Time Away

Last weekend I went to Kampala with a friend and took some time away from home to pray, read God’s Word and rest. It was a very encouraging time. I spent the weekend reflecting on the book of Philippians. As I read the perspective of the apostle Paul, I was reminded that in the midst of challenging seasons, I need to cling to God’s faithfulness. 

One of the things that struck me was how Paul continually encourages the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 3:1) I know that rejoicing is not my natural tendency. But we are told that rejoicing in the Lord is a “safeguard” for us. As I look at the world around me I see corruption, hunger, abuse, and death. But as the psalms encourage me, I need to “lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” (Psalm 121:1) If I keep focusing on the suffering, I fail to see the Savior, the One who brings help in our need. I want to lift up my eyes and fix them on Jesus.. (Heb.12:2) 

I returned from the weekend and was able to rejoice in the Lord a bit more than before. This is not a very linear process for me. I have days where I can rejoice in the midst of struggles and other days where my heart is overwhelmed with grief. Two days after I returned from Kampala there were two suicide bombs detonated in the city and others that were stopped before they could be set off. The city where I had gone for rest just two days before had become a place of chaos, confusion, death and grief. Such is the world in which we live. 

I was reminded that our rest is not found in this world. True rest and peace are found only in Jesus. Today, I cling to him more as I grieve the brokenness. It is my prayer that I can truly “rejoice in the Lord,” even while we grieve over the brokenness. As my Ugandan brothers and sisters often remind me, “God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.”

Thanksgiving and Suffering

Our transition back to life here in Uganda has not been easy sailing. While there is always a readjustment period in transitioning between worlds, this time has been the hardest I remember. While it has been a challenging season, I have seen some ways in which God is at work. 

Yesterday David was asked to speak at the GSF staff Thanksgiving Day. He taught about how we can glorify God through good times and times of suffering. He explained that if our goal is our happiness, suffering just seems to get in the way, but our true goal should be to glorify God. When our aim is the glory of God we can “give thanks in all circumstances.” That doesn’t mean that times of suffering are easy. As he spoke about Jesus waiting to answer Mary and Martha’s request to come heal their brother out of love for them, tears came to my own eyes. The seasons of waiting are hard. They are painful and often full of grief. The resurrection was coming, but Jesus still wept with Mary at the tomb of Lazarus. He knew that he allowed the season of suffering and waiting in his love for them, but he still wept. 

It is so good to know that we have a God who weeps with us. These last two years have been difficult across the globe. But Jesus stands with us as we weep and even uses the seasons of suffering to bring new life in us. I have seen that in my husband. He has become an amazing preacher in the midst of a challenging season. His teaching at the staff Thanksgiving Day was a blessing to many. He preaches at our church about once a month and I am always encouraged by his teaching. Our church is a small group of people meeting underneath a mango tree, so his sermons are not recorded. But I wish they were. I wish you could also be encouraged by the way he clearly articulates the Word of God and applies it in our lives. 

This growing gift in David has developed in the midst of some challenging times. I wish I could tell you that I see how I have grown through this season. Mostly, I see my failures and weakness. Maybe that is growth as I learn not to depend on my own strength, but on the Lord.

David concluded his talk with Philippians 4:11b-13. 

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I certainly cannot yet claim with the apostle Paul that I have learned to be content in every situation. I often complain. I often struggle to believe that God is good when I see some of the terrible things that happen in this world. But I was encouraged seeing a small picture of the good that God is working in the midst of the hard. It is my prayer that He will give me the faith to desire his glory above my own plans and to trust Him in the difficult seasons of waiting. 

Feeling Thankful!

Today has been pretty stressful. We were finishing packing our containers, buying our last few supplies and waiting for negative COVID test results in order to fly back to Uganda. About one hour before we needed to start driving to the airport we received six negative test results. The problem is, there are seven of us. And we aren’t about to leave one of our kids behind. For some reason we just never got the test results for one of our kids. So we got in the van that was pulling the trailer with all of our baggage and asked for prayers. I kept checking and the test results just never came. 

As we were driving to the Atlanta airport, I asked a friend to send me the info she had found for us about a rapid testing center near the airport in case our results didn’t come through in time. The problem was that they only process one test at a time and it takes 30 minutes each. That really adds up if you are running 7 tests. But thankfully we only needed one! We arrived at the testing center 3 hours before our flight was supposed to take off. That is usually when we try to get to the airport for International flights. We had a little trouble finding the place because the tests were being done as a drive through in a parking lot across the street from where they process the tests. Then we had to wait in a line of cars. Then there was confusion since they do both 24 hour tests and 30 minute tests. When we finally got the test run and paid for it was about 2 and a half hours before take-off. And we needed to have the results arrive before check-in. 

As we arrived at the airport our kids were AMAZING! They helped get all 21 containers out of the trailer, to the counter and checked, took care of Evie, and did it all cheerfully! It was very stressful getting there, but as I saw my children all being so helpful and capable, I was encouraged. The women who were at the counter checking our baggage were also very helpful, kind and efficient. At some point while we were getting all of that done, the email arrived from the rapid test center confirming the seventh negative COVID test! 

