Letter 6 – Busy Busy Busy

Saturday 9 March 2019

Dear Reader,

Since the Oakhill team left and since my ‘eventful week’, I’ve been busy busy busy.

I’ve been cooking, cleaning, shopping, running and swimming. I’ve attended rugby matches, I’ve done pottery, I’ve gone to church aerobics, visited schools, attended weddings, sorted through stacks of lego and been paying visits to a tailor to have a chitenge dress made!

On top of all of this, I’ve been leading Bible studies with female students as well as reading the Bible 1-2-1 with 3 individuals here at UMS. And on top of all this, I’ve taught my very first Sunday school class and last week, had some interesting discussions with the teenage group at church.

So everything has been busy busy busy but I am loving it.

All the busyness has come with its challenges but God in His goodness, is teaching me so much. I have learnt lots through my 1-2-1s as we’ve prayed, read the Bible and shared about our lives together. Listening to their stories of suffering and yet witnessing the strength of their faith has been truly moving and inspiring. I’ve been reminded of Romans 8:28, that God works for the good of those who love Him. Through the trials these individuals have faced, God has been working for their good as He has strengthened them in their faith and love for Him. I am super thankful for my time with these women and it’s been a great blessing to study Colossians with them, a book I was studying with my lovely 1-2-1s back home before arriving here! It’s quite amazing to come to a completely different place, with a completely different culture and yet study and learn from the same truths I’d been looking at with my UK 1-2-1s a couple of months ago.

The Bible studies with the female students have been wonderful – we’ve been challenged by the seriousness of our sin as we’ve studied the first few chapters of Romans together. I was quite nervous about leading my first study but just before I led it, I opened a letter a Christchurch child had sent me, which read ‘To Lara, Remeber, God is always with you! ❤ !’

It was a beautifully timed reminder of a great truth, which was true as I taught my first Sunday school class too. Bible studies here are pretty different to at home and Sunday school is very different but God is always with me and I am really enjoying leading and teaching!

I’ll hopefully write again soon!

Laura xxx

Making friends with a Praying Mantis!

Ugandan rugby match

Pottery

Red dust road

Matoke dinner with students and Robinah