Uganda 9 Presents...

Hey guys! I am glad to hear that our trip to Uganda is still affecting us as we continue in our daily lives. I know that for me it is a little slow in coming out; I have moments, but I wonder if they are directly related. I know that the trip was different for me than it was for any of you, and each of you can say the same. It is wonderful to see the profound impact it is having on Nancy and I know that God is speaking to all of us in different ways. I think that the presentation was an exorcism of sorts for me. I did not think of it until I was just reading Camille's post and read about her not wanting to share about her experience. I now think that I was feeling a little similar in that I did not want to dilute the experience bit sharing my experience a little at a time. It was a good cleansing for me, I think.

About 50-60 people showed up, most of whom we knew from various activities around town. Autumn's family came out; that was a real blessing to have them come out and support us like that. Autumn's slide show was tops; she lost more than a little sleep over it and the result was a fantastic presentation. There has been talk of a second presentation, but we have not really planned anything yet. We'll see what happens.God only knows what's in store next. I know that Autumn is already ready to go back. As for me, I am happy to be home for now. God Bless each of you.

Peace Be With You

Aaron

Dear Uganda9:
Oops - so sorry, I found two typo's reading over my most recent blog. " Hid" should be "his" when I am talking about my concerns regarding my son Andrew - his Dad, not hid Dad, and I omitted the "you" in a sentence near the end talking about my gratitude to each of you. That will teach me to send messages in a hurry! Sorry! Nancy

Clarity is a good thing!

My Dear Uganda 9 - well, 8!
I just wanted to share some fairly new revelations with you, and to thank you for your prayers for me, and God's direction in my life. I have struggled the last two months since our return with a range of emotions, doubts and uncertainties about whether God really wanted me to be in Africa. So many questions about my son's involvement -( did I have the right to inflict such a huge change on him, how would this affect his education, possibly his health, separating from hid Dad, etc.), my own suitability to life in Africa -(am I too old, out of shape, too spoiled and attached to my western amenities - does COTN even want me, is this really God's will for me, or just some way of filling an emptiness in my own life?) - these have plagued my thoughts day and night. Anyway, I sat down and read the two angels story again, and the instructional material attached, and it seemed that God said very quietly to me as I read it that this is what I am meant to do, and showed me that my own pain and subsequent healing from my failed marriage and the trauma involved was meant to be healed through this work, and used in this work to reach out to others in the unique way that only this work offers. I can't describe adequately the feeling of peace and certainty I felt as I read the material and allowed God to speak through it to me. I wish I could say it was due to reading a Bible passage, or hearing a message in church, since these may have more spiritual credibility in some way, but the peace is there just as surely as if it happened in a more conventional way, and I thank Him for it.
Many years ago, I was involved in starting an outreach to unwed mothers in my church, which ultimately the church decided not to support due to political and economical concerns, which was disappointing then, but I understand now. I designed a program, and even named it the "windbreak ministry", and envisioned a windbreak with a cradle on the other side of it with a baby in it for a logo. As I was reading, God brought this to my mind, and gave me the idea of possibly developing a windbreak ministry in Malawi or Uganda, building a clinic for physical and emotional healing. I would love to develop a mother/baby clinic and also use some of the rooms in the clinic for counselor training and education or ministry to those suffering from emotional trauma. This is very new, and needs much thought, prayer and refinement in vision and planning, but I just wanted to share some of the beginnings of this idea with you, and invite your feedback.
Mostly right now, I want to thank you for the part each one of has played in my life, and for your prayers. I will keep you posted on how this all unfolds. I am praying about taking at least three months or perhaps a year next year to investigate the feasibility of this dream, and see where God leads. Please continue to pray for me and for my son Andrew as we seek His will in this. I continue to pray for you and send you my love. With a grateful and eager heart - Nancy

A Quick Hello!

I have been hoping to post for about a week now, but it always gets bumped down the list. The update on the presentation that Autumn and I are doing for our church is that it will happen on August 9th at 7:00pm. Pray for us from now through then as we put a program together that will highlight the work that God is doing in Uganda. The healing that has come through COTN is amazing and I still can only wonder at the greatness of the God we serve. Here are a couple more pictures from the trip. I am so thankful and blessed to have served with you guys. I recently vistited my journal and it started to open a part of my heart that I sealed shut when I got home. I think about talking in front of people and I can already feel the tears well up. I am such a weeper. There has been a good bit of interest in our trip and that is why we are doing th presentation in a public way. People from our old church and current church have shown much interest, as well as people who do not go to church at all. Pray that God works in mighty ways through all of this! I will be trying to publish an announcement in the paper, we'll see how that goes. It is a small town and that means we can get good exposure pretty easily. I received an updated picture of Felix, one of the kids from my group at Abia. I have to say it about knocked me over. It was more real to me than my own pictures, maybe it is a reminder that it was not just a dream after all. I hope you guys are being blessed like we are! God used us all in amazing ways and I think that I have been affected by you guys as much as the Ugandans. I am rambling now, so that means it is time to quit...

