An African Adventure

As many of you know, my sister came to visit me here in Uganda for about 3 weeks. The first week she was here, we were busy running around Jinja. Over the 2nd two weeks that she was here, we were busy running all around Uganda. Last weekend we had the opportunity to venture up north to Soroti. I was SO excited for Maddie to get to Soroti and meet our brothers and sisters there. After a weekend north, we then headed to western uganda for a Safari!! It was so exciting! We headed out to Murchison National Park on Thursday morning. It was a three day adventure. We booked the safari with a organization called Red Chilli. We stayed 2 nights at their rest camp in the park.
The first day we drove about 6 hours from Kampala to Murchison National park. We finally reached the park and went straight to the top of Murchison falls. During the reign of Ida Amin in the 1970's the name of the falls was changed to Karabrega Falls, after the King Kabarega of Bunyoro. Since the fall of Amin, the falls took back the name of Murchison but is still sometimes referenced as Karabrega falls. It was so beautiful! We took a small hike to a couple outlooks, then we walked back up to the top of the falls. It is said to be one of the fastest moving falls in the world because if it's small gorge.

After our hike, we all loaded in the van again and headed for the Rest Camp. At the camp Maddie and I shared a tent. It was a permanent tent with actual beds inside [pretty luxurious for camping!]. We went to bed quite early since we were tired from the travels. At about 3:30am I woke to some sort of animal outside of my tent. Slightly freaked out, I sat up slowly to look out my window... It was a giant hippo! He was RIGHT next to my bed, gnawing on the grass - very loudly, I might add. I so badly wanted to take a video to show you all proof, but I was afraid the light would shock him and he'd charge into my bed. Hippos are not known to be the nicest of animals, they actually cause many deaths here in Uganda. It was quite a surprise, there had to be at least 5 of them around the camp that night. I finally fell back asleep for a couple hours, but then had to get up to go on our game ride! This is what Maddie and I had been waiting for all week! We had to load the van early so we could make the ferry across the river. If we missed the river we'd be really delayed for our day.

Our van for the 3 days

The ferry we took across to the other side for our game ride.

We finally got across the river around 8am, and hit the trails. As the sun was still rising over the plains, we saw many different animals. Many different species of antelopes and birds.

Then we saw the infamous buffalo. As we were driving, our tour guide got a phone call - it was his coworker informing them they spotted the lions. Many people go on safaris here in Uganda and never see a lion. They are a rare sighting. There are rules on having vehicles off the trails, and the lions tend to stay far from the tracks. As we kept driving, we spotted the lion, but not just one we saw 2! They were brothers, and soon they were to be the leaders of the pack. As time goes on, they will have to fight for the leader position, but for now they are loving brothers. [I imagine that's what Scar and Mufasa were like before Mufasa received the big man position] It was all so exciting. They were literally right next to our van, just playing and lounging around.

After we saw the lions we kept venturing - all I really wanted to see was an elephant and time was a ticking. We saw some beautiful giraffe. They are really such an amazing creature - the way they walk is so magical, actually everything they do seems magical to me. Even the way they eat.

Maddie and I

As time went on, we finally had our first elephant sighting! There were 4 by the water. Since it's dry season, they spend most of their days by the water; bathing and soaking to stay cool. We were nearing the end of our game ride through the park. We headed back to the camp for a lunch break. After lunch we then headed out on our boat ride. We road the river for about 3 hours and saw many many hippos. And we saw more elephants! I can tell you all, hands down, the African elephant is my favorite animal on this planet. They are so majestic. We seemed to be very lucky - besides from seeing the lions, we saw an elephant laying down and we also watched one swim.

Overall, the safari was such an amazing experience. I can now cross "Go on an African safari" off my bucket list!

Yesterday we traveled to Entebbe to drop off my sister at the airport. It was a sad day, though I am so blessed to have had her visit me for the time she did. Now I will have someone at home who can relate some with my life here in Uganda. 

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I want to leave you all with a couple prayer requests: 

-Safety for everyone traveling during the holiday season. When we traveled to the airport yesterday, traffic was awful and people were driving crazy!  

-The Fisher family. Pray that their adjustment back in the states goes well and they can feel peace during this crazy time. 

-Everyone away from family during Christmas - whether it be missionaries, those in the armed forces, the street children, or those who simply can't make it home for certain reasons. For me, being in a completely different culture and climate during this month has been a challenge. Please pray that the Lord can wrap his comforting arms around all of those separated from family. 

