Signs, Signs, everywhere Signs.

If I don't laugh, I might just cry. So everyday here in Uganda I allow myself to find humor in some of the things around me, despite all the sorrow.

The signs posted throughout town have proven to be my source of comedic relief. The thing I love about the signs here, are how blunt they are. Right to the point of what you should know. I appreciate that.

Some signs are as simple as ZEBRA CROSSING. This one took me by surprise, as I of course thought it meant we might see Zebra crossing the road. My driver laughed at me, explaining that it was to tell you that the stripes on the ground are for people crossing the street. I laughed in return, explaining that in America, we call it a Crosswalk....and at the humor in there being a sign posted telling people where to cross - um.... the lack of signs everywhere else in the country don't seem to stop anyone from crossing whenever and wherever. (Oh, and BTW - pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way here. Scary!)

Then there was the shop we passed called, China Home Furnishings and Furniture (meaning, made in China, not Chinese decor...). Oh the clarity of it all. In America, we call it Walmart.

The gas station called MoGas. Why yes, I do need mo' gas, please.

The rest I was actually able to catch on my camera. Enjoy.

Okay, so maybe this one isn't FUNNY - but it's still something you wouldn't see in the US. Although, it is very true!

Beyond this sign was a cliff into the swirling waters of the Nile River. In the US, it would read something like, "For your safety, please do not pass this point." Then all the teenage boys would dive in head first.

Love this one. Really? I can't urinate ANYWHERE? Then what is the key for? In America it would simply read, "Private Restrooms available. Please ask attendant for key."

I would probably be granted some form of Political Office in Boulder if I managed to get this sign back to the US with me. Oh wait, maybe Uganda stole this sign from Boulder.

Preach it! I'm going with this one, considering all 3 of those medical issues run in my family. I'm good to go!



****WARNING. THE FOLLOWING SIGN MAY BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG VIEWERS (or those who will judge me for posting it). *****

I have no words. I'm sure it is some legitimate warning having to do with the spread of HIV or something, but I'm sorry..... it was just funny to see this huge sign on the side of the road with absolutely no understanding of what it means. Judge away.

What's in a name?

Some of you know that we have wrestled with if we should change Dorcas' name or not. Dorcas, while a pretty name, is not popular amongst cruel school-aged children in America. We were hoping to be able to call her Tabitha - which is the Hebrew translation of her name. We decided to let her decide.

So since being here with her, we have offered up many different name suggestions. Dorcas, D, De-De, Akiki (her nickname at the Orphanage, which apparently she really dislikes), and even Linda (her middle name). She always says, "No, Dorcas". Aaron and I threw out the possibility of "Kira". Her last name  is Kirabo.(Well, it's not really a last name, but I'm not exactly sure how to explain how it is part of her name. They tried explaining it to me several times, but I still don't get it myself.)  So we thought Kira would be a cute shortened name off Kirabo.  (Because also, if you know us - we shorten all the kids names somehow. It's a must.) But she continued to say, "No, Dorcas".

Until today.

Today she told me she wants to be called Kirabo, not Dorcas. So I'm going with it. She was referred to by any of her 3 names (4 if you count, Akiki) - Dorcas Linda Kirabo - at the Orphanage. So it isn't unusual for her to respond to Kirabo. I keep teasing and shortening it to Kira, and she just grins. (Good sign, right??) We may be on to something.

So what is in her name???

DORCAS was an amazing woman in the Bible. She was also referred to as Tabitha. The name itself means, "gazelle".
Acts 9:36
Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.

Powerful, huh?

LINDA means "beautiful" (or "snake" if you are German. ha!) The other fun tidbit about Linda, is that is also my Mama's name!
              *****I just found out that the name Linda in Africa is in no way connected to the name Linda in the US (or in Germany - thankfully!). The name Linda in Africa means, "to wait".****

KIRABO is perhaps becoming my favorite after all. Who knew. It means, "Gift from God". Could it be any more perfect?

