Kidepo Sunset 2025
Our beloved January. It is a month of new beginnings, and in Uganda, the locals would say, “a month of suffering to find school fees.” They will explain that they spent on Christmas so that January is the month to find money. It is the slowest month for income of the year, and it is when the school kids need their fees. For me, January marks my planning for the next year, scheduling out the year for projects, next steps, and even work-related travel. Which I will update you all later in the letter.
I want to say how blessed I feel this New Year; I went camping in Kadepo with my closest friends here in Uganda. We traveled thirteen hours to spend three amazing nights camping in the savannah (inside the game park). One evening, while walking out of the bathroom, my head torch caught two eyes glowing back at me. I swiveled my head back around to that area, and sure as a banana is pilled to eat, I had two glowing eyes locked in with mine. As I stared confidently back at them, I gently told Angela and Shelby to stay in the showers. (this is why we women go to the bathroom together, as many men have asked). I called our ranger over in a calm voice. But when the head of this animal went low, and the eyes started to bob left to right, I could only remember my cat Pearl doing the same things as she pounced at the toy feather. I waved in front of her. I said, Daniel, a little louder this time and with a bit of force. He picked up the pace and raced over to me with his gun securely attached to his shoulder. He was so gentle and calm as he had me get behind him and walk to safety. Then he went to check it out and walked Angela and Shelby back to the Campfire. He reported that it was merely a water buffalo. I think he was trying to keep us from worrying because about 5 minutes later, on the other side of the rock formation where we placed our tents came a whooffff whoooooffff sound. This is a call made by a leopard. Sitting by the campfire, we listened to this beautiful and majestic animal communicate to the savannah he was passing through. Daniel explained that they do this to avoid upsetting the water buffalo and to prevent a stampede at night, allowing them to cross safely. As we continued to hear the call, we hopped in the car to follow. We got out our spotlight right near the grassy area where he was walking, and it was those same two beautiful eyes I had seen earlier. No New Year's Eve may ever top the beauty of the savannah and all its inhabitants.
What does 2025 look like? Brace yourselves. This is a long update, but it is worth the read.
Rahab ladies were trained by Sida in January on the new product for this year. Sida is a young woman who is very talented in sewing and crafts. For the past year, my close friend Angela has been paying for her to receive training in sewing, and we have walked alongside her as she has sold her items at local markets. I enjoy empowering her to be a successful businesswoman. Sida was able to help me create an insert that organizes a woman’s bag, which can be removed and placed into any of the many bags she owns. (Revolutionary, I say). I hope we can partner with the lady who makes the Molly bags (you can see them at my Ubuntu Market craft sales). I will bring some of the inserts back for those who have already purchased Molly’s bags from me and for future Molly’s bag purchases.
The Rahab Market continues to grow as we supply more safari lodges with our products. We have also showcased and started to produce our Nalu bags. This product is another brilliant way to upcycle the smaller pieces of fabric and sugar bag remnants. It is named after our accountant, Lillian Nalumansi, who helped design it.
The Lord has allowed me to get my feet wet as a consultant. It is with three cases where, unfortunately, I am seeing another side of human trafficking. One was the false accusation of a person accused of trafficking a child as they accompanied them across the border to school, and the other two were local situations where people used trafficking to set them up to look like they were trafficking. Unfortunately, people are using this kind of scheme to extort money. I share these descriptions with you not so that you will talk about them, (please keep them private) but to show the severity of one aspect of my job and why, for my safety and protection, I tell people I am a full-time student and a counselor.
This is true. I am counseling staff and volunteers involved in anti-human trafficking (AHT) efforts. (This is the new role I am transitioning into.) I will continue my higher education to have the degree and, once I graduate, step into counseling and pastoral care for those working in AHT.
