SPONSOR DAY! Woohoo!

Today was one of the best days I think I've ever had.. Seriously. This morning started with a bunch of kids flooding into our compound for a fun, fool of love day.  It was all kids that are waiting to be sponsored. Goodness gracious, I wish I could sponsor ALL of them. They all come in their nicest clothes, which meant some of them had their school uniforms on and their school shoes and socks. It was so sad. Most of their "nicest clothes" had holes, etc. in them too. The first set of pictures are all kids that need sponsors... Nudge, nudge. :)

This afternoon a group of us took some of the kids we sponsor to the zoo. (I was supposed to bring Melissa's sponsor girl, but her sisters ended up coming and not her.... TIA).  Their eyes were the size of quarters the whole day! When we saw Lake Victoria, you would think that we were at a theme park for the first time ever. Seriously.. Indescribable.  They jumped on a trampoline for the first time, rode a donkey and a camel, pet a baby elephant, held a cobra. (Mom, there is a snake picture below. Haha). They were sooooo excited. I just can't explain it.. Sooooo appreciative too. I wish we could have taken all of them. It was awesome. Then, on the ride home Felix was telling us some of the sponsor kid stories.. So sad, yet so exciting that they are sponsored. For example, one girl being sponsored meant that at 14, she didn't have to be forced into marriage. Yes, 14. (There are over 300 sponsor kids. Felix knows their names, their sponsor, their sponsor number, and where they live. A human phone book). 

Sarah and I went into the city to eat dinner Jayan and her friend to eat some delicious Indian food. We both agreed that we feel so at home here and could totally see ourselves living here. Maybe some day..

They absolutely loooooooooved the bubbles. 

All of these beautiful kids are waiting for a sponsor to change their life. :)

All of these are zoo pictures!

Here's your warning: snake picture below! 

Going to sleep feeling so, so blessed.... 

Praise The Lord!

Auntie Brooke 

Sponsor a child! :)

So.. I sure hope some of you have considered sponsoring a child. :) It's awesome! Tomorrow we're taking sponsor kids to the zoo! They are sooo excited! Honestly, I sponsor a child through World Vision because I have been doing before I knew about Empower a Child. So, I get to take Melissa (Mama Lola)'s sponsor child and her two sisters. I'm so excited. :)

Today was mainly spent helping with sponsor child stuff. Y'all, it takes SOOO much work and sacrifice for just ONE child! My goodness... I had NO idea. I appreciate every letter, picture, and drawing from my sponsor child soooo much more. We're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but we still have a decent amount of work to finish. 

We did get to play with some of the neighborhood kids though. Enjoy the smiling faces below. I hope you can feel the endless amount of love the kids give us. :) 

My dear friend gave me a new Bible in January, so I've been kind of doing the one year Bible. I'm a little ADD, so some days I'll just do a random devotional from somewhere instead. My prayer has been that I would read the Bible like a new Christian would.. With excitement about what's to come and soaking up every word. I just read the story in John where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. The last verse says, "Jesus said to them, 'Take off the grave clothes and let him go.'" Y'all, Lazarus was set FREE in more ways than one. Jesus wants us to take off the grave clothes and the things that are keeping us tied down and in the tomb. He wants us to go.. Go live for Him. Go live a life free from doubt, insecurities, fear, jealousy.. The second I read that verse I started singing that song, "There is power in the blood of Jesus... So break every chain.. Break every chain." 

Praise The Lord

Auntie Brooke 

Peace amongst the chaos

My mornings always start with me climbing in my hammock with my Bible. It's my happy place. I could not think of a better place to relax and find peace. There is chaos in the city: dogs barking, boda bodas, horns honking, roosters crowing, kids laughing and screaming, and people chatting outside the compound. However, our compound is so quiet, and the hammock around me makes me feel so safe and almost invincible. I need to do a better job of finding peace amongst the chaos back home. It's so much harder because there's always something I could be doing or someone I could be hanging out with. You guys hold me accountable! 

This morning I went to Katalemwa, the children's home/hospital. I got to observe some OT! I have to get the director's approval before I can do hands on. Hopefully I can do that on Monday. The therapists there remember Lola! They were so excited to hear that she was doing so well! :)  I was actually really impressed by the therapy provided. Lots has changed! Soooo, so great! Their definition of OT is the exact same. It's so great! I thought maybe it wouldn't be.

