April showers bring May flowers(blessings)

I am so excited to report that Ronald, one of the young men I work with has reunited w/ his mother. Last Sunday she had come back from Rwanda for treatment, she has cancer. They met and he shared his life and how he has accepted Christ in his life.  She has welcomed him back home and soon he will return to his family. Please continue to pray as we work slowly to reintroduce him back into the home. It may still not be safe, as the stepfather has done some horrific things.  When Ronald’s mother was 3 months pregnant, the father of Ronald died.  His best friend then ends up marring the mother, but at his gain and a cost. He has taken all the land titles and put them in his name and has treated Ronald w/ both physical and mental abuse, Then Ronald being exploited was just the straw the stepfather needed to completely push him and further secure his properties. So this could be very dangerous for Ronald to go home. He may have to continue his relationship w/ his mother, but not living at home. He is 17 years old.   The praise is Ronald has seen the works our Father is doing in his life since he has accepted him and he is seeing his testimony written out in love by God. I am praying that he can be a voice to other young men who are being trafficked and help restore them.

We are gearing up for our Kampala to Entebbe challenge. It is a walk that Rahab puts on each year. I am not sure really the distance they said it is a ½ marathon. But then Google says it is 38.9 kl from Kampala, which could be from the city center.   So we will find out the correct distance.

We have a theme this year it is called IT STARTS WITH ME.. We are going around town asking people if we can take their photos w/ our sign, so far it’s been a challenge. I thought people would be more than willing to raise awareness. It is not so they want money to take their photos and ask us how will they benefit and be taken care of if they participate. We had people asking us to pay their children’s school fees and give them money. I was really taken back by it. In America we are willing to help out and jump in for any cause. 

I have really been praying and reflecting on this day that Sam our marketing volunteer and I had while talking w/ strangers on the streets. Sam and I both saw the local countrymen and were blown away by the wiliness to get paid to help out. I have noticed more and more this time being here that people don’t just help u out. I got stuck in a hole w/ my front tire of my car and it took 9 guys to help me (they had to lift the front end of a Land Rover) and each one of them expected money from me. I was blown away I was like what happened to just helping someone out. What happened to just helping your local neighbor and friend or stranger on the street?   It really bothered me and brings such sadness to me. And then yet you find a person on the street who is so companionate and willing to show u were a store is or point u in the right direction. Such extremes.

But we didn’t let the devil win, we continued on and spoke w/ a few people that did let us each has an amazing story of how they are connected in some way of trafficking. My friend Brian almost left to Dubai and later after me refusing to let him go he found out he would have been trafficked, Faith was trafficked for labor trafficking and was lucky to return w/in days of getting there.  Rose who happen to be at the GO TV stand and whom I had met months earlier when I purchased my cable box, was sitting w/ 2 gentlemen whom both felt the grass was greener on the other side until we spoke about trafficking and both have said that they will really reconsider.

Updates w/ the beads please let me share the success of the ladies they are learning and perfecting and soon we should be able to start marketing them and trying to get a buyer to purchase them. I have seen some new styles in the market so we need to be quick and trend w/ the market.  It is a bit challenging but we will be ok, most of the shoes are imported from Kenya. All the touristy trinkets that people buy are not made in Uganda they are made in Kenya in huge factories.  Uganda imports billions of dollars each year to sell to tourists.  There are small amounts of local people making crafts compared to what is imported. I am hoping we can cut the costs down by supporting local businesses. We are also up against getting beads because there is no demand and so no supplies. Making beads limited. I will need to get my beads from Kenya. So we will work out the cost effective way to do things. But a quick 3 day trip to Nairobi may be in the works so I can work w/ suppliers and get beads. Then we would just order after that but need to make the relationships and see all they have to offer. I love the world market.  I am also friends w/ a lady who goes to India to purchase her beads for wedding dresses so I will have her bring back some from India when she goes and gets her supplies.  It is fun to be a bigger part of the world market and to build those relationships and to tell people about human trafficking it is one more way to bring awareness.

I spent a few days out at the home while the girls are home on holiday break; we have been making paper beads. What we are working on is a scripture bracelet, we took the scripture of Rahab in the bible and cut out each verse and made a paper bead with it. We will be making bracelets in August on there next holiday w/ the paper scripture beads.  It’s fun working w/ teenagers and doing crafts, I am a perfectionist and so I am learning to just enjoy the time w/ the girls and the fellowship we have.  I love how God works on Tuesday I was playing worship music and told the girls I would bring my lap top on Thursday and they can see the video to EVERYTHING by Lifehouse.  So no Thursday I get ot the home and Alex our youth pastor was there working with the girls. So I said oh do you mind I wanted to show them this video it’s only 6 min long.  He was hesitant at 1st but I said I promise it is a life changer for so many people. I didn’t want to spoil what it was about asi feel that each person needs to see if and allow the Holy Spirit to work on them. So I showed the video and he was like oh my gosh we are doing Luke 15:11 The Parable of the lost son. If u have not seen this video please go to utube and find it. It shows how a young woman stepped away from God and bought into sin of the world and how she came back to God and how he fought for her.  It’s beautiful.  The girls enjoyed it. 

Here is our new Center equipped w/ a small family of monkeys. I have actually only seen them once. I think once we moved it they were like,”Ok there family is a lot bigger than ours,” and “We need a bit more quietness w/ the little ones.”  

Actually the center is so nice and quiet and u just feel the goodness of the new place and the shifting in the girls they are in such a better place. I love how God provided such a safe haven in the middle of the chaos.

11 days and my Mom will be coming to visit. I am really excited to show her Africa and the ministry. It will be such a blessing to have her here. Please pray and consider coming and seeing the work we are doing. The girls are so amazing and just love the visits from our families and friends. Each time I see them they ask how many more days until she is coming.  What are you gifted in? do you a passion for nutrition or health, can you teach the girls how to crochet or sew? Is there a business person out there or just want to come and love on some amazing women/girls for a week or two.  We had a group that one of the guys came and he was dancing w/ the girls teaching them how to swing and 2 step and they all were just glowing. They need the healthy relationship that, that brings.  Do you have a heart to do morning devotionals or the love of Jesus and want to share your story w/ the girls we would love love love to have u come over.