A Month Later...{Uganda Memories}

I've been home for about a month now. Some of my take-aways from Uganda...

Jesus loves me (this I know)...He loves surprising me. He loves showing off His creation.

We spent a day at the headwaters of the Nile River.

I was in awe the entire day. The fact that I (Andrea, mother of 5, homemaker, wife-who-tends-to-stand-in-the-background...THAT I) was standing on the banks of the River Nile, the river Moses floated on...and the fact that I didn't even KNOW I was going until a month before...well, it all just blows my mind.

He loves His people...



Even when we're struggling. Even when things like poverty and war and heartache happen. He loves us and He is with us. And there is JOY and PEACE to be found even in these strong, courageous people (children!) who have experienced these things first hand.



I want to be a good mom.

Farida told me that she's never known the love of a mother. And she hasn't. I feel there are many children who know their mother and still don't know the LOVE of a mother. I want to be present and loving and giving. I don't want to only provide for the needs of my children. I want to live each day, as their mother, to the full. I want them to grow and KNOW that they are loved and wanted and cherished.

I want to be a good steward of what I have. There are many days when I begrudgingly do my housework. I loathe scrubbing toilets and mopping. The women that I met in Uganda work hard (and mop with a rag!). They don't have many belongings, but they take pride in what little they do have. Instead of grumbling as I work, may I be thankful for my blessings...and be thankful for a toilet to sit on!

Life with Jesus is exciting! And adventurous! If I've learned anything, it's that anything can happen at any time. I can have my plans, but God is the One who directs my steps. May I be pliable and flexible enough to allow for His plan over mine. He really does know me best and He knows what's best for me. There is freedom and peace in surrendering to His plan.

I have fallen in love with Uganda (just thought I'd say it...as if the bazillion posts about it didn't let you know) and the wonderful people I met while there. I pray that I can go back someday. I would love to go with Brad and with my kids. But, as I'm learning...only God knows if and when and how...

Desire {Uganda Memories}

aka "Desiah"



The first time I saw this adorable little boy, he was furiously banging a broken stapler with a rock, trying to make it stick together as a make-shift truck. He reminded me so much of my little Micah...I was instantly drawn to him.

When he looked up at me, I bent down and opened my arms to him. He smiled big and ran to me. He motioned that he wanted to see a tree. I took him over and he began to giggle nervously. Before I knew it, he was slapping me...half laughing. I started laughing too and then decided to let him down when it started to hurt! It was such a strange interaction...but he definitely left an impression on me!

I saw him the next day standing next to a car. I smiled at him and he smiled back. I started chasing him around the car...



We were pretty attached after that.



I tried to see him every day. In a way, it was soothing for me to hold him and play with him. I was missing my kids and he was one of the only young-enough-to-be-held kids at the orphanage.

He followed me around as I did work around the orphanage, painting mostly. I gave him a ball and a silly band. One day, I brought a couple of empty water bottles out to the school yard so he and his friend could play with the sand.

I would go home very dirty and dusty most nights, from having held him on my lap. He liked to play with my braids and he would cry when I left.

His situation is unique...his "house mom" is also his birth mom. This fact helped me resist the temptation to stick him in my suitcase. I sure thought about it though! (kidding!...kinda) He's just so cute!



My last night there, I held him in my lap and shared popcorn with him. I left him at his house with half a bag, so he was all smiles. I smiled back, even though my heart was aching.

Since I've been home, I've seen pictures from some of the other teams (our team partnered with a team of doctors) and many include him. He is such a cute, fun, energetic boy. I know I'm not the only one who thought he was pretty great!

Marvin {Uganda Memories}

I met Marvin one day on the school yard while I was taking pictures. (The kids LOVE having their pictures taken. It was one of the ways I met many of them. They don't have any mirrors, so they love to see themselves on the camera!) He didn't say anything, he just quietly slipped his hand into mine. He went with me wherever I went that day.

