January & February Newsletter

Hello friends and family! We hope this reaches you well! We have lots to tell you so we hope you are ready to hear all that God has been doing here. We had a very long holiday from school with the national elections delaying the start of the school year here. School did not start until February 22, but we were kept busy until then!

Pursue

Friends, it is 2016 (obviously). I am still trying to wrap my brain around that fact. I sit here on my veranda this afternoon, 75 degrees of sunshine, a man speaking Luganda in a microphone a distance away, a church down the road lifting their voices, 

Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love.

December Newsletter

Hello friends and family! It has been a slow month for us here in Uganda and we are enjoying our break before the craziness begins. We spent Christmas Day going to the Christmas service at church and fellowshipping with friends from church and their twin baby boys, along with two girls from Germany. We cooked Chinese food for lunch, played games, went on a walk through the community, and relaxed.

November Newsletter

What a month it has been for us here in Uganda. If your November was anything like ours, it flew by. It seems like just yesterday we were preparing for November and now here it is, December 2nd. November was filled with outreach, celebration, Thanksgiving, and rain, lots and lots of rain. And you can imagine what happens when most of the roads are made of dirt and have poor drainage.

Erinya Lya Mukama Lye'bazibwe

July 2015.

Oh man, just thinking about what all has happened in this short month brings a smile to my face. July has been the best month of our lives. By far, without comparison. The wait for it was long and the anticipation was unbearable. Now it's July 29th and we have to pinch ourselves to believe that everything that happened actually happened and it wasn't just a dream. We want to reminisce as we tell you all about the adventures we had in Uganda with some of our favorite people from the Buckeye State.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

It’s been eight months since I have left “home”. Eight months of eating matooke and beans, and boda boda (motorcycle taxi) rides, and red dirt roads. My home has went from being a cozy brick house wrapped in a white picket fence in Berlin, Ohio, to an apartment compound down a red dirt road that’s filled with kids screaming and playing all day long in Bulenga, Uganda.

A new home calls for learning new things.

Like how to deal with no running water for over two months, how to wash my hair in a basin and wash my clothes by hand, and how winning a bargain deal with a boda driver is a big accomplishment, so big that a high-five to myself is needed when it happens. Learning how to cross the street successfully has taken a while to master. Imagine this – a mother load of cars zooming back and forth (except they drive on the opposite side of the road, that alone confused my brain), boda bodas showing up out of nowhere behind cars, taxis randomly stopping on the sides and even right in the middle of the road, all the while honking is going on everywhere and your brain starts having a mini panic attack, throw in some random cows crossing the street and you have a crazy mess you somehow have to walk through. Boda rides have taught me that mzungu hair has no chance against any sort of wind, even just a breeze. It’s more like I have to own the “I just woke up with my hair like this, and messy is the new style, isn’t it cute?” look. I can successfully cook matooke, beans, sweet potatoes, cabbage, Irish potatoes, and fried rice but it’s got nothing on a real Ugandan mama’s cooking. I’m working on becoming a Ugandan-food-cooking-soon-to-be-wife (74 days to be exact!). I’m slowly learning the native language, Luganda, but it’s a long (did I mention slow?) work in progress.

Eight months at my new home away from home has also taught me what it means to be homesick. And being homesick has taught me what it means to appreciate the family I have in small town, Ohio. Today I wrote a short letter for the annual Yoder camping trip about 21 years of memories made camping with my big Yoder family in a mosquito infested campground. These are some of the memories that came flooding back,

“When you think of camping with family, and more specifically all 50 of the loud and weird Yoder’s (you have to admit, we are all a little weird, but the good kind of weird), you either hate it or you love it. I am one of those people who love it and have loved it for all of my twenty one years. I remember nights of sitting around a big campfire under a clear, star-filled sky, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows. When I say a big fire, I actually mean a hugely-enormous-should-be-illegal fire, Yoder’s sure know how to make a fire. It always seems like there is something new to be made on the campfire every year, Esther’s now famous donuts being one of them. I think of singing hymns, all voices raised together in perfect harmony, ending in a prayer that is followed by Uncle Jake singing “Amen, Amen, Amen…”, which brings me to the memory of Uncle Jake stuffing thirty marshmallows in his mouth at once, always the life of the party. The funny, crazy Uncle that every family needs. I remember days of playing softball and thinking I was cool for playing with the “big guys” while secretly wishing the ball wouldn’t come flying in my face. Always eating meals so big and delicious that you feel like your stomach is going to burst, and at the end of the weekend you are convinced you have gained about 20 pounds. I remember simple and funny things, but things that have made an imprint in my heart over the years; calling up Alli and Jenni when we were little to make sure they would bring their baby dolls so we could play, Dad cooking up some gross raccoon they killed the night before and then having some weird desire to eat it, chewing pieces of double-bubble gum and blowing bubbles the size of our heads, Robert giving us rides down the hill in the little red wagon, washing Steve’s hair with dish soap (I’m pretty sure he was real mad at us but was too nice to show it), water balloon fights, volleyball games, rib cook-offs, holding new babies that have just joined the family, bumming in a lawn chair with a soda in one hand and a bag of chips in the other for hours just because you know you can, Uncle Earl sharing the gospel on Sunday mornings, puppet shows, Doddy surprising you with a witty joke every now and then, and lots of mosquito bites. Oh and laughter, lots and lots of laughter. Memories being remembered, shared, and made. Reunion.”

