Leigha's Log

What?! How is it 22 weeks/5 months since I've been in this beautiful country? Its been a pretty slow week this side, and since most everyone is gone visiting their families we've been taking it easy these days. So I don't have to much of an update, but thought I'd get back on track with my weekly blogging.  It's been about a year since I really felt like I was being called to move to Uganda for 7 months. It's crazy to think how fast God worked and how he has led me this year. 2019 will be a year that will never be forgotten and I believe it has grown me more into the person God wants me to be.   If I could some up 2019 in 1 word I think it would be ' filled '.  filled with this message from the Father that He was leading me to serve in Africa for a time filled with excitement and anticipation in coming to Uganda and to see what God had in store being here and for the first couple months feeling empty, only to find that I was being filled...

Christmas time this year...Different in so many ways. You usually think of Christmas time with a blanket of snow covering the ground, a mug of hot coffee, sledding and ice skating, dazzling lights, a table full of Christmas candies, a pile of gifts under the tree, and being wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket by the fire. Its sometimes about all the physical things you get to do and see. But this year has changed it for me. Not experiencing those things in Uganda, this Advent & Christmas has somehow meant a whole lot more to me than any other year.  Its about the feeling in my heart.   The receiving and giving of love with my people here.  The small things that really create the atmosphere of what Christmas really is. The CHRIST in Christmas. Christmas is about God doing whatever it takes to be with us & us just doing whatever it takes to be with Him.  We wrapped some small gifts of what we had in paper and ribbons or whatever pretty thing we co...

The power is out.  No water in the guesthouse.  The car is broke down. Our food is almost gone.  The gas for our cook stove is nervously low. This was Sunday afternoon in Bukeka town. And you know what? I love it. Every single bit of it.  We stroll down to where our car was parked, small talking it with the neighbor kids in our small amount of Luganda, wave at a girl walking by with a feed sack as her skirt, loving how many people we know as we walk through town, receive sweet potatoes from mama Jacinta.  Life is normal in Bukeka. And as much as I'm thankful for that, it scares me how much I've come to grow to love this place. I was gone for 3 days and my heart ached for my people and place at Suubi. Like when did this happen?  My month of visitors has now passed. And how it flew by. How I love introducing my family and friends to the people that mean the most to me this side and the place that has changed my life. After mom and dad left ...

Wow friends, I have much to catch you up on. What a wonderful past 2 weeks. Mom and dad made the trek over on the 26th and left on the 6th. So its been kind of a blur, but what a wonderful wonderful time we had. Seems so crazy that I hadn't seen them for 4 months! It's still like a miracle that mom came but a joy it was. Oh my. They surprised me in Bukeka a day earlier, and brought so many things from home it was like Christmas had come a month early. A huge thank you to all you sent small gifts, hugs, cards, and food. It was so amazing and thoughtful of you all. I wish I could give hugs to you all right now.    We enjoyed Thanksgiving together, made lots of food, picked beans & matooke, did extreme tubing in the Nile, stayed at a river lodge, took mom and dad to central market in Jinja. So thankful they we're able to take time off and join me on the other side for a while.  The church choir has started to learn a new English hymn to sing in church, so Ha...