Atherstones in Uganda

We are party animals...

2012-02-12T16:29:00.000+03:00

For weeks Kadin has been singing the same song over and over on the way to school...

"We are party animals, we're going to paint the town!"

It was a bit odd... not the part about him singing in the car... that's normal... but usually I can tell where he learned the song...

His recent hits of late include:

"Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down..."

Which is a pretty accurate anthem for Kadin... Any takers want to name that tune?

But back to the "party animals" song... it ended up being practice for his yearly class musical...

Kadin starred as a Cheetah in something that was an odd twist on the Lion King... Simba was on a quest to find the secret to happiness and the animals were helping him figure it out...

Kadin's pack of cheetahs tried to convince Simba that the key to happiness was to party all day... and they were quite convincing... Kadin busted out a few dance moves that had each of his parents blushing... but no matter... the boy was in the zone on stage and loving every minute of it...

At this point the microphones stopped working and Kadin's part was over so I mentally checked out a bit... but in the end Simba and all the animals looked happy so I am sure they figured it all out...

I'd love to say that the play ended with ripping his shirt off and the crowd going wild but really we just had to return the cheetah shirt after the play to his teacher... but Kadin was perfectly happy in his "dancing pants" and face paint!

Well done Kadin! I see a great career on the big stage in your future...

5th ARCC Graduation... and more...

2012-02-05T14:38:00.000+03:00

To say it was a busy week is a bit of an understatement... it was the first week of students reporting for the new school year... it was our annual Spiritual Retreat for the students... add in Orientation...

And then to top it all off we had our 5th Graduation Ceremony on Friday with 52 graduates and installed our first Chancellor over the school... what a week!

It was a joy to be part of the installation for Pastor Peter Kasirivu... over the last 5 years I have continually been amazed by his faith and humility... many men talk about doing great things for God but Peter is one of those rare men who has faithfully served in the same place 26 years and seen God transform poor fishing village filled with witchcraft turn into a dynamic Christian community... he is respected and seen as a spiritual father to thousands and his vision continues to drive the development of ARCC...

And he wasn't the only one wearing a technicolor dreamcoat on Friday... we have the colonials to thank for this... although many of their traditions are no longer practiced in the UK they have managed to continue to drive the fashion of such events...

The service itself was great... we had a great message from Pastor Simon Peter Emiau who overseers the Evangelical Fellowship of Uganda... and my favorite part of each graduation is when the graduates kneel at the end of the service and are surrounded by all the pastors in the congregation for a time of commissioning and prayer as they are sent out! We can't wait to see how God uses the class of '12!

The Age of Sleep-overs

2012-01-30T15:22:00.000+03:00

We must have hit a milestone with the boys recently because it seems that we have officially reached the age of sleepovers... the boys are now receiving requests for a night over at their friends houses...

I'm not at all sure if I actually like this stage... because Kadin thinks that he is supposed to sleep with us when Noah is away... and the boys is a bed hog...

So we have come up with a simple solution... a bed next to our bed with Noah is gone... fortunately he is still in the cute little boy stage...

Goodbye Old Friend...

2012-01-29T18:20:00.000+03:00

It's difficult to say good by to a friend who has stuck by my side for our entire stay in Uganda... he has helped us to places we have never been or even thought we could make it to... delivered us safely through riots, mobs, storms and rivers... taught me the art of 4X4 and more car repairs than I ever thought possible... and has become a favorite to many of our visiting friends...

But now that we are a commuter family and this off-road dig hog has out lived his usefulness... and needs to be freed... freed from the world of pavement, tarmac, stoplights and roundabouts... and sent back off-road where he belongs... where he should be free to enjoy his final days passing where no Rav4, Prado or Subaru could ever dream of...

I've always believed that the car you own is the cheapest car to own... but moving from two cars to one car is even cheaper... so we are cutting the strings, signing over the registration and sending my '92 Toyota Landcruiser VX back into the wild... he's 20 years old but the roads in Africa make cars age in dog years... he's paid his dues and deserves to enjoy his retirement off road where he belongs...

I'm sure the adjustment period will take some time but I have already navigated the taxis through town last week and discovered the awkwardness of three men on a boda (and yes, I had the misfortune of riding middle)... with inflation high and personal support low we have decided to be a one car family for the next 8-12 months until we can afford another commuter vehicle to get the boys back and forth to school...

Although I grieve the most... I know the boys are also a bit sad... "Daddy's Jeep" is the first car they can remember... and it still feels like yesterday that I can hear a two-year old Noah giggling with joy and shouting "Bumpy Road, Bumpy Road" everywhere we went... Kadin will also miss his evening perch (the roof rack) where he frequently stands with sword drawn looking and shouting down on the rest of the world...

So goodbye old friend... and thanks for the ride!

6 Years in Uganda...

2012-01-18T15:58:00.000+03:00

I have nothing particularly deep or profound to say about staying in Uganda for 6 Years... those thoughts will have to wait for a little more reflection...

But our 6 Year anniversary did not pass by without an "African moment" if you will...

When we arrived 6 years ago the extent of my car knowledge was my ability to fill it with gas and taking them to Wal-Mart every 3,000 miles for an oil change...

But on Monday night the boys and I (along with our friend Steve) were stuck in the ARCC parking yard at sundown and the car wasn't starting... this is a regular occurence of late and I have been delaying repairs until our family funds go up a bit... which has led me to become an expert in jumping cars...

But when no other cars are around... what do you do?

After exhausting the options of who to call for a jump... I decided to think differently about the situation and ask... "What would MacGyver do?"

The only thing that came to mind was to connect the two batteries and see if the car could jump itself...

And it worked...

So now I no longer have to pay random strangers $5 for a jump... since no one will help the poor mizungu for free... now I just jump myself...

Does anyone know why this works?

And a special thanks to all our family and friends who have supported us for 6 years! Thanks for sending us and keeping us in Uganda!

Training your children

2012-01-10T13:02:00.000+03:00

The longer I am a parent the more I realize that training children is hard work... the older they get the more they develop minds of their own...

Recently I have been tackling a huge issue with the boys...

It all started on a Saturday 1PM exactly... I was trying to watch SportsCenter on ESPN... within three minutes they were both blocking the TV and asking for Disney Jr and Nat Geo Wild.... I couldn't believe it... with the NBA season starting, NFL Playoffs around the corner and MLB Hot Stove they could care less... Since Sports Center is only on at 1 PM and 1AM I never see it during the week... my perfect Saturday afternoon was ruined...

I realized I had failed as an American Dad... no boys have no love for American sports!

So I resolved then and there to take action.... "Noah grab your glove... Kadin grab the bat... it is time to teach you about baseball"

It wasn't pretty... Noah tried the glove on his right hand and head before figuring out to put it on the left hand... Kadin immediately charged the bushes using the bat as a sword... and I realized that pitching underhand from 6 feet away leads to scenes fit for America's Funniest Home videos with the dad getting drilled by his son's big hit...

But we stuck to it... Noah is now asking to play catch and Kadin will play but only when it is his turn to bat... and this weekend I woke up to find Noah checking to see what was on ESPN... and I got to enjoy a solid 7 minutes of the NBA with no complaints... until it was time for Jake and the Neverland Pirates...but still its progress...

Now it is true that this is a selfish quest... teaching my boys to love American sports... but the older and more independent they get the more I realize that I can no longer get by with being the greatest thing in the world just because I am dad... I will have to find things that we can enjoy together or they will find someone else to spend their time with... so I am going to keep swinging for the fence and trying to pass on my love for sports...

Maybe by summer we could make it through a whole game... or at least the highlights!

Hooked on Phonics

2012-01-08T10:19:00.000+03:00

Learning to read for me was like learning to dance with two left feet... but let's be honest... even with a right foot and a left foot I still can't dance!

Reading comes natural for some kids but for others it is just a jumbled pile of letters and hopefully some good pictures... Noah is a natural at reading and is in the top of his class (thank you Christine for passing that on to him)... Kadin is like his dad... reading sessions can quickly turn to tears and frustration...

Fortunately, I eventually caught up with my class by 4th grade...and yes, I no longer cry when I read... unless you are asking me to read "Where the Red Furn Grows" - animals should never die in children's books...

So I've decided to do for Kadin what my mom did for me... I decided to make it my mission to teach Kadin to read...

For the Christmas school break we have been holding two-a-days... two reading lessons a day (with a special treat of only one lesson on Christmas)... a friend (thanks Penny!) recommended a book on teaching your child to read in 100 days...the goal is to have 42 lessons completed by the time he returns to school on Monday... and we are on target!

As I believed when my mom was teaching me... the English language makes no sense at all!

Of - is pronounced "ov"
The - is pronounced "tha"

And on and on it goes... how is a little boy who doesn't like rules to start with to follow reading rules that make no sense at all!

But don't worry Kadin there is hope... jusd remmembar u caan servive adulthod wyth spel chek....

Noah's First Communion

2012-01-05T15:22:00.000+03:00

Normally I won't stop someone from walking down the aisle at church... unless it is my 8 year old son heading to the alter for seconds on the crackers and juice...

Noah's first communion wasn't a planned event... we almost missed church entirely... two members of the family celebrated the New Year bowing before the white throne... I was the last one to bed at 10:30PM (it was New Years somewhere in Africa by then) only to find Kadin crying on the toilet 15 minutes later because, in his words, "his butt was on fire and his stomach was angry!"

So we brought in the New Year snuggled on the couch...

The next morning neither car would start... this is a recent phenomena of everything we own breaking which we carried over to the new year... after 30 minutes of banging on the batteries and my failed attempt to jump start the Rav4 pushing it up a small incline a neighbor came over to give us a jump... so covered in sweat and grease Noah and I set off to church while mom and Kadin headed off to the doctor...

Our church started keeping the children in service for the first 45 minutes which I think is great... I'll support any training to help the boys sit still.... when they announced communion I realized that Noah didn't have a clue what was happening...

I told him we were about to eat Jesus and he needed to listen close to the instructions... I am not claiming to be the best missionary dad... but it worked and Noah was all ears...other than trying to get up for seconds he did great... when we got home I was curious what he remembered so I asked him to tell mom and Kadin about communion...

"The bread represents Jesus body which was broken for us and the juice represents his blood which was poured out for us"

I was impressed with my 8 year old and how much is is growing not only in size but also in knowledge and understanding... so here's praying and hoping that he continues to grow in his knowledge of His Savior!

40 Day Fast

2012-01-03T14:32:00.001+03:00

I'm going to forfiet any spiritual credit points I earned through this fast up front... I doubt I earned any since it was against my will from the beginning and since it will end up being only 35 days from start to finish...

But all the same I think I at least deserve a pat on the back for surviving for 35 days without my Mac...

On December 12 my Powerbook for the last 4 years went home to be with Steve Jobs... I tried tech support, mouth to mouth and u-tube fix it yourself videos for the first 48 hours of futility... then I decided to use the PC at the Front Desk at ARCC for a week (this led to many awkward responses from staff, students and visitors seeing the Principal up front) but in the end little can be accomplished in the middle of the daily circus... so for the past 2 weeks I have been borrowing a 2002 Dell Laptop with a British keyboard...

A full fast of no computer from Christmas to New Years ended up being a much better option...

Now I am counting the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the next team arrives on Jan 15 with my new Mac... it is going to be an airport reunion beyond anything ever experience on the big screne...

A few great lessons were revealed along the way of my mac-less journey...
1) Back up your computer more often than every other month....
2) There is no need for a computer from Dec 20 - Jan 1 other than keeping up on sports scores...
3) Technology is more addictive than caffiene...
4) I really should take a week off the computer a few times a year... minus the broken computer
5) Old Computer + Ugandan Internet and Power Outages = Stone Age

And to all who are still waiting for email responses, attachments, skype calls and the rest... I'll use the overused Ugandan saying for "I don't know when I will get to it"...

"It's on its way coming!"

Countries of the World...

2011-12-09T10:23:00.000+03:00

Nothing starts a Friday off better than a school play with the boys... three weeks ago (proof that I completely forgot I still have a blog)... Mrs Ward's P1 Class Assembly got started as Kadin welcomed the audience to experience the "Countries of the World"

I couldn't believe that in Kadin's class alone the children come from 15 different countries including Lebanon, Pakistan, Niger, Spain, Switzerland and even exotic far off places like Canada...

Kadin taught everyone from P1-P5 students, teachers and parents that the capitol of America is Washington DC... when you get to the "sh" in Washington add a whistle to get a feel for what it is like to hear Kadin say it without his two front teeth..

At this point in his academic career Kadin may not be the most enthused student when it comes to reading, spelling or grammar... but when it comes to class plays he's a great front man for any act!

Well done Kadin!

Parent's Day...

2011-10-31T17:32:00.000+03:00

It takes awhile to figure out where and when to help when you enter a new culture... at the beginning back in '06 it seemed like everyone wanted to be our friends or needed us to help... to be honest it was tiring and led to times of pulling out not wanting to help...

But I'm glad we didn't throw in the towel...

Two years ago we had the opportunity to take in Diana and Joan... they have a great mom, two other loving sisters and a little brother... but often in Africa families have to separate for work or school or other trials in life... and caring for two teenagers is far beyond the $30 a month that we are led to believe in the US...

However it happened... I'm glad they ended up in our home...

(L to R) Joan, Jolly (mom to Joan and Diana), Noah, Kadin, Christine, Diana

One of the many things I appreciate about Christine is her heart for young girls... although she will occasionally remind me our house is not a hotel when it comes to visitors (which I'm prone to forget)... she continues to amaze me with her care for the girls in our home...

It must have been awkward for Joan and Diana to enter a "mizungu home" at 12 and 14 years... at first they were like mice... rarely seen with just a trail of missing food...

Now they have embraced many of the "American" aspects of our home including Birthday celebrations and fascination with Dr. House MD...

The girls never forget to thank us for anything they receive... but what I don't think they know is what a blessing they have been to our home... watching them grow into mature young ladies, excel in school and play with the boys (plus the built in baby sitting)... is more than we can ask...

This week Joan is about to complete her O-Levels and will be two short years from University... Diana is two years younger and #1 in her class... and Christine is thrilled to no end to see her scoring off the charts in science and ag... we might just have another vet on our hands...

When all is said and done I do wonder what the highlights will be of our time in Uganda... in the projects we started or the individual lives we touched... the final tally is far from over... but one thing is for sure... bringing Diana and Joan into our home will be a decision we won't ever take back...

Thanks girls... and Happy Birthday Diana!

Goodbye Gimpy Goat

2011-10-29T16:25:00.000+03:00

When we read Dr. Seuss books Kadin doesn't think they are silly... he thinks they are inspiring!