When I asked him his name he was so soft spoken that I couldn't understand him, so I had one of the other children ask him. I found that none of the kids I had connected with knew him. He is so quiet and shy and he tends to observe the other kids, rather than engage.

After a while, he asked if I would come to his house. (The kids live in concrete homes. Each home has 3 bedrooms and a living area. 1 bedroom is for the "house mom" and the other 2 for kids, 6 kids in each room. Some of the houses have furniture and use the living area as a dining room or living room. The kids especially like to show off their beds, a bunk bed 3 beds high with a mosquito net over it.)

When we reached his house, his house mom was sitting on the porch, weaving a mat and listening to her radio. I introduced myself and quickly realized that she didn't speak any English. I tried my best to explain that Marvin had invited me over. She got up quickly and motioned for me to come inside. I'm not sure if there wasn't any electricity, or if she just didn't have her light on, but it was very dark inside. Her only piece of furniture in the living area was a school bench. She pulled it out from the wall and motioned for me to sit. Then she knelt at the other side. I was so overwhelmed by her hospitality and desire to make me comfortable. We tried to talk for a minute or two and ended up laughing about the fact that we couldn't communicate.

Marvin came inside and showed me his room. By then, some of his older "brothers" had come home. They were able to interpret for me. It was getting dark and time for me to go home. I asked the older boy if he could ask Marvin if it was okay if I left. Marvin said no. We all laughed about that. I sat on the porch for a few minutes and talked with his mom, through the interpretation of the older boy. Then I went home.

My relationship with Marvin was sweet and simple. He would find me and hold my hand as I visited with some of the other kids. One day I brought him some bubbles. He was so happy and I loved watching him play.





Another day I took him to my house, away from the other children, and gave him a ball. We bounced it back and forth on the porch of the house for a long time.

I will always remember this sweet boy with the quiet disposition. The hospitality I experienced at his house is something I will cherish forever.

Farida & Hanifah {Uganda Memories}

Farida was the first child I met at Adventure Village, the orphanage of Christian Life Ministries where our team stayed, played and served for two weeks.

Farida is 13 and she and her sister, Hanifah are orphans. Orphans caused by death, poverty and abandonment.

My first few days getting to know her, we spent time jumping rope, painting toenails, blowing bubbles and singing songs.

She was very excited and proud to show me her bed

and especially her school work.

She loves school and takes pride in working hard so that she can become a doctor. If she continues to work hard and get good grades, she will have an opportunity to attend one of the most prestigious boarding schools in east Africa...an opportunity made possible through Christian Life Ministries.

One evening, as we were sitting on her porch talking about America, the girls asked me what I do for work. I told them that I am a mom, that I stay at home with my children while my husband works. Farida said "I have never known the love of a mother."

This was so hard to hear. It was really difficult to keep from grabbing her and holding her and crying with her. However I had learned through my interactions with her that she is not an emotional or touchy child, which I'm sure is a result of years of disappointment and hurt.

I took the opportunity to ask her how she had come to the orphanage. What happened to her parents? Does she remember them? She and her sister, through their limited English, told me of how their father had died when they were young. Their mother was unable to care for them due to poverty so she left them with their grandmother. I asked Farida if she remembers her mother. She smiled and said no, but that she would surely recognize her if she ever saw her because she had seen a picture. She then told me of how her grandmother wasn't able to send her to school and, upon hearing of education opportunities through Adventure Village, brought her to the orphanage.

I asked her if her grandmother ever visits or writes and she said no. Hanifah, Farida's sister, said she wants to get an education so that she can find her mother and then help other children find their parents.

As heartbreaking as this story is, these girls are healthy. They are fed three meals a day. They have access to medical attention and medication if they need it. They are getting an education. Most importantly, they are being taught scripture and about God's love. They participate in worship times. They smile with an inner joy...a joy that maybe only comes through seeing, knowing God's faithfulness in hardship and hurt. These girls are strong and courageous. I learned a lot during my time with them.