Our kids navigated security, helped us find our gate, bought snacks for the younger kids and even helped me with my carry-on. As we reached the gate, showed our negative tests and got ready to board, I breathed a sigh of relief. We are now waiting for take off. Thank you all for your prayers! We are so grateful! Now I need to sit back and enjoy the flight! 

Heading Back

This summer in the US has been a blessing in many ways. It has given us time to make some great memories as a family. It has given us time to reconnect with our family and friends on this side of the ocean. And it has given us some time to process some of the more challenging aspects of living abroad. 

But now it is time to head back to Uganda and get back to work. School is supposed to begin next week. Since all schools in Uganda are closed due to COVID, we will again need to begin the school year with distance learning. We are working on ways to best support our students while still following the guidelines given by the government. I had hoped this juggling was behind us, but it will likely be some time before things are fully open in Uganda again. 

As we prepare to fly out this week, we have goodbyes to say, supplies to buy, containers to pack and COVID tests to get for travel. I was a little shocked when I realized how much it is going to cost our family of 7 to get the tests required to fly back. Shopping is also stressful for me due to the many decisions to make and feeling the stress of spending money. I worried about spending money before moving to Uganda, but now it is hard for me to buy something without thinking how the cost of this item compares to the cost of school fees for a child in Uganda. God has always provided more than our needs; I shouldn’t worry. But I do. 

All of this can be overwhelming in the best of circumstances. But right now I am feeling weary. My heart is heavy with many struggles. I’m trying to keep going and praying that God will give me the strength I need for each moment. But I also want to ask for your prayers for my family and me. I’m thankful that many of you love and support our family through good times and hard times. Right now feels like the latter. My biggest prayer is that my whole family will know more of the love and comfort of Christ through this challenging season. I am thankful that Jesus has said, 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I pray that we will all know the comfort and rest He offers in the midst of challenging seasons. Thanks for your prayers! 

Flexibility

This morning I woke with some back pains. It happens as you get older, especially if you are stubborn like me and try to keep doing all the things you used to be able to do. I have learned that stretching often helps reduce some of the pain. The stretching itself may be slightly painful at the time, but it helps in the long run. As I sit here stretching while I write, I think about the flexibility we have learned and are learning. 

Living overseas can be a crash course in flexibility. Learning new things can be hard and even painful at times. The COVID pandemic has also shown us our need for increased flexibility. We learned to do school online, to have meetings via zoom, and to come up with creative solutions in many challenging situations. Even our family road trip helped us grow in flexibility. We learned to live together in an RV for a month, learned to find campgrounds and parking lots to overnight, and learned to overlook a lot of little offenses. All of these “opportunities for growth” in flexibility have certainly had their share of pain associated with them. Sometimes the pain is slight and sometimes it is a bit overwhelming. 

We have another opportunity to grow in this flexibility as it has become apparent that our family needs to stay here in the US for another couple of weeks. I am in the process of trying to change our flights yet again. The plan now is for us to land in Uganda a couple days before we start back to school. We are still trying to figure out if we will be able to meet with our students in person. Uganda has just come out of another COVID lockdown, and schools are not supposed to open until a “sufficient percentage of students ages 12-18 have been vaccinated.” It isn’t clear what that percentage is and the vaccines are not even available for students in Uganda at this time. So, it looks like it will be another school year requiring a high level of flexibility and creativity. 

We are still working on changing flights, figuring out where we will stay, how to cover our responsibilities in Uganda and beginning to think about how we can prepare for the school year. There is a lot of juggling and stretching going on. Please pray that as we are stretched, we will cling to the consistent, faithful loving-care of our Heavenly Father. While everything feels confusing and out of sorts, He is our constant. I pray that you also will find comfort in Him in the midst of whatever challenges you are facing today. 

Over a Month in an RV!

We were on our path back east toward another college visit for Elijah, when we realized that we would be passing through La Crosse , Wisconsin. That is where some friends live, who we first met when they were adopting kids from GSF. They have brought teams from their church to visit us since then, and it looked likely that we would be able to be in their town on Sunday. We were blessed to worship together with friends and then our families spent the afternoon together. Their family is even bigger than ours, so the younger kids swam at the pool while the older teenagers played Throw, Throw the Burrito and the Moms sat and talked. It was such a great day of rest, fellowship and worship! The time with their family and church was a true gift from the Lord. Here is a photo of us all together. 

After having a wonderful Sunday morning and afternoon together, we headed out to find a place to sleep that night on the way to Elijah’s next college stop. We found this great campground in southeast Wisconsin that had so many fun things to offer. The next day as David to Elijah to visit the school, the other kids an I played frisbee golf, relaxed and swam. Some of us even took naps! It great to not have to pack up and move. It had been awhile since we spent two consecutive nights in the same place. All the set up and take down of tents, beds, etc. takes some time. We are getting pretty efficient, though. 

