grace.

this is my first ever guest blogger.  mandie joy is precious to me.

she was living as a nurse and foster mom when we met in uganda

after many e-mails.  we bonded quickly...understanding each other's

hearts & it was easy to see that we'd be fast friends & trusted confidants.

she is wise beyond her years & has a love for God that is palpable.

during our wait for nico & jude she was a lifeline.  she'd pick them

up from the orphanage for ice cream and skype dates with us.

she read them letters from us & talked to them about what it

would be like to be in a family.  she & her roomies were family

to us during my time in-country & i cherish the times we spent

together in uganda.  during her time living there, she spent much time

with the staff & kids of Ekisa & i asked to share her post here. 

please read about Ekisa in her words & watch a PRECIOUS video at the end.

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I’ve written about this place before. A home – a family, really – nestled in the trees on a dirt road in Uganda. They call themselves Ekisa, which means grace, because that’s the bottom line of everything they do: God’s grace. Back in 2010, two girls (both named Emily) who felt God’s grace poured out over their own lives pushed pause on the world’s goals for them and listed to His dream instead…to open a home for children in Uganda who are abandoned, neglected, or even abused because they’re different. They started out with little and God has provided just enough along the way to bring in one.more.child. Again and again and again. [source] Each child at Ekisa is treasured, adored, and perfect. During my time in Uganda, I fell in love with all of them and often went out to visit, change a dressing, check on a feeding tube, or just to snuggle. The Emilys (as we affectionally called them) and other volunteers at Ekisa became our community and were sure to be a source of encouragement and American treats. We shared responsibility of each other’s children, attended funerals and birthday parties together, and learned what it meant to be Jesus to each other and those around us. The Emilys are dedicated, wise, and tireless. They love well and long and hard when others might have given up. They hope when doctors say there is none. They stay awake at night, forfeit the luxuries of hot water and pumpkin spice lattes and Christmas with their families…all for the sake of these little ones. [source] They rarely ask for anything. They wake up each morning expecting Jesus to provide for them…and he does. But one of the sweet things about Jesus is that he lets us be a part of what he wants to do. And I believe there’s something he wants to do for Ekisa this month. So we’re asking for them. Because just to keep the doors open is stretching them right now. Not only is Ekisa home to over 22 children, it is also a workplace for several Ugandans with special needs that could prevent them from finding a job elsewhere. Every aspect of this ministry blesses the community around it. Without Ekisa, many of the children who currently live there would not be alive today. And so we’re asking. My dear friend Lovelyn has a tradition of funding a project on her birthday each year. Hop on over to her blog to read about previous projects and find out how easy it is to be a part of this one. Love always does an A-MAZING job of keeping everyone posted on the results of each project. All of us together can make a huge difference in the lives of the Ekisa kids… … here’s a little gift for you: a peek into the world of Ekisa. PURE JOY! (I put this little video together on a typical day at Ekisa last year. They have regular dance parties, you know.)

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could you join us in blessing Ekisa?

we're looking for 228 people to give $33.

could one be you?

your tax deductible donation can be made directly to them here: