Thank You!

We are leaving Africa on Tuesday and moving onto Italy.  There are so many close friendships we have made while here in Uganda and Rwanda, it is very difficult to leave.  So, we will attempt to share our gratitude and blessings here …

Thank you Chuck and Beth Bradshaw for making room in your home for us and blessed us with your devotions each morning and presence of love and guidance each day, as we first landed in Uganda.

Thank you Henry for letting us into your heart and life.  You call us Maama and Papa — we are so honored and blessed.

Thank you Maama Victoria and Stephen for bringing us close to so many lovely children of all ages in your school/orphanage.  We are looking forward to working with you in supporting these children and returning to share this blessing with others.

Thank you Peter for keeping us safe as you drove us on our Safari in Murchison Falls; to Kampala and Entebbe.  We know you will be with us in future visits to continue to keep our travels comfortable.

Thank you Passy for caring for us in Kigali, Rwanda in your new B&B.  It was so difficult to leave you.  We have taken you under our wings and hold you close in our Hearts, no matter where you are or we are.  You go with us to America as we keep in touch.

Thank you Jacques for your quiet assuring presence as we opened to the details of the Genocide and walked through the Memorial together as well as we returned from the refugee camp.  We thank you for your safe driving taking us to all parts of Kigali.

Thank you Boniface for giving us a way to visit the Mahama Camp and for your hospitality.  Thank you Veronique for sharing your home in the camp with us.  And, thank you for the guidance of Claudine.

Thank you, all of those we have met along the way and God Bless!

A journey of a lifetime is coming to a close as we leave Africa on Monday.  We are so glad to have some time in Italy, with Saint Francis, to integrate all of what has been received during this life changing experience.

Our schedule in Italy — we arrive early morning in Rome on Wednesday, November 2nd.  We will take a train from the airport to Assisi.  There we will stay at a monastery for three days to be in the presence of Saint Francis and Saint Clare.  Then, to LaVerna — a few hours north of Assisi.  We stay in a monastery in LaVerna for a three days — next to the caves where Saint Francis meditated and where he received the stigmata.  Then, back to Rome to stay close to the Vatican for a few days.  A glorious time for infused meditation and prayer, in His Graceful Presence.

Here is an excellent description of these two saints from Richard Rohr a Franciscan Monk …

Francis and Clare of Assisi are two prime examples of people who chose to live on the "edge of the inside" — who understood life as participation — knowing things from the outside-in and from the bottom-up offers a more authentic view of reality. But that's not the only reason why Francis and Clare were able to see things differently than most of us do. Was it because they were more moral, more "chosen, " more detached, more loving, more sincere? These are all likely true, yet I believe the very foundation of what we mean by holiness or mysticism is knowing and loving from our Source. Francis and Clare knew by participation in a “Larger Knowing” that many of us call God.  

We don’t know whether we will have access to wifi to continue our communication with you while in Italy.  So, you may not hear from us until we return home on November 10th.  

This has been quite a journey for us.  We are so blessed to have you join us each step of the way.  Thank You!

Love,

Steve & Elizabeth