Today is the Day!!

I leave today.  My heart is so happy and excited to be reunited with the rest of my heart!  God is SO faithful.  Allison and I have SO much to catch up, and I absolutely cannot wait to see my best friend in the ENTIRE world!  

It's BEEN WAY TOO LONG. 

 Can't wait to reunite with her in the country that has stolen BOTH of our hearts!

Can't wait to love these little ones!!

A Poem that speaks TRUTH.

The Children

Do you hear the children crying?

I can hear them every day,

Crying, sighing, dying, flying

Somewhere safe where they can play.

Somewhere safe from all the dangers,

Somewhere safe from crack and AIDS,

Safe from lust and lurking strangers,

Safe from war and bombing raids.

Somewhere safe from malnutrition,

Safe from daddy’s damning voice,

Safe from mommy’s cool ambition,

Safe from deadly goddess, Choice.

* * * *

Do you see the children meeting?

I can see them in the sky,

Meeting, eating, meeting, greeting

Jesus with the answer why.

Why the milk no longer nourished,

Why the water made them sick,

Why the crops no longer flourished,

Why the belly got so thick.

Why they never knew the reason

Friends had vanished out of sight,

Why some suffered for a season, 

Others never saw the light.

* * * *

Do you hear the children singing?

I can hear them high above,

Singing, springing, ringing, bringing

Glory to the God of love.

Glory for the gift of living,

Glory for the end of pain,

Glory for the gift of giving,

Glory for eternal gain.

Glory from the ones forsaken,

Glory from the lost and lone,

Glory when the infants waken,

Orphans on the Father’s throne

* * * *

Do you see the children coming?

I can see them on the clouds,

Coming, strumming, drumming, humming

Songs with heaven’s happy crowds.

Songs with lots of happy clapping,

Songs that set the heart on fire,

Songs that make your foot start tapping,

Songs that make a merry choir.

Songs so loud the mountains tremble,

Songs so pure the canyons ring,

When the children all assemble

Millions, millions, round the King.

* * * *

Do you see the children waiting?

I can see them all aglow

Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting,

Who of us will rise and go?

Will we turn and fly to meet them

Will we venture something new? 

Come and go with 

me, would you?

I intend to rise and great them.

Come and go with me, will you?

And my sweet little baby girl.  I pray that God allows me to see her, but if not trusting in his promises.  To be so close, but oh so far away is just so hard on my heart.  I know that I have a God of the EXTRA ordinary and LOVES to show me his mighty power and love for his children.  Saying many prayers that it's for my girl and that's she's not sicker than she was before. 

She loved me back.  

PS.  God already has been at work because I didn't get charged extra for my extra weight fee!  God is GOOD!  

Thanks for all the prayers.

Soaking in his goodness while I fly for a LONG time!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  

1 John 3:1

Elizabeth

     Another blogger recently used the term “Holy Ground” to describe a life altering experience they’d had.   That’s exactly how I would describe my first trip to Uganda.  Canaan Children’s Home was one of the main places our team stayed in June, and that’s where we got to have lots of time to really bond with some kids.  God used that trip, those children, those places, to TRULY break my heart, and allow me a glimpse into what His eyes are seeing, and what His heart is feeling.  

     Last week, I got the incredible blessing to return to Canaan for a short visit!  Coming back to Canaan was a sacred experience, a revisit to my Holy Ground.  I prayed that the kids would feel loved and cherished to see someone returning, instead of just coming once, and vanishing forever.  Now, some of you know that during my stay here in June, a little 11 year old girl named Elizabeth claimed me as soon as I stepped off the bus.  

     She was the one who was waiting outside my door in the morning, and outside the dinner hall every time we’d go in to eat.  The one who walked me to my door each night, who’s hand never left mine, and who’s smile lights up my heart.  She’s very shy, and hardly talks, but our hearts were bonded, and she knew I cherished her.  

     Ever since meeting her in June, I have prayed for her, and thought about her, and hoped there were people in her life who cared for her, and wanted to hold her hand, and put their arm around her, and just sit wordlessly with her cuddled into their side, instead of just going for the typical cute little babbling 3 or 4 year old.  My heart broke as I searched the pictures of VO teams after mine, and found not a single picture of my girl.  I was worried.  Who was loving her?  

