A Normal Tuesday

It's Tuesday night here and I'm exhausted. Today was good: filled with an early morning run, crying with some of my friends in Masese, praying, studying the Word of God, and many laughs in between!

Tuesday mornings I have a Bible study with some of the women that were in our program but have now graduated. However, three of these women want nothing to do with me now that the food handout is gone. That hurts because I care about these women and their babies, but I'm continuing to pray for them. Their names are Alice, Esther, and Natasha, would you also pray?

While the group looks different than expected, there are women that are yearning to learn about the Bible! Praise Him! Irene, my translator, goes around throughout Masese on Monday night telling them that I'm coming in the morning. They sing a song in Karamajong from Psalm 1, so we looked at that today. Then they asked how we are like trees, because we don't give out fruit. So we looked at Galatians 5, sanctification and justification. They had so many questions! Today I had Lucy, Lucy, and Jennifer. Let me tell you a bit about each of them:

Lucy: This one is a blessing. She asks the most honest questions and named her baby after my mother. On Sunday she stepped on a nail and I was worried it was infected (you can imagine the hygiene here) so I took her to a nearby village to a clinic.

Jennifer: we met her last week as she was about to commit suicide. Her “husband” was terribly abusive but when the rent was due, he ran off. She was kicked out of her home by her landlady. Terrified, she sent her 1 year old back to Moroto (a place in the north where she came from) with a stranger going that direction because she has relatives there. She's also 6 months pregnant. We met, talked, prayed, cried, and laughed together. I really, really like Jennifer! Irene (bless her, so amazing!) took her in to her own little room and she's now studying the Word with us!

Lucy: When I first met Lucy, she was a drunk. Her baby was taken to an orphanage in town because we feared for her life. Lucy also has TB. I haven't seen her in weeks but today Irene said she wanted to talk to me. On arrival she said, “Aunt Kate, all I want to do is learn about God with you today.” Blown away, all I said was, “I'd like that.”

Judith -- named after my momma!

Here's a story for you: There are three different places called Masese (I, II, and III). The most common one is Masese I. As we were leaving the clinic I waved down a boda and asked him if he knew where Masese III was, he said yes, so we both sat side-saddle as I held the sleeping little Judith in my right arm and held onto the boda with my left. On the way, I noticed we were heading to Masese I and in my broken Luganda (I'm now taking lessons twice a week!) I told him he was going the wrong way. The problem here is I don't speak Lugada well, the boda man didn't speak English well, and Lucy only speaks Karamajong. Boy, we were in a pickle! The roads were terrible and I was trying to stay on while holding my sleeping baby and trying to figure out where in the world he had taken us! It took about 30 minutes for us to arrive, but I had agreed on 1,000 shillings (about 40 cents) before we left so as I handed that to him, fully expecting him to demand more, he rode away! Three languages, a bad foot, and a sleeping baby. What an experience I won't forget!

In typical African style, under a tree for Bible study

Lately things have been well – I went to Buzika (the village where Gift and Rebekah live) yesterday and was so blessed with Gift's eagerness. She's quiet so it's hard to tell how serious she is sometimes, but I really enjoy one on one time with her. We found Rebekah in her garden so we weren't able to talk about Scripture, which at first made me sad, but then I realized that sometimes it's okay just to visit and show that I care about her as a friend. I love those women!  

 Gift and Sarah

 She makes me laugh and encourages me so much!

On a side note, my Grandma Gudim has been in the hospital in Fargo for a week. She is an amazing woman of God, missionary in Madagascar for 13 years, and I love her completely. I'm hurting. It's hard to be away from family when there's a crisis. Would you please pray? That she would be healed, that I would be comforted. God hears and He knows. I want to see her again.

To God be the glory,
Kate

P.S. If you're in need of a few good reads, check out author Brennan Manning. In the past few weeks I've read his books Ragamuffin Gospel, Ruthless Trust, and All is Grace. Please, read them. Be blessed by his honesty as I have been.