Stensaas Family

I actually started this e-mail 10 days ago, but I didn’t get more than three paragraphs before it was dumped in the drafts folder to be worked on later….and now it is much later.  Today I will attempt to get it totally written and sent.  That will be quite the accomplishment for me!

 

At the end of February we had our NGO missionary conference that was a big success with a great spirit and everything so organized!  We enjoyed the time of fellowship with others and especially were refreshed by the preaching of a missionary from Nigeria.  We had to stay one extra day in Kampala to get our shopping done, so we were quite exhausted when we got home.

 

Our dachshund gave birth to two cute little puppies while we were gone - one black like the father and one brown like the mother, but both females.  The eyes have just opened this week, and the kids love every opportunity to hold them.

 

The Stensaas population in Uganda was reduced by two this month as Keith’s parents have returned to the States for furlough.  Dad said, “Most missionaries are excited to return to the States to see their children and grandchildren.  We have to leave ours to return to the States!”  We will certainly miss their frequent visits.

 

Rebekah Tracht is settled in and is enjoying teaching at the school every day.  The children really love her, and our orphan manager’s daughter has become her little shadow. 

 

Shane celebrated his birthday last week in turning 14.  Every time my kids have a birthday, I think about how much older I am getting!  We had planned to take the kids swimming as a fun activity for Shane’s birthday, but as we walked out the front door to leave, it began raining.  We went ahead and drove to the pool to show the kids that it really wouldn’t be fun or safe to swim with it raining and lightening, then returned home to drink hot chocolate and watch a family video. 

 

I have added lapbooking to the younger kids’ schooling, and we are having a lot of fun.  This week we completed a phonics book for Shiloh, and Shae-Lynn and he are working on one about inventors.  Skyler has an ongoing one with the letters of the alphabet and Bible numbers, and I plan to put the finishing touches on one this week that Shiloh has done on African Animals.  He loves to tell people about how the honey badger and the honey bird work together to get honey to eat.  Between homeschooling and children’s church, our sticker supply has greatly been depleted.  If you would like to help replenish our assortment, you would be a big blessing to our children and the Ugandans. 

 

Savannah thinks she is old enough for school and is always looking for a pen and a book so that she can write like her siblings.  It’s a challenge to keep an eye on her to make sure she writes in proper writing books and not in reading books.  She takes off her own shoes but likes to flop around in other people’s shoes.  Every question she is asked is answered with the negative shaking of the head, so you can tell she is told “no” a lot.  Being the youngest of six, she has plenty of bosses!

 

While I drive to and from church twice a day to take Rebekah to school and pick her up, I am beginning to realize just how closely intertwined temperance, patience and godliness are as they are linked together in 2 Peter 1.  Between the drivers who do that which is right in their own eyes (and I think some of them drive blind) and the roads that beat you up, no wonder my husband has such patience after driving here for 13 years!   One day I arrived home with my left shoulder blade in pain, and I believe it was caused by being knocked around on the roads.  On Monday and then again on Thursday drunk men walked right into the van as I was driving.  Praise the Lord they weren’t hurt and only the side mirror was knocked.  So as you are praying for us, make safety a priority. 

 

Keith’s court case has been delayed and has now been sent to Kampala for review.  It seems as if every month the man suing Keith sends out documents accusing us of something new, so we will be glad when this case is closed.  Pray that God will confuse the adversary.

 

Some have written and asked for an update on our fellow missionaries, the Applegates.  Recent ultrasounds have shown that the baby is growing at a normal rate and is not showing any sign of internal organ deformities, so the doctor has ruled out Trisomy 18.  They have begun questioning whether or not the feet and hand deformities were caused by a virus but aren’t totally committed to that theory either.  We may never know the cause except to say that God allowed this and to look for ways to see His name glorified in it all.  Because of many unknowns and not having the best of medical facilities here, the Applegates have made plans to return to the States at the end of April for the delivery of the baby.  If Kristy’s blood pressure shoots too high or any other problems develop before then, the head doctor here has said that he will need to deliver the baby immediately.  Please continue to pray for them.

 

Thank you for faithfully praying for us.  Have a great weekend serving our Lord.

 

 

Sally Jo Stensaas