Blue Eyes and Red Dirt

   I woke up yesterday morning and I had some quiet time with Jesus. I was really going to need His strength to get through the day. Yesterday was my last day at Smile Africa. As I got ready for the day, I just kept trying to figure out how I was going to say good-bye to my little Bogere. All of our memories began to flood my mind, all the things that have happened and all that we have been through...it really feels like he is my son.

   I was all ready for the day and I started my last walk to Smile. I stopped at Rachelle's place to say good-bye to her and her family. I was going to miss them very much.

   Finally I arrived at Smile Africa. I cannot even express to you the emotions that I was feeling. I went to the baby room and the office to give the staff a little present before I left. I said my good-byes to everyone early in the day because I knew that I was going to be busy. I heard my name being called out, and there was Betty running to me. I smiled at her and picked her up and she leapt into my arms.

   I then walked to my sweet Caleb. When he saw, me laughed and came running to me. I picked him up and through him in the air. I am really going to miss those greetings in the morning. There is nothing else like it in the world. Soon after that, Bogere came running over to me. I gave my boy lots of hugs. The 4 of us walked around Smile and just talked and laughed. When it was lunch time I decided to take the kids over to Rachelle's house. They all got to play with Rachelle's kids and I got to say good-bye to them one more time.

   Pastor Ruth picked us up from Rachelle's house and took us back to Smile Africa. When we arrived I saw a lot of women sitting down under the shed. When I walked over, they all began to yell and cheer for me. I couldn't believe it. They sang and danced just for me. These women were all so beautiful. Those women are some of the widows that Smile Africa helps support. When they finished their dancing, they gave me gifts that they had made. It was so special. These women took time and money that they have worked hard for, to give me a present as I leave. All of them expressed to me how I was their daughter and how much they loved me. They also said how they were going to miss me and it was sad to see me go. It was so touching. I hugged every single woman as she left.

   I got to spend a lot of time with all of my children yesterday. I was with Betty, Bogere, and Caleb most of the day. We played together, and we ate dinner together, we had a great time. We have really become a family. I cannot even imagine life without these children. 

   As we were playing and running around, I heard my name being called by Michael. So I ran over to see what was going on. I ran over to the van and then I saw him...my heart was racing and I was breathing heavy....it was Bogere's step father. The man that had killed Bogere's mother and had threatened to kill Bogere, was standing right in front of me. I could not believe what I was seeing. Immediately I looked for Bogere and I saw that he was staying far away, which was good. I went over and asked Ruth what this man wanted. She told me that he had come to bring oranges for the children. I have to say I was not thrilled about this idea, but we took the oranges and sent him on his way. That was an interesting element to the day.

   After that moment I put Caleb to sleep. After dinner and much running around with Bogere and Betty it was time to say good-bye. This was going to be the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. I took Bogere away from the other children so I could talk to him. I took deep breathes to keep myself from crying. I got down on my knees so that I could be on his level. I told him that I was leaving now and that I loved him very much. I expressed to him how proud I was of him and that I knew he was going to be a good boy. For that whole speech I was totally calm and there were no tears,yet. Bogere looked at me and I saw tears flooding his eyes. His speech was breaking due to the crying, but he looked at me with tears and said, 

"You're coming back though right?"

   My heart just about split open. I pulled him close to me and held him tight. I said, 

"Of course I'm coming back! Nothing could keep me away from you. Bogere, I love you so much."

As he was crying and holding onto my neck, he said, 

"I love you too."

   I then said good-bye to Betty as well. I told her how special she was and how I was going to miss her. I told her that she is a beautiful girl and I love her very much. Betty was crying hard and she said, 

"You will love me forever?"

I said, "Yes Betty! Forever and ever! And I'm coming back to see you, so don't worry!"

   Sadly, it was time to go. I gave them each another hug and then I got in the van. I looked out the back window of the van as we were leaving. I saw Bogere and Betty just standing there watching the car drive away. I looked out the back window and cried. I watched them until I couldn't see them anymore. Tears were rolling down my cheeks as I drove away from the boy who has become my son and has stolen my heart. Both of those children are my family and leaving them was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. 

   As we were driving, flashbacks of the times we have had together just fled my mind. Some of the things that we have been through even made me smile. Although it was heartbreaking and tears were flowing, I couldn't help but laugh about all the stuff that we have been through while I have been here in Tororo. 

   Even now, as I write this blog this morning, my heart breaks, but I smile. Bogere is such a special boy. God called me to Tororo for one boy, this boy. The things that we have gone through in just 2 weeks, most people wont go through in a life time. The 4 months that I have been here in Tororo have been the best 4 months of my life. I have learned so much and I have grown a lot, both emotionally and spiritually. 

   When I came to Tororo, I came with a dream. My dream was that LOVE would heal Bogere's heart. That through love, he would become healthy and stable and be able to live at Smile Africa as one of the best behaved boys. That dream, that prayer, came true. We reached that dream together. People had even said that I was wasting my time. They told me that Bogere was a terrible boy and that he would never amount to anything. I wonder what they will say now. Bogere is going to be a doctor one day. Maybe my boy that "wouldn't amount to anything" will save their life one day. 

   My time with Bogere will change my life forever. I am very proud of the boy that Bogere has become. We have been through so much, and we have come so far.  The enemy wanted to see us fall, but we stood strong and we reached our dreams together. 

   My heart will never forget the things these Blue Eyes have seen...and my feet will forever be stained by the Red Dirt.

   

Enjoying Every Moment

   When I woke up yesterday morning I just sat in bed in silence. I looked around my room at the emptiness. My heart started pounding 90 mph. I was really going to miss Bogere and I was even a little nervous to leave him. I got out of bed and started getting ready for the day. I could not get my little boy out of my head. Pastor Ruth came and picked me up in the van because I had a lot of things to bring to Smile Africa. As I brought suitcases and bags to the car, Pastor Ruth's eyes got big. We didn't like this at all. 

   Finally we arrived at Smile Africa with all the bags and we put them in the office. My children saw me and came running. First Betty came, then Bogere followed shortly behind. I got the best hugs ever from them. They helped me carry my bags to the office and we sat in there for a few minutes. I brought them a snack and let them eat it in the office while I sorted through all the things that I brought.

   After that was done I went to go find Caleb. I had some clothes I wanted to give him. I went to the babies room and saw my happy baby playing in there. I quickly gave him his morning bath and put on his new clothes. Caleb had to be the cutest boy that I have ever seen...yes...he's a model! 

