I've been wanting to write an update about Alexanderson for awhile, but I wanted to wait until I could let you all know something definite. About a month ago, I sent out an email to many of you letting you know about a friend here who was in need of some help. Sitting at my computer, reading the 20+ responses that I got to that email in just a few short hours was one of the coolest things I've ever witnessed. People responded immediately and generously. It was so cool to see God's people surround and support a Christian brother, halfway across the world, that they will probably never meet. Thank you for reminding me of the incredible community that we're all a part of. I pray that I never take it for granted.
Over $700 has been raised for Alex so far, which is more than enough to cover his first term of school as well as the many supplies that he had to purchase to get ready for school. He came by this week and we gave him money to register for school and to go shopping to get some new clothes and all of his school supplies. The school that he will be going to is a boarding school so he won't have to worry about where his next meal will come from or if he'll have a place to sleep that night. So all of you not only took care of his education for the next year, but you've also helped to meet his everyday needs as well.
Alex starts school on Monday. Some of the money that was raised went to pay for coaching, or tutoring, these past few weeks to get him ready for school. He has been out of school for a couple of years, and he told us that everything in his brain has become fuzzy. Yeah, it was cute. He seems very very excited about going back to school. He can't keep the smile off his face when he's around us and talking about it. This week he told us that he is going to find some way to thank us, and his idea was to help us learn runyonkore over the next year. I'm all about that because it's getting kind of old to either 1) get laughed at every time I branch out and try a new phrase or 2) have the exact same conversation with the old man who is the guard near our apartment every single morning. I could use the help.
I hope you can all tell from the picture the joy that you've brought Alex by giving him the chance to go back to school again. He told us the other day that he just loves us so much and he could never thank us. I reminded him that there are many people back in America who love him very much and are so happy to help. I don't feel like I deserve any of his thanks in this. I did nothing except let you all know about a need. You are the ones who deserve the thanks. Thank you for helping to change his life. He is a special guy, and he deserves this chance. We've raised around half of the money that we'll need to pay for his entire year of school. If you're still interested in helping out, drop me an email and let me know.
One verse in the Bible that means a lot more to me after being in Uganda for three months and meeting people like Alex is Matthew 6:33. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Many of these people have no hope outside of God. They don't have money to eat today and they aren't sure if they will tomorrow. They're months behind on rent, and have nowhere to go once they get kicked out. They don't have the money to finish school, and so their hope of ever getting a decent job is pretty slim. Yet winning out over all of those negative circumstances in their lives is their trust and faith that God is still going to take care of them. I read in a book recently that perhaps those who live in poverty actually have an advantage over those of us who have more than we need. They actually live a life where there is nothing to depend on so they are forced to depend in God. So often, those of us who live in abundance of the things we need and many things we could definitely live without, never really learn to lean on God because there are so many other things we lean on first. I pray that God continues to teach me, through people like my dear brother Alex, what it truly means to take him at his word and believe that he will give us everything we need.
Over $700 has been raised for Alex so far, which is more than enough to cover his first term of school as well as the many supplies that he had to purchase to get ready for school. He came by this week and we gave him money to register for school and to go shopping to get some new clothes and all of his school supplies. The school that he will be going to is a boarding school so he won't have to worry about where his next meal will come from or if he'll have a place to sleep that night. So all of you not only took care of his education for the next year, but you've also helped to meet his everyday needs as well.
Alex starts school on Monday. Some of the money that was raised went to pay for coaching, or tutoring, these past few weeks to get him ready for school. He has been out of school for a couple of years, and he told us that everything in his brain has become fuzzy. Yeah, it was cute. He seems very very excited about going back to school. He can't keep the smile off his face when he's around us and talking about it. This week he told us that he is going to find some way to thank us, and his idea was to help us learn runyonkore over the next year. I'm all about that because it's getting kind of old to either 1) get laughed at every time I branch out and try a new phrase or 2) have the exact same conversation with the old man who is the guard near our apartment every single morning. I could use the help.
I hope you can all tell from the picture the joy that you've brought Alex by giving him the chance to go back to school again. He told us the other day that he just loves us so much and he could never thank us. I reminded him that there are many people back in America who love him very much and are so happy to help. I don't feel like I deserve any of his thanks in this. I did nothing except let you all know about a need. You are the ones who deserve the thanks. Thank you for helping to change his life. He is a special guy, and he deserves this chance. We've raised around half of the money that we'll need to pay for his entire year of school. If you're still interested in helping out, drop me an email and let me know.
One verse in the Bible that means a lot more to me after being in Uganda for three months and meeting people like Alex is Matthew 6:33. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Many of these people have no hope outside of God. They don't have money to eat today and they aren't sure if they will tomorrow. They're months behind on rent, and have nowhere to go once they get kicked out. They don't have the money to finish school, and so their hope of ever getting a decent job is pretty slim. Yet winning out over all of those negative circumstances in their lives is their trust and faith that God is still going to take care of them. I read in a book recently that perhaps those who live in poverty actually have an advantage over those of us who have more than we need. They actually live a life where there is nothing to depend on so they are forced to depend in God. So often, those of us who live in abundance of the things we need and many things we could definitely live without, never really learn to lean on God because there are so many other things we lean on first. I pray that God continues to teach me, through people like my dear brother Alex, what it truly means to take him at his word and believe that he will give us everything we need.
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