Jan 24th Update

Greetings, Friends of Cornerstone!
It is great getting to see so many of you and share more about what is happening in Budaka, Uganda!
I talked with Rogers last night and here are some things that are happening:

• Cornerstone School begins next Monday. We have hired 5 new teachers and will have a school with preschool (called Baby Class there) through grade 4 (called P4 - Primary 4). Our children will be in school with others from the community, and they are so excited! If you can imagine, they get tired of "only" their 23 brothers and sisters! The teachers have been meeting all week to learn about Cornerstone and continue getting ready to teach all the children. 
• The first picture is of our new kitchen. It has dirt floors (compacted, but still dirt!) and venting at the top, as you can see. It is directly across the road from the orphanage. In the background of the picture is Pastor Herbert's church, which is across the other road from Rogers' house. So, the kids now walk out of the orphanage to get their food, then back over to eat. This is temporary (hopefully just one year) until we get the school built, along with the kitchen there at that property (about 1/2 mile from where we currently are renting). Building this temporary building gives us room to do the school, as well as house our kids and those who are boarding for school.kj;lkj;
• The second picture is of Mutwahiru, a young boy (about 10) who was brought by his mother to the church to be prayed for. He fell and broke his leg last year sometime - a compound fracture. When the doctors "fixed" it, they didn't do it right and he is on crutches and in constant pain. He has constant drainage from the site. I am sending you his picture to ask you to pray for him and his family. Thanks to two of you, I am taking money back to be able to take him to the International Hospital and have it fixed correctly. His family is Muslim, but have been very interested in the Gospel. As you look at his picture and pray for him, please know that there are MANY children in very similar circumstances. Please pray that we will have the wisdom in helping as God gives us the ability.

A couple of other things:

• This past year you have generously given so that we could set up the orphanage and church, feed and clothe the children, outreach to many in Budaka with the Good News and many other things. God has used your gifts and multiplied them to reach His loved ones. Thank you for your gifts!
  
• At this point in January, our income is only about 1/2 of what it needs to be to do what we are doing for the month. One of the things I want to ask you today is if you will pray with me that all needs will be met within the next 10 days before the monthly money is wired to Uganda. Thank you for praying!
• Thanks to all of you who have written about collecting clothing for us for the kids! They are going to be so excited to have new clothes...and from America!
• Here are some things we want to take back:
• clothing, sizes 4-12 (a few things in sizes 2-3 would be great for Moses, too)
• staplers - we need up to 10
• pens (medium point blue or red)
• scissors - we need up to 10 - adult size

Okay, enough for one day. Sure love you all. I'd love to hear from you. I'm in California currently (Bay Area) and will be in Texas (Austin) beginning Saturday.
God bless you!
Laurie

Jan 4th Update

Greetings, Friends!
The first picture today is of Auntie Betty (Rogers' wife) helping Moses to begin taking steps. She is holding him like that every day, coaxing him to walk. On Christmas day, for the first time, he pulled himself up using the wall. It was a great promise for all of us that he will one day walk on his own and is gaining strength all the time. All the children are so happy - they always cheer for him when he does something new. And, I was so happy to hear that he continues to gain strength. By the way, I don't think I have told you that he does NOT have cancer. The doctor had taken a biopsy of a large birthmark on his leg, thinking it was cancerous, but turns out not to be. God is doing a good thing in this little boy! He has been rescued from certain death and is moving on in his abilities and desire to do new things. Thanks to all of you who are praying for him!
I talked with Rogers yesterday and he said Charity and Margaret (ages 3 and 4 - I have included a picture of each of them - Charity has the hat on) were talking to him just before I called and wanted him to tell me to buy them some shoes, ice cream and clothes. Rogers said, "But I buy you guys that stuff, even when Pastor Laurie is here." They said, "No, you don't. Pastor Laurie always does." Kids are so funny! Rogers does almost always actually purchase the things when we go to town because when people see my white skin, they ramp the price up. When we go back to the orphanage and give the things to the children, we always do it together. But, somehow in Margret and Charity's minds, I am the one who always does it. I told him to be sure and tell them that I will not be bringing ice cream back from America for them!
Great news! The chicks have arrived!! Finally, on January 1st, we got our 200 chicks which we will raise. When they are about 6 months old, they will begin laying eggs and we will sell them. This is one of the businesses we have begun. John, the man we hired to oversee the businesses is working hard to nurture and help them grow. I am hoping to have pictures this week and will send them on when I get them.
I want to say THANK YOU to all of you who are faithfully giving each month to meet the needs of Cornerstone Ministries! We have some extra needs this month with starting the school, and enough came in to meet the regular monthly food, clothing, shelter, medical needs, as well as about 1/2 of what is needed for the school. I was so excited when I heard that there was extra! Thank you for responding to the Lord about what to give. He is meeting our needs in amazing ways!
For all of you in the Portland area who were unable to come to the meeting about Cornerstone in December, Evergreen will be hosting an evening of pictures, videos and information about Cornerstone on Thursday night, February 17th at 7pm. The address is 4400 NW Glencoe in Hillsboro. I'd love to share more with you about what God has done and what we have heard about this coming year. Everyone is welcome. If you have friends or family you think might want to experience what we are doing, please invite them to come too.
With this newsletter, I have attached the pictures in different ways. The first one is one way and the other 2 are different. Does either make a difference to you? Can you tell the difference? I think I will be able to send them faster from Uganda if I send them the 2nd way, but if they don't come through well, I need to know. Please send me an email and let me know.
I love you all and am so glad to be partnering with you...sometimes across the world, but always together in the Spirit.
Laurie

Charity

Margret