New home

Though we’ve seen each other in Jinja, unexpectedly or for work, it has been months since Bryan and I have visited Pastor Hudson and Mercy Suubi. They were the first ones to tell me I’m going to have twins, when I visited CARE4Kids at the end of 2006, and so the beginning of the Wanyange kids naming me Nabirye (‘mother of twins’). In fact, it was at their house in 2008 that I met Bryan’s former directors and so had the chance to become acquainted with Bryan. You know the story from there…

Saturday night we enjoyed dinner and reunion with them and their family. They have five very healthy boys, and two girls who help with the house work in return for a home, a family, and schooling. Then Sunday we prayed from their church – Lugazi Miracle Centre – and were introduced (the church knows us individually) as the “newest Western couple in Uganda”. They were delighted to see us wedded and to hear that both our families were able to come out for the occasion.

That is the view of our entrance room / dining room / kitchen from the front door:

We are very comfortable and very well provided for (thank you God). It’s also a beautiful 30 minute walk back home from work in the evenings, with the setting sun glowing on the plants and herds. 

 

Last Friday, WMU Community Development had a meeting with GOAL. Among other works, GOAL does water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) trainings in rural communities. They do a very thorough work in inland villages. Fred (on the right) who does the micro-enterprise training came with me in Ritah’s place because she was sick. (Ritah is the one I’ve been doing WASH with, that’s her role in WMU.) Each organization shared their works with the other, gave feedback, and went away better informed of ways to do water development, mobilize communities, and with a potential partner for future projects.

My prayer request this week is not about myself, Bryan, or even Uganda, though they are all good things to pray for. This week I request you uplift my cousin David and second cousins Miriam and Hannah, who have just lost their wife and mother Sue to cancer. The funeral is this Thursday. I think you can all appreciate what a hard time this is for them. How much do you hate cancer! My dad and Uncle Bill (David’s father) have flown over, and I’m sure other relatives; please pray for them too. Thank you.

That’s my brief update, now you’ve seen our new home while it’s still new J

Best wishes upon you

From my desk

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts for Bryan and I and the work we are doing in the nation of Uganda. It is a good time of life as we work out how to be a couple (not that hard when you’re best of friends) and our place in the aims of Water Missions Uganda. We’re busy, but steady. We typically have weekends off; a nice little home, which we’ve had friends over to; we’re in a nice Bible study of Ugandans, Canadians, Americans and an Australian (aka me); and providing safe water to thousands of people. 

Carrying on from the project update I gave last newsletter, I have spent much time over the past few weeks in the office working on the plans. We have over 20 documents on the new business plan and community development. There are so many because of appendices to the business and community development manuals, which include job descriptions, monthly reports, schedules, site criteria and the like. I have been the main writer for the documents on the community development side of things. It took me a little while to get over the fact that I’d be at a desk for so many days in a row, but it’s actually quite a good way for me to contribute. Other workers are freed to fulfill their duties in the field; though I love it, I know it’s effective and important for Ugandans to be the ones to lift up and contribute to their fellow Ugandans. Then on a personal practical note, if I’m in the office I am only at work from 8am-6pm, or even before 6pm. This means I can go home, cook, and/or see friends with Bryan in the evening. I do like having this time with my husband! Even if he comes home late (he’ll be coming home past 10pm twice this week!) I can have food ready for him and try to be the cheerful one at such times.

The business model of WMU’s water service will be implemented from next month. Not all the staff knows the details of how the project will work and differences to the current model yet, because we’ve still been putting it all together. We that know don’t have so long to train the staff. I hope and pray that they will be flexible and enthusiastic to make the changes, because it’s what will make their work sustainable. We already know we’re doing a good work, because we know water is vital for life; the Ministry of Water and Environment (the Government Ministry we come under) workers appreciated us for making them look good, we’re one of their best partners by the sounds of it; and, for those of you who like statistics, we commissioned safe water projects to 4 communities last month, with a combined population of 17,500. That’s right, in a space of 3 weeks 17,500 people received access to safe water!

I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself

known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am

the LORD.

    -- Ezekiel 38:23

"I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.”

-         Jeremiah 29:11

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust

-       Psalm 25:1

From what I’ve shared with you, I request that you please put to prayer the following:

Ø  WMU starts implementing the new projects next month

Ø  Bryan has very long days, is negotiating with officials, and doing a lot of driving. Please pray for his safety, focus, wisdom, and energy

Ø  That we would continue to love one another and the people we are working with, and be a vessel for God to bring divine joy and righteousness into our places of work

When I say the next thing you’re not going to even think we’re missionaries, but we are. Coming up is a trip to the USA. Bryan needed to renew legal documents, so he looked to see if there were any decently priced flights. Yes, there they were, very good value for the week around Thanksgiving. So we are going to Kansas next month.  I felt so hesitant to go, just because we’ve already traveled this year, but now that we are going I’m very excited to see my in-laws (in-graces – that’s my mum’s and my father in law’s humour about being under the new covenant of grace since Jesus). I’ll also get to share in an American Thanksgiving, which means all the family will be there.  What a year!

Thanks for your prayers and for reading through what is happening in my mind and in my life.

God’s grace to you