-The Calvery Chapel family, Mamma Bev, and all my brothers as Pastor Jesse passed away last week. A loss is never easy. He was loved and admired by many. 

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I want to thank you all for your continued prayers and support. I appreciate every one of you. I pray that you all have a blessed Christmas and New Year! May your holidays be filled with joy and laughter. 

Sending my love to you and your family.

Grace & Peace

Jigger Clinic

I finally had the opportunity to go on my first outreach jigger clinic with Sole Hope. I was very excited to see what exactly went down at one of these. The best thing about it being my first time, is that I got to share the opportunity with my sister! Yup, my sister has joined me on African soil for about 3 weeks. I could not be more happy and blessed to be able to share these experiences with her! - We have a lot of exciting things in the coming days, but I'll post about that later :) - So back to the jigger clinic. We set out for the Sole Hope Outreach house around 9:30. On top of the regular scheduled staff, there was another family who was volunteering for the day. We all crammed into 2 vehicles and hit the road. We went to a village about 20mins away, still in the Jinja district. We arrived and there were people of all ages surrounding us. We set up the cleaning area, removal area, and the shoe giving area. Maddie and I, and our friend Johnson took foot notes, while Amber helped transport kids from the cleaning area to the removal area. We sat behind the jigger removers and had to record where each jigger was taken out. Each person had a sheet with their name on it and it had a picture of two feet and two hands. We had to put a dot for each jigger, in the end we would count them all up and record any other notes if needed.

Maddie taking footnotes for Duncan

Me taking footnotes for Lillian and Peter

Johnson taking footnotes and talking with little man [whom Johnson named Robert VandenBerg :)] 

The man who I was taking footnotes for in the picture above (far left, in the brown) is 18 years old. On this day he had 237 jiggers removed from his feet, hands and his left elbow. 237! That is a lot of jiggers to get removed in only a couple hours. Lillian did a great job removing. He was one of the worst cases in a community based clinic. They have had some cases at the outreach home that have had more than 400 jiggers. When a case becomes any worse than the man on this day, they bring them back to the Outreach home to live and monitor as they remove and let the wounds heal. This man will be staying in the village, but Sole Hope plans to check up on him this week and they also plan to spray his home for jiggers. He has had a constant battle with jiggers for a while now. If you were to look at his feet you can see scars from previous jiggers. We pray that with a spray of his home and an education on how to protect himself, he can become jigger free.
I am so thankful to have such an awesome God lead organization right down the road from us. It was an honor being a part of the organization for a day. If you want to learn more about jiggers and what Sole Hope does, click on the link below. It will take you straight to Sole Hope's website. Happy learning!

Click here to check out more about Sole Hope

Conquering Jinja

After a few weeks of riding a roller coster, I have finally come to some flat ground. About 3 weeks ago, I packed up all of my belongings and was ready to hit the road. The Fishers are nearing the end of their time here in Uganda so it was time for me to get out on my own and find a place to settle into.

I took one of my bags, and headed over to Sole Hope Guest house. This is where I resided for about 2 weeks. It had been a great accommodation for me during the transition. I am very blessed to have a place like this right down the road from the Fisher's compound. Although I would have loved to move into my 'new home' instead of moving to a guest house first, I had no choice at this time because - well, I had no home. I was going through many emotions. Some moments I was feeling very confident in what God had planned for me, then other times the devil snuck in and made me doubt. It was frustrating, because the whole time I knew God was with me, but when the devil attacked I just couldn't fight the feeling of defeat. Over this period of searching, I've had about 4 different living options, but all of them seemed to fall through right at the moment I thought I had found 'the place'. One house in particular, seemed like a perfect match. It is a small, 2 bedroom house, on a walled-in compound. A quaint house with a big yard, perfect for just a couple people. It was the 'perfect place'. BUT, as soon as I seriously inquired about the place I found out it was taken :(. I was crushed, but not even 24 hours later God worked His magic and the house was available! I am so excited to start this new journey, in a new home. I must admit - I am very excited to decorate! I am so blessed to have found such a perfect place, and I am so happy I waited for the right opportunity. Here are just a few pictures of the new place.

The new humble abode 

The compound 

Living room

My bedroom

Not only have I acquired a new home, I have also gained a pretty sweet roommate. One of the girls I had befriended over the last 2 months has decided to fulfill her calling to stay in Jinja a while longer. Amber has a gentle spirit, and I am so excited to learn from her over her extended stay! Serving along side of her is going to be such a knowledgeable and rewarding experience.

