In Uganda

Some of the boys tonight after devotions :)

In Uganda (part one)

It's so amazing to be back in Uganda!!! We've been doing so much I don't even know where to start. Abby has got so many wonderful programs going on here. Here's a short recap of what we've been doing our first week.


Sunday:
I went to church with Abby and the boys. Abby and David actually had many of the people who they help in their handicapped program come with us so it was great getting to worship with them. The rest of the day was just settling in and getting to hang out with the boys. They have recently moved to a new house about 10 minutes from the Kivulu house and it's absolutely beautiful! There are three rooms for the 15 boys and tons of space where they're always riding their bikes, roller blading, or playing soccer. The inside also has a lot of space for meal and study time. 


Monday & Tuesday:
Sara and Lizzie got here safe on Monday and we spent the day just hanging out. Late that night we sorted through all of the supplies we brought with Abby and the next day we decorated the house for Christmas. We now have a Christmas tree and stockings for all the boys, aunts, and uncles up on the wall. The boys had a blast helping us decorate and they loved the ornaments that Tricia's art classes made for them. 


Wednesday: 
We got a chance to visit another house for street kids that Uncle Abdul (one of the Uncles we met on our first trip) is in charge of. There were a lot of boys there that we met on the street over the summer. It was so great to get to see so many of the kids doing so well. After we visited that home we went to the street programs and saw even more of the kids we met over the summer. We spent time with them at the church and helped them with their math. 


Thursday:
Today we got to go back to Uncle Abdul's home and have devotions with the boys. Sara and Lizzie did a great job telling them the story of Jonah and we also got to learn some of their praise songs. After, the house we went to help with Abby's ministry to the handicapped people. There were about 30 people sleeping on the street who we got to talk to and pray with. In talking with one of the men, I learned that they had come from Northern Uganda because the violence of the wars there had left most of them homeless. He said that some of their houses had been burned down or they had been chased away by the Rebel Army. Even though it was very sad to see, we all agreed that it was an eye-opener and the people's courage and trust in God was an encouragement to us. 
While we were on the street we also got to talk with some street kids. Most of them were huffing chenge (airplane fuel they sniff to get high) and asking for food and money. Two of the boys from the house, William and Sadic, were with us and they helped us talk to the street kids. After spending the past few days with these boys and seeing how well mannered and behaved they are, it was crazy to me to think that they were ever on the street like some of they boys we met tonight. It just proved to me the true impact the Abby and her team's work is having in these boys' lives. 


We're all really looking forward to the next week we have here. All of these boys we get to spend every day with are so unique and special and we've loved getting to know them more. It's also been fun getting to talk and catch up with Abby. It's amazing to see how much of her heart is in her ministry and with these boys and she's such and inspiration and encouragement. We're so thankful that God has given us the opportunity to be back here in Uganda!!


- Stacia L.

We're Heading to Uganda Today!!! :)

Wow! After months of planning, the day has finally come! My name is Elizabeth, but you can call me Liz. :) Sara and I are leaving tonight around 8pm! Stacia will be there when we arrive. So please pray for our safety as we travel!! 

So, I thought I would tell you a little bit about by myself so that you would know exactly who Sara's cousin Elizabeth really is. :) Well, to start off, I am actually from Gainesville, Georgia! My parents are Vince and Sondra Peck. I have five siblings, four sisters and one brother. My Mom is Steve Wright's sister! And yes, they are EXACTLY alike! I attend Gainesville State College and just finished up my freshman year this past semester. (Actually just a few days ago because I had my last final exam Wednesday haha!)  

Back to our trip, this is my FIRST mission trip and first trip out of the country! I am SUPER excited I get to go! I can't wait to meet Abby Tracy, the Uncles, and all the boys! I have heard so many good things about them from Sara and Stacia! It still hasn't hit me yet that tomorrow, Sara and I will be joining Stacia in Uganda! I am so excited that we get to bring the boys Christmas! We are taking a Christmas tree, stockings, and little presents! It will be so amazing to see the boys on Christmas day opening up their presents and celebrating with them the true meaning of Christmas! Please continue to pray for us for safety and open hearts to hear what God has to say to us. Also, pray for the boys that they will have an open heart to hear what God will be saying to them through us.

