Christmas Lights!

There is a place in Baltimore that is famous for it's Christmas lights. I thought it was just CALLED 34th Street but it actually was ON 34th Street! It was a block of houses intensely decorated with about every Christmas light and decoration possible. I was expecting to see some big huge expensive houses in a posh neighborhood all decorated fancy. Instead it was an older neighborhood with humble homes decorated simply to bring joy to others! The kids had a blast walking around enjoying the lights.



Jerome, Halima, Hudson and Sarah






Jerome






Sarah, Marvin and Hudson






Daniel

Well, I have been home 1 week! None of my three suitcase are completely empty yet but I am enjoying sleeping in my own bed! It feels very strange to be at home without anyone to take care of. I miss my kiddos but am happy to say I have heard good reports about their journey and reunion with their families. Tomorrow the Kenyan kids will be taken to boarding school. Please pray for their transition to a new life at boarding school.

God is continuing to provide for me as I return to the "real" world. I will be back at Cornerstone Christian Academy (where I previously taught for 8 years!) beginning Jan. 19th. One of the assistant teachers in the preschool is leaving to go serve in China and I will be filling her position through the end of the school year. God's timing in this has seemed perfect and I am reminded again of His faithfulness.

I have many great pictures of the last few weeks of tour that I hope to post soon. Thank you so much for your love and support for this great journey I have had. If you ever want to email me personally my email is jennyjenjenmax@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you!

Holiday Spectacular with Sandi Patty and The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Holiday Spectacular with Sandi Patty and The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

We are in Baltimore finishing up a 14 show run. The kids get to wear these beautiful gowns and tuxes for part of the concert. They look and sound truly amazing. Of course everyone here has fallen in love with them. We leave here on Dec. 24 and will spend Christmas together at a camp in New York State. The kids fly home to Africa from New York City on Dec. 27th. I can hardly believe it is really time to say goodbye. I am trying to enjoy every moment until the last hug goodbye. Pray for these sweet little ones as they prepare to return home. It will be a big adjustment for them. Please pray for me as I say goodbye to these children who have become my life for the past 16 months. Right now it seems impossible to even imagine my life without them.


Ibrahim, Jane, Auntie Jenny, Faulanta and Martin






Jerome






Halima






Bridget






Faulanta and Jane






Jackie and Anna






Daniel






Julian






Joseph






Harriet, Prisca, Sarah, Daniel, and Bridget






Jackie

A Photo Shoot with the kids I love!

We did a little photo shoot at this abandoned house near Mirembe House in North Carolina. I think these are going to be some of my favorite pictures from tour!






Washo and Jane






Auntie Jenny, Washo and Jane






Auntie Jenny and Washo






Washo






Joseph, Auntie Jenny and Johnson






Smile a little Bridget...........






Beautiful!






Auntie Jenny and Jacob






Washo, Sarah, Auntie Jenny, Halima and Margaret






Auntie Jenny and Daniel

November in North Carolina

We have been enjoying some wonderfully warm weather here in North Carolina! I took these pictures outside at Mirembe.

Jerome






Bridget






Julian






Johnson






Hudson






Faulanta and Washo






Halima and Joseph playing cards

Mirembe House, New Hill North Carolina





The Back Yard






Bridget helping clean





Some of the boy's bunks






The boy's toys!






Lots of fruit for our kiddos!






Our kitchen!

What a great Thanksgiving! Yesterday I had a wonderful day here with my choir family! We are in North Carolina at our "Base House." The Base House is called Mirembe (meaning peace) and is provided by a really great church in Raleigh. They have taken a personal interest into The ACC and have a wonderful house here for us. Our Choirs that do theater productions stay here between performances and for training. Thankfully our choir has been able to stay here while we are training for our shows with Sandi Patty and The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. We have loved being here all together. It is wonderful to just be like one great big family! The children love helping cleaning the house and preparing meals. The Aunties and Uncles love to be able to just send the kids outside to play (and often join them jumping on the trampoline or playing frisbee).

Thanksgiving became an extra special day for me when I realized that is was exactly 1 month from when the children fly back home to Uganda and Kenya. I have become even more determined to enjoy every last minute with these kids. We were invited to dinner at the home of one of the church members. They prepared a beautiful traditional Thanksgiving meal for us. Our hostess mentioned several times to us adults that we must be "lonely". I kinda just looked at the group of kids all around me and thought "nope". How could I possibly be lonely amongst so many people I love??? Although I do miss my friends and family back home their is no way I feel the least bit lonely.

I am so thankful that we have these few weeks together here at Mirembre before things get crazy with going to Baltimore. I have made so many wonderful memories I never want to forget!
*Bridget and I reading books and drinking coffee on the couch in the morning. (she would drink all of my coffee if I let her!)
*Watching the boys dressed up in the girls clothes just to be funny
*Hanging out with the Aunties and Uncles in our own kitchen and then watching movies together.
*Singing Praise and Worship songs around the bonfire on Thanksgiving
*Enjoying the warm sunshine (in November!) while playing outside with the kids.

I pray that God blessed you greatly this Thanksgiving!

Our last church concert

We had our last church concert on Nov. 16th in Virginia. All of us Westerners dressed up in African Costumes. The kids especially loved it when we joined them on stage for the last song.

Back row: Amanda, Me and David
Front row: Barb, Terese, Beth, Stacie and Vic






Auntie Jenny with Sarah, Jackie and Jane