August 25, 2014

Do Something! Visiting Orphans Uganda June 2014 Trip Video

This past team to Uganda was AMAZING!  God brought us all together and ROCKED our worlds.  We were broken!  We served and we loved! As a leader, I love watching the transformation that happens in my team's lives.  Many are seeing need like they have never seen before.  They are changed as God begins to work in them.  THIS, my friends, is only the beginning!


Visiting Orphans June 2014 Uganda Team from elisa hyman on Vimeo.

On this team, we served at Return Ministries, Abide Ministries, My Father's House, Healing Fatith, Sangaalo Baby Home and Sole Hope.

If God is stirring something in you to Do Something, then I urge you…Do Something!  We ARE the change He wants to see in the world.  He uses US!

www.Visitingorphans.org

August 19, 2014

Miles & Marley on a Mission

Miles & Marley on a Mission

Some of my most memorable moments this summer in Uganda, were the times I got to share my love of missions with my children.  Miles and Marley spent almost two months in Africa with me!  First, we met up with Daddy in Ethiopia.  Miles was NOT impressed.  He was disgusted by the animal feces in the road and was freaked out by the abundance of flys.  Oh did he have an awakening ahead!  Marley didn't miss a beat!  She loved everyone one!  The staff of the guest home loved on her, the drivers loved on her, other missionaries loved on her and...her birthmother loved on her!  YES,  we were able to make it happen!





Our next stop was Uganda. We spent about a week doing missions and hanging with our missionary friends the Segner's with Healing Faith, as a family.


And of course, I broke three bones in my foot the first day, so I was kickin' it with my fancy home made walking boot!


Brandon also got to meet our oldest Uganda daughter, Sharon and the baby I named after him!



We explored Jinja one Boda, motorcycle taxi, at a time.  The kids enjoyed finding Americanized food and Ugandan treats like sugar cane and mendozi, a type of Ugandan donut. We went swimming, visited Sangaalo Baby Cottage, Arise and Shine Children's Home, Redeemer Children's Home and spent days with Healing Faith and Sole Hope in the village.  



The kids got much more comfortable around babies!  It's so awesome to see how involved Miles wanted to be.  He WANTED to hold the babies and feed them.  They always sought baby Brandon out! 

The children's homes we visited has many special needs children and both Miles and Marley enjoyed playing with the children and the animals! 





The village days with Healing Faith was full of excited children. Both kids were comfortable roaming around the village picking up ducklings, baby goats, puppies, bunnies, whatever! The village people just laugh at the crazy kids that are intrigued that people live with farm animals.







Miles, the one who wasn't as trilled as I to be going to Uganda, didn't want to leave and keeps asking when we are going back.  Even though he had not quite adjusted to not having the plethora of food choices at his disposal.  He got used to beans and rice and stew.  He made a good friend in Carson, Kari's oldest son.  They loved to roam around and catch lizards and the watch dogs.  They played with the rabbits and turtle.  They loved playing Legos and making loom band bracelets.


Marley did well.  She loved the freedom of roaming, and she loved the animals.  Even after getting bucked by a cow!  One night she got her head stuck in between some bars on the porch.  Oh. My. Word!  The screams that came from her!  After taking out some braids, rubbing her head down with cooking oil and prying the bars with a branch, she was freed only to need Mama's lovin' all night long.  She loved taking basin baths!  The dogs and babies at Kari's were her favorite!





This trip for them was two fold.  One, I wanted them to see what I do when I go to Uganda twice a year.  And two, I wanted to see how they would do as MK's, missionary kids.  They got to see me in action. As expected, Miles did better than Marley around the large crowds.  Marley was more clingy.  She didn't like the kids laughing at her and staring.  They were just curious about this brown child that called me Mommy.  They didn't understand.  They wondered if she was Ugandan.  I was even asked if she knew how to speak English!  Miles did amazing!  He adapted to washing dishes in a basin, to eating the same food over and over again, he loved the bodas, he was flexible.  One day we would be in the village and the next in the baby home.  He roamed around the villages as if it were his own territory.  He picked up babies and fed them like a natural!  I was so proud of him!



They both picked up some language, they saw what Mommy does and they both want to go back!  Mission accomplished!