     Fast forward to last Thursday, and we are making the drive from Pallisa to Jinja to stay at Canaan for a night.  To say I was out of my mind with excitement does not even begin to cover it.  There were a million things running through my head… worries about “my” kids, and the kids of the people I love from my VO trip:  Are they happy?, Do they know how loved they are?, What if they don’t remember me, because teams are always coming and going, and what if they don’t believe I really loved them?, I just wanted them to think, “Oh, she truly loves me just like she said she did, and she came back for me.”   All those worries soon faded away…

     So we pulled up, and got out of the car, and the little ones who were already home from school began to come over to us, their high pitched voices in a chorus of, “How ah you?” and, “Good ev-uh-ning”, with their teeny little hands and arms reaching up to me.  

     Then, the older kids began to trickle in the gate, coming home from school.  The first child came up and greeted and hugged me, and wouldn’t let go.  I knew he was Gideon.  I asked, “You’re so and so’s boy aren’t you?”, (It was a husband and wife couple, and the husband had been on my VO trip, and he and his wife sponsor two kids here.), and Gideon smiled HUGE and said yes.  I told him how much they loved him, and told him we’d take pictures for me to show them.  Soon, beautiful Claire, the other child they sponsor, came in the gate, and beamed at me, and we hugged, and I told her the same.  She was overjoyed.  Then, some of the older girls I had hung out with, and sang and danced to Rhianna and Sean Kingston songs with, came in, and we hugged and talked for a while.  

     Every time another child with a “parent” from my VO trip came in, I made sure to tell them how much they loved and treasured them, and gave them plenty of hugs and kisses.   This happened over and over, and one of the girls that had been part of my “posse” in June came and hugged me huge, and ran to gather some of the other girls.   I was engulfed in this beautiful, joyful little group of kids around me, then I turned and saw her, coming in the gate.  My Elizabeth.  It was like something from a dream.  This child that had only been in my mind and heart, and on my computer screen for the last five months, was right there, almost near enough to touch.  We locked eyes, and that smile of hers melted my soul as we moved toward each other like magnets.  

     All of a sudden, I was holding her in my arms, telling her how much I love and missed her, and how I had been praying for her the whole time I was gone.  Did she remember me?  Uh, YEAH, and she remembered that I LOVED her.  Was she, along with every other child there happy? YES, Canaan is an incredible, Godly children’s home.  The kids are being fed spiritually, and it’s really powerful to see how that is evident in their lives.  Did they feel loved?  Oh, every moment.  It is CLEAR that God literally holds them in the palm of His hand.  He truly treasures these children of His, and I do, too.

      It was such a sweet, unexpected blessing to be able to spend some time at Canaan.  God knows just what our hearts desire, and He is faithful to give us exactly what we need. 

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

He is so so good to me.  THANK YOU LORD for letting me see my Elizabeth, and bringing me back to Uganda!

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; celebrate his lovely name with music! Psalm 135:3

LOVE you all, but He loves you more!

Allison <3

Orphan Sunday/ MAN UP

Today is Orphan Sunday.  A solemn day to recognize the suffering of the Fatherless all around the world, but also a day of hope that in Christ, we all have the power to be Jesus to them, and that we're actually all called and commanded to do just that.  I LOVE the children's home in Pallisa!  (It's called Kerith, by the way.)  It is SUCH and incredible blessing and privilege to be able to have a part in shaping the faith of even one precious little one, "the least of these" in the sight of the world, but precious royalty in the sight of Jesus.  It will be so heartbreaking to leave them in December, but I am confident in the Lord that I will be able to continue being a part of their lives, as I feel this peace within me that God is still leading me to make my life forever in Uganda.

"And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon." Philippians 2:24

You know, I revel in each sweet second I get to be "Mommy Allison" to these kids, and no matter how much my inner "independent woman" says we can, all these single women missionaries I learn about all over the world participating in orphan care can't fill every need for these kids, (though I fully recognize God can fill every need, and I'm definitely not saying there are no orphan-passionate males out there, only that there are very few), so I can't help but notice something missing... There's a hole in the puzzle of Christians caring for orphans...  It's father figures.  Guys who give kids an earthly example of what fatherly love is, so they can have a less screwed up view about what God's love, as our true and perfect Father, really is.  Guys who can really identify with the boy orphans, and play sports with them, and make them feel so incredibly special, and to make the girls feel protected and like the little princesses that they truly are...

Where are the men?  Yeah, I notice a bunch of males walking around out there, but where are all the GODLY MEN?  Where are the guys who are trying to model fatherhood off of our Heavenly Father?  Have you noticed the increasing amount of "fathers" who abandon their families all over the world?  Who mistreat their wives or their children?  Do you truly realize that this is so NOT how it's supposed to be?  We can fight this with prayer!  God did not create men to be cowardly, lazy, selfish, and prideful.  Now, I know not ALL men are like this, but in my life, I can probably count the truly Godly men I know without using up all 10 fingers, if I think really hard.  This is not a lamentation of what is wrong, for there's nothing God can't redeem, but the Body of Christ needs to put in some serious time on our knees praying for God to raise up His men to all the He created them to be, and praying that we would all have the grace and faith to obey His specific calls on our lives - whether male or female. 

