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I think we can all agree that the World is crazy right now. Not just America, not just Uganda, everywhere! Anxiety and depression seem to be at an all time high. People have lost their jobs, others are waiting in limbo hoping they still have a job. And most people who do have jobs, have had to make drastic changes to their days. Not to mention losing loved ones.

As it may be for many of you, I’ve been feeling the weight of these stresses, too. Living through a pandemic, away from family/friends, and in a third-world country has been interesting to say the least. NGOs are taking a huge hit through this pandemic. With lockdown, we’ve had to change our procedures on how we give our support. School has been out since March, and not planning to resume until maybe February 2021 – the government promised work to be given via newspaper, radio, and tv, but all of those cost money which most families do not have.

We’re living in a state of unknown. Times are crazy, and there is nothing we can do about it. I’ve fallen victim of viewing myself as the victim. I often think to myself, “Why is this happening to me?”, “Why are they not listening to me?”, “Why am I being treated like this?”, etc. I’ve been convincing myself that all of this is happening to me. That all of this is happening because of what others are doing to me. I know, you can say it, I’m acting like a selfish brat!

I just got a library membership at a local library, here in Jinja. It’s wonderful! The selection isn’t what I’m used to in the States, but it’s magical none the less. I started reading “Girl, Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis. There was a chapter in that book that really hit me. She challenged people to change the perception on how they view events in life. Rather than thinking of why these things might be happening to you. She challenged the reader to ask the question, “What if these things are happening for you?”. 

When I read that question, I think I breathed my first long breath in a long time. It almost immediately lifted a weight from off my chest. 

The Lord has my back, and the Lord has your back! …. If we let Him. 

Changing my perception of life is not just a quick fix. It’s going to be a process. I will need to keep reminding myself of this time after time. 

I was talking to my wonderful parents (yes, I may be a suck-up) about this the other day. My strong handsome Father mentioned, “It seems like we’re being asked to listen, huh?”. Well, Pops, you did it again – it’s true. The Lord wants so many of us just to listen to Him. To stop thinking for ourselves, to stop doing, and just be. Easier said than done, am I right?! This “unknown” life is really driving me crazy. I sit here with my planner open, just craving to fill it up with plans…but I can’t, because I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring.

Thankfully, I can sleep at night, knowing that tomorrow is a new day. The Lord is in-front, behind, and with me at all times. That is what helps me sleep at night, because if I didn’t know that, I think I would have truly gone mad by now.

I may never know exactly what the Lord has planned within all of this chaos, but I’m willing to bet that I’m going to walk out of this stronger than ever. And it’s during this time that the Lord is going to show us His power. It’s just like Paul’s letter in 2 Corinthians 12 – Paul was given a thorn in his flesh (also referred to as a messenger from satan) to torment him. He asked the Lord three times to take it away, but after pleading the Lord responded by telling Paul that he doesn’t need to take the thorn out because His grace is enough. It’s true! His grace is enough.

This is the season I’m currently in. As much as I want to sit in bed all day, sipping on cold mango juice, and watching Netflix go in-and-out (bless Ugandan internet), I know that’s not the answer. The Lord is making me stronger. I feel it. He’s working in me and through me and my community.

My prayer is that this might encourage some of you. If you’re feeling weighed down by the current stresses of life, know that the Lord is bringing you through this season for a reason. He never brings us through things we can’t handle.

I also, want to thank all of you for continually praying and supporting me financially. I am so blessed to have a support team so many miles away. I believe that it’s because of your continued prayers that I’m still here, fighting to find the light in this darkness. You guys rock!

With love,

Kendall Rose

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On another note, ’tis the season for giving! I am working with The Street Child Project to raise money for holiday baskets. I have started a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising enough money to make 50 baskets as well as aide in the transportation of reaching all of these families. Each basket costs $40.00. We have already raised enough money for 21 baskets!! If you are in a place of giving, please consider giving to this cause to help us reach our goal of 50 baskets. Click here or on the photo below to donate now. Thank you for your consideration!

Disclaimer: this post is truthful and ugly BUT left with hope

The past 6 months have been some of the hardest months of my life. I landed in Uganda, high on life, excited for what the Lord had in store for me. Little did I know I would be walking into such trials and tribulations. 

