December 19 in Uganda

It has been just over a week since I last posted and yet it seems like a year.  So much has happened.  I have now gone to the women's program five times.  I will start doing a Bible Study with them after Christmas.  I was supposed to give a Bible study on Thursday and we ended up having a meeting with them instead.  They have been meeting for about four months.  They receive counselling and two Bible studies each week.  They are fed one good meal.  They have a clean nice place to work in.  They can listen to the radio, talk to each other make bracelets.  They make beautiful beaded bracelets that Abby then buys from them for $2.50.  For the last four months they have received about $2.00 per day allowance.  Yep two dollars.  The staff decided to reduce that to $1.00.  The women were so upset. Several did not come to work at all on Wednesday.  Thus the meeting.  In the end the staff restored their allowances until Christmas.  But after Christmas they will get no allowance, only the proceeds from the sales of their bracelets.  Where is a rich benefactor when you need one?  Abby and the other staff were NOT being mean to reduce their allowance.  But the program is expensive to run with such a young ministry.  So Friday I spent filming some women giving their testimony.  Moreen, a Ugandan staff member will then translate and we will have a short film about the women in their own words.  Saturday we went to the slum to interview a few more women.  Oh my gracious.  It is the same slum that I stayed in for my first trip in April.  All of the women lived in one room.  Several of the women lived in rooms that were no bigger than 8 X 8 feet.  Yet they were gracious and hospitable.  I had the opportunity to pray with each woman.  I honestly had no idea what they were saying while they were talking, but you didn't need language to understand the pain on their faces and the tears in their eyes.  One woman showed us a picture of her husband who had gone mad because of AIDS.  The problem with continuing to live in the slum is that they still have "visitors" come to their houses wanting sex.  They used their own rooms for prostitution.  Most of the women dreamed of returning to their villages to live.  I did take some pictures with their permission and I will add them later. 
But it has not been all work here.  I have had some truly funny experiences here.  I am learning Lugandan.  They boys think it is hilarious.  I am sure my accent is just pitiful.  They love it that I will eat everything that they eat.  Most visitors will not eat everything.  I drew the line on sucking the "meat" out of a fish head.  But I did eat the body.  Probably tilapia.  We have three college students here from North Carolina.  They brought a Christmas tree for the boys and stockings.  So the house looks very festive.  Their church is a really big one and they are the main support behind A perfect Injustice, the ministry that Abby has here. They raised all of the money to buy their land for the house.  They paid for the land this week!  I have also have been able to go the market several times.  Moreen encouraged me to buy some African fabric and have an outfit made.  So she designed me a dress.  I will wear it when I come home in February.  I printed some of the pictures that people have sent me and put them on the wall in my room.  The boys LOVE looking at my family and friends.  Please send pictures.  I will write more later.  It is time for church and I need to go.  I love you all.   Jajja Gina

An Emotional Thursday Night

This post is primarily a copy of the entry from an e-mail that I sent the folks that have requested updates.  If you would like to receive updates just email me!  Please skip the letter if you have already read it but pass on to the bottom for current news.  I can't begin to tell you of all of the wonders I have seen.  But first let me describe what Kampala is like.  Let your favorite three year-old scribble on a piece of paper and then imagine that the scribbles are streets.  Then add LOTS of potholes, mud, and trash.  Then add literally thousands of people.  Walking, riding motorcycles and sitting in little make shift vending areas on a tarps or cardboard boxes.  Then put in hundreds of mini-van type taxis and trucks belching black diesel smoke.  And then throw in a little rain.  Whaaalaaa...Kampala!  I have now gone to the prostituted women's program twice.  There are currently thirteen women.  They are making beautiful glass bead necklaces and bracelets.  (soon to be for sale at MVBC!).  They work five days a week making the beads.  Everyday they get fed, make jewelery, and have either a Bible study or counselling.  They have asked me to teach on Thursdays.  GULP!  I saw some of their kids.  So cute!  I have had boys hanging all over me since I arrived.  The big thing now is to laugh when I am taking my Lugandan lesson.  I have to admit though I sound funny even to me.  I have gone to the big market several times as well.  Ridden motorcycle taxis every day.  That is my prayer time, HA!  They are crazy!!!  I spent my first night in the container but they moved me to a little office so that I can be near the computers and where the boys study.  I have a twin bed with mosquito netting.  I am glad that I brought some twin sheets.  My Ugandan friends have all been freezing because it gets down into the 60s at night.  I am loving it!

But really the reason for this note is to tell you all what happened tonight.  The staff went to sing and pray with the handicapped people that live on the streets.  In Kampala a really handicapped person probably can find no work and there is no social security, so they beg.  I saw wheel chairs made of plastic chairs with old bicycle tires, men with leather pads strapped onto stumps to be able to scoot and great joy.  Yep, joy.  Uncle David brought his guitar and he sang with them.  They were all lined up on the sidewalk in one certain area.  Sleeping on their cardboard and plastic bag beds.  So we moved along the sidewalk and he sang with them.  I shook every hand and greeted all smiling faces.  Then David decided that I should share a word with them.  So I prayed three times for their safety and joy and told them that they were my brothers and sisters.  I was very, very humbled.  I spent a good half hour with one woman who had just had a baby a day or two ago.  Tiny and precious.  Umbilical cord stump still attached.  She rubbed margarine all over her and then put baby powder on her.  She then asked me to give her a name.  I thought of my own family and the sacrifice they are making to let me be here and told her to name her Elizabeth.  Like the mother of John the Baptist, and of course my first born as well. I prayed specifically for her.  God is so good. 

