The love of a Ja Ja

Some things are just universal everywhere in the world. Last Sunday, I had the privilege of driving "deep in the village" with two of our staff members (Joe and Eric) to visit with their Ja Ja, the Lugandan word for grandparent. Ja Ja Ruth is 85 (or so) years young who birthed 18 children, all of whom have died. That's her in the white headband and blue dress. She has many grand kids (among them Zahara, the Ugandan adopted daughter of Mike and Mary Ann), but few that can actually visit her. We drove about 40 miles from Jinja, the last 10 or so was all ungraded, pot-holed dirt road. Nothing like it! She really does live "deep in the village" as Joe and Eric say it. In the southern parts of America where I'm from, we use the phrase "in the middle of no-where" to describe the same place. After a 2 hour drive we finally arrived. When Ja Ja Ruth saw Joe and Eric in the car, her excitement was overwhelming....her joy obvious....her smile...well I don't think I've seen one bigger.

She had no idea we were coming...no phone, tv or any connection other than word of mouth for miles! She even started dancing! Along with a lady that lives in the same 'hut', they rolled out their best straw mat for the grandkids and muzungu that had come to see her. We spent about an hour visiting, telling stories, laughing and just enjoying each other's company. It was getting late in the afternoon, so Ja Ja made it known she wanted us to depart. In her life experience, one doesn't travel in the dark. She wanted us to be safe in our journey back "to the village". There really isn't anything better than the love of a Ja Ja!  We love you Grandma and Maw Maw!

ps....here's me with a baby that 'just happened' to walk up in her mother's arms...to see the muzungu...not many white folk come to these places!

Messesse-this is why we are here

Today marks the anniversary of my 1st week in Uganda. It is also the day that best represents why we answered this call to be here with CoG. I accompanied several of our child mentors to visit one of the villages around Jinja from where CoG has many sponsored kids. It is named Messesse, a village 5 km from Jinja that if in the US would be labeled a 'slum' area. It is indeed very poor, very crowded and very dirty. It rained last night, so the red dirt is best called mud. After visiting one of the primary schools near Messesse where we have 23 'boarding' and 2 'day' kids in P1 and P2 (essentially 1st and 2nd grades), we visited several homes of the parents and guardians in the village. The pics were taken at the school and the village, where a 'muzungu' is always an attraction. One of the mothers (who is HIV positive) we met had just returned from the nearby Lake Victoria where she had purchased a bucket of tomatoes to sell in the village, one of her primary sources of income. The tomatoes cost her 5,000 shillings (app $2.50) and she told us would make app 2,000 profit on the entire bucket. She does this every day..making about $1 a day to feed her 3 kids. CoG sponsors 1 of them who attends the nearby primary boarding school. Her oldest child is a 10 yr old son who doesn't go to school so he can fish to help his Mom survive. The youngest is too young for school, but she wants CoG to sponsor her when she enters school. None of her kids could go to school if it not for organizations such as Children of Grace. This is why we're here!

What defines the perfect Ugandan Church Service:....

- over 3 hours long

-several songs that lasted over 20 minutes each

-dozens and dozens of 'halleluha's and 'praise the Lord' shouts

-over 1000 attending in a building with no walls and plastic chairs

-over 30 minutes introducing muzungu (term for white folk) guests, which numbered less than 6. One was even picked out from the back (me...how did they know I was a guest...ummmm?) and asked to come down front and to the stage to introduce myself! (Thanks Nick for the training time in India)

-special presentation by their kids choir (over 20 kids), who were all decked out in native dress, practicing their set for a US tour next year

- 2, yes 2, different sermons during the service...one with an invitation resulting in 40 people coming down front to profess their faith

-3 different offering times in which folk come down to the front to deposit their cash....no credit cards or electronic payments so everyone can see who does/doesn't :-)

-dancing in the aisles and on stage

I'm pumped! Its been a story filled first 3 days for sure!

Blessings from Uganda

Paul's enroute to Uganda

I’m writing this update on flight from SFO to Dubai, where I’ll have an overnight layover and depart from there to Entebbe Thursday morning. So our journey is starting, at least for me. Janet is still in Danville handling all the details with renting our home, packing/storing our belongings, and all the other 100’s of details associated with this new life adventure. Andrew and Phillip are home with her, so I know she will be well taken care of! Cassidy is away in Utah with a friend and then going to camp in Colorado, so she will be mostly away from Danville until she leaves for Spain mid-August visiting another friend. Janet and Cassidy will join me in Jinja at the end of August. I can’t wait!
Our team in Jinja is anticipating our arrival and we eagerly look forward to joining them in our mission to serve our HIV/Aids orphan kids. It was such an emotional departure for me, leaving family and friends. Really took me by surprise but the frequent times of prayer were quite comforting. Thank you Lord.
Here is a picture of the new COG facility in Jinja, just opened last month.
Stay tuned for more pics of the guest house where we will be staying, once I get in-country.
Blessings, Paul

Count Down.........

Boxes are being packed, a huge "Pod" fills our driveway, and sale signs taped to the boat and cars - it all feels a bit surreal, but this is life now as we prepare for the new journey ahead of us. Paul leaves for Uganda next Monday and Cassidy and I will join him sometime in August. Our emotions fluctuate between extreme excitement and shear terror as we consider how different life will be for the next couple of years. In the midst of the busyness, fears and worries, God is there and has filled us with an undeniable peace. His grace is sufficient.........