Over the past couple of years, The Street Child Project was being run by two Ugandan men. They loved the children here and were doing their best to see them live a healthy and successful life. When our country director passed away unexpectedly in September 2019, things began to change drastically. The second man, who was working with the project, was given the opportunity to step up and start taking more responsibility as the new country director. He soon realized that the job was way more than what he was able to handle. He began to make some poor decisions and things began to snowball. In March, he decided to step down from his position and leave the project. Knowing that he previously made some poor decisions, he began to send threats to the project and even directly to me and others still at the project. 

Now, I’d like to say I’m a pretty even keel person (Mom & Dad stay quiet here, I know you’d probably like to rebuttal this.) I have my normal emotions as a human, but there really isn’t much that freaks me out. However, one thing that makes me extremely uncomfortable is the feeling of vulnerability. This past employee knew the ins and outs of The Street Child Project. He even had worked with me enough to know some of my strengths and weaknesses. I was left completely vulnerable. I was living on edge thinking of the worst that could happen – not to mention I was stuck. The borders of Uganda are still closed, so even if I wanted to get on the next flight back to the U.S. I couldn’t. Threats were coming in to force me out of the project and even report me to the police for false accusations. Needless to say, I had a serious “Why God” moment. Why in the heck would the Lord take me away from a steady job, comfortable home, and supportive community for something like this?! I have 2 friends, a home where I feel like an alien in most of the time, and a job that is falling apart. I hit rock bottom. I’ll be honest, I sat in my room during the day, hiding from everything going on. I didn’t even have energy to deal with what was happening. I didn’t even have energy to pray. Because of the threats being made, we were at risk of losing the project, losing our home, losing everything. 

It has also just been a stressful time in general – COVID-19, am I right?! The boys are getting restless. School has been out since March 20th. (The school year, here, runs from Feb-Dec with longer breaks in between the 3 terms.) They also continue to grow each and everyday, turning into men by the moment. They want freedom, they want independence. It. is. hard. I am also, very much, noticing the cultural differences between me and everyone else here (…but I think I’ll leave the details to this for a separate post).

Needless to say, the Lord has come through like He always does. It’s humorous to look back at how crazy I must have been looking during those stressful times. I’m finding patience in me that I never knew I had.

I have an amazing support team here at the project, and thanks to technology, I still have my closest family and friends along my side each step of the way.

We’ve had a lot of positive meetings lately at the project. Things are on the up and up. We’re slowly making progress every day. Due to the past employee’s poor decisions, the project was left at rock bottom. Not only were things all over the place, procedure wise, we were left financially hurt. We are essentially starting this thing from scratch. Being hurt and threatened by people you thought were once on your side, is a horrible feeling. It’s made me question relationships and question my trust in EVERYTHING. I’ve been praying for discernment and to never become too jaded, because, let’s be real, it’s HARD! I never imagined this is where I would be when I came back to Uganda, but I have faith that the Lord is working in all of this and He will see us through.

I’ve been listening to NEEDTOBREATHE’s latest releases, and while I was singing the lyrics, I felt an overwhelming feeling that the Lord and I were having a conversation – just Him and I. 

Me: “We’ve been living minute to minute. We’ve been holding on to every breath. Somehow our hearts are still in it, but all our innocence has left”

NEEDTOBREATHE – Seasons

Him: “We’re in for nasty weather, and I’ll ride it out with you. We won’t be riding highs and lows like tides of ocean blue. We won’t be here forever, just a moment and we’re through. We can’t be shifting with the sands like seasons always do.”

NEEDTOBREATHE – Seasons

This gave me hope. This is just a season. Everything the project is going through will pass. The Lord is riding this out with us, and for that I am grateful. I’ll let him take the helm, while we ride this crazy ride together. 

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On a lighter note, I want to take some time to thank all of you for your continued support and prayers (please be sure to visit my prayer requests page). I could say this until I’m blue in the face – I could not do this without you! Your prayers are keeping me afloat – they leave me feeling hopeful and loved, even if I’m miles and miles away.

Your financial support has also helped the project immensely. We are struggling, but thanks to the support I’ve previously raised from you all we have been able to slowly progress. We have been able to feed over 200 people, outside of our gates during this pandemic. The boys and I were even able to go to a nearby pool one Sunday afternoon and enjoy a cold soda in the sunshine – it was EXACTLY what we needed. Most of all, I am excited to share with you that your support has helped us buy a stove for the house. I honestly was jumping for joy when we got it into the house. At home, we mostly use our outside kitchen to use charcoal or wood to cook our food. We had one small gas burner inside the house, but the spokes on the burner were breaking off and we had to rig it with stones. Needless to say, we are all so grateful to have a new stove! I think the boys are most excited about the options to do some baking!