   Tell me this isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen! A suit jacket and a diaper...it doesn't get much better. I'm not sure why, but every time I pull the camera out...he naturally has this model expression. It's hilarious. Once I took pictures of my baby, I played with Bogere and Betty. We rolled around in the dirt, we raced, we played tag, we had a great time. We went back in the office to rest a little bit and Bogere sat on lap. I would pull him to me and then push him backward, he was laughing so hard. I love every minute that I get to spend with that boy. 

   When I woke up in the morning, I thought it was going to be a hard day, but actually it was so much fun. Everyone was laughing and playing around, even Pastor Ruth. God has been so good to us. On a day that we all expected to be hard, there was nothing but laughter and joy. Praise Jesus. I spent as much time as possible with my 3 children, Betty, Bogere, and Caleb. I was was enjoying every moment. Those kids bring me more joy than anything else in the world. I am so blessed that God has trusted me with being a "mommy" to these kids. I'm not going to lie, my heart hurts when thinking about leaving. Its very hard actually, but I know that I will be back with them before I know it. 

   If someone were to ask me where my heart is...I would say "In Uganda, with 3 children."

"Thank you Jesus for this amazing day! Thank you for your love and grace. Thank you for always keeping me safe on my journey in Uganda. You have given me so much grace its unbelievable. Thank you for all the work that you have done in Bogere's life. Thank you for all that you have enabled me to do. I pray God that you will make a way for the babies home to be built. I pray God for my children, that you will keep them safe and that you will protect their hearts. Give them wisdom beyond their years. We all love you! Amen."

Packing

   Pastor Ruth and I walked to Smile Africa yesterday morning. It was a really nice walk. We talked about things that were on my heart, and on hers. I really love our morning walks. On our way to Smile we stopped in to see the architect that is working on our baby home. We wanted to show him a few things that we wanted added to the drawing of the house. The man seemed to like our additions that I had come up with. It was a really productive morning.

   Once we arrived at Smile, there were things that had to be done. It was going to be a busy day. The second we walked through the gates, 2 children came running toward me. I smiled as I watched Bogere and Betty racing to see who was going to give me the hug first. They both jumped into my arms at the same time. Thank God I was prepared for that or else we all would have fallen over. We laughed as I spun them around and around.

   Pastor Ruth looked at us and smiled and kept walking toward the office. My children and I followed close behind her. We arrived in the office and saw Michael working on something. Within seconds Michael said,

"What are we going to do without you Paris! Seriously! There is going to be a huge whole now that you're leaving."

   Then Pastor Ruth looked at him and said,

"Now don't go start that again. You both are really trying to make me cry! Not today! Both of you stop!"

   When Michael said that, it really hit me. I was leaving in just a few day. Where had the time gone?
I looked around the office at the people that had become my family and I smiled. How blessed I am that God has given me such a beautiful new family. 

   Just a few hours later, Pastor Ruth and I drove to her village. She is purchasing land there to build a church for the people in her village. I went with her to see the land. Did I NEED to go? No. But I think that since I am leaving soon, Pastor Ruth wants me with her everywhere...which is totally fine with me. I didn't leave her side at all yesterday, which is how she liked it, I'm sure.

   Once we got back home, we had dinner together with Baby Esther. We had a great time together, as usual. Then, we both became quiet. I think it occurred to both of us...only 2 more dinners left. We are trying hard to be happy with the time that we have left, but it's hard when you've built such a bond with someone.

   When I went back to my hotel room last night, I started packing. I looked around the room that has become my home and I just laughed at all the chaos. I stayed up for hours packing everything and making piles of clothes to give away. I laid out clothes that I was going to wear for the next 2 days and for the airplane, but everything else is packed away. When I saw my suitcases packed my heart started pounding very fast. There was only one person I could think about the whole time...Bogere. My heart was breaking as pictures of our journey flooded my mind. But when I think about how far we've come, I can't help but smile. :)

"Thank you Jesus for giving me the strength that I have needed for my whole journey here. Thank you for loving me and my children. I pray God that you will keep me strong as I spend my last days in Tororo. Thank you for new friends and family. I love you! Amen."

 
   

My Last Sunday

   Yesterday morning I had to get up early because I needed to go to church. It was my last Sunday here in Tororo, so I couldn't miss it. I got dressed and then got on a boda and went to meet Bogere and Betty. I had gotten Bogere a nice church outfit and I could not wait to see him in it. I picked up my kids and then I went to Rachelle's house. We decided that we were going to go to church with her yesterday. When we arrived at Rachelle's house I quickly changed Bogere into his new church outfit and we were out the door. I was looking forward to spending the day with my children and Rachelle and her children.

   I would first like to point out how cute my boy is in his little outfit! Okay, I'm done. hehe. We all went to church and the kids seemed to have a great time. They sang songs and played with the other children. It was so great! Once church was over we all went back to Rachelle's house. Rachelle and I made them lunch and let them play and eat outside while we talked. I would look outside to check on how things were going and Bogere and Betty have never looked happier. They loved their new friends. 

   Finally it was time to go. I would also like to say how obedient my children are! I was so proud! I said, "Okay kids, it's time to go! Put on your shoes so we can leave." Both of them said, "Okay!" And they quickly got their shoes on and we left. I told them how I proud I was that they were quick to obey.

   I took them back to Smile Africa to rest a little bit and I went back to Rachelle's to hang out with her more. I then went back to my hotel to get Betty and Bogere their other Christmas presents. Once I put it all in my bag I went back to Smile Africa to pick them up. They were going to have dinner at Pastor Ruth's house with me. To start our dinner off right, Bogere prayed for the food. I just watched him pray and I couldn't help but smile at him. Bogere has to be the cutest boy in the world, I'm convinced. He prayed a great prayed and then we ate. We had such a great time at dinner. We were all laughing and playing around. They were getting wild and they would climb on me and hang off me. It was really funny. So I started calling them my little monkeys. Then Betty said, 

"Even you! You are the big monkey!" 

   So I would call them little monkeys and they would call me the big monkey. Then baby Esther was the baby monkey. Bogere then pointed to Pastor Ruth and said, 

"Mama monkey!"

   We all laughed and laughed! Then Pastor laughed and said, 

"Wait, since when did we all become a family of monkeys?"

   We were just laughing and having a great time together! Once we finished dinner, I brought out the kids' other Christmas presents! They were beyond excited! The smiles on their faces made it amazing!

   This was the best Last Sunday that a girl could ask for. I spent the day with family. I had my kids with me, everyone was happy, it was a great day! 

"Thank you Jesus for this amazing day! Thank you for blessing me with a wonderful last Sunday. You care about the little things. Thank you for all that you have done for me and my children. I love you! Amen."

