John arrived safely in Kampala after 27 hours of air time. Thanks to all of you who prayed for his safe journey and his rest!

Uganda Children’s Charity. On Saturday John got a surprise visit from the country director of the Ugandan Children’s Charity Foundation (www.uccf.org). His name is Abel. John loved meeting Abel! He is a wonderful man and very capable in his work and deeply committed to the orphanages he oversees. Abel took John to visit one of their 3 orphanages. Last year we had the privilege to adopt a young orphan named Doreen. John was able to visit and spend time with Doreen on Saturday. You can imagine her shock and surprise when John walked in with a soccer ball and presents she was not expecting. He said she was so sweet and so cute and so stunned. She was very quiet the whole time but she cried and cried when John left. Pray he will get to spend more time with her before he leaves. She is 14 years old, is taking high school entrance exams on Thursday, and has a benign tumor in her throat. Pray for her well-being in all these areas. Please pray a blessing on Abel and this incredible charity UCCF.org that our friends the Overmyers introduced us to last year. We encourage you to check out their site and their work.

Miracle Center of Kampala. Today John visited the Miracle Center Cathedral of Kampala which is the former church home to the Ambassador of Uganda to the U.S. – Ambassador Sempala. When he met the Ambassador last week in D.C. the first question she asked him was "where are you going to worship in Kampala?!" She told him about the Miracle Center. He loved it! The worship lasted 40 minutes before the pastor even came on stage to preach. They are doing incredible outreach all over Uganda including an orphanage to more than one thousand children. There mission to street children is called Never Again. So many Christians in Uganda are laboring tirelessly on behalf of the poor and cast out. Pastor Kayanja and his wife are no exception. You can visit their site at www.kayanja.org/children/neveragain.htm. Pray for John to be able to meet with Pastor Kayanja and his wife this week and possibly to film some of the work at Never Again. Pray for blessings on Pastor Kayanja and his wife. Pray also for a blessing on Ambassador Sempala for introducing us to this ministry.

Thanks for your continued prayers for John. Keep praying Jesus will give him the exact stories he wants John to tell. Heidi

It's 2:30 am Ugandan time and 6:30 pm here in DC early Friday evening. John has just arrived at his hotel in Kampala and he is safe. Tired but safe. Thanks to God and to all of you who prayed for his safe arrival. Heidi

I am so excited to be going to Kampala. Departure to Uganda is t-minus 3 days. Keep updated on how the Holy Spirit leads by checking back with my blog periodically. I will try to post thoughts and prayer requests each day as I am able. Thanks for going with me.

From my journal on October 7, 2005:

So… is this a good idea or a God idea?

I read a front page article in the Post today that planted a hook in my heart. Young girls in Uganda are being propositioned by “sugar daddies” who believe sleeping with a virgin will cure them of AIDS. And many such girls succumb because their lives are so bleak. One girl profiled in the article lives with five young siblings and six other kids her mom took in after their parents died of AIDS. They live in a shack; we wouldn’t put an animal in it here. She owns one dress and one pair of underwear; life with a sugar daddy must look pretty good.

I’ve read a thousand articles like this before, but this one really sank deep. Maybe it’s the obvious connection: I have a 13 year old daughter too. But maybe the urge I have to sell everything and move to Uganda is the Holy Spirit inside me trying to get me to pull a radical move to meet the crying needs of the world.

That night we prayed. The next morning, Heidi googled "filming Uganda" and found a two week film school (taught by the filmmaker who did “Paris is Burning.”) that just happened to be going to Uganda. In a few days, I could be immersed in two alien cultures at the same time. J Again: a good idea or God idea? How can I tell the difference?

Lord, please show me the way. Please answer this heartfelt prayer: I want to know if you want me to go to Uganda. I have the means; I have the time; I feel a pull. Is this you?

Holy cow: I think the Lord is saying yes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/06/AR2005100602147.html