Is this real life?

Tonight I went out for a bit on my own... I just needed a little bit of alone time and "quiet". Quiet doesn't really exist here ever,it was a relative quiet.

As I was walking home, I started to think... Am I really living in Africa? Do I really walk down the streets by myself in a country on the other side of the world from the life I knew? Am I really following the call of God on my life in Uganda?! Is this real life?!?!?!

Well, yes. It is! I have been living in Uganda for over a month now. I venture out into the city on my own. I get to minister to hundreds of kids a week. I get to love on "the lease of these" every single day. I walk out of the gate of our house and get attacked by precious children who just want to spend time with me.

This place is so a part of my spirit and soul, sometimes I can't imagine living in the States again. And at times I want nothing more. Sometimes I question why God has put my heart in 2 places so very far apart. Why can't my family and friends be closer to the kids that steal my heart?

But I think about Jesus stepping down from His thrown in heaven and coming down to a lost and broken world... Why? Because He SO loved! He SO loved!! And that's why I rip my heart out to leave all of my family and friends because I SO love these kids! And they melt my heart daily!

So I guess the answer is... yes, this is real life. This is really where God has called me. He has really been faithful to get me here. And He has really been faithful to sustain me while I've been here!

P.S. I leave for Jinja in the morning to go to Canaan Children's Home!!! I don't know if there is a place that has stolen my heart more than Canaan and I cannot wait to see some kids I love!!!

until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross

His Grace is Sufficient!!!

This week has been really great. I have gotten a lot closer to my fellow MSTs, I laughed so hard my abs hurt, ministry has been great, I haven't been homesick a lot, and God has just been so faithful to provide for all my needs.

Then.... this morning I woke up in extreme pain. I took medicine and went back to bed. As I was laying in bed (all morning) I just got madder and madder... Why was I in pain? If I am following what God wants me to do, why am I in pain? Why isn't God taking it away?

As I got up this afternoon, I was chatting with a couple of different people and praying. God just began to reveal to me words from scripture... My Grace is sufficient for you... I know the plans I have for you... I have established an everlasting covenant with you... I knew all your days before yet there was one...

God knows what is going on, He hasn't left me (even when I'm in pain). His grace is sufficient!

So as I look forward to what is coming next: Passion Kampala (I couldn't be more pumped!), Sunday I leave for Jinja to visit Canaan for a few days (I am praying for this to be a sweet time with the Lord, and a time of rest and spending time with kids that I love!!)

I appreciate your continued prayers as I deal with this illness.

until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross

Just for Fun

Ok, so this post is completely pointless except to make you laugh and show you some of what happens when we're not doing ministry.

We missionaries have found a new game that we love (that I'm pretty sure was made up off the cuff by one of our Ugandan staff members). But it's fun none the less.

This is how the game works: Everyone in the room writes down completely random questions and then passes their paper to someone else in the room. Then that person writes down answers to the questions, without ever reading them... Some of them are completely ridiculous, but some of them are really funny.

So here are some of the questions and answers we had in our games last night:

How many yard gnomes do you have?
Because Jonah's car looks like the mystery machine.

Yes or no?
Sometimes the toilet doesn't flush.

Prince charming.... question mark?
Because the chicken wouldn't get out of the road.

Do you need help?
Only if I have a wedgy.

Who is your crush?
We elves try to stick to the 4 main food groups: candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corns, and Syrup

Why is your face like that?
Because I have to Pee

Why do jiggers attack us?
Life is like a box of chocolates

Why is your hair so perfect?
Because I found you, Ms. MooGoo

Why do Ugandans want to marry me?
I had a pet fish.

Our country has an obesity epidemic and a skinny jean fad. Why?
I hate cucumber

Why don't you like me?
This one time, I got electrocuted.

Why are you looking at me like that?
because I'm scared of the dark.

Hi, Welcome to McDonald's. How can I help you?
purple dragons at night.

What's wrong with this picture?
That's just the way my face looks.