During our time at the pool I met a woman who works with an NGO in Kenya and I enjoyed learning about their work there. Meeting a likeminded sister is so encouraging. Today we are on our way south toward Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. When we missed the cave opportunity in Nevada since I had not made advanced reservations, I went ahead and scheduled this one. I also made some progress on getting set up for Elijah’s dual enrollment courses during the day off of traveling. 

I was also able to extend our time in the US by a week. We were scheduled to arrive in Uganda 2 days after the current lockdown. It often takes a few days to sort out the new policies and procedures, so we thought it might be wise to wait a bit before returning in the midst of that. At first it looked like it was going to cost $1,050 to change our flights, but I was able to get them changed with no additional cost. I am so thankful for the helpful KLM agent who solved that problem for us! I have spent several hours of the drive today working on the changing details of our return trip, but overall, things are going well. 

We are all about ready to be in one place for a while and have a little more space to spread out. We only have three more nights on the road before we reach Georgia and stay there for a couple of weeks. For this past month we have spent most of our time all together in this RV. It has been GREAT, but I think most of us are ready for a change of pace. The Airbnb house we found in Athens, Georgia has five bedrooms, which the kids are thrilled about! Our more introverted family members are particularly ready for that! At home in Uganda all the boys share a room and the girls share another. For the past year or so that has meant 4 boys in one room and 3 girls in the other. We love one another, but it is also sometimes nice to have a little more space. And having a bedroom to yourself is a real treat! We are so thankful for this time together, but we are also thankful for the upcoming opportunity to rest in one place and have some more space. 

Thank you for your prayers for our family as we travel. David has been such an amazing driver and God has brought us safely back into the eastern time zone. We will cross back over into central time for a day or two on our trip south, but it definitely feels like we are on the final leg of this epic journey. Thanks for reading along! 

Unexpected blessings

After changing our route and choosing a more northern path back east we headed up toward Yellowstone National Park. There have been many blessings along the way. The first night on our way through Nevada and Idaho, we stopped overnight at a Walmart parking lot. We obviously do not have electric or water hookups when we do that and there isn’t a place for tents, but we have a generator and the stop really was not bad. That night David took the older kids to a movie while Evie and I had a quiet evening in the RV playing games and reading books. Once she was asleep, I was able to work on plans for the next couple of days. The next morning I woke early and was able to walk across the parking lot to a coffee shop, where I was able to do some more planning while enjoying a delicious coffee. So while a Walmart stop wasn’t my favorite, there were blessings to the time in a town. 

The next stop along our journey was Yellowstone and it certainly did not disappoint! First we stopped at Old Faithful. It was so cool to watch it erupt! Also, it was frigid that morning! 

The geysers and thermal pools are amazing. I always thought the pictures seemed fake, but being there and seeing the colors of the pools in real life was amazing! My photo does not do it justice. 

The second day in Yellowstone we explored another part of the park and saw so many bison! One was even running next to our RV! 

Since we hadn’t had much signal, I was having trouble mapping out our route beyond Yellowstone, but I knew that we were heading to Billings for our next stop. Since Google maps wasn’t working, I planned our route using a road atlas. I didn’t pay attention to the elevation listed on the mountains around the roads or the fact that the road is only open late May through mid October. On the map it looked logical to drive through the northern part of the park, going out at the northeastern side and drive Bear Tooth Pass toward Billings. Little did I know what an adventure that would be. 

As we drove along, the road kept going up. We started seeing snow on the nearby mountains. Then we were going up one of those mountains and seeing snow along the side of the road. As we reached the peak at 10,947 feet, David looked for a place for us to pull over so the kids could play in the snow. 

Yes, Evie is putting a banana nose on her first snowman, since we didn’t have any carrots on hand. It was a fun opportunity for our kids to experience snow, even in the middle of July! David managed to navigate the many switchbacks driving a long RV pulling a minivan on a trailer behind. It was stressful at times, but he managed it well. 

In Billings we were able to reunite with a good friend from our community group from almost 17 years ago! 

He moved away right around the time Elijah was born, but we have been able to be in touch. We met his wife for the first time in person even though they have been married 15 years. Our children enjoyed playing together and we caught up. It was a blessing and amazing encouragement to visit with their family. 

The next day we drove to Devil’s Tower and saw this fascinating igneous intrusion. From the photo it is hard to tell how massive it is, but it certainly is impressive! 

That night the only place we could find to park was “dry camping” in a field next to an RV campground. The kids were still able to swim and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset. 

The next day we headed out to see Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands National Park. We walked to view Mt. Rushmore and were impressed by the portraits carved in the mountainside.  

Our family was a little tired of touring parks, so we just drove through the Badlands and enjoyed the views primarily  from the RV. We reached the next campground in time to let the kids swim and do laundry before it got too late. 

We all slept well and a bit long after many long days. Today is Saturday, some friends from our community group 10 years ago drove an hour to meet us along the way for a late lunch and visit. It was a gift to see good friends after so many years! I’m thankful that this trip has enabled us to reconnect a bit! 

