Blessing Uganda

I am getting SO excited about my upcoming trip to uganda. 8 weeks to go.  This has been such a God-orchestrated trip.  It has been 12 years in the making.  I have always wanted to go to Africa. I even told my parents in high school- which may have scared them a little. Fast forward 8 years and There I was in the passport health clinic in Atlanta Georgia.   My 2200$ was raised to go to Kenya to work with 410 bridge through our church North Point. I stood there as she gave me Hepatitis a, hepatitis B, typhiod, tetanus, polio and meningitis vaccines.  Then she gets to the last one on the list... yellow fever- required by the CDC to travel to Kenya. She says.. is there any chance you're pregnant? "No ma'am, we are using birth control and i am breastfeeding still."  She explains to me that if I am "sexually active" i need to take a test before getting the yellow fever shot.
That's silly.
I couldn't be pregnant, I have a 9 month old baby and I'm using backup!

One pink plus sign later I was a flood of emotions. Disappointed, sad, guilt-ridden for feeling that, excited, nervous and totally overwhelmed at the thought of being pregnant again so close together. I called out to God...SERIOUSLY GOD? I JUST WANT TO GO TO AFRICA?

wait.

Wait I heard. Ugh, that was not my plan, not my timing. I should be used to it by now, but God's and my timing rarely lines up.

Here I am 4 years later with a beautiful son to be so grateful for God shifting my plans around. And who knew we would be in the midst of adopting two from Congo and I'd be well on my way to Uganda!

I have a feeling God will do something BIG on this trip.  I have been praying BOLD prayers for God to speak to me through this trip to show me my part in the orphan crisis.  I am also excited to really see orphan life and understand our kids' stories that much more.

We will be working with several ministries there, all worth checking out, praying for, and supporting.
Amazima
Canaan's Children's home
Sixty Feet

These ministries feed the hungry, provide for the orphan, and come to the aid of the oppressed children wrongly put in prison. Can you imagine seeing a 3 year old behind bars?

Please consider helping out one of these ministries, or at least praying for them.

If you would like to help me finish up my fundraising all while giving someone (or yourself :) the gift of a necklace, earrings or shirts that all give back to the women in Uganda, please visit
http://www.visitingorphans.org/store/
There are awesome products like these necklaces

earrings

and shirts

If you like, you can click to donate to either my fund (Uganda April 2012 and type team member Kylie White) OR just put it straight to the orphanages and ministries we will be working with while we are there. You can put Uganda April 2012, then orphanage fund in the blank. What a great way to tell the story of the people of Uganda as you wear the jewelry they have made!

We are also trying to take over 1000 headbands to kids there!

They love the crochet headbands with big flowers attached.  There are some cheap ones at www.thehairbowcompany.com.
Please consider buying some and mailing them to me (email me at kyliebwhite@gmail.com for my address). We would also love to take toothbrushes and toothpaste if you would like to send some of those as well!

Please also visit a friend's etsy shop who is going if you would like to order one of these, with the proceeds going to the orphanage we will be working with.

Most of all, please pray for our team. We will be in Uganda April 14-23.  Pray for the ministries we will be working with. The people in the slums of Masese, the child prisons near kampala, the children who live at Canaan's, the orphans of Uganda.

Thanks for blessing Uganda and blessing me as I serve and love on the orphans of Uganda.  It is such a privilege to just be able to hold each child and tell them they are valuable, a treasure, bought at a high price by their King.  They have an amazing Father who has a heart for the fatherless and oppressed. I will not make that much of a difference in Uganda I am sure.  I wouldn't be so arrogant to think I will go over there with all of the answers or to change the country.  But I just pray God uses my small obedience, I pray he uses it to brightens one person's situation. I pray he impresses on my heart what my role in all of this is, and I pray I can just be his hands as he loves on these children, brings a smile to their face, and a reminder of how great is our Father's love.