Dear friends and family,
Thank you so much for going with us in spirit to Uganda! What a comfort and encouragement it was to know you were praying for us, and supporting us. Now that the bags are unpacked, we have been able to reflect on all that we saw and did while there. The biggest thing we will take with us, is our new knowledge of how big God is and how the people we met reflect His great love.
What a blessing it was to set up the vision clinic with the help of our Ugandan friends! It felt like Christmas in July as boxes were unpacked that had been stored for over a year. Meeting Taban (a local ophthalmologist in training) was one of God's unexpected blessings; we had been praying for God to provide the right person to continue seeing patients in the clinic. Getting to invite the children in and examine them was so sweet. Giving reading glasses in Jesus name to the staff, local officials and board members of KIDS Uganda was another added highlight.
While there, our team visited all 6 rescue units, spread throughout Uganda. We pilled into vans and traveled long, dusty, red-dirt roads until finally arriving at these units. We were hot and tired, but the pure joy on the children’s faces that greeted us transcended all of this. Tears streamed down my face as they danced, sang, and celebrated our arrival, giving us all they had. No one has ever greeted us quite like that. Their joy and thanksgiving, first for God, for rescuing them and giving them hope, and secondly for others is truly inspiring. When we attempted to join in on their beautiful dance with them, they eagerly removed their sash and gave it us while we danced. The facilitators all served us a meal that was reflective of their generosity and hospitality: many dishes that had taken hours to prepare in an outside kitchen. One sweet mother brought a basin of water and a bar of soap around to each one of us and poured water over our hands, while we sat in doors; lavishly pouring out this water she had labored great distances to carry home. In this act of service, she was loving us as Christ modeled at the last supper. Our gracious hosts did not sit and enjoy the food with us, instead they served us and would only eat after we left. They bought bottled water for us to drink, knowing we could not drink their water.
Getting to go to church with them was also something we will always take with us. They met in a primary school, where the benches were so small that our feet fell asleep. Yet, here were many Ugandans crammed in, undaunted by the stifling heat and conditions, praising God for who He is: their Father. When it came time to tithe, an old woman walked up with a sack full of rice, bringing to life for me the parable of the widows’ mite; this lady gave all she had.
While there, we got to experience some different foods; chicken on a stick from a road side vendor, posho (consistency close to mashed potatoes but far less tasty, made from cassava), and chapati (soft, fried tortilla). We also saw some African animals; baboons that were brazen enough to climb onto our moving van, monkeys that shimmied into a parked car to retrieve fruit, and beautiful birds. Additionally, we experienced a new kind of driving. Being a passenger while our driver navigated two-lane streets that became five lanes, plus motor cycles and passengers, was something! By the middle of the trip, Jeff was asked upon to be one of our drivers and he graciously accepted.
Toward the end of our time there, as we were coming home from one of the rescue sites, the sadness of watching children far younger than Josiah struggle to bring home water and firewood broke me down. The need is huge; it is too big for us. But God, in his gentle way, reminded me to just do my part. That is all any of us can ever do; just do our part well. He is the one who sustains His children and is working mightily in Uganda. Thank you, again, for encouraging us and supporting us. You do your part well and we are so grateful for your friendship.
Love,
Jeff and Karissa, Andrew, Anna Grace, Sasha and Josiah
Thank you so much for going with us in spirit to Uganda! What a comfort and encouragement it was to know you were praying for us, and supporting us. Now that the bags are unpacked, we have been able to reflect on all that we saw and did while there. The biggest thing we will take with us, is our new knowledge of how big God is and how the people we met reflect His great love.
What a blessing it was to set up the vision clinic with the help of our Ugandan friends! It felt like Christmas in July as boxes were unpacked that had been stored for over a year. Meeting Taban (a local ophthalmologist in training) was one of God's unexpected blessings; we had been praying for God to provide the right person to continue seeing patients in the clinic. Getting to invite the children in and examine them was so sweet. Giving reading glasses in Jesus name to the staff, local officials and board members of KIDS Uganda was another added highlight.
While there, our team visited all 6 rescue units, spread throughout Uganda. We pilled into vans and traveled long, dusty, red-dirt roads until finally arriving at these units. We were hot and tired, but the pure joy on the children’s faces that greeted us transcended all of this. Tears streamed down my face as they danced, sang, and celebrated our arrival, giving us all they had. No one has ever greeted us quite like that. Their joy and thanksgiving, first for God, for rescuing them and giving them hope, and secondly for others is truly inspiring. When we attempted to join in on their beautiful dance with them, they eagerly removed their sash and gave it us while we danced. The facilitators all served us a meal that was reflective of their generosity and hospitality: many dishes that had taken hours to prepare in an outside kitchen. One sweet mother brought a basin of water and a bar of soap around to each one of us and poured water over our hands, while we sat in doors; lavishly pouring out this water she had labored great distances to carry home. In this act of service, she was loving us as Christ modeled at the last supper. Our gracious hosts did not sit and enjoy the food with us, instead they served us and would only eat after we left. They bought bottled water for us to drink, knowing we could not drink their water.
Getting to go to church with them was also something we will always take with us. They met in a primary school, where the benches were so small that our feet fell asleep. Yet, here were many Ugandans crammed in, undaunted by the stifling heat and conditions, praising God for who He is: their Father. When it came time to tithe, an old woman walked up with a sack full of rice, bringing to life for me the parable of the widows’ mite; this lady gave all she had.
While there, we got to experience some different foods; chicken on a stick from a road side vendor, posho (consistency close to mashed potatoes but far less tasty, made from cassava), and chapati (soft, fried tortilla). We also saw some African animals; baboons that were brazen enough to climb onto our moving van, monkeys that shimmied into a parked car to retrieve fruit, and beautiful birds. Additionally, we experienced a new kind of driving. Being a passenger while our driver navigated two-lane streets that became five lanes, plus motor cycles and passengers, was something! By the middle of the trip, Jeff was asked upon to be one of our drivers and he graciously accepted.
Toward the end of our time there, as we were coming home from one of the rescue sites, the sadness of watching children far younger than Josiah struggle to bring home water and firewood broke me down. The need is huge; it is too big for us. But God, in his gentle way, reminded me to just do my part. That is all any of us can ever do; just do our part well. He is the one who sustains His children and is working mightily in Uganda. Thank you, again, for encouraging us and supporting us. You do your part well and we are so grateful for your friendship.
Love,
Jeff and Karissa, Andrew, Anna Grace, Sasha and Josiah