You may wonder why there are no pictures.  I think it would be really rude to take pictures of disadvantaged people until I have a relationship with them and can explain why the photo is important for them and us.  After I have been going to the street programs for the handicapped people for a while, I will take video of them.  You can't help but be blessed and humbled to see people with an internal joy despite such extreme hardship.  I am considering setting up an e-bay store for the sale of the bracelets and necklaces.  I would need a US partner to help me.  I would send the bracelets and necklaces to you and you would have to put them in a package to send.  I think it would be pretty easy with the one postage rate boxes from the post office.  If you are interested in helping with that, please let me know. 
Take care my US family and friends!

Here in Uganda

I arrived safe and sound in Uganda, Sunday night at 10:30 pm.  That is ten hours later than Phoenix.  I had a long layover in London and DID NOT miss my flight (thank you very much).  But I arrived late in the afternoon and by the time I got to my hotel it was very cold, damp and dark.  so I holed up for the night.  Tourist attractions are not open at night in the winter.  But I did walk to the white stag pub and have fish and chips.  The meal included mushy peas, their words not mine.  Not my favorite new food.  The fish was very good and the chips were the fat soft kind.  I also rented a remote, nothing is included at easyhotel.  Ha!  I watched slum dog millionaire again and really enjoyed it.  I got to my plane with plenty of time to spare and was able to have a Starbucks coffee, good but not Einsteins.  On the flight to Uganda I watched Shrek forever after.  Very cute movie.  Today has been probably a pretty typical day except the boys are not in school.  They are on holiday until January.  What a long break!  And like every other kid on the planet they are already running out of things to do.  HA!  I bought a teach yourself Lugandan CD that I will start and brace myself for all of the boys laughing at my horrible accent.  I went to the market today with David but quickly ran out of money.  I bought a web stick and a Uganda phone.  Number to come later.  So I still need the basics: soap, shampoo, and a curtain.  The guys here have made the cargo container very homey.  I have a space just over the size of my twin bed for my "room".  I brought some red sheets from home and it feels great.  The boys asked me today to ride one of their bikes.  Funny stuff when a 50+ woman gets on a kids bike!  Of course disaster was not far behind as I promptly fell into a puddle.  No harm done though.  I also have been helping the boys learn about the computer.  We had four computers donated and I brought them all, wrapped snugly and dispersed in my bags.  Praise God, they ALL made it.  I almost lost the printer though since the terrorist bomb scare in ink cartridges.  But they let me through.  Kampala is warm and humid and I am happy!  You can text me on my us phone at 602-326-5025.  Please don't call.  Thank you for all of your support and I will keep you posted.   GJ

A letter from me to my friends and family:

I just wanted to let you all know that I will be sending e-mail updates to anyone who asks.  They will be very personal and I will not post them on my blog.  If you want to receive updates, please let me know in a quick e-mail to ginajaye@gmail.com.  But for now, here is the text of my letter that I sent my friends and familyDecember 3 IS approaching fast.  I basically have everything that I need to go.  I do have a few more fun items to pick up.  I just got an e-mail from Abby and she asked me to bring powdered coffee creamer and peanut m&ms.  Got the creamer covered and I will pick up the m&ms soon.  I have had lots of old necklaces and beads donated.  I have had a lot of fun cutting apart the necklaces and sorting the beads.  One of my gal pals makes glass beads and gave me a whole bag of cast offs.  I am not sure why she cast them off, because they are beautiful.  Thank you.  I have a funny request for you.  Go through your cupboards and if you have any herbal teas that you aren't going to drink please donate them for me to take.  A ziplock bag would do for packaging .  If you are at the dollar store buy a box of fun bandaids and send those.  What kid doesn't love a fun bandage?  Another thing is if you have read a good book that you think I might like, tell me the title so I can put it on my Kindle to take with me.  As you know, I am limited to three bags.  So I am grateful for having a Kindle.  A new laptop was donated, Yay!  (thank you) And I hope to buy a cheap lightweight cordless printer next week.  Maybe black Friday! HA!  My bags are filled with games, and 2 pairs of roller blades, stickers, beads, and some teaching supplies.  I still need to find a roll-up-able (is that a word?) white board surface.I have had days full of fun but days of real sadness too.  I have been in my dream job for almost 11 years now.  Granddaughter number two arrives in February I have just made my new little house feel like a home.  My friends and church family.  In all honesty...very hard to leave.  I have a friend praying specifically that I will find a friend there in Uganda.  (or else I might mother poor Abby to death-ha)  I will not be your typical missionary, Global Training Network, the group I am with believes in the training of indigenous leaders.  They specialize in the training of Pastors and lay leaders.  They have one other ESL teacher in Eastern Europe, and Abby, who is a 20 something Mom to all of the boys in Uganda.  I will be training the older boys to read and write, and to speak English. I will be tutoring the boys, former street kids, because some are way behind in school.  I will be working with prostituted young women and loving them, showing them that are worth being loved, and helping them leave prostitution.  I will assist Abby in bookkeeping.  I will be able to give out LOTS of hugs and kisses and be YOUR hands in the lives of these young people in Africa. I will share with them the love of Christ. I will be counting on you to pray for us and think often of us.  I will stay usually about 4 months and then return to the US for a break and then go back.  I am hoping that I will be taking some young people back with me some of these times.  Am I scared, YES!  What if I say or do the wrong thing, (I know I will until I learn Ugandan Culture)  I will probably see children very, very sick with AIDS or even dieing.  I will put my arms around young women who have been abused, and may feel forgotten.   I will be with boys who have experienced horror living on the streets and are learning to be thoughtful, loving ,young men; future husbands and leaders.  I can not do this alone.  I need your prayers.  Hold my arms up because I know I am weak and the battle is long. 
Gina Jaye 

 

Less than a month to go...