Tonight we don’t know exactly where we will stop. We will probably sleep in another parking lot tonight, but in each of these unexpected turns in our journey, I have seen many blessings along the way. A week ago, we thought we would be traveling another route back east, but a conversation with a construction worker in a laundromat and a closed park showed us that it might be better to go another route. God has blessed us with several gifts along the way. We have been enjoyed seeing friends, beautiful scenery, amazing national landmarks, and even snow! Even though I don’t know where we will park tonight, I trust that God knows and has a good plan! 

Loved in the Midst of Failure

Today, I have felt pretty discouraged about how my lack of planning has had a negative impact on my family. This has worked itself out in several situations over the past couple days. Our plan was to go to Great Basin National Park this morning and see some cool caves and some of the oldest living organisms on earth, the Bristlecone pine trees. Instead our family drove an hour out of our way to the park and then realized that neither of those were possible. So we got ice cream cones instead and then drove an hour back to the RV.
It was really good ice cream and my whole family was gracious even though we were all a bit disappointed. I guess everyone else is out visiting national parks too this summer. Because of COVID, families of fourth and fifth graders can all visit national parks for free. Usually it is just fourth grade, I believe, but this year fifth graders were added since last year was a wash due to COVID. Anyway, all the cave tours were booked and the number of tours offered is still reduced due to COVID. The bristlecone pines were also at an altitude and hike length that wasn’t going to be great for our family. 

After getting back to our RV, I began looking for a place for us to park tonight. We had planned a different route, but due to several factors including one park that is currently turning away visitors due to overcrowding, we decided this morning to change our plans. As I looked around online and made several phone calls, I realized that no RV parks along our  new route have availability tonight. At least none that we can reach in time for check-in. So our plan for tonight is to sleep in a Walmart parking lot. At least we will be able to buy some groceries and drinking water. My younger kids who have been sitting in vehicles for basically two days straight, wanted a place to play or swim. But that didn’t work out this time. I am disappointed that after hours of searching, I am still not able to find a better place. But I am thankful that we have a place to sleep and food to eat. 

I had also been feeling like a failure as a mom because I realized that some of my lack of planning has limited Elijah’s options for online courses for his senior year. We were all disappointed to also find out that some scholarships for dual enrollment courses may not be available since we have not yet applied. I’m praying that we will still be able to get the courses he needs. I do believe that God will use even my failures for good, but it doesn’t feel great in the moment. 

As all of these mistakes, oversights and failures to plan were swirling around in my mind and my body began to respond with my typical anxiety symptoms, I remembered the sermon we listened to on the way to the Great Basin ice cream store. It was a sermon by Ray Cortese from Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church. He talked about our loving Heavenly Father and how he views his children. When God thinks about me, he doesn’t see all of my failures and shortcomings. He sees the perfection of Jesus given to me by grace through faith. He takes great delight in me. (Zeph. 3:17) Today I am comforted by his love in the midst of my failures. And I will choose to believe that He is working for our good even when I mess it all up. 

*As a side note, I want to thank several people in my life who have noticed how I struggle to accept that I am loved in the midst of my failures. First, I should thank my mom and dad. They have shown me grace and unconditional love time and time again. I also remember the counselor I met with in 8th and 9th grade due to my struggles with anxiety and depression. I remember her trying to help me understand that I am going to fail at times and that the world will not end. I think her name was Jeri? She gave me an assignment to intentionally fail at something to show me that I did not have to be perfect. My high school math teacher and basketball coach, Scott Dillion, spoke to me about these truths often. Funny how I turned out the be a math teacher teaching the same good news to my students. The pastor who discipled us and did our premarital counseling while we were in college, Cal Burroughs, helped both David and me understand the good news of the gospel in a much deeper way. And I cannot forget Dr. Graham who frustrated me so much trying to help me understand the gospel implications on teaching and my personal struggles. Thank you all! And there are many other friends, pastors, and teachers who have reminded me of these gospel truths along the way. I’m obviously pretty thick-skulled since I still struggle believing these same truths after so many years and all of these amazing people and more speaking these truths into my life. But I am so much better off for it. I am learning to rest in God’s love for me and not feel like it is up to me to help everyone and be perfect. I am loved by God and declared righteous in Jesus, what more could I want? Nothing, 

Heading East

We wrapped up our time in California in Yosemite National Park. It was beautiful, but the middle of the day got very hot. We had fun cooling off in lakes, rivers and creeks. The water was frigid, but refreshing. It was a beautiful place to explore and enjoy. Standing near the base of giant mountains like Half Dome and El Capitan makes you realize how small you are. 

Today we are driving east through Nevada’s desert, where there is seemingly nothing for miles on end. We drove for hours without seeing people or towns anywhere. It reminds me of how vast this land is. In the midst of understanding how small and insignificant I am in many ways, I have also been amazed at God’s gracious and loving care for me, even in small things. 

