Our Visit to Kasana

By David, Cathie, Catriona, Christina and John Morton

The Mortons with their sponsored child's family.

This year our family had the opportunity to spend seven weeks at Kasana in May and June. We were first introduced to New Hope many years ago through Cathie’s relatives and initially our involvement was to sponsor a child. That was a real blessing to our girls who enjoyed writing to her and they learned to pray for her on a consistent basis. Run forward to 2009 and David spent a week at New Hope along with the North Dakota team. After this ‘taster’, we really started looking for the right time to take the whole family which God opened up to us this year.

During our time there, Cathie enjoyed working alongside Uncle Julius in P5 helping students in small groups on their math studies. David helped the post-Kasana department analyze their financial projections and compiled data to better understand the total costs of ownership for ministry vehicles. Our children Catriona (12), Christina (10) and John (6) had a marvellous time making friends and seeing first-hand what life is like at New Hope Uganda. They especially enjoyed visiting at the Baby House.

As we reflect back on our time there we consider ourselves so blessed to have spent time in the New Hope family. Again and again we were struck by how the concept of Godly families is interwoven into every aspect of life at New Hope. Perhaps the most significant aspect of our stay was being associated with the David Family. They welcomed us with open arms and taught us so much. As we walked and talked, played and prayed alongside them we began to understand how vital the family group is to bringing hope, faith and love to these children.

Five months later and continents away here are some of the things our family misses:
• the clasp of a friendly handshake
• the greetings of welcome
• spending time with our sponsor child and his family
• singing “Soon and Very Soon” at family devotions
• beans, bagoyas and sweet potatoes
• three-legged football (soccer)
• hoeing in the gardens on Saturday mornings
• tutoring children at school
• playing with our friends
• helping at the baby house
• reading the chronological Bible
• relearning O-level chemistry after 20 years
• sharing a laugh
• being known as Uncle and Aunt
• voices raised in worship
• roasting maize
• thankful hearts
• willing workers
• praying people

Thank you to all the people at New Hope who made our visit such a blessing. Your patience, flexibility, generosity and thoughtfulness revealed hearts of love for the Lord to which we can only say, “PRAISE GOD!” And everyone said, “Amen!”

About the Mortons: David and Cathie Morton live in Calgary, Alberta where David works as an IT consultant and Cathie as a teacher.  Their three children, Catriona (12), Christina (10) and John (6), attend Bearspaw Christian School and are busy with piano, flute, soccer and swimming.  David and Cathie are actively involved at Woodgreen Presbyterian Church where they teach adult and junior Sunday School classes and lead a prayer group.  As a family, the Mortons enjoy the outdoors (especially the Rocky Mountains), camping and travelling.