Happenings

The New Hope Family

Vocational Training at New Hope

Recent Activities in our Family and at Kasana
Our “shift” (move) to our semi-permanent residence happened the second week of Aug. We will most likely be in this house for one year until we can build our house (which we hope to begin this coming January). If we live in the house we are in now for one year as planned, it will be the longest we have lived in any given place since we sold our house in Auburn three years ago. What a reminder it has been that this earth is not our home instead, “our citizenship is in heaven” Phil. 3:20.
Needless to say we are thankful for the prospect of one full year without moving, and we were eager begin to settle in (with the great expectation of no longer living out of suit cases bins and crates). We painted and varnished the cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom prior to moving in. We’ve finished hanging curtains in the sitting room and planted sweet corn and other veggies in our garden (in time for the rains). In Uganda there are two seasons that happen twice a year: wet and dry. We are saying goodbye to a long dry season and welcoming the rains.
The students have returned to school after a 3 week holiday break in between the second and final terms of the school year. During their time off, they have been working in their family gardens, doing odd jobs to earn extra money, and visiting relatives when able. A group of students also went on a week-long outreach to Kumi (a town north of us, whose people have struggled to regain confidence, motivation, and prosperity after years of attacks, raids, and kidnappings by Joseph Koney and the LRA). Our youth understand that they have been blessed to be a blessing (Gen.12:2-3, 22:17-18), and along with hands prepared to work, they have taken the truest blessing to those in need- the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ. This past dry season (which coordinates with your summer) we had a large number of teams from the US, and the UK who were busy serving the children and staff, running VBS camps, and working on projects at all three New Hope sites. Along with fundraising and business planning, visitors have kept Caleb occupied with trips to and from the airport, orientating teams to cultural aspects of life here in Uganda and more specifically life and all that goes on here at Kasana. September will slow down for Caleb a bit as no teams will be visiting until Oct. As you can guess Nicolas (who has been sick quite a bit the past few months) and settling into our new place has kept Alair pretty busy as well.
One Way You Can Support Us:
It seems that as soon as school begins, Christmas is just around the corner. One way you can plan ahead for Christmas (or any occasion) and support us at the same time is to participate in our gift card campaign found on this blog. Using it allows you to support us financially without changing your normal spending habits, but it gives you the ability to save the time and fuel that would be spent going to multiple stores to purchase gift cards! Every time you purchase a card from this store, up to 8% of every dollar spent will be given back. 100% of your purchase is placed on the gift card to be mailed (FREE SHIPPING) to you or directly to the recipient of the gift. Purchase from stores like Starbucks, Chipotle, Bath and Body Works, Barnes and Noble, Boarders, iTunes, Amazon, Best Buy, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, J Crew and many more!
As always your prayer support is indispensable. Please pray for:
· Nicolas’ health
· Depth of relationships with fellow staff members and children
· Favor as we continue in the process for legal guardianship of Nicolas and wisdom in our family’s (Mitchell family) development
· Eternal perspective every day in each relationship, in how we give council, and in our daily tasks at work and at home
Thank you again for all your support!
Blessings,
Caleb, Alair and Nico

Riots In Kampala

There have been riots in Kampala the last two days...We do not notice the differnce living out here in the villiage. However, it did detour us from going into Kampala this weekend.

Below was taken from New Vision report.

At least seven people have been killed in Uganda's capital, Kampala, in clashes between police and rioting supporters of a traditional king.
Police fired tear gas at the protesters who hurled stones and burned tyres. One report said at least seven people died.
The demonstrators protested against the government's attempts to stop the king of Buganda from visiting a region near Kampala where violence was feared.
The king has a big influence among the Baganda, Uganda's largest ethnic group.
The protesters fought police from behind burning barricades
King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II - who is constitutionally barred from taking part in national politics - had wanted to visit a hostile part of his community to the north-east of Kampala.
The issue is so sensitive that ethnic Baganda members of parliament walked out of the legislature on Wednesday.
There has also been a long history of tension between the king and central government, particularly over land reform proposals that the Baganda say threaten their community, the BBC's Peter Greste reports.
Buganda is one of four ancient kingdoms in Uganda. It was abolished in 1966 but then restored in the 1990s.

I love my oats!

MORE UPDATES COMING SOON!

