tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50459593153602025892024-03-05T04:53:28.873-08:00Uganda 2011In September of 2011 a team of 8 missionaries from the Willamette Valley in Oregon will head to Uganda - The Pearl of Africa!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-22058614552528967492011-09-26T06:01:00.000-07:002011-09-26T21:45:10.198-07:00Calvary Chapel EntebbeDay 14 - Thursday<br />
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We woke up in Entebbe realizing that this would be our last day in Uganda. Jess and I flew back into Uganda late last night after spending the day in Rwanda with Gedeon. Our first mission this day was to re-connect with Mark and Shai who were staying in the same hotel. They arrived last night and checked in earlier than we did. We had breakfast together; then Jess and I took a walk down to Lake Victoria (30 minute walk), which is the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world. (Lake Superior is the biggest.) As you look out over the water, you feel like you're standing on the shore of an ocean because there is no visible shoreline on the other side. It is big, and it is very beautiful.<br />
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After our walk we met with Pastor Craig Lindquist of Calvary Chapel Entebbe. Several months before our trip, I contacted Pastor Craig through Potter's Field Ministries, asking to visit CC Entebbe so that I could see what the Lord is doing there. We had a full day of visiting classrooms, making house visitations, and taking a boat ride across Lake Victoria to the church's farm. <br />
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The church and school sit on about 3 acres (of what used to be a garbage dump) that extends all the way down to the lake. They purchased the property about 7 years ago, and after clearing it of all the debris, they met in tents for a season. Within the last few years they have constructed a chapel and several classroom buildings. The school grows as the number of kids grows. Right now they have preschool through P3 (3rd grade) classes. The classroom sizes are small with about 12 children at each grade. Next year they will bring more children in at the lower level and add a P4 class for those who are moving up from P3. The buildings, with pillars added for support, are probably the best constructed school buildings that we have seen in Uganda. Most buildings are constructed using bricks without any of these support pillars; bricks are just stacked one atop another, and these structures look like they would collapse very easily if there was an earthquake or high winds. These classrooms at CC Entebbe look much like a classroom you would see in America with maps, pictures, alphabet letters on the walls, etc. The P3 classroom has several computers in it that are old but operational. The classrooms also have white boards in them! I say this because most of the classrooms we have seen have makeshift cardboard or plywood chalkboards in them. I can see that it's been Pastor Craig's heart to lean on God's wisdom, wait on Him, and build well as resources have been made available. Nothing looks thrown together here; it is very evident that they have waited patiently for the Lord to act and provide the funding for this endeavor.<br />
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The latest project is the completion of a new latrine for the boys and girls. What is really cool about this is how the sewage system is a one-of-a-kind system in Uganda. There are several filtration holding tanks down in the lower field that will flow into each other with the last tank set to leach out into the lower field (which will become a soccer field). City officials are very interested how this system works because it could be utilized in other areas of Uganda. <br />
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After visiting the classrooms, we went with Pastor Julius into the village on home visitations. We met with four families in their homes to encourage them by reading scriptures and praying for them. What a blessing!! Then we took a 30 minute boat ride across Lake Victoria to CC Entebbe's working farm which is on an island. We were met by Peter and Deus who gave us a tour of the gardens and piggery. There are probably 6 to 8 acres of land with fruit trees and vegetable gardens. We tasted some of the bananas which are sooo sweet!! The produce is used to supplement the children's diet; some of it is sold also at the market to help the school become self-sustainable.<br />
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Before going to the airport, we went with Pastor Craig and his wife, Loren, to a restaurant for dinner. They shared their calling to Uganda and vision for their church/ministry. You can read about them on the website I've linked to this page. The pictures are great, too. Then it was time to head to the airport for our long journey home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-48161924932417786722011-09-25T08:39:00.000-07:002011-09-26T21:40:38.244-07:00Safely HomeFriday evening we arrived safely home after 32 hours of travel (22 hours in flight). It felt so good to be home!! I remember placing my head on the pillow, then waking up Saturday morning at 7:45am thinking "Were we really in Uganda or was it just a dream?" <br />
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We had an amazing time; we are filled with so many precious memories, and we miss the people so much! I last wrote on Tuesday morning before giving away the laptop that I had been using while in Uganda. My company, Samaritan Health Services, blessed us with two laptops to be donated to various ministries there. Once I gave away the last one, I had no way to update the blog. Now that I'm home, I would like to catch you up on those last few days.<br />
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Days 12 and 13 - Tuesday and Wednesday<br />
