Happy October to you, our beloved family and friends!
 |
| Beautiful Uganda scenery |
This past weekend marked four weeks since Eric and I have been back in Uganda and seven weeks since we have been married. We are fully settled in our home and work as we so gladly welcome a steady and healthy routine into our lives as a married couple.
Here are some snapshots of what we have been up to:
1. We visited Eric’s old work- Pentecostal Theological College (PTC) and got to see some of his friends/former co-workers. They welcomed us in true loving hospitality. Eric will be helping them by working on their farm once a week to improve the productivity of the cows and continue to assess all components of the farm for quality sustainability.
2. I am back at my work – LivingStone International University (LIU). I am teaching one class to the 3rd year education students called: Philosophy of Education. This is my third year of working with these students and I have seen such tremendous development in their learning, behavior, and character. They are the change that we need in East Africa and I am so proud of them.
Eric also is co-teaching a computer class at LIU and he is doing an amazing job of teaching the students practical computer skills and connecting with each of them. In addition, Eric is also taking time to create a full academic curriculum for a new course at LIU in Agribusiness. He also is planning to spend some time at LIU’s permanent campus, as it is being built, to assess their land and do some tree and crop planting.
 |
| Eric teaching his computer class |
LIU also just celebrated its 4th graduation- we were both in attendance, although I was more involved since I have held an administrative position.
 |
| The top LIU administration and its highest scoring students |
3. An incredible part of our daily lives are building relationships. One of my favorite quotes is: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.
Given that we are from a totally different culture, country, language etc.. it may seem challenging to connect with our African friends and build quality relationships. Amidst these barriers, the universal posture of love, care, and Jesus’s character allows for the immediate gift of connection.
Both Eric and I have a group of mentee students who we meet with formally once a week and informally with individual ones throughout the week. (Eric has 8 male students and I have 8 female students). This mentoring time allows the students to ask questions and work through struggles. Mentorship allows a safe space for the growth of healthy and trusting relationships. I have been sharing with my ladies about what true beauty is and how to have strong friendships. Eric has been getting to know his guys through each of them sharing their life journeys, which has opened the door for discussions on faith, how to deal with doubt, how to spend money and how to navigate family dynamics.
A handful of various students have approached Eric and I and asked us to counsel them on how to have Godly dating relationships. It is our joy to do so! Often times in East Africa, the conversation of dating and romantic relationships is not welcomed, therefore there is a lot of confusion in how God has designed us to be in relationships, which leads to decisions and actions taking place in darkness.
One of the dating couples who we are in community with are Benard and Faith, they are pictured here. We love meeting with them, praying for them and we are grateful for their open hearts to share, learn, and listen.
 |
| Eric, Benard, Faith and Lauren |
We aim to keep the relationships with students that I have already built over my previous 2 years at LIU and before from my years of working in South Sudan at a secondary school there-there are 22 students who graduated from there and are now at LIU. Eric and I have planned fellowship gatherings with them as a way to connect and continue encouraging and supporting them.
4. We are each connected to the international community here through a weekly men's prayer breakfast that Eric attends once a week and a ladies prayer breakfast that I attend once a week in addition to a weekly ladies Bible study. We use these opportunities to develop friendships with fellow expats who are actively working in various missions and international organizations. We have dear friends here who we share meals, games nights and tea times with.
5. Fun times:
· We drove to the capital city to meet my mentors and dear friends: Dabbs and Mary Cavin (Mary spoke at our wedding)- they were in town visiting projects they are apart of.
· Eric has been working tremendously hard on our home garden! He has been working alongside Ray, who is a helper around the compound that we share with another couple. We have about a dozen different crops growing alongside some flowers (sunflower included J)
 |
| Ray and Eric planting our garden |
We are always grateful for your love and prayers. Even though we are far, you are still in our hearts and prayers!
Happy Fall and lots of love,
Lauren and Eric Ranck
