A story of Grace and Martha

This morning I saw a picture which made me smile but almost cry. It was a picture posted by the forever mother of Aaron (now called Samuel) and Faith (now called Layla) who were adopted at the beginning of the year. The picture was of her two newest kids being held by Grace and Martha. Grace and Martha left GSF on Friday. Aaron and Faith and their new family went to welcome Grace and Martha.

Grace and Martha are eleven year old twins. On the 27th of May their new family was granted gaurdianship of them. They were going to leave about a week later but the passport system was broken down. Finally, they got their passports and left GSF on Friday. That night they were sitting on the plane ready to leave Uganda. The only problem was the sat on the plane for 5 hours while the plane was under unexpected maintanance. Then, they were taken on a bus to a hotel where they stayed till Sunday night. They finally arrived home sometime yesterday! I am going to miss these girls forever. The many great memories I have made with them over the last three years will stick with me forever.

You know Lily?

If you have ever been to GSF, even just for a day, the answer to that question is yes. No doubt about it.

Lily is one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet. Sometimes she can be annoying but most of the time she just sweet. I love her so much. She is always happy! She loves to talk and just hang around. Sometimes when people are singing you can hear her voice above all the others. She isn't singing the right words and they aren't even words. And, most of the time she is off tune. But, she loves to sing and God loves to hear us praising Him even if we have the wrong tune and words.

Bare feet and blistered hands

Last Monday the kids of GSF were divided up into two groups, girls and boys, to work on slashing (cutting the grass) and digging. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the girls dig while the boys slash. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays they switch. I've been doing it with them and it's really given me a bigger picture of their world. Some days we don't eat breakfast until after we're finished. Most of the girls come in old, dirty clothes, or even their pajamas. We take off our shoes while we dig and slashing can give you blisters. Most of them work very hard and try to find something I'm doing wrong. The girls think that Mzungus don't work as much and some of them think we don't work at all. So, to them it's just like I'm crushing all their dreams that if they go to America they won't have to work. Now, they're starting to accept that I work with them everyday. Their not looking so hard for something I'm doing wrong and when they find something they show me how I can change it.

They don't have more chores than American children, they just have harder chores. Watching little Sophia insist that she slashed with us instead of picking up trash with the rest of the girls her age and three year old Lauren pick up her hat and go and get the soap out of the pantry and wash her hat so well broke my heart. But then, I had to stop and think, 'it's not bad, at least not to them. That's their life. It's the only way they know.'

Prayer for Auntie Amanda

Auntie Amanda is the teacher for us missionary kids. She is so fun. She always has energy and a smile on her face. She went back to the States to visit for a month. She went to suprise her mom because she was about to have surgery. While in Amsterdam she started feeling like she had malaria. So, she started on the medicine. Then, she started feeling better so stopped taking the medicine.This weekend she started feeling bad again. Soon, it was discovered that she has Cerebral Malaria which is very serious. She is now starting to feel better but, is still not completely better. She will have to be in the hospital anywhere from a week to a month. We all miss her so much. It was so neat for me to see all the kids gathered at the chapel praying. Our prayers have worked and we need to continue praying! We have an awesome God!

Another prayer request is for little Patricia(Patu). She was adopted in January. Last night we got word that she has a fever of 105. This precious little girl needs outr prayers as well.

Please join us in prayer for Auntie Amanda and Patu.

Random Pictures

Okay, so I decided I needed to put some pictures on here. Most of them are really good pictures but there's not enough to write about them to make a full blog post about each of them. So, here they are.

Our new house is almost finished!

How do you like our new tree decoration?

The new playground.

GSF's new 'baby' - Chloe.

Amelia and Simeon

Amelia and Esther

Esther (this is a different Esther) and Charlie - Esther has the best smile.

Barbara and Jarrod

Kathy and Lily - two of GSF's Special Needs girls.

Edi and Joy - Joy was writing on the babies' hands (it's just a Joy thing) and Edi was intrigued.

Crazy boys - Godfrey, Micah, and Gabriel.

Bobby, Charlie, Jarrod, and Sebastian - no, we don't USUALLY put four babies on one stroller...

...But, you CAN usually find a baby in the back of the stroller - Sebastian.
Amelia and Sophia - Beautiful girls

Tiny Rosie

I wrote about Rosie in another article ( http://caralinag.blogspot.com/2011/04/two-special-kids.html)butkids.html ) but, this one really needs to be written. Rosie needs prayer right now. She was taken in to see the doctor because she was sick and the doctor discovered her leg was broken. How that happened is a mystery. She was taken to the doctor because she was still very sick. After a few days they sent her home So she was taken to Kampala but they couldn't find out what was wrong either. She was then taken to another doctor in Kampala but still nothing was found. Please pray for this little girl. Also, pray for wisdom for the doctors who see her and the nurses at GSF as well as her house moms.