It Was Bound to Happen Sometime

Today was pretty low key, but encouraging.  Outside of some potty struggles, the fever was not present and he was very sweet and jovial.  We were also contacted twice, once from our main contact here and once from the Embassy, and both gave us optimistic reports concerning the potential for our interview going well on Wednesday.

We took a walk in the a.m. then after lunch headed over to the Country Club we have access to through our apartments.  There is a playground area there were Katylynn and Moses had a blast.  We also went swimming, and again both kids loved it.

It was while we were in the playground that it happened.  I knew it would happen sometime.  He was a 7 year old boy named Stallone (yup, that was his first name).  He was a sweet little guy who was quick to introduce himself to me and ask me my kids name.  After introducing Katylynn and Moses, he looked at Moses, then to me, then to Katylynn, back to Moses, then to me.

"Why is he brown and you are all white?"

I started to explain that we were adopting him, but he interrupted, "Is his mother brown?"
I started to explain again.  He interrupted again, "Did you change his color?"

I took a different slant.  I explained that his mom and dad who had him were not around anymore, and we were going to be his mom and dad now.  He seemed to understand. I looked at his mom and shrugged. She said, "Very good lesson for my boy.  Thank you, and God bless you for what you've done!"

Many have asked us if we have thought through the "race issue" as we adopt.  The answer is yes, we have thought about it a lot, and we don't know what lies ahead, but it's worth any insult or obstacle we may face.

Some have called us "color blind".  We are not color blind.  We are quite aware of the amazing colors God has created on this earth.  We just happen to love all those colors and would love to see them present in our family.

The fact is that the question, "Why is he brown and you all are white?" has likely been asked multiple times already, but just not to our faces.  I'm sure it will be asked again.  I doubt every time the response will be, "God bless you for what you've done!"

To say we don't care would be incorrect.  I think we care deeply.

I think the correct thing to say is that we refuse to let skin tone deter us from seeking to live out God's call to look after his children.

To Our Aarons and Hurs

I sent an email out to several of my teammates at NMC updating them on our situation. In that email, I asked for continued prayer and included this line:
"We need some Aaron and Hur's to lift our arms right now in battle"

Here's the story in reference to that line:

Exodus 17:
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.


Last night upon hearing our news from yesterday, we received two different messages (from people who did not receive my email mentioned above) referencing their intent to be our Aaron Hur.

I can't tell you how encouraging the simple phrase "I'm praying" or "we are praying" has been to us.  To know we are arms are being lifted up through those who are praying for us allows us great confidence in the fact that we are in a position where our steps will be guided by God.

To our Aarons and Hurs out there.  Thank you.  We deeply need, value and appreciate you!

Another Story

In the midst of the chaos of today, Katylynn was such a trooper.  While we were sitting in the Doctor's Office, Katylynn said to Janelle, "Mama, I want to go back to the Unison States" (here name for the U.S... it's too cute right now for us to correct).

Janelle asked her if she wanted Moses to come back with us.  She said she did.  Janelle explained that if we want that to happen, we are going to have to stay some more days.  But she also asked Katylynn why she wanted to go back.  Her response (not word for word, but pretty close),

"Because I have so many more toys at home in the Unison States.  The boys and girls here don't have many toys.  You know Mama, I think we should go home to the Unison States and get some of our toys and bring them back here to the boys and girls who don't have many toys."

In an already emotional day, tears filled my eyes.  Tears of pride, for a little gal that God is building compassion inside.

A Tough Day

Today started with promise and anticipation. It has ended quite differently. 

Our Visa Appointment at the Embassy was set for 2:00 p.m. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we arrived at the Embassy was 2:30. It looked very much like weren’t going to see us because of our tardiness, but with some major apologies and the look of shock on Janelle’s face, the assistant we were working with asked us to wait and see what she could do.
So we waited. Moses was super fussy and seemed pretty overheated while we waited. After about 20 minutes, we were called back in.

It was not good news.

• There were two important pieces of paperwork that had not arrived yet for our interview to take place.
• There would be no way we could do our interview today.
• Visa interviews only happen on Mondays and Wednesdays.
• July 4, Monday is a holiday.
• The earliest we can come in again for the interview is next Wednesday.
• If all goes well then, it will take up to 48 hours for our Visa to be issued.
• Our Flight is set to leave next Thursday Night.
• The math doesn’t add up.
• Oh, and as a little added bonus… one of those pieces of paperwork has a chance to not be ready even next week.

As we explained to this amazing assistant (seriously, she was so helpful and gracious) our situation with the timing, she took some steps to see if she could potentially speed up the process to make it more likely the Visa would be issued by next Thursday. No promises, though.

We walked out of the Embassy deflated and defeated. We drove over to the location where one of the missing pieces of paperwork was coming from. We were profusely apologized to and assured it would be sent expeditiously.

