Jethro's first flight

We have left Uganda and are now in Nashville with Sarah's family. It has been so good to be around family. Jethro has had so much fun with his cousins, they play all day and don't stop till they pass out for nap or bed. He has been sleeping so good. He goes to bed the second we lay him down but he has a tendency to get up around 5 am, not my favorite time to get up. 

Our overall trip back was a bit over 30 hours. I was sure this would be the ultimate test of our parenting. I was sure that there would be many melt downs from all three of us. I figured Jet would have problems with his ears. Sarah would get fed up with the wining from me and Jet. For me I expected to just be a baby and break down over something small. Well by the grace of God we had a fun and stress free trip. Jethro slept most of the flights. The crew was so nice to us on all of the flights. In Amsterdam there was a play place were me and Jethro had a blast at and Sarah got a good nap on a couch there.

At the airport

We have eaten Mexican food and seen family. My Mom flies in on the 4th and is going to spend the next month with us as we travel around. This is a good life God has blessed us with. I am excited for each and every new day.  

It is Finished

Take a big breath.

No, even bigger.

Now let it out and relax.

Yes!

That is how we fill. 

It is all finished!

We have the court ruling.

It is signed.

We have the birth certificate.

It is correct.

We have the passport.

It is official.

We have a Visa.

it is in hand.

We have plane tickets.

We are going to use them on Saturday night.

America here we come!

Visa Day

I am going to tell you a funny story of a boy that was scared out of his mind. This is about my Dad and me. Dad was always up to some kind of joke whether it be a prank on some one or a horrible lame story joke. If he was awake he was up to no good. He played many jokes on the neighbor hood kids, my friends and who ever he would meet. He passed away a little over 3 years ago of cancer. I know he would have something up his sleeve when we got home. 

I was about 12 years old, the family was on a road trip to California one year. If any of you have driven I-40 into California then you know what the check point at the border looks like. It fills as if you are crossing into another country. Dad in his cleverness starts acting like there is a problem. He turns around and asks me and my sister if we have our visas. We have no idea what he is talking about. We are both adopted and Dad said we needed them to cross the border. He said "if you don't have your visa the police will take us back to Mexico." We where not from Mexico so this is one more shock to my little 12 year old heart. Heather and I scattered to hide under jackets and blankets as we are crying. Mom in her infinite wisdom hit Dad and said "Billie tell them the truth" and he did and we made it into California safe and sound.

Now I am truly needing a visa for our son. I wish it would be as easy as I thought when I was 12. Just hide under a blanket and we will be OK. I have hid under a blanket and cried a few time during this process and it has helped but has not got a visa for Jethro, into America. All though, tomorrow is the day that might just get us that visa. We are praying for a fast speedy approval and to get the visa tomorrow. Our interview is at 3pm on the 14th of May. Please pray to bring us home as a family. 

Passport Day

Adoption is easy right?

Doing things in a third world country easy right?

Licking the hair clippers (bad idea)

Well maybe not so true. For us it has been an uphill struggle with hundred pound weights on our backs. We have been in Uganda since January 15th and have been jumping through hoops to get one step closer to the final out come of bringing our son home. it has been stressful, time consuming and a test of our faith. 

Today was the last day to be able to get Jethro's passport. It is normally a 5 day process. The judge took forever to sign his ruling like 5 days to sign a piece of paper that was on his desk. We praise God he signed it last night.

We went to the Ministry of Immigration this morning. We needed to speak with a man called Marshal. We went to his office and of course at 9 am he was not in yet. So we waited and waited. At about 10:30 it was time for Jethro a nap because he got up at 3 am today (sarah thanks for taking care of that). So Sarah went to go walk around to get Jet to sleep. The holy Spirit told me to tell Sarah that she needed to go walk in this certain area. While there, a man walked by and said who is this baby I have his file on my desk, come with me. She ran and grabbed me and the lawyer and we went to his office. It all started off good but next thing I know he is yelling at me because of where we where waiting at. Then he said come back at 4 or 4:30.

We came back at 4 and after getting yelled at by where I was waiting at this time he gave us a shiny new passport.

Jethro and his passport

Yah God! 

One step closer

One step away

Leaving Home-Going Home

Tonight, I was asked what will I miss most when I am home. At first I did not know what was actually being asked. Which home was my friend asking me about. The home here in Uganda or the one back in the states. Currently there is no actual home (building) back in Colorado. 

I now think to myself am I leaving my home or am I going home? What is home? Well wiki says "A home is a place of residence or refuge." Thinking about it, a home is a place to be with my wife and kids and be a family. It does not mater where in the world it is or what the building or room may be. So, I am not leaving or going home I am just taking a trip with my home to your home.

Our trusty Toyota Wounder Wagon

We are planning to go and visit friends and family all over the US and maybe into Canada. I have about 5000 miles planned out for us to drive to come see all of you, well not everyone but as many as we can. We are wanting to be able to tell our story and advocate for what we are doing here in Uganda. We are praying that we will be able to raise our support this way. We need to raise enough money to support our ministry cost, travel expenses and living expenses for one year. We are wanting to be back in Uganda within 6 months as of May 20th to become full time missionaries.

