letters from home

As I mentioned in the previous post, the boys in the home wrote all of us handwritten letters. The last two days we were there they kept handing us letters left and right, whether it be while we were playing futbol or even through the van window as we were driving away. These 20 letters I received are my most treasured reminders of Africa, even more than my journal entries, more than pictures, and more than the drum that I brought home. And these letters are NOT like what your mother forces you to write to your grandmother thanking her for the sweater she knit you for your birthday. No. These letters are personal and these are the letters that I have looked at on the days I feel discouraged or need a reminder to keep my eyes on God and maintain my eternal perspective. These letters allow me to hear their voices and hearts again. These letters are my reminder that my heart is indeed in Africa, even when it seems like I'm being consumed on every side by everything that's going on here in the US. They are a reminder of my boys and a reminder of how my heart and life were changed.

I have chosen a few to type out here and I hope they move you as much as they have torn my heart apart. I have edited the grammar slightly so you can understand them better but have left all the content in so you might be able to hear the voices and hearts of these sweet Ugandan boys. There was one letter that one of the boys, John Paul, wrote to my mom. It was indeed a beautiful letter that laid out the Gospel of Jesus and it made me realize that God can use anyone to witness to my mom, even orphaned boys across the world she has never met before. I have cried over every single one of these letters, and you're about to see why.

"Dear Kelsey, 

How has been your time with me? Me, I have enjoyed my time with you and you have made my holiday. I have learned a lot from you and it's my hope you have learned from me. You are one of my first friends from USA hahaha...I love that. Before I met you I didn't know that there are people like you in USA who are lovely and awesome. Keep the spirit of loving burning and God will bless you for that. He needs people like you who love others. I will miss you when you go home but you will always be on my mind and will never forget you. Good friends always come and go but it is God's plan. But me I believe that one day we shall meet again in Jesus' name. I wish you well in all that you are doing. Thank you for being good to me and kind. I love you so much and am gonna miss you so much. God bless you for what you have done and to spend your time with us and me. 'Nkwagala nyo nyo nyo...Mukwano gwange.' I wish you a safe journey as you fly back home. Say hi to everyone at home, your step-dad, sisters, mom, step-sister, and dad. A lot to say but I'm gonna miss you 'nyo nyo.' God bless you. I love you.

Peace be with you

Fahad

I love you so much"

"Hullo Talbot,

It's an awesome time to talk to you. Thank you for the teachings you taught to us daily, you're really wonderful. I don't know what to give you for your teaching of the slangs. It sounds awful that you're going back to your country. I am going to miss your love to me. I am studying but I will need your help in some time to come. I really need to visit your country. Thanks for everything and have a safe journey.

Lots of Love

Micheal"

"Dear Kelsey,

How are you dear? Let me hope that you are all fine and good. Thank you for loving me and caring for me---and to all the boys in the home. You are extremely a good girl with love. I care and I love you for that. I love you for your good heart. Thank you for your support in my music and I have loved it so much. I am so happy for it dear. I don't know how I will show my appreciation but I pray to God that He may bless you and provide you with everything you need. May God's love, care, and peace be with you. May His blessings be on you.

Lots of love

Julius"

 

"Dear Kelsey, How are you these days? I hope you are fine, back to me, I am not fine because you're going back to USA. I have written this letter to thank you for everything that you have done to us. Really may God reward you for that. I have enjoyed your team and everything you have done, like discussing about Jesus in the Bible. I have learned more about Jesus, thank you for working hard and for being wonderful and thoughtful and kind to us. I will be praying for you until you come back and I am waiting for you and your friends. Thank you for your care to us. I am glad nobody or anything will separate us. I love you so much because you loved us. Read this: John 3:16.

May God richly bless you so much.

Goodbye

From Mutesa"

 

"Dear Kelsey, Thank you very much for making each of us feel happy at New Life Homes, God bless you so much. I will never forget you because of your love and I will keep praying for you so that you can come back to Uganda because I love you so much. I see the time has come for you to go head home but my heart is breaking. Thank you for teaching us good stories from the Bible, songs, games, and taking us to the beach. God bless you too. Say hello to all your friends and parents. Tell them that we love them so much and we have a dream to come and visit them.
Goodbye
From Vincent"

Vincent is on the far right

"Hi Kelsey, How are you today? Hope you are okay. For me, I some okay. I thank you so much for your love you have been showing to me. I love you very much because you are very beautiful to me. I will never forget you if you return back to the USA. I will be at the home and I will wait for you this year if you will be back in Uganda. For me I have to go back for hand operation on 1/31/11, you are praying for me!!! Pray to do well in operation because I have to join school next year. Thank you so much. My greeting to all your family and to all you work with.
From your friend
Emmanuel
of New Life Home
Kampala Uganda
Goodbye"

"Dear Stessi (he wanted to call me Stessi because he didn't feel like trying to pronounce the "l" in my name haha), It has been so great to meet each other and also to know you. You have really changed my life since you came to me and I will always remember you in my heart. The love you have been showing me is more than my parents did. You are more than my family and I assure you that you are now my family in bloodhood. One wise man told me that friends are more than the family you have, but I did not believe it, but now I believe it and it is fact. I really wish you good luck and safe way back home. I do not have anything to give you but what I have is me and my heart, also just my words. I am really going to miss you so much but may the Lord's blessing go with you. May you have peace in life and in all ways you do. The day I saw you is the day I keep in my mind. The things you did for me make me so happy. I will think about you and I will be with you even if you are not around for your love will be around with me. As the leaf leave the tree, but the stem always stay on the tree is the way I am to you. Tears in my eyes but joy in my heart because you have been my friend and now you are leaving me. I do really love you and am going to miss you a lot. Soon we shall meet again.
May peace be with you always. Amen.
Yours Faithful
Crazy Moses
Some verses for you: Jer 29:11, Pro 29:25, Ecc 3:11, Daniel 3:17-18"