Love Never Fails!!

Beautiful people from the village of Kyajja awaiting
treatment during the 1st day of the Medical Camp

Well, another month has come and gone.  We have been here just over 6 months now.  During the second half of March we were focussed on our gardens and on getting all of our legal paperwork done from staying long-term.  The father of our intern Shelby came over and stayed with us for about 3 weeks to help us and to share this special time with his daughter.  They helped us with both of the gradens, to move the greenhouse a little closer to being ready to grow tomatoes and peppers, and to just love on the people that have been placed in our lives here in Uganda.  We were sad to have to say goodbye to both Shelby and her father at the beginning of April, but we were very grateful for the time we had with them, and for the help that they were with the projects that are going on.

We said goodbye (for now) to our friend Shelby

Shelby's father Joe spent 3 weeks with us and was
able to fly home with Shelby.  Millie liked
Joe's hat.

Heidi and Shelby had some great time together
during the time she was here.  God knows
exactly what we need, and He likes us
A LOT!

Soon after Shelby and Joe left, we had the arrival of a team of 5 from Williston, ND for a Medical Outreach Trip.  The trip started off with some challenges.  They had brought over 7 large totes full of medical equipment that was intended to be donated to the True Vine medical clinic.  All of that equipment was confiscated at the airport, and taken to Kampala for inspection.  We are glad to report that there was nothing that was able to stop the success of every aspect of this trip, including the delivery of ALL of those medical supplies.  We were able recover them after a few days of communication with the National Drug Authority here in Uganda.

Even though it didn't look like we would get the
medical supplies back, WE DID!
We were able to give all of the supplies
and all the leftover drugs from the camp
to two local medical clinics.

After the medical team arrived, they had one day of introduction/rest, and then they went to work.  The four ladies on the team and Heidi worked along side volunteers and medical staff from Uganda to conduct a 3 day medical camp in two different locations where over 1,000 people were given free treatment for many different types of ailments and illnesses.  The staff from True Vine also had ministers who spoke to the people that were waiting in line, and reported at least 15 people who made decisions to give their lives to Christ.  Also during the medical camp, two of the ladies on the team were able to hand how hundreds of pillow case dresses that they had sewn before coming into the country.  Many, many people were helped in many different ways during the course of those 3 days.

Kathryn Waitman led our team during the
medical camp.  She was such a strong
leader.  I think she would have worked
through the night if we would have let her.

This is our team along with the team from True Vine
at the clinic in Walusubi where we spent the last
2 days of the camp.

While the women were working on the medical camp, the men worked on a pit latrine for a widow named Robina, and her 4 children.  Robina and her family live in a one room home not very far from Victor's Christian School.  They had no place to bathe or use the bathroom.  They had created a make shift enclosure in the back of their home to use for bathing, and if they needed to use the bathroom that would use a bucket there, or use their neighbors.  We were able to build her a latrine with two stalls and a room to use for bathing.  We worked along side of 3 Ugandan men that know more about masonry in Uganda than we did.  Robina was so grateful for the latrine.  Her and her whole family were very blessed by it.

This is the small house where Robina and her family stay.
The shed on the side is their outdoor kitchen.
On the other side of that is the pit latrine.

This is the place that Robina had made for them to bathe
behind their house.

Randy and I with the grateful widow, and
the completed latrine!

So many people benefited from the team that came.  The impact goes way beyond the 5 Americans and the people treated and the widow and her family.  Many different people were involved with helping the team from the US to get here through monetary donations, time spent sewing clothing that was handed out, and donating other items that were given away.  Different people gave towards helping us to purchase the thousands of dollars of drugs and medical equipment that was used during the camp, and all that was left over that was donated to the local clinics.  Many, many people here in Uganda were indirectly impacted from all that was done here during the short time they were here.  The team displayed a heart of service in the face of all the sacrifice that it takes to come across the world on a trip like this and come to a place that is so different and unfamiliar.  Thanks to ALL that were involved in EVERY way no matter how small.

