It’s hard to believe I’ve already been in Busia for a week and a half. The hours and days have flown by as I’ve begun to get settled into my new home here. I haven’t had access to internet to be able to keep the blog updated, so as you can imagine I have so much to share. It is truly difficult to pick what parts I want to share first, as I only have a short opportunity of time today to get a message posted.

My arrival was safe and without incident. My entire luggage including all of the food arrived safely. Thank you to everyone who was praying for the luggage with food to not be confiscated in customs. It was an amazing thing because at neither point that I traveled through was any of my luggage opened! A totally different experience than when I first arrived and went through customs. We serve a Mighty God who cares about what we care about. Dont get me wrong, I know that God would have provided what I needed even if the food had been confiscated, but He knew it was important to me to have some nutritious things here as I get settled in and find what foods I am able to eat here.

The place where I am staying is a newer building and although there is no kitchen, there is a sink to wash dishes and the bathroom has a shower with hot and cold water. Of course there are days like today when there is no water, but today is the first day since we’ve been here that there hasn’t been water.

The shower here is much different. The shower is not a separate part of the bathroom; it is all one small room. When you take a shower, everything in the bathroom gets wet! I don’t mind though, because I am one of very few here who have a shower or running water at all.

It’s a secure place with a solid wall built around the boundary of the property and all the way around the top is razor wire. Sometimes I get tickled because from the window in my bedroom all you can see is the wall and the razor wire. So, I am looking through bars out at a security wall with razor wiring and I have to remind myself that these things are in place to keep bad people out. Back home the only places with bars on the windows and security walls with razor wire are places to keep bad people in! There is a tree on the other side of the wall from my bedroom so there are many birds around all the time. They land on the wall in between the razor wiring and it makes me forget the wiring is even there!

It is so important to convey what a blessing it is to have such a place to stay here. To be able to live in a good building with running water and electricity is a gift from God. In the beginning when I first surrendered to come to Uganda I had no idea what type of place I would be residing in. I read about so many of our missionary’s today and how they live and I was prepared for the worst, however, God in His goodness has placed me in a wonderful place to call home here.

I have so much more to share, many great stories already about the children here, but my time just now is limited. Just know that God is working all around me and in the days to come you will hear of ALL He is doing. I hope to soon have more internet connectivity where I can get updates more often. Until then, know that I love each of you and am thankful for the prayers and support that makes my being here possible.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa