Getting ready

I'm staring out my window of my bedroom in my apartment, watching the rain fall and listening to the sound of the rain as it hits the leaves and the distant sound of rolling thunder. I've got a cup of chai tea that I'm sipping on and the smell of rain is intoxicating. If I close my eyes, I'm already there. I'm back at Shiloh, back in Uganda...
But then I open my eyes and I'm surrounded by evidence of my procrastination. Dirty clothes, begging to be washed, folded and packed. Random piles of all the odds and ends to take with me (you know, sidewalk chalk, first aid kits, lemon pepper seasoning...just for Shelly!). And all of this has to fit into, what now seems like, two small suitcases (they really aren't....I just have a lot of stuff).
I can't wait. In less than two weeks, I'll be back in Uganda! It seems like so much in this past year, aside from distance, has taken me so far from Bunga and CHM and the kids and staff at the activity center and Shiloh. I miss them so much and can't wait to hear a hundred little voices yelling, "Auntie Sarah!" Oh, I have missed that sound!
This initial post is to let you know how you can start praying! Things at CHM and Shiloh have changed since last year. CHM's website is www.christopherhouseministries.org and you can check out a lot of the ministry's history there. Something different from last year is that CHM is now partnering with the school's in the area. Children can enroll in a class offered at CHM (art, reading, drama, sports, etc) and leave school during the day to come to CHM, then go back to school. I think Shelly said so far over 300 kids are enrolled from the schools! This is so exciting! I can't wait to see how much CHM has grown. Pray that the school's will continue to be excited about this new partnership and that the numbers will keep growing! Some of the kids probably get their only hug of the day or their only word of encouragement at CHM.
Pray for the staff of CHM as they adjust to having more kids and as they work on developing the program. I know one of my dear friends from Shiloh just lost her husband to AIDS and has recently learned that she is HIV positive as well. Also, a staff member at the activity center just learned she is HIV positive too. Please pray for them--Sylivia and Edith--as they deal begin to deal with this. They are amazing women.
I will have the opportunity while I'm there this summer to teach another first aid class to a younger group of girls this year (probably 10-12 yr olds) and I'm excited!! We had so much fun with our class last year, I can't wait to do it again! Pray that God will use me to not just teach the girls first aid, but also to build relationships with the girls and really get to know them. Many girls that age in Uganda have already dealt with so much more than I will ever have to in my life. Pray that God will speak through me and they will recognize His love for them!
I will use this blog to send out updates while I am gone. This is a bit easier than sending out a long email to a billion people! Feel free to comment on the blog's and email me (swilson86rn@yahoo.com). Thank you so much for your prayers and support!!