God Be With Ye--GOODBYE!!

Of the slew of blessings and difficulties strewn across our wee missionary path, goodbyes and hellos have to be two of the most challenging.

In the eight years we've lived at New Hope in Uganda, the people we've waved goodbye to are difficult to count. Not just because it would take TIME to count them all, but truly who wants to review the past and remember the sadness and gripping emotions of waving someone off for perhaps the rest of your life. Honestly, when we think of the people we've loved and walked alongside in our work here, taking into account the vast amount of world represented in said group, it is quite possible we will never see many of them again. And soon after we turn around to return to our homes, they drive off, and in no time, it seems, we welcome new people into our lives.

Just this past weekend we spent tearful, emotion-laden moments saying goodbye to Alair and the kids who are going to join Caleb in the states. Caleb left on a medical emergency at the end of May and Alair spent the past seven weeks completing the paperwork necessary to leave the country with their three children. On Saturday, Alair left at 9:30 a.m. along with Hannah, another dear co-missionary who will be gone from us until January. Mid-afternoon the same day the Dolge family arrived at the same domicile to call it their home for the next few years. To be honest, I'm embarrassed to say, I didn't have the emotional energy to welcome them in person, but sent welcome notes to post on their front door instead. Today I enjoyed catching up a little bit with one of the members of their family and later on managed waving hello to the rest of them.

Last month we said goodbye to the Williams and next month we say hello to a young lady coming to work with the ministry. Both hellos and goodbyes continue.

At present we have two different teams here to help with different projects and trying to keep my mind organized enough to know who belongs to which team is daunting, so I just smile and wave. Yesterday Geoff and I picked up four from the UK team when they'd taken cover under the big mango tree from the surprise afternoon rain storm. At least I now know the names of those four!

Speaking of goodbye, yesterday we also said "Goodbye" to Beth, the lovely young lady who has lived in our home for the past two months. She didn't leave the ministry, in fact we saw her three different times today. She just moved to another home where she'd have more space and a little more privacy than our wild and wacky home can provide!

And soon coming will be another goodbye to make. The kids' teacher, Danette, and her husband Ferris will be leaving next week as they've finished their one-year commitment to New Hope. We culminated the kids' school season with Danette with a "field day" today complete with 3-legged races, 100 and 200 meter dashes, egg-on-spoon races, a ball toss and a very wet water fight! We'll have them over for supper tomorrow and on Friday they will host our family and the Hoover's--the other family whose children she taught.

In between those two special dinners we will chill out with the Dangers--people who have spent more than 25 years enduring the need for goodbyes and hellos. I suspect we'll find some comfort in sorting all these things out together!

Just a few days ago we were able to spend some time with the Browns who arrived at New Hope eight years ago the same month we did! It had been toooooo long since we'd had time to talk and catch up and it was therapy! These little pockets of time with friends help with the pain of saying goodbye to others.

As Alair finished up her packing, Danette aimed at finishing well a school year with the kids and Hannah prepared her music students for a final recital before she left, we found ourselves snapping a lot of photos trying to soften the inevitable changes upon us. Unfortunately I did not take the camera to the field day today, so you'll just have to imagine me running a 200 meter dash.

In less than two days I'm off to Kampala to pick up Auntie Ketty and Wesley who will be arriving from Nairobi and Ketty's second round of chemo and radiation. She will spend another month here with her family before beginning the third phase of treatment. The 6-course chemotherapy treatment will last about 5 months. We have yet to determine where it will take place--whether here in Uganda or back in Nairobi. Please pray with us for wisdom and for funds.

As Alair went to Kampala almost three times weekly these past seven weeks, I watched her boys each Friday. On Friday evenings we welcomed her back from town and shared a meal together at our house. This past Friday was our last for this short tradition and I am grateful for being able to have some closure with a dear friend in a chapter that is not over for her yet.

She gave me this beautiful bouquet of red roses as a thank you.

Nora captures the hearts of us all and she particularly was drawn to Toby last Friday.

Geoff and JT, Caleb's cousin who has frequented New Hope over the past few years and is now on a short term venture in Jinja. He arrived just in time to help Alair do the final packing and organizing.

The Britton and Mitchell gangs, with lovely Beth in the front left holding Nora.

Hannah and Vicki at the music recital last week.

Geoff and Tim had a bunch of laughs over what exactly I don't know. But, everyone had a great time on recital night!

Sam loves babies and took advantage of holding Nora after the recital was finished. 

A lovely fish-kiss-selfie with my sweet Acacia

Kara, happy to be through with the pressure of a recital and loving the desserts offered afterward!

Have you met my son and his unrelated twin? In the Buganda tribe the elder twin is Wasswa and the younger Kato. Behold, L to R Wasswa and Kato (aka Kevin and John, who are a mere 2 months apart and most days inseparable.)

Aunt Hannah and most of her music students (minus one who was  unable to attend.)

Toby played Mumbo Jumbo

Kevin played something I can't pronounce!

Acacia presented The Colors of The Wind from Pocahontas

Next up was their final performance of the drama, "The Fisherman and His Sister" in which Toby was the fisherman, Acacia was the sister and Kevin was part of the sea.

Toby meets the "Fish who grants wishes" (Haddassah)

A final bow for the cast

And the presentation of a cake of appreciation for teacher Danette

Aunt Ketty and Acacia on the day Aunt Ketty left us for Nairobi for the second time. We ALL look forward to Wednesday when we welcome her back for another month!