African Adventures: Mark, Sarah, Seth, Jodie & Megan

African Adventures With The Williams Five!

2012-01-15T21:27:00.000-08:00

Leavin’ on a jet plane!

Last night we had the most fluffy huge- flake snow I’ve seen in a very long time! It didn’t start till after the kids went to bed and as the evening wore on the flakes kept getting bigger and bigger. At midnight Mark was out building a snow man for the kids to see in the morning. There’s about 7 inches on the ground. So the wonder of the snow has brought squeals of glee from Seth and Jodie already this morning. They’re having breakfast as quickly as possible and planning their snowball fight and snowman building. Such a great treat for us before we head off! ( A whole winter of snow? Yuck! A fluffy dump before heading off to the equator? Fantastic! )
Five days from now we’ll be doing the last minute packing and piling our crew into two vehicles bound for the Vancouver airport. It’s a little bit exciting and a lot daunting! The cool part is we don’t have to pack many of our clothes… summer clothes, Uganda… winter clothes, Canada. But we will be hauling along anything the kids are grown out of and my maternity clothes and LOADS of donations. It looks like we’ll have 17 or 18 bags this time and two car seats (Seth’s in a booster, hallelujah!)
We’re looking forward to seeing our friends and the staff and students at the school in Uganda. Our heart is always partly there even when we’re here. This is Sarah writing and from my perspective, Mark and I are becoming a bit weary of the international aspects of our life. It’d be great to have everyone we love on one continent. Silly talk but true desire! We’ll keep you posted as we look into the future of the next few years. We would appreciate prayer about that.
So, to those of you we didn’t get to see we hope to see you next time. We missed catching up with you. But, our little Meg has proven to be the WORST traveler we’ve ever had. She is rarely in her car seat without crying/ screaming. Such a good natured child, but such an aversion to car seats! We fully realize what a dreadful time we would have had trying to travel long distances with her. To those of you we’ve seen we thank you for the great times and good memories. We are so rich in friends and true fellowship. We thank God for that regularly.
Before I sign off and carry on packing I have a great announcement! The music group that came into being in Uganda with friends from our church has finally released an album! We’re called ‘JInja Dam’ and made up of me, my Texas friend Downie, and our British husband and wife combo Andrew and Keeley. We were all missionaries at the same time in Uganda and became good friends as we wrote songs together.

The other two families have since moved back to their respective countries but we all keep in touch and continue to write songs long distance. I LOVE the album and I think you would too! I’ve written and sung 2 of the songs on the album and Downie sings the others that she and Andrew and Keeley have written. So everybody!!!!................ Order an album!!!!!!! Many of you know the hard work and cash that goes into an album and the music is no good still in the wrapper! So please email me with how many you’d like to buy. The best part about that is %10 of all profits go directly to The African Children’s Choir Primary School in Uganda. All of us from the group are selling as many as we can so they’re being sold in the US, Canada, and the UK! It’s exciting!
The Cds are $12 each. When you order send me your mailing address in case we don’t have it so I’m sure to get it to you. We have a New Year’s photo here for all of you that we’ll be mailing out to you in the next three or four days. If you place an order we’ll include your CD with that photo and keep it simple! If you didn’t get our photo last year you may not be on our mailing list so let us know! Most importantly, BE SURE TO ORDER (EMAIL) IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE’RE LEAVING IN A FEW DAYS AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET IT TO YOU AFTER THAT UNTIL WE GET BACK!

You can send a check or cash to
Jinja Dam
c/o Winnie Williams
#4 West Terrace Close
Cochrane, AB T4C 1R2

We leave on the 20th (Friday) at 8:30 PM and will fly to London (about 9 hours) and then layover 14 hours (we’ll get a hotel and shower and sleep hopefully) and then fly 9.5 hours more to Uganda. We’ll send an email not when we arrive but as soon as we come up for air!

So everyone, farewell! We’ll be in touch across the miles! We love and appreciate you!

Mark, Sarah, Seth, Jodie, and Meg

2011-11-28T00:48:00.000-08:00

Look at me!!!
I’m here and I’m happy!
My name is Megan Joy Williams and
I was born on November 23rd at 7:58 AM. I weighed 8 lbs 12 oz and I was 52 cm long. But I think I’m growing already! My brother Seth and my sister Jodie are very excited to finally be able to hold me and kiss me.
I hope you can come and see me sometime soon!

Love from Megan Joy

Along with this birth announcement of our precious daughter we would like to invite you to be part of a special event in her honor.

During this past year we have become increasingly aware of the incredible blessings we have, the provisions God has made for us, and the prosperity of our countries. As we’ve observed intensifying hardship for our staff at the African Children’s Choir Primary School in Uganda, we’ve been compelled to make extra efforts to give in whatever ways we can. So….!! Here’s our creative idea!

Please join us on Saturday December 3rd from 10am to 3pm for a dual purpose open house. We want you to meet our baby girl and welcome her into the world! And instead of bringing anything as a gift for her, we ask that you would come well prepared to give to specific families in Uganda in her honor. We have brought along with us from Uganda unique and practical artifacts that you can purchase and take home as either Christmas gifts for loved ones, for yourself, or even as reminders of Ugandan families who need your prayers regularly. There will be other items available, such as:

· Very nice Christmas trees (it turns out, Mark is a tree planter! He planted them 6 years ago before we left for Uganda!) Up to 8’ tall (4 available)
· African artifacts include a variety of wooden spoons, wooden bowls, shawls, drums, woven baskets and more
· Sarah and some fellow missionary friends have written and recorded a CD! It’s being released next week in the States and the UK and is available here for this event! After production costs are covered 10% of all profits will be given directly to The African Children’s Choir Primary School.

Each item will be priced reasonably and you will be free to give that amount or any amount above that if you would like. When we return to Uganda and are able to dispense the funds of this open house as tangible gifts of food to these families, we will send you a photo and a firsthand report on the blessing brought about by this event! Please come and be part of it!*

There will be beverages, snacks, desserts, and lots of happiness!!!!! You’ll also have the opportunity if you wish, to view a 10 minute video.. ‘The Life of a Choir Child’.. put together by Mark to capture the essence of where the choir children come from and the blessing that the choir program is to them.

It will be held at 30543 Northridge Way, Abbotsford.

Please RSVP! We can’t wait to see you and introduce you to our little one as well!

Blessings!
Mark, Sarah, Seth, Jodie, and Baby

*If you are unable to come on that day you can still be part of this fundraiser by sending a check to

Mark and Sarah Williams
30543 Northridge Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 6X7

African Adventures With The Williams Four!

2011-11-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

After 24 hours I survived my trek from Entebbe back to Vancouver. It is hard to believe the differences between one place and the other. I was greeted at the airport by my two little angels, Seth and Jodie. They came running and I got the biggest hug I have had from them and I did not let go until giving them many kisses. Sarah, my Miss America was in the background and I enjoyed a long awaited hug from her as well.

It was just a week ago that I spent a full day with the grade seven class on a trip to Jinja, source of the Nile in Uganda. The 29 students were enjoying their last event at the school before their long holiday between primary and secondary school. As we made our way through Kampala taking a few short cuts I was sitting up front on the bus and I couldn’t help but realize how bad off many of the homes were. The article I read on the front page of the national paper that said 60% of the population of the Kampala live in slums seemed to be true. The rainy season rains had not helped as there was flooding and everyone was trying to walk in very muddy conditions. As I shook my head I realized that we were passing an area that I had visited many times; homes of children from our school. I could see the muddy path that lead down into a pit of homes ready to fall over. Turning around and looking back I saw 29 students in the bus that come from the same type of homes, happy and enjoying life.

I realized that we were not just providing a top notch education for these children, three meals a day, good discipline and discipleship but maybe most importantly, hope. Poverty seems to breed discouragement and a future with nothing to look forward to. There are no goals being set and no reason to move forward as many Ugandans are trapped in an endless cycle of poverty. I felt very thankful to be a part of a team of people committed to bringing hope.

Our journey continued to a few touristy sights in Jinja and two homes that help baby orphans and those abandoned by aids. Both homes were started by former chaperones that have travelled with the African Children’s Choir at a young age and have left the comforts of the west to fill a need in Uganda. The students were impressed with what they saw and also provided encouragement and excitement for the staff that work in these two homes. It was a little bit of giving back and sharing hope to others.

A few days later all of the grade seven students were on their way home with memories of their time at of the African Children’s Choir Primary School. They left with a food hamper, new Bible and a little bit of money tucked into their newly treasured Bible. As I said goodbye to each one my prayer was that they would go out, serve Christ and make us proud. They left with a hug and the prayers of many in the days to come as they transition from the watchful care of the primary school into the more challenging reality of secondary school.

As I sit in my warm dry house this evening in Canada I can’t believe the difference a week can make. I know our students are prepared and even though they have hope in the Lord, they will face a tough challenge this three month holiday before they start secondary. As much as I want to continue with them I know my responsibility is at the primary school; being there for those to come and to prepare them for the way ahead. The grade seven class of 2012 looks even more promising academically which is always encouraging to me and our staff. But this class also has some challenging individuals to guide and train. As a team we will work even harder to prepare these ones for secondary school and more importantly life.

As we look towards a new year we are hoping that you would continue to keep us in your prayers as there are many challenges ahead. I am encouraged when I look back at challenges we’ve faced and I can see how God has met the needs of the school every time. However the difficulties continue to mount as inflation will increase almost 30% for this year alone. Budgets will most likely not be increased due to the challenging times in the West. My goal is to raise money for food and fencing at the school. The top portion of our land needs a chain link fence so that we can keep the cattle out so they will not eat our crops. This fence will also discourage people from stealing. Money will also be used to help supplement the food budget and buy things like chicks to start layers in the old carpenter shop on the land. We are also trying to collect as many as 5000 pens, 2000 pencils, 2000 erasers and 2000 pencil sharpeners. (Keep in mind the students do every bit of their studies, revising, and homework on paper so we go through a significant amount of these things every term.) If you are interested or feel led to help us out in any of these areas please let me know and I will tell you more specifically how this can happen. My hope is that in one way or another we can all reach out and make a difference this holiday season to someone around us.

On a personal note, our third little one is due in a week and we are awaiting her arrival! We’ll be sending out an announcement about that for sure! Please pray with us for a safe delivery and healthy baby and mama.

Blessings, Mark

African Adventures With The Williams Four!

2011-10-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving Day in Uganda seems a little different than it would back in Canada but still the idea is the same. No turkey, although we did have grandpa with us for the last four weeks or so (no offence dad). Of course grandma has been here too and it was nice for Sarah to have the help putting on the feast! The alternative chicken was good and the missing cranberry sauce has never been a favourite of mine anyway. We also added fish for a local twist and Sarah prepared it the way her grandma always has. That was special! As we went around the table to mention something that we were thankful for I did agree with Seth that the juice was a pretty nice thing and thanks were due.
Reflecting on the day it was great to celebrate it in Uganda as it demonstrated once again that we have much more than we realize to be thankful for. Just having a meal to sit down to after an earlier breakfast and lunch I realized was more than many of the people in this world are accustomed to. One is truly blessed if they have three meals a day and a roof over their head. The latter was also evident to me today as one of the staff members at the school asked for a loan so he could fix the leaking roof on his small house for his family.
Speaking of family that was another area that I realized that I am truly blessed by. With a great wife and two fun, but polite kids with a third one on the way a man can’t ask for much more. I took my dad on a few home visits last week and the three homes we visited found no dad and three moms who are HIV positive. The future is not bright for them but I was so impressed with their desire and effort to fight as long as they can to provide for their children.
Having mom and dad Williams with us it is clear that our Godly heritage from both sides of the family is a big blessing. There are not roots to witchcraft like many of the students here fight off. Having two parents that love being grandpa and grandma to Seth and Jodie is a gift like no other. Seth and grandpa have been buds while Jodie has a cooking companion. Thanks to the Williams and Carpenters for a good foundation to begin our family on.
Moving forward we continue to be challenged to do all we can with the students and staff that we come into contact with. We were able to give a generous food hamper to all those on staff this thanksgiving due to the generosity of many of you. God calls us to make a difference and this thanks giving in Uganda has once again made it very clear to us as a family with our Godly heritage and prosperity that we indeed must share the love we have been given. We know you are also committed to making a difference in the lives of those around you who are hungry both physically and spiritually and we encourage you to keep it up!
Blessings, Mark, Sarah, Seth and Jodie

Adventures With Mark… Home Visits

2011-08-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Term two has just ended. I often think of the students from the school over the holidays as I spend time with my kids. I can’t help but think of how blessed our children are in many ways compared to the students at school. I’m referring to material things a bit but also basic things like their physical needs being met, food every time they’re hungry, their own beds, a safe environment to live and play in, medical care when they need it, and Canadian passports. These are things we often take for granted. My awareness of our students’ living conditions this holiday has been no different in this regard. Every holiday the school staff spends some time visiting different homes with the focus being very needy homes or children with behavior problems. Each person of our four member management team leads a team to different areas where our students call home. This term my group of seven piles into our Prado and heads towards the Luwero area that is out of Kampala and unfortunately famous for the hardships it suffered during the war with Ida Amin in the 1970s. Once out of the city we begin stopping at students’ houses and to my surprise the first house we stop at is nice. We take our shoes off on the tiled floor and greet the mother. Children seem to be popping out of everywhere. As we sit down and visit we are told that when Catherine first joined the choir things were very different and difficult. The mother has worked hard to add much needed extra income by making paving stones for landscaping and boundary stones for plots of land. She takes us out back and we see stacks of her product that she has made completely by hand. We talk about her sales and all of us are very impressed and proud of this mother who is working very hard to provide for her family.
As we continue our visits we end up about two hours out of the city in an area that is very bushy, rural and pretty much at the end of the road. I feel like I am driving on a tree planting road again back in northern British Columbia with Old Yeller, our 4 x 4 ford 350 crew cab. However when I look around at the sparse mud huts I know I am not. Our tour guide from the main town nearly an hour away is Pete’s older brother and without him we would not have found the place at all. We pull up to Pete’s house and we are greeted by his mom. Again several small children also appear out of nowhere. Once inside we are received as honoured guests and shown a picture of the deceased father. The mom is extremely friendly but reminds me more of a grandma as one can tell that life has been hard on her. They are very excited for the food hamper of rice, sugar, posho, salt and some soap. She quickly hurries off to roast for us some local peanuts she has planted. Some cute dresses from some kind ladies in International Falls are given to the smaller girls and left over school packets from the MEI team for the older children. All are happy and once pictures are taken the goodies are put away for Christmas. We have one last food hamper and give it to Pete’s mother who prays a blessing on all of us. It is now 3 in the afternoon and the grade six boy had left at nine in the morning to run an errand for his mom. After waiting awhile we say our goodbyes and leave hoping to find Pete along the way. As we load up a chicken is given to me as a token or her appreciation.
Our guide takes us back on a different bush road and then we come across Pete. His bike from 1942 has a flat front tire or should I say a completely worn out tire and he has been walking for several hours. We pile out and he is very happy to see us as we all greet him with a hug. He does not look good and may have malaria indicated by the sores around his mouth. After some visiting we give him enough money to get his bike tire fixed and he heads on his way for the last trek home. He is excited that we came to his house and knows that most likely there will be a little extra help in regards to food for his mom and perhaps a nice supper. As we finish our drive out I see many shrines and a large compound where many people have gathered. I learn from our guide that this area is a central or ‘source’ location for witchcraft in Uganda. Many of the people there were visiting a witchdoctor and some of the visitors were even witchdoctors seeking more or specific power. We are told that more children than normal go missing in this area and this is most likely due to child sacrifices. I sense something I don’t like and think about Pete the entire journey back into the City and another hour home to my house. As I arrive home one of the first things I do is give my amazing wife a big hug and open the door to the room of my two sleeping children. I see them comfortable in their bunk bed with a soft mattress, pillow and blanket and just stare at them for a while. I give them both a kiss and pray blessings on them while adding protection for them and Pete who I have a complete new understanding for. I go to bed knowing I am helping kids that really do need help and are making the best of very difficult circumstances. I vow to do all I can to be the best I can for the school, staff, students and my family.

