“Hello Leslie,” said Pastor Gideon who met me along the path as I was traveling toward the church in Banda. Pastor Gideon is Pastor Jessica’s husband and has occasionally observes quietly from a rear bench during our Bible study and business teaching time with the ladies of Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut. What a nice surprise to find him there.
Women were gathered in the church as I snuck in the back way. Once they realized I’d arrived, the race toward me with open arms began. This kind of free behavior is not typical of the normally reserved Ugandan women. I LOVED it. Hugs and blessings all around. As always we began with worship but this time the ladies prepared a welcome song just for me. I tried to post the video but it ate up all my data and never quite seemed to finish. Sorry.
The group was a bit smaller than normal, probably because spreading the word about date and time isn’t easy here. So many familiar faces and so many faces of women who joined later during our last study together were here again. How encouraging! Another wonderful encouragement were the testimonies from women who applied what they’ve learned in previous studies and teachings and found spiritual and economic prosperity. Praise the Lord, that kind of compliment is the best I could hope for.
Few places do I come away feeling so loved. I can almost physically feel the Holy Spirit when I meet with these women. The ongoing, long-term investment in these women creates relationships I would not exchange for anything in the world.