This year's opportunities also include starting two business adventures and a bee keep project. I do all of this (businesses), as unorthodox as it may seem from a typical missionary standpoint, to continue to work behind the scenes in anti-human trafficking efforts. It is twofold. I am able to offer people solutions and tools to obtain skills so they are no longer choosing a lifestyle of need in trafficking, and the second reason is to empower my ministry to generate income to further the work of God. I know you all see my posts about homesteading and my little dog, Dublin. But soon, you will see posts about these amazing opportunities. As I have said before, it's hard to share the counseling and anti-human trafficking efforts that I do behind the scenes. It’s also difficult that I can’t share the incredible stories of staff sessions and their growth in healing past trauma and wounds. Being a counselor is an honor as we hold people's stories of trauma and allow them to share their journey when the time is right. So often, we want to know the story, yet the kind thing is to allow them to walk their journey in a safe space. Thus, the reason for not... a lot of chatter on this part of the job.
Another aspect of my life is the respite home; I feel that God has gifted me an amazing place to live, and I want to offer a quiet, tranquil place to those who need it. While I experienced a few hiccups in October and November due to a personal family matter, I returned to find two rooms flooded because of the house's structure. I also heard that a railroad would be going through my front yard. So, November and December were a time for allowing the paint to dry, as they say. November and December are also our rainy months, so it’s taken a bit more time. The railroad will not hinder the respite home, and God will provide another beautiful property in case I need to shift location. Meanwhile, I continue to offer the space to those who need it. And our first guests of 2025 arrived on February 9th from Kampala. It was so exciting, and it went very well.
The rest of the year is busy and crazy, with many school hours and projects. However, I will also be traveling a bit for ministry this year. I will be in Ethiopia in March for the African ICAP (International Christian Alliance on Prostitution) conference. This is where like-minded Christian organizations that have been working against human trafficking come together to learn, encourage, and pray. I am very excited that this year, I will be able to meet with organizations from all over Africa and offer my counseling skills to their staff. I will not be able to attend the conference in America this year due to my work visa exchange. Then, in April, I will be attending a women’s retreat here in Jinja. This is a great opportunity to love on missionary and Godly women and share the counseling and respite home. I look forward to the opportunity that this will bring to those who need encouragement.
In August, I will be transitioning into a new ministry covering, and this means I will be exchanging my Rahab Uganda visa to His Heart for Africa. This will be a lot of puzzle pieces moving around for this transition. First, I will need to leave Uganda in August and allow my visa to expire. I have decided to travel to Kenya. In order to get into Kenya, I will apply for a tourist visa. This allows me to stay there for a few weeks while I apply for a tourist visa back into Uganda. After receiving the new tourist visa (good for 90 days), I will hop on the bus and return to start the application process for my new three-year missionary visa. Rest assured, it is all legal, and the process is straightforward. My time in Kenya will not be wasted, as I have a very close friend, Rachell, with whom I will be staying and doing some consulting for her organization, as well as some trauma-informed training in exchange for my accommodations. I love the "I scratch your back if you scratch mine" system in Africa. Meanwhile, in August, I will be continuing another year of higher education (graduation is July 4, 2026).
What does it look like once I am back and transitioning to His Heart for Africa, I will be starting up another sewing project here in Jinja as I did with Rahab. As some of you know, a year ago, I started a business called Ubuntu Market.
Ubuntu Market is a company that strives to contribute to global ministries. Ubuntu means "I am because of who we all are," Zulu proverb. I chose this name because of the hope in unity (inviting others in) that I bring into my business. Ubuntu Market focuses on three different forms of creativity and art to positively empower women in their business ventures. The first goal of Ubuntu Market is to make wax wraps, whipped shea butter, and candles that solely contribute to my ministry costs (counseling, training, and consulting to those in trauma, sexual exploitation, trafficking, domestic violence, and unwanted sexual behavior.) The second part of Ubuntu Market is working and disciplining women in small businesses. The items that are currently being created for our Ubuntu market are the Tikvah (hope) bags, sugar bags, grocery bags, and jewelry, cutting boards, Molly bags. Each of these bags is personally and beautifully hand-made in Uganda. Again, the vendors receive fair trade prices for their products, and the profit sustains the ministry work. The third focus of Ubuntu Market is working with Rahab Uganda and similar ministries that continue to support women who are coming out of human trafficking and sexual exploitation and empowering women. In these ministries, Ubuntu Market strives to empower women to create and sell their innovations so that 100% of the profits from their sales go directly to the women in need and organizations. Rahab Uganda is currently making microwave cozies. Ubuntu Market is dedicated to helping women generate their own income for themselves and for their families while encouraging their journey in their businesses.
