We got photos!

Guess what!!!!????
We got pictures yesterday of the kids!
At the computer, I just broke down and cried.
Allenni and Andrew have lost weight and Isaiah looks sorta sad.
I know they are being taken care of as well as they can be in Uganda. They have great foster families. But I wish they were here and fattened up. I know God will bring them home soon.
Thanks, everyone for your prayers.

Update on Isaiah

update on Isaiah

Hello all,
I got word today from Isaiah's attorney and he told us that he was pretty busy but would possibly advise us on how to proceed with the procedure of registering the kids as refugees.
He also told me that he has not even submitted Isaiah's passport application yet!
That now I don't understand because we did all the running around and signature gathering needed for the passport application BEFORE I left. The only thing we needed was the written Guardianship Decree from the judge which was issued and picked up on June 2.
Needless to say, I am disappointed. But know that It will come in God's timing. I am not going to try to figure it out.
At this point, I have no idea when we will travel to get any of the kids.
I am enjoying being with my kids here but miss the other ones.
Blessings, Melissa

Update on Allenni and Andrew

Update on Allenni and Andrew

Well, It has been a couple of weeks since I have sent an update, so since the house is quite for a few minutes, I thought I would let you all know what is happening. I do have an entry that I have been working on about more adventures while I was in Africa but have not had time lately to write. So maybe sometime soon I will get it posted.
We really haven't heard much until the end of last week.
Allenni had another bad asthma attack and has a pretty nasty infection on her scalp but we wrote and got medication for her so hopefully she is doing better.
After sending numerous emails to A&A's attorney and hearing nothing, I finally wrote another one requesting he respond immediately and lo and behold, he did!
He said the children needed to be registered as refugees before they could get a passport.
I must be honest, I was a little irate reading this. For three weeks, I had been trying to find out info and then he tells me this. I could have taken them and started the registering process while I was there. In fact, I inquired about it while there and my attorney told me not to pursue it. The day I left Africa to come home, my attorney was supposed to be meeting with the prime minister's office and was supposed to let me know what was going on. So for 3 weeks, I have been trying to find out what happened in that meeting. I could have had someone already take them to start that process. When we met with UNCHR last time I was in Uganda, they told me the process takes 6mo. to a year.
So we are praying for a miracle that it WON'T take that long.
So, I wrote back to the attorney and was very nice, asking how we start the process and how long does he think it will take, etc.
I got an email yesterday back from him basically telling me that he was finished with my case and no longer would be of any help to me. I was on my own to pursue the refugee status and passports.
In a way, I was relieved that he quit because much wasn't getting done with him anyway.
Isaiah's attorney is going to help us along with my friend John.
If Isaiah's passport gets finished, I am hoping to travel at the end of July to go get him.
We know God has a plan for bringing our kids home and we will trust Him. We have decided to not try to spend our energy to figure God out but to spend it Praising Him and rejoicing in All He has in store for us and our kids.

Here are the prayer request specifically:
1. That the refugee registering process will be smooth and uncomplicated.
2. That Isaiah's passport would be completed without any problems.
3. That my health would continue to improve.
(I am gaining strength but continue to have a low immune system and keep getting infections of various sorts and it looks like I might have to have root canal on my front tooth)
4. Praise-- We had asked prayer about some decisions and guidance we needed while in Africa that had to be made before we returned to the USA, Well, ---God took care of the burden and problem we were having so we did not have to make a life changing decision. So we want to thank him for that.

Well, better run, We have no children tonight and my hubby asked to take me out for dinner!
Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us. We do appreciate it.
Love and Blessings,
Melissa