Heidi and the sewing ladies Pat and Bev spent most of the
day on Saturday teaching girls from the Girls of
Destiny Training Center how to sew reusable
sanitary pads.

Now it is time for us to get back to a routine until YOU and the team that YOU are coming with comes over to take part in what is happening here.  The soccer team at Victor's finished their fist season last Saturday.  The first term of the academic year is almost over for the students at Victor's.  Andrew has about another week and a half to finish up the discipleship class at both locations where we have been teaching the Bible to young church leaders at different churches.  Heidi and the kids will be getting back to a regular schedule for homeschooling.  

On Sunday while the team was here Heidi
brought out our new snazzy outfits.
I Love My Family!

We are beginning to get the first fruits of our harvest at the garden, so Andrew and Tanner will be spending time helping with that and making sure the monies are handled well and that there is a system in place to make it a project that is able to support itself.  There is also work to be done in the greenhouse as the seedlings will soon be transplanted into planting bags where they will grow for almost a year.  The chickens are continuing to grow.  They are doing well.  They should be laying eggs by the middle of June.

We had to put a good picture of Tanner.
He is loving life here.  He has decided
to stay with us for a year.  We thank God for
his heart to serve the people here.

Thank you all for your continued support.  If you are interested in helping to support our stay here financially, Our Fundraising Campaign on the PUR website can now support recurring monthly donations for your convenience.  If you would like to come and serve with us this summer, we have a deal that is explained on the Upcoming Trips page on our website.  You and your team can come and see us on a 10 day trip for $1,000 plus airfare.  You won't find a better deal anywhere, just ask anyone who has come so far.  We feed you good, we have a great place to stay, and we are surrounded by some really precious people.  If you have the desire to come later on or next year, let us know and we will start organizing a team trip for you.  If you would like to come and stay with us as an intern like Shelby and Tanner, we have room for that too.  Just let us know!  We love and miss all of you!  We hope to see you here soon!  Stay in touch!

The Kanagy's

PUR International

Mukono, Uganda

God Bless You All from Mukono, Uganda

Trust

"The Lion of Judah"
My strength and my shield.
My ever present help in time of need.

What are we (PUR International) doing in Uganda?  What is our purpose?  What is our goal?  The defining verse for our organization comes from James 1:27a that says, "Pure and Undefiled Religion is to care for orphans and widows in their time of need."  That is what PUR stands for.  That is our goal.  In all of the projects/plans that we have, that goal is in our mind.  We are seeking to do that through the fundraiser campaigns on our website, and through the projects/volunteer opportunities that we have here in Uganda.

Overall, we have been amazed at how well things have gone.  In less than 4 months we were able to fund the building of a chicken house that now houses over 2,000 chickens, start two large vegetable gardens, install a greenhouse for tomatoes and peppers, and host a team that was able to build desks for the school and a pit latrine for a village church.  We have become part of a community in which we are able to employ several people, be involved with the church through Bible teaching, be involved at the school through soccer coaching, and begin building relationships in which we can share the Love that God has given us.  We have also hosted 2 wonderful interns that are having the experience of a lifetime living and serving along side of our family.

A picture showing a small section of the garden
with the greenhouse in the background.  We have
most of the garden planted and mulched.  We will
be getting the greenhouse ready for planting next week.

Our interns Tanner and Shelby working with Cyprian and Emma
our Garden Manager and Assistant Manager.  Here they are working
on the bed where we have been raising seedlings.  You can't go to
Wal-Mart and pick them up here in Uganda. 

We made it through our first 4 months here with very little opposition.  This last month however, has brought with it some challenges we did not expect.  During the second week of February someone crawled under the fence we have around the garden, they cut a hole in the side of the greenhouse, and stole a bunch of our garden equipment that we had inside.  The third week in February we began preparations for the arrival of 3 of our partners from North Dakota who were coming during the last week of February to plant 50 acres of maize (corn).  As we began moving forward with that plan in mind, we found that our plan did not match the plan that True Vine had.  This caused some disappointment and disagreement on both sides of the partnership.  The men from ND still came, and we worked through some the issues between us and True Vine, but we were not able to accomplish what we had hoped to accomplish.