I want to thank you all for praying for me during these changes, I could not have made it through without them. As for ministry, I am not quite sure what I will be doing over the next couple of months. I will still be serving for the Fisher's for the next week and from then I will be praying that God opens up doors for ministry.

Prayer Requests:
- My sister, Maddie, is 'leaving on a jet plane' tomorrow to visit me in Uganda for a couple weeks! :) Please pray for safety and easy traveling.
- The Fisher family. Pray that the adoption process can get finished up this week. They plan to fly home in 2 weeks, but that could create problems if the adoptions are not complete by then.
- Amber needs some prayers as she is talking with the airlines trying to change her return flight home, being in Uganda (with slow internet) this makes things very frustrating. Pray that she can get that all figured out soon so she can have peace about staying longer. Also, for guidance as she decides where the Lord wants her to minister during the next 3 months.
- Ministry opportunities for me. I have no doubt that this (Uganda) is where I am supposed to be, but I just want the Lord to direct me and put me where He wants me. I want to serve where/who He wants me to. Pray for listening ears and open eyes.

I hope you all enjoyed your Holiday weekend with your families. I am so thankful for the family and friends I have here in Jinja. For the first time ever I enjoyed a Thanksgiving outside under the blue skies and sunshine. Thanks to our dance party with the kids, I was even sweating a little. It was a wonderful day, full of laughter and memories.

May God bless all of you as this crazy holiday month continues. Slow down and enjoy the season.

Love you all!

Grace & Peace

Oh Uganda!

Hello my friends! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, but my life has been all over the place, per usual. This past Wednesday I packed up all my belongings and moved into Sole Hope Guest house with my friends. They have an extra bunk in their room until next the 24th of November. After that I need to find a new place to call my home. I am not sure where that will be yet, but I am praying and praying. I know God has a plan for me somewhere, I'm just not sure where that is yet.
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to head to Nelson Mandela Stadium for a soccer match. We left Jinja around 10:30 and headed straight for Kampala. We packed about 16 of us in a 14 passenger matatu (taxi van). Surprisingly we managed quite well. The personal space here in Uganda is slim to none, compared to America, so I have grown accustom to being close to others. Once we hit Kampala, we stopped for some lunch at a local food restaurant - rice and chicken all around! They were obviously prepared for a crowd of people because it was the fastest I have ever received food in Uganda. After we ate, Charlie and I walked outside to find some water, but we got distracted by the street vendors. There were all different hats, blow horns, flags, stickers, and face painting all for sale. Now normally, in America, I avoid these people at all costs. The prices are WAY over priced and it's just not worth it. Here on the other hand it was the opposite. I bought myself a nice ugandan colored cowboy hat and was on my way.

Charlie, Brittany, and I walking to the stadium.

We were all decked out and ready for the game. We walked over to the stadium - and after 6 people stuck their paint brushes in my face trying to get me to paint my face - we finally made it in. There weren't too many people in the stadium when we got there, but it soon filled up. As the cement seats filled up, we had a great time people watching and hanging out until the game started. Walking into the match John told me to not get too excited, because Ghana was expected to win. Knowing nothing about soccer I took his word for it. BUT low and behold, Uganda took the win! It was an exciting game at a final score of 1-0. The crowd was unreal. We all left talking louder than usual because our ears were most likely damaged from all the screaming, music, and horns.

Charlie, John, and I

Bekah, Laura, and Johnson

Part of the group

The crew :)