Adventures With Sarah... It's a ???

2011-08-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

I see Mark has written a great blurb that I hope you have all had the time to read. His work is inspiring! I must say, I’ve done home visits and I find them incredibly challenging. It takes huge amounts of physical energy, focus, and emotional energy. Home visits also provoke many questions in my mind about God, fairness, reality, justice, eternity, and a multitude of other big issues. To be in a position to bring food hampers to needy families is a great privilege, but the desire to do more and ‘fix it all’ never goes away. And facing the fact that you can’t do that is not easy. Anyway… that’s my ‘feelings’ input on Mark’s story.
I’m going to shift gears here and pass on some very exciting news that we just found out yesterday…. It’s a girl!!!!!! All four of us went and saw a wiggling, squirming, shadowy creature on a very small screen. According to Jodie, ‘If there’s a pee-pee then it’s a boy but if there’s no pee-pee then it’s a girl!’ There was no ‘pee-pee’. I think Seth may have been a bit disappointed to be honest… maybe Mark too for a few minutes… I think they were envisioning another body to wrestle with and go to sports events with. But Jodie and I were quite elated! I was convinced from day 1 that this was a boy so I was shocked! I had predicted both of our other kids accurately so it was good for me to be completely wrong! We can’t wait to meet her!
As far as our kids are concerned… all is well. Seth is doing school from home and though he likes his friends he is extremely content to spend days on end just at home… sometimes I have to work hard to convince him that a play date at someone else’s house would be fun. Jodie is sincerely his best friend. Jodie is a little mother to all and can be extremely bossy. Her tomboy characteristics are hilarious. I have given up on dresses and fixing her hair (I cut her some sensible bangs and we don’t fuss). But she loves to play with make-up and be cooking in the kitchen. Her baby doll Kira, is never neglected and is frequently attended to with bandages and medicine because she’s sick. I love my kids!!! They’re full of adventure, dirt, laughter, fighting, and taking care of each other. What more could a mother want?
Lastly for me when we are home there are a few things we already know we are going to need. And I want to throw them out there in case any of you have ideas. As it is, our plan is to hit the thrift stores when we get home… but if there’s an option that’s more guaranteed we’d be happy for it! I’m going to need a rocking chair of some sort for this little one. Hopefully something not big and lazy-boyish but more like a glider or other non-space-hogging apparatus. Also, our kids will need a bunk bed. Anybody done with one? On this one we have nothing specific in mind and are not fussy. We’re happy to buy both of these items at the going rate, I must add! And finally I’m putting together a write up that I intend to send to Abbotsford car dealerships. I’m not sure exactly what I will say but I will tell them what our family is doing here in Uganda and the basic idea is, ‘we have three kids, are home for three months and own only a VW Jetta which will be impossible to fit three car seats into. We will have to come up with something else to get around!’ (Our Jetta will be fine until the baby comes). I’m going to ask them if they’d be interested in loaning out a vehicle to us for any length of time as part of their ‘Christmas good cheer!’ or whatever. I have no idea if any of them will respond or if I’ll be able to get this write up to the right people. But before I do that I want to mention it to all of you in case you have a better idea or possibility for us or even if you know the best way of communicating this to the dealerships. I’m not stressed about it and have no expectations on any of you so be certain of that please! I know God will provide what we need and we’ll glorify Him with the blessing!
That’s all for me….. I am very excited to be coming to Abbotsford in a few months and also very much looking forward to Grandpa and Grandma Williams being with us here for a month prior to that. They will fly back with me and the kids and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that already! We’ll keep you posted these next few months. Enjoy the Fall!!!! Love to all of you! Sarah

Adventures With Sarah & Kids… The Home Front

2011-07-20T01:15:00.000-07:00

How is the summer everyone? We’re thinking of you there in Canada eating berries and other summer fruits and in the States buying bags of fresh field corn for only a few dollars. (Soon anyway!) Evening picnics and long days with plenty of daylight to work outside on projects or just play in the yard. That’s how we envision you these days and we pray you’re all having great family time and safe travels if you’re camping or holidaying!
We’re very fine… life here is going along as normal. A few flu bugs here and there and an unexpected exposure to a tropical parasite which everyone but mom needs to be treated for (lovely!). Otherwise we spend our days at home doing some low key home school, baking, playing trains and marbles, and cooking together almost every day. Seth and Jodie are both very good at cracking eggs and mixing without splashing. Jodie’s favourite kitchen utensil is the whisk… and she loves to say that word. And Seth’s favourite meal to make is pancakes. Then he and Mark play a fun game where one flips the pancake as high as they can and the other tries to catch it with the plate. The cats benefit from that game quite a bit. Number three seems to be growing just fine…. Squirming around lots… especially when we play monster with the kids and run roaring through the house. This one is going to come out ready to play! We will be finding out the sex of the baby in a few weeks. Fun! We’ll let you know! This is me at five months pregnant.
That’s all from us this time. We wanted to be sure that this month Mark has a chance to share plenty about the school. We’ve done lots of thinking back this year too many of the goals Mark had during his first year and we’ve seen that many of them have been reached! It’s been exciting to think about. And there’s plenty of goings on to fill you in on. So we’ll sign off and turn the computer over to Mark.
Lots of love to all of you! Sarah, Seth, Jodie, and?

Adventures With Mark… Utilities & the School Front

2011-07-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

Where to start? Well unfortunately let’s start with the power and water problems that we are now facing. Last week began with an announcement that load shedding (power on for 12h and then off for 12 hours) was going to be kicking into high gear. Yes, the government was in the arrears with a few private generator companies and owed them hundreds of thousands of US dollars. So they said they’d generate no further power until payment. Then last week ended with no water as a result of private companies shutting down who pump the water in this area of Uganda also as a result of no pay by the Ugandan government. Needless to say things go into high gear when there is no water and the communication that it will not be there for at least a week. The only water in the area came through the local police department and to Seth and Jodie’s excitement when we paid for a water truck to deliver it turned out to be a red police fire truck with a full tank of water for our tanks and then some for the school. A second load was brought to the school for drinking water and in the meantime at the school, the children haul water from the lake for showers and toilets while even our bath water is re used for flushing. Yes, you are all welcome for a visit…
As far as the school goes I guess I’ll start with the most recent highlight at the school. We were honoured to host the national volleyball championship tournament at our school for the second year in a row and to participate in it as well just this past weekend. It was remarkable to see how excellent some of these teams were! Considering that this country is extremely focused on football (soccer) it was great to hear that in some parts of the country volleyball is actually ‘the’ sport and these teams work hard and excel! Our girls took second place! And sadly our boys were beat out in the semis. Our junior boys came in second and our junior girls came in third. It was kind of fun for me to be interviewed for the television broadcast and then get phone calls in the evening from people excited to see me on TV. Unfortunately we don’t have a TV so missed it! It was a great day all in all.
Our organization was also a finalist for the Tumaini Awards(Swahili for hope)in Uganda that look at NGO’s that are involved in helping Ugandan children. One of the categories was NGO’s involved in Education and yes you guessed, the African Children’s Choir was voted the top NGO doing education work. Later the judges said that if there was an overall NGO category we would have been it! Yes, some satisfaction to see the hard work continue to bear fruit and be recognized and yet most importantly glory to God!
Yes…. Looking back…. Having moved out into the country on the lake has been a dream come true for the school and I’ve been so privileged to be here during this time. The years we spent smack dab in the city were not the most fun. The fact that I walk to school is incredibly amazing considering the long dangerous driving I’d been doing for 5 years. God has been to protect me and all those around me anytime I drove!
And this year has been very encouraging in the aspect of the teamwork displayed by the staff. They seem to be finding a good groove and are mostly all pulling in the same direction with passion for the students and for excellence! As the principal that is extremely encouraging!
And the students are displaying a much improved level of good behaviour. I remember saying so many times to Sarah when we were there in the city, ‘If these kids (especially the boys!) just had more space we would not be dealing with so many issues of conflict and frustration from them.’ They were always well provided for but the space they have now is a really ‘feel good’ space and has been such an advantage in this area! It has been great to see that we deal with much fewer cases of anger, fighting, and bickering than we used to. And I believe the well trained staff have so much to do with this. I am so thankful!
My big challenge this year has been the soaring inflation rates. Please keep this in your prayers as we struggle to keep the school running to an acceptable standard under great financial pressure. I know this is a global concern right now so it almost seems silly to ask for prayer about it. But it’s a very real concern for our school and our staff and their families, as I believe I’ve mentioned earlier this year. You can pray for good health for everyone… students, staff, staff families, and ourselves. The added financial strain of sicknesses, whether minor or major, would be wonderful to avoid! God has provided for the school this year in many unexpected ways and some of you have been His provision. I thank you for that and more importantly I thank Him. I know the school and these students and staff are more important to Him than they are to me and I am blessed to see how He cares for them.
That’s all I have for this month. Let me close with a picture of two of my biggest supporters in my office enjoying a treat from dad. I hope this letter finds you all well and enjoying the summer! We look forward to our time home this winter!
Take care!
Mark

2011-05-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

I think it’s been two months since I’ve written… more? Maybe. Our move to a village-ish road just minutes walking from the school, (fabulous for Mark and all of us) hasn’t felt like a village move at all. We’ve been so busy that the adjustment has been very easy, considering that isolation was a small fear for me out here. But, indeed, no problem! God is good!
I’m gonna leave most of the writing to the kids because they’re so much fun and capture my life pretty well too (whatever makes them happy usually makes me happy… whatever they’re having trouble with usually bothers me too… so on and so forth).
Just one quick blurb of interest…. In November this year, Lord willing, our family will become a party of five! We made it through the first trimester (I say ‘we’ because all are impacted when mom feels gross, exhausted and grumpy). We know very little except all is well and we will have this little one in Canada as we have our other two. The only difference will be that we will not travel around this time. Our last baby delivery/passport obtaining/multi thousand dollar trip around North America fried me for good. I vowed to Mark and myself that I would never do it again with a brand new baby and I’m sticking to it! We will fly to Vancouver and plan to stay in the Abbotsford area somehow and not travel from there. I feel lots of remorse not to see so many of you but then I think of the reality and I know this decision is absolutely necessary! We’ll keep you posted as things develop! We appreciate your prayers for good health and development for the baby and a safe pregnancy. Thanks! Lots of love! Sarah

Adventures With Jodie...

2011-05-14T09:30:00.001-07:00

I love living in Africa! It’s ‘spring’ all the time! I swim… I play outside in my underwear… I ride my boda boda (three wheel bike) every day… I help Seth plant stuff and we pour gallons of water on leafs that we plant and soon they will be trees!....I play with my cats every day (they catch rats so the rats don’t come in our house)…and I love to cook with mom. My favourite thing to make is soup and I put in all the vegetables and the meat. I even get to help pour in the flavour stuff. When we’re not cooking real food then we’re making play dough food and putting it in a drawer that is our play oven.
My brother is my best friend. I love to play with him most of anything. Sometimes he tries to boss me and tell me how to do everything but that doesn’t work with me. I tell him no way. Then if he keeps trying to boss me then I start crying and someone comes and tells him to stop bossing. So I have a trick…. Sometimes when I want to be the boss then I start crying too and people are supposed to think that he was trying to boss me. But usually that doesn’t work. I guess that’s not a good idea.
Guess what? I’m going to be a big sister! Mom’s tummy is getting a little chubby and sometimes I pat the baby. And sometimes Seth is too rough with mom and I shake my finger in his face and tell him very sternly, ‘Don’t squish the baby!’ I will be a very good helper with the baby because I have my own baby Kira that I got for my birthday when I was two and I take very good care of her.
I like to pick my own clothes. I do not like pretty things at all! If someone says it is pretty I don’t want to wear it. And I also decide for myself if I think something is pretty. Then I tell mom I don’t like it. I want to be handsome like Seth. I like comfy boy clothes and if mom or dad tells me I look handsome then I’m happy because I just want to be like Seth. Sometimes mom says I don’t get to decide what I’m going to wear and she picks and then I have a hard time with my attitude for a few minutes. Then I forget and start playing.
I better go. I have lots of playing to do. Bye bye. Jodie

Adventures With Seth...

2011-05-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

I am such a big boy now. I turned four! Soon I will be five and ready for school. I keep telling dad that I want to be big like him and that one day I will be a dad too. There is so much to tell but two exciting things that has happened recently is that a team from dad’s old school came to our house to stay for a while and I got to go with dad on a safari with them. Us guys went and Jodie stayed home with mom… It was a long trip and we even stayed a night and saw lots of animals. Wild ones like giraffes, water buffalos, elephants, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, baboons and many other cool things. Then not too long after we got back dad had some time off from school and we built a ladder for Jodie and my bunk bed. We used lots of tools so I had my tool belt from grandpa Mike on. The ladder works great and now even Jodie can come for a visit on my top bunk. Until next time see you later and before you know it I will be turning five and also have a new little baby sister or brother.
Quote of the month: While driving by a row of electric poles along the side of the road Seth says: ‘Is that a clothes line for God?’

Adventures With Mark...

2011-05-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

In many ways it seems like we have been gone for a while already from North America and yet it seems like just yesterday that Uncle John dropped us at the airport with our 16 bags and carry ons. It has been very crazy since we have returned with school very busy and lots to catch up on. We had a team from my old school in Abbotsford, MEI with 12 fabulous students some of whom were my former students. That was very fun and rewarding to see these young people most of whom I had not seen since grade six. It was great to see these young adults come alongside the students here in Uganda and bless them with love and different activities. Yes, I would admit that as an educator it is the biggest reason we do what we do or perhaps I should say that it is the biggest reason I do what I do. To see lives changed and that zeal for life and helping others that young people bring is so exciting. Seeing and working with young people from Canada and Uganda has also helped me focus on my own little family as they continue to grow up. I am trying hard and enjoying every minute spent with Seth and Jodie. God has blessed me with two, soon to be three great kids and fantastic students at our school and young adults from MEI that I can be proud of. Continue to make a difference wherever you are placed…

Adventures With The Williams Four!

2011-01-30T21:25:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a busy but good two months we have had back in North America’s winter wonderland.
Our winter fun began with a bang as we landed in Vancouver on the 22nd of November to be greeted by the coldest weekend for that time in November in the past 55 years. Yes we all had a severe shock but thanks to my buddy John and his nice warm pick up service from the airport in his silver bullet Dodge Ram we managed.
After some unpacking and repacking we zoomed off on a night flight a few days later to Minnesota. Some of the many highlights included time with mom and dad Carpenter where Seth got his tool set and put it into action to build a bird feeder with grandpa Mike. A snow storm added to our fun as tunnels where built with Uncle Kenny and a big mound of snow was used as a slide with cousin Alaina. A highlight for Mark was taking the kids skating for the first time. The rink was empty except for us as it was a school day and no one around. Then one of Mark’s dreams came true…he was given permission to drive the zomboni around the rink! He of course put the kids on too and then went too far by singing Oh Canada at the top of his lungs in the heart of MN, USA while cruising around the rink. He will never forget it! Thank you Josh for making that happen! What a memory!
As a family we also enjoyed catching up with the Carpenter side of the family and our trip to the center of MN – International Falls. Seth even remembered Grandpa Bob and Grandma Dori’s house from two years ago when Jodie was born. He also created some new memories sledding with his big cousin Mason and wishes he could join him at McDonalds for another fun meal. Everyday Seth and Jodie checked on Smokey the Bear to make sure he was not sleeping. We miss you Grandma Dori & Grandpa Bob!
After a cold and snowy visit in the US we had some time chasing more snow around the Canadian prairies. A highlight was Christmas with mom and dad Williams and enjoying all the trimmings and partaking of too much good food. Grandpa enjoyed making ice cream with Seth and Jodie who sampled the homemade treat a few times before it made its way to the table. Not sure if Seth and Jodie enjoyed it more than grandpa. Jodie’s highlight was some New Years time in Canmore with her good cousin Ellie of two years. They are only two weeks apart in age and they were in their own little world as cousins.
Five days were spent together with the entire Dan and Winnie Williams tribe in Canmore – 8 adults and nine grandchildren to be exact. Sarah and Mark enjoyed a quick visit over New Years with good friends from the old Lethbridge gang who journeyed from different parts of Alberta. As fate would have it once a trip to Saskatchewan was under way the surprising warm weather stopped for another burst of Canadian winter. Edson Baptist Church, good friends and family were visited along the way with 92 year old grandma Clara being the highlight. She is still going strong and prays for us twice a day. Please keep the prayers coming grandma! Mark also enjoyed a few hockey games watching his Calgary Flames live at the Saddledome – thanks Shannon W. and Jeff for making this happen. After a trek across the mountains toward Vancouver and a good visit with relatives in Kelowna on the way we are ready for the final leg of our trip. We hope to see many more friends and family in the Lower Mainland.