As we drove back to the Apartment to break the news to mom and Katylynn, our host here affirmed us to not be discouraged. The Visa can be turned around. We were struggling, but holding on to hope.

Moses had slept in my arms for much of the drive back to the apartment. He was burning up in my arms. We got into the apartment and I broke the news to Mom & Katylynn while Janelle took Moses’ temperature.

102.1

We called our host back, and he was showing enough other symptoms that she decided it be best to take him to a Doctor. After 3 hours of tests, examination, and tears (man that kid can cry) we were informed of multiple issues that were coming into play that needed addressing. For the next 48 hours, that little guy is going to not be feeling well as he takes the necessary medicine.

We were planning on going on a 3 day safari to Queen Elizabeth Park tomorrow. The Doctor said we should not do this with how Moses is feeling. This was our big surprise for Katylynn (fortunately we hadn’t told her about it).

And Strike Three. We’re out.

As we sat in the Doctor’s Office, I stared at Janelle and she back at me completely dumfounded. What just happened? I had mentioned in a previous post that everything was going so smoothly that I could see the Enemy throwing a wrench into things, but this was an entire Stanley Tool Shop.

To be completely honest, I haven’t had a more heart-breaking, frustrating, emotional roller coaster of a day since the day my dad died.

So, what now? Well, as some who I've already been in contact with have reminded me...

1 Thesalonians 5:24
The one who calls you is faithful, and HE will do it.


2 Corinthians 4:15-17
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


Ephesians 6:12-13
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

We're going to continue to stand.  We are grateful for those who have been standing with us.  Right now we need you to continue to stand.

Pray:

• That both reports will make it to the Embassy asap.
• That Moses' will sleep well and that his little body will heal up quickly.
• That something miraculous might happen over the next couple of days, and we may see unexpected progress before the weekend.
• That Katylynn will stay healthy.  She has been a feeding post for mosquitos.  They are not bothering her, but when she gets bitten they turn into massive bumps.  Also pray for her emotionally.  She's having to adjust to having a little brother enter as a toddler as well as deal with Culture Shock.  She's doing so well.
• That we will keep our eyes on Jesus above all else.

Today started with promise and anticipation. It has ended quite differently.  
It has ended with uncertainty.  

It also ends with 
FAITH in the One who has brought us to this point. 
HOPE that the miraculous may take place, and 
LOVE for a little boy who is, at the end of the day, still our son! 

2 p.m./ 7 a.m. MUCH PRAYER, MUCH POWER NEEDED!

We would love a little prayer at 7 a.m. EST tomorrow (2 p.m. Uganda).  That's our appointment time with the Embassy.  Everything seems in order, and it has been a super-smooth process so far, and judging by those who have gone before us, this should be the easiest part.  Yet, I can't help but think the Enemy would love to throw a wrench in the whole process right at the end.  We would love  a huge covering over us as we head in.


Pray that:

• all paperwork will be in order and present.
• our nerves will be calm, our hearts speak, and we will shine the light of Christ.
• those interviewing us will have a peaceful, and light-stress work day leading into our interview.
• Moses will be in a great and sweet mood for the trip.
• Mom and Katylynn will have an enjoyable time
• we will have an okayed Visa by 7:30 a.m. EST (the process should only last 30 minutes).

 Moses' first stroller ride.  HE LOVES IT!

A Collection of Thoughts from Uganda

• It's been a week since we left the U.S.  Lot's has changed.
• I think I'm going to nickname my son "Duke."  I've never seen so much poop come out of a kid.
• My mom has been a huge blessing on this trip.  She has helped us with Katylynn in times where we need to focus in on Moses, she's helped with food and dishes, and it's just been awesome to have her be able to bond with her grandson.
• There are fewer better things known to mankind than taking a nap next to your kids.
• One thing that may be better is watching Janelle be a mom.  She's the bomb as a mom (yup, I really just wrote that).
• There have been so many people who have made this experience possible.  At some point, there's a long post coming concerning that.
• Moses is a little sponge.  He's always watching and mimicking.  Today, I sat and said word after word which he in turn repeated.  This afternoon, he tried to put his seatbelt on after watching us do this several times.
• Speaking of seat belts, there are no car seats here.  It's not going to be fun to retrain Katylynn and to get Moses acclimated to a car seat for the first time.
• Strollers too.  No strollers.  However, I took the two for a test walk on our sit and stand, and Moses loved it.  The whole time he was making motor noises.
• It's still a little surreal to be honest.  We know we've got him.  We're loving every minute of it, but we're anxious to get tomorrow's Visa Interview done.  From there, it's smooth sailing.

Amazing Day of Meetings

Before I get into this post, I want you to know that we will not  be sharing a ton of the details concerning Moses' back story.  We feel it is best to allow that to be a story that Moses can determine how he'd like it shared in public forums. 

