Isn't it funny how selfish we can be?

Earlier this week we had the opportunity to go to a hospital and work with a ministry that gives a bag of food to mothers with small children who are in desperate need of food. As we handed out the bags of food to the mothers, we got to know some of them. One mother is 15 years old and her baby is just a week old. When she was asked what her baby's name was, she wouldn't tell us and she tried to tell us that the baby was not hers, that it was her sister's. We later learned that she was too embarrassed to admit it was her child, because she is only 15. We would try talking to her and she wouldn't respond or even look at us. It broke our hearts to see her like that. Can you imagine that? Her life as a teenager is over, she has to care for a newborn baby. She now has to take on the huge responsibility of keeping her baby boy healthy and, most importantly, safe at the age of 15. I can't even imagine that. Another mother had a baby with a slim chance at living a long life because she didn't have the resources to keep her baby healthy, so he became very sick, with many illnesses when he was born & he came very close to death. Thankfully, with lots of prayer and God's blessing on this ministry, the boy is a healthy one year old now because of proper nutrition. In America we rely on all the fancy machines to keep us alive if we become ill, but most places here, if you can find a doctor that has a little bit of schooling is a huge blessing. I find myself so often taking things in my life for granted. It saddens me to think of how much I complain about when I have so much. When kids all over the world would give up anything and everything to have a life the way I live. God has opened my eyes before to things like this, but it is so easy to push it all in the back of my mind. It is so hard to grasp the idea of people living in a tiny, one room hut, with dirt floors, and if they are lucky, a mat for everyone to sleep on. When I sleep in a big comfy bed all to myself, in my own room, in a secure home. So I just ignore it, how selfish of me. So, now I ask you, is there something going on in your life that God has been putting on your heart for some time now, but you just ignore it because that's the easy thing to do? I encourage you to pray that God will work with you to make it a priority in your life.

-Megan

With a quick stop in London we made it to Amani!

Well I am very happy to say that we made it to Amani with out any unexpected delays and all our luggage is with us, praise God! We arrived early in the morning and had about a four hour ride to the baby home because of traffic. With us both being dead tired it probably was very comical to watch as we were trying to stay awake but couldn't keep our eyes open, all mixed with crazy Ugandan driving. Mel and I arrived along with one other volunteer, who happened to be on the same flight. We were greeted by four other volunteers who have been here about a month. There are about 45 kids at the baby home right now, and there's word on the street three more might be coming! Yesterday and today have been pretty low key for us, so we could get on the right time zone. So tomorrow will be our first official full day as a volunteer! Pease be praying for safety and for the health of all of the children and staff!

Blessings,
Megan

Preparing for our return...

Well, it's been a crazy journey getting ready for our trip so far. As the days are winding down until we leave we're scrambling to get things together, seeing as we had only a month to raise support and plan a trip lasting for three months in a foreign country. Throughout this whole process we really had to learn what completely trusting God, with everything, means. We had all these doubts and worries about not raising enough support and I was very hesitant in taking a semester off of school to make this trip, but God made it very clear to me that He wants me in Uganda at Amani Baby Cottage this fall and that I need to learn how to fully trust Him. He has shown us great things when we place all our trust in Him, that He will provide for our every need, even when it seems impossible for things to work out, it is possible because NOTHING is impossible for God.

We are very anxious to leave, although it will be a bittersweet goodbye to our family and friends that we're leaving behind, but we know that our hearts will be at ease when we get there. We fly out on September 12th. Please, keep us in your prayers as we prepare for our departure. We thank you so much for your overwhelming support, we appreciate it more than you know!

Blessings,

Melanie