After reading the Cat in the Hat he'll talk about the large animals he'll have in his house... after reading If I Ran the Zoo he'll talk about how he would run his zoo...

And why won't he?

Many days we do live in a zoo... we have had rabbits, chicken, goats, cows, dogs, turtles and lizards living in and outside of our house... but lately it has been more of an animal hospital...

Gimpy the Goat's legs stopped working 15 days ago... so the logical thing to do (at least around our home) was to move it inside our house so it could receive round the clock medical care... bottle feedings night and day... along with mid-afternoon traction to hopefully get its legs working again...

Don't be alarmed... this goat is not headless...but hiding its head is a great Halloween trick...

Unfortunately Christine's heroic efforts were not enough to save this little goat... and our little friend went to an eternal resting home for little goats... hopefully dancing somewhere in a glorious field of grass somewhere...

Goodbye old friend!

10/4... A favorite holiday!

2011-10-04T09:22:00.006+03:00

October 4^th will always be a holiday in my book… it’s the day we had Noah… the day I become a Dad! 8 years later there isn’t a moment I will forget… Christine waking me up in the middle of the night… driving 1@! MPH down the freeway…. Regretting offering my hand to Christine as she dislocated each finger with her iron grip… running into the hospital and forgetting everything we had practiced in those baby classes… Noah coming out on the table with no doctor or nurse in sight… and that tiny slimy purple body… my beautiful boy!

Noah came 5 weeks early… before his room was painted… before the crib was made… before a car seat had been purchased… but who is really ready to be a parent anyway?

I think that is why kids really don’t remember much from their first 5 years… it gives parents a chance to catch up and learn along the way…

But there are so many things I want him to remember… staying up all night with bottle in mouth while he and I studied Greek and Hebrew… singing and dancing during bath time… playing chase all over the house… the morning he and I raced through the hospital to find mom and baby Kadin and he unloaded a gallon of milk through his diaper and down my shirt…and the first year of driving in Uganda shouting with joy "bumpy road, bumpy road" everywhere we went... just to name a few...

It's not like he is turning 18 and leaving the house... but for some reason this year more than ever I feel it is all going by too fast... and for some reason I care more than ever about what kind of man he'll be...

So for his birthday my wish for him is that a few things about Noah never change...

1) His sweet spirit - Noah is never lacking in the friend department... classmates love him, teachers adore him and strangers are instantly taken by him... he has a considerate side that genuinely cares about other people... making them feel welcomed, loved and appreciated... he truly is the best host in our home... I'll never forget the time he opened his piggy bank to make sure some friends of our had enough money to make it home to the US after visiting us... they felt awful taking money from a 5 year old but Noah felt so good about sharing!

2) His care / tolerance / patience for others (especially with Kadin) - little brothers are not easy to live with... or so I have been told by my parents and older sister. We get away with more but we never realize it because we are still always being disciplined. Noah has every reason to sleep in his own bed but still after 8 years he chooses to share with Kadin. Noah is the first one to comfort Kadin after he is disciplined or to share with Kadin when he has lost his whatever or had it taken away. And for as much as they fight (they are boys) there is more harmony and love between them than the majority of brothers I've seen - much to the credit of Noah biting the bullet and choosing to be selfless when he needs to be (I have no doubt that his future wife is pleased to see these qualities already developing in him).

3) His ability to understand and embrace life -sure he is ahead of the curve in school (have you met his mom?)... but much more than books he quickly understands life in general... traveling and moving so often our first few years Noah was never too unsettled he always knew that your home can change but your family is where you belong... Noah also understood the gospel as soon as I explained it... enough so that he spent nights preaching fire and brimstone to ensure that Kadin didn't go to hell... some times I forgot that he is just turning 8...

From his first school play where he narrowing avoided tears to his first swim meet where he pulled in two 1st place ribbons my heart longs to see him enjoy life to the fullest and succeed with every step... but the older he gets the bigger his world becomes and the less I can control... Thursday is his first class overnight trip a whole 2 hours away... I've been dreading it for weeks...

But this is good... I still have another 10 or so years... enough time to remember that he was never mine alone to begin with and enough time to keep pointing him to the one I pray he belongs to forever!

Noah on your birthday... and every other day of the year... never forget that you are loved and that we are proud of you! You're exactly the way God made you to be... and my prayer is that you will allow Him to shape you into the man that He wants you to be!

6 years of faithful support...

2011-09-29T12:42:00.000+03:00

Six years ago we got up on stage at Cornerstone Simi to let everyone know we were headed to Uganda...

Looking back at the video is so weird... Noah (2 yrs old) is so little... Kadin (6 months old) isn't on stage... he has always been able to steal the stage so we thought it best to let him cry it out in the nursery... Christine's hair is as long as I ever remember it and I'm as bald as Francis... and we look so YOUNG!

This video has been a huge encouragement... a friend forwarded to me 2 weeks ago... this was the weekend where we shared that we needed to raise $40,000 so we could leave for Uganda 3 months later... as we walked off stage someone chased me down the aisle and wrote a check for $40,000 on the spot... by the end of the first service we had $56,000 and Francis joked the rest of the weekend that people needed to stop giving to us...

For the last 6 years we have watched God provide time and time again in ways we could have never imagined... I wish I could say that this has increased my faith and I don't doubt God for anything... but yet I am amazed at how much I still worry and stress over things that I can't control...

Monday I got a switch kick in the gut... for the first time in 6 years our ministry account dipped into the negative... we are short $3,000... and immediately that self-doubt creeps in... have I done something wrong? Is there more I should be doing? What's going to happen?

But these thoughts are foolishness ... how could I even doubt that God has forgotten us after all he has done?

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

Just as is is getting easier for God to count the hairs on my head... at this point it should be getting easier for me to remember that He is watching over us and knows exactly what we need!

Now the teacher in me can't just end there... I'm sure more than a few students and alumni are lurking on this blog... and I can't leave the impression that faith leads a passive existence of simply waiting for God to fix the problem, provide the funds or give me a hand-written letter for the next steps (although that would be nice)

I can examine my own life to see if there is un-confessed sin... I can seek wise counsel to see if we are still headed in the right direction... I can remember to pray regularly for our supports (no doubt some have their own financial challenges).... I can re-connect with supporters so they can connect closely with the ministry taking place in Uganda... and most importantly (in my case) I can put aside worry, sleepless nights and grumpy attitudes and turn to God in prayer... remembering that He knows what we need before I even ask...

He has faithfully provided for 6 years... do I have any reason to doubt that he knows the needs of today?

Insanity...

2011-09-06T15:49:00.000+03:00

Great title for a post... or description of life in general...

Christine and I decided to give Insanity with Shaun T a try...All you'll get is a photo... because the video evidence has been destroyed... and the switch-kicks have a way of making me look thin...

I don't know if the workout really helped with weight loss but clothes fit better than ever and I survived the worst hernia scare of my life... after 3 days a flinching at anything moving and pain with every body movement I met the doctor...

I thought he would at least tell me to rest... but with typical Ugandan bed side manner he encouraged me that guys my size shouldn't avoid stomach exercise and that I should keep it up... thanks!

In other Insanity news... Noah made the school swim team so we are trying out competitive sports for the first time with the boys... the insane part is keeping up with the after school swim schedule...

Kadin's life is insanely busy with his goats... 5 goats have given birth to 6 babies in the last 4 days... Kadin claims them all as his own children... now that he is in Year 1 he will also have homework... which really is just insanity for me and Christine...

Christine is starting her masters thesis, working with the rabbits and goats, shuttling the boys to and from school, hosting rabbit trainings... and to top it off has decided to sell all the living room and dinning room furniture so she can repaint and find furniture that fits our small house... pretty amazingly she is paying for all of it with the money she made from selling the old stuff...

I'm doing the same old thing... with a new name... GBI is now Africa Renewal Christian College... complete with its own new blog and facebook... we are working on the next level of accreditation to start a bachelors degree by January 2013 and continually renovating and improving the new campus...

So sorry for the long blog absence but such is the nature of our insane life...

Summer's best photos...

2011-08-03T18:43:00.000+03:00

Christine and the boys are on their way home to Uganda and in less than 24 hours I'll have more than just pictures... here are a few of my favorites that have been scrolling across my desktop to keep me company...

Any form of pirate costume is always a hit with the boys...

Kadin demonstrated the true meaning of the "lazy days of summer..."

Noah giving Kadin a bath on the beach...

In the category of best series of photos...Uncle David and Uncle Joel send Kadin to the moon...

Noah and I had a blast tubing until the lake patrol informed us of the 5 MPH speed limit...

... but orange life vests never seem to go out of style...

TLI Blog...

2011-07-23T16:33:00.000+03:00

I've been pathetic at blogging this year... it's gotten so bad that a family member (who will go unnamed) informed me that I've lost my "blogging mojo"

I think it's a fair assessment... so in order to rekindle the writing flame I've been contributing to another missions blog for Training Leaders International...

For those that only check here for pictures and could care less about my thoughts on missions... here's the latest picture of the boys... They are enjoying another 12 days with Christine in the US... it usually takes at least one trip to the zoo each week to make them feel at home!

Happy Father's Day...

2011-06-20T02:56:00.001+03:00

These pictures have been scrolling across my desk top the last week... as I have been counting down the days until I see Christine and the boys...

It was a very loooooong 3 weeks and I am ready to see them... unfortunately the plane in Dubai isn't ready and so now I am consoling myself with free wi-fi as I wait for the 16 hour flight to LAX...

Any time Emirates... seriously, let's get this flight going!

The boys have been enjoying the last three weeks on the beach... rough life...

The amazing thing about these pictures are that they aren't little boys anymore... they are getting so big...

Although occasionally Kadin can still fake death when sand hits his eye... see below...

Seeing them getting big reminds me of how short my time with them will be... I'm sad enough my flight is delayed by 2-3 hours so I won't even think about Noah heading off to college in 10 years...

Seriously Jeff, get a grip... there is no crying in Dubai...

But I am reminded that the biggest task of parenting is sitting right in front of me... and time won't wait...

I truly believe that the greatest task of a father is to give his children an accurate picture of their heavenly father... it's no coincidence that we go by the same name... "Father"

Working with youth in the US and with a largely orphaned population in Uganda I have seen time and time again the challenges that a young person faces in life when their father gives them a wrong view of a father... abandonment and abuse to name a few... but just as destructive can be a wrong view of forgiveness, grace and love...

I think more than anything this year Father's Day is reminding me that I can build a school for hundreds and even thousands but ultimately my leadership abilities can be rightly judged by how I lead these two boys...

Will they understand the Father's love?

Will they become men of character with the faith and courage to live their lives for the Father?

Will they be as fortunate as me... to say that their dad wasn't perfect but he sure did an amazing job pointing me to the Father!

Something to think and pray about... for all of us who share the name "dad"

Happy Father's Day!

No time to edit... this flight is taking off!

Not getting my way does seem to work out...

2011-06-12T23:22:00.000+03:00

Two weeks ago the GBI Board approved the purchase of 3 acres of land that has been the center of our land disputes for the last 6 months... when the Board says "yes" it's "go time" over here...

Unfortunately this time around... we have hit a stall... the land title owner is an elderly woman and she has been too sick to negotiate... and until we reach an agreement with her we cannot begin to negotiate with the squatters...

Seeing that this is one of the two main reasons I am in Uganda while my family is getting some rest in California it is a bit of a frustration... If nothing is happening here it seems a bit pointless not to be with them...

But on the other hand... not getting my way does seem to work out...

Last year at this time we started negotiating to purchase a school in Gayaza... I was in the same boat... negotiating for a piece of land while trying to raise funds or secure a loan at the same time... in that case it feel through and the seller ended up stealing over $100,000 from the next buyer to come along... by the time they realized he was a fraud he was no where to be found...

So today I sit here with things not going my way but a small voice saying that maybe this time God has a better plan once again...

Last year we ended up getting a campus twice the size for the same price and paying for it in cash when someone came forward to write a check for the exact amount...

This year I would have a hard time imagining us not getting this piece of land... already we have been approached by a number of ministries wanting to host some amazing conferences for thousands of pastors on this field we haven't purchased yet... it seems like a perfect outdoor venue and a vital piece in the middle of our campus...

But still I wonder whether or not God has a different plan for acquiring it..

The middle ground between "no" and "not yet" ... or "work harder" and "have more faith"... are always difficult grounds for me to tread...

Right now I am learning to rest in the fact that God's plans will prevail... and He'll fill me in when its time...

Master Plan

2011-06-03T11:06:00.002+03:00

I never imagined in all my seminary training that there should also be classes on Construction Management, Site Design, Negotiating 101, Cross-Cultrual Land Disputes and Fundraising... but that pretty much sums up 75% of my time these days... the other 25% going to teaching and training the staff...

Most of it is pretty enjoyable... especially when I look at pictures like this and image a University for training thousands of Christian leaders... on this picture all the white builds are what we purchased... all the pictures in black and brown are what we plan to build... pretty amazing!

On the other side of the coin it can be pretty overwhelming... currently we are in a land dispute... the previous owners who lost the property to the bank are trying to claim that the white building on the far right of the picture (above) is still theirs... the bank, lawyers, police and any law abiding citizen assures us it's ours...

But daily we are faced with visits and calls from these thugs (the term the local police use to describe them)... as they make threats to knock the building down / build a mosque / harm the staff / etc...

These things are not easy to explain because land in Africa has an emotional element to it that I have not witnessed in my western upbringing...

In order to settle the disputed boundary line the GBI Board asked me on Tuesday night to go ahead and purchase 3 additional acres that will give us the disputed building (now on the far left of the pictures above)... plus the whole soccer field that you see on the master plan...

This probably doesn't make sense since we are not buying it from the guys we are in a dispute with...

In Uganda land is like a birthday cake... you can own the land titles (the cake) but another person can own the kibanja title (the frosting) of that same land... the dispute is with guys who say they own the frosting (but don't)... we are going to buy the cake which give us rights to get a legal settlement to buy the frosting...

I starting to crave something sweet...

What was a problem (land dispute)... will soon turn into a huge blessing... a 3 acre field that can be used to host conferences of thousands of Christian leaders or sporting events for our students...

I was a bit surprised (and absolutely encouraged) by the decision of the GBI Board... last year they gave approval to purchase a campus when we had nothing and God provided $600,000 to purchase and renovate... this year we again don't have the funds but the board gave approval to buy this $100,0000 (settling disputes is not cheap!) piece of land...

It is such an encouragement to see the faith of this board and their belief that God is going to provide everything we need to train thousands of leaders... it makes me wonder why I am losing so much sleep and hair over all of this?

Fortunately, it's the Master's Plan and not mine!

Kadin's class field trip...

2011-05-08T17:16:00.001+03:00

... to mom's farm...

For a boy who loves animals... and teaching his classmates... a field trip to mom's farm was about as close as you can get to a perfect day of school for Kadin...

Around 10 AM the buses pulled up to the campus and the students walked in straight lines to the GBI dinning hall where Christine answered some amazing animal questions...

Unfortunately this took place almost a month ago... I do remember laughing at most of the questions and thinking about blogging them... but now all I can remember is laughing and wanting to blog...

After the Q&A the children were herded over to the farm where they got to walk through the rabbit barn... and also met our 12 goats...

The children then received an assignment to feed the animals and draw pictures of them...

By this time the sun was beating down on everyone... so they grabbed a quick snack and jumped back into the buses...

Kadin was the host of the day... making sure that every child knew everything there is to know about goats and rabbits...

His teachers say he slept the entire bus ride home... which was pretty amazing since the police had to escort the bus the final mile to school as the rioters threw rocks at the bus and smashed in a window...

It is amazing how God can protect children from memories they don't need to keep... to this day his biggest worry in life is... "when are mom and dad going to buy me a donkey?"

Only Kadin!

Sports Day...

2011-05-07T17:07:00.000+03:00

Rather than stare at the printer as it runs off notes for my Monday morning Christian Worldview class... which can be strangely addicting... I figured I should take the chance to upload some recent pictures of Sports Day at the boys school two weeks ago...

Here is Kadin directing traffic...

Until he realizes that Dad has the camera out...

Noah's first attempt at the high jump...

... and successful landing of the second attempt...

And grandmothers... please consider this an attempt at providing a Mother's Day gift from the worst-gift-giving son / son-in-law on the planet...

Happy Mother's Day!

Uganda's Riots

2011-05-05T10:27:00.001+03:00

Between the headlines of Japan, Libya, the Royal Wedding and Osama... you probably haven't heard 30 seconds about riots in Uganda and the chaos that is escalating each day...

I have resisted writing for weeks but at this point it affects just about every moment of our day...
Is it safe to drive into town?
Is it safe to take the boys to school?
Is it safe for Christine to go into town without me?

What is it all about?

A simple protest... 3 weeks ago opposition leaders decided to walk-to-work until the President could explain the rapid inflation in Uganda... Unfortunately the protesters weren't allowed to walk and immediately the city came under military rule... so now daily we pass crowds of militia wearing vests of bullets and AK-47s, riot trucks for spraying tear gas and military tanks ready to crack down on anyone appearing to oppose the government...

Then last Friday the town of Kampala erupted as video footage leaked of police beating and unarmed former presidential candidate who was simply driving to the bank... they smashed his windows... filled the car with tear gas until he ran out and then senselessly beat him...

It seems power has even blinded the President's wife... formerly known for being outspoken about her Christian faith... into defending her husbands Idi Amin-like actions...

So with the news now reporting on this... why am I bothering to write?

1) I agree with the protesters - power is a drug.... it is addicting, intoxicating and blinding to men who start out with the best of intentions... I believe that it is right for the people to call out for accountability... so if it means that my is interrupted with rocks pelting my car, tear gas fills my eyes or having to sit for hours locked down until there is quiet... I believe that what the people are crying for is a righteous cause. Every leader needs accountability!

2) I am frustrated tired of the constant worry... Daily I have to worry about my wife and sons and any movement they make. Christine and I daily have to decide whether or not to send the boys to school and I have arranged my schedule to ensure that they don't have to go in town or to school without me.

3) We want people to pray for our safety and wisdom in the daily decisions we make. This morning we did decide to send Christine and the boys to California at the end of the month for a physical, spiritual and emotional rest. There are many reasons not to go home: finances, the riots could end any day and there is much to do here... but at the end of the day living with constant fear and worry takes its toll and at this point the relief we feel with the decision is all the confirmation we needed...

Rabbit training

2011-04-11T11:33:00.002+03:00

GBI students have started their rabbit training. We started with butchering rabbits. They got to taste the fruits of their labor that week and I was told by many students that they loved the rabbit. Thanks to Esther Project for helping complete the butchering room!

The past month has been busy at the rabbit barn. About a hundred people toured the rabbits on grand opening day. I have had about 2 dozen farmers from all around Kampala visit. The Makerere University's 4th year Veterinary students had a one hour tour/seminar. This week Kadin's kindergarten class is coming for a farm morning. I have heard from the prison farm manager that he wants to start a rabbit project at one of the prisons outside Kampala. Several Makerere Veterinary Medicine professors are set to visit this month as well. Word keeps spreading.

Kadin turns 6!

2011-04-10T14:34:00.000+03:00

Kadin turned 6 years old on April 6th!

Much unlike his brother... this is the first birthday that Kadin has even been aware that it is his birthday... for weeks we have had to hear about plans for presents, the party and all the special things about his day...

It all started off with his new big bike... which he is proudly displaying with Noah!

The party wasn't until Saturday but we couldn't wait that long for a cake... this was after cupcakes with his class that morning...

The party was at the Entebee Zoo... complete with a donkey ride, camel ride and monkeys that greeted us in the parking lot... a little too close for comfort... unfortunately there were no monkey pictures due to the panic of getting away from them!

The highlight of the camel ride was when this camel ended the ride by sitting directly on the other camels head... while the zoo guy just stood there... the parents pulled the children off to safety and the children ran from the kicking and screaming camels... again - if only we could have gotten it on film!

Cake number two... or three if you count cup cakes...

It was supposed to be a soccer cake... excepted dad flipped it upside down to open the box... none of the boys seemed to notice...

Everyone but the driver fell asleep on the way home after pizza and swimming at Lake Victoria... all in all a great day for everyone... especially Kadin!

The Grand Opening...

2011-04-10T13:43:00.000+03:00

It has been two weeks since the Grand Opening... and I think I am finally recovered enough to write about it...

The event itself was amazing... everything leading up to it was exhausting!

The contractors literally worked on the campus up until 15 minutes before the ceremony began at 10 AM on March 25th...

A number of people had the unfortunate experience of bumping up against wet paint... but other than that the day... the campus... and the ceremony were all perfect!

The students did a fabulous job of helping out to clean up the campus in preparation for the event and then served as ushers and hosts on the big day...

The Prime Minister (pictured above) showed up at 10 AM sharp and delivered a great speech in support of the school that was aired later that evening on the local Ugandan news station (UBC)...

We also had the support of some of Uganda's finest... from left to right... Dr. Oloput (Director of Private Institutes for the National Council for Higher Education)... Rev. Simon Peter Emiau (Chairman of the Evangelical Fellowship of Uganda)... Rev Obed Rubaiza (GBI Board Chairman)... Professor Apolo Nsibambi (Prime Minister of Uganda)... me, security guy and camera guy...

Joseline was pretty excited to sneak into this picture while handing the scissors to the Prime Minister...

The stress of the big day got to me... I was down with a 102 fever the two days before the Opening... and was still burning on the big day... but I didn't understand the full extent of the stress until I saw this picture...

Check out the massive hair loss!

I deserve a bottle of Rogaine for all my efforts...

The Goats Have Arrived

2011-04-08T14:41:00.003+03:00

Acquisition of these goats nearly did me in. How hard could securing goats really be? I mean just about everyone I know has a goat here in Uganda. Well thousands of hours of walking dirt roads in search of goats, making dozens of phone calls, driving down the world's smallest dirt roads, they have finally arrived. It only took a day for them to realize that Kadin is in charge and just to give in to whatever his desires are for them. Noah had to work a little harder to get the goats to go where he wants. I for one am just glad they are here, eating back the jungle of weeds for GBI and in the future contributing offspring to the GBI kitchen soup pots.

And see the nifty metal feeder the goats are eating out of - JJ made that from scrap rebar he found around the GBI campus. I feel so eco-friendly!

Construction everywhere...

2011-03-19T12:25:00.000+03:00

Rather than starting with an apology for not writing often... instead I will just say "Congratulations!" for still reading this blog...

The last 3 months are a blur of moving, construction, starting the new school year and general pioneering issues... like where are we going to find water and electricity?

Other more exciting distractions have been writing the Prime Minister's speech for the Grand Opening... seriously, this is no joke... he asked me to write it so he could get a real feel for the school... then we spent two hours talking it over... he has a huge heart to support to GBI... but I won't tell you what he is going to say until it is actually written...

Ok... enough rabbit trails... let's take a look at the campus...

Above is a picture of the inside of our new kitchen... check out those concrete counter tops!

Not having a kitchen set up for the first 3 weeks of school has been a distraction... but in the end I know the new kitchen will be worth the wait! Currently, our kitchen is a combination of tin, tarps and poles... affectionately referred to as "World Food Program" ... sorry, there isn't a picture!

It is amazing how paint makes everything seem closer to finished... the painters are going remarkablely fast in spite of all the rain... It might be because I only promised to pay them if they finish before the Grand Opening this coming Friday...

That may sound mean... but it's working!

Starting the term without toilets connected to the dormitories was also a challenge... but fortunately there was a pit latrine only about 20 meters from the dorm buildings that can hold us over the first month... the students have had amazing attitudes about the delays... or at least they are complaining in languages that I can't understand?

Land has also been a challenge... notice the common use of the word challenge?

In any case where large portions of land are purchased there are always disputes... unfortunately when it appears that a mizungu (white man) has bought the land there are even more disputes...

But the process has allowed us to build a great relationship with the local police as they have been called almost daily for the past month as mischievious neighbors have knocked down our fences, stolen our fences or made threats of bulldozing our fences..

We have some great people helping us in police and government positions and our lawyers are sure that in the end we will win... but until then I can only take scheduled appointments in my office because people are posing daily as disgruntle land owners trying to make a profit of the white guy who bought land...

To blow off steam or just to hide my white face while the visitors leave... I love walking the site... I just love watching progress and the crazy ways that things are built without modern construction equipment...

This 25 foot deep pit latrine was hand dug by 6 guys over 10 days... now there are constructing the brick walls of the pit by lowering bricks and cement with buckets and string...

The guys in the pit are pretty funny... whenever I walk around they know they are past the deadline so they start racing through their week and yelling to each other "speedy, speedy... the mizungu is watching!"

A few things are finished... the library is complete and it looks amazing!

Other things like the parking lot are far from complete... but what guy doesn't like watching bulldozers all day?

That's the latest... please pray with us that everything is ready for Friday the 25th of March... and that we reach some peaceful settlements on the land!

What's On Your Bucket List

2011-03-16T14:55:00.002+03:00

This past summer I worked with a team providing community education and sensitization during the anthrax outbreak in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The outbreak started in the hippos, spilled over into some of the other wildlife in the park and affected a few people.
In the course of the work, I got to go to the hippo burial site and wear one of those biosuits. Something I have always dreamed of doing. Here is the team at the burial site in all our safety gear. Word of warning on those suits, they are not breathable and in 90 degree Uganda heat those things are HOT inside!

Here I am getting decontaminted afterwards.

Outbreaks such as anthrax, a zoonotic bacterial disease that affects both people and animals, are happening more frequently as human, livestock and wildlife habitats overlap with the growing human population. Theses diseases strain the fragile health infrastructures in developing countries, because they typically happen in rural areas where the health services are scarce, underfunded and understaffed, where human nutrition, hygenie and education is poor, and where the loss of a breadwinner or livestock drives families deeper into poverty.

Problem Solved...

2011-03-06T18:46:00.000+03:00

For months I have been staring at this 3-storied monstrosity... wondering how to remove it before the eye sore dampened the Gaba Bible Institute Grand Opening Celebration...

I challenged Engineers to bring their ideas... I asked staff members for contacts of friends who could help... I even thought about connecting a chain to the back of my Landcruiser and pulling it over myself...

When finally a friend gave me the best idea of all... sell the scrap metal and make the buyer pay to remove it...

So this week GBI earned another $1,250 towards our Renovation Project....

And the students and staff had a full lunch hour of entertainment watching the crane remove the broken water tank...

Problem solved!

Fort Buloba

2011-02-22T22:07:00.000+03:00

With the elections taking place here in Uganda I had an opportunity to take a few days off to build the boys a fort last week...

Fortunately, JJ was around to help make sure that certain things happened... like making sure the floor was level, the railing is sturdy and that I didn't cut off any of my fingers with the saws-all...

The added bonus is that we now have a point high enough on our property to use the internet and catch a cell phone signal...

Kadin the Christian...

2011-02-09T12:43:00.000+03:00

When a new believer starts walking by faith there are a few signs which point to the genuiness of their conversion... a desire to share their faith with others... a desire to learn and grow... and compassion for the lost...

Kadin is has all 3... in some form...

In less than two days after Noah's alter call in the top bunk of their room... Kadin was found preaching the gospel to Nala and Kabaka... our dogs! Again he is new in his faith so we haven't covered a detailed systematic theology that includes whether or not dogs go to heaven but it was great to see his zeal to share his faith with others... I can only imagine what the kids in his class are hearing... or the rabbits for that matter...

Bed time has also changed... Kadin had a near panic attack last night when he thought that he was going to be sent to bed without reading his Bible... In Sunday school in Uganda the children always sing "read your bible and pray everyday if you want to grow"... for some reason he is now convinced that he is more than a head shorter than Noah because he has not been reading his Bible...

And finally... compassion for the lost... on Monday night we could not find Raphael... our turtle. Kadin cried for over an hour... it was so dramatic that I felt I finally had the daughter I have always wanted... but in the end Kadin confessed that his great fear was that Raphael was in hell with Santa... because Kadin had never had a chance to tell him about Jesus...

So Kadin is off to a great start... although he is still sharing his plots with Noah to go to hell and kill Santa... but for now it is just exciting to see Kadin as excited about Jesus as he is with dinosaurs...

Noah the Evangelist...

2011-02-07T14:27:00.000+03:00

It's been awhile...

Somewhere along the way I missed blogging about Christmas, the year in review, resolutions I won't keep, our 5 Year Anniversary in Uganda and Christine's Birthday...

Sorry for the unplanned blogging sabbatical... fortunately Christine has been picking up the slack in my absence...

But this is something I can't skip over and I want to seal for eternity on public record... especially for the boys to remember...

On February 2, 2011 in the top bunk of their bedroom... sometime after lights out... Noah led Kadin to Christ!

Each morning we have a 30 minute ride to school and here is the conversation from the morning after...

Noah: "Kadin, tell daddy that you believe in Jesus!"
Kadin: "I believe in Jesus!"

Many congratulations... high fives and hugs were exchanged... all with at least one eye on the road and one hand on the wheel...

