Youth Christmas Banquet

Each December, the youth at HIS have a dinner together. This year, our HIS friends John & Elma Prado offered to host us at their new Japanese restaurant, called "Samurai". It was delicious and amazing!
Now the following photos are not of the best quality- I didn't know my camera's setting had been changed when someone borrowed it. I'm not that great of a photographer anyway, but I have to apologize for the lighting and graininess of some of the pics- my fault. But I thought you might like to see the photos still.


Steven, Batseba and Kahan enjoy the amazing Japanese food!


Bertha, Lydia and Meki looked so pretty! (like you always do, girlies!)


In total we had about 30 people at the dinner, but I got only a few of the total group in this picture.


8th grade girls Ruby, Kezza & Kayla.

Adorable Elsie

I was in a meeting the other week with our other WGM Uganda missionaries. Elsie Coppedge (2 years) climbed onto her mom Joanna's back during a break in the formalities and it was just too cute to watch them cuddle.

Christmas Program 2009 at HIS

Our Christmas program at HIS was Dec. 11th, with all the Heritage students participating in some form or other. Here are a few photos of the night. It was a pretty fabulous night and everyone involved did an amazing job!


The Kindergarten class was certainly entertaining as they sang the opening number.


Jean (our 1st grade teacher) performed a special music number during the program. Playing along with her are 9th grader Nathan and our guitar teacher Andrew.


Singing Christmas carols is a favorite around the world.


Grade 6 participated as a group with a special number.


Two of our grade 9 students, Eden and Rachel, as shepherds.

6th grade antics

The 6th was attempting to make a pyramid, but with the typical age-group “cooties” factor (“eeww, I don’t want to touch a boy/girl!!!”), and the balance factor, they definitely couldn't get it together. I happened to catch the kids as the semi-pyramid fell apart. So (below), I invited them to maybe do a laying –down pose that was safer, and somewhat less cootie-ish. They agreed.


From left to right are (on ground) Musa, Emmanuel, Jesse, Joy, Elisabeth, Ella and Mukisa. On top from left to right are Maarten, Wassim, Brennan, Joy, Joann and Nara.

Recycling Project Is Completed!!!

Our month long project of recycling is now over, and we took 4 van loads of just our “plastic stuff” to the recycling center. While gathering plastics, we also looked at how paper is recycled. Following are several photos from making paper, a recycling center field trip with grades 1, 10, 11, 12, and some other fun photos related to our whole project.

The man guiding us through the recycling center spoke incredibly quiet English. Jean had to shout out all he said, as sort of a translation so we could all understand his explanations. It was quite entertaining to watch the guy practically whisper his explanation and Jean shout out her repeated information.


Above: Jean "translating" from nearly silent English to loud English (to be heard over the recycling machinery).


Above: These are the chips that the cleaned plastics get made into, which are later used to remake bottles or other plastics items. The kids thought it was cool to play with the chips.


Above: Before the plastics are made into chips, they get washed. Jean and her classroom assistant Agnes react to the sludge that comes out of the giant washers (ugh!).
Below: Jean summarizing after we'd gone through the plant.



Getting back to school a little early, we took the time to play with Jean’s parachute.



Star playing with the kids under the parachute.


Above: Lubega “wearing” the parachute.

The kids had a race at one point across the sports field, but Kahan cheated...


...So the 1st graders tackled him to “teach him a lesson”. I love that you can only see his legs here!

During the project class time in the month prior to our field trip, we had been gathering recyclable paper and getting it ready to make new paper. One of our workmen at Heritage made some screens for us to use in making this “new” paper.

Pictured below: Making recycled paper on our big screen (we also had 20 4x6” screens for each individual). We are using the new paper to make Christmas cards.

30 countries and counting!!!

In June or so, I loaded a visitors counter and a map onto my blog. I've had the blog a few years now, so when the counter button application asked me what number to start at, I put 200. For sure I've had more than that in the past 3 or so years, but I had no way of guessing how many had previously visited the blog.

Anyway, the map (I LOOOOVEEEE maps!) has been fun, because it tells me where people are logging on from. I've started a list, and today we (you people who check this plus me) reached 30 countries! Here is a list of places (countries and some interesting cities, too) that have registered on the map button...