As I prepare to go to Uganda, one of the things I am doing is starting a photo album.  I have been scrap booking off and on for a number of years.  I am not really passionate about it, but I do enjoy it.  This photo album will be small and will be just photos with a small place for a written description.  The album holds 100 photos.  My dilemma is how do you reduce a life of 51 years to less than 100 photos.  Seems easy but it actually is difficult.  I have baby pictures of me and all of my kids, pictures of my wedding and pictures of my friends.  But if pictures were the only way to describe your life what would they look like for you?  I am finding then terribly inadequate and my memory that way as well! ha  When was this photo taken and who is that person?  Wish me luck as I narrow down the boxes of photos to only 100 and make a coherent story.
I am all moved in to my little house in Phoenix.  Please pray that the house in Cave Creek sells quickly.  I am looking forward to the weekend of November 26-28.  I will have all of my kids with me again and that will be my last weekend at Moon Valley.  I have packed most of my things to go and only need to purchase a few items.  One of my goals is to have clothing and shoes that I can readily give away.  So I have been shopping at my usual suspects of thrift stores.  I have found some excellent buys on shoes and outfits.  I also have found lots of games and crafts to bring and I am looking for roller blades to bring to the boys too.

Here is the picture from my prayer card.  I will be sending those out to soon.  Thank you all for your prayers and support. GJ

Update on the Boys in Uganda

I got a letter from Abby with several new pictures. I wanted to share them with you. The ministry to the prostituted young women also began a couple of weeks ago. The volunteers were praying for six women to come to the first meeting in the Kivulu slum and 16 came. Wonderful and yet overwhelming. I will be working with these young women when I am in Africa. Here are the pictures.

Send Off Celebration

This coming Sunday evening, September 26, is a send off Party at Moon Valley Bible Church for Pastor Jeff Bauer and Me. If you are reading this, PLEASE consider this a personal invitation to attend. It will be a potluck that starts at 5:00. There are more details on the webpage www.moonvalleybible.org I would love to see my friends and share an old tradition of a potluck. Greenbean casserole here I come. I am getting excited about going in December. Here is an update that I got from Abby about several of the boys:
Kato Edrick
Kato loves singing and playing the guitar, he has a cheerful
personality and is very endearing. He was very happy to be living with
us now in the house and not in boarding school. Kato is very smart and
enjoys studing for school and practicing his English which he is good
at.
Davis
Davis is a hard worker and natural leader with the other boys. He is
confident and loves helping others. He is always wanting to wash my
clothing or wanting to iron the clothing of the uncles or help mama
Dan cook. He enjoys taking responsibility for other children and for
animals and for making sure that people's needs are being met.
Dennis
Dennis is our only boy now staying in boarding school. He lost his
father and 11 of his step-mothers (his dad had 12 wives) but he
remains with his mother who is sick with AIDS. he stays in boarding
school and then goes back to his village in Mbarara for his holidays
so that he can be with his mother. This however is going to be his
last semester in boarding school and he will be going back to his
village to help care for his mother. (We will pay his school fees so
that he can study from home). Dennis is growing so quickly! Dennis is
a thoughtful boy and carefully considers things before he makes a
decision. He has a good memory and learns things quickly. He is very
responsible young boy.
Bogere Monday
Monday is one of the most passionate young men I have ever met, he has
so much love in his heart and is such a sweetheart. Monday is a loyal
friend and will stick up for his friends and people that he loves no
matter what. Monday loves to laugh and sing and is a very good dancer,
especially for the traditional Ugandan dances.
Godfrey
Godfrey is a very hard-working young man. Godfrey is so helpful. He
will often ask if he can be given extra chores and he takes a lot of
joy in helping other people. Godfrey has a smile that can light up a
room and takes delight in making other people happy.
Amos
Amos is one of the youngest boys in our home and is doing so well. He
is a peaceful young man and never fights with anyone. He loves to
cuddle and is extremely teachable. Although he will stand up for
himself when he needs to he never starts a fight and treats other
people very well. He is an extremely smart boy and is doing very well
in school. He is also very disciplined and loves being clean and
keeping his things tidy.

Heartbreaker huh! Please pray for the boys. There are 17 now in the house plus the bigger boys that make the beads live in their own tiny apartment.