We visited some amazing people today who without their intersection into Moses' story, he would not be taking a nap in the room next to me.  We met the community chairman and the police officer who found Moses and connected him to the organization that took Moses into their care.  We also were able to visit the area where Moses was orphaned.  As we toured and heard more details outlining the conditions and situation that led us for him to come under our care, we realized that he has been saved from what would have likely been a life of hell (one of our earliest prayers for the child God would lead us to). 

We then went on to meet an amazing family who took Moses under foster care for 6 months.  When there were some developmental struggles appearing in Moses, he went to stay with this family who cared for him and loved him dearly.  From the moment we arrived till the moment we left, they were ecstatic and appreciative to see Moses again as well as meet us.  They were incredibly gracious people and they could not stop showering us with hospitality and appreciation.  This family will continue to be a special family to us as we move forward in life.

On another note, a little moment that again made me so happy to have Katylynn in Uganda at such a young age.  We were walking through the community where Moses was found when Katylynn pointed to a mud looking thatch and said, "Daddy, that's where the chickens live."

For a moment, I wanted to pretend like that was true and agree with her.  I decided to see if we could make it a teachable moment and told her, "Honey, that is not where chickens live.  That is where people leave.  It's someone's home."  She was confused but as we continued to talk she began to understand that there is a different world out there from the one she is growing up in.  I asked her what she thought about the home and she said, "It's sad."

Just a nice little moment of perspective.

It's almost time for Supper.  Thanks for praying all.

IMPACT and GO teams

Today there are two teams from NMC Senior High heading out to allow God to stretch and use them.  I am excited for the journey ahead for them. You can follow what's happening with each team...

IMPACT Dominican - www.korylantz.blogspot.com

ChicaGO SEMP Team - www.gotrips.blogspot.com

Last night before going to bed, I passed this email on to our leaders to share with our teams:

Dear IMPACT and GO Teams,

It's Sunday Night here in Uganda... Sunday afternoon back in what Katylynn has now officially called the "Unison States." As my two kids (wow, that' fun to write) are fat asleep and I get ready for bed here, my heart and mind has been very focused on you all. I don't know how to say this any other way, 
 I have been very burdened to pray that God would wreck every one of your lives in the days to come. Yup, that's right, I want to see Jesus ruin your lives.

To explain a little further, my prayer is that through your time you would see that any other path but passionately following after Jesus would be pointless, and useless. I'm praying that you will be so wrecked and ruined toward any other thing than serving our Savior, that you will surrender yourself to 
His Will and submit to His Ways.

May you be challenged in ways you have never been challenged.
May you be stretched in ways you have never been stretched.
May you experience the move of the Holy Spirit in ways you've never experienced.
May you practice bold obedience in ways you have never practiced.
May you see your life IN HIM in ways you've never seen.
May you be wrecked and ruined for everything else but serving Jesus!

Matthew 16:
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Tomorrow you begin a journey that has the potential to change your life, the lives of your teammates, and the lives of those you come in contact with. Know that there is a family halfway around the world who is seeking to pray for you regularly.

You are Loved,
Derry

Our Sabbath: I Lost It

We were all a little slow getting up this morning.  Our taxi was here at 9:15 to take us to church.  Watoto Church is fairly famous worldwide.  Chris Tomlin featured their Children's Choir on the Hello Love Album.  A few things that struck me about this church:

• We got there 30 minutes early for the 10 a.m. service (they have Saturday night, then 8, 10, 12, and 2 on Sunday).  There were a swarm of people lining up outside waiting to get in.  Those in the current service exit to one side, then those heading into the next service file from the other side.
• They are a church with eight sites in Uganda and one in Capetown, South Africa.
• The service was very African, but in English (Kampala speaks mainly English).  They have also been clearly influenced by the Passion and Hillsong Worship Movement.
• It was very Connection-esque (our Video venue at NMC) in it's worship style.
• We were sitting in the 3rd row.  As I looked behind me, every seat was filled.

There was a Children's Ministry available, but because we didn't want to freak Katylynn out, and we're working on the bonding deal with Moses, the kids joined us.  They did great (we only had to take each one out once).  Katylynn loved the music.  So did I.

Janelle handed Moses over to me after her arm was falling asleep.  We started singing the song "Mighty to Save."  As I began to process the lyrics and think through all that was happening in that moment, I lost it.


I serve a Savior who is the hope of Nations.  As I stood in a church that was started in 1983, at the time when the country was war torn and many would be running, I realized how true the statement is.  As I worshiped alongside my Ugandan brothers and sisters in Christ, many with needs very different than mine, I was reminded at the heart of it all, our greatest need is for a Savior.  He is all our hope.

My Savior Can Move Mountains:  There have been a lot of mountains in this process.  Whether financial, emotional, political, or mental... there have been no hurdles to big for my God to overcome.  It was at this point the tears really started to well up.

