His plans for us are perfect. They are appropriate.

Alice with her cousin Grace.  Alice started school last week in Mukono.  She will be attending nursery school, baby class at a school nearby. 

This is Opio Tom.  He and his wife had a baby boy a year and four months ago. They named their little boy Allan. A year ago his wife died of an unknown illness, leaving Tom a single father of a 4 month old baby boy.  Living in the Acholi slums in Kampala, with only small work here and there, Tom had no way to care or provide for the baby.  He had to give him away, not knowing when he would be able to bring him back home again.

 

Last weekend Allan got to see his Daddy for the first time in a year.  Opio Tom sat outside Amani with his son on his lap for an hour or more.  When I walked up to greet them he seemed to be examining his son's hands, comparing them in size to his own.   He said to me with a huge toothy smile, "His hands will be big like mine".  My heart just about melted.  

Allan is scheduled to go home early this week, pending a release letter from the Nakawa probation office in Kampala.  Please be praying for Allan as he will be adjusting back home with his Dad.  Pray that they will find a house girl who will care for Allan while the Father is working.

Samuel started school this week as well.  We are excited to see how God moves and intervenes in this little boy's life.  We are excited to see him going to school!

Other updates:  Dan, Fazira, and Margret also started school this month.  We are so blessed to be able to say this.  These kids are going to school because of their sponsors. We can't thank you enough.

Megan and I have been talking over the last year about our long-term, more permanent plans in Uganda.  The longer I live in Uganda, the more clear the calling becomes for me to be involved in re-uniting children with their biological families.  This is a need we are seeing in orphanages throughout Uganda.  An overwhelming majority of children with single moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, or uncles.  Many of these relatives want their children, but can not provide for them.  In a lot of cases, money is standing in the way of these children being at home with their families.

Through out the Bible we hear a specific calling for followers of Jesus to love the poor. We are told,  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth 1 John 3:17-18.  If we have the ability to bridge the gap for the poor, and we don't, we are ignoring some pretty clear scripture.  I have received words like amazing, incredible, and selfless in conversation about what I am doing here in Uganda.  I always walk away thinking, "man I really am none of those things..."  I just love my Jesus and  desire to follow Him.  I want His heart for the poor, the orphans, the widows.  This isn't optional.  Serving Him isn't incredible, it's required. The longer I serve Him, the more and more I want what He wants for my life.  He has put a unique calling on my heart.  That is to help families bring their children home.

You can be praying as we move forward in what God is calling us to do in Uganda long-term.  We are excited, we are planning, we are growing in Him. 

-Kelsey