Our 1st Friend to Visit us!

Once again, I am writing to you in the dark, since there is no power... Things are getting better here, as they are improving & settling down in Kenya as well, and we thank God for that. Although there is still potential for further violence & crisis to come with the rallies & protests scheduled for next week in Kenya, so please continue praying for this whole situation. Here in Arua, we still have a shortage of fuel, and because of that, we still have rationed power & water... but we have enough to get by, so we are thankful.

We did have one great bright spot in all of this... my (Erica) best friend, Katie Weeter, visited us from Kentucky! She was our VERY FIRST personal visitor from home, and it really was a special time. She arrived on Dec. 30 and left on Jan. 11. And it is only because of your prayers that God gave me the strength to say goodbye to her without even crying! As most of you know, I am very much a "home body," and I used to get homesick so easily... even being just 1 hour from my family when I went to UK in Lexington, KY & they lived in Louisville! So it really is a miracle & an answer to prayer that God has allowed me to be here in Africa and not be incredibly homesick! (I have only been homesick 3 days since we've been here by the way!) He is so good! Thank you for your prayers!

So... here are some pictures from Katie's trip! I hope you enjoy! And to those of you that are coming... Betty (John's mom) on Jan 23, Ryan & Ashley (Erica's brother & sister) in May, our good friends, the Christies (in June), and hopefully even more... we CAN'T WAIT to make memories with you as well & have you here in Uganda!

WHAT WE DID WITH KATIE:

We visited our friends, Alice & Joyce, at their homes. Alice's children & the neighborhood children all came over & sang songs for us! It was precious. Alice is pictured to the bottom left in her house with all of her Christmas decorations~ so cute! And in this culture, hospitality is a big deal... So Joyce & her husband Christopher (pictured with me to the bottom right), had tea, cookies, popcorn, peanuts, rolls & even cokes for us! It is always hard, knowing that they don't have much at all, to accept so much from them... But it is also very humbling and special and, it touched both my & Katie's hearts.


















We went to church in the village with our watchman & good friend, Joel, & his children.









We went to the market & bought Rolexes! No... not watches! But food! In Uganda, rolexes are basically a breakfast burrito~ a tortilla (which are called chapatis), eggs, tomatoes & onions. They are so delicious & they are made in the middle of the market by street vendors like the guy below to the left, with a small charcoal stove. Then we went home & ate them with some of our friends, Joel, Edmond, & James, pictured to the right. Katie & I had a good time hanging out with the boys!









We went to UCU so that Katie could see the children's ministry I've been telling her about for so long! Do you remember Alice from one of our blog entries a while back????... The little girl who was so sad and just lifeless really? I could barely get her to look me in the eye the first week I met her. Well, here she is pictured with Katie to the right!!! And do you see her huge smile!?!?! It is just amazing to me! I have invested a lot in this little girl in particular, and I feel like God has really honored that & changed her heart and life. Don't get me wrong... I am NOT taking credit for it by any means! Jesus has just allowed me to show her His love, and I think she's finally getting it! Praise the Lord!!!

Thanks for loving us & caring enough about us to read this blog! Here is a look at our upcoming calendar so you can know how to be praying for us! Thank you for your prayers, support, & friendships!

OUR CALENDAR:
Jan 18, 19- 1st Official Pastor Training in Nebbi!!!!
(with the WGM Media Team & Jon Mayo)
Jan 18- Filming at UCU of children's ministry with the WGM Media Team
Jan 23- John's mom, Betty, arrives in Uganda!!!
Jan 25- New VIA (volunteer in action), Mark, comes to Arua!
Jan 27- Preaching at a village church in Nebbi
Jan 28- John's 29th Birthday!!!
Jan 29- Billy, Joanna & Elsie Jayne Coppedge arrive in Uganda!!!
Feb 4- John's mom leaves.
Feb 5- Short term missions couple, the Guillams, arrive in Arua
Feb 8, 9- 2nd Pastor Training in Nebbi
Feb 16- Trip to Yei, Sudan to visit John Onek & other pastors in training