If you are at a place to continue helping us financially, we would be so grateful. Due to the lockdown causing severe financial crisis for many Ugandans, we have people knocking on our gate daily. We would love to be able to support them with the help that they need. We also want to do our best to continue helping those who are already a part of our project. Any amount would be helpful! If this is something you are willing or interested to do, please click here.

Thank you & God Bless you! Or in Luganda we say, “Weebale nyo! Mukama Akuwe Omukisa” [way-ba-lay nn-yo! Moo-kama Ah-kooway Oh-moo-keysa!].

Grace + Peace,

Kendall Rose

During this COVID-19 pandemic, my eyes have been open to a struggle that I’ve never imagined I would witness as closely as I have. Uganda is hurting. There are people just outside our gate that are eating maybe one meal a day, some are not eating at all. This is something that can alter your appetite really quickly. 

Then, as you keep walking through town, you will see the continued struggle. Due to the president’s order to shut many shops/stores down, the town is mostly empty. There is also a strict curfew stating that you are to be in your homes from 7:00pm-6:30am. Unfortunately, not everyone has a home to find refuge during those hours. There are children whose home is “the streets”.

Now, you may be wondering “why don’t they just go home during this time?!”. Well, it’s not that easy. Some of the children’s homes are very far away. They might have come to this area by taxi or bus, but now all the public transportation is shut down. They can’t go home. Others might have a place to go, but due to the hard times they are not getting fed or maybe they have been chased out due to undesired behaviors. This is always a relevant problem here in Uganda, but due to the lockdown it has reached a whole new level. The children’s safety is at risk. The police have resorted to using brutality as a form of punishment for not following the rules of the curfew. They are hitting people with sticks, and when it comes to the street children, they might even use their hands/feet to hit/kick them because the police feel that if a child is living on the streets they are worth less. 

Within our compound, we can sometimes become blinded to these situations. We are comfortable here at home. We eat 3 meals a day, we have soap to wash our clothes with and to bathe, we even have sugar to put in our tea. These are things most Ugandans do not have right now. When the boys receive contact from their homes, it humbles us. When we walk out of the gate to go to the super market, it humbles us.

So, with a humbled and vulnerable heart, I’m asking for your help. We are looking to raise $6,000 USD. With this money we will be able to do the following: 

• Feed families in our surrounding area
• Feed/give household items to the families of the boys/girls we are supporting
• Resettle boys/girls who have been stranded on the streets during this pandemic
• Pay schooling fees for Term II
• Buy school supplies for when students return to school 

I know this sounds like a lot of money, and I understand we are all in trying times. Each dollar goes a long way here in Uganda, so any amount will be helpful! All of your donations will go directly to help the street children and struggling families within Uganda.

There are two ways to give: 

To pay via PayPal or credit card, visit The Street Child Project website here, and click Donate Now.

To donate via check, send your checks to our stateside office at: P.O. Box 503316, 11251 Rancho Carmel Dr, San Diego, CA 92150

grace + peace,

Kendall Rose

COVID-19 has consumed every facet of our lives. You turn on the TV, and if it’s not being talked about, it’s scrolling across the bottom of our screens. You call your friend, it’s the first topic of conversation. Here in Uganda, if you make a phone call there is first a government issued message about it before your call is even connected. It’s everywhere. It’s consuming our minds and entire beings. Not to mention the loss some of us are feeling because of it.

Let’s be honest – this sucks. Each day it becomes more and more real. Suffering is increasing and people are hurting.

Through all of the suffering, this morning I found hope. Due to churches being closed, we have been trying to do some sort of Bible study as a family on Sunday mornings. I am no pastor, so the idea of leading a group of young men through the Bible has been a daunting task for me. However, I keep being drawn towards Job. This is no coincidence. If you’re ever having a bad day, read through Job and you’ll quickly realize that maybe your troubles are not so bad. Man, Job went through the wringer. He lost everything within a matter of hours. Yet, when he heard the bad news he knelt to the ground and worshiped God. Are you kidding me?! What a freakin saint. Sign me up for a faith like that, please! 

While reading and discussing about Job, we also looked into the book of James. There, we found our encouragement. 

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

James 1:2-4

When we’re in the midst of suffering, I believe it’s hard to wrap our heads around this verse. Suffering hurts, it can even be debilitating to our human bodies/minds. How in the heck are we supposed to find joy through that?! 

I get it. It seems impossible.