Well, what have I missed while here in Uganda? I know this, I can't wait to get home and give my Mom the biggest hug. I can't wait for Jethro (and of course Sarah and I) to have awesome Mexican food. I can't wait to be around all of our family. I long for fresh clean air, drinkable tap water and that is about it.

Family and Mexican Food

I don't want to think about what I will miss about Uganda yet. I am just going to live the next two weeks to the fullest. Love on as many street kids as possible and share Jesus' love to all.

America T-14 days.

Thursday at Court

When we arrived at the court house, we were welcomed by a family

who were there adopting 3 children from the north.

It was their first time to be at court.

They were nervous, 

just like we were

They did not know what to expect, 

just like we did not know what to expect.

With their case, they had to search far and wide to find the children's grandmother

After about 1 1/2 months of no success,

they found her. She lives in a remote part of Uganda, called Karamoja

Uganda, the district of Karamoja is in Red.

Come to find out, the mother had died

and the grandmother began to take care of the children.

She was not able to feed them, so she went from village to village begging for food.

After months of not being able to care for her grandchildren 

she took them, in September, to Kampala and dropped them off

 at an orphanage.

She was there in the room with us and Jethro was rolling his car to her and she was playing with him.

Although she was happy they were getting the care they needed,

you could see real sadness in her eyes, her walk and the way she spoke.

I truly felt for her. 

I wanted to go over to her and talk to here and 

tell her that she is strong.

That she has such love for her grandchildren that she is 

willing to let them go so they can get the care they need. 

I wanted to tell her that Jesus loves her.

Tell her that she is a princess.

But, no one could speak her language 

and she could not speak ours.

I could not imagine the pain she is feeling.

I cannot imagine how much strength a grandmother would have to have to give up her grandchildren

so they might have a future.

To never see them again.

She has been burned into my memory and I truly felt her pain.

Today, please life her up in your prayers.

People of Karamoja praying

 After waiting about 2 1/2 hours to see the judge, 

we FINALLY got to go in

As we walked in, I began to get very nervous

Enough that Shawn had to tell me to calm down...many times

We were the first case he took

As he was reading, I could not hear most of what he was saying 

because Jethro was being very loud

singing, laughing at the chair, making noises with his mouth.

This made me even more nervous

Then he read the ruling.....

"I feel that it is in the best interest of Jethro Isaiah Mukisa to go to a 

family that can provide him with all the necessities of life.

Food, clothing, shelter, love and care,

all of which cannot be provided at an institution.

Therefore, I believe the a Shawn Ray Ferrell and a Sarah D'Aun Ferrell

CAN provide all these things for Jethro."

So, today was the day we received a YES from the judge.

Jethro is now a Ferrell.

He has always been our son and now he is legally.

(minus getting his citizenship and finalizing the

adoption in the states)

Everyone, Jethro Mukisa Ferrell.  

Welcome Agree

Today I was sitting on the front porch reading and waiting for David to arrive so we could go to program. I heard him walk up and he was talking with some one, actually it was two someones. There where two young boys about 15. This was not out of the norm but one of them was holding an accordion. An accordion is not the normal instrument of choice for a Ugandan, I have never seen one played by an African. 

They came in while we waited for Abby to show up. Brian, Agree's friend was guiding him in to the house. David leaned over and let me know that Agree was blind. I later came to find out that he has been blind since birth. We sat down and Agree started playing and singing. 

The second he started to sing I knew that he knew Jesus. The way you could seen it in his face was so real. I really loved his voice. When I think of an accordion I think of Chevy Chase, Polka music and the back of a Ryder van. (Home Alone) He played it so well. 

Agree came to program to play and speak to the boys. It was such a blessing for them to see someone who could not see but did not let his disability stop him from God's plans in his life. I have been doing a series on Moses and today was the last day. I talked about how God has bigger dreams for us than we can imagine. Agree was a great example. He told me that he picked up the accordion and started playing it. He knew that God wanted him to play it and that is why he was able to. 

Playing at the street program

Agree sang a song about the hardships of being born blind. He talked about how people treat him. About how his parents  would rather say they only have one other child than to say they have a blind son. They think that he was a curse to the family he is disowned. What if your family has disowned you for your faults would you let that be your crux or would you have the faith and strength to keep looking to God and go strong. Follow his dreams for your life. 

Welcome Agree.

America Day

America, home of the free and land of the brave,

also home of great food and land of cool weather.

I am starting to miss home a little bit so,

I decided to start a new holiday here in Africa

I am officially calling it....

America Day

This is one day when I feel I just need a piece of home

a piece of America.

What America Day en-tells;

Doing as many things that are American as possible!

First thing we did was got up and ate cereal for breakfast

(cold milk is rare and cereal is very expensive, which a friend bought)

Jethro not quite sure how all this supposed to work

Jethro loving Rice Krispies

Then, we went to a coffee shop and got a cappuccino 

and browsed the internet

Next, we ate a chicken sandwich for lunch

Then, we went shopping at this new supermarket downtown that is at least the size of a large Wal-Mart.

(it was amazing, and the prices were like Wal-Mart too!)

Driving and honking the horn at the Supermarket

And last but not least, we ate a wonderful American dinner

complete with BBQ pork tenderloin,

fresh green beans,

corn out of a can (which is a real treat),

and garlic toast!

Man I love America Day!