This week has been so busy for me and I love the things the Lord has been able to show me.

On Monday to Tuesday I went to the YWAM base, where I had completed my DTS four years ago. I needed that time to fast and pray. I was able to talk to the Lord with no distractions, well except my own thoughts that is. :) One thing my dad has told me more than once is that when he left for Isreal in 1990 he was excited about going and spreading the word of God. But he soon realized that he had brought himself with him. I never really understood and maybe I still don't, but I got a clearer picture of what that ment this week. I had a room to myself and it was really quiet and I was so excited to talk and to listen. Well I did some talking and when I went to listen my mind took over the thinking part. I started to make list's of what I needed from the store and on and on my mind went. Then it was clear, I had brought myself with me! All the distractions I thought I had weren't there but I was still having a hard time consintrating. The reason was me not the other people in my life, even though i'm sure they do play a part :). It was an awesome time realizing that I needed to be able to be quiet and just be in the presents of God kneeling at his feet. Being able to hear his voice, feel his presents and let him be in control of the things that worry us. I am still learning what this means and how to apply it to my life.

On Wednesday I was hanging out with Malia. We went to Ossie's Cafe in Jinja town and had lunch, then it was off to Amani to visit the babies. :) we then hurried home for her nap and biblestudy later that night. It was a wonderful day.

On thursday I woke up at an ungodly hour (6:30 am) to get ready for a long day in Kampala. Judy and I have decided to make the long and dusty trip to Kitgum, which is in Northren Uganda near the Sudan border, on public transport. It's going to be Judy and Malia's first time on public and I want things to go as smoothly as possible. :) The Pastor and his wife were headed to Kampala as well so I got to ride with them. I was dropped off on one side of town and then took a boda (motorcycle) to the bus park which was on the other side of town. But I was able to ask some questions of the bus workers and find out where the bus park was. Then it was off to the store to buy some snacks and kill time until Bev and Jesse were ready to head back home.

We leave Jinja tomorrow at 6 or 6:30am so that we can get to the bus park and hopefully get on one of the first buses leaving to Kitgum. Please pray for a safe trip. It's a 8 hour bus ride on dirt roads at high speeds.
We will be visiting a missionary family who has resently moved up there with their 11 children. They are going to show us around to different orginizations that work with children. I am hopefull that the Lord will show me the place he wants me. I have been prayerfully considering moving up North perminately within the next couple of months. This will be a great oppurtunity to see what's there and if this is where the Lord wants me.

So keep us (Judy, malia and I) in your prayers over the next 5 days. We won't have access to internet while up there so don't get worried if you don't hear from me for a week.

In Christ,
Rochelle

"For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ." Phil. 1:8-10

Romans 8:28

Good Morning Jinja!!!

This morning started at around 6:40a.m. with a man over the loud speaker. Talking in a language I don't understand and it seems repeating the same thing over and over. If that wasn't enough someone started the Weed Whacker shortly after that, right under our windows and then the fumes started pouring into the house making it hard to to breath let alone sleep. So let's just say I started the day with a headache instead of a smile and my idea of a refreshing night sleep flew out the window.

In other news the weather is really nice today so far. A nice cloud cover and a cool breeze. Of course it is still about 70 something degrees which, in my mind is perfect. :)

Over the last couple of weeks my ministry has been to take care of Malia as Judy trains her replacement at Amani. I have really enjoyed spending time with her, but i find myself wishing there was more to do than walking into town or reading books and staying at home playing. I would love it if there was a park here! Man I miss parks and the simple joy they bring to being a Nanny! :) Well if anyone has any ideas of things we could do let me know. :)

About two weeks ago we (Judy Malia and I) went to Kampala and visited with some friends who have adopted from Amani. It was so amazing to be able to talk to them. They are moving up North to Kitgum area (which is where I want to end up) and they know of some organizations that work with kids. So we are hoping to go up North to visit them soon and check these places out. I can hardly wait, I love Jinja and all the people I have come to know and Love but there is just something about the kids of the North that makes me want to be there to serve them.

It has been hard over the last couple of weeks to think about leaving Jinja and all the wonderful people I've met here. I am not looking forward to saying good-bye.

Also my Visa expires on the 24th of this month and so I need to try to either renew it or leave the country for a couple weeks. If they won't renew it I'll be working on a way to go to Tanzania to visit some friends as a back up plan.

Prayer points:

That my Visa will be able to be renewed.

If I have to leave the country I will need $50.00 to leave and $50.00 to come back into the country. Plus transport cost's of $50.00.

God would open the doors to go up North for a visit.

Judy would be able to get a court date and take Malia home at the end of may.



Thank you for praying!!!



Blessings from Rochelle in Uganda! :)

God my Provider!!!

I can't believe how fast these last five months have flown! It seems like only yesterday I was boarding a plane to fly to Uganda!



Over these months I have learned so much about loving the unlovable, i'm still learning what it means to F.R.O.G. (fully rely on God), I've been streached and broken, my heart has been tugged in so many directions and life has not always been a piece of pie. God has taught me the true meaning of letting go! Of trusting him and relying on his promises!



I don't know how long i'll be in Uganda or even what the future looks like, but I do know that i'm walking in God's will and he will take care of all the rest. :)



Prayer points: Pray for Joe. He is still very sick and his little body can only take so much.

pray that God would open doors up North for an orginization, if this is where he wants me.

Thank you all so much for the prayers you have already prayed and the support! May God bless you and keep you, may his face shine upon you and stay with you forever!

Finances for the month of March:
Goal- $500.00
received- $250.00

God is good and his mercy endures forever!!!

