Friday, November 28, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Mitchell's October News
Training: Our five month training is coming to an end, and we have been reflecting on much of the teaching we have received here at NHICF (New Hope’s Institute of Child Care and Family). It has either centered around or in some way been related to “family”- our belonging to the family of God, and identity as children of our heavenly Father, the brotherhood of the believers in this family, as well as the roles of men and woman in marriage as husband and wife, and most recently as father and mother in the families we are given by God.
We have had a week of studying biblical child training and have come to realize that it has just as well been a week on biblical parent training. All that we have learned has been invaluable and very timely as we begin parenting and training Nicholas. We have a united goal to continually have our hearts turned toward the children God brings; to continually seek to turn the hearts of children toward their parents, and to turn hearts of individuals and families collectively toward God the Father resulting in the worship of Him and magnification of His glory!
Another few days have been devoted to learning about the different department’s day to day functions, and the operation of N.H.U. (New Hope Uganda). We were able to talk to and have Q&A with heads of departments and supervisors about how things work here. Some highlights of these few days were touring the Vocational School and Enterprise Farm. At the Vocational School maize (corn) is milled for Kasana (New Hope) families and farmers in the Kiwoko and Kabooboo communities. Here students are also trained in weaving, sewing & tailoring, welding & automechanics, as well as carpentry. At the Enterprise Farm 40 acres of land are used to farm maize for the secondary (high school) student’s lunches. They are expanding to include vegetables and soon to include fruit from 100 fruit trees purchased this week. Just this year New Hope also started a small business raising pigs. They can sell them once full grown for about 100,000 (shs) which is around $60 us dollars. This tour was a great opportunity to see New Hope faithfully using what God has entrusted to them, and becoming more self sufficient as they grow each year.
Camp Land: It is exciting to report to you that the 1st camp construction project is planned to begin November 17th. The structure will be for camp staff housing. Please be in prayer as we develop relationships with the community there and that our interactions would genuinely reflect the love of Jesus. Pray that we would be mindful of their eternity as many of them do not know Christ.
Personal: Alair’s mom’s health is declining as the cancer has begun to take over her liver. Many of her days are spent in bed, and arrangements for a hospice nurse to come are being made. Please pray for God’s grace as she deals with the pain of a deteriorating spine, for Jim (Alair’s dad) as he cares for her and in making funeral arrangements. We plan to return to the States (CT) to be with them and the rest of the family. We are purchasing tickets with the plan to be there by Thanksgiving. Also pray for God’s continued grace as we move forward with steps in the foster/guardian/adoption process with Nicholas. We want to thank you for your love and prayers.
Blessings,
Caleb and Alair
We have had a week of studying biblical child training and have come to realize that it has just as well been a week on biblical parent training. All that we have learned has been invaluable and very timely as we begin parenting and training Nicholas. We have a united goal to continually have our hearts turned toward the children God brings; to continually seek to turn the hearts of children toward their parents, and to turn hearts of individuals and families collectively toward God the Father resulting in the worship of Him and magnification of His glory!
Another few days have been devoted to learning about the different department’s day to day functions, and the operation of N.H.U. (New Hope Uganda). We were able to talk to and have Q&A with heads of departments and supervisors about how things work here. Some highlights of these few days were touring the Vocational School and Enterprise Farm. At the Vocational School maize (corn) is milled for Kasana (New Hope) families and farmers in the Kiwoko and Kabooboo communities. Here students are also trained in weaving, sewing & tailoring, welding & automechanics, as well as carpentry. At the Enterprise Farm 40 acres of land are used to farm maize for the secondary (high school) student’s lunches. They are expanding to include vegetables and soon to include fruit from 100 fruit trees purchased this week. Just this year New Hope also started a small business raising pigs. They can sell them once full grown for about 100,000 (shs) which is around $60 us dollars. This tour was a great opportunity to see New Hope faithfully using what God has entrusted to them, and becoming more self sufficient as they grow each year.
Camp Land: It is exciting to report to you that the 1st camp construction project is planned to begin November 17th. The structure will be for camp staff housing. Please be in prayer as we develop relationships with the community there and that our interactions would genuinely reflect the love of Jesus. Pray that we would be mindful of their eternity as many of them do not know Christ.
Personal: Alair’s mom’s health is declining as the cancer has begun to take over her liver. Many of her days are spent in bed, and arrangements for a hospice nurse to come are being made. Please pray for God’s grace as she deals with the pain of a deteriorating spine, for Jim (Alair’s dad) as he cares for her and in making funeral arrangements. We plan to return to the States (CT) to be with them and the rest of the family. We are purchasing tickets with the plan to be there by Thanksgiving. Also pray for God’s continued grace as we move forward with steps in the foster/guardian/adoption process with Nicholas. We want to thank you for your love and prayers.
