Home Sweet Home

“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers, or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

-Luke 14:12-14

As I pull into the orphanage in the rickety old truck, I hear eleven beautiful voices saying, “Court-ta-ney! Court-ta-ney!” I am home, after two days of being away, and dropping Corrinne off in Njombe, I am back. I get out of the truck and instantly eleven hugs are in store for me. This is my life. I have eleven children. It amazes me how quickly I have fallen in love with them. How can you not? Yes, having eleven kids has its moments, but I love them, and that love is real, and that love is powerful. They are warming up to me quickly, and I cannot help but feel the same way.

I still can’t grasp that I am living in Africa. This is my home, and I have fallen in love with it. I love how much like home it is, and how much like home it is not. I love the people, their infectious laughter and kindness is humbling. They are so giving and so rich in life, my heart swells for them. This place will change my life. It already has in less than a month; I can’t imagine how I will feel after one year. Plus I am getting my temporary residency permit (good for 2 years) so who knows? ;) I am very excited to share this life with my parents, to watch them fall in love like I have and to get to experience it with people whom I love. 

It scares me at times, the unknown. What does God have in mind for my life? How is it going to look? Is this forever? Am I okay with that? Are their bigger plans for me in the USA? ??????????? And then I have to remember to breathe, and let go, because he is in control. He knows what he wants to do with my life, what plans he has, and I have to learn to trust. Learn to let go of control. I’m not meant to have it, and honestly, what a relief. God has the control; he will work things out, in his time, in his way. I just get to wait, and live in Africa, and have eleven children whom I love (I know I am suffering) and cherish these moments, because God only knows what the future holds. 

I love that when I am driving down the road and I pass by children I hear, “Mzungu! Mzungu!” or “White person, white person!” Sometimes I even hear it from adults. I am kind of a big deal, let’s be honest it’s true, but here it’s even more true. I am one of a kind. Just like all of us are, but here, I really feel it. Now Corrinne has left me too, making me the resident white person in Uhekule. I have had a crash course, and now its sink or swim time. I am determined to make this work, and work well. I want my time here to be as meaningful for the people I interact with, as it is for me. 

I am trying to bring my American Christmas to Uhekule, I will do a special blog on that later, but I am so excited. It’s incredibly hard to be away from my family over the holidays, but I am equally as excited that I get to spend it here. Where you ask? In Africa, because that is where I live! 

We ran out of water this week, from weds to sun. We made a trip to a “watering hole” and filled buckets to bring back….however that meant no showers. It made me appreciate the people here so much more, seeing as they have to do this multiple times a day. 

If you would like to send things to me my address is:

Courtney Hohensee

Sunrise Children’s Home

P.O. Box 746

Njombe, Tanzania

Ideas to send:

Tuna or Salmon packets

Beef Jerky

Sunscreen (Ziploc bag in case it opens)

Pickles (lol) If only!

Or anything else that strikes you fancy!

 Letters would be a blessing to receive as well. :)

If you would like to send things to the kids, you can contact me Via Email @ C.Hohensee@yahoo.com and we can discuss good things to send. 

Thank you all for your love, support, prayers. I appreciate it!!! And i can not thank you enough!