Zambia 2013 Recap!

                                                                                                                  
We hope this letter find you well and that everyone had a blessed summer filled with fun and relaxation! Now that we have settled into our new house and been home for a few weeks, we
wanted to write and thank you all for supporting us and to also update you on our amazing trip to Zambia this summer!

As many of you know, Michelle works for a ministry called Every Orphan's Hope and is the Director of Sponsorship. Twice a year she has the opportunity to serve and visit the 88 children, 11 Mamas and wonderful staff that we have on the ground in Zambia, Africa. During the summer months when Jake is off school, we both get to travel over! This summer we spent a month hosting 2 short term missionary teams, putting on a camp for 200 local orphans in the community, and serving EOH's 300+ sponsors stateside by collecting information and updates on all of our children. 

 

 

This trip was unique and very personal for us because some of our family members joined us in Zambia this summer! Jake's Dad, along with Michelle's Dad, Mom and sister came and served on one of the short term teams for 10 days. We couldn't wait to show them the people and country that we have fallen in love with and to watch them play with the kids and serve the Mamas  - that will always be something that we will never forget! During the week, Mike and Chris fixed bunk beds, cabinets, doors and any other needs that were present. Linda spent most of her time with the 11 Mamas, teaching them how to sew and also fixed treadle sewing machines that were purchased for the women last year. Stephanie spent hours with the children, helped Michelle with Sponsorship tasks, and joined the construction team for a few days.

We made so many wonderful memories over that short time but some of our favorites included:

·         Jake getting a flat tire out in the "bush" and Chris and Mike hitchhiking into town for a spare

·         Holding babies with Linda and Stephanie at a local orphanage

·         Passing out 80+ dresses and pants that Linda had sewed for all the boys and girls in our homes

·         Mike playing a huge role in fixing the water tower that supplies water to 7 of our homes

·         Both families getting to meet their sponsored children for the first time

·         Chris and Jake spending the night in the home of the children that Chris and Karen sponsor

·         Chris leading worship for the team one night

·         The wonderful time we had vacationing at Victoria Falls and going on safari in Botswana
 

That unforgettable week was just the start to our month there, as we welcomed another 15 person team and put on a Camp Hope for orphans in the community. While Camp Hope may take the most amount of work and energy, it is also the most rewarding part of our trip each summer. Jake had a group of 13 year old  boys and Michelle had a group of 8 year olds. Throughout the week, we share the Gospel with these children, love on them, have craft time, memorize Bible verses and play endless hours of soccer. The children are fed 3 meals a day and are sent home with a blanket to bless their families. Michelle had one little boy who showed up late the first day after he walked SEVEN hours to attend the camp. It was also a very emotional week, as you truly love these children and invest into their lives. The highlight for Michelle was getting to wash several of their precious feet on the last day of Camp.

These trips to Zambia have become life changing for us. They are the highlight to our year and the best thing we've ever done for our marriage. The children and Mamas in Zambia have become our family and what a blessing it was this summer to introduce them to some of our immediate family members from the States. It was such an emotional and spiritual trip for us and one that we will always remember. Thank you SO much for helping to make this trip possible for Jake and for supporting us financially and through prayer. The Lord is at work in Zambia and it is such a joy to witness this work through Every Orphan's Hope.

As always, we would love to share more with you about Michelle's job as well as our passion for these orphans and widows. Also, you can learn more about EOH on their website: everyorphan.org.

Thank you for partnering with us and for allowing us the privilege to serve Christ in this way. You're prayers and support made a tremendous difference and we couldn't have done it without you!

Have a wonderful rest of the year and God bless!

Jake and Michelle



 

The Value of a Letter

I wrote this post for the Every Orphan's Hope blog. Read our posts here.

