Celebrating 65 Years Young in a Foreign Land

Our friends from the Philippines (one of them being Canadian) minister here in Uganda for several months each year with their base about 3 hours east of us (depending on the traffic). Our full schedules don’t allow opportunity to visit us often. BUT, they had to come to Kampala to pick up another co-worker flying in from Canada and so they came a day early and spent the night with us.

Our birthday brunch

A few days before their arrival we learned that one of them, Ate Grace, was turning 65 on Friday—the very day they would be here!! Talk about God’s timing!

Ate Grace with her compassionate heart for children
interacting with Ernie

Oops. she blew out those candles
before I got the picture taken

Since they did not need to leave until late morning and since we have a little experience of birthday celebrations in the Philippines, we had the perfect opportunity to “pull all the stops” to bless our dear friend…balloons, omelet, fruit, chocolate decorated cake with candles, singing, ice cream…and Ernie! Although we were interrupted by various cell phone calls, we ate, talked, laughed, cried and prayed with our friends. What a joy to celebrate the life of this servant who had done such an outstanding job of connecting with at-risk children and their families. We were inspired as we listened to their cross-cultural stories (including snake stories) of how God is using them here in Uganda. At a time when many from our own culture count the days until retirement, this servant is still asking her Saviour, “Where can I serve You?”