A journey of a thousand testimonies

You have a testimony. I have a testimony. We all have a testimony. No matter what your life has looked like up until this very second, God has always played a part in it, whether you believe in it or not. God has brought someone, who's reading this, through a bad car accident and saved their life. He's brought another through a severe illness and extended their time here on Earth. God has brought at least one of you through addiction into sobriety. He's given someone their rainbow baby after a loss, or even many losses or years of trying to have a baby. He's given someone another day with a special loved one, that seemed impossible in the eyes of medical professionals. God has restored hope in someone's life when they had no hope at all and were on the verge of taking their own life. He's been there for all of us through thick and thin, because that's just what He does. He's a healer, a helper, a miracle worker, and a good, good Father. Personally, I've experienced His goodness, graciousness, and mercy way more times than I could ever begin to deserve. Even when I didn't feel His presence or want to have Him close in my life, He continued to rescue me over and over. He saved me from more than one accident that I never should have walked away from. He saved me from multiple suicide attempts, drunken years, and a very deep dark brokenness. He saved me from myself, because I was destroying myself. In Mark 5:19 Jesus tells a man who's just been set free from demons, "Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you." This is how we should all be living our lives, and it's how we are trying to raise up the street kids we work with. Your testimony is too good to keep to yourself, so share it and tell everyone of the power of Jesus over your life. Some of these boys already have powerful testimonies, and many more are seeing their testimony unfold rapidly. We have so many who have stopped drugs, Praise God! We have so many who now teach at our Bible studies, Praise God! We have boys who passionately praise and worship the Lord, Praise God! We have boys who preach in church service, Praise God! We have boys who want to move away from the area they once wanted a room in, to get away from the evil that lies within, Praise God! God is moving so much, and so rapidly, here in Uganda, so here's another (probably pretty long) update!

Since the last update, in May, a lot has happened, to say the least. To begin with I took a quick, 2.5 week furlough trip back to Tennessee in June. It was pretty jam packed, but a wonderful break. I had some amazing meetings with my home church leaders, made a video update for the church, got to attend church service at all 3 of our church campuses, see so many sweet friends, and give updates to many of our supporters and friends. But one of my most favorite things was being on the city square praising and worshiping our Lord and Savior with thousands of other people! It's always one of my favorite things our church does, and to be able to be there in person after missing the last 3 was wonderful! I got to spend time kayaking with my dad and some great friends, and hung out at the pool with my little nephew too. A healthy balance of "work" and rest. Overall it was a super fast, but super sweet trip. While I was gone everything went smoothly here in Uganda, thanks to the great work of Thomas, Mary, and Joy (our new partner). There were only a couple of hiccups, but nothing that couldn't be handled by them. I'm so blessed to have such a great team that I love and trust. I never wanted this journey to be about me or revolve around me, and when I take trips like this and the organization continues like a well oiled machine, I know the groundwork was done well. Praise God! This was only week 3-5 for Joy to be with our team and the boys and was kind of the test for us all to see how she'd fit in. Let me just say, she's amazing and I'm so blessed to have her working along side of us! She has a heart for the street kids and is enforcing all of the rules and regulations we had already established without any hesitation. Joy is truly a joy to work with! Praise God for a sweet friend who introduced us! Here's a pic of us celebrating her birthday in July at the project. She was so surprised and the boys loved it so much! They have welcomed her with open arms and respect her and she's amazing with them!

 

   
         

When I returned to Uganda, of course it was time to hit the ground running. But, so many cool things are happening these days and I was coming back with some big surprises! I was able to come back with 500 bibles ordered awaiting production here in Uganda, 150 Gideon bibles for the boys in the project, and several sponsorships for boys to go to school or get businesses, which they have well earned. We had a lot to prepare and a lot to do to get them started in their programs. One of the first things we did was to get 5 boys into a small business/finance program in preparation for the businesses they wanted. We found out about this program after we had sponsored the first 7 businesses and knew it was something we needed to do, to benefit the boys, after several hiccups and set backs. This class is a business class taught with biblical foundations and principals, including information on start up, successful businesses longevity, and financial planning and saving. One of the teachers is also a former street kid from here in Jinja, so he was able to share his testimony and encourage the boys as well. All of the boys really enjoyed it, and even the 2 who were annoyed that I made them go appreciated it after it was all said and done. They all said they learned a lot and found out they actually had no idea about business like they thought they did. All 5 boys graduated and got their certificates and recommendations and will be getting their small businesses set up in September! Praise God! The day before the class started I got a call from Ivan (one of the boys who lives at the project house) that one of the boys, Swaibu, was very sick at home and I needed to check on him. I sent my boda guy, Bandy, to bring him to me from the village since I wasn't sure what was wrong and didn't know what medical stuff to take. When Swaibu arrived he looked horrible and miserable! He was the most pale African I've ever seen. Swaibu doesn't speak much English so I had Ivan translating for me. As Swaibu was talking I could tell he was guarding how he talked, like his throat was hurting him. A few sentences into Swaibu talking to Ivan, Ivan looks at me and says, "Auntie, you're not going to like this..." and proceeds to listen as Swaibu tells him more. Ivan's eyes got really big and he stopped Swaibu. "Auntie, Swaibu had surgery this morning." So of course my mind goes into action and I proceed to ask where and what for, etc. We have a great Dr and hosptial we use, so it was weird to me he went somewhere else for surgery, and was out and about already, as it was only about noon. Ivan proceeds to tell me that's the part I'm not going to like. You see, Swaibu had a sore throat that morning and apparently many people in his village had been sick with strep throat lately. The issue was, someone who lived there decided it was not a true sickness, but yet a curse, since so many people were having the same issue. This man took it upon himself to proceed to cut out the tonsils of people who were sick, in their huts, without medication, etc, to get rid of the "curse". Something that antibiotics or a legit monitored surgery could have taken care of turned into this, simply because he didn't know. This explained why Swaibu was so pale, because he lost a lot of blood. The man (who was not a doctor of any form by the way) also told him to not eat or drink anything at all for 3 days. Praise God that his roommate called Ivan to tell me to check on him, because otherwise Swaibu may have died from infection or dehydration after such a major trauma. I tried taking him to the hosptial but he refused, so we gave him antibiotics and plenty of fluids and pain medication and I followed up with him every few hours for the next few days. Swaibu was supposed to attend the business class on Monday, the following day, but of course he was not feeling up to it. By Monday evening he finally had energy to walk out of his house, had regained color, and started looking and feeling much better. To my surprise, when I went to check on him Tuesday, he had went to class because he didn't want to miss out! These boys are fighters! I'm happy to say Swaibu had no more complications and is doing very well now, but wow what an experience! He promised me he'll never let the local village guy do anything to him or his friends ever again. He learned his lesson for sure. Never a dull moment here! Praise God for Swaibu's protection! 

At the same time this business class was going on, Thomas and Titus had started another Following Jesus class in a village about 45 minutes away. We had about 40 pastors and many church members attend this session. I was able to pop in for the second day to supervise and also on the final day of the program for the graduation and handing out of bibles. I'm so blessed to have the team that I have. Thomas and his team are doing amazing at this teaching and I always hear so much positive feed back. On the last day of the class we always do certificates for the pastors, because those are very important here if you ever want to get a Passport or anything of status in Uganda. At this time we also present them with bibles, because like I've mentioned before, some pastors don't even have bibles here. We tell the pastors if they do have a bible to share it with another church member or leader, someone who doesn't have one. Even if it's only part of the bible, we want them to always pass it down so someone else has the opportunity to read the word of God. I've been to a few of these "graduations", but never one like I experienced with this class! We finished the last topic and had a small break before closing remarks and certificates. Next thing I knew 40 pastors and church leaders were walking into the church in caps and gowns! These pastors were so proud of the class and so proud of what they learned, that they used what little money they had to rent these caps and gowns. It wasn't a show, it wasn't because I was there, it was genuinely because they were so honored to have been taught truth and it meant so much to them! For anyone to attend any sort of classes here, the attendees have to pay their own transport, usually their own lunch, and contribute something to the classes. I am so thankful for the people who pour into our ministry so we can offer classes like this for free to the pastors. They appreciate it so much and they let me know all the time how much it's blessed them. I'm humbled all the time at the faith and joy all around me. Praise God!

During this same time we had another boy have surgery, although this time it was a legit surgery, at the hosptial, with a legit medical Doctor! He had a strangulated hernia. This guy has been with us for years, even before I came. He's known for being one of the ones who fights everyone and steals everything. He can talk the talk, but then when he thinks you're not looking he gets sly and sneaky...he thinks. I don't care who comes to me, they're all getting the same care and attention, especially if they're sick. We spend all day at the hosptial after surgery, but luckily this time we got to go home instead of staying overnight. Typically when the boys have surgery they stay at our project house for recovery, at least for 2 weeks. Mainly so there's someone else watching them and if they need more medicine or attention the 2 who live there can call me and I can go check on them easier. Well when people found out Medi had to have surgery, they all started talking about how he can't stay there. They were all warning us that he'd steal everything or do something bad. That's a chance we had to take. I can't just put him on the street after a major surgery. I told the boys who lived there to just keep their stuff locked up and let me know if there was an issue. We were all praying for God to change his heart because of this circumstance he was in. During recovery all went well, he was humble and kind, respected the boys at the house and their property. About 2 weeks post op another boy was playing around with him and didn't know that Medi had surgery recently. He picked up Medi with his shoulder directly in the spot of his surgery site and it took Medi to his knees, on the ground, in tears. Medi couldn't move for a few minutes because of the intensity of pain. We got him some ice and pain medicine and had him lay down for a while because he didn't want to go for a check up. The next day I got a call that Medi couldn't urinate and was in severe pain, so off to the hosptial we went. We did a scan on him and went home with more medication and monitored him closely again for a week. We praise God because now Medi is totally healed with no further complications! But, we still pray for Medi's heart and soul. He was good for the first few weeks after surgery, even preached a great lesson at one of our bible studies, but just this week he's stolen stuff from the project and even tried to take the pipes from the bathroom. I'm not one to give up on the boys, but they get punished when they do wrong. Medi is now suspended again, but we continue to pray for him and try to bring him closer to Christ. 

While Medi was having his post-op issues, I also had a team here from my home church in Tennessee. Their whole trip was a whirlwind and an adventure to say the least. Starting with airline delays and half the team coming to Uganda at different times and 2 days late at that, we had a busy few days of changing plans...luckily here in Uganda I'm used to the ever changing plans and times. I went to pick up the first half of the team on Wednesday morning and when we got back to Jinja they hit the ground running doing evangelism in a local village, but only after we got pulled over twice by the police wanting money because they saw a car full of Mzungus! In the village were able to meet with several people who gave their lives to Jesus, including a lady who was a bar owner and after giving her life to Christ she wanted to sell the bar and get out of that business. Late that evening the rest of the team finally arrived to my house. They all got a little sleep then got up early to head to an island for 2 nights and 2.5 days. The team encountered much evil and darkness on this island. It was fairly small so they were able to reach every person on the island to share the word of God and pray with many people, as well has have 2 crusades, over the 2 days they were there. While there, many people were set free from demonic possession, and many people gave their lives to Christ and were baptized! Praise God! One of my boys, Abraham, had asked me before the team even came if he could join them on the island. (Abraham is the one who has 1 leg and goes out and does evangelism every week in one of the slum villages here.) Of course I had no issue with him going, he's amazing and loves spreading God's word! One of the things I love about him is he will never let his crutches and 1 leg stop him from anything. I received a picture the first day they were on the island of Abraham and another teammate in the water baptizing a man. This man was a muslim and when they shared with him the Gospel and talked to him for a while answering questions, he wanted to give his life to Christ and immediately wanted to be baptized! Abraham and Andrew went immediately into Lake Victoria and baptized him! Oh the celebration! God is so so good! We didn't get to have our big street kid day like we usually do with teams because of the timing and the issues with the team arriving late, so on Sunday we went to the church the boys go to for both services. After 2nd service we served them food, as well as other street kids who came because they heard we were doing food. All in all there were about 190 boys present. Then we went down to the lake and baptized 37 more boys! Praise God! We had been talking to the boys about baptism and the meaning behind it for some time. Thomas, Joy, and I really tried to make them understand what it meant for them to get baptized. Back in August of last year we baptized 49 and this time we baptized 37 more! God is moving in these boys, friends! Praise HIM!

While the team was on the island I got news of some issues with the lead pastor and with prayerful consideration I really felt the nudge from the Lord to have Titus, our partner who helps with Following Jesus, stay there for a month or 2 training the pastor and teaching the people. There was so much evil and then such a drastic change on that island in just 2 days that we needed to make sure they had a strong foundation to build their faith on. After returning we went to work on seeing what that would look like for Titus to go, getting approval and budgets, and making very clear rules and guidelines for him. This was not a mission for Titus to go and take over this church or plant a new church, it was for him to train the current pastor and help the current church become organized and biblically based so that the new believers and others on the island would have a place to go that speaks biblical truth. The goal is for the first month  Titus teaches our Following Jesus class to the pastor and new believers while watching for people with leadership capabilities to train up. The second month he's there, Titus is to choose those leaders and train them and supervise them as they lead bible studies and teachings, all while helping the church leadership structure grow. Thanks to a wonderful donor, we were able to send him Titus 2 months. He's still there now but I keep getting amazing updates from him on how it's going there. He said so many people are coming to the classes and learning and so many more have confessed the name of Jesus and have been baptized! He's given great reports on the pastor and his willingness to learn and be taught truth so he can better shepherd his flock on the island. Praise God for the willingness of Titus and the heart of those of you who support us! Here's Titus!

I also got to experience my first time going to an Introduction ceremony and wedding here in Uganda a couple of weeks ago. An Introduction ceremony is a cultural tradition and one of the first steps in engagement to be married, here in Uganda. When 2 people are dating and decide to get married, the man is introduced to one of the paternal aunts first. Then, if the aunt approves of the marriage they set up and Introduction ceremony. The purpose of the ceremony is to introduce the groom to the bride's family. The groom's family members are considered visitors to the ceremony and many gifts are brought to the bride's family. The ceremony was quite long, and we didn't even stay for the entirety. I was with the friends and family of the groom, so we had to meet first to get the plan of the evening. Once everyone was present we packed into cars and drove to the site of the party, where the bride's family was already attending. Once we arrived we stood outside for a while waiting to be invited inside and had to wear a small pin signifying that we were with the grooms party. Once inside we sat together and the bride's family and friends came out to greet us and the groom in small groups, where they were given presents from the groom's side. I got nominated to go with some of the other ladies to present gifts to the uncles and brothers of the bride. There was much entertainment and talking (most of which I couldn't understand), but it was a fun event. We ate supper around 630 then the bride came out around 730. She was taken around while music played so everyone could see her and then even more gifts were given. After some time she was taken out to change into another gomesi (the local wear for introductions and ceremonies) and the grooms family and friends unloaded a huge truck full of gifts that were part of the dowery for marrying the bride. He had to bring couches, chairs, animals, and baskets on baskets on baskets of gifts. It was a fun experience and I loved getting dressed up for it, but I was wore out when it was over! 2 days later was the wedding. This couple had a traditional church wedding, so it was slightly familiar to me, with just some few cultural differences. After the wedding I had to deliver some cakes for Mary then we went to the reception. Another very long, yet fun day!