Uganda, Kenya, Canada, USA (26 states so far), Spain, UK (Kent, Cardiff, London, West Caldor, Dorking- nice name-, Tonbridge and Glasgow). Shouldn't Scotland get it's own country ranking? Okay- so it is part of UK. Continuing... Dublin, Belfast, (so Northern Ireland PLUS Republic of Ireland)... Indonesia, Haiti, Bolivia, Russia (Moscow- it is listed actually as Russian Federation), Bangladesh, Czech. Republic, Hungary, Australia, Malaysia, Argentina, India, Guatemala, Singapore, Libya, Poland, Brazil, Jamaica, Paraguay, South Africa, Mexico, Turkey, Ghana and Saudi Arabia! Man! I don't know who all are in those places, but thanks for being a part of this amazingly international list!

And FYI, the reason I removed the "comment" feature on my blog a while back was because some creepers were getting on and contacting me. I didn't so much like that. Sorry. You can contact me through World Gospel Mission if you're desperate to reach me.

Canada- you've registered from NB, ON, BC, MB and QC.
USA- you've registered from NJ, IL, IN, SC, WA, AZ, HI, NY, TN, OR, GA, MN, VA, MO, CA, NC, KY, WV, FL, OH, VT, MD, UT, MS, LA, NV.

You may be bored by all this country/locations trivia. I just thought for those map geeks like me, interested in all the corners of the earth (I know, it doesn't have corners), it has so far been fun to watch the lcoations of folks online. Have a happy day!

Youth activity and kids pictures...

We had another youth group on Friday night, at the Stevenson's home. We also had some activities around school or in other homes where I've been able to get a few extra photos, all posted here.


Steven, Kezza and Kayla are in 8th grade, and they get along pretty well- and are quite entertaining! They helped host a "teacher appreciation party" for us at school the other Friday. (Thanks Heritage teens! It was great!)



Meki, Bertha and Star posed so pretty when I aimed at them!


Lubega, who is very often the life of the party and making some pretty hilarious faces, got a bowl full of oatmeal as his face at youth group...
and below...
Bertha, I think I'll keep this for your senior grad, and give it to your mom if she makes a PowerPoint slide show... it is lovely!




Ruby and Betsy decided to "steal" my camera and take some funny shots- I especially enjoyed this one!



Jordan was playing volleyball with some missionaries the other week and I thought this pic was so good, I had to post it.

First van-load of recycled plastics

With our month-long recycling project half-way done, our HIS first grade and 10th-12th grades posed in front of the van packed with the plastics we'd already gathered. We sent the van to the recycling plant last week. Originally, we'd planned to just take the plastics with us when we go on our field trip next week, but the kids have been doing an amazing job collecting plastics, and the storage was overflowing. If the students keep up with their recycling, I imagine we'll have at least another van-load before we're through!

Our WGM Uganda team, November, 2009

Only about 3 times each year do we all have the opportunity to get together from our various homes and ministries, including our missionary team from Arua (NW Uganda). On Nov. 8th, we got to have one of those days. Our field pastors, Rick and Janie Burkhalter were visiting, as well as our Regional Directors Terry and Karen Duncan, plus all the missionaries attended.

Above, pictured from back row, left... Jordan Mayo, Jonathan Mayo (field director), Ethan Mayo, Lisa Mayo, Beth & John Muehleisen, Haley, Rachel, Donna and Keith Bourne. Middle row from left: Jean Komline, me, Kristi Fuller, Betsy Kurtz, Jenna Gaventa, Teresa, Karen, Terry & Brent Duncan. Front row: Pastor Rick and Janie Burkhalter, Billy Coppedge (with Elsie on his lap), Joanna Coppedge (with Lucy on her lap), Jennifer Earle with Karis on her lap, and Kiah, Jacob and Jon Earle. (FYI, if the spacing is weird when you read this, I've changed it several times, but I guess Internet is acting weird. In other words, I'm aware it didn't come out as I expected, but it seems the Internet won't let me keep the proper spacing... I hope it doesn't happen on other entries later!)

Lino's Adoption Day!!!

When Lino, a Sudanese Dinka boy, was abandoned at about 4 years old, who except God knew that he would one day have another family? As of November 10th, it is official. The Acker family, who has been caring for Lino for about 8 years now, has been able to get all the legal paperwork together and he is theirs! As a school we've been praying for this particular adoption, because Lino comes from Sudan, has not technically had all the legal paperwork for a long time, and he is older- meaning any history about him is harder to confirm in Sudan.
At first, he met the Ackers in Sudan at a refugee camp where the Ackers served as missionaries. God put him on their hearts while in Sudan, but they moved to Kenya to continue ministries there. And God kept Lino on their hearts. Eventually they were able to work out for Lino to join them in Kenya, along with another boy (Taban). Now, in 2009, the Ackers actually care for about 5 boys, but Lino is the first successful adoption of any of these otherwise homeless teens.