During these two weeks, I was deliberate with my words. I made sure to tell them that they are beautiful, smart, strong. I told them God loves them and that He is faithful...always. He sees them and knows their pain. I told them to study hard in school, to persevere when things are hard. I wanted to make sure that they know someone cares for them and loves them. They have God, they have their Adventure Village Family and now they have me too.

My last night there, we sat together and talked. We took pictures. We exchanged letters. When it was time to say goodbye, we hugged (which I felt was a big step for Farida) and cried (another rarity). We promised to keep in touch. I kept my desire to see them again to myself, knowing that I shouldn't make promises I may not be able to keep. Only the Lord knows when, and if, I'll ever see them again.

When I got home I was able to give my children letters that Farida and Hanifah had written to them. My children now have friends in Uganda. How great is that? God is soo good.

I'm Home!

From an amazing, mind blowing, wonderful trip to Uganda. I am still very much processing the trip, gathering photos and reviewing my journal, so I will update in detail soon.

For now, I thought I'd take advantage of this jet-lagged morning to give a shorter update.

It was great.

It was what I imagined it would be and it was much more than I could have ever imagined.

I had some insecurities going into this trip that the Lord helped me sort through and overcome. He is so good and so faithful. He made this dream of mine, being in Africa snuggling and connecting with orphans, come true. I am so thankful.

I made some great, new friends. Some Ugandan, some American. We cried together and laughed (and laughed!) together. These are forever-memories.

I didn't really suffer from culture shock, but more heartbreak for some of the conditions I witnessed. I found myself frustrated to tears on more than one occasion.

The trip was life changing in that it was a fulfillment of dreams and hopes I've had for years. I was already in love with these people...and I hadn't even met them yet! I think it's similar to pregnancy...when I was pregnant with my children, I already loved them. When they were born, it was confirmation of that love. Love coming to fruition. This trip was a birthing of the love that I already had in my heart.

I just have to take a moment and brag on my husband. Words can't even describe the admiration and gratitude I have for him. He always is a super dad, but especially these last couple of weeks! He created some memories that our children will remember for many years...sleepovers, movies, Chuck E Cheese, playgrounds, water balloon fights, horseback riding, walks, french toast, dollar store runs...knowing that they were having so much fun here made it easier for me to fully engage over there. AND I came home to a clean house! He rocks!

I will share more in the next week or so. Two weeks of emotions and experiences is a lot to sort through! The jet lag is a bit challenging too...in some ways I don't feel like I'm back yet! I'm awake for several hours in the early morning, by myself, while my precious family sleeps. Then, from about early afternoon through bedtime I'm tiiired and not worth much to them. Can't wait til that's over!

Uganda Bound

I know, I know. I've fallen off the blogging wagon again. Let's just call things like we see them and say this is a new normal for now, shall we?

The kids are out of school. The weather is slooooowly, but surely, warming. My house is messy. I'm behind on laundry.

And it's all okay. My kids are loving their new stay-up-later, sleep-in-later schedule. Brad and I aren't complaining about it either!

AND I'm leaving for Uganda in 2 days!

I am so excited about all that God is going to do through these 2 weeks!

I am enjoying getting to know the members of our team a bit...I'm excited about travel days full of talking and learning life stories. Their energy and laughter are contagious.

I am looking forward to seeing new things, smelling new things, tasting new things. I am preparing myself to be amazed.

I can't wait to hold some Ugandan children. My heart races even typing those words.

Mostly, I am looking forward to this time with my Creator. This trip is His gift to me. I am so thankful and overwhelmed.

I'll be honest and say that I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye to my wonderful, supportive, amazing husband and our 5 little squeezes. Paige and Brooke both cried yesterday, realizing my trip is so close. It was all I could do not to join them. We are all thankful for this opportunity, and excited for things that will occur (they have some fun things planned, too!), but it will be heart-wrenching to say goodbye. And not hold them and kiss them for 2 weeks. I'm going to miss talking to my best friend everyday. I think I might just journal like crazy and make him sit through me reading it all to him when I get back!