Another fun surprise from the last few weeks is that Mary and Thomas had a beautiful baby girl, Hosannah Ekirabo Tara, my Goddaughter and namesake! (Ekirabo means gift in Luganda) Mary was well over due and very ready for her to come, and she finally made her appearance on August 14th.  She is the most perfect squishy baby and is doing very well, as is mama! I can't wait to see her grow up and love on her as much as I can. Her big sister and big brother were not so sure of her at first, but now they're loving her. Big brother is still not a fan of me holding her, but has finally started coming to me if I'm holding her at least. Sister just had her 4th birthday last week, and brother turned 2 yesterday. Thomas and Mary have their hands full, but they are wonderful parents and great examples to their children. Praise God for a sweet healthy and happy baby and family!

Along with surgeries, teams, new babies and weddings, I'm getting 18 boys ready for school last week and this week. We got 5 of them back last week and the rest will be starting tomorrow, Monday. It's a job to get all of their school requirements, as we put them in boarding and each school requires different things. It's not like we can just go to Walmart or Target and pick up everything we need. Getting requirements here involves going to many stores and markets and getting what's available at each of them. Between me and Bandy, my boda guy, we had my living room looking like it's own shop this week, but I finally got everything packed in their metal cases for school and they're all ready to go! The other thing we have to do is pay school fees. This involves filling out a paper for each student and standing in line at the bank for sometimes hours to get it all sorted out. But of course all schools don't just use 1 bank, so this time we had to go to 6 different banks to pay all of the fees. Luckily Joy helped me out with that and saved me a few hours and some sanity! For 5 of these boys this is their first term going in many years. They're starting at a vocational boarding school for mechanic training. We give the boys options of going for vocation or for garage apprenticeship training. Most choose the latter, but these 5 really had their heart set on vocation. They had to wait a month before the program started, but they can't wait to go tomorrow. I'm so thankful for the amazing supporters we have who make all of this possible for these boys. They are growing and seeing Jesus every day and I can't wait to see where their testimony continues to take them. 

We are so blessed to have such a great team of Ugandans working with us. Thomas, Mary, Joy, and Titus, along with our consistent translators have a passion for serving the Lord and serving others. They make my life so much easier here and I couldn't do any of this without their loving help and assistance. I'm so thankful for all of them! 

Prayer requests:

-Please be praying for all of the boys going back to school, getting businesses, and going into trade jobs. We have about 40 total over the next couple of months who will be starting, then 15 who are starting in January back to primary or secondary school when the new class begins.

-Baby Tara to continue growing well with no health issues and Mama Mary to continue healing from delivery. Their whole family, Thomas, Mary, Charity, Stella, Reuben, and baby Tara with adjustments in having a new baby around.

-Prayers for wisdom, as we are getting more boys into programs we want to be able to open the doors of the project to more new boys but to do it well and in the right time.

-Prayers for the country. Prices here keep climbing at ridiculous rates, yet most families are not making enough money for even a simple meal a day for their family. Schools all cost money to attend and prices have more than doubled over the last year, so many kids are forced to stay home and help their parents work for money rather than go to school. This causes many issues, such as more kids coming to the streets, young pregnancies, abuse, and abandonment. 

-Prayers in preparation for the next team that will be joining us here, in November. That their hearts and minds are opened to whatever God has in store for them.

-Prayers for me as I travel later this month to South Africa. I, along with many others here, have been having issues with our visas. So I'm having to leave the country every 3 months right now. While it's cool to see other places, it's an extra cost and time away from the ministry. Prayers for my partners as I'm away and that the Lord brings me back home, here in Uganda, safely each time.

God bless you my friends!

Tara

"God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does GREAT things that we cannot comprehend." Job 37:5

How very true is this scripture! "God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does GREAT things that we cannot comprehend." Job 37:5. He can make the noise of thunder and the brightness of lightening with just one word. He can make the sea rage and then bring it to a peaceful calm. He can do all things both big and small, and we will never be able to comprehend the greatness of His mighty power and workings. Every single day God is moving here in Uganda. Every single day HE does GREAT things that no man could ever do! Every single day HE breaks chains, moves mountains, and creates a new way for the lost, the hopeless, and the broken. Every day HE heals. Every day HE restores. Every day HE does GREAT things! Not me, not you, not a ministry or a church. It's God. 100% of the time, it's GOD! 

So let me tell you about the many ways God is moving here, in Uganda, since my last update. Grab your favorite drink and get comfortable, there's a whirlwind happening right now.

-Thomas and his team completed another Following Jesus class on one of the islands. They had over 30 pastors/ministers in attendance and many other church members present, as well. Thomas is doing an amazing job leading up this program and has an excellent team working with him. Our goal is to do a complete class about every 2-3 months, always going to the most recent places we've done evangelism as a team. We want to teach and train the pastors of these places, so they are teaching the new believers and even current believers in their congregation, total truth. We alternate between going to the islands and remote villages and always try to gather every pastor that will come from the surrounding areas. God is doing amazing things through Thomas and this program, here in Uganda! Each of the classes we've completed have given reports that they are continuing the teaching to their churches and villages and their churches are growing and thriving! THIS is what it's all about! Praise God!

-3 of the boys in our program have started a pastoral training program in a village about 1 hour from us. It's through an organization called Breaking Ground Ministries and they do intensive training 1 week a month for 12 months for current pastors or those who want to be pastors but don't have the education to go to a formal seminary. I've heard nothing but amazing things from these boys and the leaders of that ministry, and I love hearing the boys teach at our bible studies. When their training is complete, after 1 year, they have the possibility of planting a church through this ministry and all of them have the dream of doing that. We praise God for these teachings and programs that are equipping the young men we work with, who once were looked at as hopeless and unworthy. Without God we have nothing, and now these guys have so much hope and passion to spread the good news of what God has done and is doing in their lives. Praise Him!

-Not only do we have some boys in seminary, we have 4 boys, consistently (but sometimes even 6-8) who go out into a village, each Sunday after church, to do evangelism. The village they go to is an area that is considered the "slums"by most. This is where the rougher people are; the thieves, the alcoholics, the druggies, the prostitutes. It's where a lot of the street kids hang out, because they have easy access to drugs and alcohol here. But these boys have taken their faith and are preaching to their community. It's not something we made them do, it's not something anyone specifically told them to do. They simply understood the great commission which was taught to them, which tells us as followers of Jesus Christ to go out and make disciples of all nations. THIS is what it's all about. We came here to teach these guys truth and love. We came to teach them about Jesus and his love for them. We came to make disciples who make disciples, and it's so beautiful to see this happening first hand.  I think I mentioned this last time, but Thomas and I no longer do much teaching at bible study either. We always have different boys teaching, and we guide them along the way. It's so cool to see God working in them! Praise God!