A Reluctant Anniversary

It is hard to believe that on September 13, 2009, Jeff was in the presence of the Lord and completely healed. That was very good news for him, but sad for me and the rest of the family. The year has gone by very quickly but also very slowly. People say to me, "You are doing so well!" All I can say is that you can't see what is going on in my head. Profound sadness and deep joy at the same time. My kids asked me how I was going to spend the day on Monday, September 13. What was I going to do? I told them I was going to plant a tree. I picked out a pretty Desert Museum Palo Verde and planted it. I have decided to plant a tree every September...somewhere. This tree got planted in the backyard of my new little house. Overall the day was very good. My memories were mostly sweet and I felt loved by many of my friends.
I am looking forward to putting together a small photo album to take with me to Uganda. Pictures of me, Jeff, the kids and their spouses and my granddaughter. Looking through pictures has actually been pretty painful for me and the sad memories of brain tumor surgeries and chemotherapy are slowly being replaced with older happier memories. I am glad.
I finally put all of the pieces of this journey in place and realized that Jeff was sick for only four years. You would think I would hav every date stamped firmly in my head, but this was not the case. He was diagnosed in May of 2005. I kept thinking it was earlier. Time does seem to move slowly through hardship. Is that because God wants me to truly feel every moment of it and realize anew his grace and presence? I know that God has grown my patience and my ability to keep my mouth shut. Yes, my friends, I actually can be quiet-ha! That has been a gift. But the other thing I have gained is a new understanding of how I can't know other people's motives for what they do. It is hard to explain, but I find myself way less judgemental. Not that I am such a great person, but that finally God got through my hard head to teach me a lesson. I did things and thought things that I never thought I could or would do while Jeff was sick and during this first year without him. AND many of those things were really negative and hurtful. I had to learn to let go of my own need for control. Controlling people are judgemental people. For me, God had to use blunt force to get my attention, and to make me even consider letting go of the reins of my life. I think I still have a few strands wrapped around my fingers but giving up the reins, even VERY reluctantly, has given me peace and new insight into God's amazing character and the generosity and love of His people. If you are stubborn and controlling (Me to a tee) you miss out on letting people love on you and getting the chance to love other people as well. So God, keep hitting me over the head until I learn the lessons You want me to know. I am Okay with that! So I made it through a year, I know I have great friends and family to come alongside of me. Thanks for being there for me, I sincerely hope that I can be there for you as well. Love always, Gina

This is the letter I received from Abby in Uganda

As some of you know, God has opened a new chapter in my life and I am so excited. I will be going to Uganda to teach former street boys how to read and write and speak English. I also hope to help with a new ministry to prostituted girls. Here is the latest letter I recieved from the missionary already there on the field. My Thoughts will be in parenthesese:

Hey Gina,

So much has changed, we are really looking forward to you coming!

During devotions the other night we asked the boys, "Do you remember jajja Gina?" and they ALL cheered, when we told them you were coming back they were SOOOO excited and cheered louder. I just thought you would want to know! =-)

That would be great if you were to come in early December, I will be leaving December 26th and will get back the 1st of March or so as I am fundraising in America. Moreen of course will still be in Uganda working with as you as well as all of the other boys and staff and perhaps other volunteers, who knows. It would actually be wonderful if you were there for that time, especially for the boys, while I was gone but I didnt know if you were aware that I would be gone then or if that was okay with you. (Yep Abby, I knew you would be gone!)

The landlord doubled our rent last week out of the middle of nowhere and so we found a new place and moved the boys out of Kivulu. We are now staying in a beautiful new house in town in an area called Wakalega in a good area. We found a place that has guestrooms seperate from the house where Moreen, me, and the other female visitors will stay. We were hoping you would want to stay there with us? (Of course silly- I CAN'T WAIT) If not we can still find you an apartment but Moreen and Carla will be staying in the other house I beliee. We can still give you your own room. (YAY-I snore, no-one wants to sleep with me) Then hopefully not far off we will have our own place and land. Please let me know what works best for you!

That would be great if you brought laptops for teaching, the boys will be so excited! Even the aunties and uncles will be wanting to learn! IT really sounds like you are putting everything in place to come and help Gina, if you want we can also inexpensively find you a Luganda tutor while you are here. There are many people that would love to help teach you (or you can exchange for lessons on the computer, etc-) I would suggest you ask my dad helpful books to read before you come here that can help prepare you. I would suggest, "Cultures of Poverty" by Payne, "When Invisible Children Sing", and "African Friends and Money Matters" (already had and read one of the books and the others are on order)

I guess that is about it, if you have any other questions please let me know

God bless

Abby

I bought a house

I bought a new house. Well actually it is an older house. Sort of plain and simple but it feels good. I am supposed to close by September 8, 2010. I bought new tile for it as well. It is a three bedroom two bath small home, just over one half of the size of my current home. Very bittersweet. Most of you know that I did NOT want to move to the house where I am now. Jeff insisted that we move...so we did. It was a wreck. No air conditioning, no heating, in horrible condition and the property had piles of trash on it. But we remodelled and made it into what we wanted. I learned to love the quiet and enjoyed feeding the birds. It was truly Jeff's dream home. But now I am alone and the thought of maintaining a 2700 square foot home on an acre and a third is really overwhelming. Just this year I have struggled to get caught up on the maintenance that we let slide over the last five years. I had the garage finished and put in an electric garage door opener. I paid to have the property cleaned up three times, including the recent grading of the back of the property. I took down the fence and moved the shed. I had shelves installed in the closets. I have had to rent roll-off dumpsters twice. I took the paint sprayer to a shop and had it repaired and have now painted the garage. I should paint the outside of the house. It seems like every waking moment I am either at work or home "working" on my house. I don't want to live like that! So look out Phoenix here I come! I bought a 1500 square foot house on a regular sized lot. I am having new flooring and cabinets put in. I will get it painted. Then I will be able to have fun fixing up the yard. I will be ten minutes away from my kids. Here is the google street map view of the house:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&q=26+West+Oraibi,+Phoenix&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=26+W+Oraibi+Dr,+Phoenix,+AZ+85027&gl=us&ei=KfhyTLmWL4X4sAPX99SLDQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA

I told you...it is a plain jane. I will miss the old house VERY much. All of the memories of Jeff and I fixing it up, all of the dinners and all of the fun! But I am trusting God for new memories and new fun. Please pray that I can sell or lease the other house. I will put photos on the blog when it is "really" mine. I love you all!

