Thunder roars, lighting strikes, rain pours, and we sit safely in the house sipping on some tea . . . Not everyone was so lucky. Taylor and the Fedyshen (except Faith) got stuck in town before the thunder hit. However, one of the incredible base staff members came and picked them up at a restaurant so they didn't have to ride a boda boda in the pouring rain.

Amazing how just a few hundred miles away from Jinja yet Arua seems like a completely different world in so many ways. The climate is much wetter, the base is filled with wet lands all around and Arua as a whole feels more like a village instead of a city.

One week ago now we arrived in Arua. It was a late arrival but the next day we had time to get settled and get to know the base. We were then ready to start connecting with the community.

To start this encounter 20 of us climbed aboard our new transportation for the next four weeks. A laugh caught in my throat as I remembered debating if I should bring my children's car seats. Not a chance. . . Can you say traveling Ugandan style does not include car seats, unless you count multiple bodies holding you in place as a car seat. We are a sight, "Mzungu" (white people) is shouted in the streets as bodies flail out the top of the truck.

As our bodies bounced out through the village potholes we collected a crowd and the small church that comfortably fit 30-40 people was now filled with over 100 children, young adults and adults. Our team launched into action with songs, dances, a skit and then we were on. We approached the front, the first time as a couple. We shared our dating story and described how God has a purpose/plan for every person. It was interesting sharing to such a wide age range but God was sweet and we were able to connect. Then the rest of the team launched into action with more songs, games and sports.

What a team. We truly have worked so good together!

That evening half of our team went to minister at a deaf church. I on the other hand got to be the photographer of a cooking class where deaf students were learning how to cook a gluten free cake on a fire. Excitement took hold of me when she handed me the recipes. I also learned that some of the students learning truly needed this as a skill so they would not need to go into prostitution for an income.

The next day Bruce climbed the pulpit for the first time by himself. (The night before Esperanza was fighting a 102.4 fever so I stayed back. She is fine now but it was pretty scary). Even though I did not get to see or hear him I heard he did amazing!

Then the intensity. In Jinja we went to pray for people in the hospital but I wasn't prepared for what we would experience in Arua. As we walked into the children's ward there were over 40 children waiting to be seen. This did not include the children laying on the path into the hospital or the children filling the beds. The pain, the desperation. So many with HIV.

Two from our team did see a miraculous healing take place. A woman with scoliosis went from having one leg much shorter than the other to having them both the same length. The teenage daughter that prayed for her had been healed from scoliosis and as she watched this take place her faith increase all the more!

Later that day Bruce and I once again got to share our story. This time it was to a handful of high school students. As we shared I felt very strongly I needed to challenge them to 100% surrender their life to Christ. It wasn't a feel good alter call. Instead it was a reality check of what it means to not live their life for themselves but to truly lay it all down. When I asked for them to raise their hands . . . NOTHING.

Had I heard from the Lord?

I challenged them again. This time a hand shot up. Then another. Two people. Not a ton but they both had the light in their eyes. They were hungry. They wanted what we had shared. They wanted to know this sweet and powerful Jesus we had just shared with them. After we were done we connected them with the local pastor so they could continue to get discipled.

Oh how sweet it is to be a part of seeing God at work! Thank you for continually interceding for us. Your prayers are what is paving the way for us to minister!!