 1 Timothy 5:8 says:

"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, especially those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 

Providing means sooooo much more than money.  There are plenty of ways to provide for you family that don't cost a cent.  What about providing unconditional, ceaseless love?  Encouragement?  Spiritual leadership?  Quality time?  To the men: PLEASE MAN UP and be all that God created you for, because you are NEEDED out here in this world, to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

(ps-I'm not delusional enough to think that throngs of men are perusing a blog entitled "Princesses of Christ", so if those of us who are seeing this would just spend some extra time on our knees praying for our men to rise up and love the Fatherless, and encouraging them to grow in their faith, and discover all that God has planned for their lives, I promise you, because Jesus promised, that our prayers will be heard,) 

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24

 Stay strong, and go boldly before the throne of God!  We're all in this together as brothers and sisters in Christ!

Love you all so much, because He's teaching me how, 

Allison

Airport, Arrival, and First Two Weeks in Pallisa!

 

Me and my Grandma at the airport the morning of September 21st!




BOTH of my bags were 48 lbs!  Praise God!  My Grandpa was soooo smugly convinced that they were over 50 lbs, and said in the car sarcastically, "Well, unless it's just my old age. Hahahaha."  Sorry Grandpa!  I guess it WAS the old age after all! haha



We had pretty okay food on these flights.  WAYYY better than the Ethiopian airlines food!  

Me during my layover in the Amsterdam airport.  Mom, I promise,  NOBODY  wanted to abduct me with my hair on top of my head like this! And it was dirty... haha



It was 10:15 pm when I arrived in Uganda.  I met Lexi and Pastor Sam, and it was soooo exciting.  Pastor Sam took us to a guest house in Kampala to stay the night, since it would take many hours to drive to Pallisa.  This is our room.  I can't figure out how to make the picture go the right way.  We talked and laughed for a long time, then Lexi went to shower.  She came out and said, "Allison, have you ever bucket bathed before?", and I'm like, "Um, no, but I have a feeling I'm about to!"  



Hahahaha, you basically fill that basin with water, and crouch-kneel awkwardly on the floor and bathe.  I know a lot of you are going to get a good laugh out of that mental image!  It's definitely NOT as bad as I was expecting, though!



Welcome to Africa!!  I soon realized this is actually quite a tiny cockroach!

That night, Lexi and I stayed up almost ALL night talking and laughing, which was SOOO fun, but we were both feeling it the next morning, especially since I hadn't slept on the plane, either!  We had breakfast at the guesthouse, and soon Pastor Sam, his wife Mercy, and their two little boys came and picked us up for the drive to Pallisa.  I. LOVE. THEM.  Thier 18 month old, Don, slept on me most of the drive.  We made several stops along the way to exchange money, buy a phone, and get other supplies that they and Lexi needed, since many things aren't available in Pallisa.  Oh, Uganda is JUST like I remembered it!  Beautiful, lush, and God all around.  The smell of their burning trash is even comforting.  That evening, we finally arrived in Pallisa!  It's so peaceful, and beautiful.  The walled set of 3 houses we stay in is like our own community.  Sam and Mercy, their little boys, and the three teenage boys that are basically their sons are in one house, a family with two darling, sweet little children are in the other, and Lexi and I are in the another. We love to sit on the patio and talk and eat our meals, and enjoy the beauty around us.  BEST OF ALLLLLL- THE CHILDREN'S HOME IS ACROSS THE STREET AND I LOVE. THE. CHILDREN. THERE.  It is seriously one of the most beautiful, Godly places I've ever seen.  There are 15 children there, and two live in foster moms.  These foster moms are amazing women of God.  They love God and the children with all their hearts.  The children have Morning Glory, Afternoon Glory, and Evening Glory, where they learn about the Bible, praise God, and pray for each other.  It is amazing.  We get to be part of it, and usually we go for Afternoon Glory.   

I know this pic is blurry, but I just love it.  The kids are so joyful.  We always dance and sing together.  The girl in the pink shirt to my left is named Stella.  I cannot even describe my love and admiration for this girl.  She LOVES God.  She is confident, joyful, and peaceful in Him.  Sometimes after we are done with Afternoon Glory, she and I just sit down, and she teaches me songs and dances in her language.  One day we were walking and she says, "You know, even after you go back to America, I will never forget you."  I wanted to bawl my eyes out.  You can be sure I will never, EVER forget you, either. 