Peace Be With You,

Aaron

Hey beloved Uganda 9!!

So, I've been avoiding posting a message because I felt I didn't have much to say. My transition has felt a little dry and empty. I haven't been emotional, weepy or anything. Sometimes it bothers me and I feel like I'm calloused to what I experienced. I havne't had thoughts of Uganda running through my mind like some of you have mentioned. I think I put those thoughts on a back burner til "later", but I'm not sure when "later" will be for me.

I have been blessed, though, with people in my life genuinely interested in my trip and my experience. About a week after we got back I was doing chair massage at this Christian company where I used to work and so many people asked me about my trip. They were so sincere in their interest, but after going into more detail with a few, I got worn out and began to give simpler answers, which felt so shallow to me, but was the best I could do. I haven't been annoyed at the question, "How was your trip", but have felt more at a loss for how best to explain it. Words just fail me sometimes in trying to explain what happened and I end up resorting to cliche statements, like, "it was amazing and transforming" - but what does that really mean for me? I'm not sure yet that I have a clear answer to that question. Hopefully, it's still evolving and being revealed.

One thing I have felt soon after going back to work was a sense of discontentment. Usually I have a fairly high level of satisfaction with my work and how I'm contributing in the world, but I've felt like just giving a massage is somehow "not enough". It seemed like a temporary fix on a more superficial level, when really I want to be digging deeper and help people heal and transform their lives. Helping people relax is great and valuable, but I want something more... I'm just not sure how to go about doing that,

I've also felt a little bit lost coming home. Even before Africa I've been wrestling with staying in San Diego or moving somewhere else and those thoughts came back but in full force. I felt like I wanted to crawl into a cave for a few weeks and not come out. I just wanted to flee to anywhere but here. The introvert in me just wanted to shut out the world for a time so I could process, reflect, and figure things out, but daily life demands are such that I can't just do that right now. So, my spirit feels a little crushed by the routines of life.

Nancy (mom), I'm praying for you and the decisons you have to make about Africa in your future. I'm missing you and your sweet, encouraging spirit. I wish I could run to the warmth and safety of your embrace. Also, I have a Doula client that should be giving birth any day now. I'll let you know how that goes. Jon, I'm thrilled with the outcome of your time with Miriam. You did the right thing and sought her out!! Any new updates? Sonja, how are you? How was the rest of your trip? Aaron and Autumn, how did you presentation go at church? Greg, we should get together sometime. I still need to give you my pictures, which I've been lazy about doing - sorry!

Well, I miss you all and hope you're doing well. Have a fabulous week!

Camille

Hello, My Friends!  

     I hope you are well, and enjoying your summers.  It is a beautiful 70+ degree day here in Maine - not a cloud in the sky!  Wish you were here!  

     If you send me your personal e-mail addresses, I will send you my pictures, if you would like.  I would really like if you could send me your pictures, as well.  Autumn, I especially would like to have the pictures of the baby I was holding at the Abia camp, if there's any way to forward those to me.  Thank you so much!

     Thoughts of Uganda and our time together haunt me day and night, and I wonder how you and  all the people we worked with are.    Autumn and Aaron, how did your talk at your church go?    I hope it was received well, and that God used you both for His glory and to help educate others to the needs of the dear people of Uganda.  

     I have had some difficulty getting my e-mails to Pastor James and a few others to go through - has anyone else had trouble with their e-mails to Uganda lately?  I'm hoping  it was just a temporary glitch, and I will keep trying.  

      I send you my love and prayers for Gods' best in your lives  - Nancy

I OD'd on Africa thoughts/talk today

Hey Friends!

So word to the wise, be careful to not shut out thoughts of Africa for two days and then purge. Thursday and Friday I completely blocked out thoughts about Africa. Friday night I went and saw The Last King of Scotland at a friends house. Today I woke up thinking about people in Uganda, I then received an e-mail from Hudson (actually he spells his name Hardson). I replied to his e-mail and then sent an e-mail to Christopher. Afterwards, I went to lunch with a friend who had been in Malawi for three months about transition and then proceeded to talk with another friend in detail about all the counseling details of the trip (she's a fellow MFT student). By the time by brother took me to dinner, I was spent. It was not only exhausted from all the stuff, but emotionally, I was a wreck. All the details of the trip were flooding my mind.

However, if you want to have a sharp remembrance of the people, the experience of the camps, you can catch the experience through invisible children's website with video feeds. Follow the link and click the Video diary link in the header, and watch the videos:

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/displaceMe/

I watched days two and three and I was joyed and also pained with the memories of our times in the camps with the people. I mentioned you all today multiple times and I miss you all. Jon, I know we were only roomies for 2 weeks, but gosh I miss our good conversations before bed. Hope you are doing well buddy! But I seriously love you all and wish I was living that intensely again with all of you. Nancy, I have been praying for you and God's will, if it includes long term missions in Uganda. Uganda9, you are all wonderful. - Greg