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