My God is Mighty to Save:  I always look at this line through the salvation experienced by death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross. Although the song clearly seems to point toward what you may call "spiritual" salvation, our God is not limited to simply that.  My God saved my little boy from dying when he was abandoned.  He saved him from a life on the streets as an orphan.  He saved him from a life spent in an institution.  He saved him so they he could become a part of our family.  At this point, I was gone.

Fortunately, I was sweating a lot, so I could simply wipe my forehead and then make a sweep of the eyes so as to not let too many know what a wreck I had become.  Yet, every tear was filled with deep appreciation for the reality that MY GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE!

The rest of the day included lunch, some grocery shopping (this kid likes to eat), a couple of good naps, and Moses' first exposure to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Katylynn loved explaining each character to Moses.  Moses sang along to the songs and had a huge smile on his face!

Katylynn has been amazing!  She has been key in helping warm Moses up.  He clearly loves her, and she loves her baby brother back.  They have laughed together a lot, and already had a couple of good disagreements!

Some key ways to be praying:

• Janelle/Moses fun bonding.  Janelle was the first of us that he found comfort in, and we're thinking that he gets somber when he is in her arms or near her.  I think we all know Janelle is not a very somber mommy, so just pray for lots of giggles and fun times together.
• Visa Interview.  It doesn't happen till Wednesday, but it's key that it works on Wednesday.  One little misprint, a missing document, or some missed step could cause for delay.  Everything seems to be in perfect order, but the adoption law and process in Uganda is an ever-evolving deal.
• Key Visits tomorrow.  Tomorrow we visit the place where Moses was found as well as the home of a lady who took him into foster care for a few months during a time where he was not developing well.  These are huge parts of his story that we want to capture and understand so we can share with him years from now.

One Less

This song has been resonating with me since I first heard Matthew West perform it live last October.  Remove "girl" from the lyrics, and it's my story:


There's one less broken heart in the world tonight, and here is what his smile looks like:

Saturday Pics

Our day has been pretty relaxing.  We went swimming and had lunch at a Country Club that our apartment grants us access to.  Moses and Katylynn are playing "ball" with Grandma right now.  He's talking and laughing a lot; clearly getting more and more comfortable around us.  His countenance has changed.  I really think he gets that he has a family.  He calls me "dada" and Janelle "mama" every once in a while.  It's still mind-boggling to think that we are all together.

Praying For Our Adoption: The Weekend

Some simple ways to pray:

• Rest:  We're all very tired.  Pray especially for Katylynn that she would get adjusted in time.
• Moses Adjustment:  The changes for him are drastic.  Pray that he will know and see love from his new family, and that will surpass all other things lost.
• Family Time:  We're moving from a 1 to 2 kid family.  Grandma is a huge blessing to have along.  Pray we will simply bond together.
• Health:  We are all feeling well.  Pray it will stay the same.
• Culture:  While here, we have an opportunity to become more aware of the country and culture Moses is coming from.  Pray God will give us insight into this world.

Some Pics from Today

 The Probation Officer who worked our case.

 Katylynn thought it was really important that Moses get a Mickey doll since she had a Minnie doll.  She gave it to him this morning.  He loves it.

At lunch.  We went to the Food Court where we ate with Moses the last time we were here.  He clearly remembered our previous time together.  The minute he sat down, he started tapping his hand on the table and looking at Janelle and I.  When we were there the time before, we played for a long time a mimicking game where I'd tap the table and then he would as well.

 Our little guy.

Katylynn was such a great gal today, we gave her a little playground time at the play place.

I Think People Are Praying

In my prayer post yesterday, I outlined 4 key aspects with our trip and asked that people would pray through this bullet list:

• Embassy Appointment
• Visa Medical 
• Various Key Contact/ Landmark Visits
• Embassy Interview

I also mentioned that, if everything goes smoothly, we may be able to get the entire process done by next Friday.  Well, I think there are people praying. 

Embassy Appointment - Katylynn was awake from 12:30-3:30 a.m. last night.  I don't think her little body has made the time adjustment.  This made our 6:45 wake up time extra rough.  I think I've maybe slept 11 hours total over the last 3 nights, and Janelle maybe has a few more she was able to get on the plane ride.  Needless to say, we were pretty loopy as we headed in to our 8:00 a.m. appointment.  This led to me carrying a cell phone and my insulin pen to the Embassy (which aren't allowed).  It wasn't too much trouble.  I just had to turn them in until we were done.  My exhaustion also led to me leaving a couple of key documents in our vehicle that we were supposed to have with us.  Again, not a huge issue.  I just had to run outside and grab the papers.
We received the permission for the Visa Medical and our files were reviewed.  Everything looked to be in order.  Dorah stayed behind and talked through next steps.  When she came out, she told us she had good news.  Our Visa Interview is set for Wednesday!  We were thinking Friday would be great news.

