life – The Rousehouse

What’s the Rousehouse up to this summer?

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

July has been a heavy month emotionally. To be completely honest it has been a difficult time for our family but we are trusting in the fullness of the Lord to take care of us. We were planning on being in the US this month to see family, friends and ministry partners as well as take a very anticipated vacation to the beach. Instead, we planned a couple shorter getaways here in Uganda. There is no beach, unfortunately, but there are some pretty spectacular natural beauties in this country. It’s also an adventure in just traveling to these places.

Spanky and Lara: Lara and I went away for a long weekend with our friends, Smooth and Kelly, to an area of the country we had never visited. We travelled about 9 hours away to the Kibale Forrest in the western portion of Uganda. We simply relaxed, laughed, ate good food, stayed up late, and swam in one of the 88 crater lakes (A crater lake is a former volcano that has filled with fresh water…so we went for a dip in a volcano!).

Family trip: Then Lara planned a family trip to the Murchinson Falls area of the country which is about 8 hours north west of our town. We stayed at some friends lodge which was a beautiful, quiet safari camping lodge for 4 days. One day we took a game drive (safari), another day we drove to the top of the Murchinson Falls, and most of the other times you could find us sitting by the pool listening to music and playing games. You can check out some pretty cool pictures from our trip by clicking —> here.

Community on high alert: This month many of you know that we have had some very serious home invasions around Jinja. They have all been focused on expats like some of our friends. We have upped our security, been more alert (less sleeping), and even created a safe room and emergency plan, just in case. We pray daily for the Lord’s army of angles to surround us!

Recently we have been noticing a few things that are quiet normal here but might be a little unusual from what you would experience in America.

I asked if this was safe and the worker said, “why wouldn’t it be???”

Kiddos…

Mac decided that he wanted dreads so he got dreads.
He is loving them!
He grew his hair for 3 years for this.

Elly visits the local supermarket weekly just to play with the kittens that are running around the shelves.

Grey’s been enjoying learning how to play tennis these days

Ministry and life is not what it use to be here but we are learning a new normal. Our ministry is definitely more personal as we are feeling our days with individual conversations, dinners with families at their homes, and working to figure out how we can have home groups instead of large church gatherings. We are anticipating the day we can get back into remote villages to serve and volunteering as a family to help meet others needs. Until then, we are doing the next right thing by encouraging people that God puts in our paths and keeping our eyes open to those opportunities that are right in front of us.

It was a major Muslim holiday last week and our neighbors let us share in the slaughtering.

Please join us in prayer:

The kids and Lara will be starting school back this month
Please continue to pray for safety. Lord send your army of angles to surround us!
Awareness of the opportunities the Lord wants us to step in during this time
Praise the Lord for time away and a vacation
Financial support and stableness
Our friends, neighbors and church members that are struggling with finances and food during this time
Our families mental, emotional and spiritual healthiness during this time
Spanky is finishing up his schooling and hours for Life Coaching

The best way to be sure you don’t miss an update would be to follow our blog or one of our social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

What’s New In June?

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

Uganda Update: We have now been in some kind of lockdown for nearly 4 months and have lost track of all sense of time. Currently we still have an official curfew of 7pm, no schools or churches gathering, and a few other restrictions that continue to limit the outreach and work that we are here to do. We are allowed to have 4 people in a car now, which that is still a little tricky for our family of 5. COVID seems to be on the rise here but we can’t truly tell due to the governments control of information. We are simply trying to live life as normal as possible and keep a content spirit during this crazy season of life.

Family Update: Our children have the privilege of doing most of their school either online or with Lara, therefore they have been successful in completing another year of school! Lara is super grateful to now officially be on summer break!

This summer Mac is studying coffee roasting, exploring around town, and computer programming for fun through an online mastery course.

Greyson is working on a dog training course while using our dogs as test dummies, playing his guitar, and playing tennis.

Elly is soaking up every bit of social time she can get with friends and playing mind craft.

Lara and I are planning for the coming months, working on some projects and investing in Jinja Town Church and people that we can easily connect with that live near us.

Needing R&R: Overall we are doing ok but definitely needing some time to relax, get away, and exhale. We enjoy our life here in Jinja, Uganda but there days that can seem overwhelming from the time you get out of bed. The stresses of a different culture, unstable internet, power, and water, regular sicknesses, safety issues, people around us that are in great need, relationships, never ending car repairs, constantly changing government rules, and learning how to fully live out our purpose during this time can all add up in a day. Also, we are suppose to be leaving for America next week but we are unable to make that trip which can add an extra level of frustration and sadness. I’ve heard that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but I think a little R&R would go a long way too.

