Adoption, and Sponsorship Updates

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naDlJofBsnw

PLEASE take 3 minutes to watch this video! Our friends Drew and Tara are adopting two sweet boys, Nicholas and Patrick.  Their heart for adoption and for honoring God's call is inspiring and I hope it encourages anyone who has ever considered adopting.  From the outside looking in, adoption has been the coolest thing I have ever seen or been a part of.  A child who was without a mommy or daddy, going home with THEIR Mommy and Daddy... How can you not get excited about that?  My prayer is that this video will move the hearts of families to consider adoption.

Some Sponsorship Updates:



Gift with her Uncle.  We are meeting and making home visits to their home in Masese this week.  Gift is a total orphan, and her Uncle has many children of his own.  We want to help make things easier for him by figuring out what our program can do to stand in the gap, for him and for Gift.

Helen is doing so well at home with her Mom and big sister! She has lots of neighbor friends her age to play with.  There is a primary school right next to her home, where she will be able to attend when she is old enough.

We visited Alice at her home in Mukono today.  She is living with her Father and her Aunt (pictured above).  She looks like she is doing so well at home with her family.  Next week the Aunt will be traveling to Jinja to meet and discuss sponsorship.

Well this isn't a sponsorship update, but this picture is too cute not to post.  For those of you who don't know, this is Ellie and Eli.  A set of (almost) 7 month old twins we have been looking after for the past few weeks.  Our friends Mandie and Rachel are fostering the babies, while they look for a family to adopt them.

Last week Zahara went home with her Mom to Bugembe!  We are excited to see how Zahara adjusts to being back at home.

We officially have six kids in sponsorship!  I am meeting with three families this week about sponsorship.  Please be praying for the families of Josephine, Alice, and Gift as we are meeting, making home visits, and considering them for sponsorship in the next week. Also be praying for Ditte, Esther, and Susan who are scheduled to return home with their families on sponsorship this month.  Pray for God's protection over these little ones.  That in every situation, His plan be evident.  By the end of December it looks like we will have at least twelve kids enrolled in Obukuumi.

So far the children in sponsorship are adjusting well! I can't tell you how neat it is, to see these kids smiling, healthy and at home with their family.  Right where they should be. It is so cool to make unannounced home visits and find best case scenarios rather than worst case.

We have been in the new Ekisa house almost a month. Emily hopes to have CBO status before Christmas.  Be praying for the paper work, and their meetings with the probation officer here in Jinja.

So thankful for all that God is doing here.  Excited for what is to come, and just trying my best to trust Him along this crazy ride He is taking me on.

Also: Some of you have asked about sending letters and care packages here.  I have always said in the past not to bother because nothing ever gets here, and if it does, it comes months after it is sent... Well, I guess the postal system has improved because we have been getting packages only a few weeks after they were sent...

So if you want to send anything my address here is:
Amani Baby Cottage
Attn: Kelsey Nielsen
P.O. Box 1799
Jinja, Uganda, East Africa