"So how old are you?" That was the question of the night. Today is my birthday and the kids sang the traditional birthday song and it just so happened that our power was out and we were meeting in candle light shortly after dinner, so I had a candle to blow out too! We didn't have a birthday cake mostly because the cakes here would need a jack hammer to cut into it.
So it was after I blew out my candle that the guessing game began. How old are you today? Well it is my fault, I asked them to guess, the guesses came in some were being funny and saying 17, but then came 71, 68, 55, 63, 74, 52 and OK I am going to stop there. It really told a story though, with a average longevity of life to be 46 years old in Uganda and them not not seeing many older muzungus maybe, (I tell myself) and also when you are a kid everyone seems old. Well you can see I am still trying to convince myself of that!
The average age in Uganda is 15 and the average life expectancy is around 46 years. So yea, I am old here, especially to these kids who most of their parents are deceased. That is why Robyn and I are the Jaja's (grandparents) and the 30 year old's are the momma and daddy.
One of the boys later told me that there is a saying here, now some things just don't always translate well, but, "older people have wisdom", that part is OK, but then it goes further, "they are like roasted meat because it is preserved", so I am thinking; I think this means that I am like Beef Jerky. Now I picture myself in one of those jars in your local convenience store counter, (you have to know my imagination).
Anyway they gave me a totally customized two sided birthday card that was signed by everyone in the family with lots of well wishes for a long life!...Priceless! OK, I am 58 years young today! Of course it is still shocking even to me, where does the time go?
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
If You Build It They Will Come
Many of us have heard this before; "If You Build it they will come." We can say this of the Door of Hope Family too. When we started this in February of this year, with just six children, we were ready to start the Lord's work and we really had no idea where He was leading us. Yes, we built it and they came!
We have reached the capacity with the boys and getting close to it with the girls at least at this compound. We will know more about our direction in the future when the Lord directs us. What the Lord is giving these children is amazing; they have a good solid chance for a great future because of this opportunity that He has allowed so many of you to participate in. As we get more organized as time goes on, we will have profiles on each child for you to learn more about them as individuals.
Let me catch you up to date with our latest tally:
We now have 15 children, with Momma Eunice and Daddy Brian and their two small children Duke & Deon, Jajas Jim & Robyn (grandparents), Aunt Rita, & Uncle Sam. Although the main function of the momma, daddy, and Uncle Sam is for the Door of Hope Ministry, the rest of the crew divides their time with all of our other ministries as well. But the largest and most time consuming is the Door of Hope Family. Jaja Robyn is in charge of all the procurements for the children; bedding, washing and personal hygiene items, as well as their clothing and shoes.
Our life on the compound is busy for sure. With seven girls and eight boys going to and from school and meeting for supper with 23 people every night, you can imagine that we have to be a well oiled machine.
Supper is at 7:00 PM and consist of an African diet and a muzungu diet, with sometimes a variation of the two. We follow supper with prayers, The Word, and worship music, and on Saturday night we watch a film too!
On Sunday morning we all walk together to church for about a 45 minute journey. Service is about 2 1/2 hours and then the 45 minute journey home. Then the youth group has an afternoon service from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. It is a pretty busy day for being a day of rest!
Here is a typical school day.
Jim's pick of the most sensational of fresh vegetables or fruits available here:
We have reached the capacity with the boys and getting close to it with the girls at least at this compound. We will know more about our direction in the future when the Lord directs us. What the Lord is giving these children is amazing; they have a good solid chance for a great future because of this opportunity that He has allowed so many of you to participate in. As we get more organized as time goes on, we will have profiles on each child for you to learn more about them as individuals.
Let me catch you up to date with our latest tally:
We now have 15 children, with Momma Eunice and Daddy Brian and their two small children Duke & Deon, Jajas Jim & Robyn (grandparents), Aunt Rita, & Uncle Sam. Although the main function of the momma, daddy, and Uncle Sam is for the Door of Hope Ministry, the rest of the crew divides their time with all of our other ministries as well. But the largest and most time consuming is the Door of Hope Family. Jaja Robyn is in charge of all the procurements for the children; bedding, washing and personal hygiene items, as well as their clothing and shoes.
Our life on the compound is busy for sure. With seven girls and eight boys going to and from school and meeting for supper with 23 people every night, you can imagine that we have to be a well oiled machine.
