Yesterday morning that was the verse that I read out of Psalm 34…which where I’ve been camped out at for the past month or so. You might say I’m “massaging” the Word in Psalm 34…that was for you Jodi!
Anyways, I read that and asked that the Lord continue to make me aware of Him all around me whilst I’m here and serving. With the struggles that I’ve had I’ve been scared that I would get so overcome with being down that I would miss out on seeing what He is doing here and all the ways that He is making Himself known to me during these weeks.
Well He certainly proved this verse to be truth this weekend!
Saturday morning the other volunteers left for the weekend. I had the place all to myself for the next two days. I was excited to have some alone time, but nervous about how it would go working with the toddler/preschoolers without them.
That morning I went downstairs and read some stories to the little boys and then around 10 Helene, the volunteer coordinator, came to get all the little girls and we took them back to her house for a tea party/girly day.
All the little girls were dressed in super cute summer dresses with bows in their hair and were so excited for a day out. We showed up and there were some other ladies there who had helped set everything up and the girls ate cookies, fruit snacks (which they call sweeties), and drank tea out real tea cups. It was absolutely adorable!
Then they had the bright idea to continue with the girly theme and give the girls a conditioning treatment for their hair using avocadoes. So one by one we washed their hair and then covered it in avocado and then put them in front of the TV to watch a Barbie movie. By the end there were about 11 little black girls with green heads staring at the TV. Somehow I also managed to get sucked into joining the green head club.
We then washed it all out and tried to load the girls back up in the van to go back to the baby house. Not after several meltdowns and three little girls peeing on themselves before making it to the restroom. Oh the joys of toddlers!
We got them back to the baby house in time for them to eat lunch and then go down for a much needed nap.
Then in the afternoon we went to the most insane 8 year old birthday party imaginable. There is an Indian family in town who owns so many companies and who is crazy wealthy. They are friends with all the missionaries here so they were all invited and since I was the only volunteer left at the baby house I got to tag along too.
This party was complete with a bounce house, clown, magician, mango flavored cotton candy (I mean it was bright yellow…and tasted sick if you asked me), goody bags, a huge pirate cake, face painting, and enough food that we went back for seconds and thirds.
Helene, Souixanne (the nurse at the baby cottage), and I all got matching butterfly face paintings. It was so much fun!
Then that night Helene and Tracey (the business manager for Amani) invited me over to watch a movie and have a sleepover. We ordered pizza from a nearby restaurant and Helene went to pick it up. So we ate pizza, popcorn, butter cake (I will admit that I ate 4 pieces), and sweet tea. We had a double feature and watched Where The Heart Is and Short Circuit. Who remembers Short Circuit about Johnny 5???? Bubba and I used to watch those movies all the time and Helene was so excited to have met someone else who knew and loved Johnny 5 the way that she did. We had to keep pausing the movie to talk about all the other great 80’s movies that we know and loved!
Around midnight we finally went to bed and I couldn’t go to sleep because I was on such a high!
The time that I’ve been here I’ve felt disconnected and needing some sort of community. It was hard with the other volunteers because they’ve already spent 2 months together and are all about the same age…and then there’s me.
Tonight the Lord showed me just how well He knows his daughter and longs to LAVISH on her all her needs! I just kept smiling and thanking God for the way He showed Himself to me today and how He provides in the most unexpected and creative ways.
Who knew that the Lord would use a 8 year old Indian’s pirate themed birthday party in the middle of Uganda to reveal Himself to me! Only the God of the universe can be that creative!
My prayer now is that I would continue to look for Him throughout my days and trust that He is there even in the midst of a struggle or rough day and not just recognize Him during the easy parts.
Now it’s Sunday and Helene made pancakes for breakfast and we’re now about to finish our 3rd movie of the weekend. Then its back the baby cottage for me to do some laundry, shave my legs, get caught up on some reading, maybe a nap, and then skype dates tonight with Amy and then my mommy!
I am a happy girl!
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