Around the Table

(Simon with His "Extended" Family)

This last week has been filled with terrific opportunities to have people in our home as well as visit some of our new friends. Last week we felt impressed to invite one of our guards, Simon and his family, over for supper. He and his wife Beatrice have three children but then as with almost every Ugandan family we’ve met, they have several other dependent children staying with them. So there were a total of nine kids, dressed like they were going to church and very shy. Joanna served pizza and watermelon, thinking that would be a fun happy meal but none of them (including the parents) had ever had pizza and because watermelon is not grown locally, most of them had never had watermelon! They were gracious though and we felt like Jesus really ordered the time together.

(Christoher and Family in front of their house)

Then on Friday, we went and visited our other guard Christopher and his family. They could not have been more kind and while we had specifically indicated we just wanted to visit and not be a burden, they of course prepared a tremendous meal of liver, rice, potatoes, chapatti (like a tortilla), even a veggie omelet with popcorn and peanuts as appetizers and sweet almost donut-hole-like cakes for dessert. Their house is indeed a thatched hut, but it was spacious and cool and while simple, it felt like a home. The conversation with Christopher and his oldest son, Daniel, was the most enjoying and as always, those occasions are fantastic for hearing their account of Uganda’s history and challenges.
Saturday turned out to be a blessing because an old college friend, Aaron Heinrich, spent the day with us. He and his wife, Corrie along with their two girls, are serving Jesus in Sudan. We had a great time catching up and swapping stories and comparing notes on Uganda and Sudan. He seemed to really enjoy a more low-key day and we are so thankful to Jesus for his encouragement and friendship.
On Tuesday of this week we had our neighbors, Simon and Gladys, over for supper. They have really reached out to us, sending over food when Joanna was not feeling well and just helping out with getting us settled. Simon is a mechanic for the UN and so while they are very Ugandan, they have been around international folks and did not seem as overwhelmed by us. We are having a bit of vehicle trouble at the moment (which is a prayer request) so Simon even offered to take a look after supper. Needless to say, we had a very enjoyable evening and we thank Jesus for His bring Ugandan friends into our lives.
We are finding that hospitality is one of the ways Jesus has given for not only meeting people but also getting to know them and their families. We are so thankful for how He seems to order each week and the contacts for each day. We never know quite who we’ll meet or how the day will unfold but He continues to be faithful. We would ask for special prayer this week and next as the rest of our team, John and Erica Rinehimer along with Jeannie Banter, are moving up to Arua on Friday, the 16th. We are so excited to have them but there is much to do both on their end in Kampala to pack up as well as for their arrival and settling in here in Arua. Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement. We really sense that many are standing with us. Hallelujah! Praise God Forever!

Billy & Joanna Coppedge