Please pray...

for our team...for health, for safety, for perseverance, for heart transformations.

for the Ugandan people...for softened hearts and new revelation of God's amazing love for them.

for our family...for comfort and peace, strength, patience and endurance.

I'll be a better blogger when I get back (for a few days at least *wink*) and post some pics and updates!

Love to you all,

Dreams DO Come True

I've been a Christ-follower for just over 15 years now. One of the dreams He placed deep in my heart early on in our relationship was a desire to go to Africa. I went on several missions trips during the first 5 years or so of being a Christian, none of them being Africa.

Then, I got married. And had babies. Lots of babies *wink*

We have 2 sponsored children from Africa. My heart breaks for them. I love them, even though I've never physically met them. I will one day, though.

In the busy-ness of life my desire to go on missions trips, specifically Africa, has been buried deep in my heart. So deep, at times, that I wondered if it was still there.

At the beginning of this year, Brad and I took some time to reflect on our current season and God's goals for us.

My direction was clear: no more Laurel Haven Interiors (the furniture refinishing business I began last year), no more Bible studies. Specifically, He said no new commitment to anything on-going.

I felt this was for two reasons: First, I need to focus on my children and be available for them. Brad has more opportunities to travel than ever before and I need to be a constant for them. Second, there would be spontaneous opportunities for ministry that I needed to be available for.

A month or so ago, I became overwhelmed. We were in the midst of The Thorn, our Easter production. It seemed all I was accomplishing was a lot of driving kids around, picking up after everyone, washing clothes, cleaning out yucky lunch boxes from take-and-go dinners, running errands for my very busy kids and overly busy husband. I felt I was becoming an invisible, behind the scenes, under-appreciated enabler of my family.

That should be ok. And it is, 90% of the time. But every now and then I get frustrated and unsettled. I found myself asking, "Is this who I am now?"

Not to downplay the roles of wife and mother. I know they are a high calling. But I know that there is more in me. I know I have more to give.

On a rare evening at home, I vented to Brad. There I was, crying over dishes in the sink. "It's not always easy to be Mrs. Brad Parsley!"

My poor, sweet husband. He wanted so badly to fix it and make me feel better. But he couldn't. This was an issue of my heart. I know I'm being obedient by doing these things. And NOT doing other things. But even in my obedience, I was needing validation.

"Well, what is it you want to be doing? You don't even know what you want to do..." He was right.

I began to question God, "Is there anything left in me? Do I have anything to give anymore? Anything besides changing diapers and doing laundry?"

Over the next 24 hours, God and I had an ongoing conversation. Sometimes He is so tangible, His voice almost audible. "You have missions in your heart. You have orphans in your heart. Those things aren't Brad's things. Those things are ME in you."

I felt at peace. Ok. I can wait. I can be patient and wait 5, 10, 20 years. As long as I know those promises are in there, I will wait.

I told Brad that night that I had come full circle (He knows I always do...He is so patient with me).

Then, this last week, Brad called me. "It looks like one of the girls isn't able to go on the (New Life School of Worship) trip to Uganda. Do you want to go?"

Um. What??

So I listened to the Lord's instructions. I was obedient and trusting. And now, I am going to AFRICA to work with ORPHANS in one month!!

It couldn't be more perfect. The trip is all planned, ready to go. All I had to do was say yes.

*Let me note that we took a couple of days and talked through and prayed about it. It's a 2 week trip. That's an eternity to a stay at home mom of 5 kids!!*

I know the Lord is pleased. I bet He was just giddy over His surprise for me. It's like when I'm planning a surprise for one of my kids, but they start to question my plans. I say "Just trust me, I know what's best," knowing that they are going to be soo excited and pleased at my surprise. He is a great Father and He loves to surprise us, too!

If I had a bunch of furniture projects lined up, or some ongoing commitments to tend to, this trip would have been harder to accept. As things are, I can just say "YES!!"

I'M GOING TO AFRICA!!!!