Updated on Uganda In-Country Fundraising!

Hello Friends!


Blessed doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel right now, thinking of all of you that are supporting me in my efforts in Gulu, Uganda! It is indescribable and I am truly humbled.

I wanted to give you a quick update on my upcoming trip, which is just 8 weeks away now!! Thank you to so many of you that are supporting me financially, giving me the ability to pay for my plane ticket, I was able to purchase it a few weeks ago…so it’s all very real now! I leave Seattle Monday July 26, and fly out of Uganda Monday August 16, spending 24 hours in London with my best friend and returning to Seattle on Tuesday August 17, the day before Mikaelyn’s birthday! Mikaelyn will be flying to Michigan to spend several weeks with my parents…we’re still working on the details, but we will have someone (possibly my little brother) fly her there and then my Mom will return with her…details, details…

For those of you that are still interested in donating and supporting my trip, there is still time!! I am now raising funds for all of my in-country expenses including, food, room/board/hotels (3 nights), in-country transport (the drive from the Capitol, where I arrive, to Gulu is approx. 4 hours each way), as well as the projects that I will be working on with the children. Some of the projects include:

Beads for their bracelets/necklaces that they make and sell
Sporting equipment (purchased in-country) i.e. soccer balls, tennis balls, jump ropes etc.
Origami art
Tye-dye T-shirts (or we may do fabric markers for the kids to design their own shirt)
Christmas cards (this is my MAIN project)
Postage for Christmas cards
Supplies such as chalk, glitter, glue sticks, paper, scissors etc.

The more funds I am able to raise, the more supplies I am able to bring with me and purchase more sporting equipment in Kampala (Capitol).

I am so deeply grateful for all of you standing beside me on this journey and am looking forward to these next few weeks of planning, organizing and preparing! If you’re interested in seeing a breakdown of my costs, I would be happy to forward that on to you. I know that wonderful things are going to come from this & the children will have so much fun.

Thank you again for your continued support and ask that you continue to pray for these next few weeks to run smoothly. I know the Lord will provide and I am again, so grateful for all of you and your generosity!!

Afoyo Matek (Thank you very much in Lewl)
Sarah Jean

An Update on my Uganda Trip!

Hello my friends,


I want to start by saying thank you to all of those that have sent prayers, letters, emails, phone calls/texts and financial support for my upcoming Uganda trip in July!

I wanted to give a quick update to let you all know how things are progressing…

I am still in need of approximately $1,100 in order to purchase my plane ticket ($2,410) and am hoping to do so by April 30th or I will lose my reservation. Due to the World Cup and Summertime, airfare is quite pricey and space is limited. If you’re interested in supporting me financially, I would greatly appreciate your help in these coming weeks as this is the first and largest task that I need to accomplish.

I have priced out all of the sporting equipment for the children and I’m working on raising the money for these items as well.

I have been in touch with ACTION International in Gulu and have heard that the children are excited for my return and eager to show me the electricity they had connected last month! I can hardly wait to get my arms around those sweet kids!

I pray daily that the Lord will use me to do HIS work and that the children will have open hearts and minds to the work that I look forward to helping with.

Again, I appreciate all of your support as I continue following my passion on this journey! Thank you!!

I have attached a response card for your convenience if you feel led to support me in this way.

In His hands,

Sarah Jean Groenink
sjgroenink@att.net

Yes, I'm still here...

It has been ages since I've posted, I know, I know!
I won't get into the why of it all, but I can honestly say, the past few months have been some of my best ever! Here are just a few of the highlights:

1) I am working from home FULL TIME now...yes, I know, I'm lucky! I love every minute of it.
2) Mikaelyn is doing FABULOUS in school!
3) I'm back in the gym 4 days a week for an hour at a time...LOVE IT!
4) I bought myself a new mattress and am thoroughly enjoying sleep again
5) I am planning my next trip to Uganda...BY MYSELF, in July and I can hardly wait!
6) Mikaelyn continues to grow physically, mentally & spritually and I am deeply proud of my little girl!

Although a lot of transition has happened in the last 6 months, I feel completely blessed and know that I am in such a good place right now! I have been shown so much grace and I am so grateful for all the Lord has and continues to provide for myself and my family!

Here are just a few snap shots of the past few months:

 Mikaelyn & I headed out to an 80's Roller Skating Party

Roller Skating at Skate King!

Mikaelyn & Michelle Skating!