But, take a minute and look back on your life. Suffering is there. Did you make it through? Did you learn something through it? I think we all can say yes. I’m not saying the lessons we learn are all positive. They may stretch us thiner than we’ve ever been stretched. We may be knocked to the ground a thousand times before we can get back up, but we always get up. Through Him, we are resilient. Our God is amazing. 

I’m not sure what we are going to learn through this suffering of COVID-19, but one thing I do know is that we’re all suffering together. That doesn’t happen very often. Most times, we’re suffering alone – at least we feel alone. In this crazy time, we don’t need to suffer alone. Let’s take advantage of the communal suffering. What can we learn from this? What can we learn from each other? If I know one thing, it’s that two heads are better than one. Talk to someone. What joy can we bring out of this? 

SN: I’d love to hear from you. Share in the comments if you have any joy to spread! 

Like I said before, I’m no pastor. I’m not sharing all of this to convince you of anything. These are simply my Sunday morning thoughts. It would be selfish of me to find encouragement in something so beautiful and not share it. After all, we’re in this together, right? 

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As my above thoughts conclude, I wanted to give you all a quick update of how life over here in Uganda is. 

We’re doing well. Schools were let out on March 20th, and that’s when we began a sort of quarantine. Most transportation as been halted – unless you’re a cargo truck driver, medical professional, or government official. Everything is shut down, except for places that sell food. We’re not allowed to exercise outside of our homes (i.e. no walking/running). We are now on lockdown through May 5. 

Thankfully, Uganda took preventative measures before things got too crazy. We currently have 55 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Uganda. By some miracle, 20 have now healed naturally, and there have been no recorded deaths. Maybe we’re missing something, but regardless I’m feeling safe and thankful. 

We stay busy within our compound. There are 17 of us staying here, so there is always something going on. We’re playing a lot of games, and taking a lot of naps. 

The president is going to address the country again tonight, so we will see if anything changes. As for now, we have our countdown posted on the door, and we’re pushing through until we can venture out into the streets of Jinja again. 

We are thinking of all of you out there in the rest of the world. We hope you’re safe and healthy! As always, we’re so grateful for your prayers and support. The boys and I talk about this a lot these days. So, in spirits of working together through all of this unknown, I’ll leave you with this: 

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as it is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 15:5-6

grace + peace,

Kendall Rose

I feel like I’m living in a movie. I’ve been casted as the main role, but no one ever gave me the script. Everyone else knows their lines, but here I am improving to the best of my ability.

The corona virus (COVID-19) is sweeping the world. I sat at home one evening, watching emails flood into my HPS email about the state wide issue to close schools and churches. I was blown away. Then I received similar texts about stores and restaurants closing. In Uganda, we were going about our business as normal. It was Wednesday evening when President Museveni was scheduled to address the pandemic to the country. I was eager to listen, as I had been seeing everything in the US close. 

This is not the first time that Uganda has been threatened with a pandemic disease (i.e. Ebola, Cholera, etc.). President Museveni addressed the country on Wednesday, March 18th. He issued that all schools and churches be closed down effective on Friday March 20th. He limited public transportation and issued mandatory hand washing stations outside of every store/public venue. The price of hand sanitizer has gone up outrageously – but we’re finding alternative ways to stay clean. Due to life in Uganda being so community-focused, it is hard to issue quarantine. We are doing our best to self-quarantine as a family. 

Now, as of March 23rd, Museveni has issued a close of all country boarders. There will be no traveling allowed by water, road, or air – they have issued the airport to be shut down as well. We are completely isolated. Have I considered flying back to Michigan? Yes – but given the history of this country and the increased threats from traveling, I decided it was best for me to stay around. Also, I know the Lord brought me here for a reason so I’m going to trust in HIM through it all.

Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

I have responsibility to continue overseeing this house. I know they can manage without me, but this is where I am supposed to be. We’re doing what we can to continue through each day with as much ease as possible. We’re taking turns doing chores, we’re cleaning up the compound, playing games, dancing to music, and sharing a lot of laughs. 

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I want you all to know that I am feeling hopeful through all of this. It is a little nerve-wracking being responsible for so many bodies through such a pandemic, but I know the Lord is looking over us. I have faith in our president here, and in the Ugandan people. Most importantly I have faith in the Lord. He works in mysterious ways, so this will not shake me. The boys and I are all healthy, and we’re doing well. Thankfully we have a home big enough for all of us, with even enough areas throughout the compound to go if you need some quiet time. We’re making the best of each and every day.

I think it’s a beautiful mess. Through all the terror and unknown, people are really coming together to help each other out as best we can. I pray that when this is all over, we remain with this sense of/desire for community.