Over the past few weeks we have learned many things about True Vine that we did not know before.  Several of those things were negative.  We have lost a lot of trust in our relationship with them.  So what do we do with that?  Do we stop working with them and try to do our own thing?  Do we find someone else to work with?  As we have searched for the answers to those questions, we have been lead back to our purpose and our goal, James 1:27a.  No ministry, organization, or outreach program is perfect because they are run by people.  We are not here to do our own thing.  We want to help established organizations that are already helping people.  We want to help them gain the potential to help even more people.  The bottom line is that no matter what issues True Vine has, they are helping people.  We are called as Christians to Love God and Love People.  God is perfect, but people are not.  God does not give up on us, and we should not give up on others.  We need to be wise, but we also need to be gracious and merciful.

We have partnered with True Vine because of the potential that they have to minister to the needs of people here in Uganda.  Since we have been here we have seen and experienced that, and that is why we are here.  We would like to introduce you to some of the amazing people that we have been Blessed to be in relationship with through our involvement here in Uganda:

This is Pastor Adams Kawooya.  He is the pastor of the church we attend.
  Heidi, Ricky, and Becca have known Adams since 2006.  He is a faithful
and loyal man with a wonderful family.  We have spent much time with him
and his family.  Heidi was able to help with the delivery of their 5th child,
and they chose to give the little girl the name "Trust Heidi Mubeezi".

This is Rose.  She is one of the two ladies that cleans our home 3 days a week.
She is a member of True Vine church.  Her and her husband are both on the
worship team.  They have 2 children of their own, but as with most families here
they support several other children that are from their extended family.  She
has a wonderful smile as you can tell, and a very "Spunky" personality.

This is Ruth.  She stays with us.  She helps with the cooking, meal planning, and
market shopping.  She has been a wonderful addition to our family.  She is very
good with the kids, and with the interns.  We all love her very much.  She has a
laid back personality, and may seem shy at first, but she is one of those strong silent
types.  She is a strong confident woman.  Her strength comes from her relationship
with God.  She has had a tough life, but God has been faithful to her.

This is Susan.  She is the other lady that comes to clean our home 3 days a week.
She also works as a dorm mother for the boarding students at Victor's Junior
Christian School.  Her husband passed away several years ago, and she now
lives on the grounds at Victor's with 6 of her 7 children.  She is one of the sweetest
people we have ever met.  She is wonderful with children and has such a meek and
peaceful spirit about her.  Before she came to work in our home she only had the income
from Victor's to support her family, and all of her children were being cared for by
other family members because she did not have the means to support them.  Along with
True Vine, we have worked together to help make it possible for her to be able to have her
children go to school at Victor's and live there with her.

This is Apale (Charles).  He belongs to a tribe from Northern Uganda called Arua. 
He is ourGardener.  He takes care of the grounds at the property where we stay. 
He worksat our home during the day, and is a security guard at night.  He sleeps
when he can.  He has a wife and little girl that still live in Arua, and he stays here
in Mukono because there is more opportunity for work.  He sends them money each
month to support them.  He always has a wonderful smile and is a very faithful worker.

This is Atibo (Michael).  He is from the Arua tribe as well, so he and Apale are
tribal "Brothers".  He is our security guard by night, and our gatekeeper by day.
He is also our biggest connection to the neighborhood we live in.  He knows
everyone, and if you need anything done, he knows who to talk to.  He has been
such a valuable resource to us.  We are glad to be able to give him work and a salary.
He is an honest and faithful worker.  He has a girlfriend back in Arua that he plans to
marry next year.  He sends her and several younger brothers and sisters money each
month to support them and give them school fees.