Kadin: "But Noah - Why is Santa (this is not a misspelling) going to burn us in hell?
Noah: "You mean Satan"
Kadin: "Yeah, Santa"
Noah: "It's Satan Kadin... and he burns people for their sin"
Kadin: "I think we should go to hell and kill him"
Noah: "Kadin we don't have to because we will be in heaven"
Kadin: "But I want to be a good knight and kill Santa"

Noah gives up correcting at this point but I can tell that he is a real "fire and brimstone" preacher at nighttime...

Noah: "Kadin, do you love Jesus?"
Kadin: "Yeah, I also love dolphins and killer whales? Noah, do you know what killer whales eat?"

And that ended the conversation about Jesus and Kadin's conversion... overall, it was a great morning... but next Christmas should be a little confusing for Kadin if we don't get this "Santa / Satan mix-up" resolved...

Missionaries are Weird

2011-01-24T11:34:00.001+03:00

I know we live in a super cool, exotic location. Don't be deceived. Our freak flag flies proud!

An exciting weekend activity is knocking down a friend's pit latrine.

I let my kids out in public dressed like this. And then I arm them with weapons and let them beat each other.

I let Kadin pick out his own school supplies. This is the result.

Who can forget that I let my children butcher their own dinner.

And if I stare blankly at you while deep in conversation, I am not having a seizure. I have probably forgotten the English word I need to continue the conversation or have no idea what piece of technology you are talking about.

Rabbit barn construction

2011-01-22T10:58:00.000+03:00

Much of the last 2 weeks have been spent getting the rabbit barn finished. The rabbits were moved out about 2 weeks ago to the GBI campus.

Here is the rabbit barn before construction.

After some clearing around the building, some minor wall repairs, addition of a roof, framing the windows and planting shade trees around the building, we have the new barn.

Inside the rabbits are nice and cool. I was able to add 16 more cages, with space for another 20 still. In the next couple of weeks, we are going to pave the corner room of the barn for storage and a hygenic butchering area.

In March, GBI students will be able to learn rabbit raising and management as part of their coursework.

Christmas

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000+03:00

We took a 3 day break the week of Christmas to catch our breath before moving ourselves and the rabbits to Buloba. We did some hiking and saw all the falls in Sipi.

Being the youngest has its perks. Kadin did lots of his own hiking, from Jeff's shoulders, prodding Jeff with his banana leaf whip and encouraging words like "move faster horsey!"

On Christmas Day we had a feast.

It included confetti, which made the smaller members of the holiday quite happy.

Boys First Day of School

2011-01-18T14:22:00.003+03:00

Jeff is ensuring that construction stays on schedule at GBI, so the next few posts will be all the events we forgot to blog about over the last 3 months and updates on my (Christine's) projects.

First off, the boys first day of school went off without a hitch. The commute to and from, was shorter than we expected. Kadin made it through the day with his shirt still slightly off white. Noah knew his teacher's name and some of his classmates names as well. Kadin couldn't remember anyone's name except the class rabbit's. Noah was most impressed with the art room. Kadin thought the spaghetti at lunch was fantastic.

One week later, the boys still think their new school is amazing.

Everything is Changing... Part 3

2010-12-22T09:10:00.005+03:00

If I am worried about any change... it would have to be the change in schools for the boys...

The new school is amazing... it feels like we are sending our kids to Oaks Christian High School.. and the price is closer than you think... but check it out this school... it's amazing! http://www.kabiraschool.com/ ... Noah and Kadin will easily make it into Harvard if they graduate from KISU (Kampala International School, Uganda...

But I remember my own experience of changing schools half way through first grade... Noah is in 2nd Grade and Kadin is in Kindergarten... at the time I was convinced that I would never make any new friends... facebook hadn't been invented yet so I had to do it the old fashion way...

I am sure that Noah will have 25 friends on the first day... but I also know that at some point he will be sad about all the friends he is leaving behind at Rainbow... Kadin will be shy... and will probably growl and make monster noises few times at the other kids until he establishes himself as the alpha male of the class... apart from that I can't predict what will happen...

I guess the thing I want most with all the change is for the boys to see God's provision and their parent's faith... rather than other not so positive responses that can happen with any change that missionary kids experience...

It seems funny to worry about that after all God has done to provide and pave the way for all these changes... fortunately He knows my kids better than I do and He has a perfect plan to show them His great love for them...

The new school starts on January 10th... and Noah is chomping at the bit to put on his new uniform... change is happening...ready or not... here it comes!

Everything is Changing... Part 2

2010-12-21T08:51:00.001+03:00

There is no doubt that the new house is a gift from God... We need to remember that one week from today when we try to fit everything we own into a house that is less than half the size of our current house...

But in this case size is not biggest change... our Bunga house is the longest either of us has live anywhere in our adult lives... and it is the only home that our boys have any memories of...

5 Christmases, 16 birthdays, hundreds of visitors and countless memories... the only time I remember moving as a child was when I was 6 years old and it is just hitting me that I have a 5.5 year old and a 7 year old... Noah and Kadin will always remember the games we played and the fun we had in this house...

Our new place is great... the boys can walk to Joseline's house, mommy's farm and daddy's office... plus the entire neighborhood is being occupied by GBI staff... our neighbor has a huge farm with cows that Christine and the boys can visit... and we are returning to the "country atmosphere" that we still miss from our days in Mukono...

But as the count down to the move reaches it's final week... I am reminded of all the memories we are leaving behind... Bunga will always be the place where our family settled and first felt at home in Uganda... but we know that God has clearly calling us to a new home filled with memories, laughter, growth and adventure... and Bunga will become a memory... a very good memory for all of us!

Everything is Changing... Part 1

2010-12-20T08:22:00.003+03:00

To summarize the next 2 weeks... we are moving to a new house 90 minutes away... I am moving into a new work place (same school)... Christine is moving 400 rabbits and constructing a new home for them... the boys are moving to a new schools... Joan and Diana are also going to a new school... and the maybe the biggest change by far is that Joseline is moving into her own house...

It feels like everything is changing... or as our friend puts it "we carry on like a normal family but every once in a while we go into hyper-drive"

They are all great changes but each comes with a bit of sadness...

Joseline is moving out for all the right reasons... but still we are all sad...

I often have been outspoken about the dangers of Americans and Ugandans calling each other by family names... mom, dad, sister, brother, daughter, son... often it ends up with a ridiculous request for finance and someone feeling hurt and used... so I never encourage the practice of adopting these names... especially in the early stages of the relationship...

But I can truly say I feel like a parent that is sending off an adult child into the world... We are incredibly proud of Joseline and the beautiful woman of God she has become...

She came to us 4.5 years ago with nothing and we have often been complimented by Ugandans for all we have done for her... but the truth is that everything we gave she gave back even more... she has been a third parent since our boys were babies... protecting them, caring for them, loving them and teaching them about God....

She has been a guide to Christine and I... teaching us manners and customs... explaining culture blunders and showing us grace time and time again as we figured out our way in Uganda... all while never letting us out of the house with the wrong outfit on or unpolished shoes...

I think I first realized she was truly part of our family when I started crying the first day she came to work at GBI... I had only ever felt that proud of Christine and the boys... but when it happened again at her graduation and I sat in the chair reserved for her father... I knew she would always be part of our family...

The good news for us is that we can see her new house from our new house... and we still have plans for Saturday morning pancakes and Wednesday night Mac-n-chesse with the boys... but at the same time we are sad... we our sending out our daughter into the world and a part of us wishes she could just stay with us forever...

Miraculous Provision... Part 2

2010-12-18T10:37:00.000+03:00

I can't even explain how crazy the last week has been... I have been wanting to blog about this but I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag too soon...

WE ARE MOVING IN 10 DAYS!

As you may know... GBI moved to Buloba this last week... and we have been gearing up for a year of me commuting 90 minutes each way to work while we build our house... I have been a bit stressed to say the least because currently we have only raised $1,500 of the $75,000 we need to build that house... Plus, I feel that I have reached the limits of asking on just about every front... At some point I am expecting "cease and desist" letters from family and friends who are just tired of my fundraising letters...

Well last week God proved once again that he knows our every need and will supply our every need... even when I am trying to do everything on my own...

Last week the Prime Minister called me... seriously! I have no clue how he knows me or how he got my number... but 2 hours before GBI Graduation he called and offered me his house in Buloba... which happens to have a direct view of our new campus... plus it is $700 a month cheaper than we are currently paying... this morning I sat in his living room and signed the lease agreement...

WOW!

Seriously, if this isn't from God I have no other way to explain it... the house is exactly what we wanted 3 bed / 2 bath, half the size of our current house and walking distance from the school...

I don't know why I even bother to worry... but I do all the time... whether it is about needs for projects like the house and GBI or dips in our current support... I find myself constantly planning, stressing and working to figure it all out...

But lately I just feel that God is trying to teach me that He is in control and will meet all our needs... whether it be sending the exact medicine I need to the middle of nowhere or sending a leader of our country to provide us a house... God knows exactly what we need...

Lord, help me to remember this... and increase my faith....

Miraculous Provision...

2010-12-05T15:53:00.001+03:00

I survived the camp out in Kidepo... despite a minor emergency...

On Monday I got an itch... so I scratched it... within seconds my entire body was covered in hives from head to toe...

This is the fourth time this has happened this year and each time I required an emergency dose of steroids... which explains why I look like Lou Ferigno...

Unfortunately we were in the middle of nowhere... the cell towers weren't working and we were about 8 hours of bumpy dirt roads from a town with a medical clinic...

I asked the other guys what meds they had and came up empty... so as we started out on a game drive back to the rangers station my plan was to ask when the next airplane of supplies was coming so I could hitch a ride back to Kampala...

As we were heading out a Landcruiser pulled up... one of only two other cars that we saw the entire four days in the game park.... I decided to ask the driver if he knew how I could find the steroids in Kidepo without jumping on a flight... he told me to ask the passenger in the seat behind him...

As soon as I explained to the man what I needed he pulled out his bag and handed me 3 days worth of steroids... the exact type and amount that I needed... and sold them to me for $1.50...

Seriously, there is no way to explain what the odds are of having the exact medications I need showing up in the most remote location I could think of in Uganda...

I think it is just another remind... which I needed to hear and see in a miraculous way... that God is my provider...

The stress of raising $250,000 for the new GBI campus and another $75,000 to build a house for our family has been seriously weighing on me... I feel a pressure to provide for the school and even more for my family... but the truth is that I can't do it on my own and that I need to daily remember that God is the provider and I need to be faithful to seek after Him for all I need... and to learn to wait when it is not His timing...

In the case of the steroids His timing was perfect... now it is time to trust Him in the same way to provide for my family and for the school...

It's come to camping...

2010-11-26T21:46:00.000+03:00

I will be the first person to admit that I don't like camping... I should be a bit more macho about the whole thing... but at the end of the day I like my bed, my shower, my house... and I live in Africa... so why do I need to go camping?

But the other day when asked to go on a guys trip up to Kidepo National Park... THINK: Northern Uganda, cattle raiders, LRA, boarder of Sudan with nothing but tents and 5 guys who can't cook... I found myself saying "yes"...

I don't think it is the lure of camping or the call of the wild... the truth is that if I think to much about the bugs, dirt, sleeping bags and the shame of not knowing how to tie knots I might change my mind and say "no"... the only clear rationale for saying "yes" was that I'm exhausted and I could use about 12 hours of bumpy dirt roads between me and this laptop...

I thought Christine might bail me out and tell me I can't go because she need help with the boys... but after a round of cartwheels and a few victory laps around the house... I really got the feeling that she was alright with me leaving for 5 days...

So tomorrow I'll practice rolling my sleeping bag, Knots for Dummies, and Tent Assembly 101... so that by 5 AM on Sunday morning I can at least resemble a Boy Scout drop out rather than Brownie Troop 419... packed with emergency rations of toilet paper, sun screen, bug spray and a whole list of other things I wish I would have brought once I see the other guys packs...

I'm off to the wild... here's hoping it doesn't rain!

Our neighbors must really trust us...

2010-11-13T18:29:00.000+03:00

Was your trip a sucess?

2010-11-07T18:34:00.001+03:00

We've been back in Uganda 3 days now and seen most of our friends... the question everyone keeps asking is... "was your trip a success?"

I've been surprised by my lack of a positive answer... the trip was filled with great meetings, new partnerships and a ton of encouragement... but I think the problem begins and ends with my expectations for the trip...

My personal goals were to:
1) Enlist 3,000 new prayer partners for GBI
2) Raise $250,000 for renovations to the new campus
3) Secure 50 new scholarships for the GBI Scholarship Fund
4) Launch a fund raising campaign to build a new house for our family
5) Complete healing from my Reactive Arthritis
Along with meeting donors... establishing new partnerships... talking with families interested in joining us in Uganda... and speaking about missions, poverty, development, dependency and leadership development countless times...

All in 40 days... 13 flights... 17,000 miles... fueled by a calling and caffeine...

Needless to say I think the reason I feel immediate disappointment with myself and the trip is that my expectations were completely ridiculous...

There are a number of things I should be extremely grateful for about this trip
1) Our prayer list grew from 500 to 1100
2) $41,000 was raised in 40 days and a number of churches, organizations and individuals are still considering year end gifts... and the full amount isn't needed until June 2011
3) Scholarships - well that didn't happen at all but we still have 2 months to go...
4) I got approval to build a new house for our family on the new campus and a newsletter should be hitting our supporters mail boxes in early December
5) My knees were drained and injected with a cortizone cocktail and I had my first run in 4 months...

Great meetings were a plenty.... new partnerships were formed and old ones were cemented... friends and family loved on us and encouraged us the whole way through... and rumor has it that Starbucks stocks are soaring after our short visit...

So it wasn't everything I wanted but probably a more realistic version of what my expectations should have been...

Although a part of me still really wants to see God surprise me and surpass my expectations... and I don't really know if I ever want to be "realistic" when it comes to dreaming about what God can do...

Maybe a few more days a reflection will make the picture more clear...

???

Things are becoming a bit more clear...

2010-10-18T16:04:00.001+03:00

The last 3 weeks I've been in California, Minnesota, Arizona, Texas and back to California... It has been a great time establishing new relationships for Gaba Bible Institute with new partners, churches and foundations...

To date I've been able to raise $40,000 for renovations to the new campus and generate more interest for our Scholarship Fund... the goal is to raise $250,000 to get the campus up to capacity for 300 students and to raise 50 new scholarships... throughout the trip I have been encouraged by friends of GBI all over the US...

The GBI staff has also done an amazing job holding down the fort which has allowed me the freedom to be away for this long stretch...

For our family things are also becoming a bit more clear... it looks like we going to build our own house... many friends along the way have been a great encouragement in this direction... economically it makes sense to build rather than rent since we are looking at another 10-50 years in Uganda... and from a ministry stand point it makes sense to leave a home for the next Principal of the school...