Sipi Falls

   Yesterday was an early day! Pastor Ruth and I and 3 other people got up early and went for a long drive. We were headed to a place called Sipi Falls. There were the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. It was such a long drive, but we finally made it!

   When we finally made it, I could not believe the beauty! It was so amazing! Then me and Timothy got out of the car and started to climb the mountain to get to the falls. I could not wait to get there!

   The hike was so amazing. As we were walking it started raining, which made the walk even better. I was having so much fun. The couple next to me in the picture had just gotten married, so they were so excited to be able to come with us. We hiked for about 20 minutes to make it to the bottom of the waterfall. I could not wait to get soaked by the water. Timothy and I finally got to the bottom...after a few slips on our behinds! It was so much fun and we could not stop laughing!

   When we made it to the bottom...it was like a natural shower! I had a lot of fun! I didn't even think about the ride home. So the whole car ride home, I was freezing cold! But it was totally worth it!

"Thank you Jesus for this amazing day! Wow how beautiful is your creation! Thank you for allowing us to go and visit these waterfalls. I loved every second of it! I love you! Amen."

I Love You

   Yesterday was a really great day. I started off my day with climbing The Rock. It is a huge mountain that is very popular. It was so much fun to be able to climb it. Timothy and I decided that we were going to race up the mountain. We finally made it to the top and we both thought we were going to collapse! On way back down we started to race again...which led to me slipping and falling on my bottom and sliding a few feet down the mountain. We all started laughing so hard! I'm glad I could be a good source of entertainment! Haha.

   Once we finished climbing, I went back to my hotel and got ready for the day. I walked quickly to Smile Africa. I went right into the babies room to hug my Caleb. As I was walking into the office, Bogere jumped on my back! It was so funny. My boy was so happy and smiley all day yesterday. Bogere is getting really good at riding that bike. I am so proud of him. Nothing can get him off that bike.

   I had a few errands to run for Smile, so I was all over the place. I met Pastor Ruth in town and we drove back to Smile Africa together. The whole way over we just talked about all the funny things that have happened while I've been here. It was really nice.

   Just a few hours later I was in the office with Bogere. I wanted to teach him how to write his name. I would write it and he would try and copy it. It was really hard at first, but it started getting easier. I began to make funny shapes with the letters of his name and he started laughing at every new letter that I would write. Then he looked at me and said something that I will never forget...

" I love you."

   My heart fell to my feet. I have told Bogere thousands of times that I love him. I wanted him to feel loved and hear that he was loved, but he has never told me that he loves me back. It was not that I needed to hear it, but it was at that moment that I felt like everything clicked for him. Now he totally understands. This is what love looks like. Not only do I love him, but now he knows that he too has the capacity to love and love in the right way. This is what I came here for! For this moment right here! With one week remaining, my boy gets it. LOVE. It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

"Thank you Jesus for LOVE! Thank you for helping Bogere understand who he is. Thank you for teaching him that he too can love. I pray God that you will continue this work in his life even after I'm gone. I pray God that Bogere will succeed and flourish in this life you have given him. I love you! Amen."

Life Lesson

   Yesterday was kind of a rough day. I woke up in the morning and I checked my e-mail. The first message I read was letting me know that someone that I love dearly has past away. I was so heart broken. Being so far away from home made it even harder. I just put my head down and cried. I could not believe it. That was really not how I was expecting to start my morning. While I got ready for the day I was annoyed and hurting and I just wished that I could be home with my family. I was very sad. I was thinking that I would just stay at the hotel and not go to Smile Africa that day. I felt like God was telling me to go anyway. So I got ready for the day...and I left.

   When I arrived at Smile I was not in the greatest mood ever. I tried to put on a happy face for the kids and just keep going about my day. Bogere is a very smart boy and he noticed that I was not myself. As I was making a bottle for a baby in the babies room, Bogere entered the room and he said to me,

"Paris, what happened? You're sad?"

   Right then I had a choice to make. I could pretend like nothing was wrong and tell him that I was tired or something, or I could turn this into a life lesson. This was a very important decision. I felt like maybe God told me to come to Smile Africa this morning for this moment. I looked down at my little boy looking back at me. I got down on my knees and looked him right in the eyes. I said,

"Yes, Bogere, I'm sad. Something happened that made me sad. But even when I am sad, I still need to praise God for all the good things that he has given me. It's important that you praise God even when you are sad or angry. I am sad, but I'm still talking nicely to other people and I'm being kind to my friends. It is important that even though we are sad that we do not treat other people badly. Do you understand?"

   Bogere's eyes never left mine. He told me that he understood and then I told him to go and play. I watched him play on his bike with his friends. That decision I made was crucial. Bogere is watching every move I make. It is okay if I get angry or upset and he sees it, but how I handle those emotions is what will make all the difference. I behave differently knowing that there is little boy who will copy everything I do. I am now responsible for him. God has given me the honor of taking care of His son, so I must do the best I can.

   After my day at Smile Africa I went to my friend Rachelle's house. They were putting up Christmas decorations in their house, so I joined in the Christmas fun. It was so much fun playing with Rachelle's daughters and setting up Christmas around the house. (Hadasa 6, Bethany 3)

   What was really great was that I was able to talk to Rachelle about all that was going on. All my sisters are back home, but now I have one here. I just talked and talked and talked and Rachelle just listened and gave me her input and just made everything better. I love spending time with that family. In the 4 months that I have been here, they have really become like family. I am so grateful for Rachelle and how much she invested into my life yesterday. It meant the world to me.


"Thank you Jesus for all your love. I thank you for giving me a brand new day. Thank you for allowing me the chance to teach Bogere something new, a life lesson. I pray God that the words I spoke to him, he will never forget. I pray God that you will keep me strong in my last week here. I love you. Amen"

Prayer For The Return

   As soon as I arrived at Smile Africa in the morning, I went straight to the babies room. I saw Caleb and I hugged him and kept him with me pretty much the whole day. I loved being with him. That little boy makes me so happy. When Bogere saw me, he came running to me! I hugged him as well and then unlocked his bike for him. I lock it up at night so that no one can steal it from him. That would be terrible. I gave him his bike and then off he went! He was riding that bike all over Smile Africa. The other children had never seen a bike that small, so they followed him everywhere. It was the funniest thing. Wherever Bogere went, there was a crowd of children following him. It was the cutest thing.

   During the middle of the day an architect and an engineer came to Smile Africa. They were helping us figure out the exact plot of land that we are going to use for the baby home. It was really great to have them there. We worked for hours trying to figure everything out. After much collaboration, we finally drew up the baby home. It's going to look so good.

