He Powerfully Works

His eyes were huge with a combination of shock and horror. Suddenly I burst into laughter and saw the fear melt from his eyes at this strange mzungu standing in front of him, covered head to toe in muddy water.

We had an overnight in the village a few weeks ago on land right on the Nile. I wanted to read my book next to the river and was making my way down there when a 12 year old Ugandan came to direct me to his favorite spot to sit. However, my long skirt didn't stretch as much as I thought as I leaped across a stream, only to find another one on the other side with my face. I'm sure it was quite the sight, and I'm glad there were no other bazungu to view this scrape of mine, but I did laugh! Laughter is such beautiful medicine. 

Christmas has come and gone now -- filled with Norwegian food, friends, more laughter, and no snow. It was hard to be away from family for the first time, but God has blessed me with a wonderful community here. It has been so refreshing to step back and be still before the grind starts again in January.

SO happy to go home!

"He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young." - Isaiah 40:11

Hansel on Christmas Eve

Sandra has come home! I know I didn't tell the whole story here as it deals with a lot of the unseen corruption that we dealt with, but it was a mess. Long story short: Sandra went in on Monday and even though she wasn't in labor, she ended up having a C-section on Wednesday. Her baby boy -- Hansel -- had meconium aspiration and was near death, so we rushed him to the best hospital in Uganda in the capitol city. After two weeks on oxygen and a feeding tube, they are back in Jinja at a place called Serving His Children, run by my friend Renee. This whole situation tore me apart and left me in tears after fighting the doctors and seeing my friend suffer. Holding him in my arms on our way back from Kampala to feel his chest move up and down with his own breath brought happy tears to my eyes. I love seeing God touch His children and bring healing.

I want to tell you a story: I spend a good amount of time in a slum called Masese with people from the tribe of Karamajong. I have gotten to be good friends with many of them and love just spending time sitting under the tree sipping tea. A while back, my translator Irene told me that I need a name in Karamajong to show that I have been accepted. She asked what time of year I was born, and being in October, traditionally I would be named after the harvest.

Nalem -- harvester

She asked if I liked the name -- Katie Nalem (they pronounce Kate as Katie, with a soft "ie" (if that makes any sense?)) -- and suddenly her eyes grew large as she exclaimed, "Oh! Auntie Kate! It's perfect!" I liked the sound of it, but was confused as to why she was so excited, until she quoted Scripture at me.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." -- Luke 10:2

I am Katie Nalem. And in the impossibly hard times, I remember, "For this I toil, struggling with all HIS energy that HE powerfully works within me." Colossians 1:29

It's Him. It's all Him.