Well the Malaria epidemic has finally taken a turn for the better! While Stacie is still coughing quite a bit (like every time she tries to laugh) and blowing quite a plethora of thick green snot on a pretty consistent basis (thought you'd love the details), she is WAY better than what she has been. Energy and health is slowly but surely returning, and she is finally able to move out and about without passing out or becoming light-headed and/or nauseated. Praise God! However, our dearest 'little sister' Emily, of the Pease family has contracted Malaria as well. She woke up feeling ill this morning, and produced a positive test result, so be sure to keep her in your prayers.
Stacie, Papa Eric, Ivan and I were able to trek out to the Ssanyo Babies' home this morning, amidst the torrential downpours and crazy drivers of Uganda. We made it safely (barely) and thoroughly enjoyed the morning hanging out w/ toddlers and babies, as well as feeding them and assisting in 'potty time.' Papa Erc personally fell in love with a young girl named Emily, who was brought in just a couple weeks ago, after being found in a dust bin. And I personally fell head over heels for a 1 1/2 yr. old young boy named David. SUCH a hilarious and adorable little boy.....as Stacie has previously mentioned, ALL BABIES ARE UP FOR ADOPTION :) :) :)
Tomorrow we will head to the Naguru Remand Home (children's prison) to love on and minister to some kids. Prayers for relationship building and effective ministry. And thank-you for all prayers sent up for Stacie's health!
Also, I have been asked to help lead Group Therapy at the Early Learning Primary School in Entebbe. Our friend Katherine Bodo is studying psychology/counseling and is 'practicing' counseling services at the school. The kids we are working with are ages 11-14yr. boys and girls who have behavioral problems and are struggling academically. We had our first session on Tuesday--and it was quite interesting. I am VERY excited to be working alongside Katherine, especially doing something I love to do. But i was rudely awakened by a dose of culture shock during our first session. There is an obvious racial barrier, a language barrier, and an enormous culture barrier. Please pray that God will grant wisdom to us as to how to best relate to these kids and how to go about initiating healing in their lives.
Thanks again for thoughts and prayers and God bless!!!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Measles...Mumps...Malaria??? No way!!
Yep that's right. Malaria. The mosquito-Anopheles- carrying infectious disease that causes diarrhea, vomitting, coughing, nausea, stomach pain, muscle aches, head aches, fever, chills, sweating, restlessness...and Stacie has developed all symptoms. Of course Stacie, who seems to be the one susceptible to getting all over seas diseases-African skin disease, typhoid, etc...-would get it even though AmyRose is the one who has been failing, consistently, to take her malaria medication and gets bit far more than Stacie does. Stacie began feeling restless and devoloping flu-like symptoms about a week and a half ago, not really understanding how she could be getting the flu when the weather is as constant as it is. She had just got back from praying with Jajja Alma-which has malaria and shared with her that her malaria began with flu-like symptoms-and on her way to meet up with AmyRose at Abba Home, found herself on the ground with people running up to her and trying to help her up. She had no idea what had just happened but she grabbed her stuff quickly and took off, far away from the crowd of people that had formed around her. She realized that she had collapsed and had not been hit, and that this illness she has been experiencing might be something more than just the flu. I rushed home where Krisann urged me to take a blood test. The first test we took came up positive for malaria and we didn't believe it so I took another one and sure enough, the results were positive.
I was very disturbed that I had malaria. I mean, it totally makes sense because lately I have not been wanting to do anything or even be here in Uganda. I have just wanted to sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep. I just laid there thinking all day, okay, God why am I here when I am feeling this way. I should be out doing something, anything...but instead I am just laying here in bed and not doing enough. I blamed it on satan saying that of course satan would want me to be knocked down and not doing anything for God. Then Krisann had said, "You know Stacie, It isn't always satan that knocks us down. Sometimes God knocks us down so that we can find our rest in Him." And that is when it hit me. It was Jesus. Because sense we have been here, I have been going back and forth with the same questions, am I doing enough? What else could I be doing? Am I doing anything that is just wasting time?? Sometimes I think we can all fall into this trap that satan wants us to get in that we miss what is going on right before us. If he can get our thoughts consumed with the need to do more and more, we totally fail to miss what we are able to do for God and that we are just the tool being used. The last five days has been absolutely miserable for me. I have had to allow everyone to wait on me, which really is a difficult task for me to do, and just lay around. It has also been really good for me because I have had plenty of time to "Rest in His arms" and reflect on why I am here in Uganda and where I get my strength and who really is in control of this trip. Continue to keep us covered in your prayers and thank you for all of your support!!
I was very disturbed that I had malaria. I mean, it totally makes sense because lately I have not been wanting to do anything or even be here in Uganda. I have just wanted to sleep, but I couldn't fall asleep. I just laid there thinking all day, okay, God why am I here when I am feeling this way. I should be out doing something, anything...but instead I am just laying here in bed and not doing enough. I blamed it on satan saying that of course satan would want me to be knocked down and not doing anything for God. Then Krisann had said, "You know Stacie, It isn't always satan that knocks us down. Sometimes God knocks us down so that we can find our rest in Him." And that is when it hit me. It was Jesus. Because sense we have been here, I have been going back and forth with the same questions, am I doing enough? What else could I be doing? Am I doing anything that is just wasting time?? Sometimes I think we can all fall into this trap that satan wants us to get in that we miss what is going on right before us. If he can get our thoughts consumed with the need to do more and more, we totally fail to miss what we are able to do for God and that we are just the tool being used. The last five days has been absolutely miserable for me. I have had to allow everyone to wait on me, which really is a difficult task for me to do, and just lay around. It has also been really good for me because I have had plenty of time to "Rest in His arms" and reflect on why I am here in Uganda and where I get my strength and who really is in control of this trip. Continue to keep us covered in your prayers and thank you for all of your support!!
