True Story

Today my heart is full of sadness. Not because of anything specific, or because of any particular event. Although I see it every day, that doesn’t make me numb to it. I am sad because God’s beautiful sons are lost, and on the streets.

These are children. Little boys! And they are LOST. And this is real.

And I am sad because they are living in filth, they are covered in it. The filth of garbage, and their own feces. The filth of living, breathing and surviving the streets.

I am sad because they are hungry. The kind of clawing, desperate hunger that not many Americans will ever understand. The kind of hunger that is never ending, because a slice of bread or even beans and rice a few times a week won’t fill it. The kind of hunger that causes permanent damage, because malnutrition scars for life.

My heart breaks because they are hurting! They’re hearts are broken. They come from broken families, and the streets offer only more pain. They are children, who need parents to comfort them. To hug them, and hold them close.

And the above is just the beginning. My kids face sexual assault, prison, beatings, and so many other horrors. These are real little boys, with real faces. They have stories, and they were loved by somebody at one point in time. They faced real loss, and they cry real tears. 

 God has a divine plan for each of His children, and living on the streets is not part of it. 

Update on Waswa

My precious boy <3

Miracles happen.

Waswa is proof. A few months ago, he didn't love anyone. He was unreachable, and unknown (if you want to read about how I first came to know/love Waswa, you can read about it here.)


Today after street programs, Waswa informed me that he is shifting from Kisenyi to Kivulu (meaning he is moving). Now, I know it may not seem like such a big deal, I mean, he is a street kid. He moves around all the time, and it doesn't seem very important that he decided to stay in one slum over another. But its a huge deal, because it represents a much bigger heart change that is happening in Waswa. His decision to stay in Kivulu is because he wants to be near Grace church and our programs. He has been coming to every single program since I returned (including our Tuesday/Thursday bible study which doesn't even have food). He wants to be near us, near me. He wants to surround himself with other boys who come to our programs. Boys who don't do so many drugs, and who attend Grace church on Sunday mornings too. He is staying with our "core group" of oldest boys (Kasozi, Able, Big and Innocent). They have taken Waswa under their wings, and are helping him as he leaves his old ways behind in Kisenyi. 

He laughs now! All the time. He plays with the other boys, and bosses them around :) And he is still just as sweet as ever; always at my side, needing me to go with him. Almost like a toddler, wandering into the world. He is getting there, but he needs his home base, checking back in just to know I am there. I could talk about him for ages, all the sweet and funny things he does. All the insights into his personality I am getting as he blooms into this bright new boy.

There is honestly new light in his eyes!

Its almost unbelievable, except I have seen God do it before. Its confirmation that He is on my side, and that His love heals all things. That through Him, this is all possible. Waswa is hope, and an encouragement to me when things seem hard. I am in wonder at the work God is doing in him.

Clear Sight for Teary Eyes

So the past week has been pretty painful. For reasons that I will not go into, I made the difficult choice to break my engagement. No more wedding, no more fiancé... many dreams shattered. Ouch. This is all new, and I am still in the middle of it all, trying to figure out what God’s plan was, and what He wants from me now. A few things though have been abundantly clear.

1. My Father is the Almighty and wonderful. He holds me close, picks up the broken pieces, and moves me forward. At the first sign of heartbreak, I went running to Him. He never lets me go, and is the Father of all comfort. God never fails, and so I will praise Him. 

2. Uganda is home. I literally just got back from an almost 3 month trip to America. And yet, even though things are hard, I haven’t thought of leaving- not even once. This is home, and these are my people. My ministry staff is a family, and this is exactly where God has called me to be. I know this pain wont get easier if I run from it, and so in Uganda I will stay. I will continue to love on my boys, and work for the glory of Jesus.

3. Joseph’s House is my purpose for being in Uganda, and honestly what I was born to do. Right when things got called off, I had a moment of panic. I thought “I can’t do this alone”. Almost simultaneously, there was another voice in my heart speaking louder than my fears. The voice said “I have anointed you, and through Me all things are possible”. Thank you Jesus <3 My kids are and always will be mine. Nothing but God could keep me away from them, but God is for us, so nothing will stop me. I am going to be a mom to the most amazing kids ever! They are my heart and joy, and I can do this through my maker.

In moments when I feel like my heart has been cut open, or when I think I cannot get through this, I think of “homecoming day”. The day I get to bring my boys home. Its not far away- only one more month. And for them, for that day and that moment, I can do anything. I think about having them safe. Their first week home, I will not go anywhere. We will stay home together as a family, and watch movies and read and play cards. And I will probably check on them every night, just to make sure they are really safe and sound in their new beds. There will be many hard moments, and I am sure it will be anything but smooth sailing. But to have them home, and safe and within my sight... oh I cannot express the joy that thought brings. The kind of joy that brings tears to my eyes (the good kind of tears :) and gives me chills. Like a thousand candles in my soul, light and soft and glowing.


Keep moving forward.