 

A few months ago when I was heading to Zambia, my Bible study class was studying the book of James. They wanted to give towards the Mamas and children and one Tuesday evening, all the items were given to me to take right before my trip. The ladies brought so many wonderful things – nail polish and lotion for the Mamas, school supplies for the children and toys and games for everyone to share. And then one specific lady handed me 3 envelopes and shyly said, “It’s really hard to write to someone you’ve never met.” I told her those letters would mean the world to 3 special Mamas and thanked her so much for the time she took to write them.

Fast forward to Zambia. I met with our Lusaka and Chongwe Coordinators and asked them which Mamas would benefit most from the 3 hand written letters. They gave me 3 names and when we delivered all the other gifts/letters, I excitedly handed these 3 Mamas a letter written with love from my friend at Bible study.

 

At the end of my trip, I was handed a PILE of letters and drawings from the children. A few of the Mamas had also written thank you notes for gifts that had been given – all for me to mail out when I got home.

 

Going through the stack of letters once I was home, I came across a surprise. One of the 3 Mamas that received a letter from my Bible study friend had written her a lengthy letter in return! The ladies didn’t have much time to write after we had handed out the letters and gifts, so I really didn’t expect to receive a response on this trip. Maybe they’d have time to write later, and even then, my friend never expected a response – she had just written to encourage and prayed the letters would uplift these hard working Mamas on the other side of the world.

 

I’ll never forget giving my friend that letter at Bible study. I slid it across the table and her eyes lit up. I thought she’d save it to read later. But no, she ripped it open and read the long letter right then and there. Shock was all over her face and tears glistened in her eyes. This Zambian Mama had shared the hard things she had been through and my friend felt so honored that this lady on the other side of the globe would share so much with her. Never expecting a letter in return, my friend was humbled that this Mama would take the time to write. It was almost like she couldn’t believe this was really happening!

 

So often when we talk about letter writing in sponsorship programs, the message is directed toward the sponsor. Sponsors are encouraged to write and send photos, for the sake of the sweet children they sponsor. And while I have the incredible privilege of delivering these letters and seeing the children’s faces light up, what has caught me by surprise is the response of a sponsor when THEY receive a letter.

 

I love seeing the excitement in someone’s eyes when they tell me they received a letter. And I love to hear their child’s drawings are on their refrigerator at home!

 

Thank you sponsors for initiating this relationship with the 88 children who live at My Father's House in Zambia. I've seen it change your lives and the lives of the children and Mamas who love hearing from you. Keep investing in Kingdom work!

 

Michelle Jackson

Director of Sponsorship

 

For more information about sponsoring a child, check out our Sponsorship Page.

Highway Tomatoes

Tonight as I was cutting tomatoes for our pasta, my mind traveled back to a highway roadside in Zambia. 

"Turn the van around!" I yelled at Jake, begging him to stop the and turn the vehicle that was traveling 120 kilometers per hour on this 2 lane highway. "I think I saw two little girls by themselves selling tomatoes!" 

This wasn't an unusual sight. We drove the hour out to Chongwe from the capital city, Lusaka, almost daily for 5 weeks. And along the highway, many women sold tomatoes, fruit, maize - anything they had grown on their land. 

But these little girls caught my attention. In a split second as we passed, I knew we had to pull over. 

No one else was around the girls, so I knew we wouldn't cause a big stir. After all, anytime a "Mzungu"stopped to buy anything, a huge crowd would gather. People would shove, shouting would fill the air, and everyone would be fighting to give us the best they could offer, all while promising the best price :)

But these girls were alone. Maybe their Mama had sent them to the highway, seeing if they could sell 1 or 2 tomatoes that day. With all the competition from the other small farmers, I wondered if they had even sold any. 

Jake turned the car around, wondering what had come over me. "There! See the girls laying on their backs, over there in the grass by their tomato stand?!?" 

We pulled the van off the highway and I cautiously got out, not wanting to scare the girls. They sat straight up and shock covered their faces. What was this Mzungu doing stopping at our stand?

