Without Love, This Life is Nothing

A visit to Prisca's home in October.

Hello family and friends,

Praise God, my sample shipment for the San Fransisco Gift Show has left Uganda! For those at Asbury Church, this is the trade show that USAID sponsored One Mango Tree so we could have a booth. Everything came out so good...all the hands that went into each sample is so amazing. Please pray that the show is a success, and that God continues to bless this company. For each order we get, that means more work for our tailors. More income to truly change people's lives. And so it ripples throughout the community. God has big plans and it starts with a seed.
(OMT's Spring line should be launching soon. Keep checking the website for new items.)

The Lord has really been blessing me with a new community of believers. I feel his love wrapped around me in my new home. At Church on Sunday, we started a new series "110% Love." We are being challenged to love our communities. The unlovable even. In this place, sometimes it is hard to love. But God continues to show me his grace when the situations get so tough.

Two fun interactions I've had this week:

One of the guys at the shoe factory was chatting me up while I waited for the straps to be sewn on some of our new products. He asked, noticing my sunburn, if my skin would get any darker. I said probably not as dark as his. His solution: dip me in black dye. Well, I explained that the red mixing with the black would probably look more purple. His response, "Eh, then people will think you are from the moon!"

My boda Wednesday afternoon ran out of gas, going down hill luckily. So he's walking the bike and I'm sitting on the back, I said, "Oh it like we're in a Mzungu parade! Should I start waving?" He laughed the whole way. Too much fun.

God has a great way to get our attention. But love is more than something we're supposed to show, it's a command of how we are supposed to BE. Love one another as yourself. This is the greatest commandment of them all. Happy Valentines Day, Month, Year as we strive to love as HE loves us.

http://www.onemangotree.com/pages/meet-artisans
For those folks interested, when you purchase and receive One Mango Tree products, write a comment on here with the name of the lady who made your bag. I will be more than happy to get the message directly to each one in Gulu.