September 2013 Update 6

Camp is over and so now we change gears a bit.  Saturday once the kids
were all gone we loaded up all the supplies that were left, our soccer
balls, bingo, etc and we had 7 people, 5 bins, 2 backpacks and 5 drums
to get back into town with one sedan.  We were able to pack most of it
actually in the first trip, so Hayden rode with Allan and Cathy to
town back to our hotel.  I know she will enjoy getting more hang out
time with those two.  They really have become like siblings this week.
 Silas and I stayed behind with my 2 boys.  Now the week has been busy
and I am always running while I’m facilitating camp, so I haven’t
really had good time with my boys.  Now it was quiet and peaceful and
I have nothing to do.  Woohoo!! I brought a card game called Spot It,
so we sat and played and ate trail mix.  It was fun!!  I got to see
those big beautiful smiles I love.  They still don’t talk much, but
just being together is wonderful!!  Our driver returned and we loaded
the rest and headed to town.  After checking in and dropping
everything quickly in the room, we did the return service for our
friends.  This was really fun!!  I have known Allan and Cathy for
several years, but have never been to their homes.  And I have learned
that it is a big deal to visit peoples’ homes.  So we went first to
Allan’s.  We met his sister and his guardian and several other family
members.  I love getting to tell his family what a gift and a blessing
he is.  We said our goodbyes, Hayden thought this was going to be the
last time she saw Allan and you could see a visible change in her
posture.  I whispered to her, “we’ll see him again” and she
immediately got a smile on her face stood up and hugged him goodbye.
Then we headed to drop off my boys.  They live very close to each
other, so we made one stop.  I had already set up with them to hang
out with us tomorrow, so it was hugs and kisses and goodbyes.  Then we
headed back in the other direction to drop of Cathy.  She lives in
Bugembe with her great aunt from the best I can figure.  Her place was
actually very nice.  We met her little nephew and her uncle.  Then we
headed out to Kimi’s place.  I had told her kids we would drop by this
weekend to say hi and hang out a bit more.  I also wanted to meet baby
Jordan, Kimi’s grandson.  Jordan was born the day before I left in may
and I wasn’t able to meet him, but I was able to walk Kimi through
some of the birthing process by phone.  It is tough becoming a
grandmother at what, 29 I think.  He was so cute!!  Just a little
chunker and happy!!  Most ugandan babies cry when they see mzungus,
but since he lives with one, he was used to it.  Unfortunately we got
there a bit late so we didn’t get to see many of the kids, but a few
were there that did camp in January.  Our last drop off was Silas.  We
met his sister and his cousin.  Then Hayden and I finally made it back
to the hotel.  We were exhausted and dirty!!  We ate dinner at the
hotel and then crashed for the night!!

Sunday will be a day of rest and gladness.  We were woken by a phone
call saying John was downstairs.  Oh I love John, but 740 is way too
early, especially when I don’t have to be up until 930.  I wasn’t able
to go back to sleep, but Hayden slept well!!  John is one of the first
boys I met in Uganda.  He is sponsored thru Children of Grace.  He
really is a great kid and we had 2 of his sisters at camp because they
go to the church that came.  John returned and had breakfast with us
at a reasonable mzungu hour 🙂 Mike and Mary Ann from Children of
Grace picked us up for church and my boys were supposed to meet us.
Muhammad made it, but Joel didn’t unfortunately.  I am thrilled to
have Muhammad though with his muslim background.  Church was great!  I
was able to see some old friends and to meet some new ones.  The
message was wonderful too!!  After church Joel ended up turning up at
the CoG office just after we left for church.  Sad!!  But we gathered
him and went for lunch with my good friend Brian at 2 Friends.  THis
is a mzungu restaurant that I usually go to at least once while I’m
here.  They have good burgers and pizza, a little bit of home. We made
our way into town after lunch to do some back to school shopping with
my boys.  Pens, pencils, books etc and of course ice cream!!  They
know they will always get ice cream when they are with me.  We walked
through town a bit and I had an opportunity to have conversations with
each of the boys separately.  Last night I read through the responses
from the kids at camp and I saw the one from Joel.  On the bottom, he
wrote that he was saved this week.  Hallelujah!!!  I didn’t actually
see one from Muhammad, but they didn’t all have names on them.  So I
took the opportunity with each of them to ask if they had made a
decision to follow Christ this week.  Each of them smiled and said
yes!!!  GOD YOU ARE SO GOOD!!!  What a joy to be able as a parent to
lead your child to Christ and know that the next generation will serve
Him also.  Today I know that joy!!!  Praise God!!  I made sure they
each had a Bible to study and I just hugged them and kissed them and
hugged them again!!!  Your prayers have been mighty and our great God
has answered!!  Thank you!!  Sunday evening we were treated to dinner
at CoG by Mike and Mary Ann.  Shish kabobs!!  Yum!!  it was great to
catch up and hear what has been going on with those I love in CoG.  I
hope to stop by the office during the day before we leave so I can see
the ugandan staff.

The next few days we’ll be venturing around Jinja and the neighboring
villages.  I don’t want Hayden to think that camp is normal.  It
should be fun to meet up with some friends and to introduce Hayden to
some different ministries working here.  Thank you for your prayers
for safety and health.  We have both felt pretty good and now we are
getting much more rest than at camp.  Hope you are well!!