Now that I have seen Ubuntu Market through the first year, I want to expand a few projects in the second year. We will be undertaking three projects; the first is focused on the sustainable income from goats. I have currently purchased two goats for our pilot program, and it is going very well. What transpired is that I have two grandmothers who are caring for their grandchildren after losing both sets of parents. One of them has a child with epilepsy, and the medication is very expensive. She has received a goat, which will produce a kid in the next few months, and this kid will be hers to keep. When the goat has another pregnancy, it is most likely to generate twins. Again, I will provide her with another goat and keep the third one. The third goat will then go to another woman in need. My goal is to acquire eight more goats, so I can have five ladies with two goats each. The goal is that the woman will be able to rear the goat and produce an income for her needs. In time she will have a whole group of goats as will I. I am a goat rancher….. ha ha ha..
The second project is starting a sewing project so we can train other businesswomen and make more products here locally in Jinja. Thus, I will be hiring Sida to train and manage the project. I hope to start with three ladies and then grow slowly as the products generate income to sustain the project. His Heart for Africa also has young people whom they support who are artists. It will be nice to give them a space to work out of as they grow their businesses. Meanwhile, we will need to raise funds to start and implement this project.
Thirdly, is the bee program…….. to bee or not to bee…. The world needs bees and their habits are growing smaller each year. This year, we are going to fund a community bee training project. The way this project works is that people in the community I live with will be able to come to the training, and they will contribute 15,000 shillings, which is about 5.00 us dollars . They will be provided training and a hive. Then, each month, the group will contribute to a savings plan, ensuring that one or more persons each month will gain another hive. All the proceeds from the honey will go directly back to the group.
Okay, so by now, you are probably asking, “Sarah, how are you doing this, and how can we help?” Well, I am so glad you asked. I will hire a project manager (Robert) and a tailor (Sida) to help me run these projects.
The next thing I need is financial help. The sewing project will cost about $4000.00 to start and maintain for six months. The goats, however, are $50.00 each, and I will need eight more goats for $400.00. The bee project training and a hive cost $100.00 per person. I want to be able to cover six people to start. The salary of a project manager is $250.00 a month.
The respite home has received full funding for all the furnishings, like the beds, linens, and towels. It looks amazing. Each room is complete and filled with scripture and local artisan work. I have purchased a shade sail and am still working on getting outdoor furniture for the common area and building the structure to hold the sail in place. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project.
March updates:
I had a week off for spring break from school, and those weeks are always a fresh breath of air from catching up on house chores and those things you put off. I also went to Ethiopia for the ICAP International Christians Alliance on Prostitution. We have one in Wisconsin every three years that you have all heard me talk about. I will not attend the one in Wisconsin this year because I need to be in the US on earlier dates and back to work on my visa. This one in Ethiopia was for all the African nations to come together. Our theme this year was belonging. There are so many wonderful references to belonging in the Bible that one can glean from. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentil, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Or how about 1 John 3:1, “ For me, this verse shows that the world and all those who are in it belong. It is a good reminder that I am a missionary and that I am traveling around the world. It is also great to see what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should ALL be called children of God. And that is what we are!” I think the reason this conference is so important is because there are so many organizations doing the work we do that are not Christians. It is so refreshing to pray with each other, discuss our hardships, and invite God into the center of all our needs together. The conference on belonging also brought with it confirmation in the work I do and in stepping out into my own ministry, offering counseling to staff members of these organizations. I was able to provide my services and start conversations in partnerships with them as a counselor for their organizations. God confirmed that I belong right where I am and that counseling is much needed in these practitioners' lives. I was able to set aside some time for interactions with a few ladies who needed to debrief. One of those encounters started as one of the ladies, and I sat in the van and headed off to see an Orthodox church along the side of the road. We ended up starting to talk about God and then organically began to work on some of the things she was dealing with in the work she did. It was a beautiful moment with God and her. God showed up for both of us that day. Proving that my obedience in His calling for my life is one that I am called to do, and it helped her to start a relationship that will grow in time and healing to transpire so she can be the best she is in her surroundings.
