April fool's day went off without one trick but the week leading up to it was pretty crazy. Two Saturdays ago, the laptop of a volunteer was stolen from the house. It was during the afternoon and I was here alone. I was working in my room and listening to music. I now know that a former street boy from a friend's home had come over without permission and the temptation to take the computer was just too much. As soon as we found out that it was missing I called a friend that works at the home and told him to keep his eyes and ears open. The next few days were difficult. I am going through a Bible based study on healing from trauma and abuse with the women of Hope House, and that week was the characteristics of an abuser and of an abusive family. Very tough stuff. All of these women have been traumatized and the Ugandan way to deal with it is to pretend it didn't happen. I am encouraging them to absolutely think out of the box and expose their hurts for God' healing and forgiveness. But it is very painful for them, and for me. We cry together, pray together and laugh together as well. Tuesday I got the word that a boy had come home with a new cell phone and cash in his pocket, and not hiding it. So the workers and the other boys kept pressuring him to tell the truth. Wednesday AM he confessed and we all got to work. I met the uncle(male leader in the home) with a bunch of money. He took the boy to the place where he originally sold it and then got the police involved to find the next buyer. In the end, we recovered the computer. The money...well it oiled the wheels of "justice". I also paid to keep the boy out of jail. So why pay to keep this boy out of jail? He is 15, spent a year living on the streets of Somalia, and has been living on the streets in Kampala for a long time. No parents, he is in third grade and is learning a whole new way to live. The prisons here in Uganda would not have helped him in ANY way. He is a new Christian, a young man who needs loving guidance and compassion. Has he stolen before? I wish I could say no...but that would be a lie. He has, but he hasn't experienced unconditional love, the feeling of family, and the respect of others and to return respect to them. Please pray for him. Thursday I took the computer out to Bombo where the volunteer is staying, only to find him scary sick with chills, fever and headache. So back to Kampala Friday morning and straight to the clinic. I thought for sure...malaria. But no, it is a virus that he has had to just wait out. On Thursday, a volunteer couple who are adopting a boy were able to bring him home. He is 19 months old. Whew!
For me, I know have a month left here. I am already grieving the loss of day to day friendships I have made. But looking forward to the next chapter of my life. I have been applying for jobs that have anything to do adolescent behavioral issues, foster parenting, adopting and refugee work. Probably over thirty jobs, but no responses yet. If you know of ANY job openings, I am willing! Maybe not Starbucks...I can't get up that early...ha! But anything else, I am willing. I am excited to transition into working more in Mexico and Phoenix with sex trafficked girls and women. And some of you don't know that I have been accepted into the masters program of Social Justice and Human Rights at ASU. I will start taking classes this fall. I still am planning on staying on with GTN as a missionary. I will be working to develop leadership training opportunities for women that I can facilitate. I have already spent some time with ReviveMexico in Mexico City and will return there. They work with street children and trafficked girls. Unfortunately, I am sure that there are opportunities to serve in my own backyard. For those of you that support me financially, you are under no obligation to continue since my focus has changed from Uganda, Africa to Latin America and Latinos in the US. If you do desire to travel down this path with me, I would be honored. But if you want to continue to see your donations make a difference in the life of Ugandans I can recommend a number of ways to do that including supporting the group I have been working with. It is entirely between you and the Lord. I will be back in Phoenix late the night of May 6. So I will see my church family on Mother's Day and the rest of family and friends as soon as I possibly can.