-Since the last update, the boys in primary and secondary school have finished their first term, had holiday, and just went back last week. Here in Uganda, school is year-round, with 2-3 week holiday breaks at the end of each 3 month term. We had an interesting experience, to say the least, toward the end of last term. When the students are completing milestone grades (much like 8th grade to go into high school, or senior year of high school in preparation for university) they have to take a big government test. Well, in order to take said test they have to provide a birth certificate and a national ID from a parent, and are not allowed to take the test otherwise. When you're working with street kids, you don't have access to these things the majority of the time. (And, honestly, most Ugandan's don't get birth certificates) Some of the kids we work with do have parents that are still near, they've just chosen to run away or their parents have kicked them out of the house,  but most are either far from where "home" is, or they don't have parents anymore period. Well, I can't just put these boys in school and not let them sit for this test that is required to move up to the next level, so we did what we had to do....we got birth certificates made. Did it seem sketchy, absolutely. But, I now officially have my name listed as mother on birth certificates for some of my boys, legit stamped and legalized by the government office. And all I had to do was pay the equivalent of about  $3.42 USD. Things blow my mind here sometimes! But the boys will now be sitting for their test this term, and they're all registered and ready. Praise God for these little provisions that help the boys succeed. 

-I also had my own little hospital adventure about a month ago. I'm not one for hospitals or doctors, for myself, but it was an act of desperation for sure. I've had migraines since I was young, which have progressed through the years. Usually a mix of migraine medication with a quiet, cool, dark room will help them, but occasionally nothing helps and I'm miserable for days. Several times in America I've had to go to my neurologist or where I worked (one perk to always working healthcare), to get a migraine cocktail infusion if it's lasted more than 4 days with no relief. It's simply magnesium with a couple of other medications mixed in saline and given over 30 minutes to an hour, sometimes more if it's not working. Day 4 of a killer migraine here had me beyond miserable and nothing was touching it- and you can't find a cool, dark, quiet room anywhere. I even tried a massage (best massage I've ever had and only $13), but it didn't work. So I ended up calling the doctor I work with, having to adjust some of the medications because they don't have some of the ones I use here, and after 2 hours of infusion I was finally migraine free. Praise God for the sweet people he's given me who work with me and for me in this Ugandan journey!

-April 12th was recognized here in Uganda as the International Day of the Street Child. I found out about this about a week prior to the event, however it ended up being a huge event. They hadn't done anything special, since Covid, on this day, so I had no clue it was even a thing. There was a marching band, a parade, dance offs, games, food, and just time for fellowship with all of the projects, here in Jinja, and the children we serve. I was so proud of our boys that day. Many of them didn't get breakfast because they were helping to set up the tents and chairs at Mayor's gardens, but didn't have outbursts or inappropriate actions. They helped take away fuel and other drugs from some of the other children during the event, helped control the parade line, helped serve food at lunch, and even cleaned up the area when everything was over. There's a major lack of camaraderie within the street child projects here, to say the least, but witnessing how well these guys, the older guys, just went with the flow and did things without being told, was a beautiful, proud mama moment to witness. I'm so proud of the young men that most of these guys are becoming. It's only by the grace of God that they're changing and growing though. Not anything I'm doing, not anything Thomas is doing, not anything Mary is doing, it's only GOD! Praise HIM!

-We had another team from our church come to Uganda, the last week in April, and it was amazing! It's always a lot to plan and prepare for, but the fruit that comes from the teams being here is always completely worth it. This group had attack after attack of spiritual warfare before they even got to Uganda. It was one thing after another and I know that at moments they probably felt defeated. But they came, and they fought on their knees, and God moved mountains. We hosted a marriage conference for about 40 couples at the local church where Thomas and Mary attend, which was much needed and much appreciated. There were 20 people on the island who gave their lives to Christ and another 12 in the village the team evangelized in. Praise GOD for new believers! Many others had questions and expressed interest, so we just continue praying that seeds were planted and more will come to know the Lord soon! While the team was here we split in half for boys bible study (we have so many boys at the project now that it's very crowded and can't hold many more extra bodies). I did bible study the first day, while the team was on the island, then each of the following 2 days we had teams present. This time we had 3 different boys teaching each day! Another proud mama moment! All of the boys were all at different levels of understanding and teaching, but I am so proud of them for trying and stepping out in faith. It just brings me to tears to see these boys growing in their faith and in their journey with Christ! A couple of the team members got to step out of their comfort zones, too,  by cutting the heads off and prepping the chickens we were eating for lunch. It's a right of passage with the boys for sure! Over all, we had very well rounded and productive bible study days. All of the boys in the project also got new shoes while the team was here. They walk all over Jinja town and surrounding villages all day every day, so about every 2-4 months their shoes wear out and have holes in the soles. They either work for a new pair when their shoes are ruined, or we do special treat days like this so their feet are protected (there's lots of nails, glass, and other things to cut their feet laying around). The last time we bought shoes was at Christmas, so they have lasted a while this time. As usual, one of the big events we do while a team is here, is to have a large street child gathering. This is where I send some of the boys out to let all of the street kids know they can come to the football field to play games, hear the Gospel, and have a meal, all strict rules of the project out the window, for this one day only. I do wound care there, along with anyone on the team who is willing to learn how to do basic wound care or has knowledge of wound care. This time we saw some gnarly wounds. Nothing really makes me skittish or squeamish, so it never bothers me, but I use the wounds as an opportunity to invite them to bible studies for wound care, bible study, and a meal, and pray over them that they see Jesus in those moments and keep coming even after the wound is healed. We had 8 new boys start to come to bible study the week after the team, just because of their wounds. Each time we gather all of the street kids, we generally feed about 250, this time was no exception. Each time we've gathered like this since I've been living here, the boys in the project blow me away more and more. It's always chaos for sure, I've said that before. You gather 250 children, add in the fact they're street children with no rules, no boundaries, no structure, and it's nuts. We have children from all walks of street-hood at these events, many on drugs, many on alcohol or huffing fuel, many stealing from others, and some just being belligerent and bothersome to others. But, each time we gather, the boys in the project are stepping up more and more. They now see how God can work if they give up those things, and they take them away from the other kids, they burn the fuel the kids are huffing, they organize the boys for bible study and keep them calm and attentive, pretty well actually. The boys in the project are amazing at helping keep the food line in order and help me make sure someone isn't coming through a second time before others have got a first meal. It's chaos for sure, but each time its more controlled chaos than the last time! I'm so thankful for the heart these boys have for teaching others that there's something more. They clean, they help, they are different. The teams get to see the drastic difference in the children during this day, and it's always a beautiful faithful reminder from God of what all he's doing here. The week after the team left I got a phone call on one of the usual bible study days, "Auntie! There are 65 new boys at the gate wanting to come in! What do we do??" So here's the deal....we have a small house with only a little outdoor, unshaded, space that we rent for the project right now. We have dreams of land and a bigger place to meet, but we've not been able to see that dream come true yet. Currently we are working with about 150 boys. Some come consistently, some come inconsistently, but we have that many on our roster that pop in and out. Thomas and I had to make a decision to close the gates for newcomers, right now, to focus on quality not quantity essentially. We need to be sure we're intentionally pouring into the 150 we already have and raising them up to be Godly men. As they graduate programs or skills training we can replace their position with new boys. It was heartbreaking to have to turn some away, but we made sure that they know they are always welcome to come for medical care, to church, or to our large gathering days every 3 months. I just still can't believe that a little over a year ago this all started with 10 boys and now we have so many wanting to come learn more about Christ and wanting to change. Most of the projects here stop working with children at 13, but at that age many of them are still stubborn and prideful and don't see the harm in what's going on. Most of my boys are 15+ and have been on the streets for 10-13 years. We're not giving up on the new ones, we're just going to focus on the current ones and let them help disciple others they encounter along the way, until we can add more/expand. Praise GOD for the amazing work He is doing here!

