I'm moving to Nairobi....on Oct 28th!!!!

Hi Friends & Family,

I wanted to update you on the recent events that have come about. I've been praying for a few months now that God would lead and direct me to my next step. While in Nicaragua two weeks ago Greg (President), Peter (CEO) and myself sat down to discuss what that might be. We looked at the fact that my year is this position has passed, my desire still was to get to the field for a time and my passion has always been and will be to work with women who have been marginalized/at risk. We came to a mutually beneficial scenario and have seen the Lords hand in it in such a way that can only be a confirmation. I will be leaving in 8 days for Nairobi, Kenya to live and I'm so excited. So, i guess you all probably have some questions so let me try to give some clarity:

Who: Ruth still working for FH

What: I will be working 60% of my time continuing coordinating for Greg & Peter and the office of the President/ CEO, the other 40% will be working with our HIV/AIDS, women's groups in Nairobi as well as some time allocated to various projects that come up

Where: Nairobi, Kenya

Why: I have always wanted to get some field experience and have waited for the 'OK' from God. This last year and half i know he has been preparing me and has asked me to be patient for His timing not mine.

When: October 28th- I've given a verbal agreement to stay at least until July so i can plan our Leadership Gathering that will be taking place in Kenya (so at the very shortest 9 months)

As i go please pray for:

• Packing- I am not close to finishing yet and am trying to fit everything into two bags, move out of my brothers, store the rest at my parents
• Travel prior- I'm headed to Austin on Wednesday morning until Sunday, then will return, have a day to finish up getting ready and then will leave Tuesday for Kenya. So, please pray for safety, for enough sleep/ rest, good time with my boss and his family, work that needs to get done will
  
• Safety in traveling- planes, cars, trains,
  
• Housing- i will be staying with the Country Director and his wife once i arrive but will start looking for a place right away. Please just pray that God will show me where he wants me to be at
• Job- that i will be able to balance my two roles, that i would be able to learn quickly everything i need to and will be a blessing to the FH staff there
• Fun- i am looking forward to the adventure ahead!!
  

So, there it is! Now starts my new adventure!
Also, real quick I wanted to thank those of you that have been supporting me financially this last year. I really appreciate it and consider it a blessing from God.

Uganda, the land that I love.....

My time in Northern Uganda was great, thank you for all your prayers. We spent most of our time in the New Life Centre in Kitgum District. We worked most directly with the staff at the NLC to help build their capacity. Deborah and Jenn had a great time using their unique skills to help benefit all around. Deborah was a huge help to the nurse doing a ton of charing and many other things. Jenn helped to assess the psychosocial aspect that the SGBV (sexual gender based violence) victims. I was able to help several different areas, one being learning to write grant proposals with Dr. Wendy, the program manager up there. I found it fascinating to write UNICEF (and other) proposals to get funding for specific programs such as , Hep E/ Water & Sanitation, Child Protection and HIV/ AIDS. I really enjoyed the exposure and the new skill that it produced as well as the end result of funding! :) FH uses funding from organizations like UNICEF and pairs it with private donor dollars to get at achieving wholistic development.

We were told we came at a crucial time for the NLC, and know it was only God ordained. At times we didn't always feel that we were doing a lot but we were assured that the timing could have only been God's. It just goes to show yet again that His plans are not always known. We thought we were going there for one reason and it ends up being for something different and more important.

The girls and i all got along just fine; we were unified and worked great as a team. It really did help that we had already been roommates for a year and new one another's oddities and personalities. One of the highlights was that we got to travel to Piswa where Deborah and i both support girls in the community. I got to visit my sponsored child and visit with her and her family. Her father had passed away a month earlier and so i was able to encourage them and give my condolences. When we took this picture it was the one and only time she smiled.

I was hoping that God would lead me to stay in Uganda or to return to work for a season. It was clear that while i was there, although i loved the work, the people, the country it was not God's will that i work there right now. This realization was difficult but freeing in that i am more open to anything that God might have for me. Stay Tuned...

Back from Guatemala & Nicaragua

Hello All,

I'm back now from the trip and want to thank you again for all your prayers. I know i already updated you on Guatemala but i wanted to tell you about Nicaragua. Overall it went really smooth. Although we only had 3 days there, we packed as much into it as we could. The group of us that went got to learn about our unique partnership with the Nehemiah Center in Managua. The Nehemiah Center is a place that was created 9 years ago as a collaboration between 7 Christian NGO's to reach Nicaragua for Christ. Each NGO brings different resources to the table and each one relies on each other. It's a Center based on relationship and interdependence and is an amazing testimony to what can be done when all are working for the same end state and when the glory goes all to God. We also got to encourage our staff, get a better idea of their struggles and challenges as well as visit an active volcano and spend some quality time with the Country Director and her deputy :) I couldn't have done any of it without your prayers.Thanks again for your support, update from Uganda coming soon!!

Peace
Ruth