the last three ministries

Jeff and I are very excited to visit these last three ministries in Uganda...

1.GIDCCO: A ministry that is "dedicated to being an advoacate for children living in horrific conditions."
Did you know that every 3 seconds poverty kills a child?
GIDCCO hopes to soon build a new church building, Primary school and children's home. 

Find more information at: http://www.gidcco.com/

2.Home Again Ministries: An organization that focuses on reaching out to the Karamajong Tribe. This tribe has been persecuted and almost completely eliminated by "modern day Africa". The country has limited the tribe's borders to a small corner in North Eastern Uganda. They are forced to live in unruly conditions and rarely have any aid offered to them. While we are there, we will play games with the kids, minister to the mother's, bring gifts and useful resources. We hope to offer this forgotten tribe love, care and hope for the future. 

3.60 Feet: This ministry is at the local children's prison. This "action-based organization was created to bring hope and restoration to the imprisoned children of Africa." I'm not just talking about the millions of children who are trapped in poverty in Africa, but the innocent children who are placed behind bars and forgotten about.

Here are some scary and sad statistics about imprisoned children in Africa:
 - The age of criminal responsibility in most African countries is 10. 
 - Today there are believed to be over 1 million children languishing in prisons.
 - The largest number of child prisoners is believed to be in Africa. 

Why are they there? Here are some examples of the common reasons for child imprisonment:
 "My brother tried to rape me."
 "My step-mom didn't like me and abused me."
 "I gave my sister's phone to a friend and so my parents sent me here for a year."
 "My dad didn't want me and accused me of stealing."

Find more information at:http://sixtyfeet.org/blog/

Jeff and I cannot wait to hold all of these children and love them the way they deserve to be loved. 

2 more orphanages in kenya and uganda

Grace Children's Home, Kenya

The last place Jeff and I will be visiting in Kenya is Grace Children's Home. I do not have any specific information on this orphanage but I do know that we will be bringing

 new flip flops for the kids! No more bare feetsies! 

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Canaan's Children's Home, Uganda

While researching more about this orphanage, I was so touched by how this home was started that I thought it would be better to let you read it for yourselves..

"Pastor Isaac Wagaba and his wife Rebecca began the children's home in 1996 with two abandoned children.

During the reign of infamous Idi Amin, when Pastor Isaac was laying on a heap of bodies, shot and left for dead, he heard a voice "Isaac, I have saved your life so that you may save the lives of my fatherless children... Isaac, I will be the father of those children through you." 

Strengthened with energy from God, Pastor Isaac crawled from the pit and ultimately God fulfilled his promise, beginning with two abandoned children. 

Today, in Buziika, near Jinja, Uganda, Pastor Isaac serves (the) God who saved him to be a father of the fatherless, by directing a growing and vibrant orphanage and home for destitute children — the invisible children of Africa." 

Taken directly from Canaan's Children's Home  website: 

http://www.canaanchildrenshome.org/history. 

Canaan's Children's home just recently opened the doors to a secondary school that serves all children in the community. With over 400 students enrolled, there are many needs...

 We are so excited to meet Pastor Isaac and the children. 

I know some amazing things are in store for us! 

"With a 12% orphan rate, how can we help?

Start small."

 - Tim Leaton, Orphan's in Africa video 

visio children's home, kenya

To be honest, I do not know much about the third home we are going to visit... but here is what I do know:

1. There are only 20-30 children that live in the Visio orphanage. 

2. Most of them are young girls. 

3. The home is tight on space and they currently have four girls sleeping in each set of bunk beds. Two in each bed. 

4.These beds are made from planks of wood and have no mattresses. 

5. They use the little extra clothing they do have to sleep on. 

6. Visiting Orphans, the organization Jeff and I are traveling with, has raised enough money to buy these girls new metal bunk beds WITH mattresses and sheets! 

Praise the Lord! We feel privileged to deliver this wonderful gift. I can't wait to see the smiles on these kiddos faces! 

stop number two: haven of hope, kenya

Haven of Hope's vision is to see "a society where every child has hope in life through loving care, stimulated community involvement and stability through reintegration of children back to the community and enhanced family growth through alternative family care."

Because of this individual, loving care, the children of Haven of Hope are able to fully develop, learn about Jesus and pursue further education and training. These children are then able to pour back into others, improving the long-term future of their community.

Started just two years ago, Haven of Hope already cares for 36 children ages ten and younger. Unfortunately, the home only has the capacity to hold 20 children, which means they are facing the need to expand very soon.


While visiting this home with Visiting Orphans, our team will  play with the kids, teach a Bible lesson, provide some needed supplies (markers, pens, bedding sheets, toothbrushes and toothpaste...) and serve in any other way we are needed.


Jeff and I are excited to spend some time with these 36 kids. With 20 people in our group.  these children will finally receive some individual time with an adult. 

I can't wait to tell them how much they are loved, because - as Haven of Hope reminds us - there truly is no substitute for love. 

our first stop: the fiwagoh mission orphanage- kenya

Every day, more than 1,000 people die from AIDS/HIV in Kenya, orphaning tens of thousands of children. These children are forced out of their homes and onto the streets. They rummage through trash, sell drugs, steal, prostitute their bodies... just about anything to get a meal and a safe place to stay. 

Benson Kibochi Nganga was one of those children. After personally suffering from the hunger, exploitation and inhumane lifestyle, he decided to devote his adult life to helping the children on the streets. In 2003, Benson and his wife opened their home to two street children. After a few months, 2 become 5... which then become 12... then 17, then 27 and so forth. Today the Fiwagoh Mission Orphanange houses around 140 orphans. 

At the mission, the children are cared for, schooled, taught the Gospel and most of all, loved. Jeff and I are excited to visit this orphanage, bring over necessary supplies, and play with the kids! Please keep the Fiwagoh mission in your prayers. 

Priscah (age 10) who is living at the orphanage says this: 

"I am now in the 4th grade and hope to pursue on with my classical and spiritual education. God willing, and if it is His will upon my life, I want to be a medical missionary nurse so that I also can save many other souls. Send your prayers to heaven for me and my 140 brothers and sisters here at Fiwagoh Mission Orphanage home... 

'When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.' Psalm 27:10, God bless! "

Information on the Fiwagoh Mission Orpahange was taken from their website, http://www.fiwagoh.org/fiwagoh.asp

we are blessed... support update

Words cannot express how blessed we have been by all of your support. So far, we have raised $5,615 dollars out of our $8,500 goal. This truly speaks volumes about the people who love us. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Our final payment is due next week and we feel confident that the Lord will provide! 

Yet although financial support is necessary, so is prayer. Please keep Jeff and I in your prayers as we travel to Africa. Not just for the 17-hour flight, but for the safety of our group, the specific kids we will be meeting, and the projects we will be completing. May it all be done with one goal in mind: to show His Love. 


To get a better idea of what we will be doing in Africa, we would like to share some of the ministries we will be visiting. I will be updating the blog throughout the next week, highlighting on the specific orphanages. 


Thank you again for all of your love and support! 


If you are interested in supporting our trip to Kenya and Uganda, you can give online by clicking here. For more information on our trip, click here. Thank you for your support!