In the past two days so much has happened.
We have had numerous meetings to settle where the kids should go, what is best for them,
meeting with the kids to help them understand, figuring out how to get their things from point A to B...
Abaduh, Musisi, Eddi, Bayla, and Meddy were all moved to the Bukessa Home.
Mohammed, Senfuka, Frank, Kato and Juliet are in boarding school.
Bosco, Wasawa, Sebuma, Choto, Moses, Reagan, Marvin, and Muyingo are being moved home.
Meeme and Nakato are in the Mango Home.
After assessing their situations, we have made these decisions based off their needs, coming to fellow Ugandans for their opinion and consulting Cornerstone. It has been very hard for all of them because none of them want to be apart from one another. For some, they feel left out or not as special because they didn't get what they wanted. We've had to sit and watch some of the boys cry and plead for us to make an exception. It is so difficult to explain to such young minds that since they have family they must go home, that this is not a game of favorites.
Some of them are very worried that when we go they will be forgotten or not cared for, but all week, we have purposely worked alongside Michi and Peter for them to see we trust them and know they will work diligently. Even for Kami and I, everything we have asked Michi and Peter to do, it was done quickly, above and beyond what we could have expected.
Today, we are going through the final budget under Cornerstone so that things can finally get rolling. Money for moving them home, school fees, uniforms, transport for Michi and Peter, monthly visits, planning for the future as they change schools, emergency money for sickness, bicycles to get to and from school, shoes (because they all have holes in their current ones), pocket money to help improve their diet (posho and beans)...
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All the while, it has been such an emotional roller coaster for us all. As an American, all of these kids seem in desperate need, but we have to trust that God completes all things. Though we all long to see, in times like these, we must listen to the Spirit when we can't understand.
I recollect when my parents changed school and church for my siblings and me. My little brother accepted it with open arms, loving every second. Whereas, my sister and I were somewhat angry and slow to the change. It must have been hard for my parents as we weren't making it easy, but looking back, I would have had it no other way. Likewise, with our kids, where the young ones are fitting in just fine, the older ones (Bosco, Sebuma...) are finding it hard to accept that things are changing.
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Today is our last full day.
We leave tomorrow at 10pm!? and arrive back in Greensboro at 8ish on Thursday.
Thank you to all of our supporters and we can't wait to share with you more
the things we have seen, gathered, learned... Things are growing and our hearts
are filled with hope.
Let us pray.
God blesses us.