Overall it has been a very busy and special time. Sometimes it has been challenging for us as a family and especially for Seth and Jodie. They’ve been sick a few times and their schedules have been topsy turvy. But what an amazing trip! People have opened up their homes, let us use cars and helped fill up our tummies and gas tanks from one place to another. The support of us personally and also our work with the African Children’s Choir has been amazing. We only hope that one day we can return the blessing of hospitality and generosity to so many people who have shown God’s love to us. Thanks Phil and Shannon for letting use your car along the Canadian part of this journey. If it were possible we would love to return the love to all of you when you visit us in Uganda. But we know we can ‘pay it forward’ by being generous with those we know in Uganda and blessing those God gives us. Thank you all for being the part of the Body of Christ that He has assigned you to be. We’ve had precious times of fellowship and encouragement with so many of you as we realize we face such similar things and serve the same great God!

African Adventures With Mark!

2010-11-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Uganda! Wow, it feels like a lot has happened since our last newsletter. I will just share a few tidbits of things here in Uganda. The biggest change for us has been a move from congested, polluted Kampala to out in the country, a five minute walk from the school. I love it as I don’t have to use the car and the five minute walk in the morning is good for me and allows an extra 45 minutes to sleep in. I can be home by six for supper with the kids and have my head cleared before I walk in the door. The area is pasture like with gravel roads and small village houses scattered along the bumpy path.
Our grade seven class has just finished their national exams as their elementary school years have come to an end. The 28 members wrote their national exams that are very comparable to grade twelve exams back home as far as stress goes. These four exams over two days decides their entire mark for the year and ultimately decides if they will enter a good secondary school and then have a chance to go to university. After the exams we took them to Jinja, the source of the Nile River and did some ministry to two orphanages and also saw some national sights of interest. It was fun for me to see how much they have grown as individuals and yet hard knowing the difficulties they face ahead during their three month extended holiday before beginning secondary. Their home lives are difficult. The Saturday morning they were leaving they came to my office one at a time for a final goodbye, a new Bible and a big hug amongst tears as they left and made their way out of the school gate and onto life. Not only was it hard for the students but myself as well as I had guardians kneeling down in my office crying for gratefulness. For example one guardian wept saying before The African Children’s Choir took her child there was no hope of the child completing even grade two as the parents had died and the aunt had already several children to feed and care for. Another P7 student was going home to her final parent on his death bed… still others were leaving their primary school years to lead homes where they would have to grow the food, gather it, and prepare it; Only to leave for their secondary education with the weight of home on their minds. Not easy situations. But after this difficult day of sending them off, on my five minute walk home I had a quiet peace that these students would be okay and that God was looking out for them and my part as training them for life almost as a parent had come to an end.
Once arriving at home I couldn’t help but think how fortunate my two children are to not only have two parents but a home where they are loved and taken care of. Seth and Jodie love our new place as God allowed us to move into a bigger house with a much larger yard for a much lower price. The biggest event for Seth was that one of our four kittens and in fact his favorite “Petre” died of pneumonia last week. Jodie and Seth decided that two of the kittens needed a bath in the washing basin outside that was being used for washing clothes by hand. Too many dunks and wash water in his lungs it turns out. He seemed okay at first but five days after his ‘baptism’ the poor kitten became very obviously sick and a visit to the vet couldn’t save him. Dad was busy at work so Seth went along with mom and said goodbye to his little cat. Later that day we buried the little guy under the tree and Mr. Seth put some of his favorite rocks over the spot. He handled his first experience with death very well and to be honest dad probably had a harder time as I have seen too much death in the families of our students at the school, and recently abandoned puppies starving to death or people struck by cars and dead or dying on the side of the road. Yes, we still pray for safety and health on a daily basis for our family.
It is hard to believe that since coming to Uganda about five and a half years ago we have had two additions to our family and so much has been seen and learned. After much prayer and debate about staying here longer we have come to a conclusion about our future for the next period in our lives. It is hard to believe that Seth is three and will turn four in April of next year. With him in mind and other things we have decided to only accept an extension to our contract that would take us into 2012. If we desired there is a clause that could bring it to an end sooner. This was a difficult decision as we miss family and friends greatly back home but feel that God has not ended this chapter in our lives yet. I know that for some of you this is not exactly what you were hoping for. Yes, there may be the odd few of you Oiler or Canuck fans that think the farther away I am the better.
Needless to say that if you ever wanted to come for a visit and see our ministry here in Uganda it would most likely be best if you came before Christmas of 2012. We have appreciated the numerous people who have encouraged us along this path and have supported us financially as I’ve worked at the school; and so many of you have covered us with a much needed shield of prayer. I believe that God has allowed us to be fruitful in our relationships and display effective leadership at the school with students and staff. Until God moves us in a different direction we would be blessed by your continued support. If you have a desire to continue or begin to sow along with us into the lives of these students please let us know as this financial support makes this ministry possible.
We appreciate your friendships more than anything! Please know that we pray for you and think of you so often. We hope to see you when we’re home!
God bless, Mark

African Adventures With Sarah!

2010-11-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

Man, I don’t remember the last time I’ve written a newsletter! Maybe it hasn’t been so long ago but it feels like it.
Perhaps because we’ve moved house just three weeks ago I feel like so much has happened. I am very happy in our new home (just a six minute WALK for Mark to the school instead of a 45 minute drive one way in nasty dangerous traffic). God provided us with a big, cheaper, farm style home that our children love and I am getting used to. At the end of every day we are all filthy dirty with country dirt and it reminds me of my childhood growing up on a farm in Minnesota. We feel very blessed to be here and are thankful for God’s provision.
It’s been strange… I very much did not want to move from where we were. Mostly because of our large circle of friends there who kept me and the kids from being lonely and bored with the mundane. Our friendships with families of children our kids’ ages in the past two years have blossomed into encouraging, stimulating, real fun! It’s been such a blessing. So a 45 minute move down a crazy road that doesn’t invite travel felt like loneliness coming on. But God is amazing… after we decided to move there was a shift in my heart and I felt very settled and even more ready than before to stay in Uganda as long as God wills.
In fact I have been inspired in the past year and a half by a life changing experience that has made me wonder exactly what God is thinking. I don’t remember how much I’ve shared with you about this because it has been a bit dangerous but August 2009 God appointed me, with the support of Mark to take a 14 year old girl out of a deadly situation. This young girl, Hope (whose name has been changed to protect her identity) has since then delivered and is raising a healthy baby boy who is about to make one year old. She has absolutely zero family support as she was abducted into this country by her step sister and her husband as a child slave at the age of ten. So obviously I have felt the weight of her future very heavily since feeling called to intervene for her. (The story about that is amazing, by the way…I can tell you, God has a plan for this girl and her baby, no doubt!!)
Throughout the legal processes and hours of thought and prayer and networking that I’ve been doing with others about this girl’s future, I have discovered that there is nothing within Uganda to offer this girl as far as education or a training program that will equip her, as a teen age mother, to eventually get a job and at the same time, support her and teach her how to raise her child. This would include offering child care since she has no family support. Her options are staggeringly hopeless. The chances that she and her son would be any more than beggars and abused are slim to none. Amidst my research and new-found awareness, I’ve learned that there are vast numbers of such girls in very similar situations within Kampala (most of them from Congo and mothers because of rape - at the moment these girls are on the street).
Anyway, through all of this networking, God has put in my path some highly motivated individuals with the right connections to do something about it. The timing of some of these encounters that I’ve had with caring, equipped individuals is partly what has made me take notice.
Along the way another friend and I have managed to put together the outline of a program that would meet the needs of these girls and their babies. I also bumped into a woman who can access a national alternative education program from the UK for un-wed mothers dropping out of high school. The directors of this program have agreed to release it to us here in Uganda to be tailored for the needs of the girls in Africa and they would actually redesign their materials with our help with the aim of making it available to all of Africa! All they’ve requested is that we find the funding. This is amazing!!!!!
Something in me believes that these individuals have been put together for a purpose that is now. And the core of my passion about this comes from knowing one situation very intimately… looking in Hope’s huge terrified eyes, as she was hiding from her abusers promising her that I would do everything I could to keep her safe and that I knew God had a plan for her.
I don’t know what will be the outcome or timing of this, but I’m telling you all of this so you can pray with us about it. Along the way Mark has been listening to my fiery ‘sermons’ and outrage about the way things are and has listened as I’ve gotten carried away with the possibilities of what God might be doing through all the people I’ve met with passion for this like I have. And mostly he just nods. But recently he’s been asking me how serious I am about this and has been wondering out loud if God wants us to do something about this…. To actually spearhead a mission to give opportunity to young girls whose lives have been desperately sad up till now and are on course to get worse.
If you have any comments or feedback on this can you please send it our way? We’re really asking God if this is something we should do. And if we were to do it, we’d have to have people from ‘outside’ behind it. We have small ways to generate income here, but it’s not enough to kick off and sustain something like this. Sometimes I think, ‘Oh great. Just what Africa needs... another bunch of do-gooders pouring money into a hole that never gets full.’ But I tell you, I know of these girls now… I’ve seen the ‘yucky’ of their lives. It’s miserable. I can’t let this go by without stepping forward and saying, ‘God, here I am. What do you want me to do?’ If He wants to do something with this He WILL! And He will use lots of us to do it. Thoughts please!!??
That’s about all I have room for in this letter. Sorry I’ve not brought much news from the kids. They are in heaven here on the ‘farm’. After our furlough I’m pretty sure we’ll be adding some animals to the area so the kids can learn about chores, gathering eggs, and such.
We plan to see as many of you as possible when we’re home! And my good husband has promised proper internet when we get back to Uganda… it’s now available in new, more reliable forms!!! So I’m looking forward to re-connecting with you and staying a little better connected!
Lots of love, Sarah

Adventures With Mark... Joy & Sadness!

2010-09-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of those catch up newsletters that brings both joyful and disappointing news. As many of you know the school is still under construction almost three years after it was started in January of 2008. We had local inspectors out last week looking around as we are working on registering the school and they were very impressed. They consider the new facility a first class school and one of the best in Uganda. This is exciting news as we are becoming well known in our new community for many other reasons as well. Just last month we had an organization called “Libraries of Love” that is based out of the US came and give us 500 books to add to our library collection. Not only did they add these to our collection of about 9000 books but they provided the money to build built-in book shelves along one complete wall and added some paint. Thank you Trudy for adding us to your list of the ever - increasing amount of libraries you have set up in Uganda.
Later in the week we had some secondary school graduates come and with awe stated that our library is better than their high school library. We know that many of you have helped along the way with adding books to this amazing collection and we want to thank you so much. God has multiplied what was a library of about 100 books seven years ago to now one of the best if not the best elementary libraries for all of Uganda. The greatest thing is that our students love their new library and are excited every week to come and read. There are tables in the library for a complete class to come and enjoy themselves for a full hour.
Unfortunately we are feeling the effects of the financial difficulties in the west more than ever and beginning September 15 the building project will come to a halt and the school will be used as it is until more money is raised. We have made excellent progress but still lack funds for painting of the exterior and interior of most buildings, plastering of the school block, completing the access road, landscaping, completing the playground area and other things. We will slowly try to add a few things out of our school operational budget hopefully like flagpoles and other odds and ends. I wish God’s plans were a little different but such is life, but we are very grateful for what has been done so far.
I want to close with a special thanks to a good buddy of mine who made his way to Uganda for a few days with us before he flew to South Africa on some school business. “Buster” it was great to have you and your support in all areas has been awesome. It was a highlight of the year to have you come and see a little bit of our life here. Like my good buddy, many of you support us in so many ways and we are truly grateful for that. I wish we could do more to repay the favor but at the moment the best we can do is pay it forward and pass all the love and generosity onto the students we interact with who are not so blessed. Thanks for loving us and please keep us in your prayers. God bless…

Adventures With Sarah... Seth & Jodie!

2010-09-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

Quotes and common phrases heard around our house from the kids:
Jodie to Seth while dancing in front of the TV with her dance videos: ‘Hey! Hey! Do dis!’
Jodie while running away from a scary monster or crocodile (usually daddy), ‘Na-nana Boo-Boo!’
After several months of being plagued with stomach afflictions mommy says to Seth during a bathroom break, ‘So do you have any owies in your tummy today?’ Seth replies matter of factly, ‘Nope. Just bugs’
Jodie while toting a little purse on her shoulder: ‘I want some money. I put it in my person’
Jodie while watching mom put on her make-up: ‘I want some wake-up too, mom’.
Jodie when having a hard time climbing into her car seat: ‘Ooh. I need new batteries’
Seth while half sleeping after being awakened from his nap: Mommy lays him on the couch and says, ‘Man you’re getting heavy!’ absorbing the compliment he says kindly, ‘Yes. And so are you!’
Seth very excitedly after being informed that he and Jodie get to watch Dr Suess’s ‘Horton Hears a Who’, ‘Oh! I was thoughting about Horton!’
There are lots of other fun things they’ve said that I always forget to write down. Though some of my days I think I just want to get out of the house, most of the time I think my kids are the greatest human beings on the planet and I feel so lucky to see them every day!
Jodie is still going through a very clingy ‘mommy’ phase. She can go about 10 minutes without knowing where I am and then she starts walking around looking for me (even if she’s enjoying one of her movies). If she can see me she does pretty well but if not then she looks around till she finds me and wants to be involved in what I’m doing. So I have lots of help in the kitchen! I spent a few months trying to curb it but found that made it worse, so I now include her in what I’m doing and she loves it. She will often call out loudly ‘Sarah!’ (or more accurately ‘Sawah!’) because that’s what she hears all of Seth’s friends call me. Her favorite thing to say is still ‘I can do it by myself!’ when anyone tries to help her with anything. Her sentences are getting longer and she loves to be bossy! Last week on the way to church she started talking as we left the driveway and she talked the WHOLE fifteen minutes to church. (“Daddy, look at da chicken- I see a cow!-Hey! What’s dat sound?-I wanna drink-a-water-Look at dat guy, mom-See dat, see dat?- I see a man on a bi-co (bicycle)-we goin to chuch!”) About half way through Mark says quietly, ‘Wow. Do you think she’s always going to be like this?’ I predicted she will.
Both kids love to help make pancakes or cookies and are both pros at cracking eggs on the counter and putting in their thumbs to dump out the marvelous slimy egg. We’ve begun talking about flying to Canada and America on an airplane (for our visit at Christmas time). Seth completely gets it and talks about snow and hamburgers at McDonalds. He recently went with us to a birthday party for one of our friends and he saw a gray haired couple there as soon as we walked in. Though we show him both sets of grandparents’ pictures on the fridge all the time he stopped dead in his tracks and said, ‘Is that my grandpa and grandma?’ Of course mommy almost cried. And the couple who are also missing their grandchildren almost cried as well. They go to our church so since then Seth and Jodie have seen them a few times and enjoy them.
I hope you are all well. Can’t wait to see you! Sarah

African Adventures With Mark

2010-06-23T03:04:00.000-07:00

I will admit that it is one of those few times were I just am not sure what to write… I am sitting here in my office at school and the lunch bell has just rung. Being that I am immersed in the school at least five days a week and sometimes six as most schools have morning classes on Saturday I think it is time for me to take a walk and take notes for you on what I find.