There are countless memories that I could share with you about both sides of my big and loud families, but that would take pages and I am sure you don’t want to listen to me stroll through memory lane. Growing up in two huge Christ-centered families has shown me examples of grace and forgiveness being given and received over and over again, and what that looks like when it is started at the very beginning of it all, from the grandparents. My prayer is that one day, my kids will grow up and look back on years of memories and be able to say the same things about their family and instill that into their own children. I want my kids to be the ones who say “I L O V E my family gatherings” instead of the ones who dread going. There is something so beautiful about families who stick together, love each other, pray for each other and fight for one another in Christ.

My prayer is that one day I will sit with Silvester, wrinkled by years of life, and look out and see a family full of Christ-like love and grace, forgiveness, humility, and unity. One that sticks together through the hardships and one that’s full of a thousand memories.

Amazing Grace // How Sweet the Sound

I glanced at the big pile of dirty dishes in my sink, I thought of once again walking past and acting like I hadn’t seen them. Too late. I boil hot water and look at the dishes. Ew. Do I really have to do these right now? Yes, just do it. Washing dishes is one of my least favorite things to do in this world. I crank up some music extra loud to try to make the washing more enjoyable (and secretly thinking that I can sing louder without my neighbors cringing). My Ugandan neighbors are probably thinking there is something wrong with this crazy mzungu who is singing very loudly out the kitchen window. I smile to myself and keep singing.

I hear the beginning beats of one of my favorite songs and as I listen to the words, I realize just how much this song is resonating deep in my soul.

“Make me broken, so I can be healed // Cause I’m so calloused, and now I can’t feel // I want to run to You, with heart wide open // Make me broken” Yes, Lord! I am broken, I want to run to You, touch my heart and heal me.

“Make me empty, so I can be filled // Cause I’m still holding onto my will // And I’m completed when You are with me // Make me empty” Lord, please, show me Your face, show me Your will!

“Till You are my one desire // Till You are my one true love // Till You are my breath, my everything // Lord please keep making me” Lord, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know where to turn, hear my cry, be my very breath, keep making me into You.

Tears are streaming down my cheeks as my heart is breaking at the kitchen sink. “Make me lonely, so I can be Yours // Till I want no one more than You, Lord // Cause in the darkness, I know You will hold me // Make me lonely” Hold me, sweet Jesus. Wrap me up and out of the darkness and into Your light, I want no one more than You, Lord. Hold me…please.

My prayers have turned into cries and my knees have hit the cold, tile floor. God, I don’t know where You are taking me, but make me patient. God, I want to run to You with arms stretched high, make me broken. God, fill me with Your very presence and Yours alone, make me empty. God, I am scared, give me unconditional faith. God, its so dark here, its so hard, but make me want no one more than You, Lord.

The songs keep coming.

Waiting here for You, with our hands lifted high in praise // And it’s You we adore, singing Alleluia // You are everything You have promised, Your faithfulness is true // We are desperate for Your presence // All we need is You

You stay the same through the ages, Your love never changes // There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning // And when the oceans rage, I don’t have to be afraid // Cause I know that You love me // Your love never fails

You light up our way, You bring a brighter future // You light up our lives, Your love is like no other // We are going to shine, now we are going to shine for You // We won’t fear the night, we are looking straight ahead // Never turning back, counting on Your faithfulness // Oh this God, is our God, even till the end // Standing strong over us, time and time again, even till the end

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound // That saved a wretch like me // I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see // My chains are gone, I’ve been set free // My God, my Savior, has ransomed me // And like a flood, His mercy reigns // Unending love, Amazing Grace

God, You are here, You have never left. What a sweet, sweet realization.

This big God of the whole universe loves me, He loves me! And He knows exactly what He is doing with my life,even when I don’t. I want to live my whole life for Him who created me into existence, just like He gave His one and only son for me, for us. I want to praise Him for the big things and the small things. And give all glory to His name. I am small, but He is big. He knows my every thought and heart break, every joy and victory, every defeat and darkness. I want His praise to always be at the tip of my lips, that every nation and tongue would know His name. Even in times when I feel defeated, I will praise His name.