-After the team left, I had to get the boys ready for second term and back to school. This is always a lot of work, going around town to get the boarding requirements, pay school fees at different banks, and just get them ready for 3 months away. Everything went pretty smooth until we were leaving Jinja, and my car exploded. So I ended up spending about 5 hours on the side of the road waiting on the mechanic, finding the issue, waiting on parts, and getting it fixed. Our cars here are old, but tough. Uganda roads make things loose and shift easily, but luckily I have a great mechanic, who's training my right hand man, Joel, so they always come to me and take good care of me! Since it was so late we had to push the boys going back to school to the next day, but we officially have them all back in boarding school and learning! Praise God for those of you who help us send these guys back to school!

-Another interesting Uganda adventure that happened that week involved Thomas and Mary's neighbor and her son. I got a phone call from Mary after dropping off the boys at school, that she was in the hospital with her neighbor's 8 year old son and he was very sick. Jowally was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease in December, after nearly a month of testing and hospital stays. He was in severe pain, low blood counts, basically every textbook symptom of SCD, but it took them a while to realize what it was. Mary called me to say that Jowally needed blood, but there was no blood at the children's hospital he was at or the one he was previously at. She informed me that here in Uganda, if a hospital doesn't have blood, it's the responsibility of the parent/family to locate blood for the patient. This blows my mind! When I got to the hospital to see him and find out the whole story, I walked into a ward with about 25 other children packed in one room, many of whom were also suffering from Sickle Cell Crisis and needing blood. Mary informed me that they witnessed another child die earlier that morning because he wasn't able to get blood. How sad and broken is this system! I checked Jowally's labs and saw that they hadn't even been retested since the previous day, and at that time his blood levels were extremely low. After talking to the doctor's, who also informed me that it's the family responsibility to find blood, I started calling every hospital I knew and even reached out to some other missionaries for contacts/ ideas. I even offered to donate my own blood, we are the same type, but at this hospital they wouldn't do emergent testing/transfer, where some hospitals will. In the midst of calling everywhere I remembered a sweet sister I met at Thanksgiving who is a part of a ministry in a village about 1.5 hours from us. One call to them and we finally found blood! So me, Mary, Jowally and his mama loaded up in my car for a long ride to the village. This facility was ready for us and such a blessing to us and my sweet friend. Prior to this encounter, I had met Jowally and his mama one time, so I didn't know them very well. Thomas and Mary had often tried to talk to her about Jesus, but she was never interested in being saved and born again. My prayers through this whole encounter were that Jowally's little body was healed and comforted, and that mama saw Jesus and surrendered to him. On Sunday, after he had been in the new hospital for 4 days, I got a text from my friend that said mama had given her life to Christ! PRAISE GOD!!!! Mama saw Jesus working on her baby, working for her baby, in the hearts and actions of the hospital staff and all around her because of this situation, and she knew she only needed 1 thing. We were able to pick up my little friend this week on Monday and he was smiling ear to ear and so joyful. He felt great and was so happy to be going home to his little brother. I'm just in awe every day when I look back on the experiences God has given me my entire life. The medical experience, the passion to help and advocate, the so called "random" situations I've been in, that are proving useful now. God is GOOD all the time! And He does GREAT things I can't comprehend! It's humbling to be a part of His story here in Uganda for sure. 

-After the lack of blood, and seeing how the blood bank actually works here, I vowed to find a place to donate as often as I could. In America I used to donate all the time, until I started going out of the country so often and they wouldn't let me. I'm not sure why I've never thought about it here before, but I sure won't forget it now! I talked to several people in hospitals and clinics, but they all gave the same story, "there's not a lot of drives, or advertising for them, you just have to ask hospitals if you can donate". Well, God helped me with that situation and as I was riding through town on a Boda Wednesday, I saw a Uganda Blood Transfusion Services donation tent on Main Street, where 1 person was giving blood. I had Bandy, my boda guy, pull over and drop me off. I still wasn't sure if their requirements were different, but they were so desperate for blood, the only true requirements were weight and hemoglobin levels. So, there I sat, on the side of Main Street, under a tent, in Jinja, and gave my first of many blood donations, for my little buddy. Things are always an experience here. Giving blood on the side of the road, definitely an experience. But one that many people here need to do. Blood shortage is big everywhere, but even more-so here. People don't want to give for many reasons, here, I've learned. Typically, because they don't get anything out of it, because they have to search for their own blood if they do need it, because they have to pay a lot of money if they need blood, and some other corrupt reasons. Corruption can alter such a life changing need, but it's what these people deal with daily.  But I challenge you to give blood where you are. One simple quick task can save a life. Be the change, be the example. If you can donate, then do. Praise God for the little things I'm learning about this culture that are a struggle for them, and the abilities and health God has given me to do things like this for these beautiful people of Uganda. 

-God is doing amazing things here and he's so gracious to show me the fruits every day. Lives are changing, hearts are being mended, chains are being broken, and God gets all the glory! He's doing GREAT things here, that I'll never be able to fully comprehend! It's beautiful, it's amazing, and it's overwhelmingly humbling to even be a small part of his plans here. I thank Him and praise Him for his goodness and mercies every day.

-Here are a few of our current prayer requests/needs:

*We have a new Ugandan lady who will hopefully start training to help us in the ministry, this month, with a trial run in June, for each of us to see if she's a good fit.  I met her through a lady at church and she feeds some of the street kids and does Bible studies with them on Thursdays anyway, so she already knows the issues we deal with and how to handle to boys. She's joined us for the 2 large street kid gatherings we've done recently and we are praying that she will be a good fit for our program. We have been in prayer for a while for more help, specifically Ugandans, and I just ask that you be in prayer for all of us to be open and honest in the process of possibly adding a new member to our team. All along I've felt the need to look for and pray for local help. This ministry is not meant to be the project of the white ones, it's meant to train locals to do the work of their country, for their people. Our job should always be to work ourselves out of a job, right?

*I am heading back to the States for a couple of weeks in June. This is always a big task to prepare for and plan for from the ministry side of things. Not only will I be gone for almost 3 weeks, Thomas will have a team from his Church here, almost the exact amount of time, that he will have to work with. It's a lot to put on him, which is why Joy, the lady above, will be helping us out during that time, we pray. So my prayer for all of them is smooth transitions and obedient boys as well as rest for Thomas and Mary with juggling so many things for 3 weeks. 

*We need sponsors. I don't like asking for money, but money makes our ministry run, so I have to suffocate that prideful feeling because it's not for me anyway, and anyone who's visited here can tell you that. Yes I have all of our basic needs provided for by my home church, and I have a handful of faithful monthly sponsors for extras, and even a few specific sponsors for specific boys, but it's time that we take the next step. I've been here over a year, and many of the boys are ready for their next step of schooling/apprenticeships, but all of that costs money. With the last team we had we were able to get 6 new rooms for 12 boys! Praise God for that! School fees/requirements range from $200-300 USD every 3 months (you pay per term) and technical training is usually around $571 for 2 years (about $285 up front and the remainder at 6 months). But even if you can only donate $5/month, it all adds up and helps us continue this program and ministry that God has blessed us with. It helps the boys see that they are cared for and worth more than people here tell them. It gives them hope and a future that they won't have the opportunity to have otherwise. I'm very strict about how they earn these things and they've been through the wringer to get to the stage of earning these things. We want to teach them about Jesus, help them to see their worth in Jesus, get them off drugs, and then teach them how to function in society in a positive light. It all starts with Jesus, and it all ends with Jesus. But we need faithful servants pouring into their change as well. 

---Here are different ways you can donate. We appreciate you!

1. Tax deductible through my church donation link: bit.ly/ugandaecc

2. Zelle, which most banks have, with my email address thens1213@gmail.com

3. Venmo, @Tara-Henson-1 (last 4 of my cell is 3565 if it asks)

4. PayPal, @TaraHenson

God bless you my friends. God is doing amazing things and we always are so very grateful your prayers and support!

