Our Great News!


This Family is moving back to Uganda!!
We can hardly believe we've been back in America for almost a year! This last season since returning from Uganda has been one of rest and connection. We've been able to spend quality time with friends and family, but the biggest blessing has been spending quality time together as a family of three. Being mom and dad to Colton feels like the greatest gift!
However restful this last season has been, we've felt all along that our hearts are still largely in Uganda. God has really been moving, and we are excited to say that we will be returning there early next year! Jared has accepted the position of Executive Director with an incredible organization called Ekisa Ministries that is helping to change the stigma of special needs in Uganda. If there was ever an organization that echoes our heart, this is it. 
EKISA MINISTRIES IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN UGANDA.
God has been preparing us for this next chapter in our lives over the last several years, and we clearly see His hand as he leads us and goes before us to Jinja. Many of you have even been witness to the ways He has been stirring our hearts: Asking us to trust Him as He moved us across the ocean three years ago, showing us His kindness in bringing us Saul, proving His sovereignty and good design as He brought us into the world of parenting a child with special needs, and even blessing us with Colton to love and care for.
Although when we left Uganda last December feeling broken, weary, and doubting that good could possibly be waiting for us back in America, so far from Saul, God has spent this last year showing Himself as kind and as the giver of the easy yoke. His goodness has come full circle as we prepare, a year later, to return to Uganda. We will join Ekisa in showing others how lucky they are to be able to love these kids with special needs that God has blessed them with, educate and encourage them as they care for these children, and experience the blessing of being part of the special needs community in Uganda once again. These words ring true as we look back on all God has done, "Our most meaningful purpose can be found exactly in our most painful brokenness. We can be brokers of healing exactly where we have known the most brokenness." - Ann Voskamp
Our hope is that we will be able to come alongside Ekisa in helping to show God's heart and deep love for children living with special needs. We long to continue their work in showing that every child deserves to feel safe and loved and important. Every child. To every one of you who has partnered with us to that end in the past, THANK YOU. We mean it and have said it again and again. We would not have been able to do what God called us to apart from your faithfulness.

And this time around, the same will be true. The ministry Ekisa does is not possible without the generosity of those who recognize the importance of the work they are accomplishing. We would treasure your partnership, in any way, as we prepare, fundraise, and say goodbyes.

If you would be interested in finding out more about how to partner and support us as we join them in this work, prayerfully or financially, we would be grateful. Simply Click Here and check the "partnering" box. We will be sending out newsletters specific to that as well as hosting a few dessert nights at our house before we leave to shed more light on what Ekisa is doing in Uganda.

We are so excited about this next step and would love for you to be a part of it with us! 
Find out more about Ekisa Ministries by visiting ::
Watch this video for a glimpse into life at Ekisa 

Flying By

If you can believe it, we only have a little over a month before we board a plane for Uganda! The past few weeks have been very full and eventful. Here's an overview of what we've been up to and what's coming up for us. 

Off To Texas

If you didn't know, Stefani is from Texas. And yes, she like everyone from there thinks there is no place better.  Wanting to see her family before we leave, we were able to travel to San Antonio and Austin this last weekend.  We got to spend time with her dad, aunts and uncles, and her favorite person, her grandpa.  I got to show him some of the photos of our last trip to Uganda and where we will be living.  We celebrated her sister's birthday, ate at Stef's favorite restaurants, and even spent the last day in Austin taking  
our nephew to the
Texas History Museum. We had  a wonderful trip and made some great memories to take with us.

                               
Back in Vegas

Back at home things have been going well.  We have been working, packing up things in our house, and even had to say goodbye to our friends and roommates who moved to California to plant a church. We have had a continuous flow of boxes through the house.  "Sell, pack, take, or give" is the question we have been asking about everything we own as we pack up our house and see what will be fitting in the 6 storage totes we will take with us for our move.  We still have plenty to do, but we are grateful for the time we have left, excited for the memories we will make in that time, and even more excited for what will come when we arrive in Uganda.  

For those of you who have joined with us in praying for specifics for our move, THANK YOU!  We have found someone to rent our house which is a great answer to prayer. We also have a friend buying the car we had for sale. More than that, many of our friends and family have connected with us about financially partnering with us for our trip and becoming supporters. We can't help but be grateful to God for providing and to His people for being so generous. It seems like God is making it more apparent that our upcoming move is the right one, and that He is preparing the way by going before us. 

  Things to Pray For ::

  1. Continued meetings with people who are interested in partnering with us financially and want to help make an impact in Uganda
  2. Time with our friends and family as we make memories before we leave
  3. For our roles at Noah's Ark.  That God will continue to give us clarity and prepare us for our ministry there.  

Grateful for all of you,
Jared and Stefani 

We are moving... to Africa!

At the beginning of this year we spent 9 weeks serving at Noah's Ark Children's Ministry in Uganda. And now, 9 weeks from today, we will be leaving to return to Noah's Ark for at least 1 year. To say we are excited and grateful for the opportunity isn’t saying enough. For some time now God has continued to grow our hearts to the possibility of being in Uganda long term. The 9 weeks we spent there caring for babies, changing diapers, discipling teens, travelling to different doctors, and helping to meet immediate needs around us showed us what joy was all about; joy that only comes from living full in Christ. After much prayer and discernment, we can confidently say that God has placed Uganda on our hearts for a reason, and we trust this is where He is calling us to go. The opportunity at Noah's Ark will give us a great place to do ministry, use our gifts, and most importantly love and care for the many children God has brought to Noah's Ark.
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