Feb 27th - God is good

Friends and Family:

First, thank you to all of you who wrote, called, prayed and texted me with your support after last week's email. It was greatly encouraging to hear. As some of you know, it got worse before it got better, and many things are still not resolved. But our God is good. He is working behind the scenes, even when I can't see Him. He is faithful in His support of Cornerstone, our kids, the church, the school, our staff and me.

Rogers and I had to make an emergency trip to the U.S. embassy in Kampala. They were very supportive, then sent me to the head of Uganda immigration. All the things are straightened out and the people who were making threats against me have been exposed (to Rogers and me) for their lack of authority in this area. That was a huge relief.

Don't know anything more about the little girl who was being beaten. The woman who got saved last week (with the sick baby) didn't come this week - we are continuing to pray for both of them. Thanks for joining us in this.

Some great things are happening in our businesses. I thought you'd like to know:

• Our chickens have begun laying!! The first 2 eggs came on Sunday the 12th. Since then they have laid 182 eggs...2 were broken, so we have 180 eggs. It's so great to have it working this time - those of you who are new don't know that our first chickens (all 200 of them!) died before laying any eggs. It was so discouraging and we wanted to give up, but here we are less than a year later and these 210 chickens are doing great! Now, instead of buying 8 trays a week for breakfasts, we will be selling trays of eggs. And, the bakery will get to use these too, reducing the costs there. 
• The bakery business is really picking up. We are selling at a supermarket in Mbale - they are selling almost everything I bring before its pull date. So far, I have tried brownies, chocolate chip cookies, scones, snickerdoodles, oatmeal cookies, cinnamon rolls, monster cookies and banana bread. The manager told me, "Bring more of those brown ones!" (They love the brownies.) Also, I've found that every Ugandan who has tasted it, LOVES banana bread. Good thing as there are so many bananas here. I can get enough for 4 loaves of banana bread for about 50 cents. I just buy them fresh and let them turn black - the Ugandans think I'm weird...but they love the bread! We sell it for 50 cents a slice or $5 for the loaf. 
• I have someone from the church who is selling bakery items in Budaka also. She started about a week ago and has already sold 30 items, so this also will help with the bakery sales. I also take individual cake orders when someone has a birthday or other event, then make cakes to order. I made a "mistake" cake 2 weeks ago, but cut off the burnt part and frosted the remainder and was able to sell it at the supermarket in Mbale. 
• The name Cornerstone Bakery is getting out there and we have had to hire someone to come and help. We will see where this goes, but I have to tell you our kids love it because they get to eat all the extras or stuff that hasn't sold by it's expiration date! They're in heaven when they get a piece of cake. They also get Cornerstone Bakery bread every Monday morning for breakfast. Monicah told me that when she gave cake out the other day, she heard one child saying, "Thanks, Cornerstone Bakery." 
• The first picture is of my oatmeal container - apparently a rat also thought the oatmeal looked good. :P Rogers killed it (by kicking it - never seen that before!).
• The second picture is of just baked bread (no cooling racks here!) sitting out to cool. When cool, it gets sliced, then goes in the freezer for Mondays for the staff and kids. It takes 5 loaves to feed everyone (they get 1 slice each). 
• Some of you know that Rachael, our cook, got bit by a poisonous snake last Friday in the kitchen early in the morning. Thanks to all of you prayer partners who prayed. I'm happy to report she is back at work and doing well. She got the treatment needed (some kind of medication) and gave glory to God for her life yesterday at church. 

Just one other thing I thought you might enjoy hearing. I was preaching last Sunday and one man (we call him George 3) came up in the middle of my sermon and stood directly in front of me at the podium (the tall one, Pastor Bill!) and laid shs1,000 on my Bible. I was a little taken aback, but continued speaking as he went back to his seat. Afterward, I queried Rogers. He said if someone is really touched by something you are saying, they will signify it by giving you some money. Okay, all you pastors, wouldn't that kind of surprise and take you aback?? Then, as I thought about it, I began to laugh - I've spoken here at least every other week for the past 2 years and this is the first "tip" I've gotten. Also, shs1,000 is worth about 50 cents. Hmmmm...so many things come to mind!

Well, enough for this week. Again, thank you all for your prayers and words of support last week. You helped me and Cornerstone through a difficult week. May God bless you for your participation in the Gospel in Uganda.

In His peace,

Laurie

Feb 20th - It's been a day from....heaven?

