While 27 of us are in El Salvador we have a team of 4 in Uganda.  They are working with Mosaic Vision and touching the lives of children who have lost everyone and are completely on their own.  Due to Aids, Malaria and other realities is is not uncommon for a 10- 12 year old to be the head of a house, taking care of 2-3 younger siblings.  They are in an area called the Rift Valley. They visited 6 families of orphaned children, AIDS orphans who have lost mom and dad to AIDS and are either living alone or living with an elder grandparent. Mosaic Vision has just started to minister in this unreached area of the Rift valley 3 months ago. Currently they have 50 children that are in need of sponsors there. It is much different and un-reached in terms of any help. It also has a drastically increased AIDS rate – the first group of children they took up have an HIV rate about 60% higher than other areas of Uganda.  Here are the comments via text from Kelly and Brynn below.

Kelly:
“Ok. I'm bathed and feel like a human being again. The Rift is far and VERY different than Rukungiri. Dry, hot, more barren, less green. Only cassava, rice and sugarcane really grown there. some banana plants but not cultivated for the bananas but the leaves that are used to make alcohol. We saw all 6 families. It took us 9 hours there and back with all visits included. The road is bad and there is a lot of walking to get to the homes. There is also a significant malnourishment problem there. Some homes grow food but sell most if it.
When it comes to the children, their conditions run the gamut from dark to light, good to bad. Some have blood grandparents living with them and the spiritual health of the home is reflected. Others are raising themselves at 12 and 14 and things are much more bleak. There are houses in disrepair etc. 

I could only imagine that the conditions were horrific before mosaic took them up. Benon accompanied us and we spent a period of rest at their home. He is a positive resource for mosaic. One child ill. Both parents died if aids and many of his symptoms seem in line with that. There were moments of joy. We were greeted near the first home by about 200 school children and as they ran toward us, I heard a deep, joyful laughter come from my daughter that I have not heard since she was a child. Being stretched. Having to speak and pray like never before. Pray for tomorrow's time with the caregivers. Remember when I couldn't even pray publically!”

Brynn:
Just got back from the Rift Valley. Very long day/drive. Conditions were pretty bad there. Saw a lot of children in desperate need of help. It was definitely challenging taking that all in.  The housing conditions wasn't as bad as some of the places in Rukingiri, but the children were very sick and very malnourished. I am so glad Mosaic is moving into that area.” 


Tomorrow Kelly and Brynn will be doing a Caretakers retreat for all the caregivers for the Mosaic Vision children. Abby and Brynn will be conducting a young girls retreat on purity and Aaron will be heading up a sports outreach through baseball. Please pray for them as they continue to pour themselves out for the Lords glory and for them to remain healthy.