Blessings,
Caleb and Alair
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Pacific Family's Youngest Members
David (left) Rebeccah, and Peter (right) from Pacific family enjoy getting their picture taken.
Learning First Aid
Seggie (Francis on left) and Amon learn the Heimlich maneuver
One week at the Institute we learned first aid and CPR. A team from Alaska came to do the training. It was very beneficial and we learned a great deal. One of the interesting topics was how to treat snake bites.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Institute Class
This week we have been learning about Biblical Counceling. Uncle Jones has been giving insight on this topic. We have enjoyed his teaching and are learning a great deal.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Oli Otya!
Eating lunch in Jinja with our friend David.
David's bike ran out of gas on the way to the source of the Nile
Caleb Giving Nico a bath.
Oli otya! (Greetings!) Family & Friends,
So much has happened since our last update. We are so thankful for how God has made His presence known to us over the last couple of months, in the midst of joys- like baby Nico, and seeing our newest nephew Cash via Skype, as well as difficulties- like receiving the news of that Alair’s mom is wrestling with cancer again (and we’re ½ a world away). Yet, in so many ways, the Holy Spirit has been actively working to prepare our hearts to recognize His hand, worship the Lord as He reveals His glory to us in every circumstance, to point out His glory to others as it is revealed more and more, and to have a song of praise ever ready on our lips (Ps. 40: 16, PS. 34:1-3).
During a recent phone call with Alair’s mom (Averill), we learned that she is able to walk very short distances with a walker and uses a wheel chair outside of the house due to the degeneration that has taken place in her spine and hip. She is still feeling well (not sick), and aside from the pain (which she is treating with a “pain patch” as well as acupuncture treatments every other day), has enjoyed her time with family and friends who have visited. We continue to covet your prayers for her, and the rest of the family (Dad- Jim, Sister- Janea, aunts, uncles and cousins). Please pray also for clear direction from God as to when we should return.
God has allowed me (Alair) to walk through a similar situation with Silvia (a sixteen year old girl in our family group), whose mother is very sick. Although I can’t claim to understand what she is going through, I am confident that God has placed us in Pacific family to love and encourage, pray for and pray with those we have opportunity to cultivate relationships with, and to point them to Christ and the truths in God’s word.
We have been caring for baby Nico (Nicholas) from New Hope’s Hope House on the weekends, and after a few months of prayer have decided to begin the application process for adoption. We must first apply and be approved by New Hope then we will able to start the progressive stages of the process. While our New Hope application is in process, a staff person from New Hope will attempt to locate Nico’s birth mother. The complete adoption procedure in Uganda requires three years residency, and has three different stages (each having its own set of regulations): 1st foster, 2nd guardianship, and 3rd adoption.
This month marks the ½ way point in our five month training. At the beginning of class, we dealt extensively with learning to detect cultural word views, and as we have been searching the scriptures, we are coming to more fully understand and to cultivate a biblical or kingdom world view. This begins with seeing all of creation and life with God’s glory at the center. As God unveils His glory, His sovereignty and power are among the numerous attributes that are revealed! In addition we have seen from scripture what redeemed manhood, womanhood, and family look like. We are currently beginning a section on child training.
Slowly by slowly we are learning Luganda (the language spoken in our area and we were happy to hear, in the region where New Hope’s new camp/ training center will be located). Caleb practices phrases like “Well done”… “How is your family?”... “Welcome back”… and “I love you,” on everyone he passes by (literally) and is doing very well. Everyone loves the fact that he greets them in Luganda. Some Ugandan friends and staff have made the comment “You know Luganda as well as I do.” I (Alair) think he he’s well on his way to becoming Uganda’s favorite mazungu (white one). Although the timing is not certain, our next undertaking here in Uganda will be to take six months of language school before we move to the camp property. Yes, English is the national language in Uganda, and it is spoken widely here at New Hope, but there are many other languages spoken here…Luganda being the most common.
Please continue to pray with us about the purchase of the land for the camp. There has been a purchase agreement made, but we are still in the negotiation stages and a few land disputes must be settled before we can obtain the title. We are using Skype to chat and make calls, so if you want to do a search for us (our name is Caleb and Alair Mitchell) we’d love to hear from you. Also check out our updated blog Thank you again for your support and your prayers.
In His service and for His glory,
Caleb & Alair
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