Let’s begin with our kitchen staff of three who arrive while it’s still dark and are here by 6:00 AM to prepare breakfast for 165 hungry mouths. Today we are having a rare treat of meat and rice for supper. The usual is posho and beans which is not my favorite. However, the ground maze-like starch/paste tends to fill a person up.

Like most institutions here in Africa we are facing tighter purse strings due to the difficulties in the west. We are trying our best to grow some of our own food as a way to add something to our budget cuts. Our 500 mounds of sweet potatoes will be ready to harvest in about three months, last about three months and help spice up the menu. Unlike western sweet potatoes these are more of a cross between potatoes and what we consider sweet potatoes. My absolute favorite meal here is sweet potatoes with a pounded ground-nut sauce with some mixed in fish (tilapia) from nearby Lake Victoria. However that is a rare meal and a real treat for me.

All our food is prepared on one of the five big wood burning stoves that we have in our kitchen. The pots are massive and are built especially to help conserve the amount of fire wood we use. The pots are so enormous and heavy that the food has to be scooped out into smaller pots.

Even though I will admit that I struggle with the main staple on the menu – poscho and beans-, it is amazing how much the students and staff can pack away every day. It is not a favorite of the staff but they do a great job of putting a smile on each and every time. They are enjoying our new staff room that is about five times as big as our old one and has a fresh coat of paint on.

Once back in my office I think back to some early home visits last month and remember students who had no food at their house. Our small food hamper was the best bright spot for the whole week. In the hamper was some more of my not so favorite posho and beans. I remember seeing a boy in the food line for lunch today that I had visited during this past term’s holiday. At the time of our visit his family had been without food for three days. Today I noted how eager he was to receive his big mountain of food and I understood why. Yes, I am one of those very fortunate Canadians who do not always realize the feast that most of us have almost every day back in the land of plenty. It’s true some are less fortunate in Canada but compared to my little friends here in Africa it is hard to compare. God bless you and remember to be thankful and enjoy your next meal as I am learning to be. Take care, Mark

African Adventures With Sarah

2010-06-23T02:22:00.000-07:00

Have you ever administered eye drops to a near two year old when they have Pink-eye? Poor Jodie has had it (as have I) and I want to bless the generous people who sent over M&Ms. Because without them this eye drop thing would not be going so smoothly! She eagerly climbs up on my lap saying, ‘Drops! Chocolate! Chocolate!’
Then she says sincerely, ‘Cry cry, mommy.’
‘Are you going to cry, Jodie?’ I ask.
‘Yes’, she says. But she never really cries. She just can’t wait to get her chocolate.
Otherwise we are all fine. Much to the horror of many of you I’m sure, I recently took Seth out to the clinic on a boda-boda (motorcycle). On the way there he rode between me and the driver. On the way back I asked if he wanted to drive. Of course! So he held the handle bars all the way home (pretty far actually) and I tell you, his eyes were shining like little diamonds when we got home.
The only other report I have is an update on my Sudanese friend, Hope, the fourteen year old mother whom we’ve been helping. She and her baby are doing great. Baby Andrew is six months, healthy and happy and really loves his mama. Hope is taking three hours of tutoring classes a day and has really come alive now that she has some studies. She lives with an African family and nannies their children in the afternoon. This is an excellent Christian family who have modeled a healthy family and taught her so many things already. It’s so great for her! Her refugee status in Uganda is about to be finalized so we can begin to look into options for her future (this status takes her out from under any family authority or rights that could be forced on her and puts her under the care of the Ugandan government). From that position she has many options. God is good!
I need to sign off. Lots of love! Sarah

African Adventures With Mark!

2010-05-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I will admit that it may be time for a lighter cultural blurb for my part of the newsletter. In Uganda it seems like everything grows and being a guy who likes to toy outside in the garden I enjoy the fact there is no snow like back home to disrupt things. About a year ago we decided to plant a few sweet bananas and matokee (plantain) trees in our back yard. We harvested some Matokee a little while ago, but my prize was the sweet bananas. They are similar to the typical yellow bananas one buys back home in north America, but about half the size and sweeter.

Finally just last week, our first sweet banana tree was ready to meet its fate. The upcoming four suckers shooting out from beside it were a sign of the Ugandan fertility. Seth was excited to see the bananas finally come down. We had been waiting for them to ripen on the tree but after several months our night guard, Francis, kindly informed us they would never turn yellow while on the tree but must be cut down first. Good to know. So for the big occasion we brought the video camera and panga (machete) to do a little chopping. Seth took a few turns with the panga and of course Jodie had to have a turn too. (All swings with the sharp tool were guided by dad.) Finally it was dad’s turn and with a few chops things began to move a little quicker than expected and the tree started to come down. Seth who had been looking up at the tree, bright eyed, saw what was going to happen and began to run. Not fast enough…. The timing was such that he made it far enough from the trunk to be struck on the face by the clump of the much awaited bananas and was flipped to the ground under the light weight branches. He was very traumatized and did end up with a significant scratch from his forehead, across his eye and down onto his cheek; A direct hit from the bananas. Needless to say daddy felt very bad and tried to apologize while Seth wailed. Jodie ran around saying, ‘Bump-on-da-head! Bump-on-da-head!’ And unfortunately the video camera was rolling and caught it all. Seth received an all purpose Band-Aid and now looks a little tougher around the face. Currently we are waiting about a week for the bananas to ripen and turn yellow so we can eat them all up.

As a dad I felt very bad about Seth, but also was very excited just to do something fun with him, Jodie and Sarah. I will admit that I enjoy the kids more and more everyday. Seth and Jodie are a lot of fun and keep us hopping all the time. God has blessed Seth with some good friends and the picture here is with two brothers who live about 100 yards down the road and love to come and play with Seth. They are a little bit older, but are great boys who treat him with lots of love. We have been blessed with a great family, a good home here in Uganda, food to eat and friends for us and our two wonderful children. God is good!

African Adventures With The Williams In Picture

2010-05-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

African Adventures With Sarah...

2010-05-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

I just read Mark’s blurb and had a good laugh. How tragic. As of this writing the bananas have turned yellow and Seth is all into it again and excited about having his picture taken with Jodie and the bananas…still bandaged above the eye.

My kids are doing very well… the thing I’m enjoying most is how well they get along and sincerely enjoy each other. They have their scuffles but often I will hear one of them start to giggle and then the other and then they shriek and carry on with some rough house tumble or climbing game. Jodie is no sissy! She’s going through a bit of defiance…I think she would like to be events coordinator of our family and having her diaper changed or washing hands for dinner is surely not in her program. We’re working on it and she actually seems to be remembering she’s not the boss. Seth is getting much more social… he used to mostly want to stay home and play with mom. Monotonous! But now it’s all about friends and play time. I love it! I’m so glad he has good friends!
Seth and Jodie with their best friends Jalil and Adelle.

I really wanted to share something with you that has impacted me this month and I hope it speaks to you as well. We’re in the rainy season here. So almost every day there is a good bit of rain and there can be hours of steady, heavy rain that makes almost torrents of muddy water on the streets. And since the roads here are full of pot holes they fill up with the dirty water. A pot hole full of muddy water is very difficult to guage and a miscalculation can lead to a severe jolt and the emptying of the puddle in a huge spray.

On a rainy day recently I was driving somewhere and struggling with watching so many people walking in the rain and mud… some with umbrellas, some without… just trying to get somewhere. They don’t own a car and some can’t afford a taxi (which is extremely cheap) so they have to walk. Anyway, I was wanting to give people rides but I know that is very unwise and have only done it a few times. I started praying for many of the people walking and then I started to look at their faces. And I was very interested to see that most of them were looking directly at me as I drove by (there is seldom any fast driving in town… especially on a rainy day). And I started to notice they were watching the road very closely… watching my tires. They would then look right at me. I realized they were watching for pot holes. They were concerned that I would go barreling through a pot hole and spray them with water, spoiling their clothes for the rest of the day. And I was reminded of that scripture (which I can’t find right now but I think it’s in Proverbs) that says we should ‘consider’ the poor. That’s exactly what I saw on their faces. They didn’t expect me to pull over and pile them all in the car… they weren’t presuming that I should start handing out umbrellas or taxi fares. They just wanted me to consider them. And though I continued to pray for them I felt free from the guilt I’d been feeling for driving in my dry car. God sometimes directs me (or I’m inspired) to reach out with significant or minor acts of kindness. But on this day the lesson was, ‘Sarah, consider the poor. Don’t spray them with dirty water. And by the way, be thankful for your car.’

Adventures With Mark... The BIG Move & A Proud Canadian!

2010-03-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

Well, I have to admit that it has been far too long since we have last communicated. Since our last official newsletter we have celebrated the birth of our Lord and moved to our new school. Yes, it was not so much of a glorious adventure, but a lot of hard work with some definite excitement at the same time. It took a staff of about 30 a full week to pack everything and truck it an hour down the road out of the city and to unpack it. Even two months later we still have boxes as we await the completion of storage areas.

The official start of the school year began with our new school also as a construction site with many doors and windows, missing and plasterless walls. My temporary office was a classroom that also included the library, staff room, and work desks for the deputy headmaster and house manager, dirt floor rough brick walls and empty window frames barred over with wood. After a week in my new home three other rooms were occupancy ready as the concrete screening for the floors had set and we moved into our new permanent office home. Luckily for me a snake had not heard the moving date and came early for a visit one morning. I was not in, but he was spotted through the painless window and quickly disposed of. (99.9% of snakes in Uganda are considered poisonous). That’s what we get for moving to the country! No more city pressure. Just snakes! There have been countless temporary allocations for the library, classrooms, staff room, and school supplies as the construction continues. Yes, we have had an adventure, but thankfully the students are very excited to be in their new home as there is a lot of space to run around. About six snakes have been killed but God has protected everyone and provided much needed energy for the staff who have worked extremely hard.

As we move forward into more of a daily routine we are still working on finishing the first phase of the building project. Classrooms are still having doors and windows added along with plaster and flooring. Sidewalks and plaster on the outside of some buildings are also being worked on. The plan was to have things completed before we moved in but that did not end up happening. Currently we continue to trust God to provide for the completion of the school. Our faith based organization has seen donations decline since the ‘credit crunch’ which has affected their general budgets and caused cutbacks at the school. But through all of that, God has been good and we have been able to meet our operating targets (though we feel stretched to the max) and provide an excellent education for the children. However, I continue to feel a hunger to have the school completed which means simple things like plastering, paint, landscaping and important things like fencing and an access road developed. Yes, on some rainy days you would not be leaving our property without four wheel drive.

On a different note I continue to see how good Canada is the longer we are in Uganda… During the Olympics I was dying to see some of the action and especially the men’s hockey. In fact the night of the big game against the US, a Canadian friend and I spent until 2 in the morning trying to find the game televised somewhere. After searching everywhere we found nothing and went to bed not too happy. Yes, I will admit that some of you would laugh at a few of the places we poked our heads into just to see if they were airing it on their big screen (most pubs here are dedicated almost solely to soccer matches. And they are generally, should I say, ‘rustic’). But we wanted so badly to see that game and just as importantly to stand in a far away land and sing so proudly OH CANADA! It turns out we won and I sang OH CANADA several times the next day on the way to work in the car where no one could hear me or even see the odd tear coming down my red and white cheeks. Yes, Canada has a lot of work to do, but from the glasses I am looking through there are not a lot of countries better.

Well, I should sign off, but we would love to hear from you and all the best in 2010 from the Williams Four in Uganda

Adventures With Sarah... LIfe As A Family In Uganda

2010-03-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is such a long time in coming. I think I’ll say that Christmas was amazing as we saw it through the eyes of our little ones. No snow but what a sweet time of being together and being excited about new toys, yummy food, and the lights on the tree. We did begin our tradition of giving to a needy family. Seth had so much fun wrapping the gifts for the children (whom we didn’t know) and then announcing to them excitedly what was in them as he handed them over. Jodie enjoyed the handing out as well. It was very special to see how God led us to a family for whom we had the right amount of presents and who were in a location that didn’t attract a swarm of other children we couldn’t give anything to. Giving food to the mother was a blessing as well. What a privilege to be able to care for our own family and have enough left over to love someone else! That is not the reality for the majority of families over here.

Another way I’ve realized how blessed we are is through recent sickness our kids have had. I think I’m going to map out our Feb/March for you a bit.

Feb.19.. Sarah sings at a concert with some friends she’s been writing songs with… while prepping to leave Jodie grabs the hot iron and severely burns her left hand. This resulted in two weeks of changing the bandages twice every day and no playing outside in the dirt. (As well as severe clinginess to mommy which resulted in very low productivity!)

Feb.25.. Seth begins screaming with stomach pain very suddenly and begging for a ‘bandaid’ on his tummy. Sarah borrows a car from a friend and rushes him to the clinic. He is diagnosed with amoebas and needs 5 days of very nasty meds.

Feb. 26-28 Sarah leaves Mark with both kids (Jodie with a bandaged hand and Seth taking yucky meds) and speaks at a church women’s retreat which she has been involved in planning since November. Everyone fared very well while she was gone. Three cheers for daddy!

March 8.. Seth gets a high fever and diarrhea. Is diagnosed with a bacterial infection which is very common here right now, and has 5 more days of yucky meds.

March 12.. Jodie begins to have fever and diarrhea.. she was cutting a big molar and these are normal symptoms for Jodie cutting teeth (she struggles!) (Bacterial infections aren’t contagious like viruses but you need to come in contact with the bacteria itself through physical touch and then get it in your mouth)

March 16.. Jodie’s tooth starts coming through but she begins to vomit. Mommy takes her to the clinic and she has a bacterial infection as well. The doctor prescribes very yucky syrup that she must take every 6 hours for 7 days (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

March 17.. Jodie can’t keep down any food or fluids and starts to dehydrate. A friend drives Sarah and kids to the clinic while Mark tries to wrap up his work day quickly and come home. Jodie gets anti-vomit injection and spends 3 hours at the clinic just to be sure she would be able to keep down her meds.. her prescription is changed to a once a day antibiotic for three days (hallelujah!)

March 18.. Seth starts vomiting. Sarah thinks ‘there’s no way he has another bacterial thing because he was just on antibiotics, so maybe it’s just a stomach flu’. At 5.30 PM he starts having diarrhea and his fever spikes. Sarah’s pretty sure it’s not a stomach flu by now. Mark gets home as quick as possible, house-girl, Joyce stays with Jodie, and we’re off to the clinic. Seth needs an anti-vomit injection (by the end of the day he’d vomited 12 times) and is on a drip for 4 hours to re-hydrate him. We left the clinic at midnight with more meds for a bacterial infection and his fever under control.

March 19.. Jodie is better and taking her last dose of antibiotics. Seth is still lying on the couch and not even talking much. Has diarrhea all day and no appetite but keeps fluids down. At 7.30 PM he starts vomiting again. So we call some friends to stay with Jodie and rush him to the clinic with a fever of 102F. He gets another anti vomit injection and stays at the clinic till about 11.

But on the way there Mark says he’s not feeling well. By the time we get there he goes straight to the bathroom and then to one of the sick beds at the clinic. Imagine the surprise of the doctor when he tells us we can take Seth home and we say, ‘Could you please check Mark first?’ Apparently Mark had gotten some food poisoning from something he’d eaten that day and was struck with severe diarrhea and vomiting. (Are you laughing now?) A friend of mine was nearby so agreed to ride along with us home to hold Seth because he was too weak to sit in his car seat on his own on these bumpy roads, and I drove while Mark clenched his teeth and clutched a barf bag all the way home. That night Sarah stayed up till 3 making strawberry jam for a sale the next day. Sarah sold jam at the sale until 2 PM and then had practice for leading worship on Sunday. Mark was well enough to watch Seth on Sunday while Sarah and Jodie went to church.

Note-able moments of the month? 1.Showering liquid diarrhea off of Jodie and hearing Seth come to the bathroom saying ‘I have to puke!’. He ended up on the toilet having diarrhea and puking in a bucket at the same time. The laundry was mountainous! 2. The look on the doctor’s face when we told him Mark needed some medical attention. ‘Really?’ he said. 3. On Seth’s fourth day of his third stomach affliction he was beginning to feel better. Late afternoon he said casually, ‘Mom, I need to go diarrhea’. ‘Okay, come on let’s go!’ Sarah said. He began to saunter to the bathroom singing cheerfully, ‘Diarrhea! Diarrhea! Diarrhea!’.

