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 family
December 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
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