If you are in a place to give financially, The Street Child Project could really use your help! With this unexpected quarantine, it has put upon us a lot of unexpected expenses. We have a lot more mouths to feed (nearly 18-25 each day), we even had to buy more beds to accommodate. After this month, we will also be preparing to send the boys back to start their second term. We are always grateful for any form of support, and it’s because of you that we can keep going! Be sure to take a look at my Prayer Request page. Please feel free to send me any questions you might have!

Wishing you all safety and health during this confusing time.

grace + peace,

Kendall Rose

It has been just over a month since I have moved to Uganda. The days feel long, but they seem to just be flying by. If you asked me what I did 2 days back, I would most likely have to sit and think about it first. Everyday is different – I am definitely still trying to find my own groove. I know it will come with time. 

Things have been going really well, so far. I apologize for not updating you all. 

I have been getting a lot of questions about what I have been up to lately, and what a typical day looks like. Three words come to mind: adjusting, moving, and learning. 

Adjusting: The Ugandan culture is obviously different than the culture I grew up in, in Michigan. Both cultures have their ups and downs. I’m learning to adjust as well as I can. Being an “outsider”, even in my home, brings it’s challenges. It also brings teaching opportunities – for myself and others. I am trying to ask as many questions as I can, so I can fully understand how/why things are being done. I am also working on learning Luganda. I take lessons with a local man x2 a week. I have learned a few things over my visits here, but I have a long ways to go. I’m not sure I’ll be able to speak it fluently, but my goal is to at least be able to understand when it’s being spoken. Thankfully, hand motions are universal! I have been getting by A LOT with reading people’s body language and hand motions.

Moving: The Street Child Project has been blessed with the ability to build our own home! We are officially rent free, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. The house project started back in July 2019, and has been moving on ever since. The house was supposed to be finished in October, but here we are in March and we still are working to finish. Thankfully, we have finally shifted all of our things to the new house. It’s been a lot of work, but I’ve loved it all. The boys have been getting a kick out of watching me shovel bricks into wheel barrels, mop the floor, and scrub the walls. I have been living out of bins since I have been here, and it looks like I might be doing that for a little while longer. We still need to finish our wardrobes and some shelving in the house. We have no dining table, and we’re moping non-stop due to our compound being a muddy mess. It’s home though, and I’m grateful for it! We continue to unpack and make things “ours”.

Learning: As mentioned above, I’ve been adjusting to a new culture. Yes, I’ve spent quite a bit of time here in the past, but now that I’m living with all Ugandans – it has reached a different level than before. There are unspoken expectations in the home that I’ve never realized before when I was living alone (i.e. house is cleaned first thing in the morning, or you are lazy). Also, living with more than one other person has proven to be a learning experience as well. Not only am I living with 12-15 other people, I’m expected to be the “leader” of the house.

Besides learning to live amongst a group of people, I’ve also been learning a new job. Thankfully, being familiar with The Street Child Project, I had an idea of what my job would include. I’ve stood by and watched the late Uncle Eric do this job for years. Now that I’m here, without him, I’m realizing all that he actually had on his plate. It’s been a learning experience for sure. We have so many children that we are responsible for, but not everyone is receiving the same kind of help. The boys looked up to Uncle Eric, and now I’m here.

I have taught middle school boys (and girls) for a few years now. Teenage years scared me for the longest time. All throughout college I wanted to stay as far away from middle/high school as I could. Fast forward to 2020 and here I am living in a house full of young men! The Lord sure has a good sense of humor – He puts you into situations you once told yourself you would NEVER do!

In the house, I sometimes feel like an older sister, other times I feel like a mom. All my mothers out there reading this, pat yourself on the back because y’all deserve it! I hear my name called at least 30,000,000 times a day. I repeat myself at least 600 times a day. I am constantly reminding them to go to brush their teeth, to go and bathe, to go to sleep, to do their homework. As much as it may drive me nuts in the moment, I love it. The conversations, the jokes, the “I love you”’s make it worth it. It’s a challenge, but I’m learning.

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I have had a lot of questions about what my “typical day” looks like. I’ll be honest, it NEVER looks the same but I’ll do my best to summarize: 

**These time frames change daily. It can look anything like sitting around the compound chatting with the older boys & our cook, to running around town and visiting schools. No day is the same. There are often things that come up unexpectedly, like unannounced visitors or doctor visits. Also, due to the recent move, I have been organizing like a crazy woman!

