Anderson's Adventures to Uganda!

     In 2008 our family took a trip of a lifetime to Kibaale, Uganda.  Why you say on earth would you take your small children (at that time) all the way to Africa?  Our kids at the time were 9, 5.5 and 3.5.  What could they really get out of a trip like that at such a young age.  Actually a lot, as you will come to realize as you read further:)

     Dan and I have always had a heart for missions.  From the time I was 12 I felt a nudging on my heart to be involved in missions in some sort of way.  Fortunately for Dan and I that took us to Poland for a couple of years where we had the privilege of working with the amazing youth in Poland in a small village.  From that experience our hearts just grew for the mission field not just overseas but locally at home.  In 2008 we had the extreme privilege of allowing our kids to see just a small glimpse of the life of our friends who are missionaries in Uganda.  Many of you know them, Jeff and Shannon Dyck.  We have been friends for a long time and our kids have been friends basically since birth.  We left after three very short weeks gutted to the core of the poverty we saw but filled with such hope because the people there have so much joy.  The following year our oldest daughter Michelle and I  had the opportunity to return to Uganda with our church team at the time to run a VBS and visit some families.  I knew after that trip that the love Jeff and Shannon had for that country had infiltrated my heart as well.  We returned from that trip and immediately started sponsoring a little girl named Rebecca.

     Rebecca although she lives waters apart from us has been the focus of many of our families conversations and prayers over 6 years.  So I revert back to the question what could my kids have learned at such a young age while in Uganda.  They learned that life was bigger then just them.  They

learned they had a sister in Uganda that needed our help, so every birthday since then they have given up asking for presents from friends and have requested money so we could buy Rebecca the necessities needed for her and her family.  They learned compassion and love for those around them and they learned that joy doesn't come from the material things that they can buy but from knowing God and helping others.  They saw the joy in the eyes of every Ugandan we met despite their circumstances.

     This year our family decided to make a change in our life for a year.  We made the decision all together to homeschool/online school our kids to free up the tuition money we usually spend and to take that money and head back to Uganda.  Homeschooling is something I have always talked about doing but never had the guts to actually make the plunge and do it.  My own insecurities have always held me back but with the encouragement from Dan and some close friends we made the transition.
Some may ask how can Dan get away from both his businesses for such a period of time, this is something we both wrestled with, whether he was just to come for a short period of time and return on his own, or take the risk and come with us for the whole time.  Iswirl, Dan's new business was really birthed out of our first visit to Uganda from Jeff sharing stories with us of kids and adults that he knew that had died from Malaria.  These first hand accounts from Jeff struck Dan to the very core of who he is and from there birthed a vision to create a generation of givers.  A swirl of business that involves the vendor, consumer and charities.  So knowing that iSwirl was birthed from that first visit we felt the Lord's peace when we booked Dan for the whole two months.  This is only also able to happen because we have an incredible team of people that surround Dan that are willing to step up to the plate and give him this opportunity, thank you Shawn and Josh.  You both have been an amazing encouragement to us.

 
 So on February 1 we leave for Uganda for two months.  What do we hope to do?  Anything Jeff and Shannon need us to do.  We hope to put together gift baskets of necessities that we can deliver to families in need this often includes things such as kerosene, maize, mattresses, soap.  We also hope to run a VBS for a week alongside another family that will be there.  We hope to mud a hut and hopefully raise enough money to build a home for a family in need.  There are so many things we
would love to be a part of while over there.


     The purpose of the blog is two fold.  The first is that you, our family and friends will be able to follow some of our adventures as we prepare to go and while we are there.  I hope to get the kids writing as well so that you can see through the eyes of our kids the things that they are experiencing.  The second fold is to see if any of you can come along side us and participate with us in prayer and in financial giving towards the projects in Kibaale.  Pacific Academy Outreach Society is a non for profit organization run through Pacific Academy.   PAOS provide education to the neediest of needy ranging from nursery students to and including post secondary education and teacher training.  In 2008 they also opened the Kibaale Community Clinic which serves over a thousand patients a month.  Last but certainly not least they provide community development like clean water systems and Microloans and teaching local farmers sustainable agricultural methods.   We look forward to participating in whatever area they need us in.  PAOS  has started an account for us so any donations given are tax receitable.  The funds received would go specifically to the work we would be helping with while in Uganda.  Our family has and will cover our own expenses getting there and being there.



     So this Christmas in the hustle and bustle of buying gifts we would ask you would consider giving a gift towards the work in Uganda.  Every little bit helps.  Following is a list of gifts with the cost of each, all you need to do is send your cheque to Pacific Academy Outreach Society, in the memo section say what kind of gift you would like to buy and put under the Anderson Account.  The Address is 10238 -168th St., Surrey, BC V4N 1Z4, or Dan and i can always come by and pick up the cheque if you prefer.

solar lantern - $20
goat - $30
maize flour - $30
gift basket - $35
shoes and clothing - $40
Sawyer water filter - $80
water tank 500 L - $500
Mud House - $3000 (includes latrine and kitchen - so less for just a house)
Brick House - $4500 (includes latrine and kitchen - so less for just a house)


   Together we can make a difference:
   We are hoping we can purchase 60 gift baskets that our family will be able to put together while there and hand out to the Nursery students who will be brand new to the school while we are there.  These Nursery students will most likely be without a sponsor for the first few months there so the gift baskets will go a long way for their families. A personal goal of ours is to purchase a 500L water tank for our sponsor child Rebecca.  We have in the past been able to build her a new house and it has been so rewarding to participate in His work of looking after the orphans and the widows. Also please consider sponsoring one of the new students, it is only 35$ a month to sponsor one of the nursery students and it has been one of the most rewarding things our family has done together over the course of the past 6 years.  We also hope that we are able to build at least one home for a deserving family while we are there.  Every little bit helps.

     "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and

widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

      So there we go! Welcome aboard the train of the amazing adventures of the Anderson Family.  I hope you enjoy the ride with us.  Thank you for sharing this experience with us!
Dan, Sherri, Michelle, Ally and Kylie