Nervously, the girls stood behind their stand. "Can I buy these?" I asked, with no response from the sweet girls who didn't understand my English. Wide eyes stared at me as I picked up two tomatoes and found some Kwacha in my bag. 

Once I had given them the money, I reached out to shake their little hands. Huge grins spread across their faces as they finally warmed up to me. No words were said, just looks and smiles exchanged. 

Jumping back in the van, I had to get one last picture. I grabbed the camera from Jake and caught a photo of them smiling. They waved and waved to us as we pulled away and I think I left part of my heart right there with them at that tomato stand. 

This next week I leave for Zambia again. It'll be my 3rd time on Zambian soil, a place that is fast becoming another "home" to me. What can I say? These babies have my heart and this Mzungu will never been the same :)

How beautiful are the feet....

I've already emailed this out to a bunch of people, but wanted to share it here too. Mercy House is an organization working in Kenya that is also based in the Dallas area by us (Every Orphan's Hope). We run into them often at conferences and try to stay updated on all God is doing with them in Kenya.

 $10,000 was raised in one day for this woman's surgery. So encouraging to see this unity and giving when someone's in need!

Watch the video - it's quite the tear jerker but is such a beautiful story!

http://www.mercyhousekenya.org/blog/2012/10/28/violet039s-storybeautiful-feet.html

Proverbs 31:17

 

Photo Credit - Philip Thomas

 

Novo Studios - http://www.novo-studio.com/

Why We Put Walls Up

 

 

This summer I learned about walls being built. Not those ugly, figurative walls that we so often hear about. These walls were quite the opposite - beautiful, physical walls that God had instructed to be built by people of His Word, following His will in their lives.

 I spent my summer reading and studying the book of Nehemiah. And I also lived and served in Zambia this summer. In both places, God called and His people answered.

 As I read Nehemiah, I had a wonderful, tangible picture right in front of me. You see, Nehemiah is about the Jews traveling back to Jerusalem to build the protective wall that had been destroyed by the Babylonians around their city. Jerusalem needed protection and the Jews were willing to sacrifice, labor, and pray so that a wall could be built. The nation came together and served one another and throughout the process, lifted up the city to the Lord. A people once disgraced, now found purpose and pleasure.

 Nehemiah 2: 17-18: Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. ” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me .... They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

 Fast forward a couple thousand years to the year of 2012 and you would find a group of humble people in Zambia with a similar mission. Walls needed to be built for protection. Not just physical protection but emotional and spiritual as well. These walls would be for a family - a beautiful "mama" and 8 children who had come from backgrounds we cannot imagine. Before my eyes, men and women gathered to serve and answer the call the Lord had given them.

 This group of people had traveled from thousands of miles away. They came together, served and lifted up this house to the Lord. They sacrificed, labored and prayed as they placed brick upon brick. And the walls were completed because they had a purpose and found pleasure as they served the Lord. Where there was once a barren plot of land, now stands My Father's House #8.

Nehemiah 4:6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

Oh but these walls were and are so much more than physical! They protected a nation and will protect a family. They serve as a place of refuge and safety. Inside, the Lord is worshiped and praised. And children who were lost and hurting, now have a safe place to call home.

Nehemiah 6:16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

 Likewise, we pray the same for House #8 in Zambia today. May the Enemy retreat in fear as it is made known that these walls were built with the help of our God.  Thank you Lord for being faithful from generation to generation, and offering your children purpose and protection. May we continue to build in your name!

My passion for the adventure

My heart was captured 7 years ago.

Everyone has that place where they know they belong. At this place, you know this is where you were created to be. What you were created to do. And these are the people you were meant to love.

For some, it's a homeless shelter, serving those who live on the street. For others, it's the classroom, teaching and molding sweet little lives into who they are meant to be. But for me, that place is Africa and I figured it out 7 years ago when I made my first trip.

Since that initial trip in 2005, I've graduated college, pursued a career as a financial advisor, moved several times, and got married. But never once did my heart forget that place or those people. So I went back to Africa, researched, read, and prayed for opportunities to connect my heart to what had captured it - the passion for Africa and it's people that God had given me.

