Joy-full

I am noticing God's right hand through every detail in my life, and it's beautiful. I am learning from my friends how to pray differently and am so thankful to learn these lessons at a young age. I am learning how to pray in the name of Jesus, and am reminded to ask everything in His name and He shall answer it. There is so much power in His name. His name heals! His name restores souls! His name frees up those in chains! Back in California, I would visit my chiropractor every few weeks for an adjustment. Note, I was doing crazy workouts and my body needed the realignment. In Uganda, my body also needs realignment, but from different reasons. The long motorcycyle rides to do medical community work, the bumpy roads full of potholes, the sleeping on hospital floors etc. Needless to say, I could really use an adjustment and have been feeling pain in my back and my head. Since access to chiropractors is limited, I am learning to pray for healing for my body, and Jesus answers

How I’ve changed I’ve lived in Kabale about 8 months already. Time sure has flown! I am still Lianna, but I am definitely not the same person as before. Seasons bring growth and change, which is a good thing! It is my prayer that the Lord continues to shape me and mold me so that I can look more like Him every day. I'm thankful the rainy season is back because the dust was too much!  The Community Development Department (CDD) office where I work has staff devotions a  couple times every week, which are my favorite. It is amazing to see the difference in the days you spend time in prayer and meditating on the Word compared to the days that are rushed to check things off the to-do list. Last week, we talked about Mark 3 when Jesus commanded His disciples to go out into the world to preach the good news. One member reminded the group how important it is to first have a personal relationship with Jesus, and then to go out and preach the gospel. Without that close relatio

"Kobuzire.” “ You’ve been lost.”  This is a common phrase in Uganda, meaning “Hey, I haven’t seen you lately.” At first I wouldn’t know how to respond. I would think to myself, “I’ve been here. If you wanted to see me we’d meet up.” However, I’ve come to learn that it just means “Where have you been? I’ve been missing you.” Well, I haven’t blogged in months so it does feel like I’ve been lost… but I've been around!  First time in the water for Pastor Dickson and he went down a class 5 rapid  In May, my sweet college friend, Sydney, came to visit for a week! We had a fun road trip to Jinja and spent the 10 hours laughing, singing, braiding hair and staring up at the sky through our sunroof. We also enjoyed white water rafting in the Nile and other social gatherings with fellow youth in the community. Sydney encouraged me and spurred me on! Her timing was perfect and I am forever grateful she took a week from work and saved up for a trip to Uganda. In June, we welco

Meet my friend, Deni. She is a 42 year old woman and lives far from town in the village of Bubare. One Saturday before OVC (orphans and vulnerable children), a group of volunteers took us to visit this lady and assess the condition she was in. She was found laying in the corner of a dark room on an old mattress with no sheets. The house was dirty and unkempt with one wall about to collapse. Deni appeared very weak and barely spoke nor moved while we were there. The group visiting her brought some essentials, such as soap, beans, rice and posho (a Ugandan staple). However, we were uncertain if her children would sell it and use the money for food. They were in survival mode and did not care for their mom like they should. Their mom, like every mom, continued to do everything she could to provide for her kids. The youngest is a 13 year old female and the middle child is a 20 year old male. The oldest is unknown and in Kampala. A caring neighbor would bring Deni porridge every morning, b

Hi family and friends, This week I travelled to Rwanda to renew my Visa, which means I have been here for 3 months! I praise God for the smooth adjustment and deep contentment and peace He has given me. What a gift! One of my favorite adventures while being here is travelling to my friends’ villages. There’s no better way to get to know someone than by visiting his home and meeting his family. The first journey was to my brother Ably’s home in Kaharo. Four of us crammed into the taxi and set off down the winding roads for a day away from town. Once we reached that one tree past that one hill (since there are rarely signs or street names), we got out and walked the “only 1km” (more like 3 miles) deep into the hills. While walking, we pointed out all the different crops growing, like potatoes, onions, pumpkins, cassava, matoke, maize…. the list goes on and on! The sun was shining bright, the birds were singing and our hearts were content. Once we reached our destinati