Visa Medical: There was one trick with our Visa Interview. The Visa Medical exam has to be completed in time.  There is a TB test that must be included for this to happen.  The TB test takes 3 days to read, and our medical appointment was set for Monday.  This meant the test would not be completed in time for the appointment.  Dorah said we would go by the Doctor and plead for them to see us today.  She said it would need a miracle and we need to pray.  Dorah worked her magic, and God worked his even more.  The receptionist for the Doctor was incredibly helpful and set the appointment up for today.


Key Contacts/Appointments:  From there, we went back to the apartment to pick up my mom, Katylynn, and Moses (it was just Janelle, Dorah and I up to this point).  We met the Probation Officer who was assigned to Moses' case.  She is the government worker who was the one who reviewed our files, Moses' files, and determined if we would be recommended for custody of Moses. She was a fantastic lady.  It was also a great moment to be reminded of God's meticulous providence (shout out to Pastor Dave Engbrecht on that phrase).  To think of the many people and many specific things that needed to fall into place in order for us to be matched with Moses is beyond mind-boggling.


Back to Visa Medical:  We then went in for Moses' appointment.  The Doctor was actually a little late to see us and was incredibly apologetic.  We were quick to let her know there was no need to apologize in that she was willing to make adjustments to see us.  The Doctor was an amazingly kind lady. She was very sweet to Katylynn as well as Moses.  The checkup went great.  As she reviewed our files, she let us know that because Moses was under age 2, no TB test was necesarry.  After our 10 minute appointment, she let us know everything was fine.  The paperwork would be sent to the Embassy by tomorrow!

Visa Interview:  We're set to go on Wednesday.  Everything is in order.  If the interview goes well, it will take a couple of days to get the Visa documents (hopefully before the 4th). 

Just to be clear, this type of stuff doesn't happen.  Delays are the name of the game in international adoption (just read back on my blog posts over the past two years). 

This weekend will be spent as a family.  Tomorrow we will be heading to a Country Club (included with the apartment) for some pool and play time.  Sunday, we will go to church at Watoto.  More bonding time on the way!

Praying for Our Adoption: The Layout

We still have two weeks till we arrive back home, and there is a lot that needs to happen. Things look to be in decent order, but we have several key appointments and steps that need to take place between now and heading home.

• Embassy Appointment – Tomorrow we go to the Embassy to talk through our process to this point, get a key document for the Visa Medical appointment (read below) and set up our visa interview time.
• Visa Medical – We hope to go to the Doctor on Monday to run a physical and necessary tests to get him permission to travel to the U.S. One test is a TB test which can’t be read for 72 hours.
• Various Key Contact/ Landmark Visits – This does not have to happen in order for us to get home, but we plan to meet with several people who factor into the story of Moses, and visit the area where he was found and taken into the care of those at the Care Center.
• Embassy Interview – This is the biggie… the final step to gaining permission to travel home.

If all goes totally smooth, the entire process could be done by next Friday. We are praying for that, but we also know that things rarely go “totally smooth.” As you can see, the Embassy Appointment, Visa Medical and Embassy Interview all build off each other.  If a wrench gets thrown in early on, it makes for delays on all fronts.  Fortunately we have a few extra days built in to account for that, BUT we also have some very exciting plans if all goes smoothly.

Join us in praying as we seek to bond as a family and do our due diligence to finish up this process.  Pray through that bullet list above.  We'll let you know how to pray as time goes along as well.

A Little Rundown of our Day

It’ 9:10 p.m. here as I type this. It’s 2:10 p.m. back home. My daughter is sleeping in the room she is sharing with her Grandma. My son is sleeping in the room that he is sharing with Janelle and I.

Yup, that last sentence really just happened. Our son, Moses Andrew Prenkert is in our custody.

For traveling with a 3 year old, our flights went really well getting here. Katylynn slept for at least half of 2 out of the 3 flights. On our second leg (Amsterdam to Nairobi) the KLM staff loved her. We got in to Uganda at 11:00 p.m. last night and somehow fit all our luggage into the car.

Our main coordinator here, Dorah, then informed us that our first two choices for housing had no availability, and our third choice was going to be $50 more per night than originally planned. She had arranged another option and we decided to go for that. It’s a nice little 2 bedroom apartment with open main room. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a pool like the others did. Fortunately, we get free passes to a country club that has a fantastic pool, play area, workout machines, hot tubs and saunas.

We crashed then had to get going very early to breakfast (about a 5 minute walk from our apartment). We were then picked up by Dorah and headed to the Action For Children Headquarters for Orientation and laying out the agenda for our remaining 2 weeks (hopefully) here. It was there we were informed that the plan was for Moses to come and be with us today! From there, we hopped in the vehicle and made the trek to Moses’ home for the past year and 10 months.

