Hi friends and family from Kampala, Uganda!
We are having an amazing time so far and our team is fantastic.
Our flights went well. The only challenge was when we first checked in baggage at LAX. They would not allow our large bins full of supplies. After working through with a supervisor, all was approved and we were on our way.
Our stop in New York was fun. Saw the quick walking tour of the sites and enjoyed great food and friends. London was quick yet we had time to enjoy the best ramen dish. We arrived in Uganda late at night and lost one of our tubs. Finally reached our destination around 2:30 am on Tues.
Wednesday we enjoyed visiting with Rennie and saw the Bethany House for the 1st time. It was nothing like the last photos we had seen. They had completed the downstairs with beautiful hand crafted doors, frames, and ceiling. The walls were painted and it looked like we had walked into a home. The babies are full of smiles and loved all the attention we gave them. Then we couldn't wait and began unpacking all the supplies we had brought from formula, blankets, bibs, clothes, medicines, Bumbos, swings, toys, teaching supplies, and more. Rennie was completely overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. The two women who work with her are wonderful with the babies.
Next we got to go into Kampala for the first time to exchange dollars and buy a few items. Leaving to go to town is an adventure as the guest house and ministry compound is located on top of one of the hills surrounding the area. The roads are very bumpy and made of dirt off of the main roads. Here the rain makes the roads muddy and difficult to go up hill.
We have enjoyed the best food. The ministry team here take excellent care of the visitors.
Today we left early in the morning with a plan to arrive at the schools and orphange the babies will go to when they turn school age. We were to arrive around noon and be back by 4PM. Instead we got back around 7PM but they kept dinner for us! It was an amazing time. We traveled across the equator and along very rural roads. The school serves at this time around 740 children but has had numbers in the 800s 900s. The principal told us that represents a couple hundred families in the area/ region and it is a Christian school. When we arrived we were greeted by all the children who came running during their lunch break. I had about 5 children ask me to adopt them and told them we were here to visit. We were also greeted by the most wonderful man - Pastor James who pastors a church in the area but also oversees many ministry programs including the school and the orphanage. The orphanage has 111 children. He had all the children come into the church (which has a great background story). They sang songs and worshiped in Ugandan. We laughed when all we could understand were the words Hallelujah and Glory. Then the staff introduced us while Pastor James translated. We shared the vision of the Bethany house, sang a song, and briefly spoke into their futures. Then they served us a traditional Ugandan meal and sang several English songs to us to entertain us. We had brought gifts of candy, pencils, stickers, and bracelets from the states which we shared with them. It was so incredible to see the children so joyful.
We finished dinner and found the internet up!
That's our trip so far.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
(Written by the wonderful Laura White)
Check out Facebook for many photos of our trip so far!
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