Relationships Trump All

Thank you for friends and laughter. Thank you for alone time and for craziness. Thank you for smiles from strangers. Thank you for differences in cultures. There are so many things to be thankful for. It's often hard for us to remember to thank God for all the things that happen through the day. But every breath we take is thanks to our Lord and Savior. As we go through our busy lives it's hard to remember that. Especially the days when things don't seem to go our way. I often think back to my days before I left for Uganda; the days I miss my family and friends and having a 'normal' schedule to my day. But since I've been here, I've learned to take things as they come - to roll with the punches. I'll admit, this has not been the easiest lesson to learn. I really find myself having a love-hate relationship with the cultural differences among time management here. There are days I want to pull my hair out, but most of the time all I can do is smile and laugh. Nothing happens quickly here. A what-should-be 10 minute trip to the super market takes an hour because you had to find 3 different boda boda drivers before you could get going, because the first 2 couldn't get their piki to start. Then when you get dropped off by the super market, 5 smiling girls spot you on their walk home from school, and want to hold your hand and get to know you. Next thing you know, they're following you into the super market and insisting to hold your basket for you while you shop around for the items you need. After you're done shopping you can't simply walk away, you then have to say your goodbyes and thank the girls for their help. Once I finally catch a boda home, I realize the time. It may be a lot later then I wanted it to be, but had I gotten upset with the boda drivers or ignored the girls I would have missed out on the laughs and smiles I shared with these beautiful people. I think back to if I was still in America, I probably wouldn't have been so happy about taking up so much extra time, because in America we often don't have time to spare. Week by week we often wind ourselves so tight that we about break. It's like a yo-yo. You throw as many screamers as you can, until one day you can't do it anymore because the string has become so worn and it breaks. Week by week you stretch yourself as far as you can go, but after a while you just can't take it anymore. I can't tell you how many times I've been a culprit of that lifestyle. I often wonder which lifestyle I would prefer; the American culture where we run on a schedule where we have the comfort of knowing what is going to happen each and every day, or the Ugandan culture where life ticks as things come up. You may have something planned for the day but it will probably change because someone comes and knocks at your gate or maybe a friend calls and needs your help. I grew up knowing a life where deadlines run my day, but here relationships trump all. Both ways are good, but I sometimes wonder if the American culture has grown too cold. Now trust me when I say that I have not grown anti-American over my 3 months here. 'Merica is great, but every country has it's flaws. No worldly life is perfect. I am so happy that God has put me here in Uganda. It has made me realize how important relationships are. What fun would living in this world be if we didn't have friends or people to share laughs with?
I learned something interesting from Kent Dobson the other day, via Mars Hill Bible Church podcast. In one of his most recent teachings Sacred Universe: 3, he refers to the very beginning of creation. In Genesis it says 'So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.' Most of us have heard this verse countless numbers of times, but in that I think we can easily bypass the importance of the verse. So we were made in God's image, that's pretty cool. But listen, WE were made in His image. He created all of us equally. This means that the image of God is all around. We reflect the very image of the Divine. When Kent said these words, it really made me think. This is exactly what people in Africa are good at remembering. They take time out of their day to seek out and get to know people, to seek the Divine. The skin that is on our bodies is not ours, it is God's. This body we live every waking/sleeping second in, is His. Take a look at your neighbor, the same goes for him/her. That is where the verse in Leviticus comes out in new light for me. "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself." - Leviticus 19:18. If we're all made in the image of Christ - if we all have divine sparks - who are we to seek revenge or bear a grudge against another? We have to love each other as we would want to be loved. In order to really know someone, it takes time. That is why I love the importance of relationships here in Uganda. Kent said it best, "God will never be known in the unique way He is being made known in you." How can we share the unique way of God if we don't take the time to talk to others? I don't know about you, but I definitely want others to see the Divine in me. Forming relationships with people is pertinent to spreading the word. Forming relationships takes time. So what's more important; getting your to-do list complete? or taking time out of your day to call up that friend that you've been meaning to talk to for the past couple weeks now, but you just haven't had the time?
I have been blessed with some great friends here in Jinja. We may all come from different places, but we all serve the same Lord. It's amazing who God puts in to our lives. Just when I was starting to miss home the most, I meet a group of girls at church who just so happen to be from Michigan. It's awesome to have a group of people who grew up in the same type of environment as you. It's comforting to have things in common. And for my friends that I've made from Uganda or other African countries, it's truly amazing to hear their stories. Life would be so boring if everyone grew up the same way and experienced the same things. Learning about different cultures/different ways of life is exhilarating. I often think to myself, 'how on Earth have I gone (almost) 25 years of life and not known about this captivating way of life?' There are times we hear about cultural differences, but sometimes it's hard for us to grasp the concept until we actually see it first hand.
It's funny, sometimes I forget that I'm on the continent of Africa. Although I see different things, like jackfruit outside my window or the red dirt that stains my feet, it just feels normal now. Then I walk down the street and literally get stuck in the mud while dodging a big truck coming towards me, because it's so clay-like that my flip flops stick like glue. Then I take a walk down by the Nile river - I remember where I am. I am in Uganda. The Nile River is in my backyard, I mean seriously, what is this life?! I love it. God is so good.

