Hi All! I know some of you are thinking it's about time I posted something. I apologize. Been kind of crazy around our house with Robin and Brianna gone and getting used to the summer routine. Robin's parents are both here and they have been a HUGE help though. A big THANK YOU and gratitude to my in-laws. We are very blessed to have Grandpa Joe and Grandma Vickie in our lives. Love you guys!
Robin and Brianna are doing great,exhausted by the end of the day, tired of beans & rice, but still enthused about the work they're doing. Communication has been pretty sporadic. Usually it's back and forth through emails, with one or two days between responses. When she can, I know Robin has been posting short statuses on
F@cebook. Power gets turned off fairly early at night, so that complicates things as well. The kids and I are grateful just to hear anything from them. I think it's still amazing we can get fairly instant communication from Africa.
They landed into Uganda last Monday morning, 6 Jun 11, after getting an unexpected day in London. Because of plane problems, they didn't leave Chicago until Saturday morning, 4 Jun 11. They were able to go to the hotel for a quick clean-up and then headed out to help build a house for the street boys. After building, they headed to the orphanage and loved on babies the rest of the day. Both Robin and Brianna fell in love with the babies. So many to hold, so many wanting loved. Robin stated she could stay there all day.
On Tuesday, following is what Robin sent:
"We started off in the baby home waking up babies, changing beds, changing clothes and feeding babies. We then went to the site of the house that is being built. We spent several hours throwing bricks that they are using for the house. These bricks weigh about 10 pounds each and we stand in a line and throw them and stack them where they need to be. You would be so proud of Brianna throwing bricks like a crazy woman!!! What a great workout..who needs P90X? We sweat about half our body weight!! Boy were we dirty but it was worth it. We are leaving a legacy for boys to get off the street and changing lives. We each took turns laying a brick so we actually did help build the house. We also shoveled rocks and sand for the cement. We ended the day at the baby home again. There are 48 children at the home. Most are so tiny. We just love on them and tell them how precious they are and how much Jesus loves them. They all need so much love and Brianna and I have a lot to give."
I'm looking forward to taking advantage of their new-found skills when they return :-)
On Wednesday, part of the schedule included heading downtown to the feeding program for the street boys. Robin said it broke her heart just hearing them talking about it so she thought it may be a hard day.
The next contact from Robin came on Friday. They had just completed their first day of VBS. They conducted VBS for about 250+ kids from around Ssenge Village. VBS was supposed to run on Saturday as well. She stated:
"Sorry it has been so long but we have been so busy..never any time on the computer. We are working very hard but enjoying every minute. We are covered in bruises but we sing praise songs as we work so we take our mind off of it. Tonight was a lot of fun we went to a concert put on by the African Hearts..they were amazing. Can't wait to share our stories and pictures with you."
Robin's Sunday email was the most powerful. Warning...have a tissue close. I couldn't get through just reading it to myself nor reading her email to her parents and the kids without choking up:
"It is Sunday afternoon and we are getting ready to go to the baby home. We had a good day. We went to church in Ssenge Village. It was very interesting. The hardest part was praying for the needs of the people. They would come up and tell us what they needed prayers for and then we would pray for them. Brianna and I were in a group praying for people..mostly women and children. I was fine until a little girl came up and she wanted prayer because her dad had just died of Aids and her mom is sick with Aids. I just broke down crying and just couldn't continue praying. I just held her and cried over her. I was able to pull myself together enough to pray over her but it was so hard. They fed us lunch after so please pray we all remain healthy after eating in the village!! We then spent the afternoon shopping. So it was a nice day of rest. Tomorrow we go see the [head waters] Nile river. Well time to go love babies!!!"
I'm so proud of my ladies. God is and will continue to do mighty things through them and the rest of the team. Please continue to pray for their safety, the team's safety, and more importantly, that Ugandan hearts would be changed for the Lord. Also pray that Robin and Brianna's hearts would be broken, for what breaks God's heart.
Will try to post sooner next time. Gary
