Leaving for Uganda today!

My bags are packed, and I am leaving in about 4 hours to meet the team in Atlanta! 

We have a flight to London tonight, with some extra time to do some sightseeing in the morning. Thursday night we fly to Nairobi Kenya (a last minute change), with about a 1 hour layover, then to Uganda by Friday. 

Not sure if I will be able to update this blog while I am there, but I will try!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement!

"The Journey" By Katie Davis

Finally finished this blog! All 147 posts! It was simply amazing, everyone should read it! If you are wondering what it would look like to truly live out the Gospel you will find it here! I am so excited that we get to meet Katie in Uganda, and see the work of Amazima Ministries with our own eyes!

Lyric Friday

The Power of Your Name
By Lincoln Brewster


Surely children weren't made for the streets 
And fathers were not made to leave

Surely this isn't how it should be

Let Your Kingdom come

Surely nations were not made for war

Or the broken meant to be ignored

Surely this just can't be what You saw

Let Your Kingdom come

Here in my heart

I will live

To carry Your compassion

To love a world that's broken

To be Your hands and feet

I will give

With the life that I've been given

And go beyond religion

To see the world be changed

By the power of Your name

Surely life wasn't made to regret

And the lost were not made to forget

Surely faith without action is dead

Let Your Kingdom come

Lord break this heart

Your name

Is a shelter for the hurting

Jesus Your name

Is a refuge for the weak

Only Your name

Can redeem the undeserving

Jesus Your name

Holds everything I need 

(Lyrics from: http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/lyrics/new/track.asp?track_id=11137)

(I will be taking a few weeks off from 
"Lyric Friday", while I am in Uganda, so it may be a while :)

May Pictures

Tristan looking so big!

Tristan and his buddy Adrian

Tristan, Adrian, and Luke all on the same bike!

Zephaniah, Tristan, Luke, Ginger, and Adrian

All doing the "peace" sign. :)

Chasing the camera!

Tristan sitting at the table with his buddies.

Luke, Tristan, and Ginger

Hard to Believe It's Only.....

MORE DAYS UNTIL UGANDA!!!!!!!!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,  according to his power that is at work within us."

-Ephesians 3:20

Follow Us to Uganda

Your help has allowed me to serve in Uganda. Now you can see how your gift is making a difference more than 8,000 miles around the world. Check the following websites daily for updates, prayer needs, and photos during our time in Uganda. (Different team members will be posting throughout our time there and after we return).

http://etaala.org/blog/ 
(Etaala International)

www.howwillyouchange.com 
(Safewater Nexus)

And be checking this blog as well. I am not sure if I will be able to update it while I am there, but I will definitely be adding to it when I get back.

Mission Photo Monday

Yesterday we went to see the Watoto Children's Choir. This children  in this choir are orphans and vulnerable children from Uganda. They all live at the Watoto Children's Village, where they are able to attend school, get medical attention, and live in a family setting with a house mother and siblings. The choir was amazing and it was a great introduction to the Ugandan culture. If you want to find out more about Watoto go to their website here. Also you can go on Youtube and watch video's of some of their performances. Just type in "Watoto Children's Choir". 

Lyric Friday

State Of Emergency

PILLAR 

We used to think that our ignorance is bliss 
But we can't keep on thinking 
That this moment doesn't exist
There's people fighting and fighting and fighting
For all that they own

It seems we twisted reality again
Looking for the opportunity for us to dig in
We're getting deeper and deeper and deeper
Into the unknown

(We've got to open up our eyes)

[Pre-Chorus]
How long will we close our eyes to the youth?
How long until we recognize the truth?
How far will we let this go?

[Chorus]
It's a state of emergency
It's time we see
There's a need to take action
This is a state of emergency
We're too blind to see
All of these simple distractions

All our attention is directed to the mirror
We want to forget that people live in terror
We're their only way out and the time is right now
We gotta grab a hold of this moment 

[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus 2x]

How far do we let it go
Before we all take control
We are the hands 
We are the feet
So we gotta go
Stop waiting for someone else 
To take control
(Take back the control)
We could be their last hope

[Chorus 2x]

Tristan's New Family

If you are anything like me, you love to follow adoption journeys and it is such a blessing to hear how families come together through the long journey. Well, since most of you know my little sponsor child Tristan, I know you will want to follow this blog, it is called "A Journey of Faith". Tristan's future family is waiting to bring him home and they have just started a blog, which I am very excited about. Please check it out!

Mission Photo Monday

Someone just started preschool! I just got word that Tristan had his first day of preschool today (or really last night in China). I heard that he didn't cry like the rest of the children usually do on their first day, and that he was very brave and calm. I have been told that Tristan is a very smart little boy, and I am excited that he will be able to learn so much more now that he is in preschool.

(Shepherd's Field playground)

Lyric Friday

Do You Want to Know?

Josh Wilson

If you want a heart of sympathy
Then pray to God to help you, please
See the world that Jesus sees
Yeah

But be careful what you ask Him for
Cause if you’re gonna open up that door
There’s no going back to before

Cause once you see a mother who can’t feed
The baby that cries in her arms
Your heart will break and you’ll lay awake
No, sleep won’t come quick anymore
So do you want to know?

You pass him on the way to work
He holds a sign beside the curb
You look away and avoid the hurt

Cause why should you be held responsible
Besides, he’ll probably just spend it all
On cigarettes and alcohol

But once you see that the man on the street
Has a name and a family like you
Your heart will break and you’ll lay awake
Cause you’ll understand God loves him, too
So do you want to know?
Oh, no

If you want a heart of sympathy
Then pray to God to help you see

But once you see a world that’s in need
And a sorrow you just can’t ignore
Your heart’s gonna break and you’ll lay awake
Cause you’ll know you could do so much more
Do you want to know?

Thanks for sharing this song Ellie!

I Love Finding Pictures!

Picture from: http://picasaweb.google.com/108341298445311335436/ShepherdSFieldChildrenSVillage#5463163246670995986

Check out these pictures from a 

team that visited Shepherd's 

Field back in January. 

They are really great!

Uganda In....

MORE DAYS!!!!!

I can hardly believe it!!

Guess who turns 2 and 1/2 today?

Happy 6 month Birthday, Tristan!