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For those of you who have been praying for me and my upcoming decision making, I want to thank you. I don't think I can express how much you have all helped me. Although I have not made any decisions yet, I am very close. Through your prayers and talking with my friends here in Jinja, God has helped me feel more content with the unknown. I have met with various people throughout the week about places to stay and places to volunteer. I am pretty sure I am close to figuring out what God has planned, but who knows what He has planned for me this week. For now, I will wait as patiently as I can. Please continue with the prayers for clarity and peace, as time keeps ticking.
Please keep the Fishers in your prayers as well, as their adoption progression keeps moving and they are preparing to finalize everything here in Uganda.


Grace & Peace,
Kendall

Sleeping in a Zoo

So this weekend I had the opportunity to visit Uganda's Wildlife Education Center for the second time. The first time was about a month ago when we came to Entebbe to pick Chris up from the airport. This time I got to make a road trip with a fun group of girls I've had the privilege of meeting at church a couple weeks back. We ventured out Saturday evening and made our way to Entebbe. We took a transportation called the Pineapple Express. We didn't arrive to the zoo until about 10pm. By that time it is pitch black outside. We were dropped off at the gate, we grabbed our bags and started walking. The Bandas that we stayed in are located at the back of the zoo. Here we are, walking through the zoo in the dark. I'm not going to lie, it was slightly terrifying. But then I thought to myself, how many people can say they've walked through a zoo after hours, in the dark, and in Africa?! It was a pretty sweet thought. When we arrived to our Bandas we and set our bags down. Shortly after we were settled, the power went out. At that point there wasn't much we could do, so we called it a night and headed to bed.

One of the Bandas we stayed in.

From the other side of the zoo, you can see how close the giraffes are to our Bandas. They are right beyond those trees.

The next morning we woke up and slowly got ready. Then we started the trek to the front of the zoo where we ate breakfast at the restaurant there. It over looks Lake Victoria and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore made me feel like I was back at home, sitting by Lake Michigan.

Beautiful Lake Victoria

As we were eating our omelets and chips (what Ugandans call fries) there was a dark cloud approaching. Luckily we were just finishing when it started to rain. We paid our bill and ran to the front desks. We were all set to start our tour with our friend Sam, but the rain was stopping us. Instead of heading out in the park, Sam started us in a building. In this building was skeletons of different African animals. Sam told us all about the African elephant, lions, and hyenas. He even had us role play a couple different techniques lions and hyenas use hunt their prey. 

Sam telling us about the African elephant

Skull of a lion

Sam teaching us about the hot springs in southwest Uganda

It continued to rain, so after we were done we headed back to the front desk to deliberate what we were going to do. We decided to head back to the Bandas until the rain stopped. On our way to the Bandas the rain had stopped, so we decided to start our adventure there. We saw so much of God's creation, and like He said in the beginning, 'It was good'. We even road a camel! 

The Rhino

How creative was God when He made the zebra?! So beautiful.

My pal Charles, the 3 year old elephant. What a wonderful creature.

Now this is Africa.

Feeding the giraffe.

Aren't these guys gorgeous??

Laura and I riding the camel. Whoo-hoo!

After we finished our tour, we headed back to the zoo restaurant and had some lunch, and as soon as we were finished, (king) Solomon was there waiting to take us back to Jinja in the Pineapple Express. Solomon became our friend very quickly. Before we even hopped in the van with him, he decided it was okay to stop for frozen yogurt on the way home. Frozen yogurt can only be found in Kampala/Entebbe, so when you live in Jinja it is quite a treat! After a few bumps in the road, like stalling in the middle of Kampala, and our spare tire coming loose, we finally made it to Jinja. God was on our side. Although we were only away for about 24hrs it was a nice get away and spend some time with a great group of woman! 

It's a God Thing

It all started a couple weeks ago. It was late one wednesday evening while Chris, Michelle, and I were talking in the living room. Chris was invited to go out on the streets that evening at 10pm. This is the time that the soldiers would start coming out to pick up any street kids they can get. As we were sitting in the living room, exhausted - as we are many nights here - it was approaching 10pm. Chris did not want to get back out, but Michelle told him he should, and being a good husband he did as the wife asked ;) The next morning I wake up and I hear that Chris found a boy crying on the streets and he brought him home to sleep in our back room. The boy's name is Male (pronounced: Mah-lay). I get myself ready for the day and head out to the classroom. As school begins I see Male come from the back room and start playing in the yard. The kids take a break from school and over walks Male. He welcomes me with a huge smile. You can't beat the smiles of Africans, their pearly white teeth against their beautiful brown skin is so beautiful. I ask him how he is doing and introduce myself. He sits next to me and looks at the books I am preparing for the kids. Male seems different then the other boys I have met on the streets. He was very polite and listened when you asked him to do something. James told us that he doesn't think Male has been on the streets for that long. We invite Rachel, our social worker, over to talk with Male. We hear his story and find out he has only been on the streets for a week. He came from Kamuli, after he ran from his aunt. After taking a trip to Kamuli, we figure out that the best place for him is back with his Father in Kampala. After spending a couple days with Male we head out to Kampala and reunite Male with his Father, step-mother, and siblings. From what we have heard, Male is doing well at home. I think he is happy to be off the streets. 