The boys schooling is still a bit fuzzy but as we step out I am sure that things will become a bit more clear... and for now they can finish the school year at Rainbow before we have to make any major decisions...

Today is the last flight and I get to see Christine and the boys for the first time in 3 weeks... it's about time!

That's the latest...

Are you telling me "no?"

2010-10-09T17:50:00.000+03:00

Back to the voice of God for a bit...

How can you tell the difference between a "no" and a "not yet?"

It seems easy to figure this out when the dust settles and the situation... whatever it may be... is resolved... but what about in the middle when it is all consuming on your mind... how can you tell?

This week I am pretty sure I heard a "no" or maybe a "not yet"... but I still totally what to hear a "yes!"

There is an International School that is near Buloba... about 30 minutes but its closer than the hour and a half commute that we would have to the boys current school... and it's an amazing school... due to the $13,000 a year price tag per year we applied for a scholarship... "request denied"

There is a house next to the new Buloba Campus that we would love to move into... I ever blogged about it a few weeks ago... when we asked the owner if we could rent... "request denied"

I know that GBI is supposed to move Buloba... it is happening and God is providing in some amazing ways!

But right now I don't have a clue where my family is supposed to live and where our boys are supposed to go to school...

So God... is this a "no" a "no yet" or a "not here?"

I accept writing in the clouds, whispers in the wind, prophets with 100% success records, miracles, emails and text messages... we aren't facebook friends yet but when we are feel free to write on my wall...

If this is another lesson in patience and trust... I really hope I can pass the test this time and move on to a new lesson...

...but as a teacher I can see why you are trying to hold me back for another year...

Poverty and Dependency Panel

2010-10-03T23:52:00.000+03:00

Thanks to everyone who took part in the Dependency Discussion last week here on the stone's blog...

The panel discussion at the Desiring God National Conference went well...

I was expecting only about 3 people to show up... but it ended up being a packed house...

Hopefully the discussion will continue next year... they announced at the end of the conference that next year the conference will have a missions theme...

Child of the Week...

2010-09-28T03:26:00.000+03:00

I have to brag about the boys for a minute...

Kadin is now in Reception which makes him eligible for "Child of the Week" honors at Rainbow... this last week he was recognized for his "imagination, especially during story time!"

Kadin was a bit nervous about the award ceremony... I think he prefers acting on stage... but if you walk through our kitchen he will be sure to stop you until you recognize his award which is currently displayed on the fridge...

Noah's class preformed a number of songs highlighting the diversity in his class... I counted 9 different countries out of the 20 some kids in his class...

The final song was Michael Jackson's "Black or White"...

Unfortunately for Noah he inherited my dance moves and rhythm... hopefully I can pass on a few things which won't completely embarrass him during his teenage years... but for now he sure looks cute trying...

Dependency... Final Question

2010-09-24T08:00:00.002+03:00

FINAL QUESTION

Knowing what we know about dependency... what should Christians look for when they want to support an overseas ministry?

Is this the place?

2010-09-23T22:36:00.000+03:00

A brief break from dependency...

In the excitement of purchasing a new campus... I must confess I really didn't put much stock in the emotions that would arise from moving from the only home our boys remember, the possibility of them changing schools and the distance from many of the friendships that we had established in the Bunga area...

To be frank... I need to hit a home run in the housing department... and not overlook the needs and feelings on my family...

Christine has been a trooper... she has been incredibly supportive... and today she really impressed me...

The first house had the toilet in the hallway (no door)... an outdoor water tank "inside" the house with rain water easily falling through... not a blade of grass, just concrete and the smell of sewer all around...

She was smiling and very polite to the owners... I was sweating bullets... and then we went to house #2...

Seriously, it is beautiful... a quiet hillside... a smaller house... and room for the boys to explore and have all kinds of new adventures...

And then I noticed something in the distance...

I was so turned around I hadn't realize that we were able 100 meters from the edge of the new GBI campus...

Here is a picture of the house from the new campus...

I love the idea of walking to work... the boys running to my office after school and Christine having farm land all around...

We moved a ton before settling in Bunga for the last 4 years and I am battling the guilt of un-settling the family... I'd love it if we found a new home like this that has a little something for everyone...

If you don't mind praying about houses... I'd love it if you could pray that we would find the right place for our family... and that maybe this could be the right place...

The houses you see in this picture were not for rent or for sale... our realtor has called the owners and they are deciding right now to rent, sell or tell us to take a hike... if they do rent we don't know when they will be able to finish the house... if they do sell we don't know if we can afford it... if they tell us to take a hike... we definitely won't be going back to the first house...

What we do know is that we have a strong call to stay another 5-10 years... maybe even more... and God knows the rest...

Dependency... Question #4

2010-09-23T08:00:00.003+03:00

I have a theory that if the US economy was still booming like it was 2003 that "When Helping Hurts" would not be as popular as it is today in churches... no knock on the book... just a theory...

TODAY'S QUESTION

How has the recession affected the conversation on Dependency?

Dependency... Question #3

2010-09-22T08:00:00.002+03:00

Many Americans believe that it is more economical to send support to a national pastor rather than going through the work of training a missionary and funding their family to live overseas...

The challenge with this is that it takes away the nationals desire to tithe when the pastor is the most wealthy member of the church...

Okay... I loaded the deck a bit on this question...

TODAY'S QUESTION

What is the role of the western church and missionaries in teaching nationals to tithe?

Bonus Question: Is there an appropriate time to support a national African pastor as a missionary?

Dependency... Question #2

2010-09-21T08:00:00.004+03:00

In his book... Glen Shwartz gives caution about a number of missions programs that create dependency...

For the sake of this questions I will just choose just one of the ministries that he says create dependency... the first on his list... "Child Sponsorship Programs"

Sorry... buzz kill... yes, the kid on your fridge is adorable...

TODAY'S QUESTION
What should we do if we are involved with Child Sponsorship and discover it is creating dependency? (Remember, there are serious consequence to those children if we just stop giving!)

Dependency...

2010-09-20T08:00:00.003+03:00

I spent the afternoon on Sunday with Glen Shwartz...

Not in person... I was just reading his book again "When Charity Destroys Dignity"... it is always a great kick in the pants to read someone's thoughts whose been involved in missions longer than I've been alive...

I'm getting ready to speak in a panel discussion "Global Poverty and Dependency" at the Desiring God National Conference...

Okay... so I wrote that last sentence to brag a little... I'm super excited!

But as I am getting ready I wanted to hear some fresh voices... so this week I'm going to throw out a few questions and I'd love to hear your thoughts...

TODAY'S QUESTION

Reverse the rolls... Give an illustration of what would it look like if Americans were dependent on Africans. Or are we and we just don't know it (play dramatic music in your head)?

I don't know if that first one was a question or command but please feel free to answer... extra points for creativity....

Recent Pics of the Boys...

2010-09-18T09:50:00.000+03:00

Kadin loves animals...

2010-09-16T22:13:00.001+03:00

... but they don't always love him...

This week we have been in South Africa for the New Missions Systems Africa Regional Conference... its been a great time and the boys have been in HEAVEN since we are staying on a game reserve...

Everyday we have seen kudu, giraffe, zebra and more... just on the way back and forth to our room and the conference center... which is an extremely bumpy 30 minute ride each way with Kadin jumping and shouting on my lap...

"Look Daddy, its a (fill in the blank)"

The only challenge with Kadin's great love for animals is that they don't always love him back...

And within the first two days he had been stung my two bees and then he got bit in the face by a dog...

For most children this would be traumatic but for Kadin things are different... and the next morning he was found pulling the dogs tail...

We did discover that Kadin is not allergic to bee stings and that the dog had a recent rabies vaccination... so all is well...

And Kadin still loves animals...

GBI Nomads...

2010-09-09T16:36:00.000+03:00

At this point it will take more than a collapsing roof to discourage the students of GBI... they are ready to move to Buloba!

By 8:10 AM the students had set up a classroom outside the school and they were set for class...

The 6000 books in the library were being re-located to a downstairs classroom and the teachers lounge had been transformed into a classroom...

It is so rewarding for me to see the excitement of the students over our move to the new campus... even while our current campus is collapsing...

While the students moving furniture and staff were busy convincing the landlord that the problem was serious... I was off meeting with the contractors, land surveyors, electricians and water surveyors at the new campus...

There is work to be done on the new campus but I am confident that we will be there in January... or earlier if our current roof falls...

By the time I got back it seemed the students were used to the idea of taking classes outside... as the rain clouds formed all around...

Our staff did a great job of convincing our landlord that there was need to fix the roof... now we are praying that it can be resolved without any injuries or damage to our property...

Pray for "no" rain...

2010-09-08T17:02:00.000+03:00

After a HUGE week of accomplishments with the new campus... the rain came!

Don't fear our new land is secure... the problem is our current building... the roof has started to collapse!

First concrete started falling from the eves...

Then the roof started to sag...

... next the eves started to bend...

After visits from two structural engineers we have started to evacuate the upstairs of our current building... both engineers agreed that the walls will stand but that the roof may fall... maybe in chunks or possibly all at once... especially if it continues to rain...

The students have a great attitude about the whole thing... the excitement of the new campus has a way of encouraging anyone... so currently staff and students are planning to work through the weekend to move everything downstairs before Monday morning...

Classes will be held under tents and in the lobby... offices will be squeezed... and tomorrow I am getting construction estimates for renovating the new campus... we may be there before January...

To be continued...

Please pray for "no" more rain...

Welcome to Buloba...

2010-09-07T19:53:00.000+03:00

It has been a crazy week... but after 4 official meetings the Buloba Campus belongs to GBI!

First stop... I made the final payment to the seller...

The seller doesn't look extremely excited... but here he is handing over 8 Land Titles for the new GBI campus in Buloba... not a great picture of me either... next!

The next morning I drove out to Buloba to meet the Local Chairman (Mayor)... he welcomed us into our new place and signed a letter accepting that the land had been transferred over to a new owner...

We brought tea to share which we thought was a great idea... but it is Ramadan and he's fasting... good thing we also brought a gift...

Next stop we went to the new campus to drop off our security guards and to receive the keys to the new campus... here I am receiving the keys to our new place...

Finally it was time to introduce ourselves to the police... as you can see I was having a very difficult time with his name which he thought was pretty funny...

It's official... the campus is our! Now it is time for renovations, migration plans and opening our new campus in January 2011!

The Voice of God...

2010-09-07T16:57:00.001+03:00

It's possible I may have offended a few people yesterday...

Especially the part about people hearing God telling them to "go to Africa, adopt an African child, plant a church or start a ministry"... or even just the idea that these decisions can be over spiritualized...

I'm not trying to offend... in fact I've moved to Africa, we have 2 African teenagers living with us, I've been part of a church plant and started a ministry...

I'm just trying to make a point...

I find it interesting that we (including me) westerners hear God telling us to "do" rather than to "be"

I can't remember the last time I heard someone say...

"I think God is calling me to be holy"
"I heard God tell me to be patient"
"God is speaking to me because he wants me to be joyful"

And on it goes...

I wonder why it is essential that we have God pushing us to "do" rather than calling us to "be"...

Am I trying to justify my existence? Do I need to tell people that God is telling me to "go" or "do" so they will affirm my existence?

Rather than seeking to "be" in His presence...

Just a few thoughts... or maybe voices... running through my head...

Jeff's Amazing Time-Saving Idea... and the voice of God...

2010-09-06T16:45:00.003+03:00

For months I have been encouraged by friends, co-works, board members and others to consider getting a personal driver... it's not that I'm the Pope or anything... I just have a lot on my plate...

And my phone seems to ring off the hook every time I drive... and if we end up with a 45-60 minute commute to the boys new school we may want someone we can trust to help drop them off...

Having a driver makes a lot of sense... I could make calls... plan meetings... write notes... relax a bit in between meetings... or even hang out with the boys on the way to school...

But it also seems weird and foreign to me not driving myself...

Well this week I received a sign from God... one of the new security guards for GBI brought in his resume and I saw that he had a college education, a drivers license AND two years experience as a personal driver for a British family...

The gates of heaven opened and I realized that God must want me to have a driver... so I told the guard to be ready to drive me into town in 15 minutes... he was delighted at the prospect of not standing by a gate all day!

I should have realized that something was wrong as we were traveling at less that 10 MPH... but I just informed him that slow does not necessarily mean you are driving safe... being a quick learner he began to overtake a wayward taxi van... but only passing inch by inch...

Soon the oncoming car that was miles away was now closing in... so my new driver yanked the steering wheel... and smashed my landcruiser into the taxi that we had not finished passing... then he continued to drive as if nothing happened...

I kindly asked him to pull over and he asked "why?"... apparently he didn't feel the jerk of the collision or hear then smashing of metal...

***

Isn't it amazing that sometimes we think God is talking directly to us?

But was He?

Or maybe I was just hearing what I wanted to hear?

It seems that lately I am meeting people everywhere who are hearing God telling them to move to Africa... adopt an African child... plant a church... start a new ministry... and they are all great things... even amazing things... things that must please God!

But I do wonder if there are times that we are over spiritualizing our personal ambitions... and we look for signs that aren't really there...

Come to think of it... I can now only remember one person suggesting the idea of a driver...

To be continued tomorrow...

First Day of School... and more...

2010-09-05T13:32:00.000+03:00

School started 10 days ago... but better late than never...

The boys picked out their first day of school hats on their own... then I realized that Christine had the camera with her while she was chasing the gorillas in Bwindi...

So we raced down to our friend Lena's house on the way to school to get a picture...

The boys are doing great in school which makes the upcoming move a bit unsettling... along with the potential price of $12,000 a year per kid at the school which is closest to us... but God has been moving in some amazing ways to get us the new campus for GBI... so I am trusting that He will do the same to help us find a new house and new school for the boys in the next 3-4 months...

Noah is loving 2nd grade and was so excited to have homework on his first day... ah, a nerd just like his parents! I love this stage he is in of becoming mature and growing up...

Kadin is doing great in Reception class (Kindergarten) and has an imagination large enough for 10 kids combined... maybe he'll be the next JJ Abrams... I still don't understand LOST but Kadin's level of imaginary play seems to be at that level...

Christine is back from chasing gorillas and we all survived... unfortunately she only got to see gorilla poop this time around... hopefully next time she will get to see the gorillas instead!

The weeks ahead look a bit insane... NMSI conference in South Africa... my (Jeff) trips to Minnesota, Texas, Arizona and then meeting up with Christine and the boys in California... then somewhere in there we are going to move GBI and the family...

I'll have to write more about my genius idea to save time... that didn't exactly work out...