   After the day was over, I went to Pastor Ruth's house for dinner. It was fun to be back at her house. I missed the whole family very much. Although it was really great to be with everyone, it got really quiet at the dinner table. It dawned on everyone that I was leaving in a week. It's going to be hard to say good bye. Then Pastor Ruth said something that stuck with me. She said,

"Paris, please remind everyone to pray for you as you return home. People will pray for the missionary when they go to a different country, but they make the assumption that it will be easy to go back home."

Then I said, "What do you mean?"

She said, "Going home is going to be really hard for you. You have been here for a long time. The way you think and act is going to be different. You are going to be going through a lot and people are going to expect you to just jump back in routine. Your everyday life is different. You're going to be thinking about babies and diapers and raising money for a baby home and your friends will be thinking about needing new clothes and if their coffee is just right. It's going to be hard to connect right away. Although people will try and understand, no one is really going to know what you went through. So people need to pray harder for your return than they did your departure, so you can reconnect back in your culture."

   I never thought about it like that, but she is right. So please pray for my return everyone. I am going need it! Anyway, it was really great day!

"Thank you Jesus for this amazing day! Thank you for loving me and for loving Bogere! I pray that you help us with our baby home! Please God, help us get the money that we need and help the building process go smoothly. I love you. Amen."

New Bike

   Yesterday was a great day! In the morning I could hardly wait for Pastor Ruth to come pick me up in Kampala. She was going to be bringing Bogere and I was so excited to see him. I waited and waited... Then finally 11am came along and I saw Pastor Ruth's van pull up. The door opened and my little boy jumped out and ran to me! I saw him running to me so I started running to him. It was the cutest moment. Once we reached each other, I picked him and started spinning him in the air. Then I took him inside and changed his clothes. I bought him a new outfit. It was so cute. I got him some new jeans and a cute t-shirt and a hat. Bogere really loved that hat. It was so cute.

   Once I changed his clothes, then we all got back in the car. I wanted to show Pastor Ruth some baby homes so she could get an idea of how ours should look. It was really great. As we walked through these babies homes, her eyes were opened to even better ways that we could design our baby home. It went really well. We haven't raised all the money for our baby home. If you would like to be apart of giving a child a future, then please visit www.smileafrica.org. There you can donate to our baby home...and you can change the world. Please give what you can.

   After our babies home visits, we went to a little mall in Kampala. It was time for me to give Bogere his Christmas present. We walked into the mall and I brought out his Christmas present. Bogere's eyes got huge! He looked at his present and then said,

"A Bike!"

   Bogere threw his arms around me and said,

"Thank you! Thank you!"

   Then he ran to his new bike. I have never seen a little boy more excited! It was so amazing to watch him ooh and aah over his new Spiderman bike.

   The look on his face when he saw his bike was priceless. I love this boy so much and I just wanted him to have the best first Christmas. He rode the bike all through the mall. Bogere has never been on a bike before, so he was learning how to steer and how to pedal...and do both at the same time. I had so much fun teaching my boy how to ride a bike. It was really fun for both of us. Merry Christmas Bogere!

"Thank you Jesus for this amazing day! Thank you for getting Bogere and Pastor Ruth to me safely! Thank you that Bogere loved his new bike. I pray that you will keep him safe everywhere he goes with it. I love you! Amen."

Christmas Shopping

   I said good-bye to the UNICEF team early in the morning yesterday. It was sad to see them go. They had become good friends in such a short amount of time. When you go through a lot with someone, you form a strong bond them, so I am going to miss them.

   After I said good-bye to the team I went to a mall in Kampala. It is actually, a really nice mall. I was impressed with it. I wanted to do a little Christmas shopping for Bogere. There is not a lot of stores to buy new toys and things like that in Tororo, so I took the chance to get him something nice. I bought him and Betty both a new outfit and some sandals. Then I bought Bogere something that he has been wanting. I got him a new bike!

   They sell bikes in Tororo, but not ones that are his size. They only sell big ones. I see kids attempting to ride the big ones all the time, but I wanted to get him on that would fit him just right. This one is a Spiderman bike with a basket in the front and a bell. I know that he is going to be so excited when he sees it. I love him so much and this is going to be his first Christmas getting a present. I can’t wait to see his face when he sees it.

   After I finished my Christmas shopping, I went to an apartment where I would be staying for just one night. There were some other volunteers there, so it was nice to chat with them and meet new friends. They were telling me that they were going to be in Uganda for 4 months, just like me. Then it dawned on me that I leave in 10 days. So I told them that it would go by really fast. It’s so crazy to me to think that I’m almost leaving.

   Then before I went to bed I had some dinner with a lady I just met and an old friend. It was great to catch up before I went back to Tororo. It was a really great day.

   Pastor Ruth is coming to pick me up with Bogere! I am so excited to see them! I can hardly wait! Once Bogere gets here, then we are going to pick up his bike. It is going to be so amazing!

“Thank you Jesus for the amazing day! I pray that you will keep Ruth and Bogere safe as they drive to Kampala to get me. Thank you for allowing me to buy Bogere a bike. I pray that we will have a good time together as I teach him to ride it! I love you! Amen.”

Elephant Charge

   Yesterday was a very jam packed day. We went to a lot of different places in a short amount of time. It was a lot of fun though. In the morning we started driving out of our hotel early because we had a distance to drive and this hotel was in the middle of no where. As we started driving...you wouldn't believe it... but an elephant was on our left hand side! It was there just eating. My jaw dropped. We were not in any kind of reservation or anything, these were just wild elephants. It was the coolest thing ever! Tom, who works for Unicef, was saying that we had to be careful because these elephants don't like cars driving around their families. If they feel threatened, they charge the cars. Tom also said that we shouldn't get out of the car, because then they will for sure come and attack.

   We took pictures and then we kept driving. Then to my surprise, there was another one! This one was in the middle of the road so we could not move. We stopped a distance away and we waiting and took a bunch of pictures. Tom got a little nervous because we had no place to go at this point. If the elephant charged us, then we would have to reverse...into the other herd of elephants. So we were sandwiched between them. Not the best place to be. I was so amazed! That elephant just starred us down. It was so beautiful. Finally the elephant moved off the road so we quickly drove by him. He was so close to us. I loved every second of it!

   That had to be the greatest way to start a day. I have to say I've never been in a situation where I was almost charged by an elephant before...there is a first for everything! After our amazing elephant situation, we went to Rwamwanja refugee camp. It was so heart breaking to see. It was amazing that UNICEF was able to provide for all these people, but it was devastating. People were displaced and there were a number of orphans and children that could not find their families. I was heart broken for them. 