But, my thankfulness comes from the fact that I can take my children to the clinic when they are sick. Many children here die from such illnesses because their parents don’t have the money for or cannot make it to a clinic. God has blessed me in so many ways!

Adventures With Seth & Jodie

2010-03-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Seth. Do you know that some cats are mommies? My cat is! She had three babies in the night. So I got to see them when I woke up in the morning. They are very tiny and they usually like me. Sometimes they cry but then I give them back to their mom. I’m always very gentle with them and I tell Jodie to be careful. I love to just sit by the basket and look at them and pet them and talk to my cat, Tonka. She’s a good mommy. So when my friends come over I show them my kitties. Next time I will tell you how much I have learned about school.
Jodie. I like baby kitties. When Seth is holding them I always say, ‘Too?! Too?!’ which means I want to hold them too. First I sit down, but then they stick their little claws on me and I drop them on the floor and I cry and they cry for their mama. But you know what? Their mama is really tough. Because for a long time there was a rat coming into our kitchen at night trying to find food and daddy and brave Uncle Francis were chasing him with sticks and making traps and stuff. But he was always getting away. Then one night mommy was sick so daddy got up in the night with me when I cried. I asked for milk and daddy went to the kitchen. And you know what? That rat was on the counter top!!! So daddy grabbed Tonka who was under the table with her babies and he threw the cat at the rat! And daddy said she grabbed that rat so fast you could hardly see it!!!! Man I wish I could have seen that!!!! But daddy still made my milk for me. Then he ran into the bedroom where mommy was trying to sleep and made big muscle arms saying, ‘We caught the rat! We caught the rat!!!” I think I’m going to be brave like Tonka when I grow up! Next time I will tell you about all the words I can say. I’m big! Bye bye!

African Adventures With The Williams.... Holidays!

2009-12-08T04:28:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! We're just putting a quick message here on the blog for December... Not because we're too busy Christmas shopping but because Mark has holidays this month (on & off) and we really need them! We're just goint to try and catch up on some projects (Jodie's baby book, one year video for Jodie, and other long overdue household stuff) and some weekend traveling to just get out of the city.

So we have added some pictures that we hope you enjoy!

We're not traveling home to North America this year. It's very expenseive and an exhausting trip after all is said and done and we think this year our family would benefit more from a time here of rest and catch up! But we're going to miss all of you and will be thinking of you (and the snow and apply cider and snowmen). We'll have a very nice time here though, with a Christmas tree and Jodie's first Christmas that she can enjoy. Seth's already asking about a Christmas tree!

We pray this Christmas is great for all of you! Rest. Enjoy one another. Honor old traditions (good ones!) and start one new tradition this year. We plan to help our kids find a toy for a child that doesn't have one. We have the privilege of not packing it in a shoe box but taking a walk down the road and giving it to someone in the neighborhood. Maybe that is a possibility for you as well. Maybe there is a way this year that you can touch someone with the kindness of Christ face to face. We're pretty sure this is a tradition that we can continue no matter where we are and we're excited to see how it will impact our children throught the years.

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Love and blessings from,

The Williams Family

Adventures With The Williams Four: Future Plans

2009-10-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

As we look back over our time in Africa it is hard to believe that we have been here for a little over four years. I remember our arrival in early September of 2005 at the airport and thinking that we should just get on the next plane and head back for Canada. Looking back I am very glad we did not decide to do that and as time progressed our initial two year contract has turned into four plus years. Likewise our family of two has been blessed with Seth and Jodie to make a family of four. During our time in Uganda we have seen so much, learned a ton and been blessed by so many. It has been a life changing experience for our family and one that I hope we never forget as we live each day regardless of where we are in five, ten or twenty years.

Recently we have been praying daily concerning our future as we consider renewing our contract here in Uganda. Yes, I will admit that I am dying to see a little bit of Hockey Night In Canada and lace up those skates, but most importantly we think of our many friends and family members back in Canada and the United States. Those are the things that are closest to our hearts and more so for Sarah as our children begin to grow up so fast. Needless to say we strongly feel that being in the palm of God’s hand is not always easy, but it is the best place to be for the Williams Four. Yes, we have decided to extend our contract to the end of 2010 and continue to seek God’s leading for the future. We know that this decision is more difficult for some than others, but please know that we still love you and miss you, but at this point continue to feel called to Uganda with the African Children’s Choir. Although, some of my Canuck and Oiler buddies may be happy that they will not hear the voice of Mark’s “Go Flames, Go” for a little longer.

As we move forward we would seek your continued support as you feel God is leading you. We continue to see much fruit in the hearts and lives of the students at the school and those that have graduated and are grateful to be blessed with a good base for high school. If you would like to be part of our ministry here in any way we would ask you to seek God’s leading. There are so many different ways that you can be part of our work here or help us as a family. Instead of providing different options we would ask you to seek the Lord’s guidance if you feel a tug on your spirit. If you don’t know how you can help but would like to or want to please send us an email at we_ganda_uganda@hotmail.com and we can suggest some ways.

For the many of you who have helped us over the past four years we can not say enough about what that has meant to us. We pray Gods richest blessings on you and wish we could thank you in a much bigger way. If I could we would have you all over to our backyard in Uganda for a big barbeque party… One day we will do just that whether it is Kampala, Abbotsford or where God places us.

As this note comes to an end please try and understand the purpose in our staying and do know that we miss you all very much. Until we meet again in person we pray blessing, health and safety on all of you. As we follow God’s leading for our lives we will continue to lift you in prayer and we would be so thankful for your continued prayers. Please keep in touch when you can as we love your emails and other communication. You greatly encourage us!
Much love from the Williams Four.

Heart For Kids!

2009-10-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

Four years ago we were clearly led to come and work with the African Children’s Choir here in Uganda. There have been long days, lonely times, but also frequent evidence of the positive impact that our work here has made in the lives of the children that we have worked directly with. Our hope and prayer is that God is glorified in every way through our time here.

Cultures & Traditions

2009-10-09T03:31:00.000-07:00

Tradition!!! Sarah helps the ‘groom’s side’ carry in the dowry for a bride to be in the village. We have been blessed to be a part of many of these functions with our new Ugandan friends.

Visitors: Mom & Dad Williams

2009-10-09T03:27:00.000-07:00

Being far from home we have been very fortunate to have people from home come and visit us here in Africa. Not only do they come for a much welcome visit from afar, but they also fill up their bags with many goodies for us and the students at the school. Thank you Doerksens, Sas, Shannon, Irwins, Schroeders, Mom and Dad Williams, Josh Campbell, Brent, Daniel, Alice Sharping among others. And… ????

Thank You

2009-10-09T03:12:00.000-07:00

While on a road trip with Mark’s parents we stopped at this small village to give out t-shirts to the children playing outside. Thank you MEI for those great T-shirts as they are one of the most prized gifts we give out.
We’ve been blessed by so many generous people who have raised money and sent stuff over to give away! Thanks to all of you! The following picture is of our most faithful fund raising team. Thank you Cloverdale School!!!

Athletics, Academics & Music

2009-10-09T03:06:00.000-07:00

Our senior girls’ soccer team won first place in a city wide tournament and returned home with a trophy and even a goat. God is good! We have been blessed as a school with much success in academics, athletics and music. Even though we are very small compared to all the other schools we compete against we have matured into one of the top schools in Kampala and even throughout the entire country of Uganda.

No Higher Calling

2009-10-09T02:34:00.000-07:00

This group of pictures shares the most significant purpose here in Uganda. There is no calling here or in North America that can mean more to us than this. Seth, our little big man and Jodie our princess we love you both. Lord we pray for wisdom and strenght!Mustard Anyone???

Reaching Out

2009-10-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

Attending choir send off celebrations is an exciting event and here Sarah is holding a young sibling to one of the choir children who was very taken with the white lady. (Before we had children of our own to take over mommy’s lap).

Wildlife!

2009-10-09T02:25:00.000-07:00

It has been amazing to be in a different country and see the different kinds of wildlife that Africa has been blessed with. We have been able to do some exploring outside the city and see some of God’s great creation. Everything from elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, hippos, rhinos, monkeys, snakes, crocodiles, water buffalos, many varieties of deer, and numerous birds.

A Loving Staff

2009-10-09T02:16:00.000-07:00

The first time we took Seth to the school was a special day! Mark especially enjoys sharing his babies with his staff and students who spare no expression of their adoration! Our children are loved!

Sharing Our Children

2009-10-09T02:05:00.000-07:00

Here begins a succession of pictures to give you an idea of how blessed we are to be surrounded by people who love and appreciate our children. Nothing can replace the regular contact and love of our parents and extended families for our children, and we feel that every day. But as God has directed us to be here for now, He has also provided great love for our children and we value that very highly and thank Him for it.

Baby Orphanage

2009-10-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

Before our own children were born we enjoyed several trips to a baby orphanage in Jinja Uganda where we would visit the little ones and give them hugs which they absorbed like little sponges. This little guy had a thing for Mark and spent one of our visits refusing to let Mark put him down. (As opposed to the other children the next time we came who took a look at Mark’s white face with facial hair and the whole room of 1 year olds burst into inconsolable terrified shrieking!)

Transportation

2009-10-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

What appears to be a trio of men traveling together with their loads of goods, is truly just a snatch of mild pedestrian traffic. Living in this city has instilled in us a better awareness of our fellow-men as they struggle to make their living alongside of us.

Traveling

2009-10-09T01:54:00.000-07:00

Our first African flight with a little one was a thrill!!! Here in London, Mark is happily toting Seth during a layover. (The novelty wears off!)

Ugandan Children

2009-10-09T01:49:00.000-07:00

On one of Sarah’s visits to the village, she snapped this shot of some boys peering through the side of the local church (the size of the average bedroom) as they watched food and clothes being presented to the village leaders.

Adventures With Mark... Home Visits!

2009-08-30T04:36:00.001-07:00

I have enjoyed a week at home with Sarah and the kids as the students at the school have a three week holiday term break. Every holiday the management team at the school makes it a priority to visit certain students that we know have an extremely difficult situation at home. Staff members are given the opportunity and encouraged to join us on the visits and the vehicle is always full as we visit students in and around Kampala. Let me take you on a brief visit with us to our most recent home visit and hopefully paint a little bit of a picture of the lives of the students we help. Please note that names have been changed to respect the privacy of the students we help and most importantly love.

Robin is a grade five student that has struggled academically since joining the African Children’s Choir. She has done an excellent job improving due to an increased effort and level of discipline. We begin our home visit at her home as there is no father and her mother is back in the village with some issues that have forced her to live with her auntie. Her auntie is a government teacher earning very little and has five other people in her house to feed and care for. She does her best to help Robin over the holidays. We are grateful for this, but visit to make sure that everything is going okay and offer some support as we leave in the form of a food parcel.

Our next stop is the home of a grade six boy (red shirt) who lives with his two siblings and mother. The father died in a car accident when Sam was not even one year old and since then the mother has faced the constant struggle to try and provide for these young ones. The house consists of two rooms and there is a pit latrine nearby. Our main concern during this visit is that last term the house where they were living caught fire and burnt down along with the few possessions they have. We wanted to see how they were functioning in their new house or more accurately ‘shack’ according to western standards (even by Ugandan standards too). I feel humbled by our food parcel as she knew we were coming and provided a very nice meal by Ugandan standards of liver, potatoes and tea. I can’t help but slip her a little money on my way out to make sure that her meal of love is covered as she continues to struggle with the other two children she has. But she has not given up hope and tries to make a living cooking local food at a very simple one room restaurant.

Our third stop is the home of a grade three student with the best smile ever (next to Seth and Jodie). She is so excited to see us that she can’t contain her excitement and begins to jump for joy. She lives with her mother, but once again there is no father. The mother is reluctant to take us to her home and when we arrive we understand. Her one room house is so small it barely fits the five of us who came to visit them. Needless to say we are excited and our food parcel is a nice encouraging touch for Lori and her mom who currently has no job.

We make another stop to see another one of our students and then head out into the country side to an area known as the Luwero triangle where many people died during the years of fighting in the 1980’s. I enjoy the visits out in the villages as there is space and some open areas compared to the overcrowding in the slum-like areas we find most of our kids. It is pineapple season and the turn-off of the main road into the village displays hills of fresh pineapples. Yes, the best pineapple in the whole country and so of course, we stop. Our math teacher negotiates and a pineapple is bought for every member of our team for a grand total of 5000 shillings. $2.50 Canadian for five fresh pineapples would be a great deal in a supermarket back home. Our first stop is Jeff’s home, a very sharp young boy who lives with his mother and three siblings. His mother works in a nearby shop and is very excited to see us. During our visit we learn that when Jeff is on holidays he wakes up early, cleans the simple house and prepares a simple breakfast for his siblings as his mother is already out working at a one room shop. His award certificates from the school are hung with pride and are about the only thing on the wall.

Once we leave we beat the upcoming rains to another nearby house of a grade four student and then I can’t resist a stop to see a former student who is now in high school. He never knew his mother or father and lives with his godly, but very elderly grandpa in a very run down house. Trevor is not there, but the grandpa is very excited to see us and welcomes us in. The rain has subsided, but water continues to leak in the holes in the dilapidated tin room. He offers to sit on the floor and gives us a simple wooden bench that three of us sit on but we insist that he keeps the reaming stool for himself. We chat and thank him for the excellent job he is doing with Trevor and encourage him not to give up. He tells us he is sick, can’t afford the medication and seeing nothing in the house we make sure he is given a food parcel and a little money to buy some medication. As I leave I think about the house being built for Trevor and his grandpa by former choir members who have come through the organization and I am excited to be able to contribute to this project. It is not a fancy house, but the door will lock and the roof will not leak. Regardless of how long or short God keeps us in Uganda, I make up my mind that before we go that house must be finished.

Our day consisted of visits to seven students and we had the opportunity to give a little bit of love in a practical way. We arrive back in Kampala six hours later, tired, but much more grateful for what God has given us than before we left.

Adventures With Seth... New Kitties!

2009-08-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hey! We got some kitties!!!! One of them is for my Auntie Kristine who lives here in Africa in our town.. so we found that kitty for her and then there was a little sister of that kitty. Well, when I heard that there was another kitty I just snuggled the first kitty on my shoulder at her house where we got her and I wandered all over that place stroking her gently saying, ‘Don’t worry! We’re going to find your sister.’ Of course, mom and dad couldn’t say no to that so I think me and Jodie get to keep the sister one!

I really like the kitties so much! I hold them all the time and tell them what to do and play fun games with them. Dad thinks that the kitties should be afraid of me because I sometimes even carry them upside down and maybe sometimes I squeeze too hard. But they usually don’t run away from me… we’re buds!

Me and Jodie are buds too. Especially when we ride in the car. We start talking to each other and laughing at each other and shouting. She doesn’t always do what I tell her. We have to work on that. But you know what? I kind of like that. She’s lots of fun and likes to do stuff with me. I gotta go! Bye! Love, Seth

Adventures With Jodie... Growing Up Fast!

2009-08-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

I’m growing up! And everyone says I’m so cute! I suppose I am. I’ll tell you the new stuff I’m doing.

I can say ‘da-da’ (I think my dad is my favorite person. Except when I need food)…. ‘Boda’ (that’s our little bikes that we race around on)… ‘oh-no’ (that’s what I say when I throw one of my toys)… ‘uh-oh’ (that’s what I say when I throw my toys again or when I fall down) … ‘no’ (that’s what I say even when I mean yes because I can’t say yes and I like to say no!)… ‘no-no’ (that’s what I say when I do something naughty or when Seth is bossing me).

And by the way, Seth likes to boss me. But it doesn’t work on me! I yell at him loud and then if he tries to take my stuff usually I hit him. And sometimes I take his stuff too. I don’t mind being bossy. But mom says I’m so adorable! And I have a tender heart she says. I get my feelings hurt easily and sometimes I can’t forgive people very much.