I think we are better off just taking one day at a time...

Land!

2010-08-27T13:53:00.000+03:00

It's official!

Yesterday I signed the contract to purchase an 18 Acre campus for GBI...

Here's an image from Google Earth... The buildings in a square - ish shape at the top are the classrooms and offices... the 3 buildings below are the dormitories...

There is enough space to start with 250-300 students... so we will be there in January!

More to come...

Big Day Tomorrow...

2010-08-25T19:07:00.000+03:00

After 8 days of negotiations the papers are being drafted and we are preparing to sign tomorrow morning...

Today we took the entire staff out and measured everything... classrooms, offices, dormitories and anything else with a roof, floor and walls...

We walked the perimeter of the 18 acre property... some slower than others... a few of the ladies in the office were good sports about walking the farm land in high heels...

We took pictures... talked about what we liked and looked at the challenges we will face... and at the end of the day...

Finally we gathered together and prayed... it seems that everyone is agreed... Buloba is just what we need...

It is weird to think that we could be in this campus by January 2011... and that repair work will begin in just 2 months... but on the other hand it is nice finally have a time line for the big move!

Arthritis Blues...

2010-08-23T21:17:00.000+03:00

I should feel taller, stronger and more sculpted...

But after 20 minutes of Winsor Pilates I feel uncoordinated, frustrated and feminine...

It's exactly 5 weeks since my last run... It's been 5 years since I've gone this long... but back then I was 26 years old and in amazing shape from running in Colorado for 5 weeks... so I rested the stress fracture in my right foot for 5 weeks and then went on to run the Long Beach Marathon in 4:20 after sitting for 5 weeks...

The point of this story is to brag that I once ran a marathon with a broken foot... humor me for a bit... it's helping the pain in my knees and elbows to go away...

But the second point is that not long ago I didn't believe I had many physical limitations... injuries would go away... stretching was a waste of time ... and every morning no matter how little sleep or what I did the day before I could jump out of bed...

But today I am sore from doing pilates and I have the arthritis blues... I'm only 31 but I feel like I'm 80... and some lady in spandex just told me to "squeeze my tushy!"

You'd think after 4.5 years in Africa I'd learn patience... but today I want to moan a bit... and I'd like to know when I'll be running again... or at least walking without fantasizing about having a cane... two or three months is starting to feel light years away...

Time for some brownies... Pilates will do that to you!

What's Up With The Move?

2010-08-22T16:24:00.001+03:00

We are still planning to move... and the sooner the better... our next term begins on Saturday and I still don't know where all the new students will sleep!

The Gayaza Campus looks like it is officially off the map... for 2 main reasons...
1. The owner is insisting that we (GBI) don't use lawyers - major RED flag!
2. The owner has 3 children on the Land Title from 3 different mothers... any of the moms can sue us once we purchase the land claiming that their child's rights to the land were not considered...

So unless the owner lawyers up and takes his kids off the title (legally) Gayaza is off the map...

It's a bummer because we liked the idea of living their but for the sake of negotiations I am trying not to get emotionally attached to anything until the deal is signed and sealed...

Now we are officially in our second round of negotiations... Enter Buloba!

It's an 18 acre campus with a boarding high school already on the property... it has more buildings than the Gayaza campus and from what I have learned about eye-balling square footage we could probably start with 250-300 students...

The locations is closer to town... 10 km from the edge of the city and 15 km from the taxi part... which is half the distance that Gayaza was from the taxi park... that makes a huge difference for traveling expense for the students... I think it is universal that college students are broke!

The other nice benefit is that the majority of classrooms and buildings are finished... Gayaza still needed floors, electricity, sidewalks and other finish work... Buloba on the other hand needs some repairs, finishing in a few dorms and I little TLC since it has been unoccupied for the last two years...

With a larger campus there is also more room for expansion and farming... fulfilling my desire of an entirely edible campus... although I still can't stand mangoes or papaya...

Right now I am in the middle of negotiations... This week I will walk through the campus with our contractor and get a better idea of how much the repairs will cost... I also plan to measure the square footage to get an exact idea of our student capacity... then I will have a more accurate ballpark figure... it should be more than Gayaza but I'm hoping not much more...

The staff and I are also going out on Wednesday to pray at the campus... the last time that happened the tide turned and we ended up with a clear "no" to Gayaza... our prayer remains the same... a clear "yes" or a new direction...

To be continued...

Personal Lessons Learned from a Computer Fast...

2010-08-17T22:32:00.000+03:00

Even though I'm an extrovert... breaks from people and communication are necessary...

Computers and technology easily become idols...

Morning snuggles with the boys beat out morning emails any day of the week...

Computers have led to the demise of my short-term memory... I can't remember a think unless my computer tells me...

Whether I watch or don't watch... the Dodgers are horrible this year...

The delete button can be the most efficient way of clearing an overstuffed inbox...

Sometimes the best way to delegate is to completely remove yourself...

Fasting of any kind is a great remind of Who is really in control and Who supplies everything we need...

7.5 days off the computer... and the world is still spinning... I'll have to do this again!

My computer is not killing me...

2010-08-14T17:10:00.000+03:00

I'm alive...

After 7.5 days of computer fasting I'm back!

But I'm still a gimp... my knees are swollen and I walk like a 90 year old... going down stairs is my greatest physical challenge these days... but I don't care... I have great news!

My computer is NOT killing me!

I am NOT stressed out, burned out or washed out!

I have Reactive Arthritis! Also known as Reiter's Syndrome... sounds like "Writer's Syndrome"

If you read the article you may not think this is great news but I think it is amazing! To say the least I've been frustrated... after 4 doctors, message treatment, chiropratic treatment, acupunture, steriods and 6 days off the computer nothing was getting better...

I was also tired of hearing... "You're stressed, you're afraid to move forward, you're doing too much, etc"... I love my job... I love Uganda... I love my wife and boys... I'm excited about the challenges of moving GBI... and I take care of my body - anyone want to race? ...but now I have proof... I am SICK!

Now if you read the article or google "Reactive Arthritis" you might be alarmed.... it's an autoimmune where you "can't see, can't pee and can't bend the knee" ... fortunately I got mine from an intestinal infection rather than an STD so my symptoms are all in my joints and I have not experienced the other unfortunate side effects of can't pee and can't see...

The treatment is to get rid of the parasites that started this and to take high doses of steroids... look out A-Rod! Within 2-3 months I should be running marathons, going downstairs without moaning and wrestling all over the house with the boys!

The computer fast was great... although eliminating stress would probably involve moving to a monastry... I'll share more on that later...

For now... I'm alive... I made it to my 31st year of life... and my Mac got a well earned rest!

Kateregga

2010-08-12T11:28:00.003+03:00

You want me to do what?

You don't go into the crate on your own accord, we dart you. HaHaHa!

Those 20 people giving their 2 cents on how to best capture the zebra, were conscripted for their muscles. 300 kilos of zebra and crate.

Here I am with Gladys, founder of CTPH and Uganda's first wildlife vet, and a grandma who told us from the beginning we would have to dart the zebra to get it into the crate. So wise!

In its new home at the Entebbe zoo. The giraffes in the enclosure were not so sure they wanted the new addition. In a couple more days, everyone will be friends.

Kateregga, named by the family that has had it for 2 years, will join the breeding program at the Entebbe zoo. He was relocated because he had started biting and was a threat to the children on the private farm. As the population grows in Uganda, increased contact between wildife and humans and livestock will be a reality. Wildlife is free to roam in and out of national park boundaries in Uganda.

I think it is a disease...

2010-08-10T14:51:00.004+03:00

Yesterday I came home from spending the day at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, a fancy name for the Entebbe zoo. CTPH is relocating a zebra who has wandered onto a private cattle/goat farm to the zoo. Tomorrow is the big relocation day, so I promise to post pictures.

I came home to power being on. YEAH! However, the refrigerator seems to have been losted in the fire. Our expensive voltage stabilizer didn't protect it! So instead of dealing with the quickly rotting meat in my freezer, I ran around like a neurotic person trying to do all the laundry at once, putting the couch back onto the rug so that it was perfectly centered, throwing trash away in the yard and the hundreds of other little things that had to be done at that precise moment because the world was falling apart. I think it is a disease I have. Because when the refrigerator is quickly becoming a swamp cooler it is so much better to pick up bits of water balloon in the yard.

Jeff's first day sans computer

2010-08-08T16:03:00.003+03:00

To kick off his first day of a week off his laptop and off the Internet, Jeff and I went out for a cup of coffee. We literally had just sat down when we got a frantic call from Joseline that the house was on fire. She and the boys were outside the gate and far away from the house. Jeff sped back to the house to discover that the main electricity cable to our house was on fire and our main electric box charred to pieces. No damage inside the house thankfully. We have been assured that it will all be fixed on Monday morning after many hours on the phone with Umeme, our not so favorite electricity company. I am not holding my breath on any speedy resolution and have ducktaped my very full freezer closed. My once a month grocery trip was a few days ago.
We spent the evening by candlelight listening to Kadin declase the end of the world and his life if he couldn't watch a movie.

Rabbit Update

2010-08-06T13:41:00.004+03:00

1. The second barn is up and running. We hung rabbit cages in the retrofitted/converted chicken coop. It now holds 29 cages.

2. Tropical Rabbits Limited was officially registered as a Ugandan business on June 28, 2010. I registered the rabbits as a business to meet requirements for selling meat to Kampala's larger butchers.

3. One of East Africa's largest butcher is now stocking my rabbits.

4. I am putting the final touches on a marketing plan to help me utilize my time more effecively. I want to develop strategic partnerships with poverty reduction programs that work primarily with women and people with disabilities.

5. I gave a sustainable rabbit production talk in May at my MSc program's summer school. It was a good chance for me to practice public speaking, something I don't really relish.

This picture is of my escape artist rabbit. I still haven't figured out how she gets out almost everyday to find the wheel barrow of food. I usually find her just like this nibbling on her favorite leaves.

Christine blogging for the week

2010-08-06T13:23:00.004+03:00

This summer I am working with Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH). I finished my first year of my MSc in International Animal Health the first week of July. I spent a large part of my teenage age years tracking ebola across the globe and have always been interested in infectious disease epidemiology. I have this dream that I will trek into the jungles in one of those white space suits to find the newest emerging viral disease in Africa. As a step towards that dream, I wanted to get some field experience in infectious disease work.
Conservation through Public Health works in at the wildlife/human/livestock interface in protected areas here in Uganda and has a pilot program in Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda, like many sub-Saharan African countries, is experiencing explosive population growth (set to quadruple in the next 40 years according to United Nations figures). Much of this growth will be in rural areas, where the national parks are found and health facilities are few and poorly equipped. This growing population increases wildlife/livestock/human habitat overlap, creating more avenues for infectious disease transmission. In addition, agricultural output is very low in these rural areas, so poaching of wildlife and consumption of bush meat for protein is a reality.
I first heard of Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (the founder of CTPH) in March. She is a dynamic Ugandan woman, Uganda's first wildlife veterinarian.
This summer I have been part of the team responding to the outbreak of anthrax in the hippos and buffalos in Queen Elizabeth National Park. More on that to follow as Jeff is powering off his computer for the week.
Check out their website if you want to learn more: www.ctph.org

Is my computer killing me?

2010-08-03T22:34:00.002+03:00

The last three weeks can only be described as a medical mystery…

I am thirty years old and on July 12 I had my first major allergy attack… it was so bad I tore my clothes off in the waiting room to get a nurses attention… and proceeded to run in an inappropriate state into the doctors exam room where I was greeted with shock and laughter… since that time I have had 3 more incidence of rash and swelling from head to toe and an uncontrollable urge to rip my skin off… but I have learned to keep my clothes on in public places!

This has left me in a steroid injected state that partially hides a physical problem with my neck, back, buttock, knees and most recently an elbow…

I threw my back out on July 17 and decided as a typical male to do nothing but moan… this worked until it reached my butt on July 22…. The next day my neck stopped turning right and my knees entered a swollen state which keeps them from bending… then today my left elbow joined the fun and stopped working…

WHERE is Dr. House when you need him?

I started with a professional massage… here I learned the “psychology of the body” and was told I was having a hard time moving forward…. hmmmmm..... has anyone ever bough land in Africa? Who wouldn't have a hard time?

The Dutch doctor didn't speak English well and didn't have a clue... but she let me take a 60 minute nap in a back room because she was afraid to let me drive...

The Ugandan Dermatologist tested everything... blood, stool, urine and my patience... he too was baffled...

The chiropractor tricked me and "asked me to sit down" ... she then went on to mock my posture and asked how much I work on a computer... at this point it turned into more of a session with a perishioner and priest... I confessed my addictive use of email, microsoft office and social media.... she was convicting and to the point... my computer (and computer posture) are killing me!

So it is time to take a stand!

Send your emails, comments, friend requests and attachments... on Friday August 6 11:59 PM Uganda Standard Time I am going on a computer fast.... until Saturday August 14... my 31st birthday which I would like to live to see!

God willing I want to:

Out live my wife
See my sons have wives, children and grand-kids
Live in Africa until they kick me out and see thousands of Christian leaders equipped
And rid myself of this spiritual physical attack...

But at this point there is need of wiping the slate clean and starting some new habits...

I still plan to work but I'm going to do some revolutionary things like:

Rid all excuses for cramming devos into 15 minutes or less
Discover ancient ways of interacting with people
Be an energetic monster that tickles Noah and Kadin
And have enough energy to do more than watching TV with my wife

This just might change the world... or hopefully it at least changes me!

All prayers are appreciated in this healing endevour!

Week one of terrorism in Uganda...

2010-07-18T18:51:00.000+03:00

If the goal of terrorism is to strike fear in a society... then Round 1would go to the al-Shabab...

Kampala is a different place than it was 1 week ago before two bombs went off and 74 people were killed...

The the crowds that gather on streets and at bars at night have disappeared ... resturants and coffee shops are silent with few visitors... ex-pats are swarming doctors offices looking for doctors notes to qualify for medical leave... and there are times when the whole city seems as if it is held hostage...

Now if the appropriate response of a people to terror is to unite and organize themselves against further attack... then I would give credit where credit is due and give Round 2 to the government and people of Uganda...

Kampala is no longer the same...

Cars are now searched outside of shopping centers and other crowded parking lots while passengers are searched one by one... churches have organized security personal to search everyone leaving and entering and now have evacuation plans in place... large gatherings have been postponed until appropriate security is in place... and the police are at attention and ready throughout the city...

I don't see it as an inconvience to be searched, frisked or questioned... and I make sure to thank each officer and security personal I come across...

Uganda is now a different country... here's hoping the security measures last... I for one am cheering for them...