   We went to a 'school' for the refugee children. They were so excited to see us and they were all so sweet. We asked them what they wanted and they said things like, books, raincoats, writing tablets, shoes...everyday things that I, as a student, took for granted. Seeing these children that fled from their homes for safety was hard. There was so much that needed to be done. But thank God for UNICEF and all their hard work for these children. 

"Thank you Jesus for an amazing day! Thank you for creating elephants! They are so beautiful! Thank you for keeping us safe as we got stuck in the middle of a herd. Thank you for UNICEF and all that they are doing to help the refugee children. I pray God that you will continue to give them wisdom on other things to do for your children. I love you! Amen."

Kisoro Transit Camp

   Yesterday was a very long, but good day. In the morning we took a flight to Kisoro. When we landed there, we went to a refugee camp. There is a rebel group called M23 who have taken over parts of Congo, including a city called Goma. These people have all fled Congo to get away from the M23 rebel group. Some of these people are children that fled with just their siblings, so now they are orphans. They don't know if their parents are alive or not.

   It was amazing to see how UNICEF was able to make this camp so quickly and help all these people. The adults were out working and trying to figure out ways to come up with money, but the kids were all there to greet us. They are so beautiful. Even though there are in a terrible situation, they are happy. The younger kids were running around and laughing and the older kids were playing soccer in the field. It was amazing to see them all working together and finding joy in the hard times.

   Once we left that camp we went to other areas where UNICEF as been working. We were checking out different projects that they having going on. It was really amazing to be able to watch and see how they run things. There was a lot of traveling and flying around yesterday. I had a really great time being apart of the team.

"Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to be apart of the Unicef team. Thank you for opening my eyes to more and more things. I pray God that you will be with all those children in the transit camp. Please keep them all safe and please reunite them with their families. I love you. Amen."

 

A Day With UNICEF

   Yesterday was an amazing day. I got to be apart of all the work that Unicef is doing in Uganda. I have a close friend who is the director of Unicef's supply. So I got to be with her and watch all that goes on. In the beginning of the day I sat in a meeting with a few of the directors. I listened to how they worked out problems they were having and I watched as they figured out even more ways of helping the children in Uganda. It was just a great opportunity to be able to sit in and listen to all that goes on in Unicef. 

   After the meeting was over, I went to lunch with a few of the people. We again talked about different elements of Unicef's help in Africa. They also asked me about my work in Tororo. It was so cool to be able to discuss with them all that I have been doing at Smile Africa. They seemed very interested and pleased with all the work that has been done. 

   We then went to an innovation lab where they designed the Digital Drum, which has been recognized  by Time Magazine as the one of the top 50 best inventions of 2011. This Digital Drum allows for children to have internet access in schools and youth centers in rural areas. The picture below is the first generation prototype of the Digital Drum made out of a oil drum. 

   It was such an honor that I was invited to go visit all their warehouses. I had a great time. I learned so much by just listening to what they were saying. I will be traveling with Shanelle and the UNICEF team all day today and tomorrow. I never thought that my trip in Uganda would include a visit to refugee camps with UNICEF. This is going to be so awesome. 

"Thank you Jesus for this opportunity! I am so excited to be with Shanelle and the team. Thank you for continuing to grow me. I pray that you will keep us safe in our travels. I love you! Amen."

A Call To Action

   I want to thank you all so much for reading my blog and going on this journey with me, and it's still not over yet. It has been an exciting journey, with both hard and joyful moments. By you reading my blog it is as if you too are touching the lives of these children. I am so grateful that you all take time out of your busy day to read my blog and be apart of what God is doing in Uganda...but now...its time to do something. 

THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION!

   You have read and even seen the struggles that face Smile Africa and the children there. What God is doing in Smile Africa is so amazing and I believe that there is even more that can be done. I have talked to you all about the babies. Right now we have 5 babies...Ruth, Eric, Joshua, Moses, and Caleb. All 5 of these babies and 2 teachers stay in one room that is attached to our clinic. WE NEED MORE SPACE!

   God has put it on my heart to build a baby home. I believe that we can do this. Can I do this by myself? NO! I need your help. By building this baby home it will allow Smile Africa to register as an approved babies home, which will allow them to care for more babies. Right now, we have reached our limit in the small room that we use. The day we picked up baby Caleb from the police, they told us that there were 4 more babies that had been abandoned or abused and needed a place to go. WE HAD TO WALK AWAY FROM THEM! We did not have the space, so we could not take them. That was the most heart breaking thing that I have ever had to do!

   If we had a babies home, we would not have to walk away from babies that need us. There are babies even now that are waiting to be placed in a home where they can be looked after and loved. Will you please help me? I am asking you to give what you can. 

   To build this home it will cost $15,600. That means that if 312 people give $50...THE BABY HOME IS BUILT. For one person, that is a lot of money, but if we all work together, then we can do this. Please go to www.smileafrica.org. There you can donate whatever is on your heart to give, as well as read more about the baby home and Smile Africa. I believe that we can do this. I have faith in us as a family to raise this money. Let's all give what we can and watch what God does. If you want to see the world change, then you need to BE THE CHANGE that you want to see. 

   Will you help me give abandoned and abused babies a new chance at life? Will you be the hands and feet of Jesus? Will you help me change the world?

www.smileafrica.org

   

The Inspection

   Yesterday was a very long day. I was at Smile Africa from 9am to 6:30pm. Pastor Ruth told me that people were coming to inspect Smile Africa and my work in the babies room. I wanted to make sure that everything was in the best shape possible when they arrived. I got to Smile Africa early and I went straight to the babies’ room. When I entered the room I found one of the girls that worked there, mopping the floor. I was happy to see that they were already starting to clean the room. This girl was cleaning the floor with such detail so I asked,

“You must have heard the news about the inspection?”

   She laughed, nodded her head and continued mopping. I too got down on my knees and started scrubbing the mats to make sure that everything looked crisp and clean. I even arranged all the toys to line up. Everything looked so orderly. Then to make it even better, when the people arrived to inspect, all the babies were asleep in their cribs. Well, all the babies except Caleb, who was strapped to my back.

   As they walked through Smile Africa they wrote down things that we need to improve on and things that we did well. I walked with them through Smile Africa and listened to the comments that they made. Then they finally made their way to the babies room. I was nervous at what they were going to say. They looked around the room…and no one said a word. They wrote things down and they walked out. I was worried. I was wondering why they didn’t say something. Then once we went outside the room, one of them said,

“That room is very well done! That has to be one of the best, and most well done elements of Smile Africa. I am very impressed with this room.”

