Leaving Soon!

Several days out from our new departure date. In short, the countdown continues, and we are aware of how much we are loved here at home. We are also aware of the
love waiting for us in Kiburara, Uganda and our friends anxious to have us join them…but this is also a significant “tearing” time for us. *Eccles. 3:1-14. Paul and I are vagabonds at this juncture as we‘ve lived in the homes of friends and family until we hop our flight Sept 13. It was a hard push (mentally and physically) to get out of our house and prepare it to be Airbnb in July. Exhausting at points for sure! Now, many of the things that tied us to our house in Laytonsville have been severed and it feels less and less like our “home”.
While we‘ve been living in various homes, our routines have definitely felt a “shaking”. The ways we’ve just done life have had to be shifted and in some cases, eliminated. Honestly it’s been weird and disconcerting at times….but also reminds us our “home” is really with Christ, not a place!
Even the regularity of connection with family and friends is shifting as we draw closer to departure. This is the toughest of all because of the many years of our ever deepening bonds.
Talk about a time of emotional swings for both of us! There’s a quote that says, “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings”. We are experiencing the reality
of that right now. No doubt it was hard for the saints who’ve walked before us and we know we can’t expect this to be any easier for us.
Obeying and living the life God calls us to is HARD for everyone of us! Whether our day-to-day life is here or Africa… apprenticing to Jesus is a tough road to walk, no matter how you cut it. But we know, His grace is what sees us through!
There has been (and continues to be) many hurdles to climb for us. Our faith has been tested and grown as we’ve seen God’s amazing provision over and over even in our preparations. One of the greatest gifts has been the joy, encouragement and strength He has brought us through our ties with you. We are so grateful to have walked some of our road, shoulder to shoulder with you!
Though it will look different for a couple years, we trust that we will still be able to lean into your encouragement and feel your strength through your prayer support as we are away.
We will be sending monthly updates (sign up for those on our website, UpWithUganda.org) AND if at ANYTIME you feel like you would like to connect with us via email, please don’t hesitate to send us a note via upwithuganda@gmail.com. We may not answer as quick as we would here as life moves at a slower pace in Uganda 😉 But know that we will answer…your connections in this way will be life giving for us!
Pray for uneventful travel, for physical/mental health and fortitude and most of all that we will continue to hear, obey and follow the path the Lord sets out for us, to magnify Christ and invest in others who desire the same!