".....With man this is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible" Matt 19:26

It seems to get harder and harder to write these updates. Not because I don't have things to update about, but because I have so much to update each time and I can't even put most of it into words. God is doing AMAZING things here in Uganda and I'm just blown away daily that I even get to be a speck in HIS greater plan here. 

Daily life is BUSY. There's always something going on with the boys, the ministry, trying to get stuff in line for the government, someone sick, and living the Uganda life in Uganda pace (which is not my favorite pace for sure). We have grown to about 150 boys now coming and going and over 100 of those are consistent with bible study. PRAISE GOD! 

Let me try to recall some of the amazing things God is doing here since the last update. We finished another Following Jesus class with 25 pastors, in January. One of the moves in the ministry this year is for me to step back from leading everything and start delegating to others that we have trained and witnessed good character and teaching from. Following Jesus is now headed up and led by Thomas, my right hand man, with 1-2 other pastors we've trained, so that I can remain with the boys at bible study and with their needs, since that aspect of ministry has grown so large so quickly. Thomas and the team did an amazing job and the pastors said they learned so much. They had so many questions and really wanted to know truth to teach truth. On the last day of class, Thomas came home with a goat that was given as an appreciation gift. That's a really high honor here in Uganda! Gus the goat is now growing fat and happy at the boys house, waiting on his turn to be a celebratory dinner. 

While this class was going on, I was in and out of the hospital with Hassan, one of the street kids. He had a complex medical issue that he came to me with, and after a week of trying to treat without surgery, we decided surgery was going to be the best option. Hassan had a fairly uncomplicated surgery early in January and we had to stay in the hospital overnight. After surgery he stayed at the boys house for 3 weeks while he recovered, and now is fully recovered and back to his schooling, where he's learning carpentry. When Hassan was waking up, he wouldn't let go of my hand and kept crying for me to not leave him. These sweet boys drive me crazy sometimes, but they're so loving and gentle at other times.  I'm so thankful to have found a Doctor and medical team who listens and works so well with me and my boys. They take such good care of us and always give us the best they have to offer. Praise God for Dr Derreck and his staff. 

At the end of January we had another team from my home church come to join us for ministry. I am so thankful for a church who loves Jesus and loves serving. Each time we've had a team, God has moved mountains and there was no exception to that this time. We went to an island in Lake Victoria to do evangelism, about a 6 hour boat ride away, but luckily we found a better option by driving to a closer dock, saving us some lake time. We had a rough ride to the island on the water, due to a bad storm and strong waves, so that 1.5 hours was better than the 6 it would have taken us. Those wooden boats are a little scary on an angry lake. We found at this island there were many born again Christians, and a well established church that seemed to be teaching and modeling Jesus. However, there was still much darkness and evil on the island, much like we encounter on most islands. My evangelism partner, Jordan,  and I just happened  to be pulled into multiple bars on the island to talk about Jesus. All would listen, some were receptive, and some were argumentative, but one thing blew me away. Not much surprises me here anymore, but I still see this sweet little girl in my head sometimes. As we were sharing the gospel to a bar owner, 3 men walked in, one carrying his little girl on his hip. The 3 proceeded to pull out their 2 gallon bucket of homemade alcohol, put in each of their 3 foot long straws and begin drinking. They were still conversing with us and asking questions, however at one point Jordan and I looked up and the sweet little toddler girl had the drinking straw in her mouth, drinking alcohol. Jordan and I proceeded to talk to the father about the horrible effects of a 3 year old drinking alcohol, as well as the addictions and development issues it can cause. He finally took the straw from her mouth, and she staggered over to myself and Jordan, knelt before us and greeted us, and then snuggled in my lap for the remainder of the time we were there. At 3 years old, this sweet baby was drunk. I felt myself getting angry at the father and at God. I mean how could either of them allow a 3 year old to be put into this situation and be drunk. It obviously wasn't her first time, because she enjoyed it, so why has this been continuing? And for how long had it been going on? As I was praying for God to stop my tongue from saying what my head was wanting to release to the father, I felt Him tell me to invite the men to the church service we were starting at the local church just 30 minutes later. After a long conversation about how God wanted them to come and convincing them to come despite the fact they were drunk, Jordan and I left, with tears in our eyes at what we had just witnessed. We went to church, not knowing what would happen to the little girl, or her father for that matter. After service was over, our whole team was up front praying for people and I hear non stop screaming and look over to see my brother praying with the father of the little girl who was screaming. It was the sweet baby and her dad we had invited to church! I held my arms out to the girl and she immediately calmed. We went outside and I just prayed over her and cried begging God to change the path that her life was taking. I yelled at him for allowing her to be in this situation and to be drunk at just 3 years old. And she just snuggled on my shoulder and patted my back. A few minutes later my brother came outside with the dad. He told me that the dad had decided to give his life to Christ and wanted to start over. He said he never wanted his daughter to have alcohol again and he promised a new life from that moment on. Praise GOD! I still think about that sweet babe, and I still pray that her father truly surrendered that night. 

The team also got to witness 3 different bible studies with the street kids while they were here. It's so cool seeing the various stages of growth and change. Some of the team had been here before and only saw the worst of the worst street kids. So for them it was a huge change. They got to share the word of God with the boys, share a meal with them, and then on Friday play soccer with all of the boys (those in the program and even ones who aren't). They also did evangelism in a village outside of town and were able to speak to so many about Jesus and what it's like to be a Christ follower. We had amazing times of fellowship, laughter, tears, and growth. I'm so thankful for these teams and what God has laid on their hearts. 

Each time we have a team, our bible study numbers increase. While the teams are here we have a street kid day, where we invite all of the street kids, ones in the program and ones who are not, to gather at the local soccer field and hear the gospel, play games, and then we feed them a nutritious meal. These days can be quite chaotic, but it's sort of a controlled chaos at this point, thanks to the help of the boys who are in the program! In November, after the team left we had to start a new bible study group because so many showed up, and this time we just added boys to each of the 3 established groups. We had about 50 new boys come the first week, but after hearing rules/punishment for not following rules, only 30 have been coming back consistently. We are busting at the seams at the house we're renting for the project, but man God is GOOD! I can't believe just how fast and how much this ministry has grown. I have been here almost a year, and it's been a whirlwind and a rollercoaster, but looking back on everything that has happened brings me to my knees in awe of God. 

As of January we have 26 boys in either primary school, secondary school, on the job training, or now have start up businesses. PRAISE GOD! We have 30 boys with rooms or back in the village so they are no longer sleeping on the street. PRAISE GOD! And as God provides we will get more boys in school and more boys places to stay. In order to get a room or earn the opportunity for jobs/school, the boys have to come consistently to bible study and church and they have to show us that they have stopped drugs and have positive character changes for a consistent period. Many want the opportunity but aren't willing to change to earn it. But, as they see their friends changing and earning the rewards that are promised, they begin to want to change too. We have to be very strict to teach them responsibility and respect, 2 things they've never really had to learn, living on the streets. God is moving, friends! He's doing amazing things here and I'm humbled to be a first hand witness to it all! 