Today, as we were driving out of Yosemite, I was praying that I would get to see a bear. I know that sounds like a silly prayer request. I thought about how I recently had a conversation with Evie when she told me she about something she was asking God for. I told her that God can do all things, but He knows what is best for us. Sometimes it is best to give us what we are asking for, and sometimes it is best that He does not give it to us. Either way, He answers our prayers in wisdom and love. I was telling her this because her prayer request is highly unlikely and I didn’t want a “no” on this request to make her think that her prayers didn’t work. After thinking about that conversation, I was wondering if my prayer request about swing a bear was just silly and selfish. Still I kept looking as we were driving out of the park. Then I looked down the hill and I saw it. An adorable brown bear cub climbing on a look and looking up at me! I shouted and my family all tried to look out the window. Except David, of course. Some saw the bear; others did not. I just started clapping and thanking God for that little gift. Here I am so happy after seeing beautiful views and a bear cub! 

Another answer to prayer is that David is feeling much better and has mostly recovered from his illness. Thank you all for praying for him! 

Later in the day, we got an email about a significant anonymous donation. I was astounded at God’s kindness in provision. Life in America is expensive, particularly in California. And this unexpected gift was such a blessing and an encouragement! If you are the generous, anonymous  donor, thank you! This was just another reminder about how our gracious Heavenly Father cares about the details of our lives. 

While I am small and insignificant in this vast land, God cares for me. And He cares for you too. Just ask him and see. You may not get a sports car, but our loving Father will give you what is best. He cares about providing for our needs and He cares about bring joy though blessings big and small, even as small as getting to see a bear cub! 

California!

We have reached the West coast! We have been in California for a week now and it has been an exciting adventure! Our first stop was the Giant Sequoias. And they are awe inspiring! As we drove up the mountain we kept finding larger and larger trees! We went on a short hike on the “Big Trees” loop. We had so much fun exploring this area together! 
 After seeing these gigantic trees, some which are over a thousand years old, we went back to the RV park. There was a spring fed swimming hole and we played for hours! 

Next we drove to the San Francisco area to visit with David’s sister and her family. It was great to see them all and catch up a bit! We got a chance to watch our niece play in a soccer match and visit the city. David hasn’t been feeling great, so that has been a down side. We explored around Fisherman’s Wharf and got hot chocolate at Ghirardelli Square. I did realize how cold the Northern California coast would be! We don’t get those kind of temperatures near the Equator! And we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. Elijah has enjoyed some fun photography opportunities. 

We got to see fireworks with David’s sister and we were able to celebrate her birthday together. Living so far from family makes these moments together even more special! 

Our next stop was Half Moon Bay along the coast a little south of San Francisco. There is a little RV park right on the beach! We have really enjoyed this spot. David has mostly been resting and recovering from his illness, but the kids and I have had some great time at the beach! The water is FREEZING cold, but the boys swam anyways. Then we had fun playing in the sand. 

Yes, digging that hole took some time! But they sure had fun with people’s reactions! 

The kids also rented bikes to ride along the path next to the coast. 

In the afternoon we went to JV Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at low tide. We enjoyed looking in the tide pools and seeing the seals. As the tide was coming in, it was so funny to watch the seals flop their way further up the shore. 





 One of the things that I have thought about is how beautiful and varied this state is! We have enjoyed exploring and seeing so many new and different things! 

As I am writing this morning, I am sitting at this cool little coffee shop. I went for a walk this morning and it is so cold! I wanted coffee to warm up. I also noticed that they sold hoodie sweatshirts and I was just wearing a long sleeve t-shirt. I wasn’t prepared for how cold the coast would be. I asked about the price of the sweatshirts and it was way more than I was wanting to pay, so I thought I would just hope that the coffee would warm me. After buying my coffee, the owner came out and gave me this hoodie as a gift! I am thankful for his kindness and generosity. 

This gift was a good reminder to me of God’s care for me in so many ways. He cares if his children are cold. I don’t want my children to be cold and would give them my jacket any time. God loves me even more than I love my children. That is hard to believe because I love my kids so much! But I am reminded that He loves perfectly and I do not.  I am reminded about these verses. 

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:9-12‬ ‭NIV‬

The one difficult part of this week has been that David hasn’t been feeling well. Even when he hasn’t felt well, he has been driving the RV with the van on the trailer behind. He has been doing the RV hookups and sewage dumps. He has been taking the van off and on the trailer and removing the trailer when needed. And he sat at the laundromat with our laundry. He has been a trooper, but he has not had as many opportunities to enjoy the coast. He has spent more time just resting in bed. Please pray for David to quickly fully recover! We are heading to Yosemite next and I want him to be able to enjoy the beauty there. Thank you for your prayers! 

Arizona Adventures

On Sunday night we camped near the Petrified Forest National Park. We arrived later than we had hoped due to our side excursion that day, but all agreed it was worth it. On Monday morning we figured out how to fill the propane and set out to visit the Painted Dessert and the Petrified Forest. It was a fascinating place! We enjoyed seeing by the many colors of the different layers. We stopped for some scenic overlooks and and an amazing and beautiful short hike. We found petrified wood enjoyed exploring.