So, last week's email made you think everything that happens here is amazing, wonderful and full of God's life. Let me share just the last 2 day's "situations" and you can see the first 2 don't always happen, but the 3rd can always be true!

• As I was walking back to my house after sharing at devotions with the staff, a woman was walking quickly the same direction. She got far ahead of me and started yelling. As I got closer, I saw an 8- or 9-year-old child, the object of this woman's ranting. The little girl was obviously scared, and her mom (I guess) jerked the school books out of her hands and threw them on the ground, then began hitting the girl repeatedly in the head, slapping and punching her. Many people walked by as this was happening, and one woman even yelled something apparently in support of the mother, as they both laughed and the mother continued the beating. Culturally, I could do nothing. And, culturally, it's okay for this mother to behave this way. But, for me, I headed into my house and cried and prayed for the little girl. (Can't pray for the mom yet...but I'm sure I will get there at some point.)
• Had to meet with the Criminal Investigator for Budaka District this morning regarding my being in the country. There was no telling what this was about. This is a "secret" police force that, according to him, works with the US embassy and the Ugandan government to keep nefarious US visitors out of Uganda. (He didn't use the word "nefarious," by the way.) He wanted to see my passport and visa...noticed that the passport number on the visa is different than the actual passport number. I explained that his embassy in the States is the one that wrote it there. He had me fill in a form (with ink lines drawn on in not-so-straight rows) with my name, the country I am from (I wrote USA and he said, "but, what country?") Now he wants a record of every visitor that has been here with Cornerstone, and from now on a list and passport numbers for every visitor that will come. It's amazing - I've been here over 2 years and suddenly I am suspicious. Every person in Budaka knows where I live - I was the only white person for the first year, and now there are 3 of us - should be fairly obvious, I think. They know my comings and goings. It's very hard to be discreet when your skin shines in the dark of night! (BTW - we gave him a "tip" and everything was suddenly fine with my being here.)
• Yesterday at church, a woman came to get saved. The woman who told her about Jesus (her name is Rose) got saved just 2 weeks ago! So cool. She also brought her baby, who is 3 months old. His head is unnaturally large and she said it's been growing this way for about 2 months. So we prayed for him, and I thought, if this boy was in the States, his doctor would have noticed at the very beginning and there would have been medical intervention. For this woman, her husband has kicked her out of their home with the baby because he is "obviously" possessed by demons who are making his head grow so abnormally. We are waiting for a miracle - please pray with us! 
• Rose's situation - she is in her mid-20s and married a man near 60, arranged by her family. This man beats her every day. The last time, she woke up in the hospital. She had run from him, he caught up and continued beating her and some friends found her unconscious and took her to the hospital. So, she is now living in a separate house, but he is threatening her daily. 
• We went to get on a matatu (mini-van taxi) to come to Mbale today, and a piece of metal was sticking out on the inside as went to my seat and it tore the back of my skirt (good thing it was thick denim - or it would have torn my skin too!). So, I had to go back to the house and change - about 1/2 hour time waster! 
• Our 2 cooks got in a big fight yesterday (we only heard today) and it ended with Cephas throwing water on the fire that Rachael was cooking over so she had to start over, delaying the kids' dinner. Now, who are the children here???
• There are days that are so overwhelming emotionally here - the woman who has been kicked out of her house because her baby son has a tumor, the young girl being beaten by her mother, Rose being beaten every day by her husband, corruption in the government that affects me and therefore Cornerstone, immature staff, transportation that is anything but efficient, etc., etc.

So I wanted you to know that not everything is cheery and wonderful...but God is good and He is continuing to work and touch peoples' lives. Thanks for listening...oh, and I've sent you 2 pictures from yesterday of all our boys and girls (except Brenda 1, who has malaria and was in bed). When I play with these kids, talk with them and listen to their many stories, I am encouraged again to go on, regardless of the emotional cost.

Thank you so much for praying for me, for these kids, for the church and the school. We continue to believe God to do great things in Budaka. God bless you all! Thank you for continuing to support the work financially. Without you, we could not do what we are doing!!

Sitting with him in my overwhelmedness...
Laurie

Feb 13th - Amazing weekend!!

Wow! What can I say??