Starting from the left, the Muzugu is Tanner.  He is our intern from North Dakota that came
for 10 days in November with a team, and then decided to come back again in January.  He
first said he would be here for 3 months, then changed it to 6, now he is saying he may stay
for even more than that.  We have enjoyed having him here with us so much.  He has been very
involved with the other young people at church and has been teaching guitar lessons on a daily
basis both at church and at our home.  Beside him is Emma.  He has the biggest smile of any person
I've ever met, and is one of the hardest workers I've ever met.  He works as the assistant to the garden
manager, and he also coaches the soccer team at Victor's and organizes volleyball games.  Next to Emma
is Cyprian.  He is our garden manager.  He has a diploma in Agriculture and is enjoying the chance to
put all of his knowledge to work.  He loves to experiment with new ideas and has been trying many new
gardening techniques to figure out what is going to give us the best yields.  The last guy is me.

This is Shelby.  She is our other intern.  She has also been with us since January.  She is from the
same area of North Carolina where my family lives.  I actually had her as a student when I was still
teaching in NC.  She has been such a joy to have.  She is not scared to get her hands dirty, and has been
willing to help us in any area we ask her to, including help with the kids as you can see.  The kids love her,
we all love her.  She will be greatly missed when she goes back home at the beginning of April.  It has been
encouraging to us to see how much she has grown spiritually during her stay with us.  She has expressed to us
many times how much she has appreciated her time here.  She is a great example of why we believe we
are here to minister just as much to the people that come to stay and serve with us, as to Ugandans.

There are many reasons we are here, and it is not up to know them all.  We are called to just be obedient to the tasks that we are given.  The things we are doing here we could do anywhere in the world, with any organization.  Here is where we are now, and we will do the most we can with what we have been given.  We thank God every day for the opportunity to be here, recognizing that our call is to Love God and Love people no matter where we are.  Every day we are faced with new experiences and new challenges.  Every day we are stretched in new ways.  These "new" things are not always comfortable, but they are always good for us when we have the desire to learn from them.  We pray to God each day to help us to keep that attitude, and to help us see things from His perspective.

We put up a couple of volleyball nets (wires) at the school.  The kids
love them, and the staff does too.  There is someone playing on them
whenever classes are not in session, rain or shine.

Tanner got the chance to test out his Boda-boda skills.
It was just a great picture I had to include.

Again, thank you all for continuing to follow our adventure, and for supporting us in whatever way you can.  We want to bring as many of you along with us as we can.  Please feel free to interact with us from your side too.  We send these things out into the internet hoping that we connect with you, but we also appreciate when you respond and connect with us.  The interaction is really good for us.  We are so far away from our friends and family, and we miss you guys.  We will stay in touch.  We appreciate your prayers.  We Love You!  Till next time.


The Kanagy's

We all got to take a 2 day break and go to Jinja to see some sights.
This is a picture of us at the Source of the Nile River.

Preparing the Ground

Pastor Adam, Tanner, Shelby, and John
planting seedlings in trays

Hello again from Uganda!  It's been an Amazing month.  We had 3 more people from the USA join us on January 8th.  John from North Dakota stayed for just under 2 weeks.  The other 2, Tanner from North Dakota and Shelby from North Carolina, are still with us.

Tanner was able to bring Bibles that were
donated by Churches in ND

Shelby was able to speak at a
youth conference at True Vine

John is an experienced farmer that also has experience working with farmers in Haiti.  He is the president of an organization known as Friends of IFOSuD.  He brought with him a large supply of seeds for us to plant that were given to us by Hope Seeds.  He also brought materials to build drip line systems for irrigation that were donated by Chapin Living Waters.  Tanner has recently finished college with a degree in electrical engineering and has decided to spend 6 months serving with us before he returns to the states to find a job and start his career.  Shelby has decided to spend 3 months serving with us as part of her "gap year" internship program through UNC Chapel Hill where she will begin her freshman year in August.

