We're leaving..on a jet plane...

Well, we finally got word that we will be returning to Uganda with Samaritan's Purse. Ruco will be working as the program coordinator-reporting manager for a U.N. World Food Program food distribution project in the Karamoja region of Uganda (in the north-east, close to Kenya.) It is a harsh, but beautiful region. We had the opportunity to visit there twice before as we were helping out with needs assessments in the area.

The Karimojong are traditionally cattle keeping people that lead semi-nomadic lifestyles. (We also lived with cattle herding people group in "The Gambia"-the people group there were called "Fulas".. so it must be our thing.) The Karamoja region of Uganda has generally been marginalized in relation to the rest of Uganda. It is quite different than the other areas we visited during our time in Uganda, and the need there is great. There is extreme poverty in Karamoja, and the people struggle with a harsh climate (which regularly leads to crop failure,) insecurity (because of cattle raiding between the Karimojong,) illiteracy, and poor health. We also discovered during our needs assessments in Karamoja that there is very little infrastructure, and few health facilities compared to other regions in Uganda.

I am praying that God will provide a working opportunity for me as well in the Karamoja region. Truly there is so much need there, and it will just be a matter of God showing me in what area I am supposed to work. For now, I am excited to get back to Uganda so that Ruco can begin his new job, and we can GET SETTLED..I can't believe we will have our own place again and have a life established somewhere!! :) Well, at least for one year...

More adventures to come! Stay tuned...

A woman carrying wood and some cattle around a local water pump

The streets of Kampala are filled with kids from Karamoja.

The mountains of Abim, Karamoja.

Women returning from gathering wood in the bush.

The town of Moroto, where we will be living, sits at the foot of these mountains.