We are a family that names our children based on the meanings. Some names came to us easily, and some not so much  - but in the end, each name has become so fitting for each child. And while Dorcas seems fitting because that is how everyone now knows her and it will be difficult to change, I can't help but fall in love with the name Kirabo.

Providence - The goodness and sovereignity of God.
Eden - Delightful
Samuel - God hears
Malachi - Messenger of God
Kirabo - Gift from God

I like! (I also like that she will keep her given name(s)....just with one more last name!)

(oh - and here is how you would pronounce Kirabo - Key-Ra-Bo..... Roll the "r" if you really want to sound official)


*****I just clarified what Kirabo is, if not a last name. A family of 7 kids will not share a single name. There are no "family names" in Africa - like our name, Britton. So each child will have three different names. One of the names will be a Christian name, and the other names will be Western names. I guess technically, Dorcas, is her Christian name - but Kirabo seems to be a Christian name to me as well. Not to mention that Dorcas and Linda would be the Western names. Hmmmm....So maybe I still don't get it. ha!*****

Manna Rescue Home

An Orphanage is no place for a child to grow up. But we all know that many do....many, being millions. I have seen with my own eyes several orphanages. And so when I walked into Dorcas's Orphanage, Manna Rescue Home, to say I was impressed would be an understatement. The kids were well fed, well cared for, getting an education, and thriving - all things considered. The Matrons of the home were doing a good job caring for 30+ kids ranging in age from 5-17. I'm so thankful that Dorcas, having to enter an Institution, was able to be a part of this one!

I often stand on my soap box and preach that there are MANY ways to care for Orphans. Adoption is just one of them. I'm here to talk about two now.

Carol Adams, perhaps one of the most fantastic ladies I have ever been graced to know, is running an amazing program here in Uganda. She is a Mzungu (10 points to those of you who remember what that is) who has been here for close to 17 years. She started Carol Adams Ministry Y.E.S. Uganda from the ground. Hearing her stories from over the years would make anyone laugh and cry all in the same story. She has seen more than I can bear to imagine, and lives out in one day what would crush me in less than an hour. She is called "The Grandmother to All Children" in her town ... and I would say it is a fitting title!

In the world of Orphan Care, there are many schools of thoughts on how to tackle the "problem". Carol is somehow managing to pull off every option available. Through her organization, children are being sponsored - thus staying with their families who could not afford education or medication, which often results in abandonment. Through her organization - counseling is being given to young children, growing teens, and entire family units. She desires to educate the family as a whole, thereby allowing vulnerable families to remain united. She has contacts with Ugandan authorities and agencies, doing work that no outside traveling Missionary could accomplish - helping to bring aid to the most vulnerable of children. And as a last resort - she has an orphanage - Manna Rescue Home - where kids who have nowhere to call home can live and grow. All of the Children in her Orphanage are living with HIV. She is able to feed them, clothe them, send them to school, and get them on medications (ARV's) all through her program. And as of recent - she has begun to try to find adoptive families for a handful of the kids at Manna Rescue Home who are "true orphans".  The best part is - she does it all in the name of Jesus !! These kids get to learn of the love of their Heavenly Father when all earthly beings have seemed to let them down.

Saying goodbye to the kids at Manna Rescue Home was bitter sweet for us and Dorcas. Each young child, upon entering Manna Rescue Home is given and older child "mentor". Dorcas's mentor was in tears at Dorcas's going away party. :( The kids put together an entire show to say goodbye to Dorcas. They have been her "family" for almost 2 years. Dorcas is the first to be taken out of the Orphanage by an adoptive family - so I can't even think about the mixed emotions these kids must have been feeling.

So I am here, not on my soapbox, but as a Mom pleading for some of Dorcas's friends - family - to be adopted as well. I'm here as an adoptive Mom, but also as a woman who believes that not everyone is "called to adopt", but that we are ALL "called to care for the Orphan". Asking that you would prayerfully consider partnering with Carol Adams Ministry through her Sponsorship program. She is maxed out in her program - meaning she cannot take in any more kids. The money is just not there. I know it can be though!