I will rejoice in the fact that when days are hard and I feel defeated, God brings me a sweet little visitor to brighten my day.

I will thank God that when I need a good chuckle, He brings my favorite people to send me funny snapchats and reminds me why I love them so much.

I will be grateful for friendships that last and that are true and beautiful. God brought this one back into my life right when He knew I needed it most.

I will know God takes care of me. He brought me a sweet blessing and second “mom” in Jean who takes cares of me like her own.

I will overcome darkness and despair. I will overcome insecurity, loneliness, and comparison. I will overcome through the Overcomer Himself.

Future // Now

This blog is exactly what the title says; this is the story of my future, and the story of life now.

My fiance Silvester lives in Uganda, East Africa, where I am serving too, and where God first brought our hearts together in 2013. We plan to continue the rest of our lives together and make it official on the 18th of July, 2015 in Uganda at a big wedding celebration with family and friends all around. We are so excited about the future that God has in store for us and we want to share our story with you.

Silvester currently serves at a vulnerable mothers ministry, Uniquely Woven, located in the southeast of Kampala. Uniquely Woven takes care of single mothers who are very desperate, who have lost their husbands while they are about to experience their labor, young teens who get pregnant at school and see no hope for their baby, and many more dark situations. He started out helping as a translator at the time Uniquely Woven was starting in May 2014, and now helps out as the Coordinator of Operations. His job is to find the right story of a mama the ministry is going to care for, figure out the best way to help her and her children (if any), find her a new home, locate a school for the mama’s children and attend their school events, deal with the local merchants that provide food and other services to the mamas. He is present at the hospital at the time of birth for the mama (even if it is an all night process), and responds to all the needs of the mama as long as they are still under the care of Uniquely Woven. He recruits and manages volunteers that help in the different activities held by Uniquely Woven, and translates at the pregnant mothers bible study in Namuwongo slums that is held every Tuesday.

I serve at a street children out-reach ministry, Raising Up Hope for Uganda, located West of Kampala in Bulenga. Raising Up Hope has several different programs including a Boys and Girls Home, a Safe House, slum outreach every Tuesday and Thursday, Village of Hope, and a Day Care education program for kids in the community who’s families can’t afford the school fees of a private school. Every day is different for me as some days I can find myself teaching English at the school, or cooking rice for a group of kids in the slums, or visiting the Safe House and the two young mamas and their beautiful babies there, or traveling to the Village of Hope and even helping plant beans, potatoes, and other foods, or photographing the day with the other volunteers and kids, typing up contracts, reviewing the website, and editing photos.

“Together, we want to love and serve the children in every way possible and in any time we have, there is nothing as fulfilling as serving others.”

Although we are both serving at these two different ministries, God has placed a different call for the future on our lives. If you know Silvester personally, you would know that he has always had a heart for children and knows that God placed that on his life for a reason and he can’t ignore it. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” James 1:27. Silvester has always had a vision to live out this verse in his life and has started it by serving at Uniquely Woven. Our ultimate vision, dream, and goal as a couple that God has called to Uganda, is to start a home for homeless children and welcome them into our lives and into God’s love through the ministry. Our purpose is to be “Father” and “Mother” to them and erase the word and feeling of “orphan” and “orphanage” from them. We are in the beginning steps of writing out the vision and goals of this new ministry. We believe that every child is perfectly made in God’s eyes and that He has a plan for each and every one of them. We know that this will be a big and hard step to take but we believe that with God’s help nothing is impossible. We plan on starting our own ministry when we are settled into marriage after some time and when God says the time is right.

We can’t do this without your help. Right now we need about 17 faithful  and committed sponsors giving $50 per month, or 35 sponsors giving $25 or their own desired amount per month, or even just a one time donation, our monthly budget would be covered and drive us to serve God faithfully. If you have interest in supporting, please message me on Facebook or email katelyn_yoder@yahoo.com to get more details on our budget plan. We hope that you are able to share this with your friends and family as well, and are extremely thankful for you taking your time to listen to me as I share our future story with you. Your prayers are the most needed thing of all. Please pray for us as we embark on a life of missions together and that God would meet every one of our needs right where we are.

We need your help.

 God Bless You.

Goodbye 2014. Hello 2015.

2014.

A year of changes, of new beginnings, of hardship and loneliness, of joy and excitement and anticipation, of rejoicing in The Father, of new friendships that will stick no matter the distance.

