One Down, One To Go!

Well, I finished one of the blankets I've been knitting for my girls in Uganda!  I don't know if this one is going to be fore Florence of Specioza...I'm not sure how I'll determine that, but I have time to get that figured out.

For now, I'll celebrate the fact that after many hours of work, one purple blanket is complete!  I've already started on the next one...it's lighter purple as you can see, but I'm knitting it exactly the same.  Hope this one is just as quick as the last!

I was worried that I'd get started and after a week or so push it to the back burner.  It seems like October is a long way off but I knew it'd come up and surprise me and I wouldn't have the blankets done...well, I'm no longer worried about that!  I'll have them both done in plenty of time!

Next on the "to-do for Uganda" list is fund raising.

My least favorite thing--asking people for money.  But, it's a necessary thing so, be expecting a letter or email soon!

Beyond that, I need to start making a list of all the things I want to include in the backpacks I take the girls as well as the items I'll bring to take to the kids at the other Compassion sites we'll visit.  I'm already planning on asking my dentist to donate some toothbrushes but that's as far as I've gotten.

A Classroom at a Compassion site in Kampala

Last time I took tons of school/art supplies and toiletries.

Cutie lookin cool in my shades!

I know I'll bring bubbles and stickers a plenty this time-the kids loved when other sponsors on the tour gave those out.  Maybe a few pairs of sunglasses too...mine were demolished by the time I got back-the kids just loved wearing them!

Thank you again for your prayers for this trip and all the pieces coming together.

Maybe I'll look into getting
some kid-size shoes too.

Sisters Of Compassion

Last week I got a phone call from Compassion explaining that the discount code they gave me when I registered for my trip to Uganda was incorrect and instead of my trip costing around $1,500 it's going to be more like $3,100 plus airfare to/from Washington DC where our group meets.

Ugh.  I already paid the non-refundable deposit of nearly $400 and I'm almost done with one of the blankets I'm knitting for my girls, plus I really really want to go, but that's a HUGE difference in cost.  Some people have suggested I call them back and explain that it was their mistake so I shouldn't be responsible for the new balance.  Part of me feels that way too.  But when I stop and think about this organization, which is set up to help children, I know that if I get them to pay the additional portion, the money isn't coming from some rich guy's pocket, it's coming from a place its desperately needed.  I'm not willing to take money from an organization that helps kids, even if it was their mistake.  I know that God will provide, He always does.  

I'm asking for prayers for faith that it will all come together, and for calm while it's all getting figured out.  Thank you for supporting me through prayer.

Ashley!!

My roommate from my previous Uganda trip, Ashley, is also struggling to figure out finances for the trip.  She isn't registered yet but I am praying that God will also provide her with the ability to make the commitment to this second trip to Africa.  It would be such a blessing and sweet time for us to be back there together.  She sponsors a boy named Joseph (11) who she met last time, but now also sponsors a girl named Rose (18) and will be able to meet her for the first time.  Ash also has Stephen in Ghana who is 10 years old.

Ashley and I were paired up as roomies based on age, at least thats what the trip leader will tell you.  The truth is that God knew exactly what He was doing when he put us in a room together.  Ash and I met up at JFK because our flights arrived within minutes of each other.  We then walked over to meet the rest of our tour group.  By the time the group leader arrived, she thought we'd come together and had been friends for years.  Nope, we'd just met a few hours prior.  Some of the other sponsors though we were sisters...

Ash, Joseph, Me and my girls, with other
Compassion Kids

We stayed together the entire trip, sitting together on the bus, next to each other at meals and when we met our kids the last day there, we played together like a big happy family.

I haven't seen Ashley since we parted ways at JFK in November 2011 at the end of the Uganda trip.  She took a plane back to Oklahoma and I was on my way back to Chicago.  We've talked on the phone, emailed, and texted but haven't seen each other.  Its strange to think about going to Uganda and not having Ashley there.  We bonded over the shared experience, but it is deeper than that too.  We are two women, who though have lived very different lives, have gone through similar heartache and trials.  God put us together to strengthen each of us separately but also to form an even stronger team--we've both become Compassion Advocates and have challenged each other to become more involved and invested in the cause.