We did our 2nd Saturday School in Kabuna this weekend. The team from Hesperia (Bill, Ray, Kristi, Susan, Rich, Lisa, Haley and Brandi), along with Pastor John Kamanzi (the Foursquare country supervisor) went with us. The last Saturday School (an outreach to unchurched kids) in Kabuna was in December and we had over 300. So this time we expected about 400. We had enough snacks and materials for 500. You can see the game we played in the picture. We had 2 teams and a very large blow up globe (thanks to whoever sent this one - it worked great for this outing!). They had to sit on their bottoms and hit only with their hands and try to keep it in the air. It was fun and crazy! Lots of dust (it's the dry season) as they wiggled around to get it. The kids loved it!

I kept thinking, this seems like we must have 500-600 kids. We all just rolled with it. We split the kids into 2 groups so both could be in the shade of a large mango tree for the story and songs - they couldn't all fit under one tree. I just about lost my voice trying to sing loud enough just for my group and I kept thinking how hard it is to sing loud enough for 250 kids to learn a song.

The Hesperia team was doing the story in one area, then we switched places and I did the songs and games in the other area while they did the story in mine. It was hectic and I kept thinking...well, you know by now...this seems like we must have 500-600 kids.

So, then, we lined them up for snacks and juice (we had enough for 520 kids). We thought we might have to go get more biscuits for the maybe 80 more kids. Then we began handing out the biscuits while Rogers went to get the extra biscuits. We had 2 lines - you can see a part of one line in the picture - and I asked someone to go and count how many more biscuits we needed, expecting possibly 100 more. So, the first person came back and said we needed 140 more. Wow - way more than I thought. I called Rogers and told him to get more. But just as that person was telling me, another came and said, "But in my line we need an additional 183!" Okay, now we have 313 more we need. Called Rogers again. Now, we are at 833 kids. I'm totally floored, as is Rogers (who bought out the trading centers around Kabuna of all their biscuits!). But then another person comes and says, "In my line we just need 367 more." WHAT???? Are you sure you're not counting the same kids??? No - there are 3 lines and mine needs 367 more! I call Rogers again and both of us are speechless!

Have you added it up yet?? We had 1,200 children on Saturday. And not enough snacks...for juice they each got about 1/4 of a cup of the koolaid and had to share cups (we only have 300!). No wonder it felt so big and difficult to communicate!!!

The Hesperia team was wonderful...as were the Ugandans helping us. We were all amazed when we realized how many children we had just shared the Gospel with. WOW, GOD!

If you have fb - go and see the video I posted of the kids running to greet us as we drove to the site. It was overwhelming (but, of course we had no idea there were over 1,000 kids!).

I think everything else I could share with you right now pales in comparison with this...maybe next week I can share all the other amazing things God is doing...but I'm kinda stuck on this one right now. Please stop and praise God with us for these 1200. Isn't He amazing how He does things so far beyond what we can imagine??

I love you all - thank you for praying for me, for Cornerstone, for our kids and for all these kids we get to touch. God bless you today. Have fun rejoicing with us. You all are a part of the reason we can do Saturday School in Kabuna. It's like you were right there with us.
Laurie

Feb 6th - heart surgery needed

Budaka Supporters:

The man who is our contractor for the new building, Pastor Stephen, has a young daughter (age 3) who has a hole in her heart. She has been in and out of the main hospital here in Uganda many times. The doctors there have told him that she will need surgery and must go to either Germany, India or the U.S. for the surgery. She is currently in the hospital again, very weak right now.

I am writing to see if any of you know of any pediatric heart surgeons who might consider doing something like this for her. Or perhaps you know of an organization that could help get her to the States. Or maybe you are the person with a link to help in some other way. Just shoot me an email if you have some direction or help in this.

Just thought I'd put it out to all of you and see what we can find out. I can give more details if you need.

Also, there are many people praying here for her (BTW - she is about the same age as Moses, but much smaller due to this heart condition.) We would like to ask you also to join with them in prayer for Sarah.

Thanks, Everyone!
Laurie

Feb 6th - new law

Forgot one thing I wanted to share with you: there is a new law in Mbale town, where we go every Monday. If you are a passenger on an overcrowded matatu (mini-van taxi), the police will stop the matatu and arrest the passengers for riding in the taxi. So, if I happen to call one of you for bail money, please understand. lol

We had 22 on the taxi this morning. It is printed on the side that they are to only carry 14 passengers. HA...no arrest today!

Laurie

Feb 6th - update...

Hello, Friends and Family:

Let's see, what can I share with you that gives you a little picture of my life today?

