Sunday

7-29-13

Praise the living God!

I slept 3 hours last night, but I just read my Bible by headlamp.

We left Town View Hotel at 8:30 and were at breakfast in Kachungwa by 9:30. Sunday School started at 10 and we were all asked to take an age group and teach. Todd and Shari Davis, Brandon and I taught 13-15 year olds. God gave me a lesson about 3 months ago about being a pot. God makes us as a potter does, so that we can be useful to Him. Sometimes he allows us to be baked in the fire to make us stronger, but He watches us and doesn't leave us alone to shatter. He also wants us to choose to put good things into our pot, not rotten fruit, which will corrupt us and take our minds and hearts off of God and His purposes for us. I think they understood most of it, with an interpreter. They sang some songs and asked some questions about a America and I drew a picture of Oregon on the chalkboard for them with Portland, Salem and Canby on it. They think it's funny we have pets.

At 11 church proper started. Ken preached on faith and told them of how we came to be connected to their community. We then had a graduation ceremony for a beautician and 3 seamstresses. They received sewing machines and scissors/mirror to help them start up a business.

Then there was lunch and a parenting seminar. The church was full of parents and they had a few traditional dances that have to do with marriage. There was a question about legal action to make a child go to school. Not knowing Ugandan law, we could only encourage the father to pray with the child and urge them to get the education so they don't continue in poverty. The other question was about the younger generation getting more rebellious and promiscuous (sounds familiar). And we talked about teaching your children from early on what's right and how to love God. There was a big emphasis on love and spending time with their kids.

After that we gave out the gifts we brought. We really missed Rose, the social worker who usually organizes these parts who is on maternity leave, but we got the job done. Then we went back to the hotel and I dozed into my dinner.

PS. It rained for the first time in 3 months as we left Kachungwa. PTL and keep praying!

Love in Christ, Danelle Chase