The Cat is out of the Bag!!!!!

What a crazy few months I have had! Jeff's mom passed away on the fourth of July and I drove back to Ohio with Jim and Vicki. We drove straight through-CRAZY! We arrived Wednesday at 12:30 and the viewing was at 5:00. I loved having the time with Jim and Vicki. We didn't talk as much as Vicki and I wanted, we were all too tired and stressed. This past Spring our Executive Pastor wanted me to take a class at Phoenix Seminary called Mending the Soul for Pastors. I did and really loved it. Plus I know that I would benefit from it. I ended up signing up to go through a program of Mending the Soul. It is a 14 week group and we go through a book. It is designed to heal people who have suffered mental, physical, sexual or spiritual abuse or neglect/abandonment. I have learned a lot about myself and I hope I have developed a tender heart for people who have suffered abuse. I know I have a VERY different view of abuse now, from when I started. I am praying for increased compassion and understanding. I also am learning to set healthy boundaries and to say no.

So why the title, "the cat is out of the bag"? Sunday our pastor announced to the congregation that I am considering joining a mission group to do social justice work in Uganda. Specifically I am planning on teaching reading and writing to abandoned kids, really young men and women who have lived on the streets and have been unable to go to school. Just read through some of my posts from Africa to get a feel for life there. I plan on going there for 4 months and then coming home for 2 and then returning. I am getting my house ready to sell and I am looking for a small one to buy. Jeff and I talked about this kind of work last year when he was so sick. He encouraged me to go, we both just assumed it would be to Mexico. So here I am! Scared, happy, excited, nervous...all together. We will see! I will write more later. GJ

Last Post from Uganda

What a roller coaster ride. First I had a flight, then I was bumped, and now I have a flight again. So I am here at the airport and patiently waiting. I am so very excited to share with you about the work here in Africa. It is a heartbreaking and heartwarming work. Abby came with me to the airport to see me off and then got a call this morning that the official (mayor) of Kivulu (the slum) was not going to allow the street kids to sleep at the church. He said they were dirty and were little thieves. Uncle David called Abby and he told her that the man probably just wants money. It is almost funny to think that the mayor would be calling the street kids dirty and thieves. The slum is filled with drugs, prostitution, open sewers, and violence. But it is not surprising that he would want money. The suitcase that we filled with supplies for the kids is now filled with beaded necklaces. The sale of those necklaces funds well over half of what Abby does. So please buy a necklace! I met the young men that make the necklaces. Five of them sleep in a one room apartment. Several don't know how to read but would like to learn. They are former street kids. So they have gainful employment and Abby can fund so MANY different things. I will post more pictures once I get home. I have some truly special pictures that I know you will be blessed to see. Last night when Uncle Julius and Uncle David went down to the church to give the street boys some warm tea and a bun and to pray with them one of the boys wanted to use a cell phone to make a call to Abby. So David called Abby and one of the boys wanted to especially wish me a safe journey and for God to keep me safe. Very humbling. Because I feel like he was really praying for all of you too. May God give us the heart to help hurting people wherever we go; whether it is in Phoenix, Paraguay, Shonto, Uganda or whever He has us at the time. God bless you all and I will see you soon.

pictures

The pictures in this post are from my trip to Uganda. You will see the church that sponsors the street programs, Grace Fellowship. You will also see a boy sitting and listening to a Bible story. He is sitting on his bed...a piece of cardboard. You will see the beds where the boys sleep in the Kivulu house. Triple bunk beds with mosquito netting. There is a picture of a toilet.You will also see a picture of the youth Pastor preaching to the street boys with their dinner waiting for them in the corner. There is a picture of the market and the last one is a young man making beads to be sold to support the street programs.

trip home cancelled from VOLCANO

Well, I am certainly glad I bought travel insurance. The volcano in Iceland has spread ash all over Europe and British Airways is not flying and the rumor is two weeks to clear the ash. S I will be re booking probably with Emirates Airlines and going to Dubai. At least my clothing is pretty modest. But I may have a number of weird stops. I went to church today with Abby and Moreen. It was good but I really miss Bob's preaching. So like I tell of the volunteers, "flexibility is the name of the game in ministry." So I am getting a big spoonful of my own advice. I went to the market today and bought some videos for my trip. We also bought some new videos for the boys. They got August Rush, The Blind Side, Hachiko, and some animated videos. They love August Rush and she got a translated one for them. If you think about it it is sort of an Oliver twist type story. They can relate to a boy searching for his parents. The DVDs cost a dollar and most are current. They are legal videos here in Uganda, but I wonder about the US. Actually I am PRETTY sure they are copies. Especially since I saw the guy copying them, ha!
Yesterday we took the boys from the street to a big soccer field. The game was boys vs staff. they really had fun. One of the boys found a tiny little kitten and wanted to give it to me. My heart just melted. The street boys gave Abby a kitten and she named her Aslan, like the lion out of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. The kids have led such a violent life, she encourages them to be not only be kind to each other but also animals. Both houses have dogs. The house here in the slum has the sweetest dog. Spoiled rotten and he loves the boys.
I can't wait to see you but I don't know when that will be.

