Exciting things are always going on . . .

sorry, with my limited know how I can't seem to get this to turn around. We had a team visit from ND over the past 2 weeks and one of the dear families that have come for the past few years have kids close to the ages of Kevin and Acacia. Acacia was given this dress by the little girl and she LOVES it!!!! She tries to wear it whenever she can and I thought at least the grandparents would enjoy this pic!

Geoff is talking to our boys who took a contract to slash the undergrowth in an area where there is designation for new sports equipment. It was a tough area, thick forest and the boys earned a good deal of money each. Here, before giving them their money, Geoff sat them down and talked with them about responsibility with money: tithing, saving, planning, thinking about the long term rather than the money that is burning in the pocket. We love that we have these opportunities to speak God's wisdom to these kids and the boys received it well.

In January New Hope held it's annual Envisioning in which we all meet together as staff and revisit our purpose for being here. Part of the week is a chance for different "sub-cultures" to highlight themselves for the rest of us. One night we had "American" night and another night we had "Iteso" (northern Ugandan tribe) night. (Last year we had both "Baganda" --the dominant tribe in our area-- night and "British" night.) We each serve a meal representative of our culture and the table is set according to our customs. There is competition to see which family group can "perform" as the best in the sub-culture, complete with dress, table set up, mannerisms, eating styles, talking or NO talking as the culture may be. As Americans we decided to have a BBQ, so you see here Geoff and some of the other men grilling burgers and hot dogs over an open pit we dug especially for the occasion. Inside the dining hall we showed a football game and put up a powerpoint of the map of the United States and highlighted the different places all of us crazy Americans come from. Each section of the country had to give an example of their accent and dialect! Pretty hilarious.

At Iteso night we ate hearty!!!! I was chosen as the mom of our family and had to dress up in Iteso garb. Here I am being instructed in what is expected of the mom during a meal. It was a yummy meal and afterward we got out the drums and were treated to rip roaring dancing and hollering and jumping!!! Those Iteso sure know how to Praise their GOD!!!!!

Geoff is seen here copying down the results of our primary leaving exams scores. Scores are given to the children on an individual basis, with family parents being the ones who get to bring the good news!!!!! Our primary 7 students (last year of primary school--about 6th grade) performed remarkably well. More than 2/3 of our students earned top and second level scores!! 10 of our 50 students earned the top marks and 34 of our students earned in the second level of a 4 level system!!!! In our secondary school (level of 10th grade) more than 2/3 also performed in the top two levels with 1/3 of them earning the highest scores!!!! We were one of the best if not the top performing schools in our district!!!! Of our children who are ready to enter the next level of secondary school (equivalent to 11th and 12th grades), the boys have all been invited to attend a prestigious leadership academy which does not charge any school fees. Our girls will be attending a school only 18 km away in Luwero which is a strong Christian school and seems to be better all around than the ones we've been sending our children to in the past. Prayer for these kids' futures is always needed and coveted.

One more thing before I go. I don't have a picture for this, but just have to share it. My Aunt Romaine has a nurse friend that she worked with in Long Beach in the 60s. They have kept in touch over the years and the friend was invited to come to Kampala, Uganda to help set up a brand new state of the art NICU. When she arrived, however, the hospital is not even near completion. So, while the board decides her fate (to return to the U.S. to pick up more supplies and return later, or wait until their ready), she contacted us to see if she could come visit!!!! God's timing is amazing! Last Wed Geoff decided he needed to go to Kampala on Friday for business. The next day, Gillian, the nurse, calls and tells Geoff her situation. He says, "No problem, I coming into tomorrow and can pick you up. Two hours later my doctor calls and asks if I can come in for follow up labs and reevaluation. So, without any stress or extra required shifting of plans, we got it all accomplished in one day! Gillian stayed with me throughout the doctor visits and, being an excellent nurse of many years (adult ICU, NICU and various other humanitarian efforts throughout the world) she commented that "This doctor really knows what he is doing, he is thorough, kind, detailed, competent and is truly addressing everything he can." Since we've arrived back at New Hope the lady has hardly sat down. As I've rested, she has done my dishes, washed 2 weeks of her laundry, cleaned my kids' owies, told them stories, worked in our clinic, gone to the Kiwoko hospital NICU with one of our staff wives who is a nurse there, drawn some labs that the dr. wanted over the weekend from me and delivered said labs via motorbike to the hospital! I am so thankful for this gift of God who has come into our lives at this time. And since she has known my family for years, I feel like I have one of my own here with me and it is so comforting!!!!!

OK, I guess I better publish this before it qualifies as a book!