Catchup on jinja Trip

Catch Up - Friday before Jinja

Well, after waiting around the house ALL week for the attorney to call to tell us when a court date would be we found out that the judge he was waiting on had been on vacation and so we were waiting for him to come back! He could have told us this several days ago. but alas that is the way things go around here. We had made plans to go to Jinja for Friday and Saturday night but then our attorney called and wanted a briefing with everybody on Saturday morning. so that knocked out Friday in Jinja. Friday we decided to get out of the house with the kids and decided to take them to the "zoo"here and to a hotel where there is an indoor pool and playground. (The same one that had the monkeys.) Well, Our driver arrived late, then another person came by thinking it would be a good time to do business but we finally got out and going. We then had to go towards town to a store to buy some food and swim gear for the kids and so by the time we reached Entebbe(about 30 minutes) and the parking lot of the wildlife center, rain began blowing in off of Lake Victoria so we decided to go to the hotel first instead. We arrived at the hotel and paid our fees and the kids, Richard and Duane got in the pool. I stuck my feet in. As I had been sick, I didn't think it was good for me to get too cold and boy was the water cold! Allenni and Andrew were just shivering but refused to get out! Isaiah had fallen asleep which worked out perfect as he was sick too and would have pitched a fit if I had not let him swim. He absolutely loves water. I was the picture taker. Duane helped teach the kids some swimming techniques and Richard was very curious and watched too. He had never been swimming before and looked like a little kid. It did my heart good to see them all having fun. Before swimming, we ordered lunch knowing it would take about an hour and sure enough, it did. The food was pretty good but the kids looked at it funny and of course Allenni snarled her nose as it wasn't rice or matoke. (It was chicken salad sandwiches, though by the menu, I though I was ordering something else). Anyway, I also ordered what I thought was grilled vegetable kebab on a stick and these interesting looking "things" came out. For sure it was some indian food that sort of tasted like styrofaom with tumeric and curry on them. Oh, well. Like I have said before, nobody is in a hurry here and so they wait until everyone, I mean everyone, has finished their last morsel of food before bringing the bill. I finally asked for the bill, but the waiter just told me the total. But I have learned here to ask for a reciept to make sure all things are kosher and correct. So I did. Well, he said it will take some time. So we waited for another 20 minutes. (SMILE) Duane is learning patience here. (SMILE). He brought the bill, and I didn't have exact change. So.... guess what? We waited another 15-20 minutes for the change. Ha! So by the time we got out of there, we didn't have time to go to the zoo. We headed back to Entebbe and stopped on the wayside to buy Matoke, cabbage and tomates for three people for three days. Isaiah's auntie is coming in for the court hearing on Monday and is staying at the pastor's house and Esther is cooking for her. I must admit, I am a little nervous. You know, the thoughts of "What if she sees how well he is doing and wants him back?" What if she changes her mind about wanting him back?" But really, I shouldn't worry, I know God gave this child to me. So I prayed handing my fears over to God. He is so good to calm the soul. Well, on Friday night, Isaiah slept pretty good except for the congestion and bless his heart, I had to put a pillow up under the blanket and prop him up a little to ease his breathing and suction his nose out.(Thankfully I remembered to purchase one of those suction bulbs for babies and bring it.) Saturday came and we had to be at the attorney's office at 11am. So we were to be ready by 8am. We were but everyone else wasn't! Go figure! But we finally got on our way and half of the people who were supposed to go with us didn't show. We arrived at the court house only to find the attorney not there! Not surprised! We then located him by phone through which he told us to go to his associates office next door at the hotel. So we left our van at the high court and walked across the street to the Grand Imperial Hotel. John our coordinator, taking Scott's place got to the hotel and we ended up in a shopping mall that was in the hotel. As none of the fashion stores looked like attorney's offices, John stopped and asked. "No, no attorney offices around here. Try around the hotel on the street." So off we went, to try the street. But I really do think God sent us on that little detour to remind me of something, because there in very big letters on a large glass store front were the words, GOD IS ABLE, GOD PROVIDES clothing store. I smiled to myself, at God's humor. He wanted to remind me that HE was in control, taking care of all the details. HE IS ABLE, All by Himself to complete these works He has started. HE is ABLE to PROVIDE all that is needed. The strength, the approvals, the guardianship, the passports and the money. Frankly, He knew I needed to be reminded of all that, so he took me on a little detour. I nudged Duane and pointed to the sign and he grinned, knowing exactly why that was there. We both were encouraged. Back to the search of the attorney's office. We went around the hotel and walked all the way down the sidewalk but still found no office. Then we were told to walk across the street and find him in that building! That building was a post office. So, John asked an attendant. He then told us to climb three flights of stairs and there we would find the attorney. We did that and voila! we found his office. He was sitting at a big table waiting for us. Around here, direct directions are not neccessary, just general ones. I must admit, I was a little irritated, first because I was not feeling well and Mama Beatrice was not feeling well and we had the baby and had forgotten the sling to carry him in. But we finally found the attorney indirectly. After he briefed us, asked us some questions and made us a little nervous about how to direct the judge as "My Lord" any time we were spoken to, and told not to spiritualize or use the word ministry in talking to the judge, we left. On the way back to the van, I stopped at the hotel to use their bathroon and told John, we would catch up to him at the High Court.(You always take advantage of a good bathroom if one comes available in the midst of Africa) Duane went in with me and we went to the front desk and asked where the toilet. The man directed us and after business was completed we headed back out. As we passed by the front desk and said, "Thank You", the attended replied, "All is well?", "Yes, we said, All is well." and smiled as we left. What is interesting is the choice of words this man chose. You see, days before, a friend had emailed me and told me to read about the Shunamite woman in 2 Kings 4. That even though the circumstances pointed to her son being dead, she told Elisha, "All is Well". She understood that God's power was more real than what the circumstances told her. So, I had been contemplating about this phrase for somedays now. God has been teaching me to look to him and say, "All is Well" because it is in his hands, and to have the clerk use those exact words, Well, it made me notice and be reminded that truely all is well, if God is in control. We arrived at the van safely, after cautiously crossing the road and the crazy traffic with no African to give us que when the proper time to cross was. Let me just say, Pedistrians do not have the right away! We headed back to the house to get ready to leave for our weekend trip to Jinja. That in itself is another story!