This afternoon Sarah and I taught P2 (primary 2 - second grade). We did the body parts and played the hokey pokey and sang "head and shoulders, knees and toes." Hysterical! The kids loved it. It's the best feeling being bombarded when you get out of the car. So much love to give! Here's some pics of the kids today. 

Time is flying by, and we're having a blast. The Ugandans LOVE pralines! I should have brought more. :) 

Fun fact: When they go to universities, they don't choose what they study. They are placed based on their scores, 

Praise The Lord! 

Auntie Brooke

Is it really just Day 2?

One of Empower a Child's main projects is child sponsorship. They started that about 10 years ago, and the first kids ever sponsored through Empower a Child are now at university! That's so exciting! With that, here's the link if you want to sponsor one of these precious children!  http://www.empower-a-child.org/eachome/sponsor.html It's $35 a month. That's totally doable, y'all! If Im still here when you decide to do it, let me know because there's a chance I can bring them out for ice cream (some kids don't even know what that is!) or go buy them a extra outfit, shoes, etc.  Seriously, really consider this. A large majority of our staff were sponsored by an organization as a kid, and it's the reason they get to be in the position they are today. --- Sarah and I spent most of the work hours yesterday trying to help organize and make things easier for the letter writing process for sponsorship. It's neat doing some behind the scenes stuff... Not nearly as exciting, but very necessary. 

Wednesday night Sarah and I got to go out from the city to see a friend and her baby with Jayan. Y'all, I wish I could have taken pictures of the scenery. It was GORGEOUS! The green was almost neon green. Riding on the boda boda through that part of town was so exhilarating, yet so peaceful! It's one of those things that you just can't explain. You just have to see it. 

I was texting one of my friends in Prague last night, and I told her I felt like my blog this time is going y be so boring. The culture and the landscape and all of that aren't new to me. I'm not seeing things through the eyes of a child anymore... But she reminded me that it's because that's not why God has me here. He's already made me fall in love with this place. He has something else in store. :) Thank you, Jesus, that You are in control because I'm clueless. 

Y'all, this staff... They are the hardest working people I know, and yet they are still so joyful! They work 12 hour days, 6 days a week, and I have never once heard them complain! Seriously.. The most humble, hardworking, selfless, joyful people I know. Definitely a reality check for me! These people shine Jesus. 

Seeing people like Jayan and Brenda has been so great. Their friendships are like camp friendships.. We can not talk for 10 years, and the second we see each other, it's like we've never been apart. It's so great! So encouraging.. 

Yall! The highlight of my days have been going to the deaf school here! I'm learning some signs, and it makes me really excited to learn when I get home. Does anyone in BR know where I can take a class? Today we played ultimate frisbee! Soooo fun! FUMC, where y'at!? 

Baby graham! 

Sarah, Sheila, me, and Jayan!

Ps. This is yesterday's post. The Internet has been sketchy.

Praise The Lord!

Auntie Brooke 

TIA

Man, oh man... My 30 hour adventure was just that.. An adventure. My flight out of Alexandria was delayed/cancelled, and they said I wouldn't make it to my Atlanta flight. So, my dear, sweet mother drove me to Lafayette, just to find out that that flight was delayed. After about an hour of looking at different opportunities, most of which meant getting there a day late, the departure of my first flight moved up some! Seriously y'all, prayer is powerful! I sprinted through the airport to make my flight to Amsterdam, only to find out that it was delayed too! I completely forgot how absolutely miserable and long those flights are! Driving through the city and seeing all my friends made those 30 hours worth it. :)

This morning Sarah and I stayed behind and went to the "Deaf school" here. (http://www.deaflinkuganda.org/). The second we walked up, we were bombarded by lots of hugs and smiles! Thats the place to be if you're ever having a bad day. These kids make up their own signs too because a lot of them lived in villages or were homeless on the streets, so no one taught them to sign appropriately. (If you have a disability of any sort here, your family either disowns you or you never really get out of the house).  -- I have been contemplating taking a sign language class at Lighthouse for the Blind for awhile now. Now I really want to take it! 

We ended up walking back over there today and bringing a frisbee. It was so great! I'm starting to pick up on some signs too! Those kids absolutely love visitors .. Really anyone who will give them the time of day. The people here really do see joy in the smallest things. 

Sarah and I were talking on the drive to the house about how it feels we never left! I felt like I was pulling up to my own driveway last night. When we got here, we were so ready to take a shower after traveling, and ... There was no running water. TIA. :) so... Bucket bath it was! 

