Joy comes in the morning....

Things have been going well here lately! My women’s group has been a lot of fun. Last week, we had a wonderful lady come and teach us how to make baskets out of palm leaves, and other local materials. Her technique and baskets were really nice, and the women really tried hard. The teacher kept saying, “Your women can really try. They have good morale, and that has made me want to teach them.” She’s right. These women really desire to better their livelihoods and to learn more about Christ. They listen intently. They learn each and every Bible Story. They go out into their communities and share Him with others. They cut palm leaves until their fingers bleed (literally). They walk miles with babies on their backs just to be a part of our group. God has given me such a love for these women!!!
Things have been better for me lately too. To be honest, I had just been feeling so stressed the last few months. It was a new kind of stress I had never before experienced. I know I can attribute it to living in a new environment and starting a new job. These things obviously can cause stress, but I just didn’t know what to do about the stress! I was holding onto all these worries I had, and though I tried, couldn’t quite lay the worries at the foot of the Cross. I was clinging to all my burdens and worries. I was talking Ruco’s ear off instead of going to the One who knows my heart best.
Lately, however, I have FINALLY allowed God to carry my burdens, my hurts, my worries, and my STRESS. I have given them to Him. I have allowed His love and grace to cover me-to envelop me. To be in His arms, and let him take my burdens is the most wonderful place to be. Why did I make it so hard just to give him my worries? And now that I have given it all to Him, I can’t remember why I was so stressed in the first place!!!
I love this verse: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28
Yes Lord, I am weary, and I am so very tired! But I will come to you!! Thank you for giving me rest, and for making my JOY new again!

Marita with one of the big baskets the teacher brought as an example. We are learning to make baskets that will look like this.

Sitting with the women learning to make the baskets

This is Christine. She has a very special place in my heart. She endures a LOT at home, more than I could ever imagine. Yet, her joy is so abundant, and her faith so steadfast.
This is Nakiru making her basket. Nakiru was recently saved and is working on her husband also becoming a believer! She is 25 and pregnant with her 4th. Please pray for her husband!
Nakiru, baby Precious, and I...
The teacher who taught us how to make baskets wanted a photo of all of us. We made really small baskets to practice and learn the technique.

My Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I meet with 30 awesome and inspiring Karamojong women! We encourage one another, learn Bible Stories, try out some income generating activities, and chat about things that are important to us. Wednesdays have quickly become my favorite day of the week!!
I have really enjoyed this group of ladies. Each week, we learn a new Bible Story together using a method called, "Chronological Bible Storytelling." First of all, we learn the stories as they are in the Chronology-from Creation to Christ. Since we just began the group last month, we have just finished the story of Noah...
In addition to that, it's an oral method of learning a story - just hearing the story (not reading it, or using pen and paper to take notes.) I've actually read that over 70% of the world's population communicates mainly by stories, songs, dramas, proverbs, etc. This way of learning is certainly traditional in Karamoja (and throughout Africa I would guess...) Stories are passed down from generation to generation orally. Important facts, even history is passed down through story, song, or word of mouth. These things are not necessarily written down on paper! So learning Bible Stories orally is what makes sense in this culture/tradition.
So after a Simply the Story training SP hosted in August, I have learned how to tell the story in a way that is easy for the women to understand, and in a way that enables them to remember and re-tell the story! Each week, I tell the story to the women, have them re-tell the story to one another, and then we walk through the facts of the story. Last, but certainly not least, I have the women tell me the observations they have from the story, and ways they can apply the stories to their own lives!
I love hearing what the women have to say about the Bible Stories! Last week when we were learning about Noah and the flood, the women just started laughing!! When I asked what was happening, I was told that the women have heard this story before. It has been passed down from generation to generation, but no one had any idea that it was a true story..in the Bible!
The women also loved hearing the story of Adam and Eve the first week! They had never heard the story before! One of my ladies, Maria, went home and told her neighbors the story. She said the next day she had a line of people waiting to hear why it is that women have to endure labor pains and pain in childbirth! ha! It is wonderful to see the excitement the women have each week as we are preparing to learn a new story.
It is so refreshing to be with these ladies! I am able to experience these stories I have heard all my life in a fresh and new way!!
We also have been doing some bead-working (jewelry making) to make a little income for the women. That is what is going on in most of the photos...
I just wanted to share with all of you why I love Wednesdays!