I love this girl and I'm praying that God will provide a way for both of us to make this trip together.

Ash and Joseph

**Ashley is also a Compassion Corespondent which means she writes letters to kids who don't receive letters from their sponsors.  She writes to Jushua (10, Philippines), Shadrack (9, Tanzania) and Ines (4, Bolivia).  This woman writes to 6 kids on a regular basis...sometimes I find it hard to write to my two regularly.  These 6 kids are being loved on by her and will be changed forever because of it.

Marci on the far right is also making
the trip back in October!

If you'd like to Sponsor a child (it's only $38 a month) or donate to any of the other Compassion programs, click here for more info.

Made With Love

Florence surrounded by the gifts I brought for her

When I went to Uganda in 2011 I had no idea what to expect.  We were asked to bring items to be distributed to the Compassion Sites we visited as well as things for our Sponsored Children.  I filled bags with crayons, stickers, gum, candy, bandaids, journals, markers, shampoo and soap.  I made photo albums for my girls with Bible verses mixed in.  I crammed two very full backpacks into the largest piece of luggage I owned and though I couldn't possibly fit anything else in them, I just knew I was missing something that would benefit the families of my girls.

This time, I'm taking a different approach.  Yes, I will cram as many art supplies, toiletries and goodies as will fit in my luggage, but for my girls I decided to make things a little more personal.  I'm most likely never going to see Florence again (she ages out of the program the week after I'm there) and though I pray I will see Specioza at least one more time, there are never any guarantees...2 trips to Uganda in 3 years is already more than I ever thought I'd be able to manage.

Specioza unloading her backpack of goodies

My roommate from the last trip, Ashley, knit a blanket for her boy, Joseph.  And I was impressed.  Material objects, though necessary to some extent, never compare to handmade items, literally woven with love. This time, I decided to knit my girls each a blanket.  Much to their dismay, they are going to be purple...my favorite color.

Back when we were standing with our feet in Lake Victoria, I asked the girls their favorite colors...orange and red.  When I told them mine was purple they looked at me like I'd grown a third eye.  "Why?" they asked, with furrowed brows.  "Uh, well, it makes me happy...it brings joy to my heart...I think it's pretty?" Was that a suitable answer?  I'd never had to defend my choice of favorite color before.

So, there it is, I'm making blankets for my girls in my favorite color, not theirs...but only because I already had a ton of purple yarn.  I'm knitting just straight knit stitches with a double strand...it's moving along quite nicely.  I've used almost 6 skeins so far and I'm about halfway done with the first blanket.

The first blanket...so far

I'm just looking forward to giving the girls something made with my hands, with love, for them.  A personal item that will hopefully show my girls that though they are far away, I think about them daily.

If you'd like to help support me in my journey to Uganda I would love prayers and if you're compelled to give a financial gift, the money will be used to cover my travel expenses as well as purchase items to be given to the Compassion sites I'll visit.  If you'd like to donate items, email me for a list of what is recommended.

To learn more about Compassion or to sponsor a child, click here.

My Daughters

In November 2011 I spent a week in Uganda.  It was the most amazing week of my life.  One day in particular was, and I'm not being dramatic here, the best day of my life.  The last day I was in country I met Specioza and Florence, the two beautiful girls I sponsor through Compassion International.

Specioza, 12 years old

I was given Specioza as a gift for my 28th birthday by the man I was dating at the time.  He paid for her sponsorship for one year but I was the one to correspond with her (I took over sponsorship for her after the first year).  After four years of communicating, our letters have become more personal and she now writes her own letters instead of using an interpreter.  She was 9 when I began a relationship with her and now, at 13, she desires deeply to further her relationship with Christ, become a doctor and someday visit me in Chicago.