Saturday in Uganda

Today is Saturday. I have spent the last few days in a whirlwind. I was able to go to the house in Senge. It has about 15 boys. It is away from the city in a village. The boys can wander around a little bit and interract with the community. They also have their own gardens and were proud to show them off to me. This home is run by African Hearts. I have spent most of my time in the Kivulu house, located in the Kivulu community (slum). It is a dangerous place with prostitution, drugs, pornographic movie houses, and it is filthy. The boys here live in ahouse with a large wall around it and a small dirt patch in the middle. No-one, and I do mean no-one enters or leaves without permission. The gate has two locks. So the boys live the majority of heir time here. All attend school, but their break just began for five weeks. This is not a big space for 15 rough and tumble boys.
I have been able to do lot's of things with the boys, both in the Kivulu house and also the street kids. I caught a head cold. I am good as long as I don't get lice too. The street boys I guess don't find me very threatening and they always want to sit close to me, or hold my hands when we walk. How could I possibley tell them no? So I may not be able to be around our kids for a while when I return if I am being treated for lice. For the last few nights I have joined Abby and Uncle Julius as they bring hot tea to the boys on the street before bedtime. I carefully watchd a boy unwrap a dirty plastic burlap type sack and spread it on the ground, then pull out a clean one and crawl into it like it was a sleeping bag. He also had a piece of cloth that he covered his chest with. The bag only went up a little past his waist. But the boy next to him slept on a ratty piece of cardboard with no covers at all. Such a heartbreak. I also was able to visit the older boys, 17-19, that make the beads. They are too old to stay at the church so Abby rented them a small room and they make beads all day. The guys were asking Abby if they could make and sell necklaces with seeds in them but she said they might not sell, but I bought it and paid a premium price. Over $1.00. The other boys were clucking their tongues at him. I think they wished they had necklaces to sell the rich Muzungo. I took some pictures of the older boys to show you. Abby also let the boys open to gifts that Bob and Cathy, their sponsors, had sent with me for their birthdays. i took pictures of that too. The sent to buckets of Legos. What boy doesn't like Legos? Today I went to the market again to buy Sunday shirts for the boys. We really picked around to get the best ones. We brought to boys with us, Peter, the oldest and Katarenga, a new boy at the home. We took them to lunch too. A special treat. So when we went to look for the shirts Peter fell in love with a Boy Scout uniform. So I got it for him and then Katarenga saw one too, so we got that for him. I can't wait to see them wearing their shirts.
They will be testing all of the boys for HIV. So far all of the ones at Kivulu are clean but they are going to test the street kids as well. Three of the boys currently have malaria and are being treated. The clinic charges are a big part of the budget here.
So I asked Abby how we could most help her. Would she like a team to come out or money and she didn't even hesitate and said money. Then she told me about her dream to buy 10 acres and build a home in a village not too far from Kampala. Then she would take all of the boys away from the slum and give them a real home. The bill for that...$110,000. Land is not cheap here. But she already has a great staff. Her best friend here in Uganda, Moreen will be a house mom. David and Julius will be the house dads. They are all such amazing people who really love the kids.
I could barely leave the boys sleeping on the ground at the church, so I don't know how she does it day after day. Only God can give strength for that.
I may not be able to leave to come home on Monday because of the Volcano. London is not accepting ANY flights because of heavy ash in the air. So pray that the ash will seperate.
I love you all and I have felt your prayers.

still in Uganda April 9

Today is Wednesday and the rainy season has started in Uganda. Monday night it started to rain and it rained HARD for a couple of hours. Most of the city can handle the water but here in the slum it is really muddy. I went to the market with Abby and Uncle Julius. (remember uncle is a term of respect here). I remember hearing once that all of the clothes from Goodwill and Savers that did not get sold were baled and shipped to Africa. Well I can now say with complete confidence that it is absolutely true. We went shopping for clothes for the boys in the street programs. Abby drives a hard program and was able to buy 65 pieces of clothing for about a dollar a piece. We barely made it back to the house before it started to rain. We rode motorcycles, bodas. At some points I honestly had to close my eyes but we made it back safely! I bought an African outfit in the market with Abby's and an Ugandan woman's help. I will wear it to our dinner on the 24th. Most of the money I brought I have been using to help Abby. I want to go back to the market and buy an outfit for all of the boys in the house. If you would like to contribute to this, simply write a check and attach a note that says Uganda. You can buy a complete outfit for under $5 less than the price of a Starbucks. (no pressure or anything-HA) I also know the word for white person, it is Muzungu . I heard it a million times in the market today.
I am trying to understand the culture and religion of Uganda. It is probably 85% born again Christian. The next major religion is Islam. The Catholic church is not held in high regard here and is not considered Christian. There is a very small amount of Mormons. There are Bible verses written on all of the Taxis and on many walls.But polygamy is alive and well here. Don't ask me how that fits in. Over 80% of the people are under 30 years old. War and AIDS have taken a heavy toll.
The Ugandans say that politicians are corrupt. I know many Americans would say the same thing about our government. A man tried to pick pocket me but was caught by the police. He was severely beaten in front of me. I think I should have said thank you but I was simply frozen in disbelief. Uncle Julius pulled me into the taxi and we sped away. He explained to me that thieves are considered the lowest of the low here and are not tolerated.
So what is Abby and the Ugandan team doing here? They are helping (loving) as many of the street boys as possible. They may or may not have already heard the Gospel but they definitely have not experienced love. The kids in the slums have it better, and when you see the picture you will wonder how?, but at least they have some sort of family. But these boys wander the crowded dirty streets, huff a cheap type of airplane fuel, and become thieves. And you know what the people think of thieves. in addition to being fatherless, the boys in the Senge house have all been physically and sexually abused. When God says that He is a Father to the fatherless, who but us can be His loving arms here on Earth?

