Whenever I have travelled with Trudy she is always so careful and cautious with the team. She would feel horrible if anything happened to anyone in her care. She threw a fit the first time I wanted to ride a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi). She finally relented and then told the driver, "You must go very slow. This is my nephew's wife and she has young children." Needless to say I had the slowest boda ride in history. People were stopping and pointing... that is how strange I looked on the back of a motorcycle creeping along. We then got stuck behind a huge truck. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer, so I leaned up and told the driver, "You can speed up and pass if you'd like". So the driver sped off and weaved between a few trucks. When I got off, Trudy gave me quite the look and I laughed. All of this to say, Trudy is very cautious with other people's lives, but not her own.
I asked you all recently to pray for her and for her safety because crazy things happen to her when she is left alone. Read her latest blog... and you'll see just what I mean. But I love the way God uses her and she shares her faith without fear.
-----------
From Trudy in July 2009- "Last week, I left Mbale to travel to Mukono to visit our new library at Martin Nkoyoyo Primary School. I chose to travel on one of the larger buses, the Elgon Flyer. Flyer was the perfect name - as it is normally a 4 and 1/2 hour trip. We made it in three! However, an inspiring event took place on the bus, which I would like to share. It still brings tears to my eyes - so this will be hard to type.
I was sitting alone on the bus - knowing it wouldn't last, as the buses are always crowded. It is always difficult for me to leave Mbale knowing it will be another year before I return, so I was hoping to have some quiet time to reflect.
A young man came and stood by me a minute and then sat down. As I glanced at him, I remember thinking that he looked like a street person. Though it doesn't show in the picture, all of his clothes were really filthy. It was 80+ degrees and the young man kept the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head. Under the sweatshirt hood I could see that his hair was all in separate little rubber-band clumps, which is unusual in Uganda.
Shortly after we started on the trip, the young man turned and said, "I've never sat by a mzungu (white person) before." I had to laugh at that, so started visiting with him. He said he had been living in a small village by Mbale with his grandmother. His mother had taken a job in Kampala as a 'housegirl' for some white people, and moved there with his four siblings. He had never been out of his village/Mbale, so had never traveled on a bus, and certainly never been to a big city - Kampala. His mother had asked him to come and stay with her a few months, though his Grandmother didn't want him to leave. She needed him to milk the cows, etc., as well as wanting his company.
Derrick began to tell me how much he loved his Grandmother. He laughed out loud as he kept trying to explain to me how funny she is. His eyes lit up and his face remained one big smile as he continued to tell me various stories about his life with her. After some time visiting about his Grandmother, Suzan, I suddenly was sure this precious lady must be a Christian. When I asked Derrick, he replied that, yes - his grandma was/is a Christian. His face said it all as he shared with me the many things she had told him about God and how we should live for him. He told me his Grandmother told him that they must always trust in God.
As we were getting close to Mukono, I asked Derrick if he thought it was time that he gave his heart to God and became a Christian, as he must know that is what his Grandmother would want. He didn't even hesitate. He said, "Yes, I want to become a Christian now."
I took both of his hands; we bowed our heads and and prayed together - with Derrick asking forgiveness of his sins and for Christ to come into his heart. When he had finished praying - it is hard to describe, but it was like there was a glow about him. He kept repeating, "You can't know the joy in my heart. I am a born-again Christian like my grandma!" It struck me as amazing that he kept referring to the 'joy' he felt. Isn't God amazing?!""
---------
Trudy made sure and put Derrick in contact with our friend, Pastor Wilber. Wilberblog so you can read about her visit to his home last week.
Trudy also has been in contact with our Ugandan lawyer. I don't know what we'd do without her. It's been wonderful to have her there to help coordinate things for Mercy's adoption. She also hopes to go spend the night with Mercy this week in the village. I'm sure it will be an adventure! I told her I may owe her a day at the spa when she gets home.
