A Bit About Abide...

I wish there was a way I could sit down with you, a cup of coffee, a couple of free hours, and just talk about Abide and this upcoming opportunity. I would tell you how this organization is doing aide and relief work in Uganda in such a different way, how their passion for acknowledging and fighting for the worth and value of families is incredible, and how their belief in the necessity of kids growing up in their own homes shapes their day to day operations.

 Abide is combating crisis that is not necessarily unique to the families in Jinja. Each day families are forced to make life shaping decisions in how best to serve their families. The question of Work vs. Childcare and Home vs. Orphanages, are questions that are apart of daily living. Things like how do I support and provide for my child when I have no where for them to go while I work? How do I take care of my baby when I am trying to make enough to put food on the table? Are just some of the questions that swirl around as mothers and fathers, aunties and uncles, try to take care of their families as best they can. Abide's main focus is reducing the number of orphans in Uganda and that entails giving options for these families, so that they continue to have the opportunity to both support and care for their kids.

I just can't imagine a position where, because of my economic position, or lack thereof, I am forced to take my child to an orphanage; I have no other option. That's why I believe the work at Abide is so powerful, it's giving the choice back and really the rights back to the parents and guardians. Abide is trying to remove 'force the hand' mentality. In the end, I'm just impressed. I'm impressed with the heart, I'm impressed with the follow through, I'm impressed with the research of the local community, I'm impressed with about a hundred other things...

I think to break it down, my top 5 specific things that impress me most about Abide are...

- Their desire to see the power and decision of where kids are raised given back to the caregivers.
- Their hope and the steps they take towards restoring families and providing opportunity for stability and independence.
- Their mission statement that says poverty should not be the determining factor of if a child is raised in their homes.
 - Their notion that providing new and different opportunities including business classes, sewing workshops,ect, provides better choices for at-risk families.
- They do all this by working with and through local government and leaders.

To say I'm excited about this journey is only the half of it, please considering sponsoring me as I hope to partner with this incredible organization in May!  http://www.gofundme.com/heatherjayne_

Ten Weeks.

WHAT?!?! TEN WEEKS!

Ten weeks until I will be boarding a plane and making my way back to Uganda. These last couple days I've had the chance to sit and talk with a couple people about my trip and as I've sat sipping my latte and dreaming up dreams I realize how hard this is for me. I've said it a few times now, but I truly feel it in my bones, I believe the lead up to this adventure will be as stretching as the 4 months in Uganda itself.

I'm realizing how awkward I am, how uncomfortable I get, and how fidget-y I become when talking about money. I know, if I am supposed to be in Jinja on the 15th of May, the Lord will make a way, He will provide funds, and He will do so with out breaking a sweat. Me on the other... not so much.

I think in this season I'm learning a completely new lesson in money. One where I see not just provision for provisions sake, but provision from the abundance of God. It should be my joy to partner with those who are willing to step out with the Gospel, and my prayer is I will step out in joy. I will be bold. I will ask boldly. I will pray boldly. I will believe boldly.

Maybe that is what this season is all about, even more than a lesson of money, a lesson in believing, asking, and seeking huge things, from our huge God. I always find myself giving caveats, so that I don't have to pray for big things, almost like I don't want to push God too far... I don't want too ask for to much. BUT COME ON, that's just ridiculous! I know this! I need to act like it!

 Why does the Creator of the Universe need me to make excuses? Why does the One who put the Earth into motion need me to ask for 'little-er' things so He does get overwhelmed? He DOESNT! He does not need my excuses, He does not need my small asks. He wants me to come boldly to His throne, too ask with all of me, too believe and pray from the depths of my soul. He does not need my justification.

Oh, Lord, make me Bold.

Acts 4:29 'Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.' 

Oh, My Soul.

Get Excited!

I never thought in a million years that I would be sitting here on my couch trying to figure out the best way to tell everyone that I'M GOING BACK TO UGANDA! When I left Kampala last October, I got on that plane not sure when I was going back, but I am excited to say, I will be leaving for Uganda in May!

I have accepted an intern position with Abide Family Center, where I will be taking part in their program on the ministry track. I'm going to be "assisting in weekly Bible studies, supporting home visits, and coordinating with local church leaders." Oh. My. Gosh. So incredible. I’ll be building relationships, making plans, and getting to see the ends and outs of an organization I truly respect.

Abide is an organization that I have been rooting for from the shadows for a long while now, quietly stalking their blogs and Instagram’s and getting excited as I watched their mission come to life. To put simply, the goal at Abide is to reduce the number of children living in orphanages in Uganda. They believe in keeping families together and they fight to keep kids with their parents. They have created alternative care solutions to offer social services to vulnerable families.

Abide puts it this way, "Without a strong safety net, desperate caregivers are left with few options and are forced to place their children in orphanages.  In order to prevent family separation we will provide at-risk caregivers with an alternative solution.   Through supporting and strengthening families in the southeastern region of Uganda we believe the number of children living in institutional care will decrease dramatically."

Can I get an Amen? I mean really.... How can I not be excited to walk into this new place? How can I not want to stand beside a group of people whose hearts and souls are dedicated to the preservation of family? The simple answer is I can't. I cannot stay no to this opportunity, I cannot say no to this call on my heart.

