Chapter 18 - Update #4 - January 20, 2015

I was only going to be here over one Sunday on this trip.  With various churches that I can attend, I was led to go to Glory Be to God Church right here in Jinja.  Many people from the hotel we stay at attend this church.  Services are from 10 am until a little after 1 pm.  The worship service just flies by even though it is about the length of 2 of our American services!.

When Godfrey & I arrived, one of the leaders came to me as I sat down and asked if I wanted to present.  I have learned over the years to always be prepared to speak whenever asked!  I had the song, “Giants Fall” that I ended up signing.  Yet, it was the moments before I signed the song that encouraged my heart.  I explain the song before I actually sign.  That way while they listen and watch, they would understand the song better.  I talked about how the song really represents the giants in our lives...school fees, poverty, sickness, hunger, were a few that they voiced out.  With God on our side, we can defeat the giants in our lives.  You could tell that this hit a cord in the hearts of the people.  Then during the song something happened that has never happened in the 8 years that I have been coming.  Normally when the Ugandans present in song, someone puts a basket on the stage.  In appreciation, and as people feel led, they will come up to the basket during the presentation and put money in the basket.  As I was signing, an usher brought a basket up and placed it on the stage.  Some came and dropped a gift of appreciation.  After the service, someone came to me with an envelope.  She said, “This is in appreciation.  Thank you.”  Wow.  It was a small amount, but it meant so much to me.  They gave from the little they have.  It reminded me of the widow’s mite story in the Bible.  People gave of the little they have to show appreciation to the Lord.  It was a very humbling experience.  I felt like a Ugandan in a new way this Sunday.  What an honor and privilege to be counted as part of this family of believers!

On Sunday afternoon I was able to be with our children at Raining Hope.  We are loving just spending time having fellowship together. I am in the process of explaining a lot about the move and the new direction we are taking as a home.  The children are so encouraged and excited about seeing all that God is doing.  One of our older boys, Hilary shared testimony about what God has been showing them.  He said that through some heartaches and difficulties there have been many challenges.  Yet God has been giving them a renewed sense of hope.  I have been sharing with the children the principle of always wanting to be explained by the miraculous.  Hilary said that the older boys had also come up with a slogan.  It was the this year of 2015 they believe that it is a year that SUDDENLY God is going to do the miraculous.  The children all became excited as Hilary shouted, “SUDDENLY!” HE IS GOING TO MOVE!

As we continued sharing, I put on music so we could just praise the Lord.  I came to the cd that our children had produced.  Henry said, “Wow!  I have not heard our music for 6 months!”  When I asked why he said it was because they didn’t have a dvd player.  The DVD player and TV that they were using was no longer available to them.  I didn’t realize they were using the DVD player to play the cds.  What the children didn’t know was I had brought an old DVD player with me that we were going to sell in one of our garage sales at home.   So...after Hilary had finished speaking, I had quietly gone to get the DVD player that I brought with me.  I had it hidden behind me.  I said, “You know how you want to be surprised by the Lord when He SUDDENLY works?  Well...SUDDENLY there is a DVD player!”  I wish all of you could have been there in the room when they saw the player.  They shouted for joy, jumping up and down dancing before the Lord!

I used this as an object lesson.  We talked how we can pursue things on our own, wanting things or specific things to happen.  We may get them but it won’t as exciting as God providing the answer in SUDDEN MIRACULOUS ways!   If I would have just brought the DVD player because they asked, they would have been appreciative and been joyful over the answer to prayer.  But when it appeared without expecting it, it brought a joy that was overwhelming.  SUDDENLY AND MIRACULOUSLY!  God is good!

You would think it couldn’t get any better...but it did.  I gave them the letters that all you wrote to the children.  I am SO THANKFUL for Ed Baldwin at Grace Fellowship.  He was in charge of the pen pal program .  He organized these envelopes that had each children paired up with one of our children.  There was a notebook in each one of the envelopes as well as stickers, coloring paper and letters.  I was able to use each one of these envelopes to add the other letters that had come in for them. I am also thankful to Desiree Vigo whose 3rd grade class has also become pen pals with the children.  When the children received their letters they were overjoyed!!!!  They LOVED the notebooks that had their names and Grace Fellowship on the front.   I will talk more about this in the next update as they have had time to now sit and read through all of your words.

I already had someone write to me since I have been in Uganda sorry that they were not able to get their letters to me in time.  If you as well would like to write to the children, you can still email me.  You would have to do that soon as I leave on Friday.  Ideally, if you could get the letters of encouragement to me by Wednesday, I can deliver them before I leave.  You are one day behind us so that gives you even more time!

Prayer Requests:
1.  Pray that we will be able to get into the house today (Tuesday).  It is 12 noon, Tuesday for us.  You are all probably sleeping as it is 1:00 am Tuesday morning.  We are waiting on access with the keys.  It all has to do with the previous tenants and also paper work.
2.  Pray for the prayer/dedication time we want to have before I leave.  The moving in may not happen before I leave.  The most important thing is to bring the children over so we can pray over the house & property and dedicate it to Him.  Godfrey will be facilitating the move which may take longer than we originally expected.  The children start school the first week of February.  We need to be settled in before that.
3.  Pray for the balance due for the house to be completed paid off.  We owe around $25,000 more in order to not have any monthly “mortgage” payments.  This will help us to to finally be done with monthly payments.
4.  We have focused so much on raising the money for the house.  Yet we are still in need of regular budget items such as school fees, food & other supplies.  We have watched God provide for the house which is been a miracle.  We know he will provide for their daily needs.
5.  Pray that I would continue to be sensitive the the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Pray for wisdom and discernment & that all I do would be pleasing to Him.

One of the servers at the restaurant here had a baby 8 months ago.  I asked her how she is doing as a brand new mum (mom).  Her response as she was just beaming, “I am extraordinarily happy!”  My sentiments exactly!!!!

Extraordinarily filled with joy!
Mama Eydie Kisakye!