So what...

Something that is always strange to me about coming back from someplace else, be it Africa, or Oklahoma, or an awesome worship service, or any place else that not everyone understands is figuring out what it all means.

I must admit that once I got off the plane in the states I went into a type of recluse mode. Everything around me was too much to understand; affluence, waste, frivolity. I have for the most part only seen family and I spend a lot of time outside. I can't seem to get myself to stay inside or places where I have to interact with others for very long.

Why? Why I am having so much trouble "adjusting"? I think that some of the issues that I have been having are stemming from the fact that I haven't been able, nor am I capable of telling everyone how amazing Africa was. I suppose that it will help me to tell at least the followers of my blog of Uganda, of Africa, of the babies, of Lake Victoria.

What an average day looked like: I would wake up in the morning and get dressed. Then Sarah or I would make breakfast, usually eggs. Then everything would start the babies would come into the main part of the house once their morning baths were over and each would be put into their respective seats. After the messy and loud and hilarious meal play time would begin. I would either go outside with the children or sit inside and fold laundry (and believe me there was always laundry that needed to be folded). Mid morning was snack time and the younger babies would have a nap. Around noon was lunch. Then potty time for the big boys and nap time for everyone. During nap time I sometimes got bored since there wasn't always something to do. The cat there did learn a lot of dances during nap times though.... okay this is getting boring...

Fridays were medical outreach days. Mitchell and I would board a wooden boat which often had leaks. The boat used a 25 hp engine to propel nurses, doctors, teachers, and us to various islands on Lake Victoria. On the lake we would all be served tea and samosas or chapatis (pretty funny if you ask me). We would land at the island and unload the boat of medicines, vaccines, and supplies for Kids Club. The Ugandan team of nurses has been going out to the islands since 2006 and is the only team that has consistently provided medical assistance to these unreached people. Mitchell and I would sit at the medicine table and count out pills. The poverty on these islands was often overwhelming as well as the odors in the small buildings that we would provide medical assistance. On the islands it was not unusual for little kids to see our light skin and start crying because they has never seen anyone without dark skin.

Other things we did: hold babies at the doctors office, change lots of diapers, play with kids, Mitchell was the go-to-guy for pushing the swing, I killed a snake.

Highlights: if I had to break down the trip to one word it would have to be children. The children is what made all of it worth while. Seeing the change that just love and food made in the lives of the children at Acacia Tree Uganda was astonishing.

For example one Friday while Mitchell and I were on the sand island of Lake Victoria we saw a mother walk in with the most malnourished child I had ever seen in person. I knew that that little baby girl needed our help yet my Luganda was not good enough to express my desire to the mother. I prayed for God to help us to help her and through his wisdom he enabled us to bring the baby that we came to know as Norah to Acacia Tree to be nourished and helped. When she first arrived she didn't cry at all even to pain from shots or anything else that would make most babies cry. And if anyone would look at her, her eyes would roll back in her head and she would close her eye lids. We really would watch her just shut down completely. She would go somewhere else within herself. When she would sleep she would often wake up screaming and crying seemingly from bad dreams. Her skin was reminiscent of the Golden Book "The Saggy Baggy Elephant" since there was nothing beneath her skin save bones and she would often wring her hands and scratch at her inline tube that was put in for medicines. Yet with love, prayer, and food I am elated to say that Norah became one of the happiest children at Acacia Tree within a few weeks. Her smile could light up the room and she doubled in weight during the two months that we were with her. Her cheeks filled out and her eyes are now wide open and shine very bright. She stands and crawls and laughs. Her story is just one of the many that I now cherish within my heart.

Her story is just one of the many that has changed my life, my outlook, my desires, and my dreams.

So what... what has changed? I now have a focus for my life. The amazing thing to me about what we were doing for the children wasn't the food on the table or the toys to play with or clean clothes but rather was the love. It was the love that I am sure did more for them than any meal could have ever done. It was the love that we gave because we were first shown love by Jesus. He stepped down from heaven into earth to show us love, on a much grander scale than me stepping down from the comfort of the US into Uganda. The love that he continually pours out on me enabled me to pour out love onto these needy children who really didn't know how to be loved.