Ethiopia, on the other hand, has changed significantly since my stopover in 2008. The country has undergone a remarkable transformation in its infrastructure and road systems. I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the roads; there were only about three bad streets, most of which were due to ongoing construction. The people were amazing and welcoming. One thing you might laugh at or consider odd is the issue of ice and cold drinks. In Uganda, they are starting to offer ice and cold drinks upon request. When you receive ice, it might be just five cubes for the three of you at the table. Also, cold drinks are indeed Chilled, but not ice-cold. So when I was in Ethiopia, the drinks arrived cold and included ice- even at the guesthouse. The other thing that blew me away was the mosquitoes. Anyone who knows me and travels with me knows I am a chick magnet for those pesky little things. In Ethiopia, I didn’t wear bug spray, and I never got bitten by a mosquito. Even in America, I can’t do that. I consider Ethiopia to be one of the top 10 places that I have visited in the world.
School continues to be challenging and rewarding, and I can start to see the end sooner or sooner. As I look to graduation and beyond, I continue to pray that God will reveal the people he needs me to talk to. I have started to open a few sessions so that I can start to build a base of clients, as it is like any endeavor; it needs to grow slowly and be built upon. God has been faithful and brought me a few new clients, which I will be seeing and then working on my supervision hours.
Respite home: Oh, I just love the way God hears us and brings those who need quiet. I was praying for more people to come to the home the other night, Saturday. On Sunday morning, I received a message from someone I encountered in Ethiopia. They are looking at visa requirements and will visit me this month. We pray over their journey and the need for respite.
Rahab continues to do amazing work. I don’t know if I mentioned this a few posts ago, but Rahab was starting to grow significantly with new programs at their drop-in center. Staff members had been holding up in the office among the new sewing machines, baking equipment, and ovens. It was a tremendous growth, but the poor staff were squeezed tightly into every corner. God provided an opportunity, and now Rahab has office space for all their staff, and the drop-in center can use the rooms for baking classes and our sewing project. WHOOP WHOOP, the sewing project gets its own space. Thank you, God.
On a sad yet happy note, the lady I co-lead the sewing project with has taken another job, and her adventures await her. I am sad to see her go, but I also know that we must encourage each other, and I am very excited for her next chapter. I look forward to seeing who God brings to fill her shoes. We know that He is faithful and that we trust in His plans for this project. Meanwhile, another co-worker will fill in for the time being. Next week, I will head to Kampala to map this out with her and purchase 10 fabrics for their upcoming projects.
At the homestead, we have had adventures. One was the dry season and the amount of dust accumulating on things. I wish I were exaggerating when I say an inch of dust fell on everything in sight. There was no keeping it at bay; it was live with it until the rainy season came. Seriously, the air pollution made the sky hazy, like during wildfire season. We have also been battling monitor lizards in our garden. This past Sunday, we had another encounter, and Dublin learned what the tail of a monitor lizard can do. He wasn't seriously injured, but he sure was shaken when it struck him on the leg. He has even ignored the monkeys that have been hanging around in our neighbor's yard. He used to bark at them, but maybe his little brain thinks about the monitor lizard situation. It's rainy season, so we have replanted things in the garden. We have black raspberries, Brussels sprouts, double-blooming hibiscus, cocoa, lime, and lemon trees, to name a few. Edison has a small nursery bed where we have planted seeds, so we know it is time to incorporate them into the landscape of our house. This month, Edison has the opportunity to attend a training called “Farming God's Way.” I look forward to enriching his skills and see how the Lord uses them.
On that note, Edison is doing great. One of the agreements, if he were to work with me, was to take what he would have paid in rent in Kampala and use it towards a plot of land in his village. I am so pleased to say that Edison has been able to buy a plot of land and burn bricks for his house. It will be a moderate two-bedroom home, but what encouragement for him to start to see and hope for his next steps. Edison and I will also learn beekeeping in September and start a small colony here at the house. I am looking for funds to offer a business class for Edison. It is a 5-month class that meets on Saturdays.