Our lives are not our own.

Follow our family's journey as we give up the "American Dream" to live and love in Uganda.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Our Plans

Why Africa?

Why now?

What are you going to be doing?

Where will you live?

I get a lot of questions about the choices we are making. Unfortunately I do not have a lot of answers. I understand peoples concern and I have some serious concerns myself. I just don't have all the answers. I am ok with that most of the time. You see, our life has been a whole lot of crazy. So moving to Africa, although a different kind of crazy, is just another thing that we are doing.

So far we are ok...

We love God.
Our marriage is intact.
Our kids love Jesus and each other most of the time.
We are healthy.

Is there more than that?

Sorry, back to the point of this blog post.

We are leaving July the 13th for Washington. Our amazing friends are letting us crash at their house for about a week so we can see the sites and enjoy their company. They are graciously having a fundraiser and making us a care package...thank you Tamara! Then on the 2oth we will leave for Uganda. Upon arrival we will be most likely staying in a hotel until we find a more permanent residence in the capital city of Kampala. Our fist couple of months will be spent visiting several people and their organizations seeing how we can help or if we can see ourselves working with them more permanently. We will also be learning the language and culture of our new home. We want to make sure that our kids are ok before committing to anything long term. So if you give us money for orphans we will be giving it to people who are already established and know where it should go. We will be spending a good deal of time getting to know people and seeing what their needs are. Jeremy and I are not the answer to their problems. We are just parents who love children and are willing to serve and share Jesus however we can.

So really that's it.

We have no mission statement other than "Here I am send me" (Isaiah 6:8)
and no real vision other than "Whatever you have done for the least of these you have done for ME". (Matthew 25:4)

We are fully dependent on the Lord for everything. And He has provided already. We have the cost of living covered and the airfare covered. So far in some miraculous ways God has provided for our passports, our shots, and our travel expenses. Trust me, with a family of nine these things are all a big deal!

So we are continuing to trust God for:

our visas
a vehicle
a safe place to live once we get there,
a church to attend
a water purification system
the sale of our cars and other belongings

I know that Jeremy and I have the same heart in all of this. We want to live a life dependent on God. We want to see miracles and lives restored. So I will close this blog post with a favorite passage. You should read the whole thing if you never have...

Proverbs 30
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

8 comments:

  1. What kind of water purification system do you use.

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  2. This post is awesome. You guys have the heart for God that I want to have.

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  3. Amen and amen. I love you all and I bless you in the Matchless and Mighty Name of JESUS CHRIST. HE is faithful WHO promised.

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  4. you guys are awesome! We totally support you! We actually have a friend here (adoptive mom) whose family started an orphanage in uganda when they were there adopting last year. They just sent a team over there last month. I would LOVE to get you guys in touch! Send me a msg. on FB if you want the info (her name is Shawna Vaughn and she's on my FB friend list if you want to connect w/ her). Also, we have some other friends with some ministries in E. Africa. Check out duttonfoundation.org. If you are interested, we could get you in touch with them too! Have you heard of the Berkely Light filters? you can read about them at bulkherbstore.com. Aughh! so much to say - let's talk!

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  5. Love you guys and continue in prayer for you.
    FYI...Our friends Doug and Kathryn in Arua use Katadyn water purification systems.

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  6. What an inspiration you are! Love your blog!

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Las Vegas, Nevada, United States