After this great start to the day, we drove the rest of the way to the Grand Canyon. The places within the park have been full for a long time, so we found a little campground just before entering the park. We got there in time to set up camp before dark and get some pizza to eat at the picnic bench near our campsite. It was good to sit around a table in a quiet place as a family. We are together a lot right now, but I always love having a family meal around a table together! 

The next morning we got up and headed to see the Grand Canyon. It was breathtaking! Pictures cannot do justice to the immensity and beauty of this place. But here is what I have. 

Elijah will have so many more amazing pictures from our time there. He is a great photographer! By the early afternoon, our family had enough hiking around the rim of the canyon and were ready for some down time. In the evening Elijah, Esther and I went back to get some more photos while the others relaxed at the campground. Here is what I got as my best phone photo that evening. 

The next morning we woke with elk outside our RV and tents. We were able to get very close and enjoyed seeing a mammal that we had not encountered before. 

 She was friendly and not as shy as I would have expected. I think the animals around the Grand Canyon have gotten used to having people around. We had a vole with a golden stripe down his back whose home was at our campsite. He didn’t seem to disturbed by sharing the area with us. Along the rim of the canyon on the previous day, a squirrel walked up to Evie and stood on its hind legs apparently asking for some food. 

After our encounter with the elk, we packed up and prepared for our long drive today. We are driving from the Grand Canyon in Arizona to Sequoia National Park in California. We are currently passing through the Mojave Desert. I’m thankful that the AC is working as it is extremely hot outside! Arizona was actually pretty cool while we were there. The nighttime temperatures were in the 50s! 

As David drives through the dessert and we see the Joshua trees, I had a chance to put on my headphones and listen to some worship music. As we passed an oasis, I thought of how worship is an oasis for me. In times when life feels like a desert, songs of truth that fix my eyes on the goodness and love of God refresh my soul. I need to remember to take time to worship the Lord in song in the midst of dry seasons. 

Learning from Detours

Now that we have figured out how this motorhome works, we are thoroughly enjoying our travels! Yesterday we drove from Amarillo, Texas to Arizona! As we were driving through New Mexico, we saw that there was going to be a significant traffic slow down on the interstate due to construction, and Google Maps suggested an alternate route. We had been thinking it would be good to take some side roads to see more. So we decided to go for an adventure! 

As we travelled this alternate route we saw on the map that there was an ice cave and a volcano a short hike from the main road. At first David didn’t believe that there was an ice cave in New Mexico in the summer, but he agreed to stop. It was so much fun! We saw this fascinating part of New Mexico. The ice in now 20 feet thick! 

It was also great to get some exercise as we had been sitting for many hours of driving. Along the path we saw so many interesting things that were new to us and even hiked the volcano. I loved the trees along the way. What a beautiful place! 

As I think about this unplanned side trip, I am reminded how God blesses us with unexpected detours in life. No one loves hearing that a 7 hour drive is turning into an 8 hour one. But that unexpected detour was a blessing to our family. I am reminded of a line from one of the songs that I have written about before. “You bring beauty from ashes.” This volcano is another picture of how God brings amazing beauty from literal ashes. Even though the volcanic eruption was violent, there is now this amazing landscape with ice caves in lava tubes, and new life growing on this volcanic soil. 

In the midst of the unexpected detours and volcanic eruptions of life, we often feel overwhelmed and discouraged. But our omnipotent God brings blessing. Sometimes I am too busy complaining or focusing on the frustration to see it. It is my prayer that you and I will see the beauty and blessing in the midst of the detours. When we are in the midst of the volcano erupting and we can’t see, I pray that we will walk by faith. May the God of this amazing Universe, give us faith and joy to see the beauty today! 

Many Blessings!

Last night we slept in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We found a RV park with people who were very helpful. Since we are still very new to this RV life, we have a lot to learn. We had a brief tutorial and took some videos when we were first learning how to use this RV, but there are so many details. We are thankful to be learning as we go. Since David needed to figure a few things out, I was looking for something to do with the kids for the morning. Esther found that Tulsa has an art museum and it wasn’t going to cost too much. Win-win! 

The art museum also had an amazing garden! We all wandered around for several hours while David dealt with the RV. I’m sure he would have rather been enjoying art and gardens than dealing with dumping the sewage. I sure am thankful to have such a hard working, capable husband!

After he was finished and when we got on the road again, we found that the AC was working again!!! I’m so very thankful! We drove all the way across Oklahoma and into the panhandle of Texas. Along the way we saw several cool things, windmills, bison and lots of farmland with cattle. It was a fun day! I’m falling asleep as I write, so I should be done, but I do want to remember the many things we have to be thankful for on this amazing adventure! 

Pray for Uganda!

Soon after we left for the US, the COVID cases in Uganda began to spike. Vaccines are not readily available like here in the US. Additionally, the hospitals can quickly become overwhelmed. Oxygen and ventilators are limited. In order to prevent further spread, the government put in place some serious lock-down measures. It is a very difficult time for those in Uganda. My heart is heavy as I hear of the hardships our friends there are experiencing. Friday was declared a Day of Prayer for Uganda, but you can still pray on Saturday. 😉 The Good Shepherd’s Fold social media pages have some specific prayer requests listed. 