They all moved to Uganda for ministries about a year ago, and of course all this time they'd been working on the legality of the situation. It is one thing to move about in this region with an African boy also from this region. It is entirely another thing, however, to plan on his further life and schooling (he is in grade 10) and to maybe someday take him to the USA or elsewhere.
The judge said 2 weeks ago that he would make his decision this week. But honestly I thought there could be yet another legal snag. But we'd also asked many, many people to pray about the judge looking favorably on all the paperwork, and God moved. Praise Him! Now, the hope of further schooling is not a big deal since Lino can go where his FAMILY goes. More importantly, though, is that he does indeed have a family, legally now, and we are so thrilled and thankful.
In this photo (above), the school had made a card, "It's a [teenage] BOY!" and signed it. We sang "Happy adoption day to you" to Lino as we celebrated with him. Thank you for your prayers; I say that, Lino says that, the Acker family says that. And again- Praise the Lord!

Recycling project, Continued...

10th grader Logan and his teammate Jonah pose with their poster from the recycling project. (I think they may be winning- they've brought in around 300 bottles and other items, but the competition isn't over yet!).


Star and her teammate Rara have a quiet moment together.


Each week we're trying to do a special thing together with my 10-12 grade class and the 1st grade class. Today we had lunch together (see above photo), giving opportunity for more relationship building. In a few weeks we will go to the local recycling center, taking our plastics with us... More to come!

Below- on the way to lunch with the first graders, some of my girls had a little fun...

Special WGM weekend

Around October and April each year, our dear friends Pastor Rick and Janie Burkhalter come see us. They are our field pastors. They are not a part of WGM but they work alongside us and the mission and are such a wonderful encouragement. They share at retreats, church services, or in our homes and we love our time with them.

WGM had a special mini-retreat on Sunday with Rick & Janie leading. We simply had a church and special prayer time together, then lunch out as a WGM-Uganda family. Times where we are ALL together are rare (2-3 times/year!), so this really was a special treat.



Above: We went to a pizza place in Kampala. Below: Lisa Mayo holds baby Lucy Mae Coppedge.

Life on the HIS Campus

I confess. I love taking pictures- and I'm not exactly the best photographer. But it is fun to snap away and to have memories of silly, typical or fun events. Here are a few...



These grade 6 girls (above) were quietly (MIRACLE!) sitting and reading in the library, so I HAD to take a picture of it! From left are Amy, Ella, Joann, and Nara. I will have to add that the 6th grade is actually pretty fabulous. There are 16 of them and they come from 7 countries (The Philippines, USA, Uganda, Ethiopia, S. Korea, Holland and Canada!).

Eden's birthday was over last weekend, and as a class we always sing to the birthday person- while they wear the "lovely" birthday hat. Okay, its so bright, it could light up the night sky, but everyone still likes to feel special so they do wear it (sometimes some kids choose to wear it all day!) and let us sing. Oh, and the birthday song we do is not the normal song (normal? What is that!)... it is (everybody now... "Happy Birthday - boom- Happy Birthday - boom- misery and despair. People dying everywhere. Happy Birthday- boom- Happy Birthday - boom.") and then we all smile and walk away with silly but fond memories... So the picture below is of Eden (now 14, from Ethiopia) and Rachel (from the USA).



Next we have youth group. Shanna is helping out regularly now (PTL!) and she helped lead a game plus the Devotional. The game?... number off into pairs on opposite teams. Wait for your number to be called. Run out and grab a pillow and hit your opponent 5 times before they hit you. The funniest one was Lino and Kahan as Kahan ran away like a little girl so he wouldn't get hit by a pillow. Yes, Kahan, I did just say that on my blog. But it is true and the world doesn't know your last name. Ha! The pillow-game photo here is of Jordan (on left- from USA) and Fred, from Uganda.


Depending on the week and various activities, we have overnights, 3-5 hour youth activities, or 1 hour youth groups right after school. Last Friday's was a 1 hour youth group after school and pictured below is Shanna in action as she led the devotional time. She spoke about our view of God as our Father. Thanks Shanna for leading and doing such a great job!



Bertha (grade 12, from Uganda), Lubega (10th, from Uganda/Ethiopia) and Lydia (12th, from USA and Uganda) hanging out at school.