A few Days later in Uganda-April

In Arizona it is lunch time and here in Uganda it is 10:30 PM. I have had a couple of truly amazing days. Sunday we went to a church, Calvary Chapel, that has an American Pastor. This church spoonsors a program called Front Line and is a ministry to street children. They have a lot of British and American volunteers come and help. They seem to stay anywhere from four to six months. It takes that long to aquire a little Logandan and to gain the trust of the kids. We took the kids from the house to church with us. We then went to lunch with some Ugandan and American and British leaders. That afternoon we went to the pool with all of the boys. They had so very much fun. Just like all kids do on a hot afternoon. They boys really consider themselves a family and the Ugandan men that are counsellors at the home are their mentors. The boys call the men Uncles and the women, like Abby, Auntie. They call me Jajja which means grandmother. I am honored. Then Sunday night we went to the orphanage in Senge. It is run by African Hearts. Abby volunteers with them. They are a Ugandan group that works with street boys too. But it was late when we arrived and I wasn't able to really meet the boys. The next morning they left early to go to school and I was still sleeping. We then returned to The Kivulu house, the safe house, in Kampala. I spent the afternoon using the wonderful facepaints that you donated with the street kids, but they had to bathe first. I really had fun and they did too. Monday, Wednesday and Friday they have a program for the kids, they have a short school lesson, then they feed them, play games with them and tell them a Bible story. The boys can also get soap, clothes and recieve medical care. Then tonight I told the Bible story to the boys. I watch thirty or forty boys curl up on cardboard, or a plastic burlap sack to go to sleep. Some had towels or sheets, but they all layed on a hard dirt floor. But at least it is safe. Abby has hird two guards to watch them. Tonight she had to remind them to not sleep. One of the boys gave me a bracelet to wear. I will wear it with joy. I ate posho and beans for dinner, the same thing the boys get almost every night. They had pineapple and they shared with me. Generosity in the midst of great poverty. It just goes to show that poverty of the purse does not mean poverty of the heart. Please pray for the boys and Abby and her team both Ugandan and American.

Arrival In Uganda April 7

Today is Saturday and I am here in Uganda. I spent my first night here at the safe house (Half way House) for the boys who are off the street and attending school. There are 13 of them. I also attended a program on Friday for the street boys. They played games, heard a Bible story and had a nutritious lunch. Kampala is a bustling city filled with motorcycles, walking people and Toyota minivans. The streets at one time were paved but have never been repaired, so they are a mess. The colors and smells are vibrant and pungent. The people friendly and the weather warm and humid. I have already taken some great photos and I will try to post some later. I am sort of in a hurry today as Abby and I and some of the Ugandan staff are taking three boys to the zoo. This is a VERY special treat that they earned. One boy consistently keeps his bed neat and clean and takes good care of himself, one was the top of his class in school, and the other is the most self disciplined. Abby and the staff were thrilled to see the items that I brought (that the church gave). They were the most excited about the soccer balls, pumps, and art supplies. Note to self...Abby likes foo-foo tea and coffee! HA! Tonight I will be going to the Senge house and stay there for at least a day or two. I am excited to see another part of Uganda. The Safe house is truly a refuge in the storm. It is located in a slum surrounded by trash, bars and violence. They lock the doors tightly and regulate who can come in.
Abby bought all of the boys athletic suits (pants and t-shirts). They were thrilled! The three boys are, of course, wearing theirs to the zoo. Tonight we are taking all of the boys swimming and I will try to videotape as much as I can.
I love you all and I will write more when I can

Here is the post from London April 6

Well, in typical Gina Orr fashion I missed my flight to Entebbe, the airport in Uganda. Don't even ask me how I did it. Just keep in mind that I was in the airport for over three hours and still managed to somehow miss the flight. A word for the traveller like me, reset your watch as soon as you arrive at your destination and don't count on things being like they have always been before. HA The five boxes I am carrying arrived safely in London. Because I missed the flight they security system wanted me take the boxes OUT of the airport. The next flight to Entebbe was two days later! I was able to rebook my flight, re-que the bags and with the help of some very friendly BA staff find a reasonable hotel. The hotel was a bed in a box. Weirdest thing ever. Just room for a bed. No window, no sheets, but it did have a private bathroom. It cost me $30 to take the taxi there and $35 to spend the night! But what is the word for missions...flexibility. And despite the good advice of Dave Ramsay, I would say always carry a VISA, for emergencies. By the time I rebooked my flight it was almost midnight and I was considered a "risk" . I had to be escorted by a member of security at all times. I must look threatening. But the people at the desk were so very nice. I told them that if they ever got to Phoenix, I would take them to dinner for Mexican Food. To my surprise I found that they both HAD been to Arizona. So I gave them a business card from the church and told them to call me if they came back.
Wednesday in London I walked around all day. I saw the sights and spent 3 hours in the National Art Museum.
It is now Thursday and I had to leave my hotel at 11:00 and my flight is at eight. I came very early to insure that my boxes were on their way as well. All seems to be in order and I have explored the terminal and found that I could shop at Prada, Gucci, and Coach. On the other hand I think I will have an Americano at Starbucks. I am enjoying watching the people. What a diverse group. It is wonderful! My phone doesn't seem to want to call anyone, just as well since it is so expensive. But texting is only 35 cents. You can text me at 602-326-5025. I have a 22 hour layover on the way back that includes an overnight. I am considering staying at a hostel here, the chairs here are quite uncomfortable for sleep. And my pillow did not make it through security Tuesday night. Keep praying that the trip will still be a blessing and encouragement to Abby despite all of the problems. Take care everyone

