"Thank you for loving me!"

Tuesday, June 25

Last week when we were in the Village with Teacher Margaret, she left us with the words, "Thank you for loving me!" As I've spent the past week continuing to be amazed at the opportunities God has given me to love on people here in Uganda, I keep thinking of the smile and words Margaret shared with us last Tuesday. And I've been chomping at the bit to get back to see her!

We loaded up and headed out to the village today. On the way we stopped by a hardware store to pick up some supplies for the boys to dig a latrine. I asked them to grab some chalk for Teacher Margaret. Rebecca and I had selected some children's books that we were so excited to read to her class today. When we arrived at the village, Alex took us to one of the homes that the interns are working at this summer. We wanted to check on their progress and drop off the boys to work. We went to JaJa Kev's home, a small hut, and met the most amazing woman. She is unable to walk and spends her day scooting around her home with the biggest smile. It was such a great reminder that God is so much bigger than our circumstances. 

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

While we were there, little Ivan came up, a boy with special needs that we met last week. He was not his happy self and didn't have much energy. JaJa Kev told us that he was sick, so we started trying to find his mom to see if we could take him to the clinic in the village. After spending about an hour and a half attempting to find her, we decided to go ahead and take him, leaving word with the neighbors of what we were doing. As we walked back to the van, his mother arrived. She had gotten word that we were looking for her, and of course came as fast as she could. She joined us as we drove them to the clinic. I'm pretty sure Ivan had never been in a car before because he was holding on for dear life the entire drive. When we finally arrived, he was shaking from being so scared. 

At this point it was already 12:30 and Margaret's school dismissed at 1. Alex drive us down so we could at least drop by to see them. As soon as we rounded the doorway, the kids literally jumped out of their seats, knocking over a bench, jumped into our arms shouting "Teacher Muzungu!" I was almost in tears just because of the greeting we received, thinking the whole time, "Thank you for loving us!" 

After about 5 minutes of all 3 of us teachers telling the kids to sit back in their seats, they finally calmed down. I pulled out the box of 150 pieces chalk that cost about $1.50 and gave it to Teacher Margaret. Through tears, all she could say was "Thank you!" The children were so excited, and she immediately said, "Well who will be the first one to use the new chalk?" She selected students to come up and write on the board the letters and numbers they had been learning. They loved showing off for the Teacher Muzungu!

Unfortunately it was 1:00 and we knew we needed to go. The goodbye was difficult because we told them it was our last time to come to the village before we left to come back to the states. Margaret asked when we would be returning, and we simply had to answer, "As soon as The Lord lets us." We left with a tearful goodbye, promising to pray for her and her students. And encouraging her to continue to love the children. 

God, thank you for loving me! And thank you for giving me the opportunity to love your children in Uganda. 

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. John 15:9