John Pipes is our direct link to Uganda. He heads up the "Uganda Project" which we are a part of. While he was here teaching us two weeks ago he made the call to get the ball rolling on a house for Team5Morris in Uganda. Last week we got an exciting email saying a suitable house had been found but we had to act quickly. So sight unseen we approved the house but literally knew nothing about it. For a few days I cautiously prodded my husband's memory since he was the one who had talked to John about it, hoping that he might be able to tell me something about the house. Finally two days ago Daniel came upstairs and with doom in his voice said," Honey, I found out something about the house. Prepare yourself. It doesn't have any plumbing and is three rooms total. Not three bedrooms but just three rooms make up the house." Rewind for a minute to about a month ago.
Our friends the Roberts who are going to Romania with their three teenage kids found out their only option for housing might be a house with no plumbing. As their teenage daughters bemoaned this fact I arrogantly told them to suck it up. A lack of plumbing wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen to them. It would be character building. Hmm...funny how that doesn't seem so quaint when it applies to your living situation.
Fast forward again to two days ago. My husband was looking sympathetically at me as my wretched, spoiled flesh struggled to win. "What? No plumbing?" I ask with a strange whiney tone to my voice. He replies, "No, but there is a water source less than a mile away that we can haul water from." To this I say, "Why do we have to have this house? Can't he find a better one? I mean he only looked for a few days, surely there is something with plumbing we can get. Tell me you are joking." Daniel looks at me with stern reproach in his eyes and says, "Wow. You need to calm down. I thought you would be okay with any situation." Calm down? Me? I noticed I was beginning to sweat a little. "Just give me a few minutes to think okay?" I snapped back at him. So I battled with my self for about ten minutes. I reminded myself that I did sign up for this and that I better just suck it up, as I so glibbly counseled the Robert's kids. Taking a deep breath I got up and walked over to where Daniel was sitting. "I'm sorry, you are right. I am sure I'll be able to get over it." I say with NOT 100% sincerity. Daniel smiles an approving smile and sweetly says, "I was kidding about the whole thing. Our house is better than we expected. It has four bedrooms and a guest house out back. It is fully fenced and gated and has two bathrooms." He sits back still smiling which now takes on an evil twist. "I just wanted to test you and see how well you'd do with less than perfect circumstances."
As relief floods my shallow heart and I stifle the urge to sucker punch him I feel a creeping sense of shame. I wish I had responded the right way the first time. But I am so thankful for what God has provided for us. To some of you that house may sound luxurious, over the top even. To us it looks like a big present wrapped and delivered by God. And just think, with all that room we can host lots of short term missionaries! Pack your bags and mosquito nets! Thanks for all your prayers again! God continues to be faithful in everything!
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