And then this last fall, God answered some HUGE prayers for me. And in walked Every Orphan's Hope. God alone arranged it. He worked magic. I still wake up and pinch myself, remembering how God has connected my daily work with my heart for Africa.

And why do I tell you this? Because in 3 weeks my husband and I will be landing on that soil where my heart belongs and I'll be thanking God again for allowing me the adventure.We will be in Zambia for a month and can't wait to serve alongside the Every Orphan's Hope interns, our Zambian staff, and several other teams that are going over.

Thank you for your prayers as we head out. I'll do my best to write and capture all that we see and experience. I know a lot can happen in a month and I'm so excited to see these kids again!

A Mother's Day Gift that Keeps on Giving

With Mother's Day quickly approaching, I typed an email to our Zambian staff, asking how we could best serve our Mamas at Every Orphan's Hope. We have so many supporters that not only have a heart for the orphan but also have a love for the widow. We call these supporters 1:27s - people that not only hear the Word, but do what it says. They look after orphans and widows.

Many times I find questions in my inbox asking what we recommend sending overseas to bless the Mamas as well as the children. While we have great ideas for what to send the kids, I thought I'd pass the question on so that we could ask the Mamas personally what they would like to receive. Oh, what I would have given to be the one to ask them the question and to see their faces light up with possibilities! It must be similar to how we feel when Christmas is around the corner and we are asked to come up with a Santa List... the endless, fun possibilities!

So Mary-Ann, our Lusaka house coordinator, talked to all of the Mamas and had Humphrey, our IT/transportation manger, email us this response:

First of all thank you for every thing and for the work you are doing, Mary-Ann talked to all the mamas about the kind of gifts they would want they all agreed on sewing machines, they will also need fabric, scissors, and different type of thread. having sewing machines in the homes will help a lot even to the girls then they will know how to sew that will be a great achievement.

Thank to all willing sponsors may the good Lord Bless them.

Thank you.

Humphrey

The email touched my heart in so many ways! Maybe it's because my own mother is a seamstress and I've seen the joy sewing has brought to our home growing up. Or maybe it's because I know these little girls will also get to learn from their Mamas, as I did from mine, how to sew a straight seam and how to mend pants. These Mamas and girls will now have a skill set that can develop and be practiced over a lifetime. A skill set that one day could even bring in some income if necessary and bless the next generation to follow. A gift that will keep on giving for years to come.

Some of you have a passion for sewing, knitting, needlework, etc. We would love to hear how you've used your passion to bless others. Maybe you belong to a sewing circle or a quilt club. Or do you have friends that are passionate about these things too? Now is the time to share what EOH is doing and to bless our Mamas as Mother's Day is approaching. For only $150, we can purchase a sewing machine for a Mama and an entire house. With 11 finished homes, 1 under construction and 2 more planned for the near future, we would love to have enough funds to buy a sewing machine for each house. Also we are collecting thread, scissors, needles and any other sewing accessories that can make this wish come true.

So as Mother's Day approaches and we turn our attention to the special women in our lives, pray about gifts that keep on giving. Our own mothers have given us life, endless love and skill sets which shape who we are today. Let us show this same love by gifting these Mamas and blessing them.

Have a blessed and happy Mother's Day from the team here at Every Orphan's Hope!

Our Zambian Mamas

Guest post over here today, where you can find this same post. Check out EOH's website and our great bloggers!

To say I was excited to visit Zambia this last February, would be a huge understatement. I love Africa. I love the little babies, the people, the sights, the smells, the adventure - and I couldn't wait to visit Zambia for the first time. I especially couldn't wait to meet the kids that I had fallen in love with over the previous 3 months. To put faces with names and personalities.