Thank you so much from all of us for the prayers, donations, and purchase of jewelry for Abby's ministry!  We will keep you posted throughout our trip.

Liz :)

The Team!

Praise the Lord! We finally have all the details for the trip now! 

Stacia is going on the trip!! She got the final okay from all of her professors this week! So along with Stacia will be myself (Sara) and my cousin Elizabeth! The three of us will be leaving for Uganda on December 11th around 8pm. We will have a small layover in New York and then in London. From London we will arrive in Entebbe, which is the city where the airport is in Uganda. We will make the same stops on the way home and we will be home on December 27th. We are so excited to be able to spend Christmas with Abby Tracy and the Uncles (like David :) and all of our precious boys! We are working on getting all the last minute details together for our trip such as Visas, airline tickets, ect. Please be praying that it goes smoothly! Be praying for our hearts as we prepare to go over there as well! We want to be completely open to God, that He will lead us to help with whatever is needed! Thank you guys so much for all the prayer and support you have given us! 

If you still want to donate things for the trip or buy jewelry, please email us!! We would love to hear from you! :)

<3 Sara

Update!

Hi Guys!

Its been a while, but I just wanted to let you guys know what was happening with the trip! So the dates have changed and the people going has changed. We are not sure if Stacia will be able to go on the trip now because of her class schedule this semester, once we find out for sure we will be sure to let you guys know! I will be going to Uganda for sure on December 11th and returning home on December 27th. Joining me will be my cousin Elizabeth Peck! We are soo excited about being able to go and the trip will be great. Be praying that things will work out for Stacia to be able to go as well! 

Continue to be in prayer for the boys that we will be working with during the trip and be in prayer for Abby Tracy and her home! :)

The jewelry is still for sell and we are still collecting things to take over for Christmas presents such as games and clothing. If you are interested in donating or buying jewelry please let me know! You can email me or facebook me!

<3 Sara Ashley

The Greatest Need

Hey Everyone,

I have been talking to Abby and she let me know another way that we could really help out the boys that she works with. All of the boys that are in her street program but not in her home are really in need of clothes. Most only have one pair of clothes that they wear at all times. It would be soo great if we could do something to change that! So along with the other things listed below, we are now going to be accepting new and used boys (and mens) clothing. (We are taking men's clothing for the Uncles in the house as well!) The guys are all sizes, so ANYTHING you can donate will help! We would like to take over any hats, shoes, shirts, shorts, underwear (new please), socks, coats, or anything else you have :) Thank you so much for helping out!

<3 Sara

Ways to Help :)

Stacia and I will be going to Uganda during our Christmas break, to make this Christmas special for these boys, we wanted to bring a lot of items over for them! Abby has just shared with me a couple of the things that she thinks the boys would be love! If you would like to donate anything, email me at the email address listed at the right of the blog and we can work on a way for you to get that to either Stacia or myself! 

Some of the items include:

-Board games like: Clue, The Game of Life, Connect 4, Checkers, Chess, Sorry, Chutes and Ladders, Battleship, Twister, Jenga, Dominoes

-Soccer Balls

-Volleyballs

-Coloring Books

-Candy

-Stationary Paper (the boys LOVE writing encouraging letters to friends)

-Mens clothing for the Uncles in the house: Shirts, Pants, Hats, Shoes

-Candy

-Cookies

-Frosting (for birthday cakes for the boys)

These are just some of the things she suggested. If you can think of any other items you think the boys would like you can just email me and ask! We also are taking money donations, so that Stacia and I can purchase food and a couple of other items to take for the house and for Abby!

Another way you can help is by purchasing the jewelry that is on our facebook page! All of the money from those sells will go straight to the house! :)

And as always, we covet your prayers! Some ways you can pray for Abby are below! Another prayer request is that one of the Uncles (David) is trying to get his visa to come to the States for a month in January, so be praying that that happens! Also be praying for Stacia and I as we try to figure out our schedules and prepare to head over there! 

Thanks so much for reading! 

<3 Sara

God Provides

God is so good! I was walking to class today when my dad texted me with the great news that mine and Stacia's airline tickets have been provided for our trip in December! This was completely random and we were both not expecting this at all! It is such a blessing that this aspect of our trip is covered and we no longer have to stress out on how we would come up with the money to pay for the trip! I do not know who this donor is, but THANK YOU! You have blessed Stacia and I tremendously through this gift and we cannot thank you enough! Praise God for this amazing news! He is so good!

