Getting closer

Today was a day to praise God . 

We have been praying for the past week that the probation officer would bring in his report.

He has brought it in and our lawyer is able to move forward.

Sarah went to the lawyers office today and was able to get some, much needed passport photos and Jethro's birth certificate today.

We will be taking him to the doctor on Wednesday for a checkup. This is for the visa approval, that is required by the US government.

Tomorrow will be an exciting day too.

A lady here has set up a play date at a kids play area that has bounce houses and swimming pools. 

We will be taking around 38 toddlers.

I think I will need a long night sleep tomorrow.

At dinner I was told a story of a little man, that snuck out during bath time and was found wet and naked with two of his friend in the dirt outside.

Surprise, surprise it was Jethro.

Sarah is going to have her hands full with the two of us.

 Two other families got great news today also.

One was approved for their visa and the other was given a yes at their ruling from the judge.

God is good, all the time!

All the time, God is Good!

Day in the slums

I know I am home now.

Today I took Phil, a new friend of ours that is going through the adoption process with me to the slums.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday there is a feeding program that I will be working in over the next few months.

They teach the kids about God and also Math and English.

After the devotion we bandage up wounds and give Tylenol

to those with fever. 

At one time I heard Phil say "is that worms in there" I knew I was in Africa and this is where I am suppose to be. 

After the kids are cleaned up we serve the food.

Today we served 63 kids.

Godfrey was there today and I got to talk to him about school.

I encouraged him to do well and not give up.

He starts boarding school on Friday and we are very proud of him.

Uncle Abdule teaching

Phil helping a kid with a bad foot

Kids playing at the program

Godfrey with in the back

 My special moment today was with Jethro.

We took the class to the street to watch the cars drive by.

He sat with me and watched the cars drive by. Just getting to spend time with him is such a blessing. 

I can tell that he really knows me by the way I am his go to person. 

When a car would pull in all the kids would run around

screaming looking for a Moma or uncle to go to Jethro would always run to me. I enjoy sitting back and watching him interact with the other kids.

Day at the Pool

A few days ago we got to go visit the boys from A Perfect Injustice. These are the boys

that we will be working with

after we are finished with Jethro's adoption.

They range from 8 to 17 years old.

There are also some uncles in there 20's.

Sarah and I where invited to go swimming with them on Saturday.

We met up with them at the public pool at the university.

This was a treat for everyone.

I was a bit nervous about the water

due to the color and the lack of a chlorine smell.

There was more of a burning trash smell due to the

rubbish pile burning next to the pool.

I knew the boys would be bumbed

if I didn't join so I to sacrifice my health for them.

OK, it was hot and I wanted to swim too.

When we first arrived one of the boys Emma came up to us and remembers us from last year.

He had a huge smile and shook our hands and told us "welcome."

Emma on my back

We had a great time in the pool we did acrobatics where the kids would climb onto my shoulders and the stand on my head and then dive into the water.

We also got into a few water fight,

Uncle Eddy and I where on a team and everyone else at the pool was on the other team.

It was easy to retreat because we where the only ones who could swim so going to the deep end was our safe zone.

When we left the pool we walked over to Uncle Davids. 

Godfrey one of the street kids heard that Sarah was around and he found us there at David's.

Godfrey thinks the world of her and so does she.

It is amazing how you can touch a life by taking the time to tell some one that Jesus loves them and he has a plan for them.

If you have been to our house the picture on the fridge is of Godfrey.

He is living on the streets again but will be attending school

this week

Praise God!

Let him be your prayer request this week.

Also pray that our probation officer correctly finishes and turns in Jethro's report by Wednesday.

Sanyu Babies Home

I would like to take the time on this first official Uganda post to draw a picture in your mind of what it is like here

at Sanyu where we are staying

and where Jethro is at.

The complex is about 2-3 acres in the city of Kampala.

We hear the many cars, vans, busses and boda boda’s  (motorcycle taxi) all day and night,

as well as the ample amount of smog put off by them.

The orphanage is fenced off and there is a gate

with a guard with a bow and arrow

checking people in and out.

There are 50 kids here from infants to 3 years old and they are split up into a few different groups.

Jethro is in the oldest group of them at 18 months old.

The infants are separate room from the toddlers.

The 30 toddlers eat together in one dining room in a bunch of high chairs with no legs. 

Jethro is by farrrrrr the most messy eater

he gets that from his Mom.

After breakfast and a bath they all go to class till lunch.

They get to play inside with toys, learn songs, and also learn there manners.

At noon there is another major feeding

then it is nap time

for everyone including us this is a much needed time off.

After nap they get to go outside and have free play time before we eat dinner. 

This is when the chaos starts,

after diner

all of them sit on their potties then get bathed

and then clothes put on them and then we try to wrangle them up and get them to bed.

To put this into perspective you have one cute wet kid come running from the bath area about every 90 seconds.

There are generally 3 people clothing and putting dippers on these kids. I have hands down put on more dippers in the past 2 days than    I have in my whole life.

My special moment today was when Jethro was in class

and a naughty boy named Norman hit Jet 

on the head with a big Lego block.

Jethro looked around the room and ran past his 2 teacher

right over to me to my lap.

He laid there crying for a minute

and made me fill like a Dad for a lifetime. 

Remember that is how our heavenly Father fill when we come running into his arm......

We have landed

We have arrived in Uganda and are loving life. Jethro is healthy and smiling all the time. The Moma's call him the ornery one out of all the kids.

He is very smart and listens well and is learning new words all the time.

I will pos more in depth later when I have more time.   

Hours in the Bible Belt

When on a road trip through Colorado and listening to the radio

you might expect to pick up

public radio and listen to hippie music with someone talking about evolution.

That has been the norm for us on any

raft or ski road trip.

The past 2,000 miles have been a more uplifting experience.

With Sarah and I a bit dated in our technology

and our I pod with only 100 songs on it

we have been blessed to listen to the radio most of the way.

On a regular basis

we get about 60% christian radio stations, some with

Hymns,

Talk new,

Preaching, 

Praise music,

Bible studies,

and even Blue Grass Gospel.

  I have enjoyed the time I have spent with my Wife and God driving across the country.

I want to encourage you to spend some drive time

with God this week.

Upload a sermon,

meditate on a verse,

memorize a verse,

sing praises at the top of your lungs!

What ever he leads you to do commit to it.

Psalms 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and His court with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless his name.

Shawn Ray

Road Trip!

On the 29th of December we gave hugs to friends and family

and said good by to Durango.

We bought a new van to make the trip out to Nashville in. All of our vehicles could only seat 2 people and was not going to work when we bring Jethro home.

We bought a 1985 Wonder Wagon.

It was a bit dirty and needed some love but after Tiffany and Sarah spent 4 hours vacuuming it, Clint and I installing a mustache and the Powers family donating a pink car seat, it is road worthy to bring home Jethro.

The Wonder Wagon

We will be traveling to see my sister in Pensacola,

as well as stopping by to seeing some of Sarah's family in Texas.

We have already stopped and said good by to my Mom and the rest of my family in Aztec on the 29th.

We are in Wilson, TX today visiting Uncle Lynn and Aunt Karla.  Tonight we will be at Pops house. We will stay there for a few days helping him get his house ready to sell.

We have been given many good fair wells and have been told to be careful many times and expect to hear to be careful many more times.

Love you all and want all of you to be careful too.