Jan 14th - Leavin' on a jet plane

We have only two more days here at Cornerstone before heading home to see many of you, to rest a bit (with running water and electricity - a real plus!) We are so excited to be back in America, but also so sad to be leaving these kids, Pastor Rogers and his family and our staff. For me, it's hard to leave the bakery and our new employees there.

We just passed our 3-year anniversary in Budaka. I have been so privileged to be a part of what God is doing here in Budaka. What an amazing journey we have been on. And, as we go forward from here, we know He will continue to do His work among us.

This past week:

Bicycle Training

Abby continues to take the 29 out to learn to ride the bicycle. A few have really gotten the balance thing - you have a picture of Ronald, one of our oldest boys, who is doing really well. They LOVE the bike.

New "Mom"

Angela, a young woman from a church in Mbale, has come to join our team as our girls' caretaker. She arrived yesterday and will take over day-to-day duties as a mom to our kids. I have included a picture of Angela as she interacts with our kids. She is talking to Beatrice with many of our kids looking on.

We have moved Monicah up to overseeing the children's programs (devotions 3 nights a week, allowance, surprises, bike riding times, Sunday School, etc.), as well as managing the bakery. She has been doing the kids' programs alongside Abby for the past year-and-a-half and began learning the baking back in February of 2012. She became the bakery manager on January 1 and goes to Mbale 3-4 days a week to oversee and teach Gerald to bake.

Church

We arrived at the church building on Sunday morning to find a dead chicken on the doorstep and its blood sprinkled around on the floor of the church. This is a part of the local witchcraft and is supposed to be a way of causing us to fail, to die or both. It was a great opportunity to teach our people about the power of God (1 John 4:4) and that the blood of chickens has no power in their lives. Nor do spells or charms from witchdoctors. We had a powerful Sunday morning in the presence of God.

It reminds us that not everyone is happy with God's work at Cornerstone. We have had many instances of resistance to the Kingdom of God and to our presence here over the past 3 years, but continue to see God working through us to touch this community with His love.

Kids' Home

Our kids' home is on schedule to be completed today or tomorrow. The latest part of the building project is to make a barrier against nefarious characters getting in to harm our children. You have a picture of it - broken soda bottles cemented into the top of the wall around the bathing area. Newfangled security systems not needed here ;).

I am bringing pictures of their new home to show you...and hopefully will have pictures of them moving in. They are SO excited, but don't know yet that they will be moving in very soon.

Okay, gotta get ready to head to Mbale - last day to go and help in the bakery. Then, back to Budaka to a party to say goodbye. Tonight and tomorrow will be tearful times for all of us. Thanks for praying and encouraging us in this time. I will see you all very soon. (By the way, you Oregon/Washington people, can you heat it up a little there?? It's 80 degrees here in my room at 6:45am. I think it will be a bit cool for us. Try thinking warm thoughts...)

Laurie

Jan 7th - Tuesday morning

Time seems to be moving too quickly right now! We will be leaving for the States in only 9 days and I feel like I can't get enough hugs and kid time. The kids don't know yet we are leaving (we will tell them on Thursday so they have a week to process). I so look forward to seeing all of you, Friends and Family, to getting some rest, a pedicure, a haircut, to experience running water, electricity all the time (none here right now as I write), smooth roads with "normal" traffic. But even with all those things to look forward to, it is so hard to leave! So, let me move on for now to what great things have been happening here:

Cornerstone Children's Home

The kids' very own house is almost done. It looks like they will move in on Saturday or Sunday. Thanks to Erika and Jamie who felt the Lord ask them to send some money to complete the house...and to all of you who have faithfully given each month...have given for special occasions...have bought calendars...have prayed for God to provide for these children. The structure is a simple brick building with 2 sides and latrines and bathing rooms at the end. We will improve it as we have the funds (like rain gutters for water reclamation, roofs over the bathing areas, veranda around the building for the kids to sit on, etc.), but it is very inhabitable and went up in just over a month! God is loving on these kids through all of you. They can't believe they are getting such a great house to live in. They keep saying, "this is for us?" Very cool. Thank you, Lord...and thanks to all of you whom He has used to make this a reality! I sent 2 pictures so you get some idea of what it is looking like. The first is the inside of the girls' side as it was being worked on. The 2nd picture is of the windows that are being put in - they have to be quite strong with bars to keep out intruders. We will be putting glass in them as we get closer to moving in.

Picnic with the Kids

We had a great day on Friday at the Compassion Children's grounds with all of our kids for their first-ever picnic. They have eaten food away from home on trips, but never just to go and play, eat and play some more. It was a really fun, hot day. One of the bonuses for the kids: a slide that Compassion has for their kids. I have included a picture. This was the first time for all our kids to ever be on a slide. The kids kept saying (about the slide) things like, "This is enjoyable," "This is incredible," "Wow. Delicious!". Where are they getting these words?? Well, we did just watch "The Incredibles" with them, and they do know we describe foods we like as delicious... There are more pictures on fb of our day at Cornerstone Uganda Ministries.

Christmas with Kids

I know I told you about the Christmas we did with the kids, but wanted to add one great line from Oliver, one of our girls who is about 7 years old. She is in the far left of the group picture I have sent. It was actually New Year's Eve when the girls came, so I said, "Today is New Year's Eve. What does that make tomorrow?" No one answered...they were all in thought...when Oliver spoke up. "New Year's Adam?"

Bakery

Grand total income for the month of December (we were open 21 days in December): shs1,300,000. It took 5 months to make that much last year! It's over 10% of what is needed to run the entire ministry for a month. We are off to a great start for January, too!

We have a manager (Monicah) and our 2 new employees are doing well. People with bakeries in town are trying to get our recipes because people are running to Cornerstone now for their bakery needs. (In case you couldn't figure it out - we don't share our recipes...) So, big thanks to all of you who have given, prayed and encouraged us in this endeavor of becoming self-supporting. Thanks to Joel and Heather for the gift towards a new larger oven, as well as Eliza and ASB for their fund raising for the same thing.

In the States

Abby and I will be coming your way in Feb/Mar. Just let me know if you are available for coffee, a visit, etc. I will put together an itinerary when I have heard from all of you. So far, for sure we will be in Burley, Austin, Fremont, Hillsboro and southern California. Excited to update you on what is happening here, our progress on becoming self-supporting, how our kids are doing (pics and videos!), etc., etc.

We will again be bringing crafts made by the women in Masaka and one of the young women in our church. We buy from them, giving them funds needed for their families and schooling, and then we sell them to help support the ministry here.

Okay, so much more to say, but I need to go and get hugs from the kids - treasuring those moments right now. Thank you again for your participation in what is happening in Budaka. I'm so excited to see all (I hope!) of you in only a few weeks.

Laurie