by Lauren
Happy Easter friends!
What I know is that who I desire to become is always being renewed through daily surrender.
In each day, life brings revelations of truth. The opportunity to trust. The strength to hope.
It is these experiences that illuminate God’s great love and His grander purpose for His world.
As Eric and I continue growing and learning each other and walk into various seasons of marriage, we are continually reminded that we are not in control. We are becoming more aware of how we need God as our refuge.
I have always loved the season of Easter, the freedom that it represents, and the reminder that there is a mighty Savior who came with great love to know and rescue me. It is unfathomable; I love to reflect with awe of the weight of His sacrifice and what it means.
New life. Freedom. Perspective. Miracles. True communion with my Creator. Becoming His child.
------------------------------------------
These last few months have again been packed as we began the full transition out of life and work in Mbale to settle into our new home in Gulu.
That meant having our last student fellowship with the South Sudanese university students who are in Mbale, wrapping up our weekly meetings with our mentees, we had goodbye times with various friends, we sorted and packed and finished up last minute work assignments.
 |
| My last time sharing in chapel at LivingStone, where I worked in Mbale for 3 years |
And last week, off we went to Gulu!
 |
| Loading up! Chase wanted one last picture! |
 |
| Ready to go! We had a driver load and drive this, what is supposed to be 5 hours, but took 7 hours to Gulu. |
Welcome to our new home! Your guest room awaits J
 |
| Kitchen and Living Room! |
Eric is very much looking forward to starting work in the communities here. I will continue to work my part-time job from home and travel to Kampala as needed. I also will be apart of other project-based assignments with organizations I have been a part of in the past.
 |
| Outside our front porch! |
 |
| Our first visitors in our new home! They are friends we made in Mbale and they were in Gulu for a wedding, so they stopped by for a little chat Easter evening. |
-------------------------------------------
Besides our work and everyday life, here are some fun adventures we had in Mbale before moving to Gulu!
We became hosts in March and we are ready to host again!
Three of Eric’s brothers came to visit and we really enjoyed our time with them! We went on different excursions around Uganda and spent some good time living life in Mbale.
 |
| Eric met the brothers to go on Safari for a few days then they came to Mbale! |
   |
| We celebrated our one year since we got engaged! It was this hike here where Eric proposed at Sisiyi Falls, we also took Eric's brothers there to hike and camp during their visit. |
 |
| The guys rafted the Nile River in Jinja, so we spent a few days there! |
 |
| Of course every visitor needs Kona time! Shawn embraced his time with her :) |
We "worked" through the coffee making process at one of Eric's friends home in the village near Sipi Falls.
 |
 |
| Roasting coffee beans |
 |
| The beauty of Sipi Falls where we were among coffee trees and the truest of nature's colors! |
 |
| The last day with the brothers, we did not want to send them back to the US! |
------------------------------------------
With some Mbale friends, we took advantage of the beauty of eastern Uganda before leaving!
 |
| Our hiking group! |
 |
| We found some of our friends at the top! |
 |
| At the top of Mount Wanale in Mbale |
Thank you for your continual support and love for us! Thank for your celebrating life with us from afar. We look forward to updating you as we settle into life and work in Gulu.
Love,
Lauren and Eric