Tomorrow we go to the children's home/hospital/school! I'm sooo excited!

Praise The Lord!

Auntie Brooke 

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

The last two weeks have been a complete whirlwind! That whole "letting go and letting God take care of it" had to be in full force! I couldn't focus any of my energy on my trip, but on the drive to my parents house, I finally got to take a deep breath and REALLY get excited! Yayyyy! I'm going to my happy place! And seeing some of my favorite friends!

I couldn't have asked for a better send off either! Wednesday night I hung out with some new friends who have graciously and lovingly open their hearts and accepted me as part of their family. What a blessing they have been. I've only been hanging out with them for 2 weeks, and they laid hands on me and prayed for my trip. Talk about a humbling and awesome experience! What an awesome group of people! (Check 'em out! http://antiochbr.com/) 

 

Then, Thursday night the Baton Rouge Dream Center youth laid hands on the leaders that are going to Africa this summer. Love this group so, so much! Here are some pictures of those beautiful people!

While I'm gone please keep this beautiful woman and my dad in your prayers. They have been nothing but supportive with everything I do.. Even when they probably think I'm crazy! 

Keep praying for everyone we will be becoming in contact with! And for our safety and health. 

And I'm off! 

Praise The Lord!

Auntie Brooke 

Trust is ...

I've been contemplating this blog for quite sometime, and I'm still not sure the direction that this blog is supposed to take, but here we go.. 

       The last 6-8 months have been a whirlwind, and I could not be more thankful for that. I've always thought I knew what it meant to trust. I've always really struggled with it, but I knew what it took. I hated it because it requires me to vulnerable. (Let's be real here... it's not something I enjoy, but at least I don't hate it anymore). I'm not good at trusting because that means I have to be vulnerable, which = chance of being hurt, if I'm being honest (see what I did there..). I've even told my new, totally God sent friend Nikeidra (get ready... This is huge)... That I build walls and don't open up well, so she has to hold me accountable. Yep.. I, Brooke Stewart, told someone NEW in my life to make me open up. Jesus does work miracles. :) 

       With that being said, the last few months I've had no choice. I've had to be vulnerable with God and those closest to me because I got to the point that I couldn't do life on my own.  I didn't hit rock bottom, but life was just too much to handle.  It's been rough, but oh so beautiful. I've had the privilege of learning even more what trust truly means.  Just when I thought I knew where I (keyword there: I) wanted to be, God laughed and said, "Try again, Brooke. I have completely different plans." I had to trust that His plan was ultimate, which is MUCH harder said than done.  (Thank goodness He's in control.. can't imagine my life how I had it planned.. sheesh!). I had to completely let go.. And trust. (Yikes! Scary!) Trust His timing. Trust His plan. Trust His love for me.  Trust that He is constant and consistent. When everything else around me is chaos, which it has been, He is constant. He is peace.

 So... Trust. Theme of my life recently. Some of you may be thinking, "Uhhh, Brooke. This is new to you?" The idea isn't new, but the acting it out sure is. Ask my dear friend Melissa. She pinpointed it right away in me has been a huge blessing in this beautiful journey. 

 Praise The Lord that He knows what's going on! It's such a freeing feeling to just let go.. Like really let everything go. I've never felt so much peace and lived such a stress free life. Hallelujah!

So, I'm going to Uganda in  2 WEEKS!: 

The last few years God and I have been working on being intentional.. Intentional with my time, my words, my actions, my faith.. And the list goes on and on.  For example, one of my biggest things is texting/emailing/calling/FBing friends when I see something that reminds me of them or when God puts them on my heart.  So, being intentional is huge and is going to look so different in my life now. But with that, being intentional in Uganda is going to look so much different. I can't plan (yikes! I'm a planner!) because I don't really know what all we're doing yet, and if I did, things never go as planned.. it's Uganda, So.. Prayer request #1.

#2- People we're coming in contact with. Sarah and I really want some hands on medical action. Pray that we can shine Jesus wherever we are, while also being good servants with the talents God has given us.

#3 safety.. Some of you may remember what happened last time I was there. If not, just scroll down a few posts. God is sovereign. With that, my parents seem pretty together about everything right now, but give it time. Pray for peace for them. :)

There will be and are more, but this week, that can be our prayer focuses. Thank you for taking another journey with me and praying me (and my parents!) through this and through the last year of my life.  Y'all are rock stars!

Praise The Lord!

Auntie Brooke