Gratitude in the Highest

Gratitude in the Highest

May 4

The AIDSpirit team arrives saturday late afternoon while I am in a clinic staff meeting. It has been two years since Tom and Jean Jacques have visited the farm and we think four years since Angie has been here. Angie's husband, Tom, our hydrologist, was here in December with me and the Rielands for the Kampala village water project. This is Gretchen's first time. Admidst all of the hello's with Richard and Susan and Abby, there is much to look at, new surroundings and new projects, buildings, gardens, water tanks etc and of course another addition to the clinic...the verrhanda. As the team settles in and visits in the community dining area, here come 3 surprise visitors – Bosco and Geoffrey's parents and Denis' mom. The Jacques graciously sponsor Bosco in university in Mbarra for development studies for the last few years. He has one year to go and they just love love him!! He spent a few days with them at tender mercies where he hopes to help out and gain experience upon graduation. They also sponsor his brother Geoffrey (a child abducted by the LRA and forced as a child soldier, subsequently escaped) this past year in tourism school. What a gift that has been to these boys for their future! We are so proud of them! Their parents,

Alfed and Evelyn are immensely grateful and come bearing the gift of a chicken! Jean did not want to have anything to do with holding the chicken so Suzan helped her as it squawked and tried to fly away! Tom had a great laugh! Angie and Tom Osborne and Leigh Taggart and Matt Hermann of H20 co sponsor Denis in university in developement studies. Alice, his mother, we have known for years as the leader of the women's empowerment group. She is amazing and also has survived much hardship during the war and takes care of orphans whose parents were killed in the war, as well as her own children. I sponsor one of the girl orphans, Scovia in primary school.

Denis, and the other boys, have been involved with our teams for years and have been mentored by us, as well as Richard and Suzan on the farm. Their parents expressed their heartfelt gratitude and highest praises to God for this blessing and opportunity for their children. Tears of joy and happiness we shed and lots of pictures taken!

Next came Richard's parents to greet us and also express their gratitude for the work!

And prior to that, was the visit from Apopo...I wanted to share the good news to follow with Angie present.

To be continued...