Since I last wrote there have been a lot of things that have happened. I will see if I can remember all of them. :)

First off I had a chance to go to Kenya to get a new visa. I still had a month left on the current visa but I wasn't sure if I'd get another chance to go with someone. So off I went to Kenya with the volunteer coordinator at Amani and her son. It was quite the adventure! It took us about two hours to get to the border, two and a half hours to cross to the other side into Kenya, and another two hours to Kitale, where we were dropping Linda and her son off. The drive to the border went really well. When we arrived they wanted us to do a lot of things with the car. We needed insurance, and other things that I don't even know what it was for or why it was necessary. But this is Africa! :) So after walking from here to there and back again we finally had all we needed to be in Kenya for one day! I got a three month visa for the five hours I was in Kenya, which cost fifty dollars! But I couldn't get a visa for just one day... so we payed the money and off we went to Kitale.
When we reached Linda's friends we ate lunch and I got to talk to them a little about why I'm here and what i hope to be doing. I enjoyed being there and being able to talk to them. I stayed there for a couple hours then started my journey back to the border and beyond. I was a little nervous about crossing back over the border by myself but it ended up being fine. I got another visa for Uganda but only for two months this time. I was really disappointed, because I was hoping for a three month visa. As we were starting our drive back to Jinja I wanted to cry because I had just spent 135 dollars on visa's and transport. Instead of crying however, I started to read Psalms and all the chapters I read started with "Praise the Lord!" It was such a wonderful reminder that even though things didn't go how I thought, or even wished they would, I still needed to Praise the Lord!

Last Thursday I found out that the little boy I told you all about was placed into an aids orphanage here in Jinja! I was so excited to here that because i know the director's and they are amazing God fearing people whose focus in on children with AIDS. I know that this was the answer to a lot of prayers prayed. Thank you so much!!!

I went to Amani on Wednesday with Malia to meet Judy and I was able to visit with the babies. Also while i was there a new little one arrived and I got to hold her. She is so precious and tiny, I would guess her to be no older than one month. Well, anyone who knows me knows that I can be a baby hog and yes, I held her from the time she arrived until the time I left three hours later. :) I love to love on babies. I heard there was another little one who arrived yesterday, she is only two weeks old and I am hoping to go see her today. :) Oh how I love little babies!!!

So all in all I've been able to keep really busy these last couple weeks!

God Bless!
Rochelle

May all I do be for God's glory!!!

Sorry it has taken me so long to write an update. February has been very quiet for me. I am still helping to care for Malia. I have been trying to find an organization to volunteer for here in Jinja and it has become a slow process.



I have met some amazing people in the short time I have been here. God has blessed me with amazing Godly woman to talk to. God is teaching me patients and living from day to day. Taking everyday as it comes and not worrying about the future. He is reminding me that the future is in his hands and he'll take care of it if i let him. So I am learning to let go and trust God because I know he only wants what's best for me and I want to be in his will. Jeremiah 29:11.

On Saturday I was awakened by a thunderstorm at 6am. It was glorious, I realized at that time how much I miss rain! When you grow up in a place that is rainy 80% of the time you get pretty used to it. Then you come to a place that See's rain maybe a fourth of that, it's a little overwhelming, Oh and HOT!!! :) But I think I have been blessed over the last couple of days because I woke up this morning and once again it was raining! :) I was happy! Then I got the crazy idea that I'd be awesome to go running in the rain... So that is precisely what i did. :) I got soaked and it was fabulous!

I have been able to go to Amani more and that is wonderful. I get to see "my Babies"and play with the kids. I love being able to see them and just love on them whenever.

I would ask you to pray for a little boy I met named Joe (not his real name) he is sick with TB, HIV, and now pneumonia. This little boy has touched my heart. He is always happy and has a smile and hug waiting for me every time I see him. I have never heard him complain about being sick or being in pain. He has encouraged me so much and I would love it if you all could help me with prayers. I know God has a plan for this little boy and I know that he will always be in his hands. Please pray that he will get better and God would take his pain away, whatever that may look like. I have shed many tears over this little one and God has been reminding me constantly that he Love's him more than i and that Joe is in his hands, where he needs to stay.

I will need to make a trip to Kenya soon to renew my visa. It will cost $50.00 for three months. I will also need money for transport. I'm not sure how much that will be but I'll keep you posted as time gets closer.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!

In Christ,
Rochelle

A look at finances for the end of January to 22nd February: needed: $500.00 a month
received: $135

Faith is easier said than lived!

I can't believe it's almost February and the weather here is still the same. Very HOT!!! I am not used to such weather back home. Normally by this time I can't wait for the sun to shine and the warm weather to come. So I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me this year with sun and heat. :) I guess there is always something to complain about. I am trying to check my attitude and make sure that i realize how very blessed I am.

In other news I have been praying about how to approach the subject of finances. I know money is always hard to talk about. At least it has been for me. Then I think why is it so hard because this is where God wants me and I know that he is using different people all around the world to bring his plan into reality.

So as I mentioned in my last blog I am Nannying for a lady here in Jinja but it is still a volunteer position and she is able to help by paying part of my rent, she is a missionary and fully relys on the support of friends and family too. I figured that I need to raise $500.00 a month to cover food, rent, visa renewal's, and transport. That means if 20 people gave 25 dollars a month that's all I need. If you can give more or less please do. Pray about what God would have you give. I need all the prayer support I can get as well. I thank you all for the prayers that I have been able to feel. I know God speaks through people so please keep talking to him and pass on words of wisdom and advice.

As of now I have know one who has pledged to support me monthly. As time goes on I will keep you all updated on how the monthly support is coming.

Thank you all so much! Also if you have any prayer requests please let me know, I'd love to be able to pray for you as well! :)

In Christ,

Rochelle