Supper is at 7:00 PM and consist of an African diet and a muzungu diet, with sometimes a variation of the two. We follow supper with prayers, The Word, and worship music, and on Saturday night we watch a film too!
On Sunday morning we all walk together to church for about a 45 minute journey. Service is about 2 1/2 hours and then the 45 minute journey home. Then the youth group has an afternoon service from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. It is a pretty busy day for being a day of rest!
Here is a typical school day.
For Primary Students
- Leave the compound at 6:30 AM for a 30 minute walk to school (rain or shine)
- Return to the compound at 4:30 PM
- Do some chores, Bathe and prepare for supper
- Supper at 7:00 PM
For Secondary Students
- Leave the compound at 6:30 AM for a 30 minute walk to school
- Return to the compound 6:30PM, do some chores, bathe and prepare for supper.
- Supper 7:00PM
A Typical African Dinner Menu
- Matooke (steamed & mashed large green bananas), rice, beans, avocado or other fruit.
- Posho (corn starch cooked & mixed to a firm consistency like mashed potatoes), beans, fruit, peanut sauce, green beans.
- Any variation of the above with silver fish. (They are tiny little fish eaten whole that smells like an old shoe, but they love it!)
Fruits can be bananas, watermelon, pineapple.
Vegetables include red potatoes, sweet potatoes, egg plant, tomatoes, green beans, squash, cabbage.A Typical Muzungu Menu
- Rice with stirred fried vegetables
- Fried potatoes and onions, sliced avocado and tomatoes.
- Spaghetti with meat sauce made with fresh tomatoes
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Fried chicken with rice
- Steamed rice with a vegetable and a fruit
- Tacos, well African style- made with chapatis similar to a flour tortilla with ground meat and seasoning mix from America, sliced tomatoes, (no lettuce or cheese), But we make a pretty good guacamole!
Jim's pick of the most sensational of fresh vegetables or fruits available here:
- Avocados These are as large as a very large grapefruit, and are very flavorful and cost equivalent to about 10 cents usd.
- Pineapples These are so sweet and juicy, they are an extra treat to me because I can not eat them in the states because I have a reaction to the acid and it literally burns my mouth. Here I can eat so much of it before I finally know that I have hit the limit. A pineapple costs between 25 to 75 cents usd.
- Passion fruit There is nothing like a glass of fresh squeezed passion fruit juice.
- Bananas are very good and plentiful here and come in a variety of styles, there are very small ones that are sweet, a medium size close to the variety eaten in the US which is my favorite, and the very large type that is used for cooking their matooke.
I enjoyed sharing this little glimpse of our daily life here, I hope you enjoyed it as well. Not a day goes by that we don't think of and pray for our supporters that make this all possible. The base is our regular monthly sponsors, and God knows we need more house sponsors to completely support this, but we offer that up to God for Him to Provide!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Be Sure to Write!
I am sure you have heard that phrase many times; "Be Sure to Write!"
But it is easy. You can write to our family members either by a personal note to one child or to the whole family. The children absolutely love it when we read them a letter from you.
Please adddress the letter to info@hewillprovide.org
But it is easy. You can write to our family members either by a personal note to one child or to the whole family. The children absolutely love it when we read them a letter from you.
Please adddress the letter to info@hewillprovide.org
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Family Reunited!
A family is reunited! Praise God. We thank God for small favors He grants upon us. To be able to witness His goodness is a real blessing.
Recently two of our girls, Barbara and Sara, were blessed by a visit from their older brother Richard. He was interested in visiting where his sisters were living and how they are doing in their new school. It was during our visit with Richard that we learned more about their family. We talked about the deaths of their mother and father and how Richard who is only 19 has been doing his best to look after his siblings. We then learned of their youngest brother Robert. He has been staying with an uncle and Richard knew he wasn't in a good situation. The girls had not seen their little brother in nearly two years. The separation of this family was a very obvious burden to the eldest brother.
Tonight, Richard arrived with 12 year old Robert, to come and live at the Door of Hope, where he was greeted by his two sisters. Can you imagine this family reunited, all four of these kids together in one place after so much time? What a burden for this young man of just nineteen years; we can see the relief on Richard's face as he is proudly surrounded by his younger siblings. They all look up to him and you can see the love in their eyes.