What a wonderful trip it was! We met our incredible Zambian staff at EOH, we met the 80+ kids in our care, and we were able to see first hand what we work for on a daily basis, back here in the States. Yet when I look back on that 12 day trip, I am often left thinking about our Mamas. Oh, I fell further in love with the kids- some of my favorite memories were playing soccer, painting fingernails, interviewing each child individually and learning as much as I could about every precious child. But what left me awestricken and continues to do so, are our Mamas.

When I really start to think about these women, I put myself in their shoes. Imagine losing your husband and maybe even your children. Being left broken hearted, alone, and purposeless. But then you hear of an opportunity- an adventure to which you must give your life and your entire self. Yes, it's a wonderful opportunity, but you must leave your home, your relatives, and life as you know it. The only way you are equipped for this challenge is because you are called by the Lord, Himself. You must open your heart to children that are not your own, pray and work through situations that you've never imagined could ever happen to these precious children, and model what a humble servant of the Lord looks like.

And that is exactly who they are: humble servants of the Lord. These women are an inspiration who are happy to be in the background- molding and training these children in the way they should go. They are the prayer warriors who get up at 4 am to wash their days in prayer. And they LOVE. When there are nightmares, hurts, scrapes, tears and heartaches, they love these children. As their own.

And as I reflect, I realize this is such a beautiful example of what Christ did and is for us. While humans can never compare to Christ, we are called to give ourselves up and love as He has loved us. These women are doing just that for our children. We cannot begin to thank them enough.

The little one who has stolen my heart

I don't know her name. And no one else does either. Yet this little one stole my heart yesterday. I gave her a piece of gum along with 5 other children before the local church started. That's when she caught my eye. She didn't make a sound, just looked at me with wide eyes and put the gum in her mouth.

Half way through the 3 hour church service (yes, it's quite a Sunday morning event here!) I spotted her behind me, clinging to her father's leg. She came to me and I picked her up in my arms. 

The room was burning hot. I held her for over an hour as she played with my bracelet and then fell asleep in my lap. When I finally lifted her off of me after the service, my entire front was soaked in both of our sweat.

While I was holding her, I just prayed for her. Prayed that she would be protected as she grew up- that her family would love her and that God would take care of her and that one day, she'd come to know Him in the very church we were sitting in. 

She stole my heart. And I know, she will be in my prayers for years to come.

The amazing YOTEL

And we have left!

Right now I am currently in the London airport in one of the most wonderful things man has created! It's called a YOTEL - anyone heard of it?

Here's the one I'm staying in.

After a long flight and another one to go, this was the perfect way to spend our 10 hour layover!

We were all able to get some alone time, some sleep and a WONDERFUL hot shower! This is one happy girl and I have found my new way to handle these crazy, long trips!

Wish us luck and say a few prayers as our next flight takes us to Zambia. Can't wait to meet our 80 orphans there!

Now that I have seen, I am responsible

With Zambia only a week away and the trip fresh on my mind, Brooke Fraser's song fills my head and heart tonight. Something about these trips grips you- grabs a hold of your heart and won't let go. I know full well that I will leave part of me in Zambia next week. 

But the best part of this trip is that I know I get to come back and visit these kids again this summer. Not once have I been able to travel BACK to the places I've left my heart and you're always left wondering how they are - how those 3, now 6 year olds are. Are they learning their letters? Learning how to write and spell their names? It hurts not knowing how they have grown up - they are frozen at 3 years old and forever precious.


But these kids in Zambia will be different. I'm ready to build a relationship. I've already started memorizing all 80 of their names, making their faces familiar in my mind. And next week, as I meet them, I'll get to say "this summer, when I come back..." 

I'll also find one sweet child to sponsor next week. Jake and I are really excited about adding one of these sweet orphans to our family. I'm not sure if it will be a boy or girl, but either way, we can't wait! And at the office, we have been setting up new, exciting tools through Facebook to stay connected to the kids while in the States, so Jake and I will be able to really build a relationship with them through photos, video, and updates. Here is one of the 10 houses I will be visiting next week:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Fathers-House-C4/176879455741018

As I go, I want to remember what really matters. Once I have seen, I am responsible. These children and their stories I will carry with me wherever I go. Please follow me as I'm there... I'll be updating this blog as much as possible from the ground there.