So there you have it - 2 ways to join this cause! These kids need HOPE, and Carol Adams Ministry is doing a fantastic job at offering it!

On behalf of us, our new daughter; and the countless other children she helps - we cannot thank you enough, Carol!

"The Medicine cabinet" ~ I can't even keep meds straight for myself, let alone 30+ kids!

The going away FEAST! The dear cooks made up more food than I have ever cooked in one setting (and I've cooked for some pretty large crowds!) all to say goodbye to their friend - Dorcas.

The kids, getting ready for the show

The Grandmother to All Children explaining to the kids that even though God has a special plan for Dorcas in sending her to America, He has just a special of a plan in each of their lives. AMEN and AMEN!

The kids being served

It began to rain, so all the kids huddled on the "porch".

Shoes donated from Calvary Bible church in Boulder, CO. The kids lined up and each got to try on the pair they wanted. It was like the Croc Warehouse Sale, folks - right down to the trampling of other humans.

Dorcas's Mentor

Our last goodbye!

Hurdles and Highlights

In Junior High, I gave a go at Track and Field. I tried one time to attempt the hurdles. I stumbled over the first one, and decided I was better suited for something else (not that I ever found that something else, but whatever). Well, today, I had my second shot at hurdles. And by the grace of God - I soared over 4 at once!

So maybe it's a cheesy metaphor, but with the weight I feel about every document needed - it brings me joy to think of it like that.

This morning we went in for day 2 of a 4 day medical routine. After that, it was time to go to the Embassy. I knew we still did not have the birth certificate, but my prayer had begun to be one of asking that they would take what we had to start the investigation even without it. So off we went to the Embassy, birth-certificateless.  I handed over the documents we did have, I was kindly told that indeed - they need that birth certificate. She told me that if I had it in by Friday, I could set our Visa appointment for next Wednesday. I asked if we could do it on Monday. She told me that wouldn't be enough time for them to process everything, but that if I somehow could get her the birth certificate by the end of today - we could get in on Monday. I was crushed. I know it is only a couple days difference, but I must say - I miss my family at home, and every passing day is not getting any easier. I went "home" and just felt such sadness. I continued to pray though, asking for SOME WAY, for the certificate to make it's way to me before the day was over.

Fast forward an hour and I got a call from the coordinator here telling me that she got it! She got the birth certificate (hurdle 1)! And not only that ... she had the passport in hand as well (hurdle 2) - which we were told to not expect until Friday. She also had one other form that we needed to submit (hurdle 3). So off I went for the second time today to submit all of it to the Embassy. Aside from our medical reports (which will come on Friday afternoon), we have now turned in everything we need to (that we know of!!! there could be one or two things we are missing, but nothing difficult to obtain). After I handed her those 3 documents, she sent me back to the waiting room for a bit (I wasn't sure why). She called me back in and said I could come on Monday for my Visa appointment! (Hurdle 4!!!!!) She took my email address to contact me if she sees we are missing anything. If everything goes well at that appointment, we will have the Visa in hand by Wednesday and be free to go HOME !

Once again, with so many families facing such hardship and lengthy processes here, I can't help but feel a humble gratefulness and and so undeserving of God moving at this time in this way.

