for the lesson because  how do you explain what this means in a culture that has never experienced snow. 

Ultimately I wanted to bring out the point that they...as women of God... needed to make preparations for their children and themselves.  So the first thing we brought up is how could we prepare our children for rainy season... they believe here that if you get wet from the rain you will get very sick and possibly die... so it is something they could relate to.  They decided that they wouldn't send their child out with out banana leaves to shelter them from the rain... being doubly clothed in banana leaves...  ok it worked.

But as we talked about their future and making preparations I kept thinking that this is a 'live for today' culture that uses all the resources they have today because they don't know what tomorrow will bring... for example... If one of our staff gets paid... they will spend most if not all relatively quickly because if a family member or friend have an emergency and need money... the culture says you have to give what you have... and an emergency can be just about anything.  One of our male workers is trying to save up for his fiancé s bride price so he has the foreman holding his pay until it is time to pay the father. 

Ok with all that explained I wanted to have the ladies come up with a way to save for the future so since weddings are a big deal... I hypothetically said... I am getting married in 9 months... how much do I need to save to do this...  I got responses from 100,000 UGX to 3,000,000 UGX (basically $40 to $1000)... then I posed the question... how will I come up with the money needed for the wedding?  I got the response that you ask friends and family and they will give (this would be one of those 'emergencies') ... the ladies also said that you would just have to cut back on daily things which is kind of where I wanted the conversation going to lead into saving and making preparations for the future.

However I was thrown off guard when Allen asked the question... what about the gift for the bride?  Here I am thinking the gifts that are received at the reception but as I was explaining she stopped me and said... no the gift given to your father for you (my bride price).  I tried to explain that normally the parents of the bride and groom give gifts to the couple but the groom doesn't have to pay the parents of the bride.  All four of the ladies were astounded by this piece of information!

This changed my mindset on how I have been looking at the entire issue on bride price...  I guess I had always seen it as a meat market and felt like it was degrading... but after todays discussion it shows the woman has great value... the groom has to work diligently for his bride to be so he doesn't go into marriage lightly... and it is a reward for the parents for raising their daughter well!

Still not saying that I want my value measured in livestock but it has changed my perspective on what I am worth!

Picts from the brown eyed cuties!

Some daily picts of the little brown eyed cuties at Integrity Primary School.  A lot of these children are up for sponsorship and in order continue to educate these little ones we are in need of another school block for the 2015 school year... will you partner with us???  

A tax deductible donation can be given at... 

https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/InTheFieldMinistriesITFM/donate2.html 

A face in the crowd

I thought I saw you in the midst of a crowd.  The image of you made my heart leap thinking that you had come to my side of the world.  But in reality it was just a stranger with similar facial features not realizing the impact on my heart.

I blame this heart of mine for holding out hope but sometimes it is that hope that moves me from day to day.  Maybe we will actually meet up face to face again one day.... or maybe not.  You do not realize the impact you have made on my life.  To realize that someone could love me for me... despite all of my quirks is astonishing to me.  You seem to accept this imperfect person like no one else I have met. 

Not sure what you are going through at this moment in time but I know I am called to stand in the gap for you... to faithfully pray no matter how silly it seems.  Most of the times it just seems crazy but being obedient is more important. As many times as I have tried to close the door... The almighty foot has stood in the way blocking the door from closing.

So maybe seeing your face in the crowd was just a reminder to continue to pray.  So know my friend that you have been prayed for today!

Angels among us

There are days that pass that everything runs along very smoothly... then there are days when we are reminded that God's hand of protection is surrounding us.  Many days we do not see the battle that wages all around us but it is very real.  Then there are days that we get a glimpse of the battle and have to truly thank the Lord for his grace and his mercy.... for there be  I but by the grace of God.

Yesterday was one of those days when I was reminded on several occasions how God has his angels among us to lead, guide, and protect.

Hannington, John, and I needed to head to Kampala to pick up supplies for the new building, a sewing machine for school uniforms, shoes for new students, and groceries so that we have something to eat until Mamma Kimberly arrives on Monday.  We had a bit of a delayed start due to me having a skype in grad school class from 6:30am til 9 am.  We barely had left the village when the brakes on the vehicle were making a lot of noise.  We added a trip to the mechanics on our to do list for the day thinking it was just an issue of a different kind of brake fluid that was mixed in the last time we had it serviced.  We just had the rear brakes replaced a month or so ago and when that took place they supposedly checked the front brakes and everything was good!

Anyway... we ran most of our errands all the while the brakes making more and more noise.  We finally get it to the shop... they take the wheels apart and there is basically nothing left of the rooters...  so they replaced those and the pads on both sides of the front... bled the brake fluid lines and after almost 4 hours were back on the road again.  By this point it is almost 7pm and we were all hungry as lunch had long since worn off.  Stopped by Nakumatt to pick up something to eat and then tried to head back to the village.  Due to the time of day... traffic was horrible so Hannington decided to take some of the back roads from his old stomping ground to keep us from sitting in heavy traffic for hours.  On one of these back roads a van forced us to move left and the truck we were driving fell into a rather large hole that was unseen until it consumed the front end of the truck.  Besides being a bit jostled and sitting sideways...all occupants were ok!  It was at this moment that the big truck directly behind us stopped... seeing what had happened... gets out to offer assistance. (This doesn't normally happen in Uganda... people may stand around watching or offer suggestions but very few offer to assist.)  Within about 10 minutes the big truck hooked our truck up to his bumper and very slowly and carefully pulled us out. 

Thankful that this truck driver was an angel in disguise to assist in time of need.... thankful that John and Hannington had put very strong steel "bumpers" around the front and back of the truck preventing major damage... thankful that we were in a vehicle meant for off roading so that the under carriage was well protected...thankful that for what ever reason we were just slightly delayed because you never know what could have happened if this didn't slow us down a bit... thankful that the brakes were fixed before something major happened.

Oh what freedom

Recently I have been faced with many things that as Americans we have the freedom to do or not do.  Many of these freedoms are limited to Americans but very much taken for granted.

Some recent examples...

Freedom of speech...to be able to say and write what I want without fear of being persecuted.  Many can not share via writing or verbally what is going on in there lives or where they are at without alerting the country officials of what they are doing.

Freedom to wear what you want....even in the US church you can dress as modestly or immodestly as you choose.  Many women do not have this liberty.  They are covered to be protected by their husbands, religions, or cultures. For many it is a religious thing but for others it is a safety thing

Freedom between church and state... in the USA it is illegal to ask a persons religion when hiring them for a job... for many it is listed on their government ids

Freedom to change religions...with that said if you change your religion the authorities are notified and if you do not go into hiding you are hunted down and killed