Peace

Thank you to everyone who prayed for the Ugandan elections.  Museveni did win again, and I think that's a good thing.  Election weekend was surprising calm and peaceful.  Some people fear Besigye (the main opposition) may try to strike in the near future, but that is all hypothetical.  This I do know, God has spared Uganda from great civil unrest and is continuing to bless this nation with stability.  

The chalk

Other news: Got a call today from Jane, the school mom, saying she had a child in her office with a piece of chalk stuck up his nose.  I did what any good nurse would do and said, "Sarah will be right down".  It just so happens I was getting ready to leave to take a child to the doctor so I couldn't attend the call :).  After I gathered my things in the house, I stepped out onto my front veranda to see Sarah holding Micah's hand, escorting him to our home.  Micah (3 yrs) lives at GSF and has a reputation for being "stubborn" and mischievous, so I was not at all surprised this was the culprit.  I couldn't help but laugh at the situation.  Four people, a nurse, and tweezers saved this boy a trip to the doctor.  Not sure what the thought process was in sticking the chalk up his nose, but we're hoping he learned his lesson. 

It's that time

A political campaign I saw in Jinja last week

The Ugandan presidential elections are Friday Feb. 18^th.  The current president Museveni has been in power for 25 years and will most likely be re-elected.  Whether it’s fair or not will be hard to tell.  Most of the people I’ve talked to will vote for Museveni, despite their desire for change in power, because of the stability and peace he has brought to the country.  Change in their minds is exciting and much needed, but with that brings much fear.  Please pray for peace during this time.  This election people seem to think the rising opposition stand a chance to win.  I’m not concerned with my safety living out of town in sugar cane country.  GSF is stocked on the essentials so we won't have to go into town if it's dangerous for several weeks.  GSF also has a great reputation with the surrounding community and as well as the district officer, so we feel very little threat where we are.  Please though pray for the protection of those living in Kampala and Jinja.  Please pray Uganda will continue to have peace as a nation.

Modern day tax collector converted!

This is a completely normal outfit for Phillip

Phillip is easily spotted at GSF.  Just look for a skinny 10 year old boy with a big belly, bandage on his left ear, shuffling his feet as he runs using one of his hands to hold up his shorts.  He is hysterical.  He can point with his lips and have entire conversations using different facial expressions.  He is fashion forward and loves to accessorize.  Phillip is end stage HIV/AIDS.  His most recent CD4 count was 4 and his viral load over 300,000.  Doctors say he is a ticking time bomb.  A couple months before I arrived at GSF, everyone thought Phillip was on his death bed.  Throughout Phillip’s life, he has had no desire to become a Christian.  During Phillip’s fragile state, many people shared the gospel with him, but he stuck to his guns and wanted nothing to do with Jesus.  Beginning in September, Phillip slowly began gaining strength…enough strength to now cause trouble.  

Phillip is what I like to call a modern day tax collector.  He is a thief.  He steals constantly from his housemates as well as from the missionaries.  Phillip also has the reputation for torturing other kids.  His main target is little Sam who’s paralyzed from the waist down.  He has burned Sam and beat him up on multiple occasions.  Today was like many other days in that one of the missionaries spotted Phillip wearing a Timex watch carrying 10,000 Ugandan shillings (~$5).  It was very apparent that neither one of these things were his.  Phillip fessed up when confronted.  He went to Uncle Mark the director for punishment.  After disciplining Phillip, Mark shared the gospel with him.  This time Phillip said he did want to accept Jesus into his heart.  We pray that this was a sincere decision and that his kleptomaniac and pyro behaviors are of the past and Phillip experiences newness of life in Christ!  We don't know when God will take Phillip, but we can rejoice knowing we will see him in heaven one day!

New kids on the block

Charlie

 Meet the new kids at GSF!

 Charlie to my right is just under two years old weighing 11 lbs.  His mother died and his father is who knows where.  His grandma was unable to continue taking care of him, so she handed him over to the care of GSF.  Charlie came to us very sick and is just now starting to gain strength and weight.  Charlie reaches for any food in sight and will typically only smile for men, though this is starting to change.  Pray for his continued healing.  

Little Gerald in his new clothes   

Gabriel standing outside his house

     
















Above and to my right are Gerald and Gabriel.  They are brothers that came to us several weeks ago.  They're father died and the mother is an alcoholic and was neglecting the boys.  These two have transitioned very well into GSF.  They both have big belly laughs and love to play with each other.  Gerald, though he doesn't look it, is 1 1/2 and Gabriel is 3 1/2 years old.