Christmas in Uganda

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 could find. Pour out our hearts into Christmas notes. Carefully pack away these presents and take them to school. From my very first days of coming to Suubi I felt part of the family here, but today, Christmas Eve, December 24th, 2019 confirmed it all the more. Walking through the staff housing we pass out our small gifts to those people who have meant so much to Haylie and I. Mouths left speechless, tight hugs, whispers of "I love you",  tears spilling over, raw emotions. Those moments where friends become closer than a friend. You become family. Sisters and brothers. A bond knit so tight it makes your heart ache.

I see two of my friends embrace in a hug that fills my eyes with tears. She tells us that she'd never had a sister or brother before, but now she finally can say she has true sisters. We all sat for a moment just weeping. Guys, how amazing is our God.  

Musumba Wilberforce calls me and tells us to come quick to his home. We find food prepared for us. Plates full of matooke and pork I eat in silence just wondering how blessed I am to have such great friends to have us join them for Christmas eve dinner. How privileged I am.  

"God loved so He gave. He gave us Jesus. When our God gives, He gives in generously in abundance, overflowing, and never ending. Our God does nothing small." 

Reading this made me realize that this flows through us too. We give because we love. Not because we have to or need to, but because of this love we want too. Because the Father loved us first. 

And when we live like we're loved it's going to flow out of us too. I often wonder that maybe I'm not doing enough or accomplishing much, but I step back and see the small ways God has used my life and the opportunities He's shown me how to give. When I think I'm not doing anything, then I can see that I am doing something, because when we're giving, we're loving weather we realize it or not. God is using us to show people His great love through us loving them. 

We never lose by loving, we only lose by holding back. 

And our Father hold nothing back from us. So why should I? 

Dear friends, Merry Christmas where ever you are. I am so thankful for all of you who have prayed for me and supported me in my coming to Uganda. You'll never know how much it has meant and I hope that you can some how feel part of this because of the investment you've made in my life.

This for sure has been a year of changes, journeys, growing, lots of emotions, one that I never seen coming and one that I will never forget. I don't know what the next year will end like or what the  future holds, but I can be sure that whatever it entails, my time in Bukeka will have a great influence on it.  

look up and see Him there, being everything you cannot be, so you can have what you don't deserve - everlasting life in Him! 

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Jesus, Thank you.