I really wish I could spend time with my grandmas. I love snuggles and giggles and kisses. And I love story books. (So my grandpas can read to me when I see them the next time!) I will try to come soon! I just have to save up for a airplane ticket. I have to go now and crawl everywhere and pull up on stuff. Good bye! Jodie

Mark… Where are they now?!

2009-08-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

Being so far away from many of our friends and family back home we often feel like we are out of the loop. Yes, even with simple things like movies and who is the next big music group. However we can relate with many of you who have been experiencing the constant heat. Currently Kampala is the driest it has been for a very long time (since the 1970s) and even the locals are starting to tell us they can’t remember a time when it was this dry.

However, the biggest thing we wonder is how and what our friends and family are up to. The thought was that you may feel the same about our family and even the students that leave our school. I know I often think about them and wonder how they are doing academically, behaviorally and spiritually… Well even if you are not wondering let me tell you.

Our story begins last year with some of our grade seven students. Last year our discipline committee found ourselves very challenged….in particular with a couple of students. With a constant effort and a measured level of discipline we continued to push forward and work with these children. As the year came to an end they were excited to be heading home on holidays. But soon the realization of a long holiday set in. Not so much food, not much to do and quite a bit of boredom. Tears were shed by many children as they said their goodbyes to fellow classmates, students, staff and even those tough discipline committee members of which I was the head of.

Christmas holidays passed and seven of 30 grade seven members were placed together in a secondary school. Here at Music for Life we started another year, welcomed another choir who had returned from touring in the west and got to work. To my surprise and joy one of those difficult students from last year showed up at my office one day and greeted me with a big hug. Yes, I remember the mean things this student had written in a diary about me and others who, were only trying to help her and correct her out of love with good intentions. As we chatted I was shocked to hear that she was one of the top student in her stream along with the six other students from our school (same grade but different classes). I was shocked as she stated who was first and followed through to number seven and how ‘we are the best and the rest begin after us’. All of the students had positions of leadership and were involved in leading praise and worship on Sunday mornings for the school. She made it clear that she had made many mistakes and deserved the firmness that was shown her during her time at our school. My heart jumped for joy as she continued to speak highly of how we had created a strong foundation for her academically and work-wise to be the best in her new school. Spiritually they had also been given what they needed to not just survive, but lead others at their new school. And they have been a testimony to much older students. We are thankful for the direction of these seven and many others year after year who move into secondary school and make us, the staff, the school and the organization proud. Thank you Ruth, Florence, Penny, Isaac, Dorothy, Susan and Gorret for your superb effort and dedication…We love you all still very much…

Well, I thought about going to the school for part of the afternoon and trying to get a picture of the above seven, but I decided that I would include a few pictures of my own children. Yes, these students leave and I always feel like they are in a way my own and I am sad to see them go, but very excited. Before I know it Seth and Jodie will be long gone from home and while they are here I am going to give it all I can just like I try at school. I am proud to be the headmaster of these seven and even more excited to be a dad to my two wonderful little ones. Take care everyone and let’s give all we have in whatever we do in the name of our Lord and Savior.

Sarah… A helping hand or should we say foot!

2009-08-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

Man, it’s been a busy summer! My days are a combination of mundane diaper changing and joy-filled fun times with my kids. Life with kids is ‘life abundant’!!! I really love it. But I do find I crash into bed every night exhausted and often have to pray for God to help me gracefully through the last several hours of the day.

There have been a few bouts of sickness these past months because it’s so dry here. The dust billows up and is full of all sorts of yummy stuff for everyone to pass around. Sneezing is nearly as contagious as yawning right now….. no kidding! But we’re all healthy right now and enjoying that!

Just last week I had a challenging experience I want to share with you. We were walking home with the kids from an evening play time at the club where we’re members (there are no public parks… only membership clubs or pay-as-you-go play areas). We came upon our three neighbor boys whom we frequently see fetching water and playing on the road. We’ve known that they have a mother and father who both work but it is obvious they are not going to school and are very ill-kept. My friend and I have discussed many times if there’s anything to be done and have felt it is best to stay uninvolved.

But this time it was obvious that I needed to get involved. The middle boy (age 7) was hobbling a bit trying to carry his jerry can of water. Our road is far from merciful so I thought maybe he had just stepped on a rock. When I greeted him I saw his right foot was severely injured. It was a burn on the top of his foot the size of the palm of my hand and it had obviously not been tended to. It was black, cracked, bleeding, seeping fluids, and (sorry, this is terrible) was starting to smell of rot. I immediately asked some Ugandans I knew nearby if his parents would be angry if we took him to the hospital. I have never known exactly where they live and know that they are usually not home. The neighbors assured me that any help would be appreciated and that I should take him. (It is strange but people here take a very ‘it takes a whole village’ approach to childcare so I didn’t bat an eyelash and carried him home with the permission of only the neighbors. I was very careful not to come into contact with his wound or blood from it). It turns out he had stepped into a pile of burning garbage while playing soccer with his brother a week previously and had had no medical attention.

To make a long story short, my friend and I spent till midnight at the hospital that night and many hours since trying to make sure he gets good care (definitely not to be assumed… for example…. We admitted him to the hospital that night only to find him the next morning sitting on a bench outside the children’s ward with his mother… that is where they had spent the night). All care of patients (besides medical) must be provided by the family so we have been bringing food and things like a flask for tea and blanket … this family is very poor.

The story of his mother is one I was curious about because to tell you the truth, most of me just wanted to slap her when she came to the hospital. How can your son be that miserable with a life threatening injury and you just let him suffer when there is medical care readily available here? I’ve seen these children (3 boys ages 8,7, and 1 year) spend their days on the street and carry water cans up the road every day instead of being in school and being cared for. And I know both parents have jobs so why in creation are the kids not seeing the money? It just seemed like this was one more aspect of neglect… at a whole different level. This injury could very easily have killed the boy and it is simply a miracle that he didn’t have infection or tetanus after a week of filth and dirt in a serious wound. And, may I add…. Simple medical attention is not expensive here. Anyway… I feel sad for her… she is 22 (do the math)…. Has a shiftless husband who works but brings nothing home… apparently he has a few ladies on the side….and her only family is a father living several hours away who is dying of cancer at the moment. They are obviously Muslim which is evident by the names of their children. Her whole posture is defeated, depressed, and almost completely disconnected. It’s as if she gave up a long time ago and she is simply existing. Please pray for her and their whole family. Her name is Judith. ( I wish I had pictures but I may try to get some for next month with an update.)

As it is now the boy needs skin grafts and a week in the hospital minimum. We and our neighbors are paying for it and have no idea how it’s going to turn out at this point. But I am just praying that God leads us in the weeks to come in how to stay involved.. at what level. We can’t fix the shiftless father, we can’t bring the kids into our home and take on their full care, we can’t convince the mother to ditch the deadbeat and get help (although I might try that). Please pray with us about it. I’ll give you an update next month. I need to sign off so there’s room for some pictures. The kids will write next month. We love you all! Sarah

I Love The Rain

2009-08-01T01:39:00.000-07:00

‘I woke up early and was so excited because it was raining. So I got all my rain stuff on and played outside with the water hose in the rain!’

Teeter Totter With Jodie

2009-08-01T01:25:00.000-07:00

‘Me and daddy playing teeter totter. I really like my dad! Sometimes when I know he’s leaving for work I cry. When he comes home then I wiggle and kick until I jump onto daddy and he gives me a hug!’

Giant Cucumber For Seth

2009-08-01T01:15:00.000-07:00

‘Look at this giant cucumber from our patch!!!! I ate that thing like I was a rabbit because it was the best tasting cucumber ever!’

I am A Big Girl Now

2009-08-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

‘Look at me! I grab onto everything and pull myself up. I am very busy and often don’t have time to eat… I’m hungry but after 3 bites I see something fun to do and off I go!’

Mark… Not just a colleague, but a friend!

2009-06-12T01:45:00.000-07:00

As our four year mark in Uganda approaches there are many things that come to mind after living in this great African country. Yes, another newsletter, but mostly thoughts about the students and staff that I have had the privilege to guide and work with. I believe that the results that God has blessed us with at the school are a due to many things like hard work and integrity, but high up on the list would be teamwork. I remember when I first arrived at the school and began to meet the different staff I was impressed by a man by the name of Mr. Masika.

Yes, I would like to introduce you to not just a colleague of mine, but a man who has become my friend and is a valuable part of the school. Unlike me, Masika Joseph has not only mastered the English language but is fluent in at least another 25 different languages and dialects. As a father of two I am amazed at how he parents his six biological children with the addition of two adopted children in a two bedroom house (two rooms total and a bathroom). This is not an easy task as half of his salary goes toward school fees. Not only do they make do, but they function as a happy family unit and are a testimony to many.

As a young man he faced many challenges during the brutal regimes of Uganda in the 1980’s. As a university student with a huge afro he escaped certain death when the taxi he was riding was pulled over at a road block. Everyone was instructed to get out. Masika could see bodies lying in the ditch and began praying. He was told by a soldier that he would either have to swallow a three inch bullet or have it implanted in his head. He was placed on high ground along the ditch and the soldier laid further back and sighted him with his gun. He sat there for some time holding the huge bullet and waiting to be shot. Miraculously another soldier intervened, insisting that surely Mr. Masika was not a member of the rebel party and he should be released. The two men argued for some time. After what seemed like an eternity, the taxi he had been riding in was waved on he found himself in the next passing truck heading to Mbale. This experience helped shape his life and brought him back on track for the Lord.

Over these four years I have seen such a dedicated man in Mr Masika. And I can say that about the majority of our staff. With no vehicle he is often on the public taxi (a van) by 6:00 am and on his way to school. After a full day of work you find him leaving school between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm and arriving home anywhere between six and eight in the evening depending on traffic at the taxi park and rain. Not only does this happen Monday through Friday, but the same early start on Saturday when we have school for half a day. He is a hardworking family man who rarely complains and helps me stay focused and on top of things as a headmaster. I have been blessed with this Deputy Headmaster who is extremely supportive and a helpful guide in acclimatizing me to the Ugandan culture. Looking back over my time at the school in Uganda, I have come to the conclusion that success is due to strong leadership/support from people like Masika and others who are dedicated to the school and myself. The students and I are indebted to Masika and all those working at the African Children’s Choir Primary School who help make our school such a success.

Sarah… Busy living with two great kids!

2009-06-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

It seems I should have lots to write because every day is jam packed busy. But upon review most of the stuff I’ve been doing is either work related (I’m so thankful for a low key paperwork job that I can do from home when the kids are sleeping), or kid related. I could honestly go on and on about my kids… I think they’re so interesting and adorable! But I wouldn’t punish you with that. I’ll just write more when I have more intriguing things to write. I hope this finds you all well and inspired by the work you’re doing for the ones you love! Take care. Sarah

Jodie….. things I’ve been sayin’ and doin’

2009-06-11T00:53:00.000-07:00

I’ve been saying ‘ma-ma-ma-ma’ lots of times now and I especially say it when mommy’s not in the room and I need something. Then I cry and I say ‘ma-ma, ma-ma’. So mommy thinks I’m talking about her. Daddy’s not sure yet (because that would be my first word!) and I’m not going to tell. I still say ‘da-da-da-da’ but I just say it whenever I want to talk. I spend lots of time just watching people trying to figure them out and carefully observing. I really think it’s best to learn from watching instead of crashing around being dangerous like some people I know.

I tried to crawl for a long time… I would get up on my hands and tippy toes and wobble around and then crash down to scoot on my tummy or my bum where I wanted to go. But now I’m a big girl and I can do it.

My best thing that I’ve been doing is a great story I want to tell you. You know what me and dad did one morning while mom and Seth were sleeping? Well, I woke dad up early (because it was his turn to get up with me because I get up early every day!) and we were just hanging out and then daddy heard a noise in our diaper bag. I knew right away it was a mouse and daddy was really mad at that mouse. Because for lots of days when daddy gets home from work he checks the traps that he and Francis made for getting that mouse who is pooping on our stuff and eating our stuff. I was really excited to see what would happen when daddy saw that mouse! First daddy chased him around the living room and he even moved the dining room table. And then we could see that he wanted to go down the hallway into our bedrooms! So then (this is my best part!) daddy said to me, ‘Jodie, you’re going to have to help daddy!’ And he set me right in the doorway to the hall where I could scare away the mouse! I didn’t think it was going to work because maybe you haven’t seen me but I don’t look very scary! Anyway, you should have seen that mouse when he saw me just sitting there. He was running fast toward me but when he saw me he ran fast the other way!!!!! I was really having fun watching daddy chase that mouse! And then after I scared the mouse daddy could catch him and he whacked him three times with the big broom! That was really, really funny watching daddy whacking him because I think daddy was afraid if he didn’t get the mouse that the mouse would get him! But me and dad took care of the mouse and there’s no more poop in our house!

Seth... Me and my Boda-boda!

2009-06-11T00:41:00.000-07:00

Well Jodie did all of the talking this time so I will talk more next time. But here at home I’m the one who talks all the time.

I know all of my colors, a lot of shapes, I can count to ten (when I’m not too busy fooling around), and I help dad say the alphabet when he gets stuck. And I can write the letter X.

My best thing is to ride around the house and our driveway very fast on my boda-boda ( a little bike that I push with my feet). But I can go so fast! One time I crashed it in our driveway and mommy was afraid I broke something. But I just had a huge purple, bloody goose egg on my head (mom says we’re getting a helmet). And then I crashed it in the house one time and put my tooth through my lip. I always cry lots when I get those big bumps and I slow down on my boda for a few days. But then I just can’t stop going fast and crazy! I better go now. Bye. Seth

New School: Kitchen

2009-05-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

Check out these pictures! I’ll try to give you an idea of the layout here as we go. At this point it’s our goal (and seems very attainable) to have the students moved to the new school site by the beginning of our third term this year which will be mid September. Our dining hall will not be finished so we will be using two of the extra class rooms together for that. Currently the walls of our kitchen are going up and will more than double the space of our present kitchen.

New School: Girls & Boys Dorms!

2009-05-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

Both dorms are coming along nicely and will each contain five large dorm rooms for students, three rooms for staff, a large common bathroom/shower, a staff bathroom and a very large store room. Part of the roof is elevated to allow for more natural light and better ventilation flow. There will be a large common area in the entrance of each dorm so that the staff can also hold meetings with the children periodically.

New School: Classroom Complex!

2009-05-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

The school complex in the form of an “L”, is coming along well. There are a total of 8 classrooms (two classrooms between which the wall is removed in order to be used as a dining room), a computer lab, two boy/girl sets of bathrooms, a staffroom and a very large storeroom. It has been fully wired and is ready for the windows, doors, lights and plaster. About half of the ceilings have been completed, which is a process of pouring concrete through a wire mesh until the holes are plugged. We are doing this in every other room at this point to save money until more funds become available. But all the rooms will still be sound proof.

New School: Excellent Craftsmanship!

2009-05-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

The wood was legally purchased along the Uganda/Congo border and brought to the site. (There is a lot of illegal harvesting that happens here.) A kiln was made out of a container with a charcoal stove to ensure that all the wood was dried properly. Once the drying process was completed the excellent on site carpenters began their magic. All the wood was planed and then the door and window frames were made by hand. The craftsmanship is unbelievable. Yes, a lot of sandpaper and some basic tools, but amazing work. And the wood here is incredibly beautiful…..wood that we would pay fortunes for at home is very common and once crafted is truly amazing. Once the frames have been made they are all varnished with at least three coats and then installed. The mavav, hardwood not only provides an excellent finish, but is resistant to termites.

New School: Steve, Our Project Manager!

2009-05-04T12:59:00.001-07:00

This past Wednesday we had a work day with the school staff as we joined the construction workers on the site. We had a great devotional time together, worked and enjoyed some rice, beans and posho for lunch (posho…. A white mass of tasteless starch made from corn flour). Seth, Sarah and Jodie joined us for a portion of the morning which the staff and workers enjoyed since there are very few ‘muzungu’ little ones around. Seth was more impressed with the cows grazing on the site and the piles of rock and sand than ‘daddy’s new school’. He spent the entire morning exploring, climbing piles, and running through the shells of buildings shouting ‘Hello!’ as loud as he could.

