Easter in Uganda

Since we are still in our first year of missions work we get to enjoy every holiday for the first time!  Today we celebrated Easter with our Ugandan friends.  The energy and excitement in their worship was such a great encouragement to us.  Here are some pictures from our first Easter weekend in Uganda.

We stuffed the Easter eggs with jelly beans and stickers.

Thanks to the generosity to a College Wesleyan small group and Dublin Wesleyan Church we were able to stuff 500 eggs!

We went to the orphanage on Good Friday and had a sweet time sharing the Easter story with the children. The concept of an Easter egg hunt was new to everyone so we explained how the egg represents new life in Christ and showed them how to open the eggs. The mommas (caretakers) had a blast helping the kids find the eggs. There was a lot of joyful shouting! 

After the Easter egg hunt it was time for lunch so, of course, we stayed and helped give the babies their bottles. 

Saturday afternoon haircuts for Nathan and Ezra (only $3 total!).  :)

To be honest for the first time in my life I (Jade) woke up fearful to go to church on Easter morning. Because of the recent Kenya attack the security here in Uganda has been heightened, which can cause fear and worry to rise up in us. I praise God that in my devotions this morning the Lord brought Scripture after Scripture to mind which brought me great peace. I was reminded that worry is the facade of taking action when prayer really is.  So, we got dressed and ready--clothed in peace and joy and went to church!

We had an abundance of Easter eggs so we rolled the windows down and passed them out to passer-byes. 

As we passed out the eggs we said, "Happy Easter! Mukama Yebazibwe (Praise the Lord)! 

It was a blast!

Nathan preached about the common term 'born again' using the image of a baby to describe our new life in Christ.  The congregation sensed the presence of God in the room as the service went on.  At the end of the service Nathan invited those who hadn't been born again to come forward and pray.  A young man approached the front shaking with tears on his face.  For some time he prayed with Nathan, discussing things and crying.  Finally Nathan stood up and introduced him to the rest of the congregation as a new member of their family.  The church cheered and clapped and continued in worship.  What an awesome Easter experience!

We put on an Easter egg hunt for the kids at church too.

They loved it! 

The longer we are here the more our perspective changes.  We don't go to church wondering, "What will this be like?" or "What are we supposed to do?"  We don't enter so many rooms wondering who will be in there.  We don't wonder how to greet or carry on conversations with people.  In fact, it is an incredible joy to use our history within relationships to carry on conversation.  Nathan spoke with a man this morning who recently lost his son.  This morning he told Nathan that shortly after the death of his son he also lost a boy who was like a son to him.  Since Nathan has spoken with him before there was opportunity to move the relationship forward.  Together they shared about struggle and pain in this life.  The man testified, "Thank you for your ministry here Nathan.  We believe that no matter what happens God is good."  Our family is so thankful for everything that has happened today.  What a wonderful Easter!