James, Chris, Rachel, & I with Male and his family

Word must have gotten out about what we did for Male, because one Sunday we get a knock at our gate. A boda boda driver dropped off a boy named Samule. Samule has been on the streets for a couple days and he needed help. He didn't speak much english, and we didn't know what to do. Since James was just finishing his shift, he decided that he would take Samule to his house for the time being. A couple days later, after we had learned more about Sam, Chris and Michelle headed to Kamuli with Sam, James, and Rachel. After driving way farther than they thought, they got to Sam's village. Turns out there was some history with theft and we decided it was not safe for him to stay. They talked with his family and for now he is staying with James and his brother Emma. We praise God that James is allowing Sam to stay with him. 

Sam :)

James and Sam in Sam's village

On the way to meet Sam's parents, Chris and Michelle came across a very special boy. His name is David. David was very very sick, and on the brink of death. Chris and Michelle put him in the car with his mother and aunt, and took him all the way back to Jinja to the hospital. David stayed the night there and had tests done. Chris and Michelle got back late and as soon as they pulled in,

Michelle, Chloe, Rachel, and I headed back to the hospital. I have never seen someone so fragile and sick. We only stayed for about and hour or so. We talked with the doctor and made sure everything was set for the night and that they were getting what they needed. The next day, Chris and Michelle had to go to Kampala for the day. Turns out David and his family were not getting what we previously discussed with the doctors, so Patrick and I hopped on the Boda and headed to the hospital. After many walks back and forth from David to the reception desk, we got it figured out. He was set to have an ultra sound that afternoon. Not too long after Patrick and I got home, we got another phone call that the scan was done and someone needed to be there to meet with the doctor. We hopped back on the Boda, and we were off. We sat with the doctor and heard the news. They found multiple masses in David's abdomen area, most likely cancerous. They suggested that we transport him to a different hospital to get a biopsy done. Sitting as David's 'caretakers' was overwhelming. Here I had only known this boy for a few hours and I was sitting hearing the doctors diagnosis. We went and communicated the results and plans with David's family. As I sat at his bedside, hand on his forehead I couldn't help but tear up. He was in so much pain, I couldn't bare to think of what he was feeling. I knew the Lord had a plan, but why did this sweet 11 year old need to go through all this suffering? As we left the hospital with heavy hearts, the sun was setting. As I was eating dinner with Chloe and Kidist, James came and informed me that David passed away not long after we left his side. Praise the Lord that his suffering is over! Although earth is missing sweet David, he is much happier in the Kingdom of Heaven! I will always remember this boy. 

David with his mother and aunt

Sweet David

Even through the sorrow of losing David we have to rejoice. David is free from suffering, Male is back with his family, Sam is happy staying with James temporarily, and Zack is off the streets! A few blog posts ago, I introduced you all to my friends Zack, Amis, and Abadoo. This week Chris and Michelle headed to Zack's village. He was reunited with his father. Zack had been a part of my life ever since I have been in Uganda. As much as he pesters me by poking and pulling on me, I love him dearly. We have spent so much time with him, and I'll cherish that forever. I am going to miss him dearly, but I am SO happy he his back with his family. Better yet, during the visit, Zack's father accepted Christ as his Savior! Zack is happy to be welcomed back to his village. 

Zack and his Dad

Zack, his dad, and Sam

James and Chris talking with Zack and his dad

My buddy Zack

God works in mysterious ways. He brought each one of these boys into our lives for a reason. I appreciate the time I got to/get to spend with each of them. I ask for prayers for each of these boys and their families. It's not easy taking in your child that ran away from the village. Pray for peace in their homes and that there is love to share among these boys.

 

Thank you for all your prayers and support! I have met with some more people about volunteering opportunities for after the Fishers leave. Many of you have shown me love and concern and I appreciate it all! Even from miles away you guys know how to tug those heart strings of mine, thank you! :)

 

Love and miss you all!

 

Grace & Peace,

Kendall