Another holiday is coming to a close. This one was pretty long and with the time being the same back home, it feels like we are ending summer...when instead we are now heading into the 3rd and final school term. By now, Kami and I are seasoned teachers...which means very little...and the kids are set in their school routine for the year. This week will be there first back. Some of the older kids who have hard tests at the end of the year are pretty nervous (Meme in P7 getting ready for High school, and Muhammad in S.6 getting ready to graduate) Yet, it really does feel like the end of summer. So much happened during this holiday. The wedding with all its guests. Joe working witht the kids and heading back for school. Kevin Dyne coming to stay and work with the kids. And of course Laura...who came for the last month and was gracious closer. Joe came and helped more than Kami and I ever could have believed, teaching, bringing music, and helping on every area of need the home had including taking every bit of slack in my absense during my trip home. Kevin came in for several weeks and spent time the kids, helped paint and contributed to the home in the same gentle, quiet support he offers everywhere he goes. Laura came in and decided she was going to do in a month as much as anyone else would do in 6. With her help, we completely re-designed and re-built our library turning it into a cold, dark room, into the brightest, most welcoming room in the complex, with books in order, a blue carpet, bright colored walls, painting the kids got to help on, stools, and a table. Its a perfect place to do homework this next term and the kids love it. (This computer is incredibly slow, but we will have pictures up within a few days.) She also took all the kids swimming, which was an out of this world experience, since some had never been around water, let alone swam in it. She re-organized Kami's and my room, taught the kids how to paint, taught gutair lessons like Joe, helped in the kitchen, supported Kami in a million girl things I don't know about including someone of the same sex just to talk to. And, if none of this was not enough, with her help she organized a paint project each of the kids got to contribute to. The picture is two bannana trees, cut into 25 squares, each painted individually showing the kids' personalities...which is now being sent to New York for a benefit art show to raise money for the home.
And so the home keeps moving. Kami and I continually thank God for what he does through this home, and who he brings here. In this one holiday alone, several massive projects have begun, Joe brought new life, Kevin came and helped, Laura opened her heart and pulled everyone along with it, we had hardship, a broken borehole, a head-on collision in the car, lack of money, found money, so many sponsors shower me with support when I returned, and send boxes of supplies for Kami and the kids, pictures, new lessons, new friendships...and so much more.
We are so blessed to be apart of this work. The kids are thankful everyday for the food, the activities, the lessons and companionship. They are held, read to, loved and played with.
And none of it would be possible without your continual support. So, always, thank you.

Pictures!

Fetching water right before the re-construction of the bore hole. A huge thanks to the sponsors who pitched in to save us from a huge water emergency! It should be completed by Saturday.

Traditional dancers from the Laos tribe at Rachel's wedding.

The road leading to Kampala City School

Students at Kampala City school studying in a skeleton of a classroom. With many prayers and support, we will be adding onto the school to build more rooms and finish this one.

Rain before the Sun

Life seems to always come in cycles. The rainy season has begun again, and this time the weather seems to match the state of the home. With the weather suddenly dropping in temperature, over half of the kids have become sick in one way or another, and everyone included Kami and myself have been dealing with conditions from colds to flu. Since the wedding the car has been in a head on collision, the borehole (our villages main sorce of water) has broke, we've had problems with 3 of our 4 staff members to the point of having to suspend 2 of them for a month, a temporary shortage in food has developed, and several other problems have arose. But as always, they are things that happen when running a home, and we see God's faithfulness and blessing everyday. Kevin Dyne from Portland, OR came to visit the home and spend time with the kids. Laura Peters, from Vancouver, Candada came in for a month and helped in many areas, including re-doing our entire library, bringing loads of art supplies and giving the kids lessons, as wells as putting together an art project, which is going to be sent to a benefit art show in New York. The work is a tree broken into 25 parts, each painted different by individual kids and then brought together for a beautiful mosiac. She is also in the process of helping us paint a mural on the entire wall in the sitting room for the kids. We will post pictures soon! A couple also some how found the home and came to work with us for around 10 days. Their names are Miquel and Dasha (probably spelt the names wrong and apologise for doing it) but there story is amazing. Miquel is from Spain, while Dasha is from the Cheq Republic, and both of them met through their company based in London. They have only seen each other for two weeks in the last 9 months of a relationship through phone calls and emails, but together they quit their jobs and are traveling through Africa for 3 months to help in areas they can, but also just to learn and explore the cultures and get closer to one another. There on a proper adventure, and have been such a blessing to have at the home. Sam's health has been good, but unfortunately now his wife Dorcas' has grown worse so please pray for her.
So its another month. Mishaps, downfalls, and struggles, new faces, new work and new blessings. The constant ebb and flow of an African orphanage. We seem to be on a proper adventures ourselves.