This next week the African Union will be meeting 2 miles from our house and already Ggaba Rd has police stationed every 100 feet along the road... embassy reports are urging people to use precaution and threats of another bombing remain through August for now...

I'm reminded by all of this something that I often pray for my sons... "that they would have no fear of anything whether it be heights, large animals, people or circumstance but that instead they would be filled with the fear of the Lord"...

As the security guards dismissed us one row at a time from church today we sang "Your the God of this City" ... seems to ring true more than ever before after week one of terrorism in Uganda...

48 Hours...

2010-07-13T23:20:00.000+03:00

The last 48 hours have been strange...

I went to bed Sunday night thinking about purchasing our new property the next morning...

Monday Christine woke me up... which was a bit strange itself... and we immediately began calling our friends to make sure everyone was alive...

Needless to say Monday didn't go as planned... I stood around the bank preparing money transfers watching images of the bombings on the local news... the paper work on the land title wasn't finished and the entire process had me wishing that Uganda had an escrow process for purchasing land... and around 2 PM I left the lawyers office accepting defeat that the deal would not be completed on that day only to find that my car tire had been clamped for unpaid parking tickets... which were all suspiciously from dates I was out of the country... be careful about loaning out your car!

Monday I went to bed at 8 PM exhausted... and then woke up at 10 PM itching...

By the time I got to a mirror my entire body was swollen with red sores... some unexplainable allergic reaction... usually I have no shame but seriously the pictures are disgusting... so I raced to the hospital through the empty streets of Kampala and got there in record time...

No one was there except the doctor and nurse who were surprised to see anyone out the night after the bombing... feeling no shame in the empty hospital I ripped off my shirt and pants and begged for steroids... after the initial shock of seeing a naked white man resembling Bob the Tomato the doctor quickly weighed me and handed me 17 pills... I took them all before asking a thing about dosage...

One cold shower later I was back in bed by 11:45 PM...

Today I was just in a haze... happy not to be itching... justified in my distaste for soccer or Ethiopian food... and relieved that our friends are all okay...

I'm hoping tomorrow is boring and uneventful...

Congratulations Joseline!

2010-07-11T17:59:00.000+03:00

Friday was a big day for Joseline... she graduated along with 987 other students from Uganda Christian University!

She now holds a Bachelors Degree in Social Work and Administration. Christine and I are so proud of Joseline. At her post-graduation party her family was so gracious to thanks us for all we have done for her but it does not even compare with all that she has done for our family during our early years in Uganda... having her in our home has been the glue to help us stick in Uganda!

The boys also got to be a part of the special day... playing the role of proud brothers as Joseline marched in her cap and gown...

Long lost friends also helped to make it a special day... Jotham, Faith and Kelly who all have lived with us over the past four years were all able to come and support Joseline... the only guest we all wished to see who couldn't make it was Christopher... He is the pastor who introduced us to Joseline and brought her into our home on September 18, 2006... currently he is in the US and couldn't come...

Noah recognized that it was an important day... so he wore one of my ties for the event... Kadin also was dressed nice... at least for the car ride to the graduation... but the combination of cake and playing with friends ended his day of dress up within moments of arrival...

Congratulations Joseline!

The BIG NEWS...

2010-07-08T23:38:00.000+03:00

We are moving!

But staying in Uganda... with Gaba Bible Institue!

We are just going to move the school, the staff and our family!

Two weeks ago the Board of Governors for Gaba Bible Institute unanimously approved the purchase of a 10+ acre campus which has finished and unfinished buildings that will eventually have capacity for 750 students helping us to become a university!

This has been an act of God from beginning to end... a few months ago I became convicted that the move to the high school campus in Gaba was not the right move... the high school was unable to find a new campus and the community was struggling with the decision to relocate their children... so we backed out of the agreement not knowing where we would go... but knowing that it was best for everyone...

I spent weeks driving EVERYWHERE in search of land... remember the post about getting the Landcruiser stuck? Seriously, I went everywhere...

After a few frustrating weeks... I heard about a college in Gayaza... there was a wealthy Ugandan who had built a College of Science and Technology in South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda... but wanted to sell his un-finished campus in Uganda...

The campus was appraised for 1.15 Billion Ugandan Shillings in December 2008 which at the time was $622,000 with the exchange rate at the time (1:1850). Since that time inflation in land values easily pushes the campus to the $700,000 - 750,000.

Today we agreed to buy it for $350,000!

I have learned that... "if it sounds too good to be true, it must be"... especially when it comes to business deals in Africa... but in this case I really believe that God has given us this campus.

One anxious Sunday a month back I drove Christine and the boys to the campus. Christine loved it and we ended up having tea with the owner... when I shared the vision for the school God did a work in the owner's heart... that week he called his benefactors in Germany and they signed off to cut us this deal... the rest is history...

This move changes everything...

1. We will be leaving our home in Bunga and building a house near the school (when God provides the funds)

2. The boys will have to switch schools since we are moving 40 KM North East...

3. Most of my staff will be moving... although 6 already have houses or land in Gayaza...

4. We will be moving 120+ students, 25 staff, 6,000 books, 45 computers and a load of furniture... while raising $250,000 to finish the purchase and another $150,000 - 200,000 to complete enough construction to move in...

5. We are re-branding the school. Gaba really doesn't work for a name when you are located in Gayaza. GBI still works but we are considering Africa Renewal University or Africa Renewal Bible Institute. Any votes?

6. We are increasing our capacity from 60 students (although we have 120+) to a campus that can one day host 750!

Seriously... this is HUGE!

But all I can think about is the amazing impact on the church and christian organizations in East Africa with another 750 leaders equipped each year... it's worth the effort it will take to make this HUGE leap of faith!

Field Trip...

2010-07-08T00:13:00.000+03:00

Last week I got to take part of the GBI staff on a field trip... It is always fun to see how people are out of the office... And which shy personalities light up when you start pointing a camera at them... Like Annet here from the finance department...

The day was a surprise... which I can't even tell you about but from the looks on everyone's faces they all liked what they saw... where ever it was that we went...

Seriously, I love how whatever culture you are from anyone can get silly in front of a camera...

A few practical jokes were played... and this picture seems to be having Richard... our outgoing Librarian... on the receiving end...

But for now I'll just have to leave you as confused as these 3 guys... about where we went and what took place... some secrets just aren't that fun to keep...

But I'm still keeping my lips sealed... until further notice...

The Official Docs...

2010-07-07T14:37:00.000+03:00

Paper one is the cover letter of our first application to the National Coucil for Higher Education... we submitted it on November 9, 2007... I wish I would have marked on my calendar when we started filling in the application... it must have been June or July...

Paper two is the official letter from the NCHE... it's been about 10 days and I still look at it every day... who says things can't happen in Uganda... just be patient Mizungu!

Hello old friend...

2010-07-07T00:18:00.000+03:00

It's been awhile since I've been sick so this week I am pulling out all the stops... fever, body aches, waves of sweats, unending trips to the white throne and a mysterious rash...

I went to the doctor and gave a sample of everything... nothing more humiliating than walking around with cups of various samples... even I could have told the doctor I was dehydrated... I just figured the less that is in me the less ammunition to fire out of me...

But the doctor was only interested in the rash... which was only on my hands and arms...

I had only noticed the rash once I reached the doctors office... the bright red color was great for keeping the seats to my right and left open so I didn't have to feel crowded in the waiting room...

Once in his office I was bothered by the attention he was giving to the rash and not the other symptoms which were far more uncomfortable... as he was going through my history he asked if I did anything unusual lately with my hands... after a few moments I remembered I used to get the same rash washing dishes at In n' Out... so I told him that this weekend I did the dishes for the first time in about 4 years...

At this point he burst out laughing and said "My friend, you've been in Uganda too long... you've become a true Ugandan man!"

If only every aspect of crossing cultures were that easy...

Buzz Kill...

2010-07-03T19:00:00.000+03:00

Sorry for the let down yesterday... It looks like there will be another week or two delay until I can make any major announcements...

I've been working hard the last two days to not let the delay get me down... after the high of receiving our Letter of Interim Authority I am trying to keep things in perspective... "a week or two delay is nothing in comparison to waiting 3 years for our accreditation"

But seriously... if I ever learn patience I should get a medal or something...

To be continued...

HUGE NEWS...

2010-06-29T22:21:00.000+03:00

Well this isn't the BIG news I've been talking about... that news is coming on Friday... but this is HUGE news on its own...

Yesterday the National Council for Higher Education resolved to give Gaba Bible Institute a Letter of Intrim Authority... our Provisional License...

This means that GBI is now accredited!

I cried when I opened the letter... then I nearly passed out... I can't even begin to describe all that it has taken to get this far... we started this process 3YEARS ago... of the 15 full-time staff members at GBI today only 3 were on staff when we started this process... Jonah the security guard, Annet, the Bursar who was the receptionist at the time and me... we have come a LONG way!

We began researching the requirements and filling forms in July 2007 and on November 9th, 2007 we handed in our first application... unfortunately at the time we didn't have the $2,000 required to process the papers... since then we have completed the report 2 more times and had 2 review teams come through the school... the first review team came in February 2009 and gave us a 33 improvements that we needed to make... it took an entire year to make the improvements and we weren't even sure if they would give us the license because we still don't have our own campus...

But they did... and now GBI is one of seven Christian colleges and universities that is recognized by the government of Uganda!

Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement along the way!

Cryptic Messages...

2010-06-27T22:15:00.000+03:00

I realize the June 13 blog was a little cryptic...

I have never been one to keep secrets well... I have learned that as soon as I buy a present I need to immediately give it to the person or I risk giving away the element of surprise with my big mouth... My dad probably still has the tie "we didn't buy him" for his birthday...

Well... I don't have a present for you...

But I am hoping that on July 1st I will get the final confirmation to open my big mouth...

I love my job... it is the first place I have ever been where every day I feel stretched beyond my capabilities and ever day I know that I need God to make it all happen because I can't do it on my own...

On July 2 I'll be announcing the biggest step yet... this is something that has been me up all night for months with excitement (as well as plenty of anxiety) and sporatic on the blog for fear of opening my mouth too soon!

Stay tuned...

Joni and Friends Christian Institute on Disability

2010-06-24T09:13:00.000+03:00

This week Gaba Bible Institute became the first school in all of Africa to host Joni and Friends Christian Institute on Disability. It has been a huge honor to have 55 participants from 5 East African nations (Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, Congo, Rwanda) trained at our school!

The next steps...

2010-06-13T17:08:00.000+03:00

A friend posted this on Facebook today...

"Unless there is an element of risk in your exploits for God there is no need for faith."

-- James Hudson Taylor

I feel like this is the exact point where we are at... God has put something huge right in front of us... it's not a matter of "yes" or "no" ... we definitely know that the answer is "yes"

Now it is just a matter of "how" and "when" ...

To be continued...

Noah's Big Stage Debut... and everything else...

2010-06-08T18:33:00.001+03:00

Last Wednesday night Noah had his debut on "the big stage"... it was actually the upper soccer field at Rainbow International School but for Noah and his classmates it was a HUGE step up from the general assembly room... and for nervous parents it was exciting to see Year 1 in their first major production...

Noah started in the role of "Narrator" and nailed his lines... loud and clear... he also put together his costume himself...

The play was "The Goblins Next Door"... filled with fairy tales, songs and great 1st Grade humor... it was pretty amazing how the teachers were about to coordinate 3 classes of 50+ 6-year-olds into 70 minutes of entertainment...

When Noah is not acting he enjoys reading, futbol and most especially drawing... when he grows up he wants to be an artist... he's off to a great start... most mornings I find him in the family room starting on his first creation of the day around 6 AM... he specializes in animals, volcanoes and pirate ships...

He is still as social as ever and considers all 50+ students in P1 (first grade) to be his good friends...he is a good brother to Kadin at school and makes sure that all his friends play with Kadin when he's around...

Noah moves into P2 (second grade) in August and will continue with futbol and swim club... his new teacher (whose name I forget already) led Wild Life Club for Noah this year and he is very excited to move into her class...

Life with Kadin

2010-06-07T17:31:00.000+03:00

It's been awhile since there has been an update on the boys... so here's the latest in the world of Kadin...

In less than three weeks he will be finishing pre-school and be on his way to Kindergarten in August... his teacher refers to Kadin as "the leader of the class" while Kadin refers to his classmates as "my children"... and it is also exciting to see him excited about learning...

Each night we get a COMPLETE wrap up of the days lessons in which he usually repeats the entire lesson word for word... he is fascinated with dinosaurs, machines and just about any animal in the world... he is also showing signs that he will soon be reading...

He has an incredible imagination... when he plays pretend... which is often... his world is full of motion, sound and excitement...

He is a big fan of his big brother... this last week he watched Noah's entire 70 minute play after already watching it at school the day before... most of the time they are inseparable - playing, wrestling, fighting, drawing or talking constantly...

This is a shot of Kadin and "his children"

Another First...

2010-06-05T11:27:00.002+03:00

It has been awhile since I have experienced something new in Uganda... but this week I went all in and had my first experience getting stuck in the mud...

This was an uncomfortable experience since there was no cell phone coverage... no houses around... and we were 3 km from the nearest sign of civilization...

Fortunately, there were a group of men living in the weeds and reeds who make a living off of getting guys like me unstuck...

First, they had to swim under the car and get a log unstuck from my axle... then they had to dig out the front bumper and tires out from the mud...

During this period of unearthing the car we put our faith in a young man to go to town in search of a big truck to pull me out... he came back with a dump truck that needed to be loaded down with mud and sand... along with a mess of tangled steel wire to tie the two cars together...

The whole time I was thinking about the emergency brake on the dump truck failing and the blue truck sliding backwards to smash the landcruiser...

After 3 hours of digging, spinning and pulling the landcruiser was freed from the muddy pit... Then it was time to pay the 20 guys pushing and the 3 guys in the dump truck pulling...

As we left the guys went back to setting the trap for the next sucker to fall in their pit... a great model for sustainable business!

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience... other than the brief moment when I slipped taking pictures and fell face first in the muddy pit...

For everyone else that seemed to be their favorite moment of the experience and I was happy to join them in the laughter...

Some days in Africa don't go as planned... but they are always good for a new adventure...

Byamugisha Eric Frank

2010-05-26T14:30:00.001+03:00

Byamugisha Eric Frank was the first member of his family to go to school. His mother and father survive as subsistence farmers in a rural village near Masaka. The first school Eric attended met under a tree and the children learned to count by collecting small sticks.

Wanting more for their son, Eric's parents sent him to live with his step-brother so he could be enrolled in the Child Sponsorship Program at Gaba Community Church (GCC). Due to the poor education he had received in the village, Eric was unable to read or write so he began in Kindergarten when he was 10 years old. On weekends he attended Sunday School at GCC and it was there where Eric first heard about Christ and chose to follow Him.