This lockdown is scheduled to last until 2 days before our return flight. We do not know when schools will be permitted to reopen. We do not know if the lockdown will be extended or what the situation will be like in August, but there is not currently a restriction on re-entering Uganda. The restrictions are regarding movement within Uganda. Since things are always changing, and we have no control over the future, we are not borrowing trouble by worrying about our return. We trust that God has all those details planned and will guide and direct us in His perfect time. 

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

On the Road

We have begun our family road trip, and we will certainly have some stories. We are traveling in a friend’s RV and have begun the trip with some generator and air conditioning challenges. Driving all day in the Deep South in the summer without AC makes for some long days. Since we have scheduled some college visits for our son, our time frame is tight and we haven’t been able to fully resolve the issues yet. A thoughtful fellow camper suggested buying a fan which was a great idea! We have power and we have been able to get an AC unit in the back of the RV to work, but the one in the front, near the driver does not work. 

My husband has been amazing, dealing with the challenges of driving such a large vehicle with a tow vehicle, and doing so for hours on end while being hot and sweaty. He is not without fault and we both have struggled with the tendency to complain or be impatient. But he has persevered and has been a huge blessing to us! 

We have only camped two nights since people so graciously offered for us to stay in their homes before that. The first night we set up camp in the dark. We are taking turns sleeping in the tent since there are only 2 beds in the RV and there are 7 of us. Our kids are learning new skills and we are enjoying a new and different life experience. After our first night camping, we all woke early and enjoyed the beauty around us. A friend gave us an art set and the kids enjoyed making use of it. 

David took the older two to visit a university, and I stayed at the campground with the younger 3. I was sad to miss the campus tour, but the school had some COVID regulations about visitors. I stayed and tried to take the kids with me on a short hike. Since we were in Jackson, MS, and the mosquitoes were everywhere, we all put on bug spray before walking around. Even after bug spray, we couldn’t get very far without being attacked by mosquitoes. I had gone for a walk in the early morning and seen some beautiful bayous with fascinating cypress trees and wanted my kids to also enjoy the environment. But also, the mosquitoes won and chased us back to the RV. 

After the college visit was over, we all loaded up and began the drive toward our next stop. We didn’t know how far we were going to get and looked for a good place to stop along the way to our next college visit. We found Burns Park in North Little Rock and reached before dark. We were much more efficient at setting up the tent since we  arrived at the campground in the daylight and we already had figured out some of the tricks. It is a really amazing park and the staff were very helpful. I wished we had longer to stay, but we need to reach the next school by Friday afternoon to do the campus visit before the weekend. 

We did go out for an interesting meal at Sharks restaurant in Little Rock. It is a Southern restaurant where everything is fried, okra, onion rings, hush puppies, catfish, frog legs and more! David felt like our kids needed that cross-cultural experience. 

We are now on our way to northwest Arkansas to visit John Brown University. We don’t yet have plans where we will stay tonight, but we will figure it out. We hope to address the AC issue before driving through New Mexico and Nevada, but we will see. All the RV repair places I am calling are fully booked. Apparently we are not the only ones taking a trip this summer. We are also not the only ones who need to get some things repaired, on a Friday afternoon. 

While complications and changes in plans are not the way we like for things to go, I am growing in my ability to trust that God is working for good in it all. It is easy to complain and feel frustrated when things don’t go as we plan. David recently shared with our home office at Global Outreach that the past years and a half dealing with COVID have continually reminded us of a passage in the book of James. 

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.””

‭‭James‬ ‭4:13-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

So, as we are now moving slowly in traffic, and the day is heating up, I am going to try to make plans for a repair shop and a place to sleep tonight, but I am also going to trust that God will direct our steps. I want to focus more on loving my family and following Jesus than I focus on making my plans work. He knows what we need and He will provide! 

Graves into Gardens

This song by Elevation Worship has been running through my mind. It has been a rough road recently and I am tired. Honestly, I've been overwhelmed by the brokenness in the world and in myself. It feels like it has been a long season of many hard things for me and for those I love. I know many have felt similarly as the COVID pandemic stretched on without an end in sight. As cases and deaths are decreasing in the US, other parts of the world are now hurting. And just a brief news update will remind you how broken this world is. When I get overwhelmed with grief, it is helpful for me to remember that this current situation is not the whole story. Our God is a God of redemption! He brings beauty from ashes! This refrain from the song, "Graves into Gardens" has been a great comfort to me!

You turn mourning to dancing

You turn give beauty for ashes

You turn shame into glory

You're the only One who can.

I am choosing to believe that God is still at work. He is bringing beauty out of all of these ashes. He is the only One who can. I pray that whatever you are struggling with right now, our Redeemer will give you a glimpse of the dancing, beauty and glory He is bringing through it.