July 09’ News from the Mitchells,
We hope this letter finds you enjoying the summer months. Here in Uganda we are smack in the middle of a dry season and with a near empty cistern we are seeing the reality of and understanding more and more what daily physical dependency on the LORD looks like as we wait on the LORD with eager expectancy for rain. But with the dry season we are also celebrating the gift of the harvest as we prepare to close up shop tomorrow (everything comes to a screeching halt at harvest time, even the admin. offices shut down for a day) to harvest this season’s crop of maize.
On July 1st as Caleb’s parents celebrated their 37th anniversary we celebrated our 12th. Interestingly enough we spent last year’s anniversary on New Hope’s Lake Victoria Property and this year we were there just two days after our anniversary. The biggest difference was that this year we had Nicolas with us. We enjoyed touring the property with Jay Dangers (New Hope Director) and Steve & Angela Annett (a couple from the U.K. who were here for four weeks as business consultants). It was also great to spend a few hours with Syd and Andrea Sparks who are pioneering both life on the property and the beginnings of camp work- hosting teams, overseeing projects, and building relationships within the community. The highlight of Nico’s time was petting their puppy Nala, who didn’t frighten the living daylights out of him (probably because he was the first dog he’s been in contact with that was actually smaller than him.)
Nicolas is now 18 months old and talking! (At least we call it talking=) He is saying words like: De-Da (Lydia), boots, and Hallelujah (when it rains or when he sees the stars). Caleb pointed out the other day that he is talking in complete sentences: “I love you” and “I love De-Du” (Jesus). He even tries to sing “The B-I-B-L-E,” (taught to him by Kizza the mother of his good friend Andrew), as well as and the song Great Grandma Smith (Nico calls her G.G.) sings, “I Love You a Bushel and a Peck,” (famous to all Caleb’s cousins on the Smith side of the family). He’s getting taller by the day and acting more and more like his dad- mimicking almost everything he says and does.
Saying Goodbye to Lydia was bitter sweet, and I say that because although she is missed, we are fully anticipating what God has for her as she begins this term at Anderson. Right away Lydia found a special place in the hearts of the youngest members and the older girls of Pacific Family (who, by the way “send their greetings” to you Lydia). I (Alair) told her quite a few times that although her time here at New Hope looked completely different from her experiences with the team she was a part of in Kampala, she has blessed us more than she will know. You are missed (tremendously by Nico and Andrew)!
Just days before Lydia boarded her plane back to the States; she was able to observe New Hope’s Thanksgiving celebration with us. Right away you might be saying to yourself, “I thought the U.S. was the only country that commemorates the pilgrims and Indians first feast.” Well you’re right, but the Kasana family has much to be thankful for and has for many years celebrated a different version of the holiday by recalling the immense blessings LORD has shown throughout the year. With banners raised, banana and palm branches waving and voices loud and strong we sang, shouted, and danced our praises to God. This year each of the seven families, all the department heads, every tribe, and community represented at church that Sunday had opportunity to share (even in various languages) what they were most thankful for, among which “new family members” was at the top of Pacific Family’s list. Which of course is at the top of the our own family’s list too, as last July was the month we met Nicolas, and now he has become part of our family! Also high on our personal praise list this year is the “hope of glory” and our future home! It was a full day of remembering the works of the LORD’s hands.
For the next several months Caleb will be involved in helping with the teams that come to visit and serve here at NHU. The Teams Coordinator Nancy Kirsch is doing much of the organizational work involved with hosting teams, but while she is attending the Institute of Child Care and Family (the same five month training we were in last July) Caleb will be assisting with the ground work (pick-ups and drop-offs at the airport, leading orientations and tours, and being available to do various tasks that are needed. It has been a joy to see how these teams and individuals have been a blessing to the ministry.
Here are some tidbits about New Hope’s development and even a couple new ventures… You are already aware of the camp on Lake Victoria which now officially has a name: Musana Camps (Musana meaning “sunshine” and referring to walking in the light that is accompanied by growing in truth). Musana Camps has a first family overseeing its development: Syd, Andrea and baby Sparks (on the way in September). In addition to a few permanent structures, Musana has also been graced by many hardworking, hands that have helped to make it all possible, including EMI (Engineering Ministries
International) who completed a week-long visit to Musana and have completed design plans.
Other ways we are growing and changing include building projects. The Clinic Expansion is nearly finished. Upon completion the clinic will have more than tripled in size and will include a wing for dentistry and vision care as well as men’s and women’s general reception. Hope House Extension is New Hope’s baby house project. While the original baby house building (on the secondary site) is still caring for babies, the anticipated move to a new building and location (on the primary site where the church, primary school, clinic, administration offices and family groups are situated) will also triple the capacity to care for babies (infants- toddlers).
As a part of New Hope Uganda’s endeavor to see the villages and communities around us transformed through the power of the Gospel, we are excited to announce the beginning of our Pastoral Training Program. NHICF Pastoral Training Program’s vision is to mentor and disciple village pastors (most of whom have little to no biblical education) in a God-centered, worldview-confronting, Bible-saturated, Spirit-empowered, theologically-practical education that will provide a holistic foundation for life and ministry. The training will be centered on the Gospel and the Glory of God as it relates to all areas of life including agriculture, work and God-centered self-sufficiency.

