Mar 8th Update

Well, you all are sleeping right now, but it's 12:30 in the afternoon here. Here are some things that are happening here in Uganda:

• We are about 60 miles from the mudslides, so they have not personally affected us. However, we are collecting clothing for those who lived through the mudslide as they lost everything. (We're not collecting clothes from the States - takes too long to get here)
• Today, we were coming here to Mbale and the taxi we were riding in (think mini-van with 17-25 people, live chickens, etc) apparently does not have windshield wipers. It was raining quite hard. Anyway, the driver stopped in a little village, bought a small packet of laundry detergent and took a handful and threw it on the windshield and continued. Apparently that helps to clear the window a bit.
• Yesterday, we were driving to Mbale and there was a group of people on the side of the road. Rogers told me this is a tribe here in Uganda who do circumcision on boys and men as a proof that they are tough. They find a man and circumcise him in front of a group of people and he cannot cry out in pain. It was right out there in front of us -- well, we didn't see the man, just the crowd around him. This is apparently only done in certain seasons of the year. Youch!
• We finally have our 20 children. We got the last 2 last Monday, a set of twins, William and Stephen. They are adjusting to the large group of kids and seem to be happy. We have 2 sets of twins, all are boys.
• The children are so happy - yesterday in Sunday School, I asked them to share something they are thankful to God for. The first boy raised his hand said he had never had a chapati before and now he has. Chapati is a kind of food sort of like a tortilla only with more flavor. They make a sell them here for about 50 cents, but these children were from homes where that much money is beyond any parent to buy.
• We had our first firing of an employee last week. Turns out she was skimming things, taking them outside and reselling them: pieces of soap, small containers of cooking oil, the kids' shoes, fruit, etc. She was defiant to the end, but we are praying that she will see the error of her ways. Her thought is this is money from America and there is much more where it came from. Sad...and hard for the kids. Now we have a new "mom" who is doing great...and we have a storeroom now which is locked and they have to ask for each thing. Ah, the joy of being an employer...
• Please keep us in prayer as we do planning for the coming year. Now that the children are settled, we are beginning to work on our business projects, plans for what to teach at church, what community classes to begin and how to begin working toward opening a school in January 2011. The Ugandan govt. requires that we own our own land for the school, so please pray that we find God's way through this hurdle.
• We have had much opposition from the religious community, but the Lord has spoken to us to "make every effort" to be united with them. We are looking for ways to bless them.
• Dina Poulin is here right now - she came on Friday. It is wonderful to have another person who thinks similarly! The children adore her, as she does them. She will be teaching workshops for our staff this week and next. Dennis - thanks for letting us have her for 2 weeks.
• Sorry there are no pictures today - I forgot my computer back in Budaka. I will get a picture to you next week...and Dina will be bringing back lots!

I would love to hear from you. Some of you have been keeping me updated on your lives. It's great to hear - the rest of you, what's happening in your life?
Greetings from Budaka (actually Mbale today).
Love you all!Laurie