Tuesday, May 17, 2011

singing debut.

My friend Anna has been going through a tough season with her kiddos.  Please pray Grace will quit sticking things up her nose.  Seriously.  Is there a net or something we can put around those cute little nostrils?  All teasing aside - do pray - she is in surgery right now.  You can read about it here.

I was texting with her while she sat at the ENT this a.m. and reminded her of a funny little memory we had together in Africa.

~

The Island Day in Africa was crazy.

We were not prepared.

We thought we were spending the day at Redeemer House and were mentally and "donation wise" prepared for that.

Pastor Timothy called and said "I have been waiting, where are you?"

Eeeek - I ran around gathering the girls up and letting them know - change of plans - grab your sunscreen and anything you can think of - we are headed to love on the people living on the Islands of Lake Victoria - now!

Within minutes we were on boat.


We were welcomed with open arms.

 Beautiful people.

We set up a little medical clinic and things got a little chaotic.  Well, really chaotic.



Pastor Timothy came to me and told me there was a school that had been waiting for us all day.  It is a big deal to have visitors and they had been preparing for months for us to come.  

How humbling.  

Gives me a knot in my stomach just typing that.

This was towards the end of the day and we had given out almost everything we had.

I grabbed Anna and said, "Come on, we need to go visit a school."  Anna and I jumped on a boda  - we had NO IDEA where we were going.
                  [Anna]

We arrived and were seated in a place of honor and the kids lined up for their gifts!  

Yikes!  Anna and I franticly started digging in our bags.  We started praying.  

God knew, and we were trusting that He saw this coming, even tho we did not.  Fishes and Loaves Fishes and Loaves.

We started passing things out.

Anna and I kept looking at each other with a panicked look.  We did not want one of these precious children to feel left out.  

And guess what?

There was just.enough.

Each child received a gift.

Whew!

Thank you Jesus!

The kids sang to us and then it was our turn.

What?  Anna and I looked at each other.

I asked her under my breath, "do you sing well?"  She answered, "not really, you?"  "Um... not really."  But both of us were ready to do whatever those precious kids wanted.

So we sang.

"Jesus Love You." [hand motions and all]

It was through tired, hoarse, thirsty voices that we sang.

I am not going to lie - it was a little [a lot] pathetic.  


They kind of looked at us like this.  
[we did not blame them]

Gave us a round of applause. [because they are sweet like that]

We told them Jesus loved each.one.of.them.  Hugged as many kiddos as we could.

Jumped back on a boda and giggled all the way back.  What was that?  {I know I sing better at the kitchen sink ;)}

We pray God was glorified. and that the kids were not scared by the squeaky voiced mzungus

You never know what adventure God has waiting for you.  I will alway cherish [and laugh at] this one!

7 comments:

  1. LOVE that story. :)
    God smiles....

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  2. Ah, this makes me smile:) I'm glad you posted this. Strange, or ironic, too, because last night laying in bed I was thinking about our trip and trying to recall every memory. Made me cry:( Can't wait to go back...need to go back.

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  3. Aw, Shauna! Love the way you wrote that out! And I've never seen that picture of me with the kiddos hugging me...love that!

    Yes, may God be glorified, despite ourselves! And, Sarah, I hear ya - need.to.go.back!

    miss you and Love you, Shauna!

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  4. Sarah - let's go! I feel the same way!

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  5. love this. =)

    and, any of ya'll can come back with me! i need a photographer! =)

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  6. me me me!!! Actually if Kevin and Leanne go at the same time - Kevin is a great photographer!

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  7. i don't know why this popped up in my google reader, but i re-read it and seriously laughed out loud. oh, the fun. shauna, we have to get back there together.

    and next time we talk remind me to tell you about pastor timothy on this last trip!

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