So since I promised to not only have boring business updates- some highlights! Let me tell you just how adventurous our new girl is! With every step of the way since she has been in our care, she has such anticipation and joy written on her face. She looks around with eyes wide open just taking it all in. She makes sure to get the middle seat in the car so she can see exactly where we are going. She enters into public places with much caution, and will cling to my arm as often as possible. Once she finds my hand, she begins to explore the world around her again with those big, expectant eyes. Often, when she is done being wherever we are (for instance, the last two visits to her Orphanage), she will grab me by the hand and start to lead me to the car - always climbing in first, as if to state her desire to go wherever it is I'm going.....and to go there now. I think that she has a real understanding of what is going on right now, and seems so eager to be a part of a family .... of our family! When asked if she wants to go to America - she gives a big "YES!". If she likes riding in the car, I can't wait to see her face looking out the plane window! She loves to cuddle, be tickled, and laugh. She enjoys playing the tablet - especially Angry Birds! She squeals in delight at every new outfit she realizes is for her. She eats everything on her plate, one food at a time (all her veggies, then the meat, then any other side) - just like her mother! :) So far she doesn't like pizza, but everything else she will ask for seconds. The girl can pack it in! She seems to be nothing short of thriving. She truly seems to be responding to us as parents, and her siblings back home. She says hi to all of them on Skype, and will show them her drawings and play-do creations. Every time we see a dog on the street here, she yells - "DOG! GUNTHER!" (I think we mistakenly taught her that the English word for dog is Gunther. Oops. hehe) She is eager to learn our language, and laughs hysterically at me every time I try to speak words in her language. I already feel like she BELONGS in our family, and that is a HUGE HUGE HUGE praise!

Thank you for your prayers and encouraging emails and words along the way!

car ride...she had to sit in the way back, so she kept sticking her head over the headrest to look out my open window.

Angry Birds!

So determined to make the shot

I love this outfit. I love that I can still pick out one of my children's clothes. :) She especially liked the hat.

Elephant riding

The rest of the story

Many of you have been asking about what is left during my stay here in Uganda, so I thought I would just lay out the rest of the process. It would be so helpful to have you praying over the many details. Every step of the way from here on out rests largely on the previous step happening in a timely manner.

Now that we have our written ruling, we are waiting on Dorcas's birth certificate. This is a crucial item needed for the Visa and Embassy work to be done. Pray it comes today or tomorrow! We need the birth certificate for a series of medical visits that are required (which we have scheduled to start tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.). We need the medical visit findings to be sent to the Embassy. The Embassy will begin what is called an "Orphan Investigation" (basically, making sure that children are truly orphaned and that everything was done ethically) upon getting the birth certificate (so once again - praying for that certificate!), and it takes an unknown amount of time. We hear they take on average, 1-2 weeks. While all of this is happening, the Passport is also being ordered. As paperwork comes in, we are able to submit it to the US Embassy. Once all paperwork has been submitted, then we have our Visa appointment to turn in the remainder of the legal documents to secure a US Visa (not Mastercard - ha!) for Dorcas. That should come about 2-3 days after we file for it. At that point ... we get to come home! So while it may not sound like much, as I said, each piece of paper and the timeliness that it comes to us will determine when we can make the next step. So we're praying for papers to fly!

In other news, my sweet Provi-Anne girl got really sick on the flight home. I'm praying she didn't leave here with some sort of bacteria, and that she will be all better upon arrival home. Aaron said that she took the midnight meal on the plane that was offered while he was asleep (otherwise he would have stopped her). He's fairly certain that it was a mix of that meal and motion sickness (and pure exhaustion) that did it. I hope he's right. Poor guy said his next 10 hour flight was booked solid and he and Provi were in the middle two seats of a row of four. Hmmmm.... I'm thinking whoever is next to Provi will have been asking for a seat switch. ;) They should be coming to the end of that flight and making their way through Customs right about now.

Well that was an exciting update, huh? Sorry - I had sent it out in about 4 emails already, and instead of answering the other emails, I just put it here!

And now you have the rest of the story!

Thanks for praying for the details!

Daddy & Sister

In just a few hours, Aaron and Providence will be on their way back home. Dorcas and I will miss them .... a lot. Dorcas has attached to Providence. They laugh together, chase each other, make play-do creations together, play UNO, watch movies together .... be sisters together. As for Aaron - Dorcas already appears to be a Daddy's girl. She cuddles up with him, get's tickled by him (and LOVES it), laughs at all his jokes (probably because she can't understand them), and calls him "Daddy" in the sweetest little British accent. So in honor of these 2 very special new people in Dorcas's life, I thought it would be a good time to show off some recent photos.