Katylynn and mom were both a hit at the Care Center. The kids were incredibly intrigued by Katylynn’s pale skin and light hair. They also found about everything she said to be absolutely hilarious. Mom was a hit, I think, because those her age are a rarity in Uganda… and I’m not saying my mom is ancient. A Civil War, AIDS epidemic, and Malaria will do that to a country.

We had a great time with the staff and kids at the Care Center. When we got a quiet time together, I let Katylynn know that all the boys and girls we were playing with didn’t have Mommies or Daddies. She struggled to understand this, but when I told her that was why people like us are coming to be mommies and daddies to the kids, I think something clicked (actually I know it clicked, evidenced by the fact she prayed for all the boys and girls that we met, that they would all get mommies and daddies). We have the most precious picture of Katylynn walking hand in hand with a little guy who is actually named Junior.

Grandma and Katylynn kept a decent distance from Moses while at the Care Center, just to make sure he could get reconnected to us and to not freak him out. He cried right when we arrived, but calmed down quickly and was good to go the rest of the time.

It came time for us to leave the Care Center. Tears were not at a shortage, on either parties ends. The staff at the Care Center cried mixed tears of joy and sorrow.

Tears of joy to see “One Less”.
Tears of sorrow to have to say goodbye to one they had loved, cared for, and parented for the past 20+ months.

Our tears were mainly joy. Yet, there is a level of empathy an deep appreciation you have to have for those who have stood in the gap to allow today to happen.

Both kids slept the whole ride back to our apartment. When we arrived, Moses was awake and good to go, but Katylynn had another 1 ½ of sleep. Mom and Janelle took off to do some grocery shopping while I got a little one on one time with my boy. When Katylynn woke up, the two had their first play time together… rolling the ball and coloring. Moses was extremely comfortable with her and really livened up through the afternoon. We started talking back and forth (he in Lugandan and I in English).

Janelle and Mom arrived back after a 45 min. drive to the grocery store and a 5 min. drive back (traffic, T.I.A.). We ate our first supper as a family (Spaghetti) and then the kids zonked out. We’re trying to actually get a little more settled in now.


So, to summarize... in the past 24 hours, Katylynn has spent her first moments in another country, mom met her grandson for the first time, Katylynn met her brother for the first time, we saw Moses for the first time in two months, and at the end of the day, the Prenkert family became in the flesh what we have been emotionally and spiritually for quite some time... a family of 4!

Brother Sister/ First Play Date

It was too cute not to post immediately!

Meet Prenkert #4

I am honored to introduce you to Moses Andrew Prenkert.

We arrived in Uganda last night.  

We visited the care center this morning.  

We took custody this afternoon.  

He is sitting on my lap as I type this.  

I'll post a lot more details later, but for now, wanted you all to hear the update, know the name, see a face.

Praying for Our Adoption: General Specifics

As we head into trip 2 to Uganda, here are some ways you can specifically be praying over our trip in general:

• Travel:  Four of us going.  2 Connections on the way there.  Lots of luggage.  Customs.  Time Change.  3 1/2 year old.  We are praying for smooth and event free travel.a
• Custody: We will go to visit Junior at the Care Center until the staff at Uganda feels he is comfortable enough to come into our custody.  This could take a day or it could take a week. We are praying it will be closer to a day.
• The Embassy Appointment:  The thing that has to happen some time between June 23 and July 6 is an appointment at the Embassy to get Junior's Visa.  We can't set the appointment till we arrive.  We are praying for a quick and event free appointment.
• Katylynn:  A 3 1/2 year old is traveling on 3 planes to get to Africa.  She is going to be welcoming a new member to our family.  She is going to see poverty and orphans up close.  We are praying God will move in her little heart and also guard her little heart.
• My Mom:  I'm so excited my mom gets to enjoy this experience with us.  It's been about 10 years since she traveled out of the country.  She's leaving her business for 2 1/2 weeks.  My dad's birthday is July 4 while we are gone (my dad died in 2009).
• Health:  Janelle got sick last time. It wasn't fun. It would be less fun if Katylynn got sick.
• Bonding: We get the chance to be a family while in Uganda.  We are praying God will quickly and supernaturally place a bond in all our hearts.
• Kristy:  There is a chance Kristy Mikel will be able to come over and visit us while in Uganda.  A few things need to come into place to allow that to happen.  We are praying that will happen.

Praying for Our Adoption: A Bit of a Timeline

First off, this is all so tentative that I hesitate to even write anything about our timeline while in country.  The big deal is the appointment with the Embassy.  We won't be able to set that up till we arrive.

