6 Weeks Too Short

It’s hard to believe that I’ve reached my last week here in Uganda. With what began feeling like an eternity, these six weeks have flown by. Where did the time go? I’m starting to find myself with wet eyes at the thought of leaving my new friends. When I consider this last week, I want to take as much advantage as I can of the opportunities to be with these kids. This morning we went to church with them, and you couldn’t have paid me to wipe off the smile plastered on my face. We were all dancing, clapping, and joking with each other. It was such a sweet time of fellowship. I will certainly miss the lively worship and relational nature of the people here. I look forward to each morning when I get to embrace the kids with hugs and shower them in love. I love walking almost everywhere with a small hand in mine, and hugging a small child that is running at me and feeling that it has been returned ten fold simply by embracing them. My heart smiles with each precious child that I cross paths with. I feel like a little piece of my heart is being left behind in Africa.

I am excited to come home, but I do not feel glad about leaving here. I’ve learned so much during these five weeks, and pray the Lord is equipping me for what is to come. My prayer is that when I ride down that escalator in the Jackson Evers airport into the baggage claim, I will be returning to Mississippi with less of Louise and carrying more of Christ with me. I am looking forward to all that is in store after this trip. Thank you to those of you who have prayed for me and been supportive. Encouragement from home has kept me going and been beyond helpful.

This will probably be my last post until I am home and have the time to write. Until then, I want to focus on my time here and not bother with the Internet all that much. I am hoping to return to the prison on Tuesday, so prayers for that trip are widely welcome. I ask that you would not simply pray for me, but that those children would feel loved and special.