We'll miss you! See you soon!

Suburban Princess

Now that I can share openly about our story, it's hard for me to know where to start. So maybe I'll start with right now.

We moved into our new "home" yesterday afternoon. We found an apartment style guesthouse - meaning we have our own living room, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a shared kitchen with the unit next door. Oh - and laundry. (Yay! Our clothes are gettin' stinky!) The room is very affordable (which is such a blessing as we come to the end of our journey).

Amidst the blessing, I feel the heaviness as I battle between knowing this is good, and such a blessing - and the fact that I've turned into a Suburban Princess. I think maybe I hate that. The toilets that don't flush right, the water that never runs fully clear, the mosquito net over my bed, the smell that I can't exactly place, the temperature, the power that sometimes works, the internet that sometimes works, the water from the faucet that I can't use - all these make me face the reality of who I am .... a girl of comfort. And now in our new home, I'm also going to be doing the cooking. (I've enjoyed the last 10 days of being prepared and brought my food.) I'm scared to death to cook here! It's not my kitchen to burn down, it's not my pans, and I left all my exotic spices behind that I adore (you know, like Garlic & Season Salt). At home, I rarely cook with a recipe, and here, I feel so disabled in the fact that I don't have my cookbooks with me. (I know, epicurious, right??) I thought I would just live on black beans and rice, but the only beans I found are dried beans that require me cooking them down....um, don't tell anyone - but I have no idea how to do that!

So now I'm forced to think about my discomfort. I'm forced to alternate between weeding out the sin that is involved and being okay with the fact that I live where I do with the many gifts that I have (like tap water). I hear it often from people who travel to Africa. They begin to feel this weight of all we have in America, and how little there is here, blah blah blah. I'm sure you've heard the story. I hear a lot of people who will begin to feel a guilt over the way they live in America when there are so many people with so much less. I can't say those thoughts have never crossed my mind, for sure they have. However, it's also a topic that Aaron and I have talked a lot about. And we come to the conclusion every time that going down that road can be a bit dangerous. God, in his sovereignty has placed us where he has...and yes, in His sovereignty, placed Africans in Africa. (That maybe sounds cliche and too easy, but forgive me, I'm not typing out the entire conversation. Feel free to have it with us if you want.) BUT .... with that said, I still have a responsibility to look at all I have in America, and when I'm stripped of it - what will I do? Will I be okay? Will I survive? Do I trust that God will enable me to live in such a drastically different way for a short period of time? Will I repent of my lack of thanksgiving for all I've come to believe is my "right" in America? Will I repent of how I've allowed all that America offers to this Suburban Princess to silently and slyly make me think I need God less?

So there you have it - this is where I am today. Today I am going back to the supermarket to look with more open eyes at ways to be creative in providing for my new daughter these next couple of weeks. Today I am going to plead with God to give me an ability that can only come from Him to live out the next couple of weeks (without Aaron to shelter me even...another "fear" that I'm not going into now)....and to live it out well. I'm going to ask for Him to give me a burst of adventure that I don't normally (um, ever) possess. I'm going to ask for Him to give me creativity, endurance, and joy. I'm going to thank Him for what I have waiting at home for me. And I'm going to ask Him to bring me back to it SOON.

Okay - from now on, I'll talk about Dorcas. Promise.


*****Addendum******
After posting all of this, I began to read through some of the blogs that have been piling up in my RSS feed. I came across one called "The Superwoman Complex". It was a good read for me, especially feeling the weight of all I am feeling right now. So perhaps it isn't so much that I'm a Suburban Princess (although that doesn't help)....but maybe it's that Africa has done what is growing increasingly hard for America to do - that is to strip me of my Superwoman Complex. So this was a good read for me knowing I'm heading back to America where all my modern conveniences as well as our culture encourage such a complex. Sigh. Ladies - this one is worth the read!