Newsletter: December 2017

17.Dec.17 SURPRISE!! It's me again! You get two emails in the same week. Are you excited? I felt there were a few more things that I wanted to share now. MAIL Did you know I can get mail? There is a post office here. Well actually there are multiple post offices here. Cards have gotten here in as fast as 10 days. How great is that? AIM: Katherine Rowe PO Box 4008 Kampala Uganda **hint, hint....to anyone mailing Christmas cards... FINANCES This is always the hard topic. But it is an important one too!! No ministry from Sunday mornings to college campuses to local outreach and everything across the world can function without the proper financial backing. God has lead me to be overseas for a few years now and as fast as things can change in a minute, so many things can change in a year. With that said, time has brought some changes to my financial situation. Some monthly supporters are having to stop with the end of 2017 and my monthly support target will be going up in 2018. This is obviously creating a deficit. Please prayerfully consider supporting me monthly for an ongoing basis. You may also consider a one time gift as these are helpful too. Follow this link to give online. If you are not led to donate, then please be sure to join me in prayer that the right conversations would be had with those that are called to give. If you would like more information including numbers and how monthly support works, then let me know!!! I will get back to you in January with details!

Notes from earlier this year. Click the photo for a direct link to give right now.

GOING & COMING You don't have to follow me long to hear/read the phrase "revolving door". People are often coming and going. The expat community is ever changing. People go to their passport countries for planned home assignments; some leave unexpectedly for medical reasons; others get called to serve our Savior in other parts of the world. Two families (not with AIM) but friends of mine left Uganda this week. And a handful of people that are with AIM are expected to arrive early next year. All of this means that there are a lot of goodbyes happening. Please pray for those that say goodbye on the field and those saying goodbye at home. Pray for the details to come together as one phase of life ends and another begins. Pray for relationships and roots to be established quickly in the new places. CHRISTMAS SEASON As I wrote a few days ago, Christmas season is definitely in full swing now. I have a small collection of decorations for this time of year and have been gradually been putting a few things out. From card's I've kept to a nativity scene to a tree ornament I use as a tree and snow cut out snowflakes....anything helps to create the seasonal atmosphere. You know what though??? It's hard. The weather actually starts to get get warmer this time of year. Traditional foods are difficult to make because one struggles to find the right ingredients. The typical outdoor activities (cutting a tree, anything snow/ice related, looking at light displays....) can't be accomplished here. Parents long for their kids to have "normal" experiences as if they were in their passport countries. In short, this time of year can be really hard for missionaries. Please pray for the families to know just how to make the time special for the kids. Please pray for those that came to the field this year and are days away from their first Christmas without family. Please pray for friends and family at home (like you) that look around the room knowing someone is missing this year. Please pray for the busy ones that dive into a busy time of ministry over the next few weeks. Please pray for the individuals that don't have the built in community with family and seek to have memorable moments with others this time of year. WHEN IN DOUBT.... Sometimes you may have no idea what to do. That's ok. Sometimes that's how I feel and I expect that feeling tomorrow at the office. One thing you can always do is pray for health. This past week I had some gut issues disrupt my plans. After a visit to a clinic and some antibiotics, I'm doing much better. Just as being sick where you are greatly affects plans, the same thing happens here too!! It feels like quite the snowball effect (seasonal pun intended) as my role involves communicating with people around the world. So tomorrow as I go back to the office and try to dig myself out of the hole, I expect one of those moments of not knowing what to do. For all expats, anytime.....pray for health. Pray for healing. Pray for wisdom. Pray for trustworthy medical professionals.  With love and gratitude for all you do for me, Katherine

NEWSLETTER: November 2017

14.Dec.17 Greetings to you and your family!! Would you believe that I started this newsletter 15 days ago when I was in Kenya? It's true. I really did. I'm not really sure what happened to the last two weeks but here we are. I realize that Christmas is in full swing but we still need to catch up on November.  Kenya Trip Since I already mentioned it, we might as well start with Kenya. Don't get concerned by any means. I did not go to Kenya for health reasons. I actually went for work. It was quite exciting as I've never traveled for work before. The event that made it all happen was this workshop.  As you might have seen from the link, it is about using the COACHing model. This stands for: Connect, Outcome, Awareness, Course, and Highlights. It seemed like a simple concept before the workshop. But the three days was well spent. The practice sessions with colleagues from AIM were also great. I was able to see how it works as I coached someone that I had no idea how to help. However, the process proved true as she was able to come to action steps and realizations on her own. It also helped me and I saw how it could be applied personally. If you can't go to a workshop, then I definitely reccomend the book. The other fabulous part about the trip was that I was able to spend the weekend with a friend in Nairobi! Although, technically that was December, so perhaps I shouldn't go too much into that. Just know that it was wonderful and lovely! Thanksgiving What is a newsletter about November without talking about Thanksgiving? Those I work with are quite diverse by passport. However, another group of American friends invited me to join them. We had also spent July fourth together so it only seemed natural that we celebrated another American holiday together. The food was fabulous. The fellowship was lovely and timely. I had instigated a game in July so I was asked to provide a game for Thanksgiving too. I think it turned out pretty good. See the photo below.

After the loneliness of October, I made some very intentional coffee dates with friends, or at least one friend.  The room where we gathered for the COACH workshop.  At Thanksgiving, I was in charge of the game. I made a trivia game for the group to play. Just hanging around in the rafters at the ecolodge with friends.

In Other News.... Do you remember the teaser at the end of the last email? I mentioned some planning for something exciting. I am so happy to report that this came to fruition. With a few other friends, I was able to get away for two nights at an ecolodge that is nearby. It was such a needed mini break. Two of the friends actually moved back to America this week so it was extra special to make those laughable memories with them. November also brought my Ugandaversary. On 17 November I celebrated having moved to Uganda two years ago. There were no special festivities. Well, I did take the day off work and make myself some brownies from a mix I brought from America. It was a great way to celebrate. One day a friend pointed out how far I've come in those two years. Just thinking about running arounds around town or even simply getting around town....going to new places on my own....basically the common things you do when you have a life somewhere. It was great to hear a view from the outside as it is often easy for me to focus on the areas that still need improvement. With love, Katherine Top picture: The view from our classroom in Kijabe, Kenya. One of those peaks in the background is Mount Longonot....I'm pretty sure anyway. Prayer requests:  Much thanks that a lease was agreed on for another year so I can continue living in my same flat.  Pray for moments of joy during this holiday season. The miles between us always seem longer this time of year. Pray for those that have just come to Africa this year and this is their first Christmas away from home. Pray for the ability to enjoy the moments with others Pray for transitions....it seems this is a season of leaving as the list of friends leaving Uganda seems to keep growing Pray for courage to engage across the culture barriers Pray for ministry opportunities.....I've been wondering what other ways I can engage here outside of the office