   I was so excited! I was happy to hear that the thing that I have been working really hard on, was a success. After our meeting, they thanked us for all our hard work as a team at Smile Africa. They also said they look forward to seeing what else we are going to be doing at Smile. I shared with them some things that I was thinking for our babies. I told them that I wanted to build a babies home and I told them where it would be and how it would look. They gave me their permission to continue my work in that area and told me that they looked forward to seeing the final product.

   It was a long day, but it was worth it. We all learned a lot that we could improve on, but we also got more motivated to making Smile Africa even bigger. This was a hard, but exciting day.

“Thank you Jesus for allowing the inspectors to come. Thank you for opening their eyes to the work that we are doing at Smile Africa. I pray that we will take the suggestions and advise and make Smile Africa even better. I pray God that you will continue to help Smile Africa and make it grow even bigger. I love you! Amen.” 

A Family Dinner

   As I was walking to Smile Africa yesterday morning, I was listening to music and praying. I always feel better when I pray to start my day. I want to invite God to guide my each step as I walk through the day. As I arrived at Smile Africa I got the best welcome from Caleb. My sweet boy is getting stronger and stronger. Although he can't run, he really tries and it's the cutest thing to watch. As I was hugging Caleb I walked to the office. I said hello to all the teachers and the staff and I began walking back to the babies room. As I was walking away, Michael invited me to his home for dinner. His mother was in town and so they were going to have a big dinner with her. I gratefully accepted his offer.

   Once I got back to the babies room with Caleb, I helped feed some of the other babeies. Before I knew it, it was 12:30pm. That is the time that I usually go and get Caleb's lunch for him. As I walked out of the door, Caleb began to cry. I realized that I was not going anywhere without him today. So I picked him and he went to get his food together. This boy was holding onto me so tightly. I let go of him and he was still holding on! I got his food and we went back to the babies room. I took of his clothes, to avoid mess, and sat him on the mat. I usually just give him a spoon and he feeds himself, but this time I decided to feed my baby. 

   Once lunch was over I bathed him, brushed his teeth, and put him in his crib. That used to be a big challenge. I needed to train them all to just lay quietly in their cribs until they fell asleep. We are only going to get more babies, so we can't hold everyone until they fall asleep. Caleb got pretty good at that. So I put him in his crib, sang him a song, and began cleaning the babies room. 

   Finally it was time to go. I walked with Michael and his mother back to his home to get ready for the dinner. I was babysitting Michael's son so the mom could finish getting ready. It was so much being there with everyone. I have made so many friends in Tororo and I love spending time with them.

   Once the dinner was over everyone shared stories of how they met their spouse and funny stories while they were in college. I sat there and listened to everyone and enjoyed my time with my family and friends. It's times like these that I totally forget that I haven't lived here my whole life. If you ask them, they have known me since I was just a kid! Well, that's how they make me feel.

"Thank you Jesus for family and friends. Thank you for the love that I got to experience today. Thank you for always showing up and being apart of every discussion here. Thank you for the innocence and the purity that is around every conversation that is had. I pray God that you will bless my family and friends here in Tororo. Keep them all safe. I love you! Amen."

Swim Day

   Yesterday morning I was in the babies room. I spent the whole morning changing diapers and playing with little Caleb. I was trying to teach him to share. It is the hardest thing that Caleb is learning. He gets so frustrated when he can't have all the toys in the room, so I was trying teach him to share. Although it was not a pretty scene, we got through it and we made a little progress. That progress being, when I gave a toy to another child in the room, he didn't scream. PROGRESS!!

   After that, Pastor Ruth finally came to Smile Africa to have a few meetings. I sat with her in the office for those meetings and helped speed things along. One of those meetings we had to have was dismissing the worker that was flirting with 16 year old girl. That was a pretty hard meeting to get through. It made everyone upset. We did not want to let this man go, but our first priority is the safety of the children. So we said good-bye to him.

   The room was very quite after that meeting. Then Pastor Ruth said, "Maybe we should go swimming today instead of next week?" It was a great idea! We called a friend to come pick us up and I took my children to go swimming. They were so excited. Bogere and Betty had never been in a pool before. When I put their new swimsuits on them there eyes got big, they were so excited! They could hardly wait to get inside that pool. 

   When Bogere got inside the pool he just started laughing. I have never heard him laugh so hard! Then he said, " I've never seen so much water!" It was so cute. I was attempting to teach them how to swim. They both could not believe what happening. I carried them across the pool as they laughed. It was so much fun. Their reactions totally made my day. I put Bogere on my back and I swam with him holding on tight to my back. My little boy held on tightly as I took him through the water. We had the best time together. Pastor Ruth took pictures of us playing in the pool and she just laughed at these children and their reaction to everything that was happening. It was wonderful to have some time with Bogere. I had missed him all weekend. So we got to have some one on one swimming time together. It was perfect.

   Once our pool time was over, the adults packed the bags up and got ready to leave. When I looked, Betty and Bogere were playing on the swing set. I just looked at them and smiled as they talked to each other and laughed. They were so happy. I was so glad that I could give them a great day like this, they deserved it. I have never seen such big smiles on these children. They whole way back to Smile Africa they were smiling and telling each other about what just happened. I love Betty and Bogere so much. 

"Thank you Jesus for this wonderful day with my children! Thank you for all the fun that we had! I pray that we will continue to have great days together. Thank you for all that you are doing in the lives of my children. I love you! Amen."

Count It As Pure Joy

   Yesterday I was too weak to do anything, so I had to stay at the hotel and rest. The night before I was very sick. I was throwing up all night and I felt terrible. So I wasn't able to go to church. I stayed at the hotel so that I could feel better.

   I really miss Bogere. I didn't see him on Friday because he went to the clinic and Saturday and Sunday I didn't go to Smile. I am really missing that boy. I thought about him a lot yesterday. I was just praying that I would feel better so that I could see him today. I know that he will be at Smile, so I'm looking forward to hugging him.

   While I was at the hotel, getting better, I spent time with Jesus. When I am not feeling well, time with Jesus makes me feel better. It makes me feel like I am not alone. My devotional said,

"When your mind is occupied with thanking Me,  you have no time for worrying or complaining. If you practice thankfulness consistently, negative thought patterns will gradually grow weaker and weaker. Draw near to Me with a grateful heart, and My Presence will fill you with Joy and Peace."

