A Team Experiencing LIFE to the Fullest

It's such an honor to experience life with God here in Uganda and even more so when that experience is combined with a team that quickly bonds and becomes like family. The team that is here now is having a blast and loving everything about HEAL They are not only experiencing it all - but doing so with passion, love, care and with no complaints.  

We walked in Masese after the KIDS CLUB program and bible study with Agnes. Agnes is from the north. Her husband was killed by the LRA. She lives here with three children and three children were still in the North - because she could not afford to go and get them. We gave her the money to take a bus to Gulu to pick up her three children that she has been apart from for a few years. The ladies in HEAL's program have become like family. They encouraged her to go - and offered to keep her three small children so that she could go quickly and get back quickly. Saturday, as Team 2 was pulling out of the driveway, Agnes walked in with all six children. With tears, I hugged her and the children and was reminded by God that these little interruptions here in our daily schedules are the reasons we are here.

Winnie is a 12-year-old girl that I have blogged about. She is the caretaker of her 2 younger sisters and baby brother as well as a cousin. Winnie asked to be a girl scout and of course - we said yes. This past weekend the girl scouts had a camping competition and family was invited to attend. I told the team about it and they all wanted to go. Winnie has a sick JAJA that could not attend. Instead, God gave Winnie a family in this team on this particular day. I am sure that she had the largest family present! This is what it feels like to experience life to the fullest with LOVE.

When talking to the team members at night, I learned that they are all very passionate to serve and love. They loved on the babies at Amani Baby Cottage and helped to deliver uniforms for all the mamas. They loved on the mamas at Serving His Children and made bible bookmarks for them. They loved on the kids while playing soccer and served 4 different soccer camps with no complaints and no lack of energy! They love on the children in HEAL's childcare every single day. They love on the staff members everyday and help us to deepen the family relationships. The team is family. They have bonded, served, loved, worked, painted, laughed and cried.

They were here during our first Business Class graduation and it was a highlight of everyone's week. To see the joy, confidence and HOPE on every face as each woman accepted their certificates was priceless and was the main topic of GOD moments during the team meeting.

Saturday, we had over 455 kids show up for KIDS CLUB. The team helped with smiles while serving the kids, loving on them, playing with them and just helping in any way possible. Every single kid gets a hug, water and a boiled egg. We had another team from Nashville stop by to help us with the KIDS CLUB program as well. The volunteers played hard and served well. I looked around and l felt God's love everywhere. In the bubbles, in the girls allowing the kids to braid their hair, in the soccer games, the volleyball games and in the volunteers just holding kids. Giving LOVE. 455 kids. THAT is living LIFE to the fullest!