here is an old post-April about my trip to Uganda

On my way to Uganda tomorrow. I leave Monday, April 5, at 7:20 at night on a direct flight to London-Heathrow. I will then have an eight hour layover and get on a plane to Uganda. I arrive there at 7:30 on April 7. Whew! The purpose of this trip is to investigate the efforts there in Kampala and see if that is a project we would be comfortable partnering with. I will be visiting Abby Tracy and her Ugandan co-workers as they minister to street children. My prayer is that I would be a blessing to Abby and the whole team, and I can't wait to meet the kids. I have all of my clothes in a carry-on and I have 5 bags! The bags have clothes, school supplies, and fun stuff like soccer balls and art supplies. I am also taking bandaids and antibiotic creme. I will be returning to Phoenix on April 20. I am hoping that I will be able to use this blog to communicate with you all. If not, I will definitely update it as soon as I get back. So check back often and pray for the ministry in Uganda.

Birthdays-birthdays-birthdays

I made it through both Jeff's and my birthday. Not really as difficult as I expected. I have found that the "special days" are not as hard as the "everyday days". I catch myself wanting to tell Jeff something, or think that he would really like (or dislike) a certain thing. I also sometimes think, "what would Jeff think about this?" Today I related the entire story, to a stranger, of how Jeff got sick and the journey we went on. I was even able to put some feeling into it. The person asked some good questions, like: "What did you think about him going on Chemotherapy?" and "Would you do it the same way all over again?" Both difficult questions that I CAN answer but they bring back so many memories. No I didn't want Jeff to go on Chemotherapy, but I kept my opinion to myself until after he had started and he asked me. I never did tell him why. I saw two people die in the brain tumor support group with his type of tumor that went through the treatments and their support person said how hard it was on everyone. I did not want to be negative towards himor influence his decision. I hadn't thought about that in a long time. I swallowed so many of my feelings during the last five years that they are having a hard time coming back up. (so to speak) I do try to be very honest when people ask me how I feel, if I think they really want to know. I am facing the moving out of my daughter and son-in-law and granddaughter and I am both happy for them but know I am going to miss them so very much. They put a bid on a condo, so it is only a matter of time. Ahh feelings...not like a song and oh so very difficult to deal with some times.

Jeff's 51 st Birthday

This week would have marked Jeff's 51st Birthday. I was expecting it to be a difficult day so I took a personal day at work. The days leading up to Thursday I was nervous and anxious. But then Thursday morning came and I found a pot of hot fresh coffee waiting for me along with some chocolate muffins. Liz had done that for me! I progressed into the morning and found that I was not feeling that bad. I was able to experience again God's Grace for the moment! I spent the day fussing in the yard. It was wonderful. I didn't listen to the radio or have my Ipod, it was just me and my thoughts and it was good. That night I went to dinner with a friend. Even my dreams were Okay. I know I still will have some hard days, but I at least made it through one that I expected to be rough.
Matter of fact this week I had several funny things happen that made me think of Jeff and smile. My Chihuahua, Maggie, was with me in the yard and I wasn't paying attention. The gate was open and all of a sudden I turned around and could hear her barking in the front of the house. I ran out at the same time as Liz only to find Maggie chasing a Coyote down the street. We decided the coyote probably was not "being chased" but was luring Maggie away to become his dinner. Then on Thursday I was moving some cinder blocks in the back of the house and I picked up one and here was a Pack Rat. I had already cleaned up her huge nest that I thought had been abandoned. But no, here she was, looking up at me with big brown eyes and twitching whiskers. I couldn't kill her. I let her run off only to do more damage later. While cleaning her nest I found 3 screwdrivers, 2 unbroken eggs from my chickens, a pair of needle nose pliers and two of my favorite hole punches for drip irrigation line. Not to mention about 50 pieces of 580 tubing chewed into two to three inch pieces. Plus lots of little pieces of drip line! Jeff would have laughed at me for letting the pack rat go, but oh, those soft brown eyes.
I bought a five gallon Texas Ebony to plant in my yard. It was Jeff's favorite desert tree. I will try to do that every year for his birthday. I have one and a third acres so I can fit a lot of trees. So thank you Lord for a good week and a memorable one too!

Long Time Coming

Should you write in a blog every day? What if the blog is about learning a new life following the death of a spouse? Do you write down only happy moments, or sad moments? Do dig into the nitty gritty of grief or do you skim the surface. To be honest with you I am not sure. It has been a long time since my last entry. I have done some interesting things and I have let my mind think some interesting thoughts. I sent Christmas cards. Well most are sent. I still have a few. I made a list of projects that would keep me busy while I am at home. I am doing some of them. I took the advice of friends and mixed up my holidays. I went to Colorado for Thanksgiving and I had 15 young people at my house for Christmas dinner. I have started to journal-absolutely no deep thoughts yet. I feel like a middle school girl recording "what happened today". I had to confront my nightmares. My son, who is home from school told me that he could hear me crying and moaning in the kitchen while I was sleeping. Not a good sign! My daughter then confirmed it and said it has been going on for a while. Okay, now what? Hopefully the journaling will help. I also am trying to remember my dreams and then talk about them with God. I finally got a retainer like device to keep me from grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw! Thank you Dr. Bob! No more headaches. Jim, my brother in law has Jeff's Jeep and soon one of the other brother in laws, John, will have the VW. Yeah!
Thank you friends for your love and your laughter and your friendship. If you have insight into my questions or the nightmares...let me know. Love-GJ