Like I said earlier, this year one of the moves in the ministry was to get Thomas heading up Following Jesus so I could keep focus on the boys and teams when they come. We now have boys leading each bible study. (Thomas and I are there to make sure that truth is being taught, but God is raising up some amazing leaders in these boys!) I have also learned in this 11 months of non-stop intense ministry that I have to be intentional with finding ways to be filled up spiritually and rested both mentally and physically. Some of those things have been forced on me, like this last weekend when I had horrible strep with fevers of 103/104 for 4 days, and some of those things have been hard to find. I've learned that about every 3 months I have to leave Jinja for 2-3 days so I have peace and quiet with the Lord away from the distractions and constant need. I've learned that community is hard and ugly and sweet and needed. I have 2 super sweet friends here who I dearly cherish, where I can go to be spiritually fed and emotionally vulnerable. I joined a bible study that I really enjoy the content of a few weeks ago, and it's been amazing seeing God open my eyes to His word. And about a little over a month ago a lady from Germany started a spin class that over looks the lake, and that's my stress relief I've been missing. God is good all the time! On the hard days, he's there. On the good days, he's there. On the crappy days, he never leaves me. God is moving mountains here in mighty ways. Every day I wake up I just ask him to prepare me for the next thing because otherwise it becomes a blur. I'm so thankful for the couple who help me so much. I'm so thankful for my 2 Mzungu friends who help me navigate some things since they've been here longer. I'm so thankful for the strength He gives me to endure and sustain. With God All things are possible. This time last year, Uganda still seemed so far away. But now, Uganda is home. These boys are my family. This life is right where I'm supposed to be! Praise God!

Prayer requests:

-Thomas and Mary are expecting their 3rd child and Mary has been pretty sick and unable to function like she was before. Prayers for healing and healthy baby and mama!

-Wisdom in the growth. Where to go as we are growing too fast for our current location. Discernment in maintaining control and rules with boys. How to delegate better. What's next

-Continued ways for me to be spiritually fed and grow as I pour out so much daily.

God bless you my friends, 

Tara 

"A person's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps" Proverbs 16:9

 As usual, time flies, and another month (and another year) has come and gone. It's hard to believe it's 2022 now. I have officially had my first birthday and my first holiday season here in Uganda, and while it was very different, it was very good. It seems all of my updates are very long these days, but there's some good stories in here you'll surely want to hear.

Just after my last update, we had to take a young man, Hakim, for surgery. His story is in the last update, but after a crazy first 24 hours post op, I'm happy to say that now he is doing very well and has had a full recovery, Praise God! Since his surgery I have had 4 other boys come to me with a similar problem. Very strange, but after talking to the doctor, the life they live on the streets can contribute to the issue. They've just never got checked before because they can't afford to and didn't know where to go. 3 of the 4 were treated with medicine and are recovered, and 1 may be facing a similar procedure as Hakim in the next couple of weeks. We have a follow up appointment on Monday to find out the next steps. I am so thankful for the many people who contribute when we have immediate medical needs arise. While medicine and hospital stays are much cheaper here than in America, the cost adds up quickly when you're working with so many boys who don't have regular medical care, and we greatly appreciate the love and support. 

In the beginning of December I got to be a part of something that only God could orchestrate, much like my entire time here in Uganda. When my team was here in November we went to an area called Tongolo to do evangelism. While in Tongolo, one of the groups encountered a sweet little girl named Nakato and her Aunt who is raising her. Nakato was born a twin, who's mother passed away right after child birth. While the twin was meeting milestones on target, Nakato began showing signs of delay and her Auntie knew that something was not right. The thing about Uganda is, there's no free healthcare and when you're deep in a village, quality medical care is hard to come by, so you just do what you can do and do the best you can do with what you have. While we were taking a break for lunch, the group who had met her approached me about finding a wheelchair for Nakato to use. Once I went to meet her and her family, I knew we were working with something much more complex than just needing a chair. Before I came to Uganda I practiced Occupational Therapy, and spent a couple of years working with pediatrics. Everything that Nakato presented with pointed to Cerebral Palsy. Nakato needed therapy, she needed resources to help her continue to grow, she needed so much more than a chair, and at 7 years old had never had any of that. But she did have an Aunt who loved her and cared for her and did the best she could with what she had, and Nakato was a happy healthy girl with the best smile in the world! After leaving there I knew that God would need to intervene because I didn't know where to even begin looking for help for her, especially the kind of help that she really needed to thrive. On Thanksgiving day I got an email about a NGO meeting I needed to attend. I really didn't want to go, and knew it would be more of a waste of time than anything, but I went. After a few hours of nothingness, it came down to question and answer time. If someone had a question, they had to stand, give their name, their organization, and then their question. I was about 30 steps into dream land, bored out of my mind, when a lady stood up and said, "Hello, I am Juliette from Grace Cerebral Palsy and Special Needs." Let's just say I perked up real quick. I still don't know what the question was that she asked, or what else happened at that meeting, but as soon as it was over, I made a bee-line to her, got her number and told her briefly about Nakato. The following week I called her and we arranged to meet and go visit Nakato to see if her organization could help. During the meeting they were talking about having to stay within certain boundaries, and it just so happens that this organization and Nakato are within the same boundary. On the ride out to Tongolo, Juliette, her husband, and I had a great discussion about their organization and what could be done. Her husband is a Pastor, they used to have a daughter with CP, who passed away a few years ago, and Juliette was a special education administrator. She said God led them to start this organization because when they were trying to help their daughter they didn't know where to turn and they needed more resources, so they want to be the ones to help give direction and counseling so others don't have to suffer like they did. Praise be to God for allowing us to meet and them to begin working with Nakato. Just before Christmas I drove with them to deliver some supplies to Nakato and her family. The relief in the Aunt's eyes was beautiful. She has hope for once that she's not alone in this, all Glory to God! It's amazing how God just keeps putting connections and people in my path here to help where needed. Praise Him! (See below for the sweetest smile ever from Nakato!)

I celebrated my 37th birthday here as well. One of the traditions in Uganda is you get a bucket of water poured on you on your birthday, so I took the day off and had a massage and avoided a second shower for the day! Sweet Mary went around town looking for a cheesecake because I told her that was my favorite cake, and got me a juice for after my massage! The day after my birthday we had our first bible study of that week and she made me a cake and I got to celebrate with 30 of my boys singing happy birthday and sharing cake. Still managed to avoid the bucket of water, that's one tradition I don't want to be a part of! 

Christmas didn't feel much like Christmas this year, although apparently it was just as hot in Tennessee as it was here. Even when it's hot in the states, you drive around and see Christmas lights and Christmas trees, hear Christmas carols, etc, but here it was just any other day, any other month. Not that those things are what Christmas is all about, it's just the external picture of Christmas we grow so used to in America. I have to say, while I missed my friends and family and watching all of my little kiddos open presents, I had one of the best Christmas's I've ever had. On Christmas Eve, we had a huge Christmas party for the street kids. Not just the 100 in the program, but around 250 came and went through the day. We started at 9am and had music, games, competitions, and prizes. We had multiple boys share their testimonies, powerful to say the least! We had several boys preach the Word of God to their fellow brothers. And, most importantly we had 24 boys who said they wanted to begin their journey with Jesus. After the fun and games and lunch we were able to give clothes and shoes to all who were present. Thank you all for helping to make things like this possible for this ministry. I was absolutely exhausted after our long day, but my heart was full and I saw so many smiles and laughter that day in boys who often lose hope in change. 