But here’s the thing. The lead up to this move is such a stretch for me. It is hard for my brain to wrap around all the loose ends that need to be tied up before I leave the US for four months. I am slowly getting my wits together, compiling my ‘to do’ lists into something tangible and as all these things fall into place, this is where you come in. If you know me at all, this step into Abide is not a surprise, it doesn’t come as an ‘oh my gosh moment,’daily I speak about getting back to Uganda, but even so, I need this community, I need you to walk with me in this. I need you to come alongside me as I spend 4 months in a country that is not my own. I feel so needy and vulnerable at this point because my need is so great. Simply, I need prayer, I need funding, and I need encouragement. 

If you feel that you would like to help me with any of these things, get in touch with me, I would love to chat about what Abide is doing in Jinja and what the Lord is doing in my heart. Check back here and on my Go Fund Me page to follow along and see what I'm up to on my journey. Walk with me as I move to Jinja and intern under Abide Family Center.

Stay tuned as I update you weekly on my progress and process,

No'kwagala,

Heather Graham

Go Fund Me Page: http://www.gofundme.com/heatherjayne_

Blog: heatherjayne88.blogspot.com

Insta: instagram.com/heathergraham_

Abide Family Center: http://abidefamilycenter.org/

heathergraham88@gmail.com

Jinja.

Two days ago we visited Jinga, and it was much different than the city of Kampala. For so long I wondered why there were so many non-profits working out in that town and once I saw it, it became a bit more clear. The town of Jinga is waaaaaay different than Kampala. Not as much traffic, different people, right on the Nile, bit more tourist-y ect, and definitely more 'non-Ugandans.'  Not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg. As in, there are more non-profits there because more touristy or more touristy because of more non-profits. I don't know, maybe there is a completely different reason.

Anyways, Jinja, was beautiful and seemed to be a little slower paced. We did the toursit stuff and went to the spot where the mouth of the Nile was supposedly discovered by some white guy. Ironic, because the local people had known that for centuries....

We stopped off at what was a sort of tourist camp. Cabins/tents could be rented, there was a bar/restaurant, and even a spot to bungee jump. No jumping for us, but I wish we could have seen some one do it. It must be nuts to do it right over the Nile, what a thing to talk about, maybe next time.

Let's talk about food....

Food. This has to be one of the top reasons to travel. I mean really. The ability to try something new, in some place new, with people who are new. Geez. Sign. Me. Up. Uganda is no different. Food here is incredible. Ugandan, Indian, Lebanese, Greek, American. All of it right there for the tasting. Seriously. 

One of the biggest cultural 'oh-my's' I found was definitely one that felt hilarious. Bare with me. In the US, if you go to an American mall, you pop into the food court, pick a place, go order at their counter, get your food and take a seat.

 Not the same in Uganda. Not at all. 

In Uganda, you go the mall, pop into what looks like a typical American food court and that is where the similarities end. Instead of going to order, you pick a table and take a seat and that's when the fun begins. Immediately, your table is swarmed by a waiter from each 'food shop.' Its nuts. Menus, hands, encouragement to buy from each and every one of them does not cease until all food and juice has been order. 

The first time I experienced this, was a whoa. Probably, that should be a major whoa. Once you've done it a couple times, you figure out how not to be rushed, even when people are pushing you to try their yummy hummus, or the other place's fresh matoke. 

 I don't think I tried anything I hated. I loved the chapati, the matoke, sweet potatoes, yams, pretty much all the local food. I wasn't a huge fan of posho, (think kind of like grits) I think it was a texture thing. 

I also found out I love Lebanese food. who knew? 

All of this continued to solidify the fact that we need to go!

 Go somewhere!

Try something new!

Love something new! 

Hate something new, for that matter!

Just do something! 

Reflect.

How do I even try and wrap up my month long trip to Uganda? The whole thing was just perfect. The apartment, the city, the people, all of it. Sounds so cheesy, but for reals. It was crazy. And to think about it in terms of me and Eddie, we wont ever have another chunk of time like that. The both of us basically on vacation, hanging out, just seeing what the day would bring. What an incredible opportunity to just ease into each others lives, like I said, perfect.

I guess now as I'm sitting here in my living room, I'm just thinking of the hours spent in the car, driving down a road, watching the Ugandan sun drop behind the hills. In Uganda, you can usually get a good gauge of what time it is because the sun is up at seven and drops at seven. Clockwork. That doesn't though help with what is lovingly referred to as 'elastic time.' Since being home, my heart, and brain, and most everything else, forever drifts back to the place that captured me. I hate speaking in these cliche riddles, but I just don't have the words.

 I wish I could put you in the car and drive you to the spot in the road where the sun was just peaking through the trees, I wish I could let you smell the chicken soup cooking over the charcoal stove, and I wish I could introduce you to Eddie, who I would ask to say Hurt, Heart, Hut, and Hard (it's all about that accent...) and make you figure out what means what. But I cant. I just don't have the money to get us all on the plane. But. I ask that you will continue to walk and pray with me as I seek the next step in this Ugandan adventure.