Leaving on a Jet Plane

Today is the day our adventure begins. After spending a couple of days packing and weighing and repacking and reweighing, we are finally ready. We will spend the next two days in airplanes. Today we fly to Washington D.C. where we will hook up with most of our team and tomorrow we board an Ethiopian Airlines jet for a 13 1/2 hour direct flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopa, followed by a short connection to Entebbe, Uganda. I'm excited, nervous, and a little sad to leave the rest of my family. I am usually the one dropping Cam off at the airport. Please remember to pray for him, Kate, and Jordan while we're gone. I am ready to see what great things God has planned for Liz and I over the next 13 days. I'm not sure how much Internet access we will have (they said we might not even have electricity everywhere--which reminds me I forgot to pack flashlights) so I don't know how often I will be able to blog when we're gone. But I will take lots of pictures to share when we get back.

Donations for Uganda

Liz and I have been blessed again by the generous donations people have given us to take and share with the people of Uganda.  I had to send a list to our team leader today so I thought I would share that list with you.  I haven't weighed everything yet, but I think we will somehow make it all fit.

Uganda Donations

Clothing

30 little Dresses for Africa

2 t-shirts

1 pair of boys shorts

1 pair of boys shoes

Baby

1 8 oz box Gerber Rice & mixed fruit

1 12.7 oz Gerber Good Start Gentle Formula

2 17.5 oz Powder Pouches of Enfamil Formula

46 2 oz bottles of Enfamil Newborm formula

100 Size 1 Disposable diapers

6 packs of Baby Wips (480 total)

Medicine

6 4 oz bottles of Children’s Motrin

2 4 oz bottles of Children’s Ibuprofen

1 box Children’s Tylenol Meltaways (ages 2-6)

1 box Junior Tylenol Meltaways (ages 6-11

1 box Children’s Chewable Low Dose Aspirin

1 box Aspirin Free Rapid Tabs

1 4 oz bottle Children’s Pain Relief Plus-Multi-Symptom Cold

1 8 oz bottle Guaifenesin Oral Solution USP

1 8 oz bottle Q-Tussin Cough

1 tube of Carmex lip balm

1 package of  2” x 2” non-sterile cotton gauze sponges

School Supplies

74 Sharpie Highlighters

22 Packages of 8” x 10 ½” of wide ruled paper

14 70 sheet notebooks

4 3-subject notebooks

2 7” x 5” notebooks

26 Composition books

50 sheets of construction paper

200+ pencils

125 pens

3 rolls of tape

2 pencil sharpeners

Miscellaneous crayons, colored pencils, and markers

1 bag of popsicle sticks

2 bags of assorted beads, buttons, etc. for crafts

Miscellaneous math flash cards and games

Books as our weight limit will allow

Miscellaneous

1 piece of carry-on luggage

3 pack of Clorox Disinfection Wipes

2 packs of silly putty
1 box of glow sticks

Itinerary

 

Cooper James Hogg

Well, today it is two weeks until Liz and I leave for Washington, D.C. and then on to Africa.  We just said good-bye yesterday to our newest nephew, Cooper, who had been living in an orphanage in China for the past 17 months until Ryan and Ronda were able to adopt (save) him.  It makes the idea of visiting orphanages and loving on the kids until their future parents are able to come and get them that much more important.

Below is our itinerary if you want to keep track of where we will be each day

Day 1 – July 21

Depart the US and fly to Entebbe, Uganda on Ethiopian Airlines flight 501 at 11:15 a.m.

Day 2 – July 22

Arrive into Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at 7:45 a.m. Depart Addis for Entebbe on Ethiopian Airlines flight 811 at 10:45 a.m. Arrive in Entebbe, Uganda at 1:05 p.m. You will be picked up and driven to Kampala where you will be staying at The Victoria Travel Hotel. You will then visit Return Ministries in Kampala. Return for dinner. Rest, reflect, and prepare for tomorrow.

Day 3 – July 23

Spend the day at My Father’s House Ministries with Rebecca Sorenson. You’ll have lunch there with the children. Return, reflect and rest at The Victoria Travel Hotel.

Day 4 – July 24

Awake early. Have breakfast and drive to Pallisa, Uganda. You’ll serve at Kerith Children’s Home. The drive is about 5 hours away. That evening, you’ll stay at Country Inn Hotel in Pallisa

Day 5 – July 25

Awake and spend the day serving the children at Kerith Children’s Home in Pallisa, Uganda. Lunch at Kerith and then you’ll return to the Country Inn Hotel for dinner, rest, and reflection.

Day 6 – July 26

Awake early and spend the morning and early afternoon atKerith Children’s Home. Depart in the early afternoon for Jinja. The drive is About 5 hours. You’ll stay the night at The Haven outside of Jinja for a night of respite and reflection.

Day 7 – July 27

Wake up and have breakfast at The Haven. Today, you’ll split into 2 teams. Team 1: Amani for the day. Lunch there. Team 2: Ekisa from9-1 p.m. Lunch at Ekisa; Sangaalo from 2-5 p.m. At the end of theday, you’ll head to Canaan where you’ll be staying for the rest of your time in Uganda. You’ll have dinner and prep for the next day.

Day 8 – July 28

Today is day of ministry at Canaan--loving on the kids. That early afternoon will be a chance for shopping in town. You’ll return to Canaan for their ”Welcome ceremony” with the kids. Dinner and rest.

Day 9 – July 29

Today will be a day of worship with Canaan. Afterwards, you’ll have the opportunity to serve those at Canaan with a Ugandan “field day” with the kids. You’ll have a chance to play games and cook for thekids. That evening will be a night of rest, reflection, and preparation for the following day.

Day 10 – July 30

Today, you’ll split into 2 teams again. Meet for breakfast and head to your ministries for the day.Team 1: Ekisa from 9-1 p.m. Lunch at Ekisa; Sangaalo from 2-5 p.m. Team 2: Amani for the day. Lunchthere. Return to Canaan in the late afternoon for dinner, rest, and reflection.

Day 11 – July 31

Depart Jinja in the A.M. for the Entebbe airport. Fly out of Entebbe, Uganda on Ethiopian Airlines flight 810 at 5:25 p.m. Arrive into Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at 7:35 p.m. Depart Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight 500 at 10:15 p.m.

Day 12  - August 1

Arrival back into the U.S. at 8:40 a.m. to connect to domestic connections. Return with your lives forever changed