<3 Sara

Please Pray!

Hey Everyone,

This is a email of specific ways that we can be praying for Abby Tracy and her ministry!

Please be in prayer for all of these specific issues! Thanks! 

<3 Sara  

"Please pray... The government and the community has hated the

work we were doing with street kids from the start (not us, just the
fact that we brought street children into their community) and they
gave us (especially the pastor of the church that we are under) a lot
of pressure to stop. He has been saying for the last year that there

will be a home that will open that will take all of the boys and then

we will not have more kids sleeping in the church. The police
pressured him saying they could arrest him (which legally they could
do, you are not allowed to let street children sleep in your premises
under your protection unless you are bringing them into a home). The
police have been getting more and more angry at us for allowing the
street kids to live and sleep in the church and now that the boys were
taken into the home, they are not allowing anymore kids to sleep in
the church or to be around the area unless they are in our scheduled
day programs.
 

There are many older boys (18 years and above) that we have not

allowed in our programs (to make it safe for the children and the
female volunteers. Many street men are just unpredictable, especially
if they were living and staying with the young boys, its not good) who
do drugs and have bad habits. As soon as the boys were taken into the
home they (the old guys) have all been coming back to sleep around the
church and to be in our programs which we haven't allowed in the past.
We have told them that the police are not going to allow them to sleep
in the church and that we cant be feeding them (like we did the young
boys) because we don't have the money for it and because we work with

children. They have gotten very angry at us and have been making
threats, throwing bottles at our container, writing things on our
walls, etc-. We reported to the police today that the children from
our programs are gone and in a home, we are not allowing more to sleep
in the church, and that we did not ask the street men to be coming to

the community and that we don't have any responsibility for them
(meaning, if they do something illegal, we are not the ones to be held
responsible which was the case for the street children). The police
said that they were glad we came and talked to them because they were
about to come to us and that if we were not going to be legally
responsible for the street men that they would take care of it that
night, (which means they will go down and beat and arrest everyone
they find there). We are going to give our street programs a break of
a month or two as we transition to purely day programs. We feel that
this is a good time since the kids that were in our programs have left
and we are having difficulties with the older street guys.

* * * * * * *
 

Please pray for this situation. That God will continue to keep us safe
as He has always done and that He will settle the hearts of the men

and older youth who are feeling left out on the streets. Please pray
that the police will give them grace and that they will be able to
rise above their current situation.

Also, the church has been paying the rent on our home in Kivulu but
the landlord currently doubled her price for our building and all the
other buildings the church is using (like their schools). We are going
to need to rent a place in town for a few months until we are able to

build our own house in the village on our new land. Please pray that
God will provide the perfect place for us to find and rent and for the
church to find as well.

There are still many other street children suffering all over Uganda
that never went to our programs. Please pray for them that GOd will
protect them and pour HIs love in their lives.

Lastly, we are still trying to find land that we can purchase to move
our home to. We want to have a home (several actually in time),
church, school, and income generating activities such as agriculture
and a fishpond. Please pray that we can not be cheated when we buy the
land and raise money as quickly as possible to build our new home and
other buildings."

-Abby Tracy 

The Least of These...

In Matthew 25:40 it shares with us about those people who were considered the least of these, people who were sick, people without food, and people with clothes. There are 2 million children that sleep in the slums and streets of Africa every night, they do not have food, they do not have clothes, and they most certainly do not have access to medicine or doctors. These children have run away from home, they have been kicked out of their homes and families, and they have been abused, by others on the streets, their own families, and even the police. When Stacia and I return to Uganda, we are going to be working with this special group of children.

Stacia and I went to Uganda this summer for two weeks and absolutely fell in love with not only the country, but with all of the children there as well. Bonds were made that week with those children and we both cannot wait to go back! Children like Edwin and Mathius have made imprints in our hearts and they will forever be there.

We decided to make this blog so that people could know what Stacia and I were doing, and what you can do to help, not only with donations of money and supplies but also with prayer. We will be posting again soon with a list of prayer requests and supplies that are needed for our trip. Thanks so much for reading this, and please continue to check this for future updates! :)

Matthew 25:40,

<3 Sara