Mikaelyn, Michelle & I

Mikaelyn making her new Build-A-Bear Unicorn

Chance (Jenni's son) making his Build-A-Bear Monkey

The "fluffing" machine

Kaiser, Ilona, Christian, Mikaelyn and Eva (behind the tree)

My nephews & nieces (missing one niece - still in the womb) and Mikaelyn together at the zoo

2 of our babies, Kota & Rayla cuddling...as usual!

Uganda Support Letter

Dear Friends,

It is with great excitement that I write to tell you of my plan to return to Gulu, Uganda! It has been almost a year since I returned and from the day I stepped off of that plane, I have been praying, planning and preparing for my next adventure to where I left a large piece of my heart.

In late 2009, Angie Lauer, the Supervisor for Home of Love Orphanage with ACTION International in Gulu, where I worked last year, came home to the Seattle area on furlough. As we met together, Angie shared the need for assistance at the orphanage with organizing the database as well as streamlining and maintaining the Child Sponsorship program. At the same time I have been praying about how to use my God-given skills for a higher purpose. It seems as if this opportunity has been gently placed in my lap as an answer to my prayers.

The plan has evolved and here I am writing to my friends and family to ask for your prayers and support as I plan to travel back to Gulu, Uganda July 26 - August 16, 2010 to do work for the Orphanage and immerse myself in the culture and with the children at Home of Love. I ask that you pray for me as I continue to plan and organize this trip, for my safety and health, for Mikaelyn's comfort while I'm away and for my Mom as she cares for an energetic 5 1/2 year old. I also ask that you pray that the Lord will guide me in these weeks before and during my trip and above all, that everything I do with glorify Him! This is His trip and I am grateful for the opportunity that He has provided for me.

Because I am traveling alone, I am solely responsible for raising the support for my travel expenses, transport while in country, food and projects I work on with the children, one of which will be providing supplies and postage for the children's Christmas cards. The total cost of this trip is approximately $4,000. If you would like to be a part of this journey with me, please return the response card, noting prayer and/or financial contribution. Please notate my name on the tax deductible check made payable to: ACTION International Ministries.

I am deeply honored to have been offered this volunteer position of Child Sponsorship Assistant to Home of Love. If this is something that touches your heart, I would love to have you partner with me. Thank you for your prayer, financial support and the love that you have offered to me!

In his hands,

Sarah Jean

Who is YOUR BFF??

This is something that I have wrestled with practically all my life! Here is a list of my BFF's since I was born...in order of when they received that "Title":

1) Jenifer
2) Heidi
3) Candy
4) Nicole
5) Kayleen
6) Abbey
7) Katie
8) Niki
9) Sabrina
10) John
11) Erin
12) Kristina
13) Sosha
14) Anthony
15) Kim
16) Heather
17) Nissa

Phew...I think that's about it...

I heard on the radio the other day, that children supposedly meet their "BFF" (Best Friend Forever) at the young age of 3! I can honestly say that ALMOST all of these people I am still friends with to this day and consider a very select few CLOSE friends of mine. So many have been through so much with me, both good and bad.

But here is where I struggle...to how many of them, am I their one TRUE best friend?? I'm not...I don't have that ONE person that I talk to or text EVERY single day, that I can talk to about anything, that knows me inside and out, that understands why I do the things I do. That ONE person that trusts me with their heart and soul and knows that NO MATTER WHAT, I will do anything to protect them. To be honest, I've never had that...ever.

Now, before I go on, let's just take #14 out of this...kind of. Anthony is the Father of my child and the man that I share my life with right now. Yes, he is there for me and I love him dearly...but even he doesn't give me everything I need in a BFF. Yes, he is the 1st person I call if there is any issue with our daughter, or if something is going on with work and vice versa...but it is just different. What I'm talking about is someone OUTSIDE of 'family' that I can go to and trust with everything.

I have struggled with this all my life. I have tried to do anything I can to find a REAL BFF, but can't seem to find the 'right' person to fill the position. Over the years I have fought with, cried with and loved dearly all the people in the above list and have very special memories with all of them individually, and am blessed to continue my relationship with many of them, but I long for that ONE person. Every time I consider someone my BFF...they always have ANOTHER BFF. Now don't get me wrong. I don't expect to be the ONLY friend, I mean seriously, that's just silly. But there is something about that 'title', that to me, means more, and feel like there should be that ONE person.

Several friends have been MY best friend, but I have not been THEIR best friend. And I don't really know why? I have lost sleep over this, wondering if it's something wrong with me? Why am I not good enough to be THEIR best friend? I'm still trying to figure this all out and hope that someday things will become clearer.