Much love to all,
Caleb, Alair & Nico

Go Cubs!

Nico wearing a Cubs hat for Brent...

Thanksgiving Day

June News

Alair and Lydia having fun doing dishes

Family Pic at the Source of the Nile

Frog on Alair's hand

Dan with Caleb harvesting maze.

Sarah with Kayesu (Pacific Family)

Family and Friends,

What a joy it has been this month working for New Hope. We are both engaging the children that we work with in Pacific family. Caleb is leading Tuesday night devotions and Alair is leading Thursday night devotions. We are also planning game night every other Friday and Alair is baking with the girls on Friday afternoons. Caleb has been teaching computer to several Ugandan students and has been able to build some significant relationships as he teaches the vital skill of typing. It seems like we are busier than bees these days, and as each week passes new responsibilities come our way and new relationships are being formed. We are thankful to see God growing and deepening our relationships as we plan our involvement with our family group. Now we have to maintain a balance with ministering inside and outside our own family.
Poor Nico got malaria as many of you know but he is doing better and is back to himself. Caleb’s cousin Lydia Smith has now joined us here at New Hope and we are excited that she is now part of the family. We picked her up from Kampala last Saturday. She was with a team from Anderson University working with the Stevenson’s who are part of the Church of God. Lydia has been such a blessing to us during the past couple of weeks helping with Nico, and jumping in right away with Pacific Family, and what timing as we have been “in transit…”
MOVING! MOVING! MOVING! Or as they say in Uganda we “shifted” out of the one bedroom we were stating in into a two-bedroom house that is empty right now because the our friends the Zimmerman’s are on furlough back in the U.S. We shifted because Desire, a new missionary from the states who has come to run the guest house is staying in the one bedroom apt. The hope was to shift into a three-bedroom house however that move is contingent on a new house being completed so that the family that is in the three-bedroom house can shift into their new house and we can move into their old one. Well you may have guessed it, the house is not finished, hence this second temporary shift. (We’re not counting all the temporary moves back in the states over the past couple years=). Pray with us and everyone involved in the “wait and shift game.” What a blessing to see New Hope growing, and with it the growing pains; the opportunity to grow in patience and flexibility… needed, but not always our favorite blessing in disguise is it?
Caleb has been excited about some of the new ventures New Hope is getting into. As I’m sure you all know Caleb is very passionate about coffee and all that it entails. He had the opportunity a few weeks ago to go on a “coffee safari.” Joel, a student accompanied Caleb on the day’s journey. While on the safari they learned a great deal about Ugandan coffee and made many valuable contacts. The trip include a trip to the Ugandan Coffee Authority, a major coffee processing plant, a coffee roasting plant, the Ugandan Coffee Research Center, and last stop was a beautiful farm in Mukono where he learned how to wet process the coffee bean. Caleb also planted his first coffee tree. While we were in the Institute last summer, Caleb helped Joel start a small business roasting coffee to sell at New Hope. Since then Joel has shown great interested in learning the process in more depth and doing it for a full time job. After their safari Joel announced, “Wow, what an exciting day, I am ready to start growing coffee.”
Caleb has been helping promote New Hopes book The Long Road to Hope by going to the many different Kampala book stores to follow up on sales and make new sales. Have you read it yet? Information on purchasing a copy can be found on New Hope’s website at http://www.newhopeuganda.org/ 100% of the sales go to fund the IY (Investment Year) program.
Caleb is also excited about his temporary job with New Hope starting next month. He will be working with the short term teams that come to visit New Hope. Nancy Kirsh who is the team’s coordinator will be attending the New Hope Institute of Child Care and Family in July and will need help with teams. Caleb is excited about the relationships he will get to build and he is also looking forward to learning a different aspect of what happens here at New Hope. During these several months he will continue working on special projects and fundraising.
In the midst of all the busyness May 6th-9th was New Hope's 3rd annual foreign staff retreat, but our first. It was held in beautiful Jinja on Lake Victoria at the source of the Nile River. It was a joy for us to better get to know and fellowship with the whole team of foreign staff both old and new, which includes Christ followers from the U.S. and the U.K. who all have hearts to see the fatherless come to know our Father and experience His fatherhood. The retreat was a refreshing time of rest and of hearing Gods word from facilitators George and Donna, former missionaries in Venezuela for many years who now have a ministry of encouraging other missionaries around the world. We praise God for the time we had together!
Love to each of you,
Caleb, Alair & Nicolas