December Update

We cut down our Christmas Tree!

Hello Family and Friends, 

Happy December to each of you! We are grateful to be celebrating this advent season once again in the US with our family, awaiting the birth of a new baby who is due at the end of February.

We have somethings to update you on, so let's get started:

1. Back in Uganda

Since returning to the states in June, Eric has been in communication with his coworkers about their ongoing community garden projects. He will share more about the success of the plots in a video in the coming weeks. He also has been making sure that our home and compound are in good hands by communicating with his coworker and our helpers who are overseeing care of our place. While in the US, Eric is working on his parents dairy farm.

I continue to work remotely here in the US on the primary school curriculum that I am helping to develop. The curriculum is trifold including modules of spiritual, character, and leadership development lessons. Schools in Uganda have been shut down since March because of Covid-19, so any training or meetings that I would have planned to have would not have happened. I am grateful to be able to work away at this project that I am passionate about and I hope that we can roll out a drafted version when school opens back up at the beginning of 2021.

A major struggle that Uganda is enduring right now is the campaigning season for the upcoming mid-January elections. While we are not there, we are getting information on how tense the situation has been and how violence is unfolding as a result of campaigning. The current president is well into his 70's and has served for three decades and counting.  There is a serious opponent coming up to vie for the presidential position. This is a threat to the established president and his party, therefore it is creating unrest nationwide.

2. We bought a house!

While it may seem crazy that we would buy a house since we have a (rented) home in Uganda and very much have our lives and work there, this has been a goal for us to own in the US. There are several reasons why. This house will be a space for us to settle for now until we go back to Uganda. Also it will be a place to come back to when we do travel back and forth. And it is an investment that we have been wanting to make. We pray that this home is a blessing to others as we welcome new and old friends in and as we rent it out when we are back in Uganda. Our home is in Mifflin, PA and it is about 10 minutes from the Ranck family farm. A fun fact: in Aubrey Anne's 11 months of life, this is her SIXTH home! She's adjusted so well :)

Move in Morning

Aubrey Anne loves her books!

3. Looking Ahead

We plan to be in the US for several weeks after our 2nd child is born; that brings us to about mid April. Upon arrival back in Uganda, we will settle into our new routine as a family of four. I will return back to work in early June. Eric will continue his agriculture work with the garden plots in the communities and other work with World Renew. 

Prayers 

• The birth of our baby due in February
• Relationship with our new neighbors here in Mifflin
• Peaceful election campaigns in Uganda
• Our return to Uganda in April

Gratitude

• The provision of buying a house
• Good communication with people in Uganda taking care of our house
• A healthy pregnancy as I am now in my third trimester
• For YOU, for friendship, care, support, love and prayers for us!

 

With lots of love and joy to you this season, 

Lauren, for the Rancks

Happy Thanksgiving!