Rejoice!

"God is good...all the time.
All the time...God is good...cause that's His nature WOW!"

This is a saying we heard throughout our day at Agape Orphanage.  It is hard to sort through thoughts and put into words the emotions and feelings of today.

Refreshment:  How awesome it was to have a full nights sleep.  So thankful for REST!

Joy:  We arrived at Agape this morning to faces of pure joy.  I, along with the rest of the team, find it hard to believe that people would be running and jumping up and down to the sight of our faces.  But, that is exactly what happened.  Our bus pulled up and a swarm of children ran to the door.  Most of us didn't know how to react other than to wave, cry, and embrace the hugs and love of the children.  You could feel the presence of the Lord.

Praise:  We spent our morning in worship...very real worship with our God.  Hands were raised, a mix of American and African voices filled the air, and our Lord was praised!  Many of the Agape children shared poems, thank you's, and songs.  Nate shared with us about responding to Christ's call in our lives, the feast He is inviting us to, and how our actions should represent our response to Christ.  I'm not sure that we've ever done as much singing as we did today.  We also completed our first day of Vacation Bible School where Sherry discussed with the children how "God is real", they made buddy bags, sang songs, and played tug-of-war!  Success!

 Celebration:  Everyone at Agape celebrated with a feast of food for lunch.  This meal contained a variety of foods from fresh fruit and rice to hot sweet bananas and "beef".  For the children of Agape, this is one of maybe three meals they will have each year containing meat.  They piled their plates full and enjoyed every bit of a well needed meal.  Their smiles couldn't be hidden if they tried and of course they were thankful.  Our day ended with a dance party celebration...something that EVERYONE loved.  Children from the surrounding villages joined us and we danced and danced to live African music.  I hope you can picture all of us on this team trying to keep up with the children...it was a beautiful sight!

Reality:  The reality is there is much need in Uganda.  There is beauty.  There is laughter.  There is hurt.  There is hunger.  It is very difficult to understand how our lives can be so different and why this is in our world.  However, we can rejoice in knowing that people such as William have given their life to help children survive in a place such as this.  We can rejoice in our time here and all of you praying for this place daily.  And ultimately we rejoice in knowing that one day this will be no longer and we will live in His Kingdom!

This was today...

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God! 

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, 

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!"

Psalm 100:1-4