Duane teaching Allenni how to kick Andrew all geared up Allenni ready to swim This is the life Enjoying lunch makeshift bed for Isaiah

Dedication , part 2

Pastor Ron, Andrew and David talking to us
This Child is the Lord's
Prayer- Giving him to God

Dedication cont. Part 2

Wednesday. continued
Duane and I were talking about this tonight. The labor pains when giving birth are hard and hurt and sometimes you cry and scream but you have to hang in there and BREATH!!!!! DEEP BREATHS!!!! because you know there is something wonderful happening. Your emotions go up and down between joy and pain. Between elation and giving up. It is all natural to do this. You push and push and finally a new one is welcomed into the world. And extreme joy fills your soul because you know this child is yours and the fruit of your labor. The same is with the struggles of adoption. It is not easy. The labor pains are not exactly physical but the emotions are very real and pretty much the same but over a longer time period!
But I know that in the end, I am going to have children who are going to be welcomed into our family. The fruits of my labor will appear. So, I will not give up. But I might cry and ask why is it taking so long???? In the process. I know my God has promised me that He will prevail for the justice of these children and therefore I will trust His Word.
When I am weak, He is strong.

Today, Wednesday, while we were sitting around waiting for the attorney to call, Darlene came down and asked us if we wanted to go into town with them and then get some lunch.
We quickly said, Shoot yeah! And within minutes, we were on our way. We ran errands with them and shopped for souvenirs a little ourselves. (And if Duane Carter wants to shop, he is REALLY bored) We then went to this really great Italian place and first Dennis tried to order pepperoni pizza but they didn’t put pepperoni on the pizza just red peppers. The waiter showed us a picture of peppers on the placemat on our table so we would understand. I then ordered my artichoke pizza but they didn’t have artichokes so I ordered a pineapple, ham pizza and Dennis ordered a cheese pizza and they were VERY good. Darlene and Duane ordered these pork skewers that were delicious.
Anyway, sorry about all the details, Every little outing is exciting here!
We came back home and I had begun to feel pretty bad with aching all over and sore throat and coughing, so I went to lay down. By supper, I told duane that there was no way, I could even walk up to supper and I just wanted to lay down. After a while, I started to feel better and went in the living room to the couch. Duane had this same stuff a few days ago. That is one thing I don’t like here. I can’t seem to shake sickness. I get over one thing and get another. God is faithful and keeps us going. Much prayer would be appreciated for our health.
While Duane was gone to dinner, I called Charles our attorney and he said he got the person to sign the document needed for the passports but they wanted to talk to immigration about something. But he would try his best to get the passports printed tomorrow. PLEASE PRAY!!!!
(Thursday)
That is about it for today folks.
Thanks for your prayers and awesome support and encouragement. We are trusting God for miracles.
(ok, it is after midnight here and the whole village of Seguku is going wild now for the last 20 minutes. They have been watching a soccer game for a few hours now and evidently Uganda won.) I sure do wish I had them 10 pairs of earplugs sitting in bathroom in the USA right now)

Isaiah's 2nd birthday (Really his first) & Dedication

Testing the cake
This is really good! Who thought of this? Great idea!

I'm addicted! Birthdays are great!