Sleepless Nights

 I don't know if you are like me, but I sometimes wake in the night worrying about too many things and struggle to fall back asleep. Recently I have been reading the book Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World by Max Lucado. I am really enjoying the book and needing to apply several of his insights. Last night as I lay in bed with a million things running through my mind, I remembered Max's reflection on Philippians 4:8 that I had just read. 

 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

He makes the point that what we choose to think about affects the level of peace we experience. He says, "You can be the air traffic controller of your mental airport." I can choose which thoughts I want to dwell on. And God's Word reminds me that one of the secrets to contentment is to focus on the blessings, the gifts. 

As I laid in bed filled with questions and worries, I remembered that I can choose what I think about. I started thanking God for the beautiful sunset that evening, for dinner with my family, for a bed to sleep in each night, for the ways that I see God at work in the lives of each of my family members. I laid in bed thanking God for these things that are excellent and praiseworthy. To be honest, even in the midst of intentionally thanking God, worries would creep in. I had to continually redirect my mind, but eventually the peace of God calmed my mind enough that I could sleep. 

Right now there seems to be so much chaos and so many things in the world that feel overwhelming. The uncertainties associated with the COVID pandemic, have changed life for us all. I just feel exhausted most of the time. I am asking God to help me choose to focus more on His faithfulness and many blessings. In another chapter, Lucado says, "I dare you to expose your worries to an hour of worship." In the midst of the challenges we all face, I pray that God will give us the strength to worship Him and think about the excellent things He has done and is doing. 

This morning’s beautiful sunrise reminded me of this verse.

 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations‬ ‭3:22-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

May we all have eyes to see his mercies this morning and the ability to focus on the true, pure, excellent and beautiful things. 

An Unexpected COVID Blessing

 While this past year has brought many challenges related to the COVID pandemic, today I saw a beautiful blessing. Over the past year I have not been able to join the women in my Buwundo Beads and Crafts group for Bible study, prayer or even purchasing their crafts in person. Since we live on a campus with vulnerable children, we have had to be extra careful about COVID exposure. For me, this has meant limiting my time visiting in the village. In addition, our school has grown and I have continued working as a full-time teacher and administrator. The challenges of teaching in new ways with distance learning and providing support for school families and teachers has taken much of my time and attention. 

Once the government of Uganda allowed churches and small gatherings to resume, I began thinking of ways to shift my involvement in Buwundo Beads and Crafts. We have a close friend, Privah, who is better equipped to serve in this role than I am. She is Ugandan, speaks the language more fluently, knows the culture better, and over the past few years has gone through training to teach the Bible. She is now working on her social work degree. Since she has worked with our family in other roles for seven years, she was was willing to shift her responsibilities and take on the leadership of this group. 

When I went to meet with the women today, I was greatly encouraged. The women are all participating in discussion related to the passage they are studying. One of the women has learned to read from Privah and now is able to read her Bible. Hearing Privah teach these women was so beautiful and encouraging. She does an excellent job of teaching God's Word and addressing real practical ways that it applies to their daily lives. As I left, I was so thankful that God used COVID and additional school responsibilities to help move me more to the backstage and shift Privah into this leadership role. God is gracious and faithful in using challenging seasons to work for good. I am excited to see the way His kingdom is growing. 

Transitions

Life overseas is full of transitions. We are regularly saying goodbye to friends or family and preparing for a new season. It is hard. Right now our family is feeling more than the usual transitional stress. In one week, the two teenagers who have been with our family for over a year go back to their boarding school. We will miss them and our family dynamics at home will change again. Additionally, we do not know when this school term will end and if we will be around. Our family is planning to travel to the US during our summer break. We will be visiting colleges and universities with Elijah. It will be our last summer together in the states before he goes away to school. My heart is struggling with this upcoming transition. 

In addition to these personal transitions, our school is also in transition. We have two families in our school who are moving to the US this summer. Our younger boys are going to really miss some of their good friends. We also have several new families expressing interest in our school, some who are currently in country and some who are moving to Uganda for the first time. At the same time, one of our teachers is not returning. It is not only a logistical challenge to determine which needs we will be able to meet, but it is also an emotional one.  Most of our students are also processing these transitions in various ways. Additionally, some of our students are in transition even in their own families. Many of our students are adopted or in process and are at various stages of processing those transitions. While adoption is a beautiful thing, it also comes out of brokenness and loss. 

As someone who often takes on other's pain and wants to take care of them, I am struggling. I know that many in our family and in our school simply need time to grieve all of these losses. I also need time to grieve. It is hard to process all of this transition and loss. 

As I process this on the heels of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, I am reminded that we have a God who has experienced loss and grief. Jesus lost friends, one even betrayed him. Hebrews 4 reminds us:

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:14-16)

It is my hope that in this time of transitional struggle, we will draw near to Christ and be comforted by his love mercy and grace. With the way COVID has changed the world, I'm sure we are not the only ones dealing with transitional stress. It is my hope and prayer that the challenges of this season will enable many of us to see more clearly our need for the comfort of Jesus Christ. While things in this life are always in transition, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)