This has given me a focus for my life, a focus of love. I have decided that my home will be a place of love for anyone needing love, for anyone needing home. I have decided that my life will be like a servant host. My home will always be open as well as my arms for anyone that needs love. Because love isn't just lacking in Uganda it is lacking here. People walk around not understanding what home means. I want to show people what love, what home means because Jesus showed me home. God showed me that safe place of protection where the rest of my problems don't matter.

So if I ever seem stand off-ish know that it is not because I am not excited to see you. Know that within me my thoughts, actions, and words are in the process of realigning to this new north of love. My entire life plan is in the process of shifting and changing.

Volcano Plans

Volcano eruption is increasing! So here is a short list of our plans (some in jest, some less in jest than they were yesterday and more of a joke than they will seem tomorrow):
a. fly to South Africa and hop the 20 hour flight to DFW...but that costs $4000 per person
b. fly to western Africa then get a cruise back to the States
c. hop on a Maersk ship as a stowaway behind a shipping container (hopefully full of gently used mattresses)
d. fly to South America then rent a car (can we rent a car and drive across continents)
e. fly to India and go the other way around the world
f. charter a yacht at prices ranging from 29000 to 70000 euros per week
g. somehow combine all or some of these plans to come up with a superplan
h. wait it out, see if KLM succeeds in convincing the Dutch officials with its test flight data

10 Days

It is hard to believe that we will be leaving Africa in just 10 days. These three months have been amazing. Norah is at 7 kg now! Theo is so talkative and will mimic anything you say. Jonathan will smile every now and then. It is precious. Baby Sadie got her ears pierced and is growing and growing. Benja says my name now and I can't get enough of it.
Last week a little boy named Mayor came. His adopted mother Salem has been trying to get his visa for over two months now. She had to go back to the states so he is staying with us for now. He seems to be adjusting well. Keep the 20+ children also in his visa situation in your prayers.
I will see everyone soon.

Come on a safari with me

We have been very busy here in Uganda. Two Fridays ago a new baby boy came to Acacia Tree. His name is Jonathan and he has Downs Syndrome. He is three years old but very very small and malnourished. On Tuesday Robin learned that he has blockage in his small intestine. He needs surgery but with his frail stature and compromised immune system the surgery is very risky. Pray that God gives wisdom to Robin and the doctors as they decide on a course of action.
Norah and Theo are both doing great. Norah’s last weigh in was at 6.4 kg and Theo’s outfit today is size 18 months, his actual age. Both have been crawling a lot, Theo for the first time and Norah for the first time since she started losing weight. Norah has been pulling herself up and I think she may be walking again soon. Theo loves standing at the toy drawer and looking at himself in the mirror. He very much so resembles Gary Coleman.
On Tuesday Mitchell and I left for a three day safari to Murchison Falls. It was amazingly beautiful. Our room at Paraa Safari Lodge overlooked the Nile and while sitting at the pool we could hear the hippos below. We went on a game drive and saw so many animals. One of my favorites was the baby wart hogs. They would run and jump around, very cute. The giraffes were amazing and the elephants were huge yet graceful. We also went on a boat trip up the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls. I didn’t know I was afraid of crocodiles until I saw one in the wild. We also went on a chimp track through the Budongo Forest. Completely awesome!

Gaining weight and snakes...

Thank you everyone for your prayers. God has been faithful and good. Theo is up to 9.10 kg from his initial 6.7 and Norah weighed in at 5.18 kg on Sunday. Her skin is looking healthy, she is happier, and she is getting some fat in her cheeks.

Today Blessed killed a snake that the kids found. She gave him a good hard smack and then I hit him with a board that had screws in it. We also found some snake eggs. Yuck!

Norah

Norah is slowly getting better but she wants to be held constantly, which isn't too bad considering she is only 10 pounds. Today she seems to having nightmares every time she tries to sleep. Pray for God's peace and protection.

Theo is doing great he is more happy and is talking a lot. Just today when Mitchell put him in his bed he said "thank you" He makes the funniest faces too.

Sadie is growing big and fat. She loves to be sang to. Her favorites include "Sadie, Sadie (Bicycle built for two)", "Don't Stop Believing"and "Sadie Fit the Battle of Jericho

Pics

Here are pics of Theo and Norah