UGANDA '95, BACK AND FORTH

Back and forth was NOT intended.  In September, 1994, we arrived there to work and serve the Lord and thought we'd live there forever.  That was definitely our hope.

However, within a few months we were pretty much out of our savings and our credit card debt was increasing.  We had a few people donating to us, but we were independent and that put us in a rather unnoticed position by most people.  [We realized later that the main reason God had sent us there was NOT so we could stay, but we would meet Sam, "adopt" him as a 25-year-old son, and he, through us, would have his past prayers answered for education and other skills.]

In March, 1995, I had gone to the British Airways office to find out the cost needed to fly home and guesstimate a schedule.  We intended to leave by early May, and would simply return to Omaha, and restart and revise our lives over here.

WELL, that very day our orphanage founder/director friends of New Hope Uganda, Jay and Vicki, picked us up in Kampala to go out to visit them for a couple days.  On the way to their place, when I mentioned the B.A. schedule, a subject was immediately brought up.  The homeschool teacher who had been with them for a couple years, needed to leave and couldn't teach the next year. 

[We took this photo when we were in Uganda in January/February, 1991, and they were among the many we were to meet at that time. 

 Their family was a blessing!]

 

Jay and Vicki would be returning to the States in Spring, '96, for a rest time and seeing and meeting with many of the organizations and churches that were supporting them. Their kids would be going to a Christian school during that break from Uganda.  So, before they were leaving for the States, they needed a teacher, and knew it was something we had wanted to do.

Within a couple hours the four of us had worked it out.  Dave and I would return to Omaha for four months to earn enough money to go back and serve.  At the orphanage, we would have a free house -- the one Jay had had built for their family teachers --  and provide a salary.  We were more than thrilled with this idea and opportunity.  We loved their kids. [Still do.]

All that info is to let you know what our summer was like and was a real treat from the Lord.

When we made it to Omaha, we had less than $200 in our bank account.  We stayed at our former home that we had sold to our daughter and her husband.  We had a room to sleep in, but no bed.  Our first challenge.  A few days later, found a futon at a garage sale; cheap and sufficient for our needs.

Dave and I found jobs.  I was a temp at a probation office.  It was a GREAT job.  I didn't have to answer the phone with sweetness and light and if anyone was cranky or rude, I could hang up.  As a receptionist, that was very easy to handle.  [I DID try to be nice, but with my tough family background, it felt very good when not putting up with foolish, angry or drug-induced behavior.]

And then Dave.  He began to work with a man from our church who had a very small construction company and only needed Dave and one other guy for the summer to do certain yard and house projects.  Dave hadn't done that for years, but he was good and enjoyed his time with Doug and Carl.

His challenge?  It was a hot summer.  Dave was working outside nearly always and it was in the 100-degree range, sometimes up to the teens, and humid.

One of my very favorite photos of Dave took place that summer.  His boss decided that the 3 of them would work at Habitat for Humanity for a few days.

One day I went to pick Dave up. He was absolutely filthy.  It was a HOT day, so with the dirt and sweat he didn't smell good - much worse than usual at the other work projects.

We had enough money, between the two of us, from jobs and family and friends, to go back to Uganda for that next 8 months and do the teaching... and that was a treat.  We loved it.  [Dave also repaired generators, installed electricity, taught piano, and helped and helped and helped some more.  Besides teaching a couple classes, I secretaried for up to 5 of the leaders and trained someone before I left.  Dave and I were very busy.]

ANYHOW, to me, the blessing was knowing how Dave was being used  blessedly on both sides of the oceans in both continents.  But today when I was scanning the photos from that year, and came across this Habitat picture, all I could do was grin.  

Back then, we were so glad he, and many others, through Habitat, prepared a house for someone who needed it.  This God-job touched his heart.  Touched mine.