The Wedding festivities have come to a close

Traditional dancers welcomed the procession of honored guests, the groom, bride's attendants, and bride to be. Lovely ladies in their traditional wear of wrapped dresses tied up like bows. Dashing men in their robes. There was the brushing bride. Speech after speech after speech. Gift after gift after gift. Did you know if you get a bride in Uganda you receive many gifts with her? Yes you do have to give up a few cows, sodas, jerrycans of cooking oil, etc...
Everyone here at Dorcas has been working tirelessly to make the wedding for Sam's daughter, Rachel, a success. A new fence went up, trees were cut, compound was spotless, hair was done, barrels of water were fetched. 50+ family guests stayed at the home. Not even kidding you. Pans 2 feet deep and 3 feet in diameter filled with matoke, rice, beans, and meat cooking over firewood.
After 6 to 7 hours of the introduction wedding, it was time to dance. A disco was available to all the guest and was taken full advantage of until 5 am. Dancing with the kids was so fabulous! And yes...I taught them a thing or two about shaking what my mama gave me.
The more “western” wedding was Saturday. Wedding and reception went from 11 am until 10 pm. Absolutely beautiful. Way too long but beautiful. More traditional dance took place from the Laos tribe which was great to be able to decifer from the Buganda tribal dance that took place on Friday.
Today is the recover day. Many visitors are still here at the home from Kanungu. A trip is planned to go into town with them. Many of the people from Kanungu (a remote village in Southwest Uganda) have never seen the city with all its splendor.
Joe will be leaving on Wednesday as Chris comes back to us. Please keep them in your prayers.
Ooooo. My camera, the last existing camera here at Dorcas, was broken a week ago in a laughing fest with the boys so pictures will be few and far between for awhile. Please keep with us. I'll sketch what is going on....?

The Road Home: Good and Bad

Hello Everyone.  On Monday the 4th, I went to leave Seattle to head back to Uganda and was met with a terrible surprise.  The date of my ticket had been entered wrong, and with it being a specialty ticket (at a lower fair) the stipulations involved stated that if I didn't show up or notify the airline before the date of my departure, the ticket (both there and back) would be come invalid.  I spent 6 hours on the phone Monday between the airline and booking agency and ended the afternoon so tired and unsure of what to do that I simply sat on the floor of a friends house, unable to move.

I had trunks packed as tightly as they could go, fresh cookies for the kids, money to bring back to the home to further the work over the next few months, presents for the kids from many of you as sponsors, an anxiousness to see them and suddenly I had no way to get there.  I was utterly heartbroken.  I called Kami and told her the situation, and as we talked, we both understood that somehow it was in God's hands. 

Although this is a little more in depth, than some of our other posts, the state I found myself in going back to Uganda was a hard one.  Both Kami and I have been dealing with things and responsibilities we have never encountered before this year and it has been extremely overwhelming to us both in the best way.  We have had to live daily on the guidance and assurance of God to accomplish the work, or at times, just to make it through the strenuousness of the day.   But part of that foundation for me has been slipping for some time, and even the time I hoped for some peace in coming home, as wonderful as it was to see friends and share stories, as well as speak easily and passionately about the home and work with many of you because it is our entire life right now, I found no time to be alone and almost not a single moment to rest.  Although I was excited to return to the kids, I felt like I was returning almost a shell knowing the work that needed to be done and easily caring for family we have found in Uganda, but not being founded.  

And then, I was on the ground of a friend's home, with no ticket home.  Although it was devastating at first, somehow in prayer through out the evening and into the night, I found a sense of peace that there was a reason for this.

The next morning I posted a blog that I needed help in returning and within two hours, 3 people had already called and offered support.  But, one lady, who deserves to be placed in the echelons of the highest realms of service, and to whom I am eternally grateful, told me to find the ticket and tell her the price, and she would take care of the rest.  Because of fuel prices and the continual upswing, the only reasonably priced ticket was 12 days out.

Although this is hard for me to bear, with how much I miss the kids and long to be with them, Kami, and the rest of the home again, this was a unasked prayer that God saw in me.  There are walls we all reach at times in our lives, and I certainly have been at one for some time now, overwhelmed without enough time to be at peace and understand it.  It seems these days are a gift to finally stop, and find the heart of God again, in which we all move, and find our strength. As I do though, one of the continuos prayers I would like to share with you is such thankfulness to how many of you contacted me while I was at home and privately wrote a check for the work, or went to the stores and bought supplies, or brought sheets for the kids, underwear, a computer for the home, gifts and cards for Kami as she continues the work with Joe in Uganda and repeatedly asked how you can do more for the kids individually.  It filled me with such an immense thankfulness to hear how many of you have been praying for us, and reading our updates and remembering us while we felt so far from home.  

My trip back has reaffirmed the love so many of you have for these kids, for those who are marginalized in the world, and also for your love for us personally, which continuously strengthens us to continue working.  

You are in our prayers as well.  May God bless and keep you, prompt you when you are needing to serve, and give you rest when you are weary.       

did you know they advertise for quick weight gain and bigger hips?

After much help from Joe, Camila, and the rambunctious boys we finished painting the apartments.
Kampala City School students... aren't they so studious?

they hit a bird with a rock. with a rock. can your child throw with this aim?
sunset. acacia tree. monkey within.
fabulous joseph finishing the veranda... thanks to our sponsors!
We are headed to Kanungu for a 4 day trip.

Recent news:

The boys were sent for their haircuts and the most amazing thing ever is...

Their favorite part of the week cost 1,500 Shillings, Mango Day equal to less than one dollar.

A cool cat named Kevin is coming to work at the home for a week or so.

We are anxiously waiting for his arrival.

Future plans for the home and schools are taking shape,

much work needs to take place and thanks to all of you...

these words continue to be true, "We can do the work we love instead of work in order to do what we love."