Missin those days

I have to say...I miss my days living at Atin!! However, I am grateful for these past weeks as well, they have been restful and filled with time with friends and good things. I just see now, how incredibly RARE that opportunity was. I am so thankful to all the folks at Atin who offered me this. I was pushed to lay down my life in a way I never have before. Although challenging, I felt so intimate with God, and like I was working muscles that had not been worked before. I miss waking up in the mornings with my first thoughts being about the kids, and not myself. As painful as it was sometimes, I miss having to force myself up at 7am or earlier to the sounds of their worship time...and being present with them cause I knew it bonded us. I miss having tea and cassava with the staff every morning. I miss reading to the kids at night. I miss preparing the food. I miss sorting beans. I miss the house and all of its quarks. I miss the many animals that roamed freely in and out. Atin, you are a wonderful place, living with you was one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given. My experience there, once again speaks loudly of the thing I have learned most in Uganda: service brings the greatest joy.

September has begun. Only two more full months in Lira before returning home. Still, my stomach churns when I think about leaving....however, I know its the right thing. Just not the easy thing. It will be good for me to go back and see this place through a different perspective. I also miss my family and friends a lot. I do have so many dreams of coming back and working in areas of photography or child empowerment or Atin or helping in educational support or even starting up a small business, ha! Who knows. I commit all these dreams to God. His will I want most. I have also learned this: the more I give up, the more fulfilled I am.

Its taken me over 6 months to finally begin a photo project! But I have started and hoping it has affect. I want these kids stories to be told. They deserve it. I want my photographs to empower children. The 16 children that are being fostered at the project have become my beloved subjects. If you have feedback, please share with me, I need it :)
website: Graciebyrdjones.com (if you wanna check out the work)

Thank you for your care and prayers. Please just pray over these next two months for me, that Christ would pour out His grace, provision, humility, and love. Also, that i would walk closely knit to Him. Also, that He would show me what to pursue after returning home.

G