Visiting the Bulrushes

Hi from Uganda!!!
Yesterday, we began our morning waking up at 7:30--in theory. Due to the time change, most of us actually woke up around 4:30 or 5, (although some claimed to have been awake since 11:30 the evening before). :)
Our devotional for the morning touched on Jesus' message of peace and forgiveness. Throughout the day, we looked for chances to either experience or spread Jesus' peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In particular, many of us felt a sense of peace as we visited the Bulrushes. We got the chance to visit Watoto's ministry for abandoned and orphaned babies. The center is named the "Bulrushes" because many of the babies there had been left in hopeless situations, and, fittingly, the first child served there was named Moses. We had a wonderful time interacting with the babies and toddlers--getting our hair pulled, feeding rice pudding, etc.
We then spent the afternoon learning about Watoto's wider ministy and its base in the Kampala Pentecostal Church. Watoto's new ministry is based in Northern Uganda in the city of Gulu, where war has raged for many years, surrounding a generation of children with violence and loss. Watoto has established a home in which it emotionally, physically, and spiritually provides rehabilitation for child soldiers and child wives who were captured by Joseph Kony's rebel army. The church's decision to found this ministry is a powerful example of how the Kampala congregation seeks to hear and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
After the orientation, we enjoyed a meal of chicken, rice, and ground nuts (a purple colored peanut butter) prepared by the women in our house. We reflected on the day as a group, sharing our experiences of peace and God's goodness in this beautiful country.