Brooke Fraser - Albertine

Jake and I stayed up late last night watching videos from our Every Orphan's Hope Youtube channels. We loved them so much that Jake tweeted about this one (watch the boy on the left - we cracked up!)

 and I cried at the end of this one. We can't wait to meet these kids in Zambia and are already getting attached!!!

Zambia!

The date is set! February 2nd I will be leaving our home in Dallas and flying across the world to Zambia, Africa for 12 days! This new country already has touched my heart, as it is home to the 80 orphans whose names and faces I have learned in the last 3 weeks. I can't wait to meet them face to face. To sit in the dirt with them, to laugh and play, to let them braid my crazy, weird, straight American hair. What a joy it will be to put real live faces with the names I have already come to care about. I have read their stories- now I want to live their lives with them.

 

The best part is that I get to keep coming back and visiting twice a year. In my other travels, I knew I was saying goodbye for a long time, if not forever. Here in Zambia, I can't wait to build lasting relationships... heck, I see some of my best friends here in the States only twice a year!

I'll also be praying and looking for a few children that God really lays on my heart, as I have family members that would like to sponsor a little girl. And Jake and I want to sponsor a child as well. I'm afraid I'll come back to the States asking Jake to sponsor 25 children, but that's what makes me so excited about this "job"... I get to serve these orphans all year long, 8-5, 5 days a week! Could it get any better??

In the weeks ahead I hope to share some of what we'll be doing in Zambia. We have SO much to do in preparation. And once I'm there, I'll also use this blog to update my friends and family about our travels. I can't wait! Thanks for following along!

Check out everyorphan.org to learn more.

Book recommendation

Looking for a GREAT book recommendation?

Just Monday my boss came in and laid a book on my desk. "Have you heard about Katie?" he asked.

And let's just say, all week all I've wanted to do is learn more about Katie and her amazing story in Uganda. Jake and I fight for the book every night to read and I even stayed up past my bedtime devouring it last night after Jake fell asleep.. ha!

Katie also has a blog outlining her adventures since 2007.  As of today she is a mother to 13 Ugandan orphans and her story is amazing. Check it out if you are ready to be challenged and to follow along as one 22 year old American girl shares the adventure she is living. It won't leave you untouched.

These last 10 days have been nothing short of wonderful. What a joy it is to hear stories, to look at pictures and to learn names. Names of children that I get to meet face to face in only a month! I really want to pinch myself sometimes. This "job" continues to bring such joy and it's only just begun!

This week our dear friends Mike and Cindy are in Haiti! As you may know, Haiti hits close to home for me because I was there 4 months after the earthquake in 2010. I can still see mass graves and destroyed buildings in my head. Yet I also remember the heart of those at Mission of Hope and the positive changes they were bringing to the people of Haiti. Mike and Cindy are blessed to go serve at the same Mission of Hope I visited 19 months ago. Check out my experience here. 

I so wish they could update us on their trip but I'll just have to wait patiently until they get home this weekend. As the week has progressed, I think of them often and say prayers for their trip, safety and the experience of a lifetime they are having. These trips define your life. I hope it leaves them changed... that their hearts won't ever be the same and it's just the beginning of their giving... giving of themselves to those in need.

We are all called so differently.. some of us to other countries, to the workplace, to our own homes and neighbors... yet we are all called to give. And with that giving comes joy. The joy I can't wait to see on Mike and Cindy's faces once they are back on American soil and we can take them to dinner to hear all about their trip. Nothing compares to sharing these stories with your loved ones and friends. Nothing compares to the joy of giving.

Big news!

