A special Christmas party and getting engaged!

Christmas break has been good here! Its very busy on the roads and in the towns, as everyone has been traveling to and from their home villages for Christmas.

So far Farook and I have been searching for a new place to move into since we will have to be leaving our office in a few weeks, and I will be moving from where I have been staying as well. Things look to be ok, and we may have found a very nice double story house with lots of rooms where we will both live and have the YSU outpost as well.

Last Friday was a special day as we had our Christmas breakup party for the tailoring class! We had a big lunch of meat and rice, washed down with some bottles of coke! Farook, Beatrice, Agnes and I all gave little speeches as well to the girls to congratulate them on how they have been doing so far. During last week we designed up some little exams for the girls to do, to see how they are going and where their strengths are. All of them have been improving a lot in the 2 and a half months they have been sewing, so all of us had a lot to encourage them about. Farook had asked me to be the pastor for the day and give a short word, which I was able to prepare and do. It was special to be able to encourage these girls, and to talk about the love of the Father, and to talk about the value they have in Him, even when they feel like they don't amount to much considering some of them have gotten pregnant in the past, only to have their man abandon them. So to tell them that God is faithful to us, even when we are not, was a privilege.
After lunch we also gave out presents of sugar thanks to a donation from a schoolies revolution member! The schoolies girls also left a bunch of clothes, so in typical girly fashion they all squealed with delight as they tried on their new clothes. They also ended up blasting the radio and dancing around in their new skirts and dresses, and it was quite clear there was a lot of joy present. They even managed to get Farook up for a dance (pictured) and then pulled me up as well (not pictured) which caused them all to crack up laughing and to shout and hoot
Looking back on it, it was a really special day, to see so much joy on their faces and to be able to give them simple gifts was beautiful. I remember while eating dinner looking around at everyone present and the different walks of life represented at the table. Here was a table that was full of orphans, outcasts from pregnancies outside of marriage, single mothers, rejects, an ex gang member, former drug and alcohol abusers and those living in abject poverty, all sharing a meal together in fellowship. It felt like a feast that Jesus would be present at, all united together under the love and grace of a Glorious Father.

The other thing that I wanted to share with everyone is also pretty special! Agnes and I have really been enjoying our relationship and getting to know each other more and more as well as becoming best friends. We both entered into this relationship knowing that we were pursuing something long term. So I am happy to let everyone know that Agnes and I are going to be getting married in May next year! We really do love each other a lot and its both a strong desire on our hearts to get married and begin a family. There has been lots of fun (and scary) moments of meeting her pastor and her foster parents and being interrogated to make sure I am a decent enough guy for their lovely daughter haha.
Agnes and I are also really excited about living a life of ministry together, as our core values of faith and mission are aligned together. We know we will be staying in Uganda for a while to come, but we don't know where the future may lead us, and we are happy and willing to leave that one up to God.
We have talked a lot about marriage together, as well as reading books and hearing advice from older people. The picture of marriage that I have in my head is not some hollywood idea of finding 'the perfect one' to complete and fulfill me, to live happily ever after as we ride of into a sunset together. But instead the picture I now have in my mind is that of laying down my life for this woman I love, to serve and love each other regardless of our imperfections, as Christ serves and loves us. To hold strong to each other with Gods strength through the joyful, blissful times and also, if not especially, through the teeth gritting hard times. Ultimately I believe it to be a picture of the love of Jesus for His church, through grace, compassion, sacrifice and suffering (as I said, I have the picture in my head, but I humbly admit that now I am actually going to have to try and live it out haha)
We look forward to our life together, and we look forward to family and friends joining us in May!

                                        

               

                    Me and Aggie (who my parents happily said "outshines me a bit")

So big news and good times over here in Uganda, I have a feeling next year is going to be a very big year .. not just in the changes that will come with marriage, but also in the work God has me doing for YSU.

I want to leave you with a little youtube clip! The video really doesn't have much to do with Africa, but I guess for me, it has everything to do with Africa, as the person that the video is about is the very reason I find myself here.
God bless and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dhlqPr4eS4&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLv9GoRaYBpUV4E0t_pchCmYIj-uU_Hoz3