May 21, 2008
Saturday- Tuesday

Well, I haven’t written what has really gone on in the last several days so will try to document it here.
We went Thursday to change our plane tickets and the earliest they could get us out to leave is Tuesday the 27th.
At this time of the year it gets harder to rebook because flights are all full. KLM said we really couldn’t change them again. So we said ok, We are here til the 27th.
We had hoped for a court hearing today but didn’t get one and our attorney said that he was filing on Friday we would have one on Monday.
Scott and Brenda who have been helping us on this adoption left on Monday to return to the States for 3 months, but between John, Scott’s assistant, and me, I think we can figure the rest of the steps out.
So, come Friday, we did pretty much all I explained in the previous post.
Saturday, I was determined to bake Isaiah a birthday cake and had gotten the ingredients from Esther. There was a mixer in the house kitchen we are staying at and so it was a snap to whip a cake up from scratch. I made a big one and a little one for Isaiah to dig into. Now it really gets exciting! The cakes mixed up fine but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to get the oven lit. Even duane came in there to try to figure it out. The stovetop worked so I knew the gas tank was full but the oven wasn’t lighting. I finally called, Brenda to get Darlene’s phone # because she had lived in that house before but Dennis her husband was there so he told me just flip it on and it will light in a minute or two.
So I did. A few minutes later the pilot lit and the oven started heating. Or so I thought. After about an hour the oven was still less than 150F! So I turned the oven off and tried to decide what to do. I got to thinking, they bake things on open fires, I wonder if I could bake a cake ON TOP of the stove???
So I found a big pot and put a little water in the bottom and set the little cake batter bowl inside of another and put a lid on it. But after a few minutes I realized I would have a very moist, steamed cake that I wouldn’t be able to decorate if I did that. And I didn’t have a pot big enough to hold the big cake.
So I decided to take it up to the guest house to bake. ( I was so trying to avoid that hike up those stairs.) That was my only option.
We called Richard our driver to go get Isaiah from Mama Beatrice’s house and Duane went with him and got him. After they returned, I had Richard stay a few minutes so he could DRIVE us up the hill to the guest house!! (Melissa, you’re a genius! Or just plain lazy!)
That worked out well as we had the laptops, the baby, the cake stuff, and the baby bag to carry.
I then had Richard to leave the van and told him I would cll him when we needed to go back home!
Well, my cake got baked and I borrowed the decorating tubes and etc. that I brought to Esther and had Isaiah’s cake decorated in no time. It was great watching him figure it out and decide he really liked this cake thing!
I posted a video on the iweb page, but it keeps saying it can’t publish it because of my internet connection.

Isaiah spent the night on Saturday and I rigged up a little foam mattress beside the bed with a mosquito net over it and he slept pretty well. He woke up about 2:30 hungry and did not go back to sleep until 4am! He was happy singing and laughing and wanted to play. He finally went back to sleep and slept until about 9am. He is a fitful sleeper and cries out a lot. It really soothed him when I reached out my hand and patted him and he would go back to sleep.
Sunday, we awoke to dark clouds and then it started raining. We had planned on going to the second service which is in Luganda because Isaiah was getting dedicated. Well, we decided we were not going to try to go down the hill in the rain with a baby. The red mud gets pretty slippery and we Mzungus are not good at handling rushing water and mud. I was disappointed that we were going to miss this but we changed clothes and decided to have our own service. At about 11am we heard a van and there was Richard, sent by Mama Beatrice from church asking us if we were coming for the program. I explained that we didn’t handle the rain and hills very well and he thought that was funny. We changed back into our church clothes quickly and in a few minutes were headed to church. We arrived and Mama Beatrice ushered us in to sit on the front row in a packed church. Talk about grand entrance and being late! Pastor Ron was preaching with an interpreter and so we got to hear the sermon in English. Isaiah did pretty well during service but got pretty ansy and wanted to crawl. In our rush I did not bring but one toy and no snacks! What kind of mother am I?
He got all dirty with red dust from the floor but he was happy.
Then one of the ushers went into the pastor’s office and brought out a mat and spread it out on the floor and we put the baby on it. Isaiah seemed to know he couldn’t go off the mat and was happy to play there.
Six people received Christ as their Savior that morning and that was awesome. Afterwards, Isaiah was dedicated and it was great! Richard took our camera and took some great photos.
We arrived back home about 1pm and I fixed lunch for us and then it was naptime for us all.
At 5:30 we headed up to the guest house(I walked this time) for fellowship with all the missionaries and to say goodbye to Scott and Brenda.
Isaiah spent the night again as we had to leave for town on Monday morning, hoping for a court hearing.
It didn’t happen. Of course we were disappointed but God encouraged us with his Word. We took Isaiah back to Mama Beatrice’s house telling her if we got a call for court, we would get him again.
We also didn’t get great news from Charles about A&A’s case either. All we can do at this point is to put it all in God’s hands. He has moved mountains for us in the past where these kids are concerned and I know he will do it again. We are trusting in Him. So here we are on Wed. night and still we see no progress but we are still believing it can happen.
We have been able to talk to the kids through email and yahoo IM and that has been good but we all are missing each other terribly. Though they don’t come out and say it directly, they want a normal routine and stability as much as we do. It has been four months since we have had that in our lives. So, I will admit, though I am trusting God completely in this, I am tired and weary and just want to go home and be with all my kids. The emotional roller coaster is not fun and it is hard. (to be continued)

More pics of Uganda

Lake Victoria at Sunset
Lake Victoria
Boiled eggs Anyone?
Esther and Melissa
The "African" 7/11
These are some pictures from different places.

