Here are some things going on at Cornerstone:
- 2 of our girls got to go swimming by saving their allowance each week till they had shs10,000. Pretty impressive since they get only shs1,000 each week and of that they set aside shs100 for church, and then have all kinds of little things they can buy from the allowance "store." The 2 girls this week were Margret (about 5) and Christine (about 7). One picture is of Monicah (the mom of our girls) and the 2 girls in the pool. By the way, this was Monicah's second time in a swimming pool, the first being about 3 weeks ago! The other picture is of the playground next to the pool. I asked Margret to smile while Abby was helping her on the teeter totter. She's quite a ham!
- The bakery is still doing very well. Gerald is doing well learning the baking end, and he's doing really well at customer service (not a concept used by the Ugandans in their shops). We hired a 2nd employee yesterday, Jeniffer, who will work just the evenings. Gerald has been working 7:30am-9:30pm Monday-Saturday for 3 weeks, so will be glad to get to leave at 4:30 every day. Jeniffer has her certificate (a 2-year program) in accounting, so brings a whole different perspective to the business. I am still at the bakery every day (well, I took one day off last week), but anticipate within 2 weeks or so to be able to cut back to only 3 days a week. We have just had 2 other businesses come and ask us to make things for them. One is a restaurant in Mbale that wants us to make hamburger buns and rolls for their soups. Another store owner came and said he is starting a coffee shop and would like us to supply the baked goods for it. I haven't figured out yet if we will be able to do those and keep up with our customers, but it's so exciting to have people tasting our things and asking for more of our products!! So glad, Mom, that you taught me to bake!!!
- The kids are going "home" to their clans/extended families tomorrow and this time will be gone for a week. They love to go and have their clan's Christmas traditions. When they return, we will have Christmas with them with a special meal and lots of fun and games (thanks to Abby's planning!). We even want to give them a little taste of an American Christmas and will be buying each one a small gift (gifts are not exchanged here for Christmas.)
- We have been praying about sending "the 4" (Natasha, Vanessa, Isaac and Moses) somewhere so they also get this cultural experience, and someone from the church came last week and asked to take them when the other kids go home. This is SO huge - most Ugandans would not include anyone who is not of their tribe, their clan and their family. We're so excited that God has provided a place for the 4 to have Christmas with a family out in the village. (The 4 don't have any extended family still alive that we can find, so they normally stay and hang out at Pastor Rogers' and/or our house. The other children all are at their extended family huts deep in the villages.)
- They have just poured the concrete "ring beam" for the kids' new home and it will set for 2 days, then they will put another couple of rows of bricks and the roof on that. Chuck, Nick, James and Seth - I was thinking about you guys when you were here last January mixing the cement, wheelbarrows, etc. This, of course, is a much smaller project, but was remembering all your hard work down at the other site. It is truly amazing what God is doing as we have now the kids' home and the school buildings which are all on their way to being completed for our orphans, and for the children of this community. Thanks to all of you who have made all of this possible with your monetary gifts.
- Don't know about you, but when I look back at this past 3 years I am amazed at what all of us, hand-in-hand with God, have been able to establish in this community of Budaka. Wow! Thank you for all that you do to see that these kids have clothes, shoes, food, schooling, buildings to meet in, buildings to live in, a hope for the future...I know in Heaven we will get to talk and share with those who have been touched by your generosity in time, resources, prayer, etc. Thanks for your faithfulness.
Okay, need to get back to work...the bakery awaits! Love you all!
Laurie
BTW - we (Abby and I) will be returning to the States mid-January. I am putting together a schedule for being with all of you. Let me know of times that are good for you. I am hoping to be in Texas (Austin), southern and northern California, various Oregon and Washington locations, and Idaho. It will be Feb/Mar when I will travel...Abby may join me for some of the time also.
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