These ladies are great! The one in the middle loves going back home to her neighbors and telling them the new Bible Story she learned in our group.

These ladies are all sitting together and making jewelry

This is Maria. I really love her. I will have to post a whole blog about the reasons why. Here she is telling the group the story of Cain and Abel.

Marita showing off the necklace she made!

More jewelry making!

Another shot of Marita

One of the many babies that also attends each wednesday. :)

Long overdue for news...

Last weekend, we met up with some of the other ex-pat staff in Uganda and went to one of the national parks here, Murchison Falls. We had a great time and were able to see loads of animals. We camped right by the delta of the river, and even had a few elephants wander into our camp in the middle of the night. It was such a great time to spend with other staff, especially since some of those live on the other side of the country and we really don't get to see them often! We had so much fun, and I wish we could all get together more!

Ruco, Jodi-somehow, Cory, me, Melanie, and Tred (don't I have the cutest husband???)

Then, just last week, ALL Samaritan's Purse staff members from across Uganda (Kampala office plus 3 sub-offices) met together for a Ministry Retreat just outside of Kampala. It was such a wonderful time where some gave their lives to the Lord, and others became more committed in their relationships with Him. There is nothing more precious than when someone comes to understand Christ's love and the weight of the cross for the first time!! It was definitely emotional for our staff and leaders. It was wonderful, and I loved seeing some SP staff members whom I hadn't seen since Ruco and I were interning with their program (some over a year ago.) SP Uganda really has the best staff, and I love being with them.


Now we are back to work in Karamoja. I began my job about one month ago as the program coordinator for the Karamoja Ministry program!!! So far, we have had a Bible Storytelling training for 31 church leaders in Karamoja, have begun weekly women's group meetings for around 20 women (where we are using the Bible Storytelling method and will be doing some IGA's - income generating activities,) and have begun translating Bible stories into Ngakarimojong language (to later be recorded on solar-powered audio players.) I definitely feel overwhelmed at this point - still being new in the position. But I have to keep reminding myself that this is what I have always desired to do...to be working in Africa, sharing the love of Christ!!! God really has met the DEEPEST desires of mine and Ruco's hearts. He has provided us with chances to serve Him even beyond our imaginations. I know through prayer, He will continually equip us to do our jobs adequately!!

I am sure I will have tons of great stories over the next few months, and I am so excited how God is going to work through the SP Ministry Program in Karamoja! I will keep you all updated! I love and miss you all.

Fun with the Fam!

My in-laws have now gone back to Germany…and Ruco and I are pretty much moping about. We had such a wonderful time with them. It was so great to show them what our lives look like here in Uganda, and just be able to talk face to face without dealing with a crazy phone connection or long delay. We had so much catching up to do!! They had never before been to East Africa, and really loved it! They had a blast identifying lots of new birds (they are the bird watching type!) and taking in the unique and colorful details of Karamoja. We really live in such a beautiful place…with so many distinctive characteristics.

While they were here…
-We were able to raft down the Nile River (as you already know!)
-Go and visit my friend Damali and her babies’ home in Jinja!
-Go on safari at Kidepo National Park for a weekend and see lots of animals including but not limited to: lion, giraffe, elephants, lots of buffalo, zebra, hartebeest, warthogs, monkeys/baboons, etc. etc. As I said earlier, Ruco’s parents are avid bird watchers, and oh man they were also excited to spot over 110 new species of birds!
-Relax in Mbale at the pool and eat LOTS of yummy authentic Indian food.
-Check out Sipi Falls again and hike down to the big waterfall
-Check out the “Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre” and spend three nights in the bandas there (so awesome!)

We really had a blast.Thank you mamma and pappa: for making the trip to see us. We love you, and miss you guys already!

One of my most favorite people..such a gift to me!

Talking and talking..what we do best!

Ruco, Hugo and I headed down to the lake

Mamma and I in Nakapiripirit (about an 1 1/2 hours from where we live)

My love and I

Our "missionary family photo" as Hugo says..

And a silly one...


My silly bro in law, we have so much fun together!

The sweetest couple who have been married 30 years!

At sipi falls

on safari


my first lion spotting! 5 at once!


This elephant was very tame. He just strolled into the camps where people lived...

The VDM's rafting down the Nile!

