Answer to Paul's prayer!

Megan and I got the chance to go with Paul to a village this morning and meet a family. Before we went he told us their story.

The very first year that Pam and Paul came here they came with a team of 13. It was 2001 I believe. Well somebody put them in contact with a Pastor here and they started doing work with him. But as it turned out the guy was an expert con-artist. He ended up stealing thousands of dollars from this team and about 10 acres of land that they were planning to build some permanent buildings on. Before they knew all of this, a couple from Oregon had decided to adopt a boy that the Pastor had introduced to them as an orphan. Except, he wasn't. His parents were still very much alive and taking care of him. But because this man was and is still so evil, the parents had to give up the boy to the American couple. He was five when he got to the states. He is now 12 or 13. Pam and Paul went to this family a few years ago and asked if they had heard from their son ever. They said no, the pastor said that the American family communicates with him all the time but that they will never be able to talk to the boy again because they left the church.

Well you can imagine Pam and Paul's reaction to that. They contacted the boys American parents and asked them about what the Pastor had said, and they said that none of it was true. So last year when Pam and Paul were in the states they went to meet the boy and talk to him. They showed him pictures of his parents and asked if he wanted to come visit them. He said yes, so Paul said he would take him himself the next year or so. He has forgotten all the Luganda he knew when he was young. It's really sad.

Well this morning, Megan and I went with Paul to see the parents. We took 2 8x10's of the boy to them and Paul brought his laptop and showed them pictures of the boy's American family and videos of the boy talking. They were SO happy. He looks a lot like his dad. Paul told them that he was planning on bringing the boy back for a visit the next time he came back. He said that the boy could travel with him and everything so that he'd be a little more comfortable about coming. He asked them to start praying now that the boy's American family could get the money raised so he could come. Megan and I were there listening to all of this and we had the same thought, "Pam and Paul are coming back in March. The boy will still be in school. That definitely could not work out. Hmmm... He lives in Oregon you say? What's that? Portland?? Hmmm..."

Does anyone have any ideas as to what we were thinking??

BTW, the boy's name is Alani (pronounced Allen). His dad is Kanani (pronounced Canon) and his mom is Loyce (Pronounced kind of like Louis I believe)

Okay so nobody can probably guess what we were thinking except for the few who have the inside scoop. So here it is. Megan and I are already planning our trip for next. We're coming with the 3 college kids that were on the NW Pacific team, Kyle, Todd, and Tynishia and we're all bringing a college aged friend with us. So that means a team of 10 college kids. Oh yeah, we're all coming for a month :) We're planning on coming in July again. Pam said it was first come first serve on dates so... sorry :) We've booked that month again. Any way, back to answering the question. Kyle and Tynishia go to college in Portland. Todd lives in Spokane. Any guesses yet?? Well for those of you who are a little slow ;) We're talking to those three to see if they'd pick Alani up and that way he'd be able to travel with us!! Genius right?! Paul said that he had the same thoughts, about Alani being in school that is. He told us we were an answer to his prayers! Paul e-mailed the American family already to have them pray and start saving. We're waiting on Kyle, Todd, and T but we don't figure on there being to many complaints once they read the story. Please pray that this will work out. Sorry this was so long!