Tanner, Shelby, and John at the
training in Jinja

Soon after they arrived we attended a 3 day training in Jinja for type of farming called "Farming God's Way".  After the training we got started on the garden that we will be planting across the road from Victor's Junior Christian School.  In the garden we will be growing vegetables for the children at the school.  The ground was tilled before we started, but we have had very littler rain here for the past 3 months, so we still had our work cut out for us.  We had help from several laborers, and the men that True Vine has put in charge of managing the garden.  We formed 16 raised beds that are 25 feet long.  We also put up stands to hold buckets for the drip line irrigation.  During that same week we tilled and put some drip lines in a garden located at the orphan home that is operated by True Vine.

Pic with Tanner, John, myself, and all the guys
that helped us turn a hill of dirt into a garden

During John's time here we went to Kampala to find good maize seed for the upcoming planting season, in which we will be planting 50 acres of maize on True Vine's land.  We found the seed at a company called Balton.  While we were meeting with the saleslady at Balton, we discussed several of the projects we are doing, including the garden for the school.  They recommended we put one of their greenhouses on the land to ensure a better harvest of vegetables with a longer growing season.  We discussed it among the ranks of PUR International and the leaders of True Vine.  It was decided that the greenhouse would be good to add to the garden because it would help to ensure the sustainability of the whole project.  So, before John left to go home, we purchased a greenhouse from Balton.

Shelby, one of the boys at the orphan
home, and the drip irrigation

The week after John left, we picked up the materials for the greenhouse, and got the land ready for installation.  Balton sent a technician to help us put it together.  By that weekend we had it under roof.  On Monday of the next week we hooked up the irrigation lines, installed a 500 liter water tank, and formed raised beds on the inside of the house. 

Putting up the frame of the greenhouse.

Inside of the greenhouse after roof was on.

Everything in the house is now ready.  All that is left is for the National Water Service to hook up a water line and we are in business.  This week we will be going to Kampala for training on how to run the greenhouse.  After finishing the greenhouse we went back to the orphan home and spent 2 days tilling up the rest of the plantable land that they have there.  We also planted some watermelon seeds at the garden next to the school.

Soda treat after a long day of digging in the dirt

That leads us to where we are now.  We've done a lot of hard work, and gotten a lot done.  I keep saying "we", but please know that when I say that, I mean us (the Muzungus) and the people from True Vine that have been working with us.  We (PUR) are doing most of the funding for these projects, but True Vine takes care of the labor and management.  We help where we can, but we (the Kanagy's, interns, and team members that come) are here for support and for building lasting relationships.  The ministry of True Vine could accomplish all of these projects on their own if they only had the financial resources. 

Shelby and Cyprian digging post holes.
Cyprian will be managing both the gardens
and the greenhouse

We trust this ministry.  We have seen good fruit from many of the projects they have done on their own.  It is obvious to us (PUR) that they have been good stewards with the little that they have.  We (PUR) believe that they will be faithful if we give them more, and many more people will be exposed to the Love of Jesus Christ as a result of our partnership.  Some may ask, "If all they need is the finances, why spend the money to bring people there from the US?"  The shortest way that we know to answer that question is to say, "We (PUR and True Vine) see the value in relationship and working along side each other."  It is our opinion that it is not enough just to give money.  It is so encouraging to these people when we not only give money, but also give time and effort.  Most people here have never seen a white person swing a hoe.  They have now baby!  We've got the blisters to prove it!

This is how they till the ground in Uganda.
BEFORE

AFTER
Yes, all the white people are tired and sitting down.

Right now we (PUR) are in a stage where we are "Preparing the Ground".  We are still establishing and strengthening the foundation of our relationship with True Vine.  Every day we are learning more and more about each other, and how we will work together best.  We are still a distance away from seeing the fruit from all we are doing.  The ground in the gardens doesn't have many seeds in it yet.  The chicks have been delivered to the chicken house, but they are not close to being ready to lay eggs yet.  We have had only a few people come over from the US to help us. 