Some days feel slower than others. Something that has proven to be challenging, is that nothing gets done quickly. There is a massive shortage for jobs here in Uganda. Due to the shortage, many Ugandan’s end up working for themselves, owning their own businesses. This means they can open their shops whenever they feel like it, and even close for days on end if they desire. This proves to be difficult sometimes when we depend on certain shops to purchase our items for the house (i.e. food, cleaning supplies, house supplies, etc.). It is something my “American brain” has trouble processing, especially when I want to get things checked off of my to-do list.

It’s all a learning process. It’s all part of the adjustment process. Maybe I’ll be adjusting for my entire time here, and that’s ok. It is still very clear to me that the Lord brought me here for a reason. I am still trying to figure out exactly why…and maybe I’ll never know exactly. What I do know for sure is that I am going to do my best each and every day to be the best that I can be. To do my job to the best of my ability. I feel His presence each and every day. As Ugandan’s like to say “I’m learning slowly by slowly.”

grace + peace,

Kendall Rose

If you have any questions for me, or would like to learn more about something specific, let me know! Leave a comment or send me a private message. I’d love to be able to use this space to share as much as possible!

Also, please be sure to check out the updated Prayer Request page 🙂

12 more wake-ups until I leave for this new adventure. 12 more. I am feeling all the feels. Excitement to see everyone again and to be back in my second home. Anticipation for beginning a new way of life. Sadness, knowing I am going to have to say some tough “see ya laters” in the next 12 days.

To top all of my feelings off, my favorite one of all is the feeling of contentment. I am completely blown away with how normal and natural this all feels. From the beginning the Lord has been orchestrating this process with tenderness and love, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

How it all came to be

It all started on July 28, 2019. I know, it’s crazy I remember the exact date! I was at church worshiping with my family. It was then that I felt an overwhelming feeling from the Lord – He told me that I would have to say goodbye to my family again, soon. In that moment I wasn’t sure where He wanted me to go. Sharing with you my most human type of mind, I believe my conversation with Him went something like this:

God: “You will be saying goodbye to your family again, soon”

Me: “Uhh, ok God…but where are you sending me? Back into the mission field? To Uganda? Wait, no that can’t be – when I was there this summer I even wrote in my journal that I thought it would be too hard to live there again. Do you want me to go to Thailand – flights are cheaper, and I bet the food is really good!”

*in the midsts of my chaotic thoughts* God: “….Yes, the mission field…”

Me: “Are you sure I can handle the mission field again? I was kinda hoping I wouldn’t have to do that alone, again. Where do you want me to go?”

God: “Uganda”

Me: “Well, ok Lord. Send me.”

My eyes were filled with tears and I continued through the day in a fog. Later that night I began applying for volunteer positions with various organizations in the Jinja area. Jinja is the town that I lived in originally (in 2014-2015), so I knew of a few places that I would love be a part of. In the next couple of days I had some phone/video calls with a few organizations. I was overwhelmed with the thought of making such a big change!

FAST FORWARD to Saturday, September 14, 2019. I woke up to the most devastating text messages from two of my friends, letting me know that a dear friend of mine passed away in a boda (motorcycle taxi) accident. I was wrecked. Eric was a great friend and an even more wonderful role model for the boys at The Street Child Project. My heart hurt for the loss of a friend, but even more for the boys that saw him as a father figure. Knowing that they were hurting and I couldn’t hug them, physically hurt me. So I booked a flight. It was going to be the quickest trip of my life, but I felt like it was exactly what I needed to do.

Unfortunately, I never made it. My flight out of Grand Rapids had mechanical issues, and we were asked to go back into the airport. I sat at the airport for hours, re-booked my flight itinerary multiple times, arranged for guest house stays, and different pick-ups, cried, made friends over it, cried some more. I knew it was the Lord’s plan, but it still hurt.

This ugly process brought clarity to the unknown. Through all the flight mess, I realized how much my heart longed for my family at The Street Child Project. In this moment, I knew I found where He was calling me. A few weeks later I got the call. I accepted.

WITH A GRATEFUL HEART, on December 21, 2019, I left my special education teaching position at Hudsonville Public Schools. I have been blessed with a 1 1/2 year leave. [THANK YOU to those of you who made this possible & supported me through the process.]

And now

In 12 days time, I will be traveling across the world to serve with the Street Child Project as the Director of Child Advocacy and Education. I hope that you will follow along with my journey. Subscribe at the end of this post to get email notifications when a new post is added.

grace + peace,

Kendall Rose

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