I also get to help teach school during the day time!  I will usually wake up and help walk the kids from the children's home to school at 7:20.  It's soooo much fun.  One girl that I LOVE, named Miriam, almost always holds my hand, and we sing and laugh.  Well, one morning, she was holding my hand, and she pats our intertwined hands, and turns around and says to her friend, "Thees, eez MY Muzungu" (what they call white people here).  Oooohhhh, my heart!  School is an experience in itself!  I'll post about it soon.  For now, what you need to know, is that the Ugandan ministry Lexi is partnered with here is FOR REAL.  These are real, STRONG, warriors of God, committed FULLY to the children they work with in the school, the home, and in the church. 



This is my bathroom in Lexi's house!  Power had been off most of the time, so me and the lantern are, like, bffs now. 



 Sometimes I can't help but marvel at the way God has changed me over the years.  After my first mission trip in 7th grade, I came home and took a good shower and put on as much nice clothing and jewelry I could find.....  Now, I couldn't care less about a good shower, or all the nice jewelry and clothing in the world.  The most beautiful thing is a heart for God, and I want that so much.  The most beautiful jewelry in my eyes is now rolled paper beads made by the mamas at an orphanage I love.  The most beautiful clothing in my eyes is now any long dress that makes me feel like an African Mamma.  The most beautiful feeling is being covered in red dirt, sometimes pee, holding children, holding hands, seeing those children Love and depened on Jesus, and having peace in my heart that God has chosen this path specifically for me, and He knew of it before I was even formed. 


I feel so content and so at home here.  I love and miss my beautiful family, friends, and church, but we are really still together, connected in Jesus, no matter how far apart.  I love you all so much, and you can't imagine how deeply my heart is touched by your prayers.  If any of you have prayer needs, please put them in the comments and Lindsay and I will pray for them! 
Love,   Allison

Broken.

I found this post that had just been in my drafts.  I had only uploaded pictures.  Allison arrived safely in Uganda!  Prayers for her, and that the holy spirit uses Allison to do mighty things!  When she gets enough time and power, I'm sure she will do a post!

I officially have my plane flights booked to leave on December  27th.  This the ONLY thing I wanted for Christmas.  Since, I've been back at school, I've had an EXTREMELY hard time adjusting back.  I see God's provision over everything though.  He is my rock to which I cling. 

Walking down to play futbol.

I honestly don't know what I would do without Allison.  I can't believe God would give me the gift of a best friend who gets me.  No words are needed between us because we just get each other.  I'm so humbled with the gift of friendship he gave us.  She comforted me especially during my rough weeks.

The boys like to take pictures, and I love this one.

Allison cuddling with Marvin, and I'm helping give Liti a bath.

I cannot remember a time that I've genuinely not felt happy and joyful, until a week ago at school.  I lost it. I just miss Uganda. 

 I miss the red dirt.

I miss the burning trash.

I miss being called "Auntie"

I miss worshipping in an African church.

I miss the African way of life.

I miss singing all the time.

I miss CHAPATI, rolexes, and fruitttt.

I miss all my friends I made who have amazing hearts for Christ.

I miss all the children.

I especially miss my baby girl, Esther.

I could go on and on in specific detail, which I 'm sure I will.

He has reminded me that HE knows the plans he has for me.  He will open doors.  I've been particularily stressing over medical school and wondering if God has it planned for me to go to medical school.  I just desire to follow HIS plan, which he will reveal right on time.

My heart is just broken and half of it is still in Uganda.  It will never be the same, but I'm trying to find a new normal while fiercely pursing Christ and watching God create a beautiful mosaic out of my shattered heart.

I loved all our dance parties and watching them dance.  

Mama Lindsay, Mama Lindsay, Mama Lindsay 

We dance for you.

(What the little children would sing to me. 

 I miss their angelic voices.)

The neighbor children that are always watching through the fence.

In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, 

and His children will have a place of refuge.

Proverbs 14"26

Great is the LORD, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.

Psalm 147:5

Love his smile.

SO sweet.

Adorable Marvin.

He makes me laugh so hard.  

I easily have 100 pictures of Richard by himself.

We LOVED picking up the random children on the streets.
 I'm definitely going to miss that in America.

So sassy.

I LOVE them.

Pictures are all from one of my days at Canaan's. 

Love from Memphis,