Fourth of July in Africa

Can you believe the slave driver is tired!!  It has been a long 3 days of hard work by the entire team.  We have accomplished much in the short time we have been here.  If you remember yesterday's theme, flexibility, then you will understand that today was no different.  After finally receiving the new wood, it was observed that it was a different wood than the other.  Our first batch was a very hard wood and the new was a soft pine.  It was then determined that we need to put the lighter Easy Reader books on the pine, and the heavier Reference books on the hard wood.  That means moving all the books we shelved yesterday onto other shelves.  Being the troopers they are, the team said "no problem."  We still have 2 shelves remaining to build and then the books can be reshelved and the library will be complete.  Praise God!!

Tomorrow (Sunday) our team is in charge of Sunday School and worship at Mbale Presbyterian Church.  While some teach the women, men and children, Josh will preach.  Although it is custom in Uganda to have a 2 hour service, and we know how much Josh loves to preach and preach and, well you get the idea, we hope he keeps it shorter than custom.  After lunch, some of us will enjoy our afternoon of rest finishing the bookshelves while others will observe the day of rest.  Pray for our day as we minister to the congregation of Mbale.  We were told to expect up to 300 children alone.

As is custom, I have been having a team member share their thoughts for the day.  Today it is Mary's turn:

Today began an hour later.  The casual breakfast of preparing the verses for the children's Sunday School began an exciting day.  Marc ushered in the celebration of the 4th, African style.  You can ask him when we return.

We arrived at the children's home and immediately began to sort the dresses for the girls!  An organization, "Little Dresses for Africa", donated close to 300 dresses for us to hand out to the girls, the girls in the neighboring village, and for the staff's girls.  Pat Alderfer, Stepanie Turner, Becca, Jill and Audrey set up a "Dress Shop" so that the girls could go "shopping".  With delight on their faces, the girls were able to select their own dresses and immediately ran to their dorms to try them own.  

While waiting on the boards to arrive, the men worked on the computers and various other task getting ready for the true labors of love to begin.  The children were in classes for remedial teaching and the others were working on their chores.

The joy of the afternoon was when Josh patiently took two of the staff and taught them how to use a miter saw.  "Such powerful machines."  "This would take us a week to do what we are doing in a day."  So many things we take for granted, electricity, air conditioning, etc...  My prayer is that we will always be dependant on God and that we will not take for granted the many luxuries we have at home.  Mike and I have been enjoying a fan instead of air conditioning, but I will say, I have slept well.  Thanks for all your prayers and comments.  We enjoy hearing Mike read them every night at dinner.  They are so encouraging.  We hope to hear from S and R......Love you two.  MOM

Time for rest for the weary.  Signing off from Africa.