New Ride

New Used Van

Ben driving us all home. 

Enjoying the Ride

 Road leading to the Farm, it is at the end of the road on the left 

 We have our own vehicle! The funny thing is Ben and I said we never wanted to drive a van (haha, when following God your plans change) but it is the best choice for us here. It will make us a little more independent, that is if Ben can find the way. There are not really any road signs and road sides look very similar.  As you can see from Ben's photo, they drive on the opposite side of the road here in Uganda and driving here is CRAZY! There are people, animals, boda boda's(motorcycle), and vehicles going which ever way they like, or so it seems. If you would like to make a turn you do not wait, just start going until someone lets you through. It makes me very nervous riding in the front seat still :) We will begin using the van for ministry work next week when we accompany our first team from the states to Divine Grace Primary. I am so looking forward to sharing that experience with our children.
Today we will be traveling with some of our Newman family on safari. Can't wait to see them and  excited about some time as a family to enjoy and relax with one another. Wishing I could experience this with all of you!

Shake, Shake the Mango Tree

An African Picnic with pawpaw right off the tree, mangos and sugar cane.  Enjoyed a quiet day within the Sozi compound.

One for you and one for me!

Meeting our brother Emmanuel for the first time at Jjogo Church
We have been blessed to sponsor Emmanuel through DCM

                                      
                      

Emmanuel' sister Providence

                                                    

And brother Mordecai,

After church we went to the farm for lunch and rest. The children love it there!

                                                                

You are Most Welcome!

 Phoebe welcoming us our new home

                                                    
                                      Some Care Ministry staff greeting us at the new offices
                                        
The people of Uganda are a people of hospitality. They go out of their way to make you feel welcomed. They greet and welcome you every time you return to the home. They feed you in abundant amounts. We are being very well taken care of. We are so thankful to the Sozis for making us feel so at home. They are a huge blessing and a vital part of us being here.

We spent the morning shopping at some stores. These stores cater  to Muzungu's (white people). We saw more people who's skin looked like ours today than I saw the whole 10days I was here in October. The stores are big and like stores at home just African, even some of the same brands as home. We then had lunch at a restaurant in one of the shopping centers with Peter's cousin Stephen. Stephen has four daughters our children's age, so a play date is in the works! Next it was off to the Farm and our home. The children needed some down time and to run and play. The Farm is a beautiful place, it reminds me so much of Milton, rolling hills and green. It is so peaceful there.  Peter showed the children the dairy cows and they threw the football. Some rain came in and we all sat on the veranda(porch) of our home and took it all in. I am so looking forward to settling in there. It will be a few weeks still, Ben is having a utility building built to house our electrical things and a washer/dryer. We are also planning on going on Safari next week with our first "vistahs", hooray for some Newmans!!! and then join another group the next week to visit Divine Grace Primary.

We made it!

Thank you for all your prayers! We had a 26 hour journey that went very smoothly and ALL 15 bags arrived with us. We praise God for getting us here safely.  God blessed us with sweet Hannah Newman to travel with, and $3000 of Delta dollars for just switching to an earlier flight. Those are sure to come in handy. We all slept in today and then went for delicious lunch, Chinese I might add. Next it was off to the Divine Care Ministries office to see the staff.  Hannah, the children and I stayed there while Peter Sozi and Ben ran errands. It was a full day. The children are doing well, there is so much for then to take in. There are so many different and new things, but they are taking it all in stride. Going to see our home tomorrow at the farm,  to see what preparations may need to be made.  It is still hard to wrap my head around the concept of this being our new reality, but the peace I feel from knowing my Heavenly Father is right here with me EVERY step of the journey is all I need. We are continuing to trust in Him.

Dear Ones

Today marks one week before our new beginning and with that we want to thank you all. You have blessed and encouraged us in this journey more than you will ever know. Our cup runneth over! These past weeks have been filled with blessings, visits with loved ones, donations for the preschool Ben will help build, donated toothpaste, donated vaccines for the children, send offs, our utilities covered while we are away, and your prayers. THANK YOU! Thank you for speaking words of encouragement and affirming us in this adventure. We pray God will bless each one of you as you have so richly blessed us. We are so thankful for you, our Brothers and Sisters in Christ! We look forward to sharing with you all that God is doing in Uganda.

Full Days

We are all feeling the excitement build with only 15 days until our new adventure begins, but our days are full to bursting. Full of sleepovers, visiting family, baseball games, send offs, dance recital, a birthday, an anniversary, Father's day, Character Quest, packing, packing, and more packing. At times it is overwhelming, but then I just stop and rest in His peace. I am only to focus on today, not worry about tomorrow. What I get done today is awesome!

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Matthew 6:34