My friend Jenni and I got together over this past weekend in the Portland area where she lives and talked about the "olden days"...holy crap, am I OLD ENOUGH to even say that?! Anyway, we talked about our MAJOR insecurities in High School, the ways we felt, the things we remembered...and many things that we didn't remember, but the other person did. It's amazing to me how everybody seems to think that I had it all together in H.S. I mean, here I was a cheerleader 3 years, 2 of them being all-american, good grades, a car (not like it's anything to write about, but I DID have a vehicle), everybody knew who I was, my Senior year I was dating one of the best looking and nicest guys in school, and was overall pretty well liked (I think).

What most people DIDN'T see was the indescribable insecurities and hurt I had in my heart! Very few saw what I did to my body when I was anorexic and bulimic. The way I turned to "bad" things instead of turning to a real person for help. The way my heart broke when I was left out, or the MANY tears I cried because I didn't have any REAL friends! My younger years, although in hindsight were MUCH easier than they are now...were VERY painful and difficult for me.

Jenni & I met with one of our fellow Cheerleaders, Carole on Sunday for lunch and discussed these very things. Carole said something that was SO true...how she wished that someone would have put ALL the girls in one room and said, look around, ALL of you are feeling the SAME thing, the SAME insecurities and the SAME discomfort in life! I think I 'looked' like I had it 'together' because that's what I portrayed, but if only I knew that SO many, including Jenni & Carole were feeling the exact same way, it could have all been different, not only for me, but for so many others.

So, now that I'm older, and a mother with a career, I still question WHO is my BFF?? Well, in the physical world, I don't really have a BFF...I have a select few CLOSE friends. But even without my ONE TRUE BFF, I know that I have people that would be there for me in a heartbeat if anything happened, or if I really needed them. Jenni is one of those people on that short list. After 13 years of only seeing each other probably once or twice, we have rekindled, or rather, re-started a new friendship, based on Christ, love and trust. The Lord has put us back in touch for a reason and I believe that it has been His perfect timing that brought us together!

BUT, even though I don't have a physical BFF, I DO have a BFF!!! Jesus Christ is my BFF!! This may sound cliche to you, but it is the truth. HE is the One that I call out to when I'm hurt. HE is the One that I feel comfort from. HE is the One that has saved me. HE is the One that trust with my heart 120%+!! And HE is the One that LOVES me no matter whether I'm happy or sad, busy or lonely, annoying and loud or quiet and reserved, HE LOVES ME!!

So, I ask you this question: Who is YOUR BFF? Can you say that Christ is? If not, then you're missing out on the best and most fruitful and loving relationship possible!! I may have a long way to go in life, with my friends and family, but I KNOW that the Lord will be by my side loving me unconditionally like only He can...and for that I can feel comfort.

Some Mikaelyn Pictures

My friend Mandie needed some photos for her Portfolio and asked if Mikaelyn wanted to do a shoot. The timing worked out perfectly since it was Mikaelyn's 5th birthday coming up, so we just made it a birthday shoot! Althought at the beginning she wasn't REAL excited about pictures (no matter HOW much you prepare a 5 year old, you just NEVER know what kind of attitude you'll actually get), but the end, she was a happy girl and eager to get LOTS of good shots on the swings!

Thanks Mandie for doing this for us!

Change is Coming...

...and I'm really not sure I'm 'ready' for it...but I also don't really have control over it.

The Lord is working in my life and I am doing my best to follow His lead. It is hard to understand why God chooses certain things for each of us to go through and it's even more difficult to try to explain that to a 5 year old. I've been thinking about buying a journal and writing in all of her questions about the Lord. they are such SIMPLE questions that I can't seem to answer in a way that she will actually understand, or maybe even that I understand. So I think it's time to start writing them down and researching so that I can give her the best opportunity at learning more about the Lord and all that He has in store for us.

I'm not sure how I'm going to get through all of this change, or how I'm going to cope with the adjustments, but I know that the Lord is on my side and am doing my best to "give it to God", even though I really don't know HOW to do that...I'm trying.

I suppose I ask for prayer during these next few days and weeks ahead that I imagine will be very difficult for me, and for Mikaelyn. We know that God is love and that if we put our trust in Him, He will care for us...so that's what we're trying to do!

I am SO blessed to have this little girl that gives me a reason to wake up every morning, a reason to keep going and a reason to love! I am so proud of the little lady that she is!!