Email Update from June 9th

Hi!

It has been over a month since I last emailed and I hope you all are doing well. I have waited to send an update because I keep hoping I will know where I am going next and what my plan will be. However, I still don't know any of that, but I want to keep you all involved and ask for your prayers. Over the last month, I have been praying about where God wants me to go.

Most of you know that my boyfriend, George, and I are looking for a place to serve together. We have been dating for eight months and are willing to go wherever God wants us. In April I met with the director of a hospital located in Uganda. The more we talked, the more it seemed like the perfect place for me and George. George is a lab technologist and started the lab in Tonj. The only staff position available at the hospital was for a... lab technologist! I would go there as a missionary volunteer. They have a prayer team dedicated to working with the parents and children that come for treatment. In Uganda, when a child has a disease, it is assumed the parents must have sinned to bring that on. For that reason, those children are often discarded and left to die. We want to support the parents who continue to care for their children despite the stigma attached. The prayer team counsels them, shares the gospel with them and provides support. I would be a part of that prayer team and also assist the leader with administration. I couldn't write a more perfect position for me if I tried. Over the last month, George has applied for the job and has traveled to Uganda for interviews and toured the hospital. After his visit, he fell in love with the place and saw a future for us there. I can see God putting the puzzle pieces together and it seems that is where He wants us. There have been several hurdles we have had to face. Primarly with paperwork. In order for George to be able to work in Uganda, he has to give certain documents to the minisitry of health. Some of that paperwork he has, others he doesn't. George has been going all over the place to get those documents - to his college, to Nairobi.... It has been very difficult.

While all of this is going on, we have been working on getting George a visa to visit the US so he can meet all of you guys. I was able to spend a couple weeks with him in Kenya in January and met his family and friends. Now I want him to meet mine. Unfortunately, getting a visa for a single young man in Kenya is very difficult. The US assumes everyone is going to stay illegally. It has been a long process and soon we will know if he will be able to come. His appointment at the embassy is next Tuesday. He'll know that day if he gets the visa or not. If he does, he will be here on June 27th.

Although nothing is certain, I am trying to put together a tentative plan and begin preparations to go back to Africa. I hope to be headed back by mid-August. Even as I type that, tears come to my eyes. Although I know I am supposed to go, it is very difficult to leave friends and family again, knowing I won't be back for probably two years. While I have been here for almost three months now, it feels like it's not enough. Two months will go by quickly and I am desperate to spend time with everyone.

There are many things I need prayer for, but I limited it to three for now!

1. Future ministry plans - it seems like Uganda is where God wants us. However, He may shut that door if the paperwork George has is not sufficient for the government. If that's the case, we know God must have another place He wants us to be. George and I would be very sad because we really love what the ministry is doing in Uganda, but we have faith that God knows best. It would be hard to go back to sqaure one and begin the ministry search again. I am itching to be back there and working again. I feel a bit lost right now. Pray that I would be patient and wise.

2. George's visa - Again it is extremely unlikely someone in George's position would get a visa to the visit the US - even if they had all the right documents. Fortunately, God is powerful and can get him that visa anyway. I am praying that God places the right people there to process his application and conduct his interview. His appointment time will be 1:00pm on Tuesday which is 3:00am on Tuesday our time. Again, we both would be sad if it doesn't happen, but still trust God has a reason for that too.

3. Finances - I did a rough budget to determine the amount of money I would have to raise monthly to be in Uganda. It works out to be about $1500 per month. That is a little more than I had to raise to be in Sudan. Before I go, I will also need to raise about $3000 to get me back to Africa and find a place to live. Those numbers seem impossible, but with God all things are possible so I am going forward with these plans trusting He will provide. If you feel called to be a part of my "sending team" here is where you can send donations for now:

Rancho del Rey Church

3132 Tiger Run Ct.
Suite G-105
Carlsbad, CA 92010

Remember, if you are supporting me with automatic deductions to In Deed and Truth Ministries, you can email Jeamette at jeamette@indeedandtruth.org to request it be stopped and mail them in for now.

Thank you to all of you for traveling on this journey with me. Everything is so uncertain right now, but I am certain I am supposed to be serving the Lord "out there". My heart is split - here and there; and I miss being able to daily care for people who are hurting and lost. My life has been untraditional and not at all where I thought it would be. It's scary and overwhelming, but my faith has grown in the midst of this and I have learned to truly live in the now because I really don't know what tomorrow will bring. Thank you for encouraging me and supporting me and allowing me to serve on your behalf. I will continue to keep you updated as God confirms where I am supposed to be (or not be!).

Love,

Stacie