Starting off 2022

 

We were thankful to spend part of our Christmas break camping at our favorite spot in Uganda. Friends joined us for a few nights of bonfires, waterfall hikes, canoeing, and fun.

 

As we reflected back on 2021 over the 2 week Christmas break, we cannot help but be filled with gratitude for God’s faithfulness to us! Mwesigwa means God is faithful in Luganda. In 2021, our family experienced 2 bouts of COVID and 2 bouts of recovery, lots of lockdown measures in Uganda severely restricting our movement at times leading to new friendships within our neighborhood, a wonderful 2 month home assignment where memories were made and family connections were strengthened, and Matt reaching the mid-mark of his challenging and tiring Master’s Program (to name a few challenges and victories). 

January 10^th, the President of Uganda announced the end of almost all COVID lockdown restrictions. This included reopening schools and churches, doing away with our extensive curfew, and allowing for greater movement of public transportation. After 2 years at home, our oldest was finally able to return to school. Uganda had the longest COVID-related school closure in the world. After this announcement, we scrabbled with our oldest and a dear friend to find a suitable school for him, and get him registered, packed, and dropped off. (Ashley expanded upon this process more on her instagram account). Though these past 2 years of having him home unexpectantly were a gift, we are all thankful that he can resume his studies and pursuing a high school diploma.

Though 2022 has had a slower start, we look forward to where God will lead us in the months to come as we pursue our family’s and EMI’s missions. Both of us are engaging in mentoring relationships at EMI this work term, Matt is part of the 2022 goal-setting and implementing team at EMI as a member of leadership (Staff Week is upcoming in mid-March), our oldest has been able to resume his studies with 2 years of high school remaining, we are expecting a baby girl in June, and with churches reopened we hope to grow in our relationships and involvement there. 

EMI Update

EMI's mission statement is “To develop people, design structures, and construct facilities which serve communities and the Church.

One of Matt’s highlights working at EMI is the opportunities to invest in and develop other people. At the beginning of the year, one of the architects was promoted to a team leader role. This is her first management position and Matt has enjoyed coaching her through the transition.

A new group of interns joined EMI at the end of January. We have three interns from the US, two from Uganda, and one from the UK. EMI connects our interns with a spiritual mentor and we are mentoring a married couple.We have enjoyed getting to know them.

One of EMI's projects this term is partnering with The Remnant Generation (TRG) to master plan a new campus. TRG focuses on rescuing and restoring pregnant teen girls who have survived sexual assault. Matt has been in discussions with this ministry for a year and a half before this project launched. Though not part of the design team, Matt is really excited about this ministry and the opportunity to work with them. 

 

One way EMI serves is helping other ministries take their vision for developing their land from ideas to a more tangible concept. They often use our deliverable to communicate to their vision to potential donors, helping them to raise money for construction. Here is the concept from the TRG trip.

This season has been challenging for Matt in his leadership role. However, it has provided lots of opportunities to grow as a leader. Matt has enjoyed the process of working with department leaders and the leadership team to set a vision and goals for this year. The overall theme for the goal is to focus on and strengthen our foundation to ensure that our vision and mission are central to all that we do. Matt is also looking forward to the upcoming staff week in mid-March. This is a time for all the staff to gather for meetings, fellowship, and equipping.

Family Update

Our family mission statement is Walking with Jesus as faithful disciples and inviting others to join.

Getting to know other families and businesses in our neighborhood has been a priority for Ashley, especially in response to COVID lockdowns. Every week she and the kids walk around some of the roads, as well as down to the nearby (1/4 mile away) trading center for hearing the neighborhood news and picking up groceries. So many relationships have formed (though still in their infancy for depth) through these walks and through Neighborhood Playgroups.

The reopening of schools meant the closing of our weekday afternoon Neighborhood Playgroup. While we are so thankful almost of the families in our area were able to afford school fees and send their children back to school, we do miss having our neighbors over as regularly. The children now come over most Saturday afternoons for a couple of hours, a highlight for both Joshua and Abby.

 

Our biggest family update is that our family is getting bigger. We are expecting a baby in June. Joshua was so sure that God would give him another baby sister (as he loves Abby so much), and it turns out he was right. Though this pregnancy has been particularly challenging, we are thankful for this gift of life and for Ashley's and our girl's health.

Ashley and the kids have continued with homeschool, regular walks around the neighborhood and to our nearby trading center, and organizing a weekly Nature Club outing with other homeschooling families. This takes up most of Ashley’s energy at the moment. We hope to continue to find more and more opportunities to use our home, and Ashley and the kids’ flexible schedule, as a means to invite others in.

 

Every Friday, Ashley enjoys organizing a Nature-based adventure for her and the kids, and being able to invite other homeschooling families in. The outings are typically inspired by whatever topics are covered in Joshua’s homeschool material that week. Picture above is an outing to a nearby forest.

 Praises

• We are so thankful for time to reflect over the Christmas break and see God/s faithfulness over 2021.
  

• Despite bouts of Covid causing excessive changes in plans, Ashley was able to take a one week trip to California to visit family. She enjoyed getting to connect (and getting some maternity clothes…). Unfortunately we had to postpone her mom’s visit until the summer. Matt and the kids had a good week in Uganda and felt very loved and supported by many in our community here while Ashley was away.

• Our oldest is back at school! Even though he doesn’t have his phone with him due to school rules, we have heard from him and it sounds like he is adjusting well. We do know he is on the soccer team and enjoying meeting lots of new people at his new school. Even finding this school was a blessing.

• Overall, we have had a very healthy pregnancy. Even though it has been more challenging physically for Ashley than previous pregnancies, the doctor and midwives continue to give health reports over Ashley and baby girl. The kids are so excited to welcome a baby sister.

• Uganda’s COVID lockdown restrictions have ended allowing the economy to more fully open up! The lockdown had a severe effect on most of the population’s incomes and abilities to care for families.

• Nature club has continued to be a fun creative outdoor outlet for Ashley and the kids. We are thankful for the other families that show up to join each week. 

Prayer Requests

• EMI’s Staff Week is coming up next week. Join us in praying that this would be a fruitful time together as a team.

• We would love more opportunities to build deeper friendships and relationships as individuals and as a family. Please join us in praying for these and that our home and property would be a blessing to our community and neighborhood (though it will look differently than it has up to now).

• Matt is having a hard time balancing the many stressful roles he is finding himself in: leading at EMI with other members of leadership coming and going, persevering in his Master’s coursework, and some challenging situations professionally and personally he is having to sort and discern. Join us in praying for him to get the space and time he needs to refresh and to reevaluate.

• Our oldest comes home from boarding school for a 3 week break beginning mid-April. We hope our limited time with him then would be encouraging for all of us, and that we would be able to send him back to school in May rested and ready to continue catching up academically.

• At the end of February, Ashley had her phone stolen from her back pocket while she and the children were on a neighborhood walk. We are thankful no one was injured and that we are able to replace the phone, however the kids and her battle a little bit of fear now when they go walking. They were just up the hill from our home on one of their favorite side roads when it happened. Would you join us in praying against fear while they are out, and that they would continue to enjoy their neighborhood walks instead of choosing not to do them?

• We are thankful for the opportunity to mentor 2 interns at EMI through early May. Please join us in praying for these interns while they are in Uganda short term and for our relationships and studies with them.