We have decided to take a couple short trips this coming month. Lara and I are going to head to a lodge in the Kibale Forest near the Congo border that is offering a nice discount for a couple days. We are looking forward to unplugging, relaxing and being somewhere with out all of the constant noises and chaos. We are also going to go shopping in the capital to pic up some goodies for the family. Then, we are wanting to plan a 4 day trip up north where we can take the kids. Our hope is to go to a safari lodge where we can swim, hike the waterfalls, and take a day safari. We think the kids would really enjoy this time away and going on an adventure! We will be sure to update you and send pics.

Please join us in prayer:

Spanky’s ankle is feeling much better but not 100% yet
Safety
Awareness of the opportunities the Lord wants us to step in during this time
Vacation and time away as a family
Financial support and stableness
Our friends, neighbors and church members that are struggling with finances and food during this time
Our families mental, emotional and spiritual healthiness during this time

The best way to be sure you don’t miss an update would be to follow our blog or one of our social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

COVID Creating Change

Posted on June 29, 2020June 29, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

The world is learning what the new normal will look like after this pandemic. It is a whole new way of life for some. COVID is creating changes for the Rousehouse here in Uganda as well, but we see it as an opportunity to step into a calling.

COMING SOON: we will be sending our June Newsletter sometime in the next week. We have many new happenings and stories to share.

PLEASE keep our family in your prayers during this uncertain time. If you would like to partner with us financially on a monthly bases or with a special gift we would be more than grateful! Click here —> Partnering with us…

Thank you to those who are supporting our family and ministry during this season of life! We are forever grateful!

Ugandan Lockdown & Our Children’s Thoughts

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

It has been a few weeks since our last update but not much has changed. As for Uganda, there are 489 cases and 79 of these have recovered fully. Most of our cases, around 400 are truck drivers from neighboring countries that are sent back to their home country when tested at the boarder. Thankfully we have NO official deaths from COVID-19 yet!!!

The biggest problem currently is the lack of income and food for most local families. We meet people everyday on the street, strangers stopping by our house, or through our church that have not eaten in days. Our biggest impact currently is by providing basic necessities like food and soap to families. It’s life or death for some during his time. This season of life makes us really think twice about our true wants and needs.

Our family is holding on here in Jinja during this time of lockdown. It really isn’t that bad but we definitely have days when we are ready to throw our hands up and wave that white flag. We just finished week 10 of this lockdown which means it has been 10 weeks since we have driven cars, road on motorcycles, been to restaurants, had normal busy schedules, gone to church, held gym classes, and seen more than a handful of people in a day. We are over this! We are likely to have some changes come this week which makes us happy!

As for the Rousehouse kids, we wanted you to hear from them.

We are still in great need of your financial support. We are dependent on generous people like you back home in America to partner with our family. Your generosity helps us in providing food for families, serving the Sole Hope staff during this time, and partnering in many ways with Jinja Town Church who is having the greatest impact on hundreds of families a week that are in need.

This time is not what we had dreamed and hoped it would be, but we still believe that God brought us here and is using us and this situation for His good and kingdom. He is not done with us in Uganda!!!

We need you to stand with us and say a prayer for us during this time! Here are a few items:

Praise the Lord, Spanky’s ankle is almost healed up!!!
Safety, peace, and general calmness here in Uganda
The Lord’s working in our hearts and lives during this time
No missed opportunities during this season – His vision and purpose
The Lord’s quick and perfect victory over COVID-19
Uganda’s and the World’s Economy
Our families mental, emotional and spiritual healthiness during this time

The best way to be sure you don’t miss an update during this crazy time would be to follow our blog or one of our social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

Rousehouse Rona Update Week 4/5

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

Click on link in to view the Rousehouse’s latest update…

Rousehouse Rona Weekly Update 4/5

Highlights:

Uganda has only had 55 cases so far, NO deaths, and only 18 active cases
Economy is being effected greatly and people are beginning to run out of food
We have had 3 ways to help those in need with food
Sole Hope is also on lockdown so only essential staff are on site. Others are still being cared for.
The Rousehouse is doing FINE but tired of lockdown

Please join us in prayer:

Healing of Spanky’s ankle
Safety
The Lord’s working in us during this time
No missed opportunities during this season
The Lord’s quick and perfect victory over COVID-19
Uganda’s and the World’s Economy
Our families mental, emotional and spiritual healthiness during this time