   In the midst of worrying and stressing about the situations facing me, I forgot to thank God for all the good things that were happening. Which is normal, I'm far from perfect, but if I had kept my eyes on Jesus, then the problems surrounding me would not have looked so big. I am even supposed to rejoice with the bad things that are happening. That might be pushing it! While I was thinking about all that I was going to have to do to handle some of the negative situations, I remembered that in God's word it says to rejoice and give thanks even in the bad times. I am supposed to count it as joy. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

   So I stopped worrying for a second and I thanked God for all that was troubling me. Can I just tell you...that was not easy! You know when you're taking medicine that you know is good for you, but it taste terrible? So it's hard to swallow and you make a bitter face? Well that is how it felt. I'm just being honest. Thanking God for my stress was not my idea of a good time. But I did it anyway, and I felt so much better. God took the load off me. Not only that, it gave me room to grow in my faith with Him. 

   I have learned so much being here in Tororo. I have never felt closer to God. That doesn't mean that you need to come to Tororo to feel close to God. It means that wherever you are, wherever God has you, thank him for ever trial that you face. Something that I learned from Chris Caine is...the God that was faithful then, is the same God that is faithful now. When you are having a problem with your children, God will be faithful. Remember when you didn't have children and you prayed for them and God was faithful then? Well that same God who gave you these children, will be faithful now! Trust Him!

"Thank you Jesus for always bringing my attention back to you, no matter the circumstance. Thank you for helping me get closer and closer to you. I pray that I will continue to have this same attitude toward the trials that come my way. I love you! Amen."

Discouragement

   Throughout my stay here in Tororo, I have stayed very strong. Of course there have been moments when things were very hard. I had moment of heart break and anger, but I have not been discouraged...until yesterday. Somethings that happen in life are out of our control. You can try to do everything that you know how to do to fix something, but that still may not work. That is when you are not to be discouraged, but you should call on God. 

   I did not go to Smile Africa yesterday. I started off my day with trying to help a young girl. Pastor Ruth and I were trying our best to help this girl not destroy her life, but no matter what we said, it went in one ear and out the other. This 19 year old girl has a 2 month old baby. The decisions that she makes don't just affect her anymore, so it was urgent that we try and save this girl's life, so that we can also save the life of the innocent baby.

   It can be so annoying when you are trying to help someone, but they refuse your help and chose to hurt themselves. The longer the conversation went on, the more frustrated I became. I had said all that I could possibly say and it seem to do nothing. Pastor Ruth looked me with annoyance as well. Finally, the meeting was over.

   Then we also learned that a worker at Smile Africa was doing what he wasn't supposed to be doing. This 26 year old man was flirting with one of our girls that stay at Smile who is 16 years old. I am so proud of this girl for telling me and Pastor Ruth. I told her over and over again how proud I was of her. It was important that she tell us something like that. This man is supposed to be protecting and counseling the teenagers at Smile, not fall in love with them. Pastor Ruth and I thanked this girl a lot and sent her back to Smile. We were going to handle this situation on Monday. 

   After that, I felt discouraged. If anyone were to ask me who the best Ugandan worker was at Smile Africa, I would have said it was that man. I trusted him so much. So I felt a little betrayed and hurt. Both of these situations made me feel discouraged. Then to top it off, I was throwing up all last night. I felt terrible and alone. I just wondered where God was in all of this. Then I took every thought captive and I prayed. When things don't make sense, when life seems unfair, and you can't find God in a situation...PRAY! You might not find all the answers, but you'll find peace.

   I prayed and prayed and God filled my heart with encouragement and peace. I just love God! I know that no matter what situation that I am faced with, God will give me the strength I need to overcome it. 

"Thank you Jesus for filing my heart with joy and peace. I pray that I will handle each situation that is thrown at me with grace and wisdom. Thank you for giving me strength to overcome each obstacle. I love you. Amen"

Betty and Caleb

   I arrived early to Smile Africa yesterday. I had finished everything I needed to in the morning, so I just decided to walk over to Smile early. On my way I stopped at the store so that I could pick up some more diapers and formula for the babies. Since I was walking I couldn't take a lot, so I just grabbed 2 bags of diapers and 1 can of formula. I am going to have to bring a little each day.

   When I arrived at Smile I went straight into the babies room to deliver the diapers and the formula. While I was putting the stuff away, I realized that they had 3 people working in the babies room. They were not going to need my help much today. I didn't see Caleb in the room so I just went out to the field where the rest of the children were. While I was walking I heard a small squeaking scream and giggle. When I looked back, there was Caleb.

   Caleb ran to me while laughing and then threw himself at me. I picked him and held him. I love this boy so much. I had groceries in my hand for the office, so I carried Caleb with me as we took the groceries to the office. While I was putting the groceries away, Betty came running in the office. My little girl ran and threw her arms around my waist. 

   I was not going to be seeing Bogere today. It was the day that all the kids with HIV go to the clinic to make sure that they are healthy. This usually takes all day, so I was not going to be seeing him at all. So, I spent the whole day with Betty and Caleb. The 2 of them followed me everywhere as I ran around Smile working on things. Wherever I was, Betty and Caleb were shortly following.

   The whole day I just kept thinking how blessed I am. I get to spend everyday with over 400 children. I love children...so this is the best thing ever. When I get to Smile everyday, most of them greet me and all of them know my name. I could not ask for anything better. 

"Thank you Jesus for all 400 of these children. Thank you for loving them and protecting them. Thank you for getting them all to Smile Africa in the mornings. I am so blessed by these children. Thank you for teaching me something new everyday. I love you! Amen."

My African Thanksgiving

   Since yesterday was Thanksgiving, I decided to take the day off. No one else celebrates the holiday, but I took the day off regardless. I stayed at the hotel in the beginning of the day to rest a little bit and work on some paper work that I needed to finish. I was really counting down the hours until 3pm.

   There are a few American families that live here in Tororo. They all decided that they were going to have Thanksgiving and they invited me. I was so excited. Although I'm not close to home, it was nice celebrating with everyone. I walked over to Rachelle and Jesse's house. They have become really good friends...family even, like my brother and sister. When I arrived at their house I was helping get the children in the car and all the food that Rachelle had made. Once all the food was in the car and everyone was ready, we left.

   We made this Thanksgiving as close to America's Thanksgiving as possible. We had turkey, stuffing, corn, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. It was all I hoped it would be and more. When I walked in the house all the smells made it feel like home. I was so happy to be there. After we set everything out and it was all ready, we prayed and everyone began to eat.

   All these families will never know how much it meant to me to be with them on Thanksgiving...well unless they ready my blog. They all treated me like they had known me their whole lives. I am so grateful for them and that I got to spend this holiday with my new family. We all talked and laughed and played around with each other. It was perfect. The only difference in our Thanksgiving and the one my family had in America, is that we had to purchase a live turkey and then kill it. There is no prepared and frozen turkey just ready for us to stuff and cook. This is how we American Africans do it!