The team drove back from Tororo to Kampala. We brought Pastor Moses and Betty along with us. They have two daughters who attend boarding schools along the way to Kampala, so we made several stops in the towns of Iganga and Jinga to visit them. Our team arrived in Kampala around 3pm, which gave Jessica and me a few hours to relax and have some dinner before we had to head to the airport for an 11pm flight to Kigali, Rwanda.<br />
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Our driver Moses took Jess and I to the airport which is about 30 miles from Kampala. Moses is a delightful man and a really good driver. Traffic at this time of day, 5pm, can be a bumper to bumper nightmare, but Moses somehow managed to avoid it all as he navigated side streets through the city and got us to the airport in plenty of time. Our flight to Kigali was on time, but when we arrived there was no one there to greet us. We didn't know what to do. We waited for about an hour to see if the hotel van would come for us as had been the arrangement, but we finally decided to take a taxi to a hotel. It was then that I realized in my haste to get things packed that morning, I had forgotten to write down the name of the hotel I had booked for us in Kigali. I began feeling out of control being in a foreign country and not knowing where to find rest for the night. We were to meet the Compassion representative in <u>the hotel</u> lobby at 9:30am and I had no idea where that was! I asked a taxi driver to get us to a hotel close to the Compassion office, so he brought us to this really nice resort hotel and pointed towards the parking lot, assuring us that the Compassion office was right there. We stayed at a hotel down the street from there (which was a little less expensive), waking up Wednesday morning for breakfast and hoping to just walk down the street and find the Compassion office around 8am. However, when we got to the resort hotel and looked where the taxi driver had pointed, there was no office!!!! Nothing was there. We are at a complete loss.<br />
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I began feeling out of control again, beating myself up for not writing down the contact info. There was nothing I could do about that now; I had to just pray and ask the Lord for help. All of a sudden a Jeep belonging to an Aids/HIV organization pulled into the hotel parking lot, and I felt led to approach the driver and ask about the Compassion office. He said the Compassion office used to be here, but they relocated a few years ago. He did not have a contact number, but he thought there might be someone in his office who did. He called and left a message, telling us that once he heard back, he would come find us in the lobby. Well, I was thankful for his help, but I still felt anxious because our meeting with the Compassion representative was to be in one hour. Then the Lord told me to go and speak with a lady at the reception desk of the hotel. She simply made a phone call and handed me the phone. It was Eugene, the Compassion Representative!! He told me that he called <u>the hotel</u> this morning (the hotel we were supposed to stay in), and hearing that we had not stayed there last night, he was getting ready to contact the man who was bringing Gedeon and tell him we would not be coming! <br />
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You know, I praise the Lord! Everything worked out in just the nick of time. We do not always see His hand moving on our behalf. There are times I get in these situations and feel like I'm all alone with no one to help me, but the Lord is so faithful! He is always right there with us. He led us directly to the person who could help us. He is so faithful!! He is just so faithful. We met Eugene in the hotel lobby at 10am, and he brought us to the Compassion office to meet Gedeon. When Gedeon saw us he sprang up out of his chair and came right to us. (We had been warned that he might feel really shy.) He greeted us with huge bear hugs, and we just embraced and loved each other. There was such joy in his face when he saw us. Our time together went by very quickly as we talked, played some soccer, and ate lunch together. Before we knew it the 4 hours went by, and we were saying goodbye for now. None of us wanted to say goodbye. As we drove away from the bus depot, we kept looking back at Gedeon, and he kept looking at us in our car. We waved until we could no longer see each other. I know in my heart that one day I will see this precious young man again. How soon I do not know, but we will meet again. His desire is to become an evangelist and pastor. I encouraged him to do all that is in his heart for the Lord. His favorite verse is Isaiah 59:1 - "Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear".<br />
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What a fun day! Thank You, Lord, for bringing us together despite all the obstacles. Thank You for the work You have begun in Your son Gedeon! Thank You for placing him in our lives these past 10 years. Use him mightily for Your Name's sake!!<br />
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<b></b><b style="color: #bf9000;">"If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." - <span style="font-size: x-small;">2 Timothy 2:13</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-53149165189860876242011-09-24T16:38:00.000-07:002011-09-25T17:05:27.039-07:00GEDEONI am now sitting at my home computer. It is so good to be home! It felt so good to take an ACTUAL WARM shower last night and to sleep in my own bed! The airplane trip was really long, but it was so worth it!<br />