A Day with the Big Brown Beautiful-eyed Babies...
First off let us start of by apologizing for such a delay in our posting. We have been yelled at by several people asking for more posts..so here you go!! Now it is your job to comment on all of our blogs...just so we know that you are really reading them and praying for us...we need lots and lots of prayer. We will go into prayer requests in a separate blog, as for now, let us elaborate how beautiful brown skinned babies are...
Where: The Ssanyu Babies home
What: An orphanage for kids under three- there are 49...ALL ADOPTABLE...children in this particular orphanage. 49 kids and very limited hands in caring for these beautiful unwanted babies.
Our Heart- When we went to the Ssanyu babies home the first time, we were in search of baby orphanages that would allow adoptions to the US. When we were there, we got hold each of the babies for about five minutes each while we fed them a bottle of milk and then had to lay them back in their crib until the next feeding time. The stench of these babies made your nose turn and be so ever thankful for our own mamas who spent much time and labor in making sure that we were well taken care of and bathed if we got to smelling that horrific. Tears came to our heart and we knew that we had wanted to come back and hold the babies for more than just five minutes. We wanted to come and bathe these tiny little ones and hold them for as long as they allowed. We just wanted to show them love. It is one thing when playing with kids whom are older and will remember who you are and remember at one time a very nice "Mzungu" came and played with us and showed us love...but it is a whole different thing when you get to hold a baby in your arms that has never felt love and will probably never remember who you are. I believe this kind of thing is much more humbling and rewarding. We are not getting praised by the kids. We are not getting a Way-buh-lay Nyabo-Thank you Madam. We are just simply doing because we want them to feel the love of Christ through our humbled hands.
Well, we got to the home and sadly found that we were too late for the bathing and their first feeding time of the day. They sternly told us that the babies do not get "disturbed" throughout the day...which means we were not able to hold them like we had planned. Heartbroke sunk in as we were led to the older class of kids. In this class of 4-9 month olds, we were introduced by the only two teachers in the room, to twenty pupils who were sitting on the ground, surrounded by toys and told we could not pick any of the kids up. We were just like, are you kidding us. We cannot hold any of these children. Appearantly in this class they were being taught how to sit up on their own and learn to play by themselves. So we, as in Amyrose, Kelsey, Virginia and I, all played with the kids while being reminded countless number of times to, "Put the children down." We are so amazed by these two women who took care of this many babies. Even with the four of us assisting the two of them we felt extremely exhausted and ready for a long nap after only three hours of being there. Running after tissues for snotted noses, trying to quiet down the screaming children, and changing soiled diapers became exhasting rather quickly.
A few days, and four showers later we continued to get whiffs of the soured milk and it brought back the memories of the snot dripping down the warted faces and how precious the tears flowing down from the big beautiful brown eyes...And how God loves all-even if their aroma is not as pleasing as we desire....We know that the faithful God we serve, adores these unwanted, untouched, undesirable babies, and that is why we are here-because God has given us a yearning desire for more of what He desires-The Orphaned.
Where: The Ssanyu Babies home
What: An orphanage for kids under three- there are 49...ALL ADOPTABLE...children in this particular orphanage. 49 kids and very limited hands in caring for these beautiful unwanted babies.
Our Heart- When we went to the Ssanyu babies home the first time, we were in search of baby orphanages that would allow adoptions to the US. When we were there, we got hold each of the babies for about five minutes each while we fed them a bottle of milk and then had to lay them back in their crib until the next feeding time. The stench of these babies made your nose turn and be so ever thankful for our own mamas who spent much time and labor in making sure that we were well taken care of and bathed if we got to smelling that horrific. Tears came to our heart and we knew that we had wanted to come back and hold the babies for more than just five minutes. We wanted to come and bathe these tiny little ones and hold them for as long as they allowed. We just wanted to show them love. It is one thing when playing with kids whom are older and will remember who you are and remember at one time a very nice "Mzungu" came and played with us and showed us love...but it is a whole different thing when you get to hold a baby in your arms that has never felt love and will probably never remember who you are. I believe this kind of thing is much more humbling and rewarding. We are not getting praised by the kids. We are not getting a Way-buh-lay Nyabo-Thank you Madam. We are just simply doing because we want them to feel the love of Christ through our humbled hands.
Well, we got to the home and sadly found that we were too late for the bathing and their first feeding time of the day. They sternly told us that the babies do not get "disturbed" throughout the day...which means we were not able to hold them like we had planned. Heartbroke sunk in as we were led to the older class of kids. In this class of 4-9 month olds, we were introduced by the only two teachers in the room, to twenty pupils who were sitting on the ground, surrounded by toys and told we could not pick any of the kids up. We were just like, are you kidding us. We cannot hold any of these children. Appearantly in this class they were being taught how to sit up on their own and learn to play by themselves. So we, as in Amyrose, Kelsey, Virginia and I, all played with the kids while being reminded countless number of times to, "Put the children down." We are so amazed by these two women who took care of this many babies. Even with the four of us assisting the two of them we felt extremely exhausted and ready for a long nap after only three hours of being there. Running after tissues for snotted noses, trying to quiet down the screaming children, and changing soiled diapers became exhasting rather quickly.
A few days, and four showers later we continued to get whiffs of the soured milk and it brought back the memories of the snot dripping down the warted faces and how precious the tears flowing down from the big beautiful brown eyes...And how God loves all-even if their aroma is not as pleasing as we desire....We know that the faithful God we serve, adores these unwanted, untouched, undesirable babies, and that is why we are here-because God has given us a yearning desire for more of what He desires-The Orphaned.
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