My amazing in-law family is now here in Uganda with us! They arrived last Tuesday, almost one week ago. So far, they are really loving Uganda! This past weekend, we took them rafting down the Nile...something Ruco and I had already done, but enjoyed doing again. They LOVED it...my MIL kept saying, "I can't believe I'm doing this!!!" and "Here I am, on Pharaoh's NILE!" Our guide's name was Moses...fitting. We felt safe with him, although I once again had a brush with death, like last fall. I was catapulted out of the raft (only me) and was sucked under and tossed about for what seemed like an eternity!! My MIL told me later that Ruco looked so scared as well because no one could find me once I fell out (like I said, I was being tossed about under the water like a rag doll.) When I finally made it back to the raft everyone confirmed that I was indeed under water for an ETERNITY! Those rapids are just tough (class 5!!)
We are back in Kampala now, and after some hefty shopping for supplies, we are going to drive up to Karamoja tomorrow. I can't wait for them to see Karamoja..the people, the environment, the dress, and way of life are so different than anywhere else in Uganda, and anywhere I have ever been! I really think they will love it! I will try and post more (better quality) photos once we get back home to Moroto.
We love and miss you all! Enjoy the grainy and blurry photos for now (taken by another guide.) :)

Because no matter where we go...

...neither death nor life,
nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:38,39)

Long time...

It has been a while since I have last posted, sorry! I'll start from the last time I posted...
Three weekends ago, we traveled to Kampala to pick up Hugo (Ruco's younger brother) from the airport! We had a fun weekend and I was able to go to the craft market to shop for our house. I bought some paintings, a cool African tapestry, great lamps, and a really awesome apron (due to my numerous cooking attempts these days!) I think our apartment is really looking like a home now.
We also bought a TON of meat and cheeses since we can't buy nice steaks, ground beef, sausages, etc. or cheese here in Moroto...and we usually have a great fridge/freezer for storage. We stocked up, just for Hugo! However, once we arrived back home, we realized-we had absolutely NO power! The generator was in need of repair and had to be sent all the way to Kampala for those repairs. The city power was also not coming on at night (we usually have city power from 7-11pm.) We did our best to keep the meat cold, and two days later, for Huggie's 18th bday, Ruco decided we should have a serious grill-out in honor of the bday boy. So we cooked up ALL that MEAT! Food poisoning waiting to happen...and oh did it! We were SO sick for almost a week! :(
I should also comment about Hugo's bday cake. We have a really good friend, Brian, here in Moroto. He used to make cakes professionally, so I asked him to make a cake for Hugo's bday. Well, Brian is really busy..working for WFP, and timing wasn't working out for him to make the cake in time. So I made it myself. And it was good..the actual CAKE part. Tred (the intern here with us for 3 months) helped me to come up with a chocolate icing that was also turning out really nicely...just icing sugar and baking chocolate, which we were cooking in a double boiler. When we were ALMOST done with the chocolate icing, Brian showed up! And he said we were doing everything WRONG..haha! So I let the pro take over. And when I got my cake back, it had a thick layer of "Blue Band" (local margarine) coated as the icing. Then my chocolate icing was just used to write, "Happy Bday Hugo." Tred and I really laughed, and thought, well, it's different... margarine as icing. Oh well, Hugo was happy anyway...
Now we are back to work, and still loving having Hugo around. He has been volunteering at the "sisters of charity" orphanage close to our office! I love going and playing with the kids there, and I think Hugo is really enjoying it as well. He brings the kids "sweeties" everyday. It is really interesting to have his thoughts on the things he sees and experiences here. I think in the short amount of time he has been here, he has really thought a lot about what he wants to do with his future, etc. and it's nice hearing about his plans and ideas.
So that has been the last 3 weeks for the van der Merwe's in Karamoja. Please continue to pray for us here, as we love on the people of Karamoja. Prayer requests: our health, and for God to give us and our co-workers strength and energy for the long days in the field with distributions.
Please let me know how I can also be praying for you. I really want to be a prayer warrior for my friends and family...

This morning...Ruco wrestling with the puppy

Random shot.

Tred, Shadrack (program manager) and Ruco

Ruco and Shadrack...they really work so well together and enjoy each other.

Brian (the pro cake maker's) daughter Sylvia and I

Hugo blowing out all 18 candles!