Update

its been a rough week, but also an amazing time to be surrounded by family. after 4 days of traveling i reached usa for my brother Tom's burial. now i am preparing to return in the whirlwind. there is still so much to do and i've been getting some pressure to return quickly and sell everything that has been bought with our donations over the years and return it to CVM. the first half of my 'goodbye tour' was focused on the south - getting personal stuff sorted thru and distributed, getting bank accounts, visas, memberships and taxes sorted out, reconnecting (somehow) with the missionary community.
this has been hard at times, i've felt like the elephant in the room at times....its hard for friends or other missionaries to know what to do with my situation. its awkward and confronting for some, embarrassing and painful for others. but change is change and life and death, beginning and ending - this IS real. it seems right to face the next steps with honesty and with hope of the future that is laid out in front of me. it has been a blessing to take the time to embrace, to thank Ugandans face to face, to ask forgiveness and blessings, to accept blame and to give forgiveness, to say goodbye and to muse about tomorrow while we reminisce about sweet memories and times together.
after i land, i'll make my way back up to karamoja - sort and sell stuff that Tom has gone thru, set up KACHEP's solar system in the stone house for their offices, have a week long visioning & planning workshop with KACHEP with an outside facilitator, take time with weekly trainings for animal health staff (including Dr Carina Gruber), to visit friends in Karamojong towns and villages...pray under the stars, strum that guitar, fellowship with Summer, visit the goat project and chicken project recipients, and to prepare for Uttermost Ministries team who arrive in 2 weeks.
UM will be taking over for CVM to umbrella KACHEP. for more information how to donate to KACHEP thru UM - contact Paul Elmhorst -cc'd above

pray for my journey. I've been slightly sick since Sunday, but saw a doctor yesterday and have started on some meds that seem to be clearing me up. of course, i'm drained by jet lag, lack of sleep, sadness and emotions of losing my brother. i'm grateful for the time i had with him and my mom dec and jan. and this turn of events gives me more and more reason to be near family for the next couple of seasons

pray for my mother -to lose a child is very difficult.
pray for KACHEP that their visioning workshop would give them insight on what God would have them do in the future. I  was encouraged by their work when i returned and how impressed other NGO's have been with their followup and quality accountability.
pray that my health would be strengthened
pray that He would be strong as i am weak

in Him
Jean

going for burial

thanks for your prayers, this new wrinkle in my path is readily identified in Karamoja. Death is part of life, and its more understandable than most of the running around we wazungus do.  my brother's death gave us common ground to segue my departure and be open and raw with other changes, death puts life and love, friendship and war in perspective 

i was able to take a night in Rachel's village halfway up the Mt Kadam, and then she rode on the back of the piki (motorbike) with me to quickly hug the KACHEP staff in Nabilatuk and pray the night away under glorious starry skies. a welcome relief from the heavy rains that covered us as we biked down the mountain. a rather exciting and challenging journey -filled with memorable singing and conversations, not to mention both the soles of my boots coming off.

While in Nabilatuk, Asio, our amazing local mechanic who has no use of his legs, worked on the yamaha 225 which hasn't been started since Miriam left in July. He and Andres got it fired up by 10pm

i was up at 5am on our old compound (where Summer has beenliving since we left last year) to enjoy sweet alone time, and then I continued on the piki down to the big city Mbale, where i left the bike to hop on a rickety bus. it seemed like a better option at the time, so i could rest a bit and because the electrical system was on and off on the piki.

the bus overheated a few times, making the journey a bit like a mobile sauna...the engine is found just behind the drivers seat where the aisle begins - so, the turn boy kept opening up the floor boards and pouring jugs of water into the belching beast along the way. i hopped off the bus in Jinja where the local travel agent, Patience came to the rescue to get me the ticket - even without having all the funds

Summer and Carina then took me to the airport after i hosed off the mud and haphazardly packed  my belongings that might be considered worthy of america - including some chapati flour and 6 bottles of krest.traffice was horrific when we got to the capitol city of Kampala-so Mukisa came to the rescue! meeting us on the road and zipping in and out of back bumpy roads to get me to the airport 'just in time' and my overweight luggage went thru.

I'm in Amsterdam now - grateful and thankful to all that held me and helped me get here. The wake is Tuesday and funeral is wednesday in Elm Grove, wi - in case you are in the neighborhood. i hope to get my cell phone working 415 858 4262

pray that the Lord would continue to sustain me, and to be with my mom and Tom's family - they are already in Wisco -during this huge gathering. pray that it would be a time of healing and that His light would shine brightly, that Tom's death would produce fruits and joy beyond measure, that nothing would go to waste

pray that i would be able to return to Uganda to finish what i have been tasked to do, and also what I long to do - to love and hold and to let go. my ticket says 4 may - we'll see what God says about that...

Prayer request

My brother Tom just died at my mothers home in the USA. The funeral is tuesday. Please pray for peace and way for me to quickly return.
Jean