The best way to be sure you don’t miss an update during this crazy time would be to follow our blog or one of our social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

*Please go and follow Sole Hope to see the Hope of Jesus in action and the impact local Ugandans are having on communities and in people’s lives!

https://www.instagram.com/solehope/ – Sole Hope

Week 3 Rona Lock Down

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

The best way to be sure you don’t miss an update during this crazy time would be to follow our blog or one of our social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

*Please go and follow Sole Hope to see the Hope of Jesus in action and the impact local Ugandans are having on communities and in people’s lives!

https://www.instagram.com/solehope/ – Sole Hope

Week 2 of Rona Lockdown

Posted on March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

The best way to be sure you don’t miss an update during this crazy time would be to follow our blog or one of our social media outlets.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

*Please go and follow Sole Hope to see the Hope of Jesus in action and the impact local Ugandans are having on communities and in people’s lives!

https://www.instagram.com/solehope/ – Sole Hope

Intentional Generosity

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

What if we encouraged our pastors, supported our missionaries, and partnered with what God is already doing? What impact would we have?

I found a version of this list at The Gospel Coalition (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/10-ways-to-encourage-a-missionary/) and thought it was so good. I have been on the receiving end of this kind of support and generosity so many times. I personally know just how special it can be. When people invest in my life, family, and ministry like one of these points below it is like fuel on my fire that keeps me going.

In honor of all of those who have partnered with the Rousehouse over the years I wanted to encourage you to pick one of these ideas and be intentionally generous today towards a friend, missionary, pastor, community worker, volunteer, or non-profit servant this week. They will be forever grateful!

1. Pray for them and let them know that you are doing so frequently.

We love to hear from people back in the US that say they are praying for us. It means a lot to know that you aren’t alone in this work. It can be as simple as a short text message but makes a world of a difference in my day.

Your pastor needs to know that you are praying for them! You have a responsibility to your church to support them in this way.

2. Send “real mail.”

Send a note or a card encouraging them.

If they are overseas spend the extra money on postage and ship them a care package. I have seen how special it is to get a package of goodies. It means a lot! Especially around the holidays.

3. Pray for the people the missionaries/church serve and not only for the missionaries/pastors and their families.

We partner together to see the victory…Prayer is the key!

Pray for your community or city as well! God is counting on you and your pastor can’t shoulder this mission alone.

4. Recruit others to pray for the missionary’s area of service (city, people group, etc.) or for the missionaries themselves.

When people you have never meet commit to join you in prayer or serve with you in some way you are reminded that this is much bigger than me. God is doing His thing and blessing me in the midst.

You could help connect your church, help by mailing newsletters, collecting supplies they may need, or host a fundraiser.

Ask your church, how can I volunteer? Their jaw will likely hit the floor.

5. Go visit them with the purpose of serving and encouraging them in their work.

We love visitors! They bring goodies, encourage us, they get to see our day to day lives, they remind us that people back home still care a lot about us, and make us laugh and feel normal again. It’s so great to have your people really know what your work and ministry is like so they can know better how to pray for you and help you along the way.

6. Send them updates and pictures of you and your family (by mail or email).

Christmas cards are our favorites! We also really enjoy when we get updates on how families are doing, life is changing, and special events that are happening. These things help us stay connected in a real way.

7. Ask questions about their work.

Ask not only how we are doing (we do like when people really care how we are doing), but ask about our work and try to learn all you can about the people or city where we are serving.

I know that this has been said, but truly CARING about the work is the best way to encourage us. It means a lot!

8. Continue to be a Christian friend and continue to minister to them.

“Having friends that know me, are patient with me, and expect me to be the same struggling sinner I was when I left helps me stay humble when tempted toward arrogance, and hopeful when tempted toward despair.” – Mark Rogers, The Gospel Coalition

We are regularly caring for people therefore we need people to care for us in the same manner. People in ministry type work struggle the same as anyone else. We need positive and real investments from others as well.

I am grateful for 3 guys that regularly check in with me and meet me at a heart level. They are the secret to me not giving up!

Your pastor needs friends too. Invite them to parties, hang out and ask nothing of them, find out some of their interest and have fun with them. Treat them like normal people and they will love it.

9. Support them financially.

Find out what specific needs they might have and meet those needs. Find out if they need any regular monthly financial support and start giving…with a grateful heart.

I love when people buy our kids clothes, send money for us to go out to dinner or a long weekend way, or simply ask what we need. It is equally if not more exciting to see a new monthly gift come in that was unexpected.