• How about the matatu (mini-van size taxi) that had 22 people in it this morning...and you could see the road through the holes in the floor? Or,
• ...maybe early morning (5am) hand sewing for Isaac...his initials in his school socks so he would have them to wear to school today? Or,
• ...delivering the bread we made Thursday and Saturday for the kids and staff this morning (4 loaves of wheat/millet flour bread and 2 loaves of banana bread)? Or,
• ...settling an argument between Magdalene and Charity (about whose uniform is whose)? Or, 
• ...sharing devotions with our staff at 7am (Genesis 12:1-3 - be a blessing today)? Or, 
• ...the directors' meeting with Pastor Rogers as we plot the future, both near and far, of Cornerstone? 

It's been a great day so far...full of the life of God! Thank you all who pray for us - God is certainly directing, encouraging, correcting and loving us on this Cornerstone journey!

School started last Monday. One morning I went down and there was Moses, as you can see in the picture. I said, "Moses, are you going to school?" He said, "Yes!" like what a dummy I was for not knowing. Don't you love him in his uniform and black shoes?? I told him I was going to take his picture and he looked up and said, "Hi, Abby!" Ha! He is so used to me saying I am taking pictures to send her. He just assumed the camera is a direct link to her.

We have almost 200 children at the school this year - haven't heard the exact number yet, but we could easily have more if we only had space. We have been turning many young children away. We are working on creative ways to make space. I'll update you as we discover what to do. By the way, at this rate, we are projecting that the school will bring in about 25% of our annual budget this year. Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow, Feb 7, is Cornerstone Christian Centre's (the church's) 2nd birthday! We began to meet on Sundays as a church with 27 people in attendance. In January of this year we are averaging over 200 each week at 2 Sunday morning services. Our attendance is about 40% children. God is doing great things as we meet together. A week doesn't go by that we don't have people who come as visitors, having heard from someone in Budaka about "that church." Very often we will have 2-3 who say, "I have come to get saved today," as they introduce themselves. It's like fruit just falling off the trees. I have included 2 pictures from church yesterday - one taken at the beginning of the 2nd service. The other is about 1/2 hour into that service, and this is what Gift, the young boy in the picture, thinks of our worship time. HA!

The children's home and school building is coming along so well - we are probably about 1/2 way to being able to move the kids and school down to the new property. They building guys will finish up their work this week and then we will let the concrete, foundation, etc., settle for a couple of weeks. (Apparently this is good for the building.) I went down with 4 of our girls on Saturday morning (when it was still cool - 7am!) and you can see them in the picture standing in front of the room that will be theirs when we complete the buildings. 2 of the teachers met us on the way and wanted to go see the work with us. Here's who's in the picture, from left to right, back row first: Brenda 1, Teacher James, Foreman John, Teacher Bosco. Front row: Sarah, Natasha, Hellen.

After the 2-3 weeks we are hoping to continue construction. At the present time we have used all the construction money that has come in (thanks to all of you who have given sacrificially to see that our kids get a home and school!) and are believing God to bring in the rest of what is needed in His time.

Lest you think everything is a picnic here, we had to have a meeting with the children yesterday to warn them about these 4 things:

• during rest time they have to rest. If they are talking, Monicah or Guster will write their name down and make a mark for each time they talk. They will lose shs1,000 ($0.43 usd) from their savings (allowance) for every mark. Just want to report that there was not even a peep yesterday during rest time! 
• they cannot "spoil" their clothes. Some are tearing their clothes so they will get new ones - they know we have some in store for when they are needed (thanks to those of you who sent so many with the team!). They were seriously warned and told they will have to wear spoiled clothes if they do it purposefully. 
• they cannot use their mosquito nets as trapezes. Seems the boys tie up their mosquito nets and then swing across the room to another bunk bed. No wonder we are always buying mosquito nets...the things boys will think of... 
• they must remember (again!!!) to pick up their rubbish (trash) and not write on the walls of the buildings - as we don't want to move to a new building and have it be spoiled by having rubbish and writing on the walls. 

Having 31 kids can be so challenging...even with 2 "parents," 8 teachers, several other staff and Rogers and I watching them. They're so creative in their mischief!!

Okay, enough for today. I am posting a video on FB of our Sunday School yesterday. Hope you can get there and see it.

God bless you. Again, thank you for listening to Him and helping support the work here in Budaka with your prayers, finances and encouragements. Our partnership in the Gospel is a blessing to all!

Laurie