Recycling Project

It just so happened that when my 10-12 Social Studies class came to chapters about ecology, pollution, and recycling, that the 1st graders were beginning to look at some of those ideas in their class, too (but of course at a younger level). So when 1st grade teacher Jean Komline (WGM VIA- Volunteer In Action- and good friend!) asked if we'd like to combine the kids to do a project, I jumped at the chance.

Pictured above left to right are Jean, Bhavik and Ethan.

So far my students have been amazing with the younger ones. It has been cute to watch them team up (each have 1-2 partners). They're all competing to bring in the most plastics they can. And we're running out of classroom space to store the stuff! But we've still got 4 weeks to go (or so), which will include making recycled paper, visiting a recycling center here, and some other fun events together.

10th grader Anna helps 1st grader Rachel make a poster about recycling.

Warning- gross photo following---

You may have heard of termite mounds here in Africa (they also have them in South America and elsewhere). These things are harder than cement and usually the termites build them pretty high (sometimes 4 ft. or higher). Inside you find a queen- or in the case of the newly forming termite mound in my yard, 4 queens. The termites are about 1/4 inch large, but the queens are about 1 to 1.5 inches long...
When my guard Peter dug up the mound so they couldn't make one of the towers in my yard, even he was surprised to find 4 queens. (And in this photo, the other smaller thing at the head of the third queen is the male who helps make all those millions of babies...) Yikes.
The only thing to keep them from rebuilding was to pour gasoline on the area and light it... poof- no more termites in my yard.
FYI- some people eat termites (the regular ones) and Peter told me that sometimes brave people even fry up and eat the queens as a delicacy. Oh, my. Yum??? (Gag!)

Rain Festival 2009; "At the Movies" theme.

Each year at the end of October, Heritage celebrates Rain Festival (when the rains come, naturally!). With this being the longer rainy season (lasting about 4 months), funny thing is we've not had a lot of rain during the celebrations in recent years- till this year. It poured in the afternoon so all the booths for the carnival-like celebrations had to be moved indoors. The rain had cleared during the actual event, so some folks did move outside again...
Anyway, here are some of my favorite costumes for this year...


Lubega (left) and Logan dressed as Twiddle Dee and Twiddle dumb. Not sure which guy was which character, but they sure had GREAT costumes!




So many of the secondary kids dressed up this year- making things more fun!


Above: These friends dressed as Timon (Lion King- Teresa), movie theater snacks (popcorn is Betsy, Green M&M is Shanna), Napoleon Dynamite (Brent) and Debbie Reynolds in Singing in the Rain (Lisa). I dressed as the Runaway Bride with a veil (cut from mosquito netting!), running outfit, and a bridal bouquet...

Nearly done the road!!!

I hope you're sitting down. They're nearly done fixing the road by my house. It has only been since March, so I hope it doesn't shock you too much. As you can see, the standard method they use to direct rain water are very deep- uncovered- ditches. That is what they're working on now. I think they're about 3 feet or more deep, lined with cement/stones so no further erosion happens. And yes, the ditches do/will FILL up with water when it rains (rains come in gallons here- no piddly sprinkling for Africa!) Of course now the problem will be that people and vehicles may fall into the deep ditches. Add to that the WHY they'll fall in- they have taken some of the width of the road away in order to make the ditches. Most of the road is now only 1.5 car width's wide. Nice. So when big trucks come down the road and you're on the side nearest the ditch- be CAREFUL!
Let's time them- how long from today do you think someone will throw up another speed bump? The construction crew cleared off the 10+ that neighbors put down. I am betting someone out there will think they're being clever, after the road is finished, to put speed bumps up to slow people down. Like the pedestrian traffic combined with narrow lanes and deep ditches isn't enough of a hazard? Ugh. Some days I do indeed wish they'd left the dirt and potholes just where they were. At least we knew what to expect...

WGM visitors

A few weeks back I got to host 2 of 4 couples visiting Uganda. President Hubert Harriman (our WGM president), his wife Sarah, and 3 couples came to Uganda for only 3days, then zipped to Burundi and on to Kenya, all crammed into a 2 week time span to view the ministries we have in Africa.
One night the WGM Kampala team hosted them for dinner in the Mayo's home. That's the photo you see above. From left to right are the Hemmicks, Harriman's, Curtis's and the Hazzards. These are dear people who love Jesus and who I'm thankful for.
Question for you blog readers- when are YOU coming to see us?