For your pastor, send him $50 to take his wife out on a date. Pay for a weekend away for his family. Take him to play golf. Send him a gift card. Do something out of the ordinary and surprise your pastor. You have NO idea how much that will mean to him!

10. Seek to encourage them when they are on stateside assignment or a pastor on leave.

Take them out to dinner, give them a place to stay or a car to drive for the week, take them to eat Mexican food (nothing says I love you like tacos!), fill there car up with gas, invite them to speak at your church or small group, give a gift card to Target, help them stock up on things they need to take back with them, ask them how you might could bless them while they are there with you. This will feel like life to there bones and breath in their lungs!

Send your pastor on a vacation. Share your cabin in the mountains. Take them to a nice dinner. Do something special for your pastors wife or children. Care for them well and regularly. They need it!

The impact you will have by whole heartedly seeking ways to serve those who God has placed in your life will be unbelievable. You may never know how much it means to the friend, missionary, pastor, community worker, volunteer, or non-profit servant but trust me it is will bless them so much! Your act of intentional generosity may be the thing they need to keep working towards God’s call on their life.

Thank you for choosing intentional generosity!

Making the Most of Life

Posted on March 4, 2020March 4, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

Last weekend we spent time with some new friends Richard and Sue. They have this amazing bungaló out on the Nile River away from town that is picturesque. They invited us for dinner after a long and draining week and we left that night feeling refreshed. Richard and Sue have lived as missionaries in Africa for nearly 30 years with there 3 children and don’t seem to regret a moment of it. They are full of joy, hope and wisdom and love to share it with those of us that are just newbies to this life. They share stories of how God has provided radically, 1000’s of pastors they have equipped, communities they have impacted greatly, and dreams of what God still has for them to be a part of. Their faith is big and it’s contagious to say the least. After an evening with this “hero” like couple, Lara and I begin to think, maybe we aren’t crazy. Just maybe, we are exactly where the Lord wants us today. Hopefully, one day we will sit with a young couple and tell them of all of the miracles, lives changed, and goodness we have seen the Lord do. We might be crazy (somedays a little, other days a whole lot) but we are going to keep faithfully stepping where He leads, loving others, and pointing people to the Father.

We have been visiting and following up with the top 10 schools with the worse cases of jiggers in 2019. So far, we are seeing a huge drop in the numbers of jiggers compared to last year! #Hope

All three kids had to be treated for Bilharzia this month. It’s one of those weird tropical parasites that you get from swimming in water from the Nile River or Lake Victoria. It makes you feel yuck, tired, and dizzy. Thank the Lord we are all still malaria free and that everyone is doing good now!

We checked the PO Box and BOOM it was Christmas in February! We love getting Christmas cards to pin up in our kitchen and enjoy all year long.

Nana and Pawpaw came to visit! Everyone loved spending time with them and for the opportunity to share our life in Uganda with them. We also love the treasures they brought along to share!

We found a real, legit Mexican restaurant in Kampala! Love at first bite!

Hot, dry season has arrived in Uganda but no worries, we found a pool!

Hanging out with friends is what our weekends are all about.

Mac started his first job. He is a coffee barista at the local coffee shop on Sunday afternoons. He has surpassed dad in his coffee making skills!

Ugandan fast food = roasted banana = yummy!

Bible study is going really well. It is fully Ugandan lead now! We are praying about how to start two additional groups with other staff through out the week.

The boys with some smiles!

The ladies enjoying life, even when one of them really wished she had some dramamine while on that local fishing boat.

Jinja Sweat is busting at the seems in both classes! We have around 35 people showing up regularly to get healthy and build community while we sweat together!

A picture is worth a thousand words…This picture screams only one emotion…JOY!

Ways to be praying with us this month:

Protection…physical, spiritual, and over our relationships
Travel plans and the impact of the coronavirus
Increased favor with our staff and those in our community
Strong community of friends and encouragers in our lives
Sole Hope 5K Fundraiser. If you want to run virtually click on the link below SoleHopeDenimDash5KandFunRunandVIRTUAL5K
Our new car still needs some work done on it
For Jinja Sweat: healthy bodies and community – Needing to raise funds to build a shelter and floor
Increased vision and passion for the work God is calling us to here

Praises!

We had a good visit with Nana and Pawpaw
We had a new church send us a gift to help pay for our car repairs
The Lord is continuing to protected us from Malaria!
It seems like Sole Hope is moving in a great direction and is serving villages here in Uganda really well
We really sense a community of friends is growing around us!
It’s been dry!

