With election season this verse has come to my mind and heart. As I travel around the country visiting different churches and many different people, who are brothers and sisters in Christ, I find myself giving thanks to God and praising Him for all of you who care so much. I am really torn between two worlds as a missionary and realize more than ever that heaven is my home. I really miss everyone from this side when I am in Uganda and I miss the people of Uganda so much when I am here in America.
Pastor Charles and Judith have traveled back to Uganda and have sent their thanks and love to so many of you who made their stay so wonderful. They so much enjoyed meeting all their different brothers and sisters in Christ. They asked me to say thank you to everyone. I asked them where their favorite place that they visited was and they said The Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs. They loved everyone they met.
Jon Jarvis has gone and we enjoyed having him with us for eight months and he says that he too enjoyed us. Jon wrote, "My time in Uganda was one of incredible growth for me personally and also an eye opening experience to how the world looks and how blessed we are in the west. I made so many friends there and the children that touched my heart still bring tears to my eyes if I think about them too long. It was a time where I learned that even giving the smallest part of yourself ( such as some time and a simple hug) can completely change someone’s week for the better. So many kids in Uganda are starved for love. We could send missionaries there for 100 years consistently and there would still be children hungry and desperate for love. That is why I feel so blessed to have been able to be there and to share Christ’s love with them in any way I could. The Ministry that Katherine has started is doing great things in Kamonkoli. It is changing people’s lives every day. I have seen the heart of Katherine and the heart of the people around her and know that the motive that drives them all is simply a pure and incredible love for God and a desire to serve Him with their lives. I thank God for granting me that time with them and have asked Him to bring me back sometime."
As Christmas comes, I am always drawn back to the children in Uganda. I would like to tell the story of my daughter Katie. Katie was seven years old when she came to the orphanage. Today she is fifteen years old and in high school. On Christmas Eve her Grandmother came to me and asked me to take Katie that she feared she would die because her malnutrition was so bad. Katie was always sick and did not look good. Her skin was not good and her hair was a light color from malnutrition. She had some kind of skin disease that was causing her skin to become white and blotchy. I told the Grandmother that I could not take in any other children at this time but would pray about it. On New Year’s Eve I came home from a dinner and Katie was sitting on my doorstep with a little plastic bag that contained one other outfit, all she had. I took her in and now she has been with me for eight years. She loves the Lord so much and gives Him thanks for her life. She is healthy now.
For those sponsors who can, please remember your sponsored child this Christmas. You may send a card for your child to our Colorado address before Nov. 30 for me to take back w/ me. For those of you who cannot give on a regular basis, Christmas giving is a good way to help us out with a one-time gift as not all sponsors are able to do this and we also try to do something for the many children on our waiting list. We are asking for $25 a child again this year.
Also please remember us in your year-end giving. Hines Ugandan Ministries is growing. All sponsorship funds go directly to children’s needs so we always need funding for the many orphanage needs and to maintain all of our ministry programs. God bless you and thank you all so much.
With Love in Christ,
Katherine
Although Katherine would love to take gifts back for so many of the children from their great sponsors, space and weight in her luggage is very limited and it is very costly for her to take additional bags. We are sorry but at this time she will be unable to make any further commitments to take special gifts. Thank you for your understanding.
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