Filming begins...

There are about 3 million people in the greater Los Angeles area.

Kampala is 1/8th the size of Los Angeles and is inhabited by over 3 1/2 million people everyday.

There is not a single place from corner to corner, suburb village to suburb village and every road in between that is not filled with people. Everything is counter-intuitive here.

Don't stop for pedestrians. Don't let another car in...5 will fill the same space. Stay on the left side of the road.

This trip has been a blur of activity...jumping back in full swing, spending my time not only in one home, but divided between 7, and the kids in the village who all live in separate areas now.

The days start early, are filled from start to finish with work, and at all times contain huge groups of people.

I've had the pleasure and insane task of getting the supplies, new clothes, and making necessary improvements with the money people sent me with.

Today the kids at Bukesa opened up their new school backpacks, filled with towels, clothes, a new pair of shoes, bed sheets and underwear. All of these came from two grueling days Owino Market (a large 3 square block enclosed area that is like some insane circus of vendors who grab you and yank you to their stand, two foot wide walkways filled with hundreds of people, constant yelling, and which requires a 10 minute bartering yelling match to get the price on each piece of clothing, pair of shoes, or bath towel you buy.) Needless to say all the kids have new stuff.

We've been eating rice with vegetables which is a big change from their usual staple posho and beans.

We're building a chicken coop and re-painting the entire home.

And I have officially begun filming. Its taken a 7 days to spend enough time, and talk to a majority of the home's mentors, and cornerstone workers to see how to tell the story.

There is still a huge fear I won't be able to get enough shots, or have enough time, or capture what I need to in the next four days to create what is taking place in my mind, but I'm pretty hopeful.

I'm so blown away at the transformation so clearly seen in the lives of so many of the kids, and former Leadership Academy graduates. I'm so excited to share this story with everyone when I return.

4 days till my plane leaves, every hour between then and now planned out.

I hope it all works out.

See you when I return.

Written on 1/13/09

It's the dry season right now in Uganda. The tropical smell of warm morning is through the window before my eyes open, and the air is filled with craziest sounding birds; calling in long honks, and sharp chirps among insects and a host of other sounds creating a buzz that radiates loud enough to wake you.
I have finally adjusted to the 11 hour time difference, making the full transition into being awake and active when my body is used to sleeping, and staying awake longer than a nap at night when I'm used to being awake.
The days are moving swiftly, but are full and productive.
This entire week has been devoted to becoming fully acclimated with Cornerstone's way of life, and the way the children homes, Bukessa especially, function within this "family of friends."

There are two main types of NGO's in Uganda; the development organizations that are here to develop the roads, the land, the clean water supply etc, and the non-profits that are here to do humanitarian work.
What is unique in Cornerstone, is that in formation, after being associated and working in both sides of the NGO's, the founders decided what might be most productive for the country is developing people.
You develop roads, they eventually break down. You give food, people become hungry again. You invest deeply in the character formation of someone, make resources available, and promote healthy living, and suddenly your work begins to multiply. But it is work that needs longevity and continual commitment. It is one thing to invest in the education or a few years of help for someone, it is quite another to make a lifetime commitment in young people, bringing them into a family of support and love.
The young men and women I have spent the last 5 days with are unbelievable examples of what can happen through mentorship and community. They live and work with children from the streets and simultaneously attend classes at the University. They laugh easily, love to speak about the future of this country and look you directly in the eyes as they listen to your words. They are eager to learn and quick to work.
They are mentors for kids off the street, in the same way they have been mentored.
It is a pleasure to see our kids in their care.

It has also been so wonderful to be around the kids again. MAN IT IS GOOD TO HUG THEM AFTER A YEAR APART!!
They are all much taller. But they're personalities and mannerisms haven't changed a bit. I know it is much different for them, but most of our interactions so far have been like picking up where we left off...a lot of wrestling.

Back In Uganda

It's been a full year since I (Chris) left Uganda.
When Kami and I left, everything we worked to build through out the year, and all that we hoped the future would hold for the home and kids, was falling apart.
We left heartbroken and unsure of just about everything.
Yet, there was still an assurance that the same Spirit of God, that cared for the kids every month we were at the home, bringing food, or volunteers unexpectedly when we were at our greatest need, was still as apart of the work as we had seen Him throughout our time in the country.
And today, all the kids are still cared for, have been moved to a new home, or are living with relatives with their school fees and needs still provided for.
It is exciting to be back.
It is a true honor to return to this country hopeful, when I left so discouraged.

I am here for two reasons. The first is to be with the kids. Tomorrow morning after a few meetings will be my first chance to see the kids, and it is my hope to return to a daily living with them for the full amount of time I am here.
They are all a year older, many have grown out of their clothes, need new sandals, need new mattresses or school supplies for the coming year, and by the generous giving of family members and those of the Ridge Crest Church of Christ in California, I have the money to address some of the immediate needs not covered in the monthly budget. It was as hard for the kids to see Kami and I leave, as it was for us, and I am grateful to return to their sides in order to reassure them that we will stay committed to them and support their lives as they grow into young men and women. Raising money is one thing, but children who have known abandonment many times before, need far more than support. They need a continual presence of familiarity and to know those who support them can be trusted.

The second reason I am here is to gain a full understanding on the changes that have occurred in the kids lives as they have moved into a new home apart of the Cornerstone Family. The needs, budget, and daily life is different in the Bukessa Home, and in order to continue linking support with the specific needs of the home, I need to be able to have a thorough understanding of its functioning. Kami's trip last May helped her to do the same.

I cannot express how happy I am that our work has joined with Cornerstone.

Cornerstone's mission is:

"To be a family of friends in the spirit of Jesus who love and support each other while committed to:

-Equipping and advancing a movement of "servant leaders" with a shared vision for the transformation of their communities, nation and region.

-Compassion for the poor

-Working across the lines of culture and faith differences"

They are a community of workers committed to be focused on "who they are" first and then secondarily "what they do." In this way, the quality of character is the focus, and the achieving of the work they set out to do is secondary.

For most of us, we think its the other way around. But its incredible what transition takes place when personal character takes precedence over any of the amazing works we accomplish.

This was clearly seen in Cornerstone when we worked side by side with them in 2008, and I have felt it so strongly in even the two days I have spent here so far.

They invest every year in mentoring a core group of young people in their last two years of high school, mentoring them in the precepts and spirit of Christ, and then assist them in studying at a University. During this time, these young men and women work in children homes through the city with street kids, living with them, and mentoring them in the same way they have been mentored under coordinators of the homes. It is a community of Ugandans working with, mentoring and loving each other, and those overlooked by others.

During the second week of my time here, I will be shooting for a film on Cornerstone and the work they do through the Children's Homes.

Thank you for the many prayers and the continual support so many of you offer in this work.

I will keep you posted as these weeks unfold.