How can you partner with us:

Pray Pray Pray
Have your church partner with us and Sole Hope through hands on events like shoe cutting parties and more. Sole Hope, Get Involved
Come visit us! or bring a team to visit and experience Sole Hope and Uganda
Share with others. We would love for others to have the opportunity to be a part of this mission and Sole Hope www.rousehouse.org
Be generous. We regularly need new monthly financial partners Give Monthly
Give a special gift ($20-$2,000) to support the work here in Uganda Special gift

Believe me, YOU WANT TO FOLLOW along on our social media pages! So many fun adventures, stories, and pictures.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

*Please go and follow Sole Hope to see the Hope of Jesus in action and the impact local Ugandans are having on communities and in people’s lives!

https://www.instagram.com/solehope/ – Sole Hope

New Decade, New Season

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by Spanky Rouse

It’s a new year and we feel like new people. January marks 6 months since we landed in Jinja and almost a year since we started this transition from South Africa to Uganda. 2019 was challenging, taxing, and at times overwhelming just to be honest. Our God proved his faithfulness over and over to us! With the start of the new year we feel fresh, empowered, and full of vision and passion for what the Lord wants to do with us and in us here in Uganda this year!

January marks the start of dry season. The first two weeks of the year were very dry and DUSTY, but then last week it rained on an off every day last week, so who knows. I am starting to see why most Ugandans never look at the weather report. They just take it as it is and go on about life.

I love physical fitness, Lara loves community, and this is why group boot camp style classes work so well for us. Four years ago we were working out with a group at Carolina Sweat in Charlotte that changed our lives. We then carried that momentum to South Africa and now we are continuing it here in Jinja. Lara and I wanted to build a gym here at our home to help us, as well as benefit those in our community. There are many stresses with living and working overseas and we believe that this will help all of us become healthier, together. We have a class of 15 that is meeting at 9am Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and soon we will be starting a 6:30am class. We really believe that when you grow in physical freedom you will grow in spiritual, emotional, and mental freedom as well. #JinjaSweat

In January we kicked off our Thursday clinics in the village by visiting some places that we have been to before and worked in regularly last year. What we found was success! Most of the communities had remarkable improvements in the number of jiggers we actually removed. We went back this last week to the very first village our family visited back in May and we saw almost no jiggers! No child should ever have to deal with something as painful and embarrassing as jiggers and with good hygiene, education, and a pair of shoes they don’t have too. This is why we simply…Wash Feet, Love People, and Share Hope!

Our staff bible study is still one of the most meaningful times of our week. As a group we decided to meet out by the river to make it accessible for more people attend. I love being right by the water talking about the bible. Everyone else seems to feel more open and comfortable too. Instead of 1 or 2 of us doing all of the sharing we have had 5 guys step up to pray, read the bible story of the week (we are going through the book of John), and discuss. This past week I didn’t lead any of it!!! I am very encouraged to see the excitement around the bible and the interest in sharing our challenges together (this isn’t a natural thing to do in Ugandan culture). I believe that God is going to use this group of shoes makers and tailors to influence the entire staff in a super positive way at Sole Hope!

As you know we have been really looking and praying for a tough 4×4 vehicle. We believe that God has answered and we bought an old safari Toyota Landcruiser VX. It is older and needs some work done on it, but we are hopeful that it will be just what we need.

Reliable and dependable vehicles is one of the biggest challenges of Uganda. The back tire of one of our main vehicles at Sole Hope flew off twice in one day last week.

This is our new car that we are praying will be awesome!

Ways to be praying for us this month:

Protection…physical, spiritual, and over our relationships
Increased favor with our staff and those in our community.
Strong community of friends and encouragers in our lives
Sole Hope: Financial Partners, leadership, and direction
New Car: reliable, good running, strong, and carefree
For Jinja Sweat: healthy bodies and community
Increased vision and passion for the work God is calling us to here

Praises!

We found a car!
A couple new personal financial partners this month!
The Lord is continuing to protected us from Malaria!
Sole Hope is seeing life changing results in the villages!
We really sense a community of friends is growing around us!

How can you partner with us:

Pray Pray Pray
Have your church partner with us and Sole Hope through hands on events like shoe cutting parties and more. Sole Hope, Get Involved
Come visit us! or Bring a team to visit and experience Sole Hope and Uganda
Share with others. We would love for others to have the opportunity to be a part of this mission and Sole Hope www.rousehouse.org
Be generous. We regularly need new monthly givers Give Monthly
Give a special gift ($20-$2,000) to support the work here in Uganda Special gift