Well folks, I have some exciting news to announce and news that will probably change the future of this blog a little bit. As of this week, I have started what I like to call  a "dream job". I've been volunteering with an organization called Every Orphan's Hope for several weeks and in mid November they asked me to join them full time, starting in December. I seriously had tears in my eyes when the invitation was given and couldn't have been happier to accept. After all, I'm doing what I love and I get to come to work every day knowing that my efforts are making a difference half way around the world. And you know what is the craziest blessing of all?? I'm REQUIRED and PAID to travel to Zambia twice a year as part of my job description! Could it get any better than that? What an answer to prayer this job has become!

So what do I do on a daily basis? Well I'm in the process of working that out but I'll be in charge of donor and sponsor relations. I get to give sponsors updates on their children, communicate with the homes in Zambia to receive those updates, and ultimately make sure that our sponsors have the relationship they desire with the children that they have come to love. I get to be on the front lines and see these relationships develop and I can't wait! I also have been given the freedom to do a little business development, which is another thing I'm very passionate about.

This blog will stay true to its history... I'm here to bring to light, what others are doing around the world and in our country too. Yet, now I will also have a front seat to wonderful stores from Zambia and will love to share those with you too. Hold on to your seats.... this girl is pumped about this new opportunity and won't let it leave me unchanged!

If you want to learn more about Every Orphan's Hope, check out this video:

http://vimeo.com/30296319

Uganda- Part 2

One of my favorite things we got to do in Uganda was teach PE. We taught all ages but these pictures are of the precious 3rd through 6th graders at recess. 

Danika (my 18 yr old cousin) and I taught them how to play frisbee.... or at least we tried! Can you imagine how crazy it was? The frisbee flew every which way and we spent most of our time running it down, instead of playing catch. But here's one little guy in action:

 And here I am leaning over, trying to catch my breath and trying to cool down... the littlest activity in that humidity makes you pour sweat! 

Here Becka and I are ready to go explore Uganda. It was a trip of a lifetime and one we were very blessed to take... thanks Grandma for giving us such an opportunity!

Always amazes me what they can carry!

Roasted bananas that were bought for us from the side of the road. Of course we ate them and it felt good to conquer my American fear-filled mind (what kind of bacteria is on this?? Didn't I just see a 100 flies on this?? Where was this cooked? Can my stomach handle this??) And truth be told, we all survived! Eating local food is just one of those things you've gotta do while traveling!

Baboon on the side of the road

And here's where it gets real:

These were abandoned buildings that refugees used when they fled from the LRA and the unrest up in Northern Uganda. I found this article/quote written back in 2006 by Michelle Brown from Rufugees International:

"Despite improvements in the past year, and the cessation of hostilities between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) signed on 26 August, the humanitarian response in Northern Uganda continues to fail. The crisis remains one of the most severe in the world. Over 1.7 million people are displaced from their homes, without access to basic services such as water, sanitation and health care." 

As we drove by these buildings, I could only think about how LITTLE time had passed since people were living here. How only a few short years ago, families were fleeing and taking shelter wherever they could find a safe place. It truly just made me pray for those families and the situations that they still face today after overcoming such a horrific experience. It's impossible to not be moved by the history and to not want to do something about it... to help prevent it, make others aware, support those who have gone through it...anything. And that's what makes these trips so important to me. 

When we got back to the orphanage, these babies were waiting for us. Some had lost parents due to AIDs, others to accidents and war. After seeing the refugee buildings and hearing the brutal stories people still face in Uganda, our purpose was clear. We were there to help in any small way we were needed.

This is the 3 year old class. We were NOT supposed to be distracting the kids and taking pics so I hid the camera for a few precious shots (awful, I know!). These were the best behaved 3 year olds I have EVER been around. Discipline is serious here and there's no wonder.. these kids were better behaved and more respectful than most 10 year olds in America.

And here's a video to leave you with of them singing. While there's no picture, I knew I'd always love looking back and listening to their voices. "Trust and Obey" will never be the same to me.