Again, we hope you can catch a bit of the excitement we feel about this great progress. Maybe a guided video tour through our existing school would help with that. Be assured…. The wide open space, sufficient size, and efficiency of this new school will be treasured by our staff and students. And our project manager, Steve from Colorado, has set an amazing standard of excellence which is very uncommon here. He has been a blessing to Music For Life. Please pray for him and his family (wife and four girls) as he strives to maintain that high standard and continues to hole devotions weekly, to which he invites all the workers, many of which are muslim. Four have actually given their lives to Christ and the joy they’re finding through their new faith is evident. It’s very exciting.

Thanks for your love for us and your prayers for this project! We’ll be in touch!

Mark, Sarah, Seth and Jodie

New School: Work Day!

2009-05-04T12:53:00.001-07:00

Yes, I try and lead by example. Losing a few pounds over the last few months has enhanced my performance with a shovel. Much of the digging for foundations, wiring, pipes, landscaping, etc. has been done by hand as it is cheaper to employ manual labor than machinery. Also no need for a gym membership!

New School: Work Day!

2009-05-04T12:46:00.001-07:00

Israel our day guard is sanding one of the door jams by hand. Yes, very few power tools are used in the converted carpentry classroom shop. However, the finished work is of excellent quality. It was encouraging to see most of our 30 staff members come for the work day that was during their holiday time. God is good as we have the best staff in all of Uganda.

The Williams Strawberry Patch

2009-04-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

A year ago a friend of Sarah’s was moving and she a few strawberry plants she was willing to give us. What started out as eight plants half dead in the hot Ugandan sun has turned into a little business. Those plants have blossomed into the Williams’ Strawberries Ltd. Our garden is overrun with those tasty little red guys. Our guard who had never seen strawberries until now, thought we were a little crazy at first, but is now part of our little venture. Strawberries our a hot and rare item here. The last time I saw strawberries here they were flown in from Italy and did not look good at all and certainly the price was not good either. About five minutes from our house there is an American Recreational Club that holds a garage sale like event once a month. We have begun to sell Sarah’s homemade strawberry jam, fresh strawberries and basins of strawberry plants. Last month (our first time out) we made about 150 dollars in a few hours and sold out on almost everything.

2009-04-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

The Williams work together along with our guard Francis in this little venture. Not a big money maker, but fun and tasty at the same time. Sarah makes the fresh freezer jam and of course Seth loves to help dad pick the strawberries, or perhaps I should say eat them. Francis helps with the watering and transplanting of the plants. On the day of the sale we are all eager to sell, except for Seth who would rather be playing in the sandbox breaking sandcastles and whizzing down the slide.

2009-04-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

In these days of economic difficulties everyone is tightening the belt a bit. We felt as a family that we could have a little fun together, while doing what we can to add a little more income to our increased bills. Yes, we are not going to make millions on our strawberry patch, but I we are using our resources and talents to the best of our ability like all of us are called to do. To use what we have been gifted at and work hard with those gifts. And we’re having fun too!

All the best from the Williams Four in the middle of many new things and a budding strawberry patch.

Take care, Mark

Seth: Things I’ve been sayin’ and doin’

2009-04-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

I can sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider by myself.

A few weeks ago I told mom I was going outside. She said, ‘Okay. See you later.’ Then I ran back to her, stuck out my hand and said, ‘It was nice to meet you. Thank you for coming.’ Then I went outside.

I like to throw myself on the floor when I’m playing hockey and make crashing noises and then I say, ‘Whoa! I fell down on the hard ice!’

I like when people ask if we are twins when we are in the stroller (every time we go out!) because then mom says, ‘No, he is older,’ and then I say, ‘I’m older! And bigger!’

I also like to jump high and am the best in Kampala!

Jodie: Things I’ve been sayin’ and doin’

2009-04-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

I can sit by myself now! Mom puts pillows nearby in case I have a crash but that doesn’t happen very much (mostly just when Seth tries to hug me. I think it’s really funny even if I get a little bump… I just smile.)

I say ‘Da-da-da-da-da. Da-da-da-da-da’ lots and lots…. Especially when I’m tired… then I start saying it really screechy.

I love to swim in the big pool with mom and dad and Seth… I splash myself in the face with water and I kick like a little frog and I can’t even stop when I’m so tired. I just keep going.

I’m starting to laugh lots now. I really like to be tickled and teased. I try not to be shy but sometimes when someone wants to hold me I just feel bad because it’s not mom or dad and then I get tears and my lip quivers and then I melt down crying.

Sarah: Things I’ve been sayin’ and doin’

2009-04-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.. things I’ve been sayin’ and doin’ eh?

Pre washing poopy cloth diapers with my rubber gloves on.

Doing lots of kitchen work with Jodie on one hip. She’s a very good passenger and seems to enjoy it if I tell her what I’m doing and teach her recipes.

I’ve been saying lots of, ‘Seth, come on now… let’s go… Seth…. Seth. Seth! This is your last chance to obey!’ (That always gets a very quick result.)

I’ve been making strawberry jam, pickles, granola, bread, and cupcakes. I love it and Seth loves to help make granola. Lots of extra clean up but loads of fun!

Mark: Things I’ve been sayin’ and doin’

2009-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.. how about things I have not been doing… Trying hard at spending less time at work. More time with Sarah and my two little angels, although one is quickly showing he is all boy.

Enjoying working in the garden and enjoying our many strawberries, along with broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, onions and carrots.

Trying to enjoy life more as it comes and not passing up the moments I usually miss.

Adventures With Mark!

2009-03-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that the Williams Family of four have found their way safe and sound back to Uganda and have settled in well. Okay, not totally settled in yet as we have one suitcase to unpack and a few boxes to dig through. Seth and Jodie will fill you in a little more later on this adventure…

The school has had a great start to the new academic year as term one begins in early February in Uganda. Our results from last year’s grade seven class’s national exam came in very strong once again in the country. There are a possible of five divisions that each student can achieve with aggregates within each division. The majority of our students received a division one result (the best) with a few in division two. As soon as the results come out the papers carry the top schools in the country on the front page and several pages with write ups. God was good and our school was the 13th best school in the country out of over 30,000 primary schools. The only disappointing fact is that we are still trying to work out our school registration (lots of red tape and some unbelievable politics that have been very stressful) so currently we write our exams at another school in Kampala which drastically boosts their results. This of course does not allow our name to make it to the 13th position in the country. However, our staff knows, along with the students, that everyone worked hard as a team and it paid off in excellent results. This would equal three years in a row that we would be ranked in the top 20 schools in Uganda if we had our own registration and exam center number. Yes, Lord willing it will come… As a result of these good grades our students have been admitted to top schools across the country for secondary education. We are excited once again to see them do well academically like those that have gone before them and to be leaders that make a difference.

I continue to be amazed somewhat at our excellent results as we do not spend nearly as much time in the classroom as some of our peers. Some schools will have their grade six and seven students in classes by 6:00 AM… yes that early for classes. It does not stop there as they are taught all day, late into the afternoon and then evening classes. I remember coming under fire from some because I refused to follow this kind of schedule and chose to offer computers, art and PE to our students. I think that too many schools in Uganda focus on the exam results and forget about educating the child as a whole. Our school staff focuses on the child’s needs first and then with hard work, discipline and God’s provision we are blessed with success. Our goal is not to turn out top notch academic students for secondary schools, but students who are capable to lead and make a difference in this country’s future. For that to happen they need to know who they are and be confident in what they have been taught academically and spiritually.

With this kind of results it is easy to get excited to dive into another school year. However, my greater excitement is to know these kids and to see their lives changing from the inside out as they receive love and encouragement from the staff at the school when they arrive. Yes, I shed some tears each time I say goodbye to a class of grade seven students. And I am rewarded so often by their love in return. And also by knowing that they know I love them. After the end of year ceremony last year one boy said, “Today I realized Mr. Williams loved us beyond what I thought.”

My friends, lets all go forward in what ever corner we may be at in this world and make a difference where we have been placed. Change must happen from the inside out so we must have God’s help and it begins with one person at a time. I am convinced that all of us are in a position to make a positive influence on someone around us. As Seth would say, ‘Ready, set, go!’

Adventures With Seth!

2009-03-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody, from Seth! You’ll never believe where I am! After lots of flying and kicking my soft soccer ball in the airport and being good (I really tried to be good) we made it to Uganda. I remembered my Uncle Francis who lives here at my house and I gave him a big hug when I saw him. And I was even sleeping when we drove into my house but I woke up so fast and jumped out of my car seat and from that time until now (a month later) I have been running around this place in so much happiness!!!!! Most of the time I can just wear my diaper and I can run out in my bare feet and I need a shower every day because I am sweaty and stinky, mom says. And now that I can see all my own toys I keep telling mom and dad that they are ‘mine’!!!! There are pictures on the fridge of my grandpas and grandmas and cousins and aunties and uncles and friends and I like to remember them. And we pray for them at night too. And I have some new books about snow and snowmen and those are my best ones. And I bring my little hockey sticks out on the grass every day and play hockey with a little soccer ball. But I still practice my kicking the soccer ball too. And you know what? I get to eat avocados and mangos and pineapples almost every day. And I swing on my swing under the tree every day. And I’m trying to be nice to Jodie and share my swing with her. But I still tell her it’s mine. She ignores me when I say that. And always she likes me. When she sees me she smiles and waits for me to kiss her and then she smiles again. When I read stories to myself in the kitchen while mom is cooking, Jodie looks at the pictures from her stroller. She sits up as big as she can so she can see. I don’t worry too much if she can see or not….. because they are my books.
But mom says I have to tell all the news because she and daddy are too busy taking care of us to write very much stuff this time. I guess I’ve been a little extra work because I am getting four new teeth at one time. Two pointy ones on the bottom in the front and two big molars in the back. Boy, do I feel grumpy. I cry about little stuff. But I don’t cry about bumps any more. I’ve had a bandaid, lots of scraped knuckles, a bloody ankle, a big scratch on my arm, a bump on my head from our big door, and a swollen scrape on my cheek ( I just got that one today). And I only cried a little bit about the scrape on my face and the bump on the door. Otherwise mommy has been wondering where I got my owies and I don’t know…. I just keep playing! Mom says I have to leave room for Jodie to write and for pictures. Boy, sisters like to talk! When she gets bigger I really want her to play with me….. sometimes I take her hand and say, ‘Come on Jodie, let’s go!’ She smiles so big but mom says she can’t play yet. I really like her. So I won’t say any more because Jodie wants to talk too. I miss everybody…. I really like all of you! Good bye! Seth

Adventures With Jodie!

2009-03-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

Hi! It’s me, Jodie. But I don’t really know what to say because I feel shy. I like to smile at people but when they want to hold me then I feel shy a little bit. I like to talk too but my favorite thing is just watching everybody and seeing what they do. When I’m trying really hard to do stuff then my tongue sticks out and my lips make a little ‘O’ and I’m working really hard. And I’m getting bigger…. I can lay on my tummy and hold up my head and I can almost sit by myself! Well, I think I can sit by myself but mom says ‘almost’ because always she has to catch me when I’m ready to be done and that is right away.
I like to sleep in my own little bed. When I’m not there then I can’t sleep and then I get really tired but I just can’t sleep so I keep my eyes open and watch everything and then when I finally get in my bed I just scream! But that’s the only time I scream. Mom says I’m a really good girl. I like to spit bubbles. Even in the night when I wake mommy up (one time every night) I like to start spitting bubbles sometimes. Then I just smile because I think it’s funny. And I love to put my arms around mommy’s neck and she kisses my cheek and I grab her hair in the back and I just snuggle with her. I really like that and I think she does too. I think mom really likes me and daddy really likes me too. Sometimes when I see dad walking around I like to watch and smile and then when he looks at me I smile so big and then I kick my legs and wave my arms for happiness. I like my dad. I like Seth too. I want to play with him. But sometimes he’s really rough and mommy has to rescue me. I like when mommy makes roaring lion noises and I’m the lion and I wrestle on Seth and grab his hair. He thinks it’s funny but then he wants to wrestle me and he doesn’t know the rules that I always have to be the lion otherwise I cry. I guess I said lots of stuff. I have to go now and sleep. I am 5 months old and I’m growing every day because I’m getting my rest and my milk. I hope daddy puts on good pictures of me (maybe ones of me swimming! I like swimming so much!). Good bye. Jodie

Adventures With Sarah!

2009-03-03T05:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it’s Sarah. I think the kids could write all day and I would enjoy reading every minute because they’re my sunshines! I should quickly update you from my perspective. It is so good to be back in Uganda! I didn’t know how this transition would go and I’m happy to report that it is good! I really think this climate is the best kind for raising kids. No big bundling up and unbundling and 10 minutes of play and then we’re freezing. We do have to do the sunscreen faithfully but otherwise it’s just so easy.
As far as work goes I am in the busiest term of my year. It’s a 2 month process because I do it as I can here at home when the kids are napping and after they’re in bed. It’s low key paperwork and a few days at the school taking photos of the kids, getting updates from the kids, giving them sponsor letters and having them write letters. I enjoy it and I really get to know the kids better. Each child has 4 sponsors (with a few exceptions) so there’s quite a bit of correspondence to manage. I often bring Seth and Jodie to the school and they enjoy being with daddy at work, hanging out with the staff and seeing the kids.
I’m enjoying my own kitchen! Making bread, strawberry jam, yogurt, granola, salads, and dinners every night. I did miss that when we traveled.
I need to sign off because Seth is now awake and ready to roll. I miss everyone so much and am thinking and praying for so many of you! With love, Sarah

Adventures With Sarah

2009-01-20T00:06:00.000-08:00

At last I have been elected to write our newsletter! Mark has been faithfully updating everyone while I have been in the blur of travel and adjusting to two little ones. As I write we are in our final two days in BC. These 12 days have been filled with dentist, immunizations, insuring the car, air-caring the car, servicing and fixing tires on the car, catching up with friends, packing 16 bags, haircuts, eye appointments, dedicating baby Jodie, shower for baby Jodie, big shops for necessities (and specialties) not found abroad, and the little ditties we all spend our lives doing that make us wonder where the day went! The kids have been awesome! And when I think of this time here in BC and the whole time here in North America the words ‘abundant life’ keep coming to my mind….abundant in every sense of the word. Incredible unforgettable times with family and friends, wonderful holiday food, tons of travel, countless inconvenient poopy diapers, perpetual runny nose for Seth, lots of feeding Jodie, more travel, and more special memories than we can even process right now. (Thank heaven for digital cameras!) And as we look ahead to Uganda I see more ‘abundant life’…. Really special friends who love us so much, a prosperous garden in our front yard that never goes out of season, and very meaningful work. And the 16 bags we’re packing? Six for us and 10 full of brand new school supplies and library books for the school. We decided to pay the extra money for the bags and trust God that the money would come in! The Sunday that Jodie was dedicated our church asked what they could do to help! Thanks to many individuals we now have enough to bring over all the bags! So exciting!
I think I will use no more space for writing (and save it for pictures!) except to say that God’s faithfulness has been so amazing! Through our families and friends we have been blessed beyond what I can express in every way and we are inspired to pass on these blessing in Uganda in every way we can. Thank you all for being so special! We love you and will miss you so much! We’ll write more next month. Please pray for safe travel and healthy bodies for the flight to Uganda on Wednesday evening (the 21st) along with our 16 bags, four carry-ons, two car seats, one stroller and one laptop.

Being A Big Brother

2009-01-19T23:59:00.000-08:00

Seth loves having a little sister, but doesn't always know what to do when she starts crying. Often he will try and find her a soother or even offer his own. Most likely though he will opt to pass the baby on to mommy or daddy.

Our Next Little Hockey Star

2009-01-19T23:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, our little Seth had a chance to learn the game of hockey over Christmas from his big cousin, Ben. He has a good grip and now connects on most shots. Go, Flames Go!