There is a lot that will be determined once we are there, but here is an extremely rough idead of what lies ahead:
 (Uganda is 7 hrs ahead of EST)

• Tuesday, June 21: Fly out of Detroit
• Wednesday, June 22: Layover in Amsterdam & Nairobi.  Land in Uganda 11:30.
• Thursday-Friday, June 23-24: Orientation; potentially visit Embassy to set up appointment. Go see Junior.  If all goes well, we'll take official custody and he'll come to the hotel with us.
• Saturday-Sunday, June 25-26:  No adoption business. Spending time together as a new family.  Attend Watoto Church.
• Monday-Friday, June 27-July 1:  Appointment at the Embassy (hopefully).  Visits to various landmarks and people connected to Junior and his story.  All other Adoption related work.
• Saturday-Sunday, July 2-3:  Weekend stuff.  Spending time as a family. Church service or if adoption business isn't done, go on a Safari.
• Monday-Wednesday, July 4-6:  If all adoption business is done, go on a Safari.  If it isn't, pray like crazy and do everything we can to get it done!
• Thursday, July 7:  Fly out of Uganda
• Friday, July 8: Layover in Amsterdam, arrive back in Detroit

Summer Camp 2011

I leave for Uganda in 4 days.  If all goes well, I'll return one day before our Junior High departs for Beulah Beach Camp.  Over the next 4 days, I'll be working like crazy to get a lot of my responsibilities for camp in place.  As I've worked on it so far, I'm fairly convinced this is going to be a GREAT year.  I believe God has some GREAT things in store for those who will be there.  Even more, I believe God has things in store for students when they get home that will be GREATER THAN what happens at camp.

If you are a Junior or Senior High student who hasn't signed up, you still have an opportunity to get registered.  The Final Deadline is Sunday, June 26.  If interested, download all you need to register by going HERE.

Adoption Update: BOO YA. AWESOMESAUCE.

Last Friday, we received word that Junior's passport was completed, but had misspellings.  This marked us at 6 weeks since returning from trip 1.  We had been told we would be home 2-4 weeks, with 6 being a worst case scenario.

On Sunday, I told Janelle that I was at a point where, if we hadn't heard anything by today, I was going to call HOLT and ask if it would be okay for us to simply go to Uganda, begin bonding with Junior, and potentially see if our presence in country could speed the process along.  She agreed.

After work yesterday, I told Terry what I was thinking of doing today, and he agreed it was a good idea.

30 minutes after talking to Terry, while in line at Taco Bell, I received a call from HOLT... "In our staff meeting today, we discussed your situation.  Although there are things we were wanting to see completed that still aren't, we feel it would be best for you to go ahead and travel to Uganda to begin the bonding process.  Also, your presence may help speed the process along."

BOO. YA.

So, calls were made and research was done on flights.  When I opened my email to see the best proposed flight dates and times, I saw an email from HOLT with the title "CASE UPDATE".  They received word today that Junior's passport has been corrected.  His medical checkup is scheduled for Monday.  These were the two steps we've been waiting on.  So, it all  came together, and here we go!

AWESOMESAUCE.

Flying out Tuesday, June 21.  (Janelle, my mom, Katylynn and I)

The plan is to be back home Friday, July 8. (J, K, Mom, Me and JUNIOR!)

God is good.  He is faithful.  His timing is perfect.

Here's an Awesome Dad!

One goal I have is to consistently have my kids call me a two syllable name.  When young, I want to hear "Daddy".   When they get into adolescence and the teen years I want to see Dad become a two syllable word.  I had them.  It was those times where my dad would do something incredibly goofy or embarrassing in an effort to get me laughing.  I would look at him and say "Da-ad."  I'm not talking about making your kids feel ashamed of you.  I'm talking about those moments where, as marko says, they may be saying, "Dad, you're such a dork," they are really saying, "Dad, I love you."

Well Dave Price is my hero.  I've seen the story in multiple spots, but basically Dale caught on that his 15 year old son Rain's bus route would run back by his house after he boarded.  So, what does any caring stay-at-home Dad do?  He decides to come up with 170 different outfits to where for each day of school, stand outside as his son passes on a bus full of peers, and wave.  For example:

Check out http://waveatthebus.blogspot.com (blog done by Dale's wife) for a post on each day.  This video shows every day of pictures as well:



If you're a dad reading this, may you find ways that you can be a fool for your kids that makes memories and reminds them that they are loved!

link love to marko

Youtubesday: Gungor

It's been a while since I posted some Youtube Videos.  Today is a music edition of a band I've been listening to quite a bit.  Gungor's Liturgical post-rock has me completely hooked. 

About Gungor:




The Earth is Yours in a Forest (the album version is one of Katylynn's favorite songs.  It's awesome to watch her dance and sing the chorus)




White Man (fairly controversial, I guess, but extremely Biblical, I'd say):





You Have Me (a great prayer)

This Summer at NMC Student Ministries

Based on my blog postings, you may wonder if I'm even working at NMC anymore.  I am, and I work with a fantastic team who has been beyond gracious and helpful as I've sat in some state of limbo over the past several months.  We are charging forward on multiple fronts, and I'm very excited about the things going on here.