I want to share one of the testimonies that was shared with all of us that day. It's not my story to tell, but I'm going to share it the best I can and just know all the glory goes to God in this beautiful redemptive story. Here's the story of Mutib Ashlaf, aka "Pastor". Let me start with the part I witnessed, and then I'll tell the detail that he shared on Christmas Eve. On August 3rd, I was getting ready to go for bible study at the boys house and I got a phone call that there was a very sick boy at the gate waiting on me. I rushed around and when I arrived at the house, I saw a boy laying on the ground. When I approached him I noticed a lot of blood, obvious deformities to his left arm and shoulder, and he was crying in pain. I asked what happened and he said the day before he had been beaten by mechanics, who used their tools to beat him. He said he was walking with another street kid and they got jumped by the mechanics because someone had stolen stuff from them, and they were beating whatever street kid they came into contact with. The other boy was beaten so badly he died on scene and the police took Ashlaf to one of the government hospitals here in town, but they refused to treat him because he couldn't pay. I gave him 2 options: 1. Let me clean him up, give him pain meds, stay for bible study and a filling lunch, then go to the hospital. 2. Go straight to the hospital. (Either way I was going to take him to the hospital, but if I can get the boys who come for medical care to hear the word of God, have a nice meal and then go, it's always the goal). Ashlaf chose option 1, mainly because he hadn't had food in 2 days, but it was that day, that the Lord began working in him. After bible study and food, we went to the hospital where we found out Ashlaf had a pelvic fracture, fractured hand, elbow, and dislocated shoulder. He had to have 6 stitches in the top of his head, and was covered in multiple abrasions on his back from the blows of metal tools. I sent Ashlaf "home" aka back to the street, that night with a full belly, pain medicine, and orders to come back to see me at the house on Thursday for wound care. (I also strategically make wound care days on bible study days. They come and get wound care, bible study and a meal. It may start with them just wanting the meal, but God works, always). One bible study led to another, led to another, and led to another, and before we knew it wound care was over, his stitches were out, and he was physically healed. I gave him the release and told him that he was welcome to keep coming to the program, but he was released from medical care. Ashlaf had been coming to bible study 2x/week for a month to get wound care, and in that moment he had the decision to walk away or keep coming, it was only a decision he could make. Ashlaf sat there for a moment and asked if he could keep coming to both studies. He said he had many questions and wanted to know more. From that moment on, I witnessed God work a miracle in the life of Ashlaf. He started walking different and talking different. He started asking amazing questions, leading worship, and volunteering to pray. I witnessed with my own eyes God wreck his life and I watched him surrender his new life to Christ. Praise God! .....Now let me tell you Ashlaf's side of the story.....On August 2, Ashlaf was walking down mechanic road (that's not what it's really called, but it's where all the mechanic shops are, so I call it that). He knew that the mechanics were mad at street kids because word had got out they would kill anyone they saw, since one of the street kids stole something of great value. That didn't stop him from walking down that road though, because in his mind he was rough and tough and no one could hurt him. (his words not mine) Ashlaf witnessed his friend get beaten to death and before he knew it he was being taken by police to the local government hospital. He arrived at the hospital on Aug 2 at 3pm, where he stayed until 6am on Aug 3, not being seen or treated at all. He said he laid in the bed bleeding and hurting all night and no one even came to talk to him. At 6am one of his friends came, they got together enough money to get a boda to the friend's house, and he left, "Knowing I was going to my friend's house to die". They got to the friends house, where he began hearing voices telling him "go see the Mzungu" (for those of you who are new here, Mzungu is the term for white person here). He said he just kept thinking he was dying because he didn't know a mzungu, especially one who would help him, and he was hearing a voice when no one was around. He said he kept falling asleep, but would wake up hearing the voice again "go see the mzungu at the yellow gate". He called to his friend who came inside and asked him who was talking and where he was supposed to go. The friend said he knew of a ministry with a yellow gate that he thought had a mzungu, but he didn't know if they would let him in. Again they asked for money for a boda, and the boda brought him to our boys house, with the yellow gate. He said when the boda got him there, they almost refused him, but saw how bad he was and let him in. They called me, and that's where I came in (the mzungu at the yellow gate). Here's where Ashlaf paused and gave a little back story to his life. Buckle up for this, it's about to get crazy. Ashlaf has been on the streets for 12 years. During his time on the streets he got the title "Rasta" and said he lived up to the name he was given. He said he did every drug possible, he killed people, he beat people, he lived a life of stealing, sleeping with anyone who would give him the chance, and didn't want anything to do with God or anyone who had anything to do with God. Ashlaf kneeled on the stage, with tears streaming down his face giving all praise glory and honor to God alone for the transformation in his life. He begged the boys to listen and know that no matter how bad they are, God is better. Ashlaf returned to his story where he talked about how no one has ever taken him to a real hospital before and he know's it was expensive. He talked about how the mzungu, now known as Auntie Tara, cared for him in a way that he didn't know existed. He talked about being forced to go to bible study, but then seeing Jesus first hand in his life. And as he knelt on that stage, crying,  in front of 200 street kids, Ashlaf praised and prayed that they would find Jesus too. He said that he knows now the voice he heard when he was almost unconscious was the voice of God, that there's no other way he would be where he is now. Ashlaf now has a room we've rented for him, he now owns a chapati business and is doing amazing business, and he teaches at our bible studies frequently because of what God has done in his life. I asked him one day why he chose the place he did for his chapati stand, it's in a not so great part of town, where a lot of the street kids and druggies hang out. His response, "Auntie, they need to hear about Jesus too. What better way to show them Jesus than with chapati and them seeing the transformation in my life". Amen sweet boy! Praise God for the testimonies he's giving here in Uganda with these boys. This ministry can be tough and trying. I'm always busy and get frustrated sometimes with the antics of some of the boys. But God...God is changing them. God is growing them. My job is to lead them to Jesus and teach them the Word of God. God does the rest. Ashlaf is a prime example of disciples making disciples, and that's what this is all about. Glory to God!

For New Years I got invited to go on my first safari trip with one of the sweet families I've grown to know, here in Uganda. They have lived here for 3 1/2 years, and are from the same town I came here from in Tennessee. It was such a sweet and special time being with them, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation. I saw some of the most amazing animals up close and personal, witnessed beautifully painted sunrises and sunsets, and came home to a 5 day quarantine because we were all sick and exposed to COVID. A little more time to rest and work from home and more natural immunity boosters for me, I can't complain. I'm fine, other than a little cough. Happy New Year 2022!

On New Years Eve the president of Uganda spoke again, and while we were all dreading another lockdown to be put into place, he made the announcement that schools are opening back up January 10th, and 2 weeks later the curfew will be lifted and the country will resume normal activity! Praise God!!!! I have 4 boys who need to be back in primary school asap, and will be finding sponsors for them to begin again. We have about 15 boys ready to begin trade school, if they're older or never attended primary school as well. This year is going to be amazing and I can't wait to see how God continues to grow this ministry for his Glory! Most importantly we teach the boys about Jesus and then we rehab and reintegrate them back into functioning members of their community. God is moving. 

I'm so thankful for the prayers and support from around the world. This ministry wouldn't be possible without the faithful givers at my church and those who feel led to give and support us each month. I always pray to be wise in being a faithful steward of what the Lord gives us. We have 1 boy having surgery tomorrow, another one probably having surgery next week, and always have medical cases arising beyond the projected budget. I've had many ask, so at the bottom I will attach a link for giving tax deductible through my church, or directly to me (to be used immediately) as needs arise. Thank you all for your prayers and support! 

-Prayer requests

* Solomon having surgery tomorrow 1/7

*Hassan possibly having surgery next week

*Sponsorship for boys to return to school

*Wisdom as we grow in finding best suited land and guidance in progression

*Health for myself and my team as we minister to the boys and resume Following Jesus

                                     Ways to give:

Link to give through my church, tax deductible: bit.ly/ugandaecc

Zelle to my email: thens1213@gmail.com

Venmo: @Tara-Henson-1 (last 4 of phone number is 3565)

Paypal: @TaraHenson (last 4 of phone number is 3565)