Now that Richard has his family in one place he can continue his work in Kampala and only needs to worry about taking care of himself. He knows he can come to visit his family whenever he gets a chance. It is times like these that the supporters of this ministry, must know that they are doing God's work! Thank you to all of our supporters! How is it that all of you are to be here in this moment in their lives? Our youth is so short, yet so impactful in our lives, and what a difference a small turning point can make into a lifetime memory!
Psalm 68:5 A father to the fatherless, defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
.
Recently two of our girls, Barbara and Sara, were blessed by a visit from their older brother Richard. He was interested in visiting where his sisters were living and how they are doing in their new school. It was during our visit with Richard that we learned more about their family. We talked about the deaths of their mother and father and how Richard who is only 19 has been doing his best to look after his siblings. We then learned of their youngest brother Robert. He has been staying with an uncle and Richard knew he wasn't in a good situation. The girls had not seen their little brother in nearly two years. The separation of this family was a very obvious burden to the eldest brother.
Tonight, Richard arrived with 12 year old Robert, to come and live at the Door of Hope, where he was greeted by his two sisters. Can you imagine this family reunited, all four of these kids together in one place after so much time? What a burden for this young man of just nineteen years; we can see the relief on Richard's face as he is proudly surrounded by his younger siblings. They all look up to him and you can see the love in their eyes.
Now that Richard has his family in one place he can continue his work in Kampala and only needs to worry about taking care of himself. He knows he can come to visit his family whenever he gets a chance. It is times like these that the supporters of this ministry, must know that they are doing God's work! Thank you to all of our supporters! How is it that all of you are to be here in this moment in their lives? Our youth is so short, yet so impactful in our lives, and what a difference a small turning point can make into a lifetime memory!
Psalm 68:5 A father to the fatherless, defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Worker Bees
March 16 and 17
Worker Bees
By God’s grace the owner of the house came by last week to see the house that HWP is renting. It’s God’s grace because Robyn had dropped off a letter of house improvements and pictures to the property manager that morning and before he had even seen the letter the owner dropped by the house to talk to Jim. This is the first time that the owner had came to the house since Robyn and Jim had moved in, as he lives in Geneva, Switzerland. As he took a “tour” of the Door of Hope house he realized what was being done here for the children. Within an hour of the owner leaving the property manager phoned and gave permission to have all of the improvements to the house done. I love how God works!!
We started with the most essential repair projects, the leaking water tank, plumbing issues and the holes in the window screens. This started the flurry of worker bees coming into the compound! :) On Monday the plumbers showed up. Not just two but four and five at a time. They were running around the compound in their blue overhauls busy checking pipes and toilets working on the leak in the water tank. The next thing we knew there was another knock on the main gate, yes another worker. This time it was Godfrey, the window screen repairman. He comes walking in with a big roll of screen and all his tools. As he started pulling off the old screens and hammering on the new the BUZZ in the compound grew. Then before we knew it evening was upon us the BUZZ had subsided and the children were knocking on the gate, they were home from school. The day had slipped away but it was wonderful to see all of the new things being done!!
Romans 8:28
And we know that God caused everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Worker Bees
By God’s grace the owner of the house came by last week to see the house that HWP is renting. It’s God’s grace because Robyn had dropped off a letter of house improvements and pictures to the property manager that morning and before he had even seen the letter the owner dropped by the house to talk to Jim. This is the first time that the owner had came to the house since Robyn and Jim had moved in, as he lives in Geneva, Switzerland. As he took a “tour” of the Door of Hope house he realized what was being done here for the children. Within an hour of the owner leaving the property manager phoned and gave permission to have all of the improvements to the house done. I love how God works!!
We started with the most essential repair projects, the leaking water tank, plumbing issues and the holes in the window screens. This started the flurry of worker bees coming into the compound! :) On Monday the plumbers showed up. Not just two but four and five at a time. They were running around the compound in their blue overhauls busy checking pipes and toilets working on the leak in the water tank. The next thing we knew there was another knock on the main gate, yes another worker. This time it was Godfrey, the window screen repairman. He comes walking in with a big roll of screen and all his tools. As he started pulling off the old screens and hammering on the new the BUZZ in the compound grew. Then before we knew it evening was upon us the BUZZ had subsided and the children were knocking on the gate, they were home from school. The day had slipped away but it was wonderful to see all of the new things being done!!
Romans 8:28
And we know that God caused everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
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