Eric received a scholarship to enroll at Gaba Bible Institute after graduating from Secondary School and was one of the pioneer students at GBI in January 2007. After graduating in December of 2008 Eric married his fellow GBI Grad, Kikome Aidah, and began serving as the Pastor of Discipleship at Fountain of Light Ministries in Bunga.

Eric and Aidah served at Fountain of Light Ministries for a year but felt a strong call to be sent out from GCC as church planters. Taking a leap of faith, they resigned from their ministry in Bunga, knowing that GCC would want them to serve as volunteer ministers before sending them out.

Eric was encouraged by the leadership of GCC to look for other work to support his family during the transition. But, unable to find employment, Eric came to GBI and offered himself as a volunteer. He understood that he wouldn't find work just sitting at home.

Eric volunteered faithfully for three months before a position opened at GCC for him to be the Pastor of Evangelism and Discipleship. Eric still serves in the Student Life Department at GBI as the coordinator of chapels, mentoring groups and spiritual retreats while also helping GBI students get involved serving at GCC. Aidah is serving at GBI as a volunteer in the library and works in the Children's Ministry at GCC.

"I want to see believers mature in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. Maturity is important so they won't be blown away by the storms of life."

Urgent Request...

2010-05-21T22:12:00.000+03:00

I am finding myself at a complete lose right now...

Recently a friend confronted me on something in my life... something I couldn't see...

As soon as they confronted me I wanted to hide it and try to just grow in that area on my own...

Finally I got the courage to talk to my wife about it...

Fortunately she was compassionate enough to help me see the problem for myself... although it hurt to see the truth and the fear of losing everything feels so real... I am comforted to know that she is standing with me through it...

I'm 30 years old and I am going bald...

It's so bad that 3 months without a haircut... which my co-workers refer to as "the gel phase" ... can't hide a thing...

Knowing that it's Friday afternoon and you are probably completely zoned out at work I am urgently requesting that you stop and take time to leave a comment...

Should a shave it... cut it... dye it... or celebrate the fact that I can still grow a mullet???

HP LaserJet 1320 Printer Jam...

2010-05-17T13:00:00.002+03:00

You have reached this page due to a printing failure with your HP LaserJet 1320 which is indicated by a flashing orange light. The following steps will allow you to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Begin by opening the front panel and remove the ink cartridge

2. Look for any possible obstructions which would impede the paper from passing through (paper clips, crumpled paper, lizards, etc)

3. Once the obstruction has been removed reinsert the ink cartridge and close the front panel

4. If the orange light continues to flash re-open and look for other obstacles (fragments of paper, lizard eggs, etc)

5. Once all particles have been removed reassemble the object which was jamming the printer to ensure that all obstacles have been removed

6. If the problem continues please contact one of our service technicians and they would be happy to search for additional obstructions, hide the lizard eggs in their underwear drawers in attempts to hatch the eggs or answer any questions you may have in regards to your printer

Refugee Missionary...

2010-05-12T22:55:00.000+03:00

This week has been more hectic than most... I've been filling in in the Registrar's office during our 2-week holiday term...

On Monday I had one of those extremely geographically-challenged moments as I was registering a student from Eritrea... for the life of me I couldn't figure out which town in Uganda he was referring to... but his light skin, curly hair and slight Hebrew-ish accent caused me to think that Eritrea might be a country...

Fortunately, when there is no knowledge wikipedia is there to stand in the gap... for those who are as confused as I was... the State of Eritrea is located East of Sudan and North of Ethiopia...

Brhane is an amazing man of God who was kind enough to share his testimony with me... he is a businessman who was forced to leave Eritrea due to religious persecution and is now living in Uganda as a refugee... he is a shoemaker with shops throughout Eritrea and now Uganda...

I asked him directly if he was a pastor and he insisted he was not... rather he is a man called by God to fund his evangelism and preaching ministry through his business...

The second question I asked was if he was at GBI to get a Diploma... he confidently said no but that his hope was to learn the Bible completely so he can share it with others...

Knowing that he was not interested in religious titles and credentials only got me more interested in hearing his story... he shared about the persecution he faced (all with a smile of joy on his face)... his church of 250 Eritrean refugees in Uganda that he is a member of and the opportunities he has had to lead other refugees to the Lord and disciple them... then he showed me a number of interesting websites about Eritrea... seriously google "Christian Persecution Eritrea" if you want to learn more...

Wanting him to stay longer I tried to register him for classes through 2020... but he insisted that he did not know how long he would stay... his wife whom he married in 2007 has been a refugee in Canada for the last 2 years and they both have a calling to return to Eritrea to preach the gospel as soon as they can... GBI is great but we can't compete with that type of calling so I simply assured him that we would teach him all we could while he was around...

Stories like Brhane's remind me what a privilege it is to train African leaders...

Appreciation...

2010-05-07T18:00:00.003+03:00

One of the many things that happens at Ugandan parties are countless speeches... countless long speeches to be more precise...

This used to drive me over the edge... I'm not the best listener to start with... and I'm not very good at sitting either... so the combined force of these strenuous activities is almost certain to result in me falling asleep no matter where the event is held...

But lately I have found myself less inclined to sleep in public due to what is being said at these parties... whether it is a graduation, wedding or end of the school year celebration the majority of the speeches revolve around the theme of appreciation...

I myself have come to appreciate this because it is something I wish I would do more of... I was taught to write "thank you letters" when receiving gifts and to say "thanks" when given something... but of all the times I have stood in front of crowds I can only count a handful of opportunities to publicly appreciate someone in my life...

On Friday I had an opportunity to make an impromptu speech of appreciation to the son of the man who called me into the ministry... last week he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and was given just a handful of days... so I called at 1 AM California time not wanting to miss the opportunity to appreciate all he had done for me in my life...

Rich was a father to 3 grown men and a spiritual father to thousands of youth in his decades of ministry... he was a model of faithfulness to his wife - at times being credited as the inventor of the "side-hug"... he called and mentored countless pastors, missionaries, elders and deacons in the ministry... and could throw faster under-hand than 97% of men can throw over-hand...

He was a man among boys... or to be more precise he taught boys how to be men...

He never wrote a book, stood before thousands or had his name written on billboards... but on Saturday a church will be filled beyond capacity, an entire city will mourn and countless others will be grieve from afar...

Rich Fisher invested in my life by calling me and equipping me for a life time of ministry... I could write for days about all he did for me... but I am sure that he has much better things to do now than to read blogs in heaven... so I'll cry for the loss I feel, I'll grieve for the family he has left behind and I will honor his memory by continuing to call and equip others as he once did for me...

I love you Rich...

End of Term Party...

2010-05-06T21:36:00.000+03:00

The first term for 2010 ends tomorrow... but last Friday we had a party before the students had to get serious about preparing for their final exams...

I was once a student... and I know that no one really studies for finals until the weekend before...

This was one of my favorite GBI parties of all time...

The men from North and Eastern Uganda got it started with a song and dance that had everyone shouting and jumping...

The students from Western Uganda were next as Alice stole the show with her amazing voice...

The women from Tanzania gave us a him that was so high I am sure they shattered glass all over Gaba... and it was great to see them in traditional dress...

Mercy from Kenya was next...

... followed by the young men from Congo...

The students from Rwanda and Burundi gave my favorite dance of the day... simply because most of the men just stood and clapped... a traditional dance that I believe I can one day master... I wish I would have gotten video of that one so I could practice...

And no matter who was singing and dancing everyone was cheering...

...even when our librarian and security guard danced together...

Last Friday was one of my favorite parties because it reminded me how diverse our students are and what great love they have for each other... a love that is blind to race, tribe and position...

For a stranger passing by to see students from the North cheering for students from the West... students from all over Rwanda and Burundi singing together... and staff and students dancing and laughing together... there is no doubt that they would see the love of God in this place...

Okello Gaspher Jimmy

2010-04-26T19:24:00.003+03:00

In 1998 rebels from The Lord's Resistance Army became so deadly that we had to escape from our home in the north to Lingira Island on Lake Victoria. We stayed one year on the island, and in 1999, we returned to Patongo where I finished my primary education.

In 2002 I had to walk from Patongo to Lira ( approximately 46 miles) due to fear of being ambushed by the rebels. By this time I was a Christian, and I refused to join them. God was so good to me despite of those tough times; He protected my life.

In November 2002, Lingira Island became my hiding place again. I remained there as a fisherman and got involved in a church. God called me to lead the youth of Lingira Deliverance Church. I served voluntarily for seven years. God continued providing for my education.

Then in January 2008, missionaries sent me to Gaba Bible Institute. I can testify that God used that time to teach me about being a servant leader. After graduation the leaders of Deliverance Church Uganda requested me to pastor Lingira Deliverance Church for 2010.

God spoke to me to go back north and transform that area with the true gospel of Christ. Next year I will go to plant Patongo Community Church of Christ. I am so grateful for the training I have received and ask you to pray with me that God's plan will be accomplished in my life.

Okello Gaspher Jimmy graduated from Gaba Bible Institute in Uganda in 2009

Difficult passage...

2010-04-23T18:00:00.002+03:00

Wazemba Paul traveled from Mbale in Eastern Uganda for an opportunity to study computers at GBI... he applied and was accepted to begin in September of 2009 but never ended up attending a class... because he couldn't get to the computer lab...

In January nothing changed... the computer lab was still upstairs, Paul was still in a wheelchair and our new campus is still a year away... so we constructed ramps up the stairs but they were too step for wheelchairs and too slick for the other students to walk on...

Plan B... "Paul will you trust us to carry you upstairs?"

Now everyday Paul rides his hand-bike through the potholes in Gaba from the room he rents... he is unable to stay in our dormitories because there are too many obstacles for wheelchairs...

Paul knocks on the gate of the school and waits for the guards to let him in... then he passes through the lobby and transfers from his hand-bike to his wheelchair...

Then he waits for two of the stronger male students to carry him up the stairs or someone volunteers to round them up... there are definitely a few students that he won't allow to carry him... I don't blame him for wanting someone who won't drop him...

Paul is a good sport about the whole thing... he doesn't complain... and when people are slow to help he waits...

I can tell that the extra attention is not something he longs for... it took me weeks to build up the courage just to ask him if I could take pictures... and he graciously accepted...

Living with a disability is a great challenge in any country but in Uganda it is an even greater challenge due to the lack of accessibility to public buildings, businesses, churches and schools...

Paul has a great attitude and he's the type of young man who can overcome great challenges...

But I wonder how many others don't come because there are too many challenges standing in their way?

A Milestone for Joseline...

2010-04-21T17:57:00.002+03:00

One of the first things we were told to do when we moved to Uganda was to hire house help... we were told that as "rich westerners" it would be selfish not to provide a job for someone in the local community...

Well when it comes to my boys I don't mind being a bit selfish... I didn't mind the idea of someone helping with cleaning and cooking... but my sons are "my sons"... at the time Kadin was 9 months old and Noah had just turned 2...

Within a few weeks we hired a local girl to help cook and clean... and eventually we let her watch the boys occasionally... but that came to a sudden end when we discovered that she passed out drunk while watching them one day and left them alone for hours...

To say the least I was furious... and being that it was during our first year of cultural adjustment my trust for Ugandans in general was at an all-time low... fortunately Christopher, my friend and translator convinced me that it was unfair to judge a group of people as all being the same... he was right...

He also asked me to give another young girl a chance...

September 2006 Joseline came to live in our home... Christopher convinced me that she wouldn't be the same as the other girl... he also convinced me to offer her an incentive... he knew that she had long desired to go to college but had no one to help her... so I gave her an offer I figured that she would never live up to... I promised to pay for college in exchange for not disappointing my family...

Today she sat for her final exam and on June 28 she will graduate from Uganda Christian University...

and I gladly have endured the consequence of my promise to her...

Our boys love her and don't remember life without her...

She has sacrificed her own safety and well being at times to care for and protect my boys... and she has been there for birthdays, first days and just about every milestone for the past 4 years...

But she is not just a part of the boys lives... she is a part of our family... Christine and I are a bit different than most couples and parents we know... no need to explain...

But on one of Joseline's first nights in our home I brought her to tears... Kadin was about a year and a half and did something at the dinner table he shouldn't have... so I took him back to his bedroom and gave him a spank... large empty concrete rooms also have amazing acoustics I should add... after he finished crying I brought him back to the table... within seconds Joseline lost it and ran off crying to her room...

That night I asked her what was wrong... she started to shake and held back the tears as she asked why I beat Kadin... I explained that I didn't beat Kadin but that I disciplined him because I love him... she went on to ask a few more questions until she fully understood...

The next day she brought Kadin to me and asked me to spank him again...

I am not sure what you call it when someone takes the time to understand your family, care for them and love them over the course of years... but I know it is more than simply "house help"...

Although her graduation is near we have asked Joseline to stay... not as an employee or helper... but just until she is ready to get married (and "no" this is not an announcement of that) we want her to be with us in our home...

Within the next 2 months she will be starting a new job as a Guidance Counselor at GBI... I had a few connections to help get her the job... but I can't think of a better role model to teach our young women about integrity, character, purity and commitment...

To say we are proud of her is an understatement... she is a gift that God gave to us to help us survive and thrive as a family in a foreign land...

Homecoming week...

2010-04-20T21:22:00.000+03:00

Last week we hosted a John Maxwell Leadership Conference at GBI... I expected that many people would come because it is great material... I also expected that many people would come because they desire to learn more about leadership...

What I didn't expect was that so many would come just to see each other... of the 170 participants at our conference last week 40 were GBI alumni... or 60% of our alumni over the last 2 years... many (including Reuben, Nathan and Charles in this picture) traveling 5-7 hours by bus and taxi for the 2 day event...

I can't even begin to describe how great it was to see the alumni laughing, talking and embracing each other like long lost family members... many of them stayed in the dorms with the current students... and ended up talking almost the entire night... others who live close by were their early and staying late until they had greeted all their friends...

All in all the conference was a success... in spite of the huge downpour of rain we had each morning the participants all made it through the mud to hear each session... the food was great and served on time (a monumental achievement)... but for me it would have been a success if it were just a gathering of our former students telling stories about life after GBI...

Friday after the conference I got to talk with 2 alumni that faced many challenges while at GBI... mainly being away from their families... one has 9 children and the other 5... I asked them both if they would do it again... both got huge smiles on their faces and laughed... "Pastor Jeff" one replied "our families are the ones who have benefited the most! We now know how to love our wives and care for our children"

The conference was nice... but for me the best part was having our alumni come home for a visit...