James is the manager of the chicken house.
This is the day the 2,300 chicks were delivered.

This is also of the chicken house.  Needed this one
to prove that Heidi does get out of the house.

Although we still aren't sure how much fruit we will get from all of what we are doing, we are continuing to move forward.  The foundation is continuing to grow, and we are expectant of a great harvest.  If you've seen some of John Crist's YouTube videos on missionaries and mission trips, they are hilarious.  They are great for exposing some of the issues with short-term missions and present day missionaries.  We don't want to be an organization that misuses the resources we've been given.  We have been careful to include the leadership of True Vine in our decision making, and we will continue to do so.  They are continually grateful for everything we are doing, and many people are communicating to us what a Blessing we are to them.

The kids at the orphan home love all of us,
but I think they like Tanner best.

Tanner, Emma, Cyprian, and some guy.
We call Emma the Ugandan Machine because he
does the workof three men.

We believe that the results of all the time, money, and effort that have been put into these projects are going to impact the lives of thousands of Ugandans, and that they will be self-sustaining for years to come.  Thank you to those of you who have continued to follow us, and believe in what we are doing.  Thank you to those that have invested.  To those of you that are interested giving of your time, money, and effort by coming to serve with us here in Uganda, feel free to Contact Us and let us know.  We would love to plan a trip for you, or have you join a trip that is already being planned.  If you just want to know more about who we are or what we are doing you can read the other posts on this blog, or browse through Our Website.

No caption necessary.  It's just a cute picture.

Thanks again for reading this.  We Love and miss all of our family and friends back home.  All of you who miss us should know that we are surrounded by some really Amazing people who Love us well.  Every day we walk in the fulfillment of knowing that we are right where God wants us to be.  Thank you for your prayers!  Much Love!

The Kanagys

There has to be at least one picture with all of us in it.

A Muzungu Went to the Christmas Camp

Victor's Army!!

For those of you that have been keeping up with us, you may have known that I was away from my family for the majority of the last week.  I took a group of boys and two other coaches from True Vine to a remote area of Uganda to compete in a very large football (soccer) tournament.  The tournament was run by an organization from Kampala called Watoto Wasoka.  PUR International was able to support a large portion of the tournament's expenses due to contributions to the campaign on our website.  Any team in the country is welcome to enter the tournament, and so we brought a team from True Vine's school, Victors Junior Christian School.  We call ourselves "Victor's Army".  All players, coaches, officials, and volunteers stayed at a boarding school in an area known as Mityana.  There were at least 55 teams that were separated into 3 categories, U11, U13, and U15.  We competed with the U15's.

View of one of the U13 matches with many
spectators watching.

In the US, U15 means "Under 15".  I found out that in Uganda it doesn't exactly mean that.  The categories are more separated based on size than ages.  Each category has a size limit based on a calculation of both height and weight.  Basically any boy that fits inside the range between the U13 limit and the U15 limit can play in the U15 category.  Most of our boys fit in the age range between U13 and U15, but based on size, I had at least 5 boys who qualified for the U11 category.  Needless to say, we were the smallest team in the U15's, by far.  It was discouraging for the boys at first, but we were able to use that as an opportunity to learn some good lessons.  We lost our first game badly (9-0) to a really talented team.  Still, they did not quit, and even though they were tempted to complain, they got past that and were able to enjoy the rest of the tournament.

This was taken during the game we tied 1-1.

The second day we did not have a game that was scheduled, but we were able to play a scrimmage game with the team that we bunked with at the school.  They were also in the U15 category, but we competed with them well.  The final score of that match was 3-1.  Still a loss, but our boys played well.  On the third day the boys were excited to play again no matter who the opponent was.  Again, the team was bigger and stronger, but the boys played very well, and we ended with a 1-1 tie.  After all that, we did not qualify for the round of 16 and did not advance past the group stages, but we definitely were able to end on a high note.  The boys were very proud and happy with the result.

This was one of the fields where the U15
matches were held.