Yes, that's a giant turkey leg!

           

 "Thank you Jesus for allowing me to celebrate Thanksgiving in Africa. It was so much fun. This just proves to me that you even care about the little things. Thank you for my American friends who made me feel like family. I am so grateful for them and their amazing friendship! I love you! Amen."

The Talk

   As I walked to Smile Africa yesterday morning, I prayed. I prayed for Betty, Bogere, and Caleb. I was asking God to give me the words to say to them when I leave. I didn't want it to be a sad thing, but I knew that everyone's heart was going to break. I needed to tell Bogere that I was leaving soon. I have told Betty already because she is older and understands. She also speaks better english, so it was easy for me to just tell her. The longer I waited to tell Bogere, the more unfair it was to him. When Pastor Ruth arrived at Smile, then I brought the kids in the office to have the talk.

   At first I was just helping to cut some fruit to give to my kids in the morning. I gave them the fruit and helped make lunch for Ruth and myself. While I was doing that, Ruth had a few quick meetings that she had to attend. Finally the lunch preparations were over and the meetings had finished. Mama Ruth looked at me...it was time.

   I put Bogere on my lap, said a quick prayer in my head and started speaking. Although Bogere and I can communicate, I needed Pastor Ruth's help to translate all that I was saying. I haven't not mastered Swahili yet and I needed Bogere to hear EVERYTHING that I was saying. I knew that if I made the conversation sad and serious, then that was how Bogere was going to take it. I needed the conversation to be light hearted. So this is what I said,

"Bogere, I am leaving Smile Africa in 3 weeks. I have to go back to America so that I can finish school and see my family. But I am going to come back and visit you. I promise! You are a good boy and you haven't done anything wrong. You are going to start school in February and so am I! So we will both be doing school and then when we finish, I will come visit you. While I am back in America I will call you sometimes too. You be a good boy and listen to the teachers, okay?"

   That is the basics of what I said. That isn't word for word, but it went something like that. After I said a sentence, Pastor Ruth translated it for me. Just to make sure that Bogere understood everything. I watched his face as Ruth told him what was going on. Bogere fought back tears. He blinked really fast, hoping that tears would not fall. I looked at his chest and watched his heart beat faster and faster. My heart was breaking. This was really hard. I did not want to do this. When Ruth finished explaining to him the situation, I hugged him tightly and he rested his head on my shoulder. Then I looked at Ruth. I didn't know who was going to cry first, Bogere or Ruth. 

"Jesus, thank you for the strength to talk to Bogere without crying. Thank you for keeping me strong. I pray God that my last 3 weeks here will be great. Please protect Bogere's little heart. Keep him strong. I know that it will be hard for both of us. So please, keep both of us strong. I love you. Amen."

Growing Babies

   Yesterday was a great day! I walked to Smile Africa while listening to music. When I arrived, Betty saw me and came running! As she jumped in my arms, I swung her around. I love getting those kind of greetings first thing in the morning. We walked to the office and I put my stuff down and walked back outside to find Bogere. When I looked around I finally saw him. When his eyes met mine, he jumped up and ran over to me and I picked him up and hugged him. It was a wonderful way to start the day.

   They both stayed with me in the office for a minute while I put some files away and I made lunch for all of us. They were being so good today. It was wonderful. I was really praying that they would be good so that we could just have a happy day together. I brought them some chips from the store and they loved them. When they both opened their bag, they each shared some with me. It was so nice. Did I want their chips? No. But the thought of giving some back, the thought of sharing, was amazing. They thought about it all by themselves. I was very proud of them.

   After we had our snack, we went to the babies room. I loved seeing my babies. Caleb ran over to me and gave me the biggest hug ever. While I was holding him I looked at the floor and saw the 4 babies laying there, playing with the toys. They were all laughing and making noises. It was very cute.

   My babies are getting so big. In the 3 months that I have been here, they have all gotten healthier and stronger. Bogere now loves to play in the babies room with the babies. He will take the play phones and put them to the babies ear and play music for them. My boy has become such a great big brother to all these little babies. It is so amazing to watch all these children grow.

"Thank you Jesus for healing and protecting all these babies. Thank you for a wonderful day at Smile. Thank you for your love. I pray that you will protect these children as they grow. I pray that they will have a strong relationship with you. I love you. Amen."

Breaking and Entering

   Yestesterday, Pastor Ruth and I walked to Smile Africa. On the way, we stopped to get some veggies for lunch. The walks are gettting easier and easier for her, so I am very proud of her. I love walking with her. We tell each other stories about everything and we laugh practically the whole way.

   One of the things that we were talking about was how I was going to discipline Betty and Bogere. I hate having those conversations. Just the day before they had acted in a rude way. I got them some treats because they did a great job helping me pass out the bracelets for the women. When I got them their treats and it was time to walk back to church, they both threw a fit. Bogere refused to walk, so I had to carry him. Neither one of them said thank you. Then once we got to church, Bogere ran away. He hid behind the building and cried and threw a tantrum. That kind of behavior is unacceptable. So I was explaining to Pastor Ruth what happened. Then I came to the conclusion that because they acted that way, I would not take them to town for a whole week.

   When we got to Smile Africa, I told them their punishment and they understand. It really stinks because I love taking them to town too. So it's really a punishment for the 3 of us! I am really hoping that they can behave this week so we can go have fun!

   Once we were finished at Smile, Mama Ruth and I started to walk back to her house. It was a day of exercise. Pastor Ruth had a meeting to go to so I continued on to my hotel. Just 2 hours later, Ruth called me asking me if we could go to the gym. So I quickly got ready and ran out of the hotel. I ran to the gym to meet Ruth. It was pouring rain! I love rain, so running in the ran was pretty much the best thing ever!

   We finally met at the gym. It was completely empty. Rain pouring down and no one was there. Ruth said,

"Where is everybody? It's strangely quite."

I said, "The rapture happened...dang it, we missed it!"

   Ruth and I just laughed. Then I convinced her to break in with me. So...she did! It was the most hilarious thing! We managed to get into the room with a few machines for us to work out. We could barely work out because we were laughing too hard at the fact that we just busted into the gym. Since the door was now open, other people came to work out as well. Oh good times! I could not believe that she did that with me! It was a very eventful day!

"Thank you Jesus for a fun rainy day! I pray that you will help my children behave. I pray that we will all enjoy our time together and you will continue to work in the hearts of my children. I love you so much! Amen"