Kindred Spirits

Today I received a package in the mail. When I opened it, I was taken back by what was inside. One of my closest friends, Megan, sent me a poem and a necklace to begin my adventure in Rwanda. The necklace has three charms: the state of Arkansas, a heart and the state of Oklahoma. I was so surprised and excited! It was by far one of the neatest gifts I have ever received. Megan has traveled to Africa multiple times on different adventures. Our bond became much stronger when my love for the continent surfaced after my trip to Uganda last summer. Megan and I have loads to talk about and she has been my Africa "go-to" girl. I am so blessed to have her in my life. She is such a talented and beautiful person.

Close to Home

A few minutes ago I found out that multiple people were killed in 3 different bombings in Kampala, Uganda. They took place during the Spain-Netherlands World Cup final game while fans were watching. One of the locations that was bombed is called Ethiopian Village and is located in Kabalagala . The hotel we stayed in while in Kampala was called the Tip Ton which was located in Muyenga. Kabalagala and Muyenga are two neighboring suburbs of Kampala. We would walk the short walk to Ethiopian Village almost daily to check our email. They had the fastest internet around.



This hits a little to close to home tonight. My sister is en route to Rwanda tonight and tomorrow and exactly one year ago my life changing journey to Africa began in Kampala, Uganda. Our trip started on July 11. Grace is in Jinja, Uganda but will soon be traveling to Rwanda to meet up with Lee and her group.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?


Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Footprints

Tonight I had dinner with Brandy and Sarah at Los Cabos in in Broken Arrow. They have become two of my closest friends during my time at KW and felt a stab of heartache as I told them goodbye and drove off after our 3 and a half hour dinner.

While we were waiting for our table, one of them noticed that a man standing near us with his family was wearing a bracelet that said, "Uganda" on it. I went over and introduced myself and told him that I noticed his bracelet and I had spent some time in Uganda last summer and that I am moving to Rwanda in a few weeks. He told me that he and his family had lived in Jinja, Uganda for seven years and that two of his daughters were born there. He is currently a pastor at a church in Tulsa and his church still plays a strong role in Uganda and they have people over there constantly. He and his family just returned a few weeks ago from Jinja where they were working on some water wells. We exchanged emails and names and he gave me the web address of the group they do a lot of work with. I love Godcidences! Everyone has been asking me if I'm getting nervous or scared and I think for a moment about why I am going and how this is the path God has me on and I reply, "No." Which I honestly can say I am not nervous at this point. Now, come August 5, the night before I leave, I might have a different answer! I have said many goodbyes to some great people the past couple of days and my apartment is pretty empty except for the big stuff and some boxes but I still have a neutral feeling. Just this afternoon I started getting nervous because I'm NOT feeling nervous! Silly, I know. But meeting the Taylors at a local Mexican joint in Broken Arrow, OK brought me closer to God tonight and I realized how small the world we live in actually is. God placed us there tonight, in the same restaurant, waiting the same 40 minute wait for a table, with our love for Africa visible. (He in his bracelet and me in my Africa Elephants shirt.)

The poem, "Footprints in the Sand" comes to mind even thought this is not a difficult or troublesome time of my life. I am certain that hard times will come but I will remember the Lord is carrying me. When we need HIM the most, HE is there.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: One belonged to him, the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of foot prints. He also noticed that it happened at the lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you you would walk with me all of the way But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed you the most, you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."