• SOAR Interns:  There are 8 total, and 4 of them (Colin, Tim, Cortnery, and Carter) are involved in Student Ministries.  These 4 are fantastic individuals who have truly dove in and are hungry to experience ministry.
  
  
• ChicaGO SEMP: We have a team of  High School students that are heading back to SEMP!  SEMP was the original week-long evangelism training/experience that we tied into over the Summer.  Due to some shifts in the experience and then calendar issues, we have not attended a SEMP for 4 years.  We are excited for our team of students and leaders to head to Moody Bible Institute June 27-July 2.
  
  
• IMPACT Dominican:  There's also a team of 20 students and 5 adults heading for our 3rd stop in Moca, Dominican Republic June 27-July 7. This team has been in training since January, and I'm so excited to have Kory & Ali Lantz, Dan & Katie Weiss, and Jessica Noelle leading this crew.
   
• Summer Events:  We're doing something a little different this year.  We have 2 Junior High and 2 Senior High one day trips.  The goal of these are to simply get together to build relationships among students and leaders.  Tomorrow the Junior high takes off for an afternoon of Mini Golf, Go Carts, Batting Cages, and Video Games at Hackers in South Bend.  On Thursday, the Senior High head to Deep River Water Park for the day.  Coming in July is a Senior High trip to the Dunes.  In August, the Junior High will be heading to Indiana Beach.
  
  
• Summer Camp:  This year's theme is GREATER THAN, and we're praying that God will do things greater than he's ever done before.  The amount of kids signed up has been very encouraging.
  
  
• Sunday and Wednesday Programming:  From Preteen through Senior High I feel like we're offering some of the best programming and teaching we have offered in quite a while.
  

I love the team I work with.  As I've had to continually hand off responsibilities while we wait in limbo, they have taken and ran with some fantastic stuff.  I'm looking forward to a great Summer.

On Trite Sayings & Christian Cliches: Salve versus Salt

I made a the following comment in my last Adoption Update:

Trite sayings (it will all work out in the end) and Christian cliches (It's all in His timing) are more annoying than helpful (just a little brutal honesty there).

I've had multiple conversations over this comment.  Some were apologies from those who were afraid they had done this (which if you are worried, don't sweat it).  Many were those who have walked through trials or tough times and were simply saying "Amen" or "Thank you for saying that."

One was from a friend who has walked this adoption path before us.  Another was a dad who just found out his 2 1/2 year old was autistic.  There was also the one who had recently walked through a divorce.  In all cases, they echoed what I've been feeling.

1. We know that for the most part, everyone is well-intentioned when offering up their words of encouragement or advice.
2. We know that God's timing is perfect, his ways aren't ours, that He's in control, that "this too shall pass", and on and on.
3. We don't want to get annoyed with this encouragement and/or advice.  For some reason, it feels like salt instead of salve on a wound.

So, as a guy who's walked through three valleys (nearly 7 years infertility, death of dad, current adoption wait), and a guy who has had to be present in multiple valleys, here's some thoughts on what words can serve as salve:

• "I'm sorry," "This is tough," "This sucks, man" etc.  It's the phrases that simply recognize that a person is walking through the tough times.  Here's the key though, leave it at that.  No additions.  What we often what to do is say "I'm sorry, BUT..." and then we throw in the added thoughts.  These added thoughts may be completely true and valuable advice.  The problem is that the BUT overshadows the identity with the pain, and empathy, sympathy and compassion can be quickly lost.
  
  
• "I'm praying for you."  I'm not saying you should say this if you aren't or don't plan to pray.  If you are willing to, it's amazing what this does.  First, the statement is a statement that says, "I stand beside you."  Second, it says all that needs to be said as far as encouragement or advice.  You are lifting that person up to the One who is in control, who will work things out, etc.  Third, there's something supernatural that is at work as you pray.  I can't explain it, but I've experienced.  I have and even now feel the prayers of those lifting me up in tough times.
  
  
• NOTHING.  Seriously, say nothing.  I'm not saying avoid the person.  Actually, make sure they know you are there, but let your presence speak instead of your words.  One of my favorite parts of the story of Job is the moment when his friends first show up after he gets everything stripped away from him...
  

  Job 2:13 - Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

  I love it.  The power of presence.  Interestingly, this is about the only thing Job's friends did correctly.  When they decided to open their mouths, they gave Job terrible advice and thoughts.  Sometimes, it's a hand on a shoulder or a hug.  Sometimes, it's just looking someone in the eyes and giving him/her a nod.

 I am beyond grateful and amazed at the many who have come alongside us in multiple ways.  We greatly appreciate those who authentically care.  These are merely thoughts running through my head right now and reminders to myself as I seek to love my neighbor as myself.