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Anyway, I wanted to tell you all about the amazing day my dad and I spent with my brother Gedeon in Rwanda. When we arrived at the Compassion office, we waited around for him to arrive. (He had been traveling for 3 1/2 hours to come meet us!) When he arrived, my dad and I walked down the stairs to greet him. Now there were three men sitting on a bench at the bottom of the stairs, and I couldn't pick out which one was Gedeon. I was expecting him to be at least 6ft. tall; however, the boy that jumped up and ran to greet us was only like 2in. taller than ME! (I am only 5ft.2in.) When he ran to greet us, he gave both my dad and me huge bear hugs! Then we exchanged gifts. We gave him a soccer ball and a string backpack full of little goodies. He gave us a basket woven by his mother; it is beautiful! After talking for a few minutes, we all climbed into a car to drive to a hotel that had some grass so we could play soccer together. When we got into the car, Gedeon turned to me and told me he was so glad to see me (in English!). Then he shook my hand and never let go. So we held hands all the way to the hotel- so sweet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOenXSHKA9qgxRik1j5lZHwR0N-AanfqJtmJo2kltKMByimRDvirUaJxshGxElLzuUrJBOOan5WIlSR6aWOpkvro-G8pzhUgDXruXT-IvSmH9FvI_npUasELNKb2_7kbA6sZMk2hQ-HBM/s1600/DadGedeonJess.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOenXSHKA9qgxRik1j5lZHwR0N-AanfqJtmJo2kltKMByimRDvirUaJxshGxElLzuUrJBOOan5WIlSR6aWOpkvro-G8pzhUgDXruXT-IvSmH9FvI_npUasELNKb2_7kbA6sZMk2hQ-HBM/s320/DadGedeonJess.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> At the hotel, he and my dad played soccer; then we all sat on lawn chairs (well I was on a lawn ottoman) and talked. Gedeon shared about his life as we asked questions. Later he shared about the effect that the genocide had on his family. His family fled Rwanda during that time, so he was born in Uganda. After talking for probably more than an hour, we all "piled" into the car and drove to a restaurant for lunch. During lunch we showed him the pictures we brought of our family and all the letters that he had written to us in the past. He was so amazed that we had kept all of his letters!<br />
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After lunch, we took him to a store and bought him a Bible and some ice cream. He is almost 17 years old and he has never eaten ice cream before! When we gave him the ice cream, he didn't know what to do with it, so he stuck it in his backpack. While in the car on the way to the taxi lot, we finally told him it would melt if he didn't eat it. So he slowly opened it and tasted it. The first feedback he gave us concerning the ice cream was that it was really sweet. Then he turned to me and handed me the ice cream; he wanted me to taste it! I did (it was really sweet ice cream!), but I still laughed at the thought of how surprised he looked when he tasted it. When we arrived at the taxi lot, we had to say goodbye. It was one of the hardest goodbyes I have ever had to say. We hugged over and over and shook hands over and over. None of us wanted to leave. Even as he walked away, towards the taxi, he kept turning around and waving to us. My dad and I did the same. We never wanted our time with Gedeon to end.<br />
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My dad and I arrived back in Entebbe that night with dazed looks on our faces. The time with Gedeon had gone by so fast that we couldn't believe we had actually met him. (We have been dreaming of this day for over 10 years!) I miss Gedeon so much, and I hope to visit him again - maybe next year when I'm in Uganda. (I'm already signed up to return to Uganda next year! But that will be in another letter....)<br />
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Well, I had to share a memory I am savoring and savoring.... Thank you all for praying for us! We were blown away by God's goodness and love.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
JessicaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-28289826275118407632011-09-19T20:56:00.000-07:002011-09-24T17:17:41.415-07:00RwandaDay 12 - Tuesday<br />
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Today we leave Tororo and drive back to Kampala. Jessica and I will continue on to Entebbe and fly into Rwanda tonight. We will be staying overnight in a hotel in Kigali, Rwanda. Tomorrow we will meet a representative from Compassion International who will bring us to meet our sponsored son, Gedeon. I cannot express the joy and excitement that is in my heart as I think of meeting young Gedeon face to face for the first time. After ten years of letter writing back and forth, we will finally meet. I brought with me a stack of about 30 letters that he has written to us over the years. I was reading through them the other day and came across one that he wrote towards the end of last year. At the close of the letter he wrote, "Please forgive me, I love you so much; if possible, please come and visit me." I never imagined that it would happen this year!<br />
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We will spend the day with Gedeon, then fly back into Uganda tomorrow night. Thursday we will spend the day with Pastor Craig Lindquist of Calvary Chapel Entebbe. Pastor Craig will meet us at our hotel in Entebbe and bring us to the church to see all that the Lord is doing there through their outreach to the children. That night we will begin our long trek home to Oregon. Please pray for His protection as we travel these next few days. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Picture Ivory Hotel in Kampala</td></tr>