On top of being able to celebrate some successes in the midst of what could have been viewed as failure, we had some amazing experiences.  For sleeping, we shared an empty classroom with a team from Restoration Assembly Church in Kampala.  Their coach, and their team were so great.  We held a Bible Study together with them in that room each morning to begin our day.  We had some really challenging experiences to get through as a team where the boys were able to learn some very valuable life lessons.  We had a lot of time to just hang out, get to know each other better, and just have fun.  I was very happy that it worked out to experience all of it together with this group of boys.  I look forward to doing it again next year, and by then we will be more prepared and know what to expect.

View of one of the U11 matches

As I have said, I enjoyed the whole experience, and I am so glad that we did it!  With that being said, now I want to share some of my experience from the perspective of the spoiled "Muzungu" (white guy) just because I know that many of you will be interested.  If you are reading this, and you are from Uganda, please know that I appreciated the accommodations that were provided, it was just very different from what I am used to. 

First, for two teams to sleep in one classroom was tight.  Everyone was sleeping two to a small mattress.  There was barely enough room for that, so I slept in the car to save room for others.  Also, there was no clean water to drink.  All the water came from 4 small faucets.  That was where everyone got their water for drinking, washing dishes, bathing, and anything else that it was needed for.  For food there was porridge for breakfast, and then porsho and beans for the other meals.  Porsho is a starch made from corn.  It is basically like grits with really fine grains.  The beans were very good.  The first night we ate at the school it was dark, and I ate them, and I enjoyed them.  The next day, when we were fed the beans again for lunch, I was able to look closer at them, and was able to see that there were maggots that had been cooked along with the beans.  I wanted to eat them along with everyone else, but I just couldn't.

(This is where I should have pictures of the food and the room where the boys slept,

but I'm not a professional photographer, and I only took soccer pictures)

Even though all of that stuff was uncomfortable for me, it was really good for me to gain some perspective.  Those conditions were nothing new to anyone there.  They were accustomed to it, and for many, the conditions were better than what they are accustomed to.  I ended up buying clean water for my team to drink.  I had also brought some extra snacks like cookies and bananas for them to eat.  And because I did those simple things, it was obvious that many of the other players viewed my players as the spoiled kids from the Muzungu's team (yes, the only other white person was a photographer from New York named Sam). 

Even though some of that was hard, I am continually amazed at how welcoming so many of the people here in Uganda are.  When they see a Muzungu they usually offer a blank stare, but they are waiting to see some kind of evidence that communicates how I view them.  If I offer a simple smile and a waive, 99% of the time I am offered back a huge smile, a waive, and the best greeting in English that they know.  It is true that some people only respond so positively because they have hopes that I will give them something.  Some even approach me to ask for money, or for a job.  While I do make it a point to recognize that, I also recognize that not all of them look to white people for what they can get from them.  Many people here do have generous hearts, and have a desire to serve.  There are many people here that I have met, and that I have begun valuable relationships with, that have a Faith that amazes me, and that I can learn from.

Lunch Christmas Day with our good friend
Pastor Kawooya and his family

It is true that I have come here to serve others, but it is also true for anyone that chooses to serve others, that you are Blessed beyond measure with experiences that cause you to grow both spiritually and emotionally.  Our time here is priceless, and we know it.  The experiences that we are having here are creating so much positive change in us.  It is our hope and our prayer that we are able to be a Blessing to as many people as possible while we are here.  That is our focus and our goal.  We appreciate each opportunity that comes for us to minister to others.  We give God the Glory for every life that is changed through what He is having us do here.  We also give Him the Glory and the credit for the change that He is doing in our own hearts.  We are so grateful.  We do not know what all the future has in store for us or for everything we are in the process of beginning here, but we do know that it is going to be Amazing!

Thank you so much to all those who are supporting us in what we are doing here!  God is Good!  Happy New Year to all of You!  2018 is going to be the best year yet!

Much Love!

The Kanagy's