In March 2011 I received an email from Compassion asking if I'd like to join a "Sponsor Tour" that was planned for Uganda and meet Specioza.  After praying about it and checking my bank account, I signed up.  I also immediately signed up to sponsor another child, Florence.

Florence, getting comfortable in my sunglasses!

First, I thought I'd sponsor the youngest child available in Uganda and build a relationship with them from 3 (the youngest a child can enter the program) until they graduated or aged out (children are only allowed to stay in the program until 22) but then I saw the face of a beautiful young woman and my heart lept.  This was my child.  Florence was the oldest unsponsored child in Uganda at the time and though I knew my relationship with her would only be brief, I knew God was telling me she was meant to be in my life.


So, when I landed in Uganda in November 2011 with twenty-some other sponsors, I had two children to meet.  Florence and Specioza spotted me right away, they knew who I was and knew I was theirs.  When Specioza ran up to me and embraced me, my heart had never felt such joy!  Her first words to me were, "How is my brother Devin?"  Now, for those of you who don't know, Devin is my precious angel that I nannied from 2 months-4 years when he and his family moved out of state.  I had written Specioza about Devin (and Zack, his little brother) many times and mentioned all the things we did in the city.  I didn't however expect her to inquire about him, and I was totally unprepared for her considering him family.  It blew my mind and exploded my heart with even more love for this child I had just laid eyes on for the very first time.

The three of us riding a camel at the zoo!

Florence was more reserved, tentative, and observant.  When Spec climbed into my lap and started petting my hair, Florence's gaze told me she was searching my face and memorizing it's every detail.  As Spec hugged me close as I walked, almost tripping us, Florence walked on my other side, letting her sleeve lightly brush mine.  My camera, sunglasses and name tag became items of awe and wonder, prized objects that brought huge smiles to faces even if they were only passing through hands momentarily.

My daughters.

The day was filled with questions.  While looking at the photo albums I brought them, they'd point at someone and say, "Is this your sister Alison?" and wait for confirmation before asking how she is doing, how her husband Ian is doing, and "My, he is taller than I thought."  You see, they memorize the letters I send them.  Every last detail.  They know them word for word.  All of them.  The letters serve as a reminder that they are loved.  That somewhere out there in the great big world, someone is thinking about them, praying for them, loving them.  They don't simply know about me, they know my life, the lives of the ones I love, and they care, really truly care about how each one is doing.  Why?  Because they consider me family.  A second mom.  A mom that comes alongside the woman who gave birth to them and is raising them, a mom that gives what their mom is unable to...money, resources, prayers.  If I'm like a mom, then my sister is their aunt, my nephew is their cousin and Devin is their brother.

Strangers in the morning, sisters by afternoon.

By the end of the day, we were one big family.  The three of us.  Standing in Lake Victoria, holding hands, rolling up hems of skirts to wade deeper.  Laughing, smiling and hugging like we could never get enough...and we couldn't.

The day ended far too quickly.  Tear stained cheeks everywhere you looked.  Eyes that were full of excitement and wonder just hours before were now filled with the sadness of parting from a loved one, knowing that you'll most likely never see them again.  Through bus windows, blowing kisses and saying, "I love you, I love you, I love you" as loud as you can, hoping they'll hear it and believe it, and never ever forget it.

At the zoo...Florence insisted on carrying
both my bags...

My Florence leaves the program this year, as she'll be 22 on October 28.  Little does she know, her birthday present is coming early...I'll be in Uganda the week before, making sure she knows that she is loved, thought about and prayed for.

There is so much more I want to say about my girls, Uganda, Compassion, but that'll have to wait.  I can't wait to see my two beautiful girls.  And reunite with a few friends from the previous trip...God is good, and He is able.

To find out more about the work Compassion is doing around the world, or to sponsor a child, click here.