Daddy & His Two Angels

2009-01-19T23:47:00.000-08:00

Being a dad is one of the greatest things that has ever happened. Two great kids and a wonderful wife. It does not get much better than that!

Mommy & Jodie

2009-01-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

Jodie was a great traveler and enjoys spending time with mom. She is a happy baby who loves to be held and interacting with people.

Bowling With Seth

2009-01-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

Seth had a chance to go bowling for the first time over Christmas with daddy, mommy and some of his cousins. There were just not enough balls for Seth to through. He loved every minute of it!

Still Learning

2009-01-19T23:32:00.000-08:00

Ooops, not sure where that line is for bowling!

Adventures With Mark

2008-12-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

“Dad, don’t go” was the point that brought me to tears as I gave Seth a big, big hug good bye as he would call it. We had spent the night in Minneapolis as a family and the morning at the Mall Of America. Thomas the train was a big hit and the rides for the little kids were also much fun for Seth. However, it became clear that Seth completely and fully understood what was about to happen in the afternoon. After weeks of listening to adults talk about it and some prep for the last two days by mom and dad he was not looking forward to dad flying on a plane without him to Africa.Yes, the life of a worker for a charitable organization on another continent is not always exciting. Saying goodbye to Sarah, Seth and Jodie for another five week stint apart was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I was not a happy camper as I got on the plane, but a tall well dressed black man got my attention. I waited towards the end of the boarding line and as I sauntered down the aisle in the plane I saw that my seat was beside this man I had spotted earlier. I knew immediately by his features that he was Sudanese and as we greeted each other his poor English supported this idea. Once off the plane we bumped into another tall well dressed man from Sudan. We were all going to Kampala and I suddenly became their leader in the Amsterdam airport as we found our new boarding gate for Uganda. Once settled we chatted a bit more about each others past and all of a sudden my almost six week departure from my family did not look so bad. Both of these men had been in refugee camps and had been separated from their families. In fact one of the men was part of the infamous “Lost boys of Sudan” that walked hundreds of miles and saw many of their countrymen die along the way. Both men had received permanent resident status in the USA through the United Nations. However they were in the process of trying to reunite their families with them as they were currently resettled in Uganda. One of the men had not seen his daughter of nearly two years and the other man had not been back in East Africa for about seven years. He was very excited to see his wife, boy of 8 and his daughter of 15. All of a sudden I realized once again that there are many people who have it much harder than I do and that even though I miss my family very much I can be thankful that we are together most of the time. It has become very clear that a passport from a peaceful nation like Canada or the United States would be one of their greatest privileges ever. I also realized that my children will be doubly blessed to have a passport from both countries at some point in the future. As I got off the plane in Uganda and said goodbye to my two new friends I made up my mind to once again give all I had for the boys and girls at the school who have very little compared to Seth or Jodie. I was back to school the next day where I received a warm welcome from the staff and students. With a hard working staff and excellent leadership while I was gone I found the school in great shape. The days were busy as we had a grade seven farewell party. As the 30 students came up at the party one at a time I was amazed at how grown up they became and how they have matured. The many varied problems that we dealt with as a result of their very difficult backgrounds had improved or disappeared in many cases.In particular I was touched by one student from Rwanda who has worked through many issues, particularly anger. As an example, earlier in the year he was upset by some discipline that was handed out and as a result he stated clearly that he did not want to help wash my car anymore or even look at it. Through much continued love from the wonderful team of staff at school this young man began to change. When I handed him his gift as he came up at the end of the year party, I knew his hug was real and genuine. The last night before the grade seven students left this young boy stopped in my office as I was working late. He presented me with one of the greatest gifts I have ever received…a car. He had spent the past week building a model car or perhaps I should say his BMW out of pieces of metal, sticks, broken sandals, elastics and broken pens. The car was amazing with a suspension system and a driving shaft that moved the front tires. I was at a loss for words, but managed to thank him, hid some tears or at least tried and we chatted for a little while. Later I learned that on his bus ride home, this orphan who had lost both parents and never new his dad displayed his new attitude. He gave some of his little money with a beggar at the border crossing ‘and best yet his anger problem due to the loss of his parents had become manageable and perhaps even a thing of the past. Yes, I miss my family and I will be extremely excited to wrap my arms around Sarah, hold my new little baby once again and have Seth run into my arms at the airport. As hard as it was to be separated for six weeks I know that I was a dad to one boy and many other young people who needed a dad. Like one of the adults who shared in devotions the other day it is better to make the years count than to count them. As Christmas approaches and many of us are blessed with so much let’s try and make a difference to so many others who may be hurting weather they are in Canada, United States or Africa.

God bless and Merry Christmas from the Williams family

Boys Dorm

2008-12-04T12:24:00.000-08:00

The boys dorm will soon be ready for the iron sheets. Notice Lake Victoria in the background.

Girls Dorm

2008-12-04T12:21:00.000-08:00

A front view picuture of the girls dorn. There is a nice porch area and elevated roof area to help with natural light and improved ventilation.

Soap Pit

2008-12-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

Crew members are working on the soap pit for the bathrooms. It is cheaper to pay workers to dig by hand rather than to hire machines.

Classroom Complex

2008-12-04T12:15:00.000-08:00

Here is another angle to the classroom complex. There is a gentle slope running down to Lake Victoria which would be in the background beind this.

School Complex

2008-12-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

This is part of the school classrooms with the roofing completely done. In total there are eight classrooms, a computer room/library, bathrooms, staffroom and a temporary assembly room (two classrooms as one).

Adventures With Mark!

2008-10-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it has began… daddy of a beautiful little baby girl. She has already won her daddy’s heart and I am preparing to keep a close eye on the boys eighteen (sixteen?) years from now. She is a great addition to our family and I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have a fabulous wife like Sarah, a great little boy and now a girl.

Over the past few weeks I have been spending lots of time with Seth as Sarah has had to focus more on Jodie. Seth and I are sharing a room and Sarah is down the hall with Jodie as she continues to want to be up a little bit during the night. Not sure why as the hockey scores are over and done with and she is not into reading many novels yet.

On a more serious note I have missed the staff and students in Uganda, but have greatly valued the time I could spend with my family back in North America. Unfortunately, I will be leaving my family at the end of October until the second week of December to return to Uganda to finish the school year. I will be excited to get back and see how things are going at the school, but it will be extremely difficult to say goodbye to my three best friends – Sarah, Seth and Jodie. Please remember me as I say my goodbyes and fly across the waters to Africa on the 30th of October. Also keep Seth in mind as he’s been enjoying time with his daddy and will struggle when I leave. Thanks for the love and support that many of you have blessed us with upon the arrival of Jodie. We appreciate the sharing of our joy and generosity that has been shown the Williams Four.

Adventures With Sarah!

2008-10-22T09:43:00.001-07:00

I can think of only three dates in my lifetime that equal each other even though they are each remarkably different and hold individual significance. August 21, 2004…. My wedding day……the happiest day of my life to that point. April 11, 2007…. My first baby, Seth was born….. ‘another happiest day of my life’ if you can have more than one. October 4, 2008……My second baby, Jodie was born and the two incredible men in my life have to share their titles with her as she defined the ‘third happiest day of my life’. When I think about all of them at one time it’s just too much happiness!!!!!!!! I could make a list of challenges and could compile plenty of prayer requests for God’s grace and help for very specific things.…..but I think I won’t! I’ll just make this long enough to let you know that I have been so blessed and am so thankful to God for His faithfulness and goodness to me when I have done nothing to deserve it. (Maybe next month I’ll give you that list of prayer requests!) Thanks everybody for your prayers! (By the way, labor and delivery was so much easier this time… still a challenge but definitely easier!) Thanks to so many of you who have communicated your joy and celebration with us! Love you all lots! Sarah

Adventures With Seth!

2008-10-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Guess what? I’m a big brother!!!! Remember I was starting to wonder about that bump in mom’s tummy? Then she started saying it was baby. Then I would pat my tummy and say ‘baby’. But there really was a baby in mom’s tummy and she is here now and I get to hug and kiss her! And I really like her. When she cries I don’t really mind. I just look at her and carry on with what I’m doing. I think she does it for attention…. I’ll have to teach her about that… you get more attention if you do cute stuff… not so much crying. But she’s really nice most of the time. Anyway… I better get going. I have been growing up lots and am more busy than ever in my life and am starting to say my own stuff. (Like ‘I found it!’ and ‘There it is!’ and ‘Play with you.’) So I gotta go and play some more. Oh, one more thing….. I’ve been hearing mom and dad talk to other people about dad leaving pretty soon. It’s making me nervous and sometimes I start looking for daddy if he’s not in the room and when I wake up I ask for him. Please pray for me so when he leaves (Oct 30) I will be okay. I know he will come back but I will miss him. Bye everybody! I hope you’re having as much fun as me! Seth

Adventures With Jodie!

2008-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hello to everybody! I’m so excited to be a baby! You know what’s the hardest thing? Staying awake in the day and sleeping in the night! In the night sometimes I just don’t feel sleepy so I just open my eyes and stay awake. Usually I need to eat and poop and I get a little tummy ache too sometimes. So then in the day I feel kind of sleepy. And it’s so nice because everyone likes to snuggle me so after my bath (do you have baths? I really like them so much!) after my bath I snuggle in my blanket and I smell all pretty too, and I fall to sleep. I like my mom and my dad and my brother and Grandpa Bob and Grandma Dori and so many other people! But I need to tell my brother that I don’t really like when he pokes all over my face and my head talking about all the pieces of my face and stuff…. My eyes and ears and nose and all that…. He even says ‘eyebrows’. Or maybe if he would just not do it when I’m sleeping. Hey, did you see the pictures of me? When I was first born I sure had some nasty bruises on my face, huh? I really didn’t like that because I didn’t feel very pretty but I was so happy to be out of that tight space in mommy’s tummy I just enjoyed having a good stretch! I better go… I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. I will be happy to come and visit you if you want me to. Maybe you could give me a snuggle if I come because I really like that. Good bye. Jodie

Birth Announcement: Jodie Mae Williams

2008-10-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

I’m here everybody! I am a pretty girl and my name is Jodie Mae….. don’t you think that’s nice? I have been resting at the hospital with mom for a few days. I decided to be born on October 4th at 7:14 in the evening. I was supposed to be born on Oct. 3rd but I just needed one extra day of growing first. Mom’s tummy started working on getting me out at 5:30 in the morning and I thought it was a good idea. In the afternoon I thought about changing my mind but then mom and dad were already at the hospital so I quickly decided to get it over with and everybody started rushing around. That was pretty exciting for me. When I came out I could tell that mom worked very hard and her and dad were both there to give me hugs and kisses. Mommy was very tired, but very happy along with dad to finally see me. My face is a little bruised because after lots of hard work then I came out really fast, but I am just happy to be with my family. I also met my big brother Seth and he seems to like me. I can’t believe that I weighed 9 pounds, 11 ounces and am 20 inches long! That’s one more ounce bigger than my brother and one half inch longer. He seems so big and always wants to touch my eyes, mouth, nose and even my thick black hair. Sometimes he doesn’t remember that I am a little lady, so he plays with me like I’m all grown up like him but I know he loves me lots because he always tries to give me kisses. I think I am going home tomorrow, on Tuesday to be at my great grandma and grandpa’s house for a little bit. Dad is excited I came on time because he says something about going for a long drive soon to try and get me a passport. They keep talking about getting ready for flying for a long time in a plane and Seth says it is too long. Well, I should say goodbye because I want to snuggle with mom and I’m getting hungry again and I hear Seth coming down the hallway with dad. I want to see many of you soon!

2008-10-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

A very happy Williams family with the newest addition, Jodie!

2008-10-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Miss America and baby Jodie!

2008-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

A very proud and excited mom!

2008-10-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

A very happy dad and big brother, Seth!

2008-10-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Daddy loves his new little girl!

2008-10-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

Seth giving his new sister her first kiss with great grandma Dori!

2008-10-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

Jodie, Seth, Mom and Dad 30 minutes after the new arrival!

2008-10-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Seth meets his new sister for the first time minutes after her birth!

2008-10-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

A very happy, but tired new mom!

Adventures With Mark

2008-09-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

The absence of Sarah, my Miss America and Seth, my little buddy has made the house very quiet. Yes, I am getting a lot more work done, but not much of a trade off for having them gone. I miss Sarah’s friendly warm smile with a hug coming home from work and playing ball with Seth or hearing “Daddyyyyy”. Soon however we will be back together again September 23rd in the not so mega city of International Falls, Minnesota. I am happy that they have arrived safely there at grandma and grandpa’s house after a short, but busy time in Vancouver.

The last few months have seen us focusing on our time with the African Children’s Choir here in Uganda and trying to discern what God has for us in the future. It has not been an easy decision as we have friends and family back in North America that pull on our hearts and yet the work here is fruitful and rewarding. The school, staff and students have made tremendous progress over our past three years since we have been here. Even though the work and people we interact with are a delight, the struggles of no power and certain everyday realities are difficult. It has not been an easy decision to make about our immediate future, but we know it’s important to be where we are supposed to be at this time. We have decided to extend our contract and stay on at the school here in Uganda until spring of 2010 at this point. If the Lord continues to lead we would like to see the new school established along with a strong staff built on integrity, hard work and honesty.
Let me share a story that will hopefully help you understand why we are here… The past term holiday a group of about 20 former students from our school who are now in secondary decided that they would venture out into the country side and make a difference in the community of Luwero. They spent three days and two nights cleaning a hospital (not so nice like health facilities in the west), ministering to a leper in his extremely small run down shack and helping in the clean up of a house being built for the grandpa of a current African Children’s Choir child. These students took the initiative on their own to give of their time to make a difference to others. For those who have been following our newsletters since we’ve come to Uganda, their fearless leader was the boy who was hit by a car one morning while walking to school and had his leg broken so badly it was possible he would never walk without assistance again. (He is now fit and healthy!) Yes, we had a chance to contribute to this group of students and the house, but the most exciting part is to see these boys and girls who were once at our school becoming men and women who are giving back to their families, communities and country. Our decision to stay longer in Uganda is based upon obedience regardless of what fruit we are seeing at this time, but it is evident that stories like these make our time here very sweet. We miss all of you dearly and so often we would love to sit down with family members, go camping with friends, catch a hockey game or just spend time together. One day that will come, but now we need to fully give ourselves to the work here. Being a father figure to students who don’t have a biological father at home and modeling a family is a current focus. To give you an idea we visited 22 student homes over the holidays and only three of them had a mother and father presently living at the home. These students need the hope and love that God has enabled us to be for them at this point in their lives.

We continue to be thankful for how we have been cared for and looked after by many of you in different parts of the world. The love and support we get from so many of you (emails, cards, phone calls, prayers, agreement through finances, etc) are irreplaceable. We can’t tell you how much it means. As we continue the work here in Uganda some of you may be interested in how you can help us. There are several different ways that every person can do something if you feel led. Looking back over the past three years we have seen many blessings from supporters. God has provided for us financially and kept us safe. However we have begun to see our finances lack severely due to rapid inflation here in Uganda and the increasing needs of our growing family. (The cost of electricity has more than doubled and local food costs as well, causing the need for a higher wage for our night guard, house help, and any other basic services including vehicle maintenance. And surprisingly, rent is nearly as expensive as back in the Abbotsford area.) Our financial needs have changed so much that this month we will most likely not have enough support to meet our bills. As God continues to lead us to stay you can help us with monthly support or even a one time gift to help us with continued expenses. Another option would be to help us out with baby #2 through assisting with transcontinental flights or North American flights by either earmarking donations for that specific need or donating airmiles. If you’re interested in either option please contact us for more information about how to do it. The last and most important thing is prayer. Simple, but very important things like protection and wisdom are needed. It may be protection for Seth from a snake that has slithered into our compound (don’t worry moms and grandmas!… so far we have only seen very small ones and Francis kills them immediately!) or wisdom to carry out discipline and lead staff at the school. We hope that these are three ways that those who want to be involved in our ministry here can attach themselves in a particular way.

If you are interested in getting involved in any way please send us an email and we can direct you. Until our next newsletter or we meet in person take care!