The others are scenes from around town and at Lake Victoria

The Plane Left without Us

Duane and I at Lake Victoria

The Plane Left Without US

Friday, May 16, 2008

The Plane Left Without Us

Well, today was pretty much a leisure day and we went into town with Scott, Brenda, Sarah their daughter and Darlene, another missionary. I went with Brenda to the Beauty shop to get her hair done while Duane went with Scott to deliver some papers to Lawrence, our attorney. After they got back, they waited on us next door discussing “man things” I suppose. After we were finished, we joined them and had tea before heading off to lunch at a very good restaurant.

Duane had a very nice cheese burger, very close to an American one with fries for about $10. So that wasn’t bad.

I got a cheese burger with “monkey gland” sauce. It was really good. There was no monkey actually involved just a name. Or so they say. It was more of a chutney. So along with my repertoire of interesting food, I can add Monkey Gland Sauce.

Well, that done we headed home to rest a while.

Lawrence told Duane that he was filing our papers today and we should have a hearing on Monday.

I talked to Charles the attorney for Allenni and Andrew and I thought he got the paper from the Prime Minister’s Office but from what I understood today, they have it drafted but not signed. He got the 2nd document he needed for the PM’s office but now they want to see the whole file on the children before they issue the letter. So today Charles retrieved the file from Immigration and will go first thing Monday to give it to them. Sounds like they are sending Charles on a rabbit chase.

Please pray that things will fall into place next week very quickly for these passports.

Tonight was the night we were supposed to leave to come home, but we extended our flight to leave May 27. That was the earliest next flight to get a seat.

Duane was a little bummed out tonight but he will be ok. “I teasingly told him “to get over it and be a man!” Ha! When he reached his 8th time of changing the plane ticket, then he could be bummed as much as he wanted. (Smile) He took it well. The Florida team that was here, left tonight. That is my third team that has come and gone since I have been here! I have met some really great people. God used the pastors on this team to encourage Duane and I tremendously.

Mama Shirley, the founding missionary of this mission here said tonight, “Well, another team has come and gone and the Carters are still here!”

Well, that about wraps up this day. Thanks to those of you who have written encouraging emails to us. We greatly appreciate it. I posted even more new photos to the blog today. So check them out.

We will probably have the kids with us this weekend, so we will get more pics of them.

On Monday, I think we are moving down to Scott and Brenda’s house as they are leaving to go to the States for 3 months for the birth of their 1st grandbaby. They have internet there and the kids can come and stay with us there without being bored and overcrowded.

The only drawback is that they live DOWN below the church and that means that we not only have to climb those terrible stairs, but part of the mountain now to eat our meals. (Can you tell I hate exercise?) I am getting in better shape though. That is for sure. We have decided that one meal is good enough for us. Ha! We get some things we can fix ourselves for breakfast and a lot lately we have had to eat in town. So that really leaves one meal to climb for! LOL.

I guess, I better close with a list of specifics to continue to pray for.

1. For our health. My heart rate normalized today and my sinuses feel better. Duane on the other hand is fighting crude in his lungs and very sore throat. The smog and burning of things makes it hard to breathe. Like tonight, as I am writing this, someone somewhere is burning tires and it is making us sick with coughing and headaches. You have to have the windows open, so it won’t be so hot in the house.

2. That Monday, the Prime Minister’s office will ISSUE that letter so we can get the passports issued.

3. That our Court date will be early on Monday and the judge will complete the ruling and ISSUE it on Tuesday.

4. That Isaiah’s passport will be issued in a couple of days.

5. We need all passports by Thursday, May 22, 2008 to be able to have enough time to get the US visas for them. Monday the 26 is a holiday. We will still have Tuesday as we don’t leave til late at night.

6. That the 2 documents I need for Allenni and Andrew for the US Embassy will arrive quickly.

7. That the kids at home will be fine

8. For Allenni’s health. She is doing ok as long as she is on low doses of prednisone.

Thanks again for all of your prayers. We deeply appreciate them. If we did not have you all praying for us, we could not do what we are doing. When you release prayers to God on our behalf, He works.

We are expecting God to do awesome things for us this coming week. Better get to bed. Melissa

Pictures of Seguku Village

Seguku Village Church
Pastor Mike and the prison Ministry Team
Medicines being packaged for the Prison ministry
Children in Seguku Village

These kids yell Mzungu every time they see us