T turns 9

One month ago today, Titus turned nine. A huge part of having a birthday here at GSF is being "watered" so in the afternoon after we all met our visiting team from Ireland the kids ran after Titus with water. Being the good sport that he is, he decided to give his friends big wet hugs.

While Mark and the girls and other missionaries were serving and eating with the visiting team, Titus and I had some of his friends (all boys at GSF ages 7-12)over for a movie (The Three Stooges--they loved it!) and zucchini cake. Yes, he is a picky kid and doesn't even like zucchini but loves chocolate zucchini cake! Back row left to right: Henry, David, Justus. Front: Samson, Titus, & Solomon Kabuzi

Funny Faces! Philip, Henry, Titus, David, Justus, Emmanuel, Samson, & Solomon Kabuzi.

Here's one of everybody so you can see how many boys were really at the party. Yes, I am crazy and yes, we had fun!


Titus modeling a few of his Birthday gifts; Soccer Ball, Lego, and Gumboots.

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE THEY SOMETIMES JUST TAKE TIME

Matthew has CP. We have been told that he will walk someday. Here he is in 2008 when he was barely even crawling. Many people have worked with him, sent and/or paid for therapy items but more than anything we have all prayed for him and with him that someday he would walk. He is a miracle before all of our eyes and a reminder that God loves and cares for His children.


Here he is strutting his stuff in his new walker designed just for him. Thank you to Spring Garden Church in Greensboro for raising the funds for his walker. He is not there yet, but someday very soon he will walk to school with his walker. And he is thrilled and leaping for joy!

My Rock

Life always seems to change. I remember when I lived overseas in high school and then taught at an international school after college, it seemed like things always changed. In fact one of my desires in teaching kids from all around the world was to teach them that God is our only stability. Now at an orphanage in rural Africa, I didn't think that would be as essential or important but, my it is. In fact, this year the kids here have said hello and good-bye to over 100 visitors, said good-bye to 10 kids who were adopted, 10 kids who were resettled and 3 who were called to their eternal home. That's a lot of good-byes and changes in one year! And of course, these are also kids who have had turmoil, transition or good-byes in their past and that is why they are even here at GSF.

I did a lesson with the 9-12 year olds in Sunday School last week on the theme that God is their Rock! Here are some of the verses I used. I hope they are an encouragement to you as they were to us.

He is the Rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:4

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you, there is no Rock like our God. I Samuel 2:2

"The Lord is upright, he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him." Psalm 92:15

He said: "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior--from violent men you save me. II Samuel 22:2-3

The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 3:18

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said , "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

We don't need to try to rely on other things. God is our Rock and our fortress! Praise God that when I never know what the next day will bring He does and He will never change nor will He ever leave me.

Blessings--Family and Safari

There are days I realize that I am so blessed beyond measure. I am sitting right now on my veranda overlooking a beautiful rainforest, watching a group of toddlers walking by hand in hand. They all just yelled up, "Auntie Amy!" That is just one blessing I experience on a daily basis and actually not the one I was even planning on writing about.

We have been in Africa three short years, and we have had the blessing of having my parents come visit twice for a total of 4 1/2 months and Mark's mom come twice for a total of over a month. We also have had all three of Mark's brothers, a sister-in-law, 2 nieces, and a nephew all come visit. We have missionary friends here who have never had a family member visit. It is indeed a blessing we count a pure joy!

In April, Mark's mom, brothers, David and J.R. and J.R.'s son, Gage all came to visit us. It was great to show them around and for them to see our ministry in action. The guys helped plant seedlings and went a forest walk and both brothers had the opportunity to speak. Mark's mom went to the village several times and spoke with the house mothers. We also took them around Jinja and went on the boat to the source of the Nile.

The second week, we all had the opportunity to go on safari. That also is a blessing I am overwhelmed by! It is incredible to see elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and so much more in the wild and up close. Here are some of our pictures:

I never tire of seeing elephants, but never want to get too close!

Ugandan Kob and a giraffe.

We loved seeing Patas monkeys. This one posed for us.

Female Lion enjoying her morning kill. She wasn't paying a bit of attention to us!

The greatest blessings of all . . . (although at times quite silly!)

I Love my family and so grateful for the blessing of them!