I thought the blessing was being asked to be a youth leader at church, but the real blessing was the 12 girls who stole my heart. Those sweet girls taught me more than I could ever teach them. They challenged my fears and erased them, they saw me for who I was, mistakes and all, and still loved me, and made me laugh till my stomach hurt. And they will forever have a place in my heart.

The anticipation leading to the 5th of April was almost unbearable. That was the day that I was going to finally see my best friend again, the day that I would set foot on Ugandan soil, and the day that would make the past ten months of waiting to be back, worth everything. Those three weeks in Uganda set the pace for the rest of the year and opened my heart to so many endless possibilities, even though the road to those possibilities seemed impossible.

Then came a week spent in the hospital fighting malaria and feeling the sickest that I have ever felt in my whole life. Fears started overtaking my heart as I wondered how I was ever going to pay for the hospital bills and make it back to Uganda, my home and my heart, in September.

The next months were followed with hardship, loneliness, finding myself in Christ, and giving everything to the One who told me to cast all my anxieties on Him. Day after day, month after month, God conquered all my fears and replaced them with excitement; paid every single bill, blessed me with friendships that will last a lifetime, restored my peace, paved my way financially to Uganda, and answered all my prayers with Trust Me.

I can’t thank God enough for the family he has given me and for the perseverance that we have endured through every hardship. This year was hard. But I thank God that we are now rejoicing in the life of togetherness. My little (but not so little anymore) sister graduated high school with amazing grades, made it to college and is now playing basketball as a point guard at Mount Vernon University! I couldn’t be more proud and excited for what lies ahead for her. I’m cheering you on from way over here, Em!

2014 has taught me so much about love. Deep and unconditional love. Love that won’t just disappear after making one mistake, love that won’t let you go, and love that knows no bounds. Loving means accepting someone even when they are at their worst, even when they are grumpy and not fun to be around, and even when it hurts. I thank God for bringing me a best friend who loves me in every moment, even when I don’t deserve it. Silvester has taught me so much about God’s love. He lives out the meaning of God’s love in everything he does, its built into his bones. This year has brought so many firsts and new beginnings for us; finally living on the same continent after 15 months of waiting, drinking Novida’s and eating matooke together, cooking together (while disagreeing about how something should be sliced, or how much salt to add, due to the different cultures of growing up ;) ), loving and serving together, engagement, and now onto planning a wedding and then hoping to serve and love more together in ministry.

Finally, the past three months with Raising Up Hope for Uganda have been challenging, but oh so rewarding. The relationships with the people there are blossoming and I am so excited to see what 2015 holds for those. I am not saying its been easy, cause its probably been one of the hardest parts of the year, but God has never hidden His face from me.

Throughout this year, God has conquered valleys and mountains that I didn’t know would be possible.

So now,

Let’s do this, 2015.

When Dreams Come True 18:07:2015 4PM

Yes, its time for a guy to mumble about his crazy life. I know many of you have questions going on in your minds over whats happening here but let me tell you, its alright. 

I am so sorry it took me a long time to come up with one of these but I will try my best to give all detail required. 

I will start on the ministry side of life, these few weeks have been hard ones getting around everything to do with ministry but I also thank God for that one time me and Kate walked into one of the mamas house during Home Visits while we didn't think that God was sending us there, this mama who was alone in the house with her 2 year old daughter who looks scared and traumatised as she was watching her mom suffer in labour pain at home while no one was there and she couldn't do anything. 

Not to worry you, God enabled us to get a car, (thank you for your support to Uniquely Woven) and we helped her to the hospital, while she thinks she is dying, we reach a Government Health Centre where they try to ask for a bribe so that they can induce her, suggesting that this is the only option or else they refer us to Mulago which is about 3.8 miles from this health centre and they said that its dangerous  because something would happen on the way, so I decided that please send us to Mulago so we don't have to pay this bribe and I knew that God would be there with us. On arrival to Mulago, we were joined Nurse Jenny who took a close care to this mama, we thank God that she had a baby safely and healthy. Today mama Peace is very happy to present to you Baby Silvester. She is so thankful for God's faithfulness and grace over his people especially those who pray to him. 

Mama Peace and Baby Silvester

This Tuesday, Uniquely Woven, under the programme Jangu Omulise which means "Come Bloom", we hope to dedicate over 50-75 babies to the Lord. Many of these babies never have a chance to. And we will also take that day as Uniquely Woven to celebrate Christmas with these mamas.

Talking about my personal life......first of all I want to thank you all for the support you give to me and ask that don't stop praying for me and my fiance as we also take on this step next year. I want to tell you alot about this so why dont you visit www.silvesterandkatelynforever.com/lovestory now! God Bless You Love You