Why am I your favorite?
I have no idea what you're talking about.

Who should be the next president?
T.I.A. (This Is Africa)

I hope this was as funny for you as it was for us... Just a little glimpse at what happens here when we're bored.

P.S. can you guess which ones are mine?

until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross

What A Week!

As I sit at home relaxing on this beautiful Saturday morning, I really have no idea how I made it through this week.

These are all the outreaches we did this week:

-Sanyu Babies' Home

-Victory Primary School: Feeding Program & Kid's Program

-Kireka Secondary School: Lunch Hour Fellowship

-Davemi Infant School: Kid's Program

-Katelemwa Children's Hospital: Kid's Program

-Clive College: Lunch Hour Fellowship

-Good Choice Primary School: Kid's Program

-Victory Primary School: Teaching English

-New Brainstorm Primary School: Kid's Program, Writing letter to penpals

-City Side High School: Lunch Hour Fellowship

-Neighborhood Kid's Program

Me and my fellow missionaries! So glad God has put these girls
in my life... Can't believe they start leaving soon.

And then tomorrow we will head to the village to lead Children's Church for 200-300 kids.

God is so good to give us the opportunity to minister to so many kids every week. I wish I could begin to count the number of lives I will have touched when I leave here. It is so cool to think of what God can do with just a little bit of faith and obedience.

In a few hours 2 of the other missionaries and I will head into town to shop at the craft market and then go to church. I am so excited about what God is doing in and through me here in Uganda and I can't wait to share more.



Until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross

You Make All Things New

Let's rewind 3 years... My first trip to Africa our team partnered with a church here in the city. I was told immediately when I arrived that I should request an African name. I did and the name I was given was Birungi. They take what you have impressed to them and what they think of you and give you a name according to that. The meaning of Birungi is: bringer of good things. I was incredibly flattered by the ladies who gave me this name. But honestly, since that first trip I haven't thought much about that name, or the honor that it was to be given it.

Fast forward to today... We were driving down a typical African street which consists of about a million shops, stores, and stands, with even more signs everywhere. So even if you are reading signs constantly, you might only see 10% of the signs you pass. But when God wants you to see something, He makes it stand out. So what sign did I see today... A tiny sign on the side of the road that said Birungi.

God brought back all those memories of sitting with 2 wonderful ladies at a local restaurant and them thinking over my character and picking out this amazing name for me. It is a somewhat common practice in Uganda to receive a new name when you are born again. It was also common in the Bible. When people had encounters with God, they were so radically changed by the experience that they were given a new name, a whole new identity.

Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Saul became Paul.

I started thinking over my life. Has God made such an impact in my life that I am not at all the same person I was before I encountered Him? My life should be radically different. When God enters your life, you should be shaken up, turned around, and so changed that you can't even go by the same name anymore.

God says that in Christ we are a new creation, behold the old has passed away and the new has come.

Is there anything in my life that still looks like the old? I challenge you as I challenge myself. Allow God to take the old and make it brand new. Allow those things that are not of Him and His character to be pruned from your life.

until all have heard,
lauren michelle (Birungi) gross

Made Perfect in Weakness

Well, today has brought on the start of another week. I have been in Uganda for 3 weeks now, and it's less than three months before I return to the States. It's amazing how time has crawled by and is flying by at the same time. I feel like I have been gone from home for so long, but I feel like my return is coming so so quickly.

The more time I spend here, the more opportunities I am taking to lead more. This includes yesterday when I led our Sunday School class. I guess I should explain what I mean by that: Every Sunday we travel the the village of Zirobwe, and while church is held for the adults we missionaries lead Children's church / Sunday School for the 200-300 children who attend every Sunday. We do praise and worship all together and split into 3 classes for the lesson and games. I lead the baby class (about 60 kids under the age of 4) with 2 other girls. Our class is held outside under a couple of trees in between several huts. The kids sit on mats and we try our best to communicate God's Word with them through a translator with a million distractions. The first week of this was totally overwhelming and I felt like what we were doing was useless. I felt as though we were glorified babysitters.

