Uganda 2025 Day 9

Uganda 2025 Day 9

Today is Sunday! Other than some other reunions, his has been one of the days I was looking most forward to. I knew Mama JoAnne had me scheduled for Saints Gate church, so I was ready to be there and see my son for the first time since he officially asked me to be his mama. The moment we pulled up my eyes were scanning for him, but I also was trying not to stare. Our group met at the front of the church by the stage to learn where the groups were that we were leading for Sunday school. That is when I saw him. He was working on a speaker on stage because he does the sound for service. When he saw me, he had just glanced up, so he did a double take, smiled really big, and continued working. Sydney, Ethan and I went to the Sunday school group that was youth. George was talking the them when we walked up. He came and shook our hands as he handed the teaching over to us. We had Sydney talk first and she spoke about anxiety. Ethan shared a short testimony about himself and encouraged them that God has plans for their lives. Then I spoke about James 1 with trials and temptations. Every year I enjoy how God makes all the messages fit together. George came back up to shake our hands when we finished, but I requested a hug instead, so he gave each of us a hug. I have known him long enough he should know he can hug me. Church service started not long after we ended. I was able to be in service for worship and most of the specials. The specials are when groups sing and dance to a song they rehearsed to. They started with the children’s group, then teens, young adults, and then the adults. We heard the kids downstairs when there was a pause in the music, so I did not get to watch the full one the adults did. 

Our kids church plan was for Arianna and Ethan to be in the back classroom with the littles and Jess and I to be with the older kids in the main area. Then Sydney would be a floater and help with the dances. This year they had stuff in the classroom they use, so the littles were in the main area, but facing a different direction. I talked with a couple of the girls and we thought it would be best to combine the kids. Otherwise each group would be distracted by the music from the other and our group would be distracted by the skit the other team was planning. The teachers approved the combining of the ages, so we turned the bigger kids chairs the same direction as the little kids chairs. We started with songs and dancing. Sydney talked about each song before we started it and it was really like a mini sermon. She is amazing at this. Next Jess shared a message about prayer. Ethan did Simon says for a little bit as well. Then we passed out cross necklaces and suckers. The kids are always so happy to receive these. Adult service was almost over, so I walked upstairs and sat next to James until it ended. I had seen him sitting near the back when we went downstairs with the kids, so I was able to easily find him. He said he was in disbelief that I was there. I was a little too. When service ending a few short minutes later, I introduced him to Chelsea. James saw I had a bracelet that I made with Uganda colors on it and Chelsea did not have an Uganda bracelet. He took his bracelet off and gave it to her. James is such a kind young man. Sadly we did not have much time together as we were leaning, but tomorrow we will see each other.

When we arrived back home we spent most of our time prepping medication for clinic tomorrow. We will be serving in Katwe for the next three days. Once we were done, I played the end of Jodie’s game in black 7. She had played two rounds and decided to stop. The game is fun, but I need to figure out strategy better.