Well this week I taught the lesson. I shared with the kids the story of Jesus' birth. After I finished sharing, I asked the kids questions and those who answered right got a piece of candy. To my surprise there were 10 kids who knew all the answers. This may seem like a small thing, but I was hugely encouraged. Our work wasn't futile. Some of the kids were actually getting (through all the barriers and distractions). They were getting it. As I felt completely inadequate, God was using me. His strength was made perfect in my weakness.

He is so good and so faithful. I love being used as just a small piece in His huge story.

Until All Have Heard,
lauren michelle gross

We're All Sinking!

Few things irk my nerves more than disobedient children... but God has called me to work with kids in Uganda, which means my patience is tested almost every day.

This morning we were at a hospital / rehabilitation center for kids. We arrived to do our program (singing, crafts, and a story) and there were two kids who did not want to listen. It doesn't help that I've been in a lot of pain today and my temper was short before we arrived.

Anyway... this one kid came up to me and immediately tried to take everything I had: my hair-tie, my rings, my watch, and when I told him no he tried to bite and hit me... as my blood began to boil I got more and more mad... I cannot stand disobedience, disrespect, and injustice.

On the ride home the events of the morning were playing in my mind as I tried to seek God and find His peace. I began to think about my relationship with God. How often I am just like this child... I take things that God hasn't given me, I am ungrateful for the things he has given me, when I don't get my way I kick and scream and throw a fit, I go away and sulk and act like He doesn't love me. I am just like a disobedient child.

As we did devotions this morning someone mentioned the line from "How He Loves Us"

IF GRACE IS AN OCEAN, WE'RE ALL SINKING...

God's grace is so abundant to me when I am so awful to Him. His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace is astounding. So the next time I am frustrated by how I am treated by a kid who has probably known little love in his life, I will think of God's patience, love, grace, and mercy towards me.

Until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross

Milestones

This past week I feel like I have done a lot of small things that are hugely Ugandan to me....

Today I got around the city on my own: walked to the main road, got a boda (motorcycle for rent), got all the way across town on my own, and got back. That may seem like a small thing, but it was huge to me!!

I stayed in the village for 3 days: pumped and carried water from a well to our camp, lived without electricity and running water, and truly experienced village life.

I learned to make Chapati (my favorite Ugandan food) over a charcoal stove...

All of that being said... I feel like I have made leaps and bounds at making my home (for the next 3ish months) in this strange country.

I also got a phone to use here. It may be wasted money, but it just makes me feel better.

I'm loving learning what it's really like to live in this country and not just visit. Being in the village was truly eye opening. I've been to villages before, but never lived there... The conditions that these people live in are staggering. God has a special place in His heart for these people, their total reliance on Him is amazing. I don't how they make it through their day to day life, much less with the joy of the Lord and complete trust in Him. I am learning so much from the people God has placed in my life...

until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross

Settling In

Today has marked a full week of being in Uganda. It has been one of the hardest weeks of my life. Thinking about where I have been at this point in my other trips. My first trip here, by now would be more than 1/4 over. My second trip here, by now would be more than 1/2 over. This time around: I have barely scratched the surface. I still have 102 more days in this country.

I say all of this to say that: as much as I have experienced and learned on my past trips to this wonderful place, I can't imagine all God has in store for me. This week I have been ecstatic, heart broken, homesick, physically sick, elated, and completely at home. I can't even imagine what is to come.

Over the past few days God has allowed me to form some bonds with my fellow missionaries, as well as the Ugandan staff members and the kids we minister to. For this I am extremely grateful. For those of you who know me well: I love my family and I have deep connections with people in the States that I left behind, so this is somewhat difficult for me being away from them for so long. But God is faithful to put people here that can make me feel at home and at ease even in this place so far from home.

Thank you for all the prayers! Please continue to pray for my health as I am still getting over this cold.

until all have heard,
lauren michelle gross