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Note: I'm not sure how much time I'll have to update the blog, because I'll be leaving this laptop with Pastor Moses. Please check Mark's blog for updates on our exploits for today and Thursday. If you have not visited his blog yet, you should. He has lots of pictures and video clips on it. The link is over to the lower right on this page under 'My Blog List.' Just click on 'Walk by Faith,' and it will take you right to it. God bless!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-20046558271390307812011-09-19T11:52:00.000-07:002011-09-19T12:04:36.902-07:00Tororo Prison FarmThis afternoon we broke into small groups again. Mark, Shai, Jessica, and Ashley went with Pastor James to another school. In the meantime, the rest of us accompanied Pastor Moses and Betty to the Tororo Prison Farm. The farm is located on the outskirts of Tororo. The ride was very scenic revealing beautiful countryside. When we got to the prison we were escorted by a guard who was awaiting us. They are very familiar with Pastor Moses and his wife. In fact there is a very large building that they have donated to Pastor Moses for church services. Moses is waiting on the Lord to raise someone up from within his body to pastor it. <br />
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We met outdoors with twelve inmates who were sick and needing prayer. Nine of the twelve are born again. Pastor Daniel shared a short salvation message, and the three who were not born again stepped forward to receive Christ as their personal Savior. After this we prayed over the twelve for God's healing; then we handed out Bibles (thanks to someone who donated funds to purchase Bibles :)) to each of them. We then moved over to the women's quarters to meet with 13 women. We took turns sharing short messages with the women. One woman raised her hand and stood to receive Christ. It turns out the other women are already born again. After this we handed out small gift packages to each of the women (soap, lotion, bread, hankies, underwear, and salt). We also handed out little cartons of milk for the children. There are five children (including 1 baby) living at the prison while their mothers serve sentences. The children stay for as long as the mother is in prison or until they turn 18. It's hard to imagine, but there is no where else for some of these children to go. It's heartbreaking to see these little children behind barbed wire fences.<br />
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After handing out the gifts, we took the next 45 minutes to worship the Lord with the prisoners. What a blessing for all of us! We exhorted the women that even though they are physically behind prison walls, their spirits are free to worship and serve the Lord!! We prayed that the Lord would ground them and root them in the love of Christ. We reminded them that nothing, including prison walls, can separate us from the love of Christ. <br />
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We finished the evening at Pastor Moses's home for dinner and cake. We celebrated all that the Lord has done during our time here in Tororo. We shall forever remember our time here and cherish the memories in our hearts! It was a tearful goodbye for all of us, for we will head back to Kampala in the morning.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-81798554338077598292011-09-19T04:16:00.000-07:002011-09-19T08:58:24.465-07:00Tororo Universal CollegeDay 11 - Monday<br />
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Today we broke into small teams. Sandy and Joy went to the hospital with Pastor Moses's wife Betty. Sandy is a nurse and would like to know more about the needs they have for future trips over here. Pastor Moses took Virgil and the girls (Jess and Shai) shopping!! We sent Pastor Daniel with them to keep an eye on things.<br />
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Mark, Ashley, and I went to Tororo Universal College and spoke to about 200 students. The school is like a private school with Christian, Catholic, and Muslim children from ages 12 to 22. We met outside in a grassy area and took about an hour to share with them about our lives in America and how Jesus has moved in our lives. We exhorted them to do diligence in their school work and most importantly, to know the One True Living God and His Son whom He sent. It was a wonderful time of being with these precious students. We are praying that the Lord will water the seeds sown into their lives today. <br />
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This afternoon some of us will go to a prison to share the gospel; others will go to another school. Please pray for the souls of those who will hear the good news of Jesus Christ...I'll report back later...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-18275638645754155762011-09-18T22:12:00.000-07:002011-09-20T07:10:15.975-07:00Time is flying WAY TOO FAST!!!!I cannot believe that I will be in Africa for only four more days. It seems like just yesterday that we arrived at the airport and were greeted by almost thirty people. It seems like just yesterday that I was dancing and making faces with my buddy Sahara. Every single memory I have from Uganda seems like it happened yesterday (well, some <u>were</u> yesterday!). The church services here are so powerful and amazing. I keep asking myself, "What would the world be like if the churches in America followed the example of the churches in Uganda?" The people here dance and make noises of praise when they worship. Every Sunday, people come to the front and ask for healing- and they are healed! They are such a great example to the world of what it means to be on fire for the Lord. Here, where they have nothing, nothing(and I mean nothing) can separate them from their relationship with Jesus. There in America, many times it takes one thing (like a death in the family or some other tragedy) and people become bitter and turn away from God. (I'm not trying to offend anyone.) In Uganda they go through tragedies EVERY DAY, yet their relationship with God stays the same (if not becoming stronger). With the widows a few days ago, I wanted to cry. They were so joyful! They have been through SO MANY tragedies in their lives, yet they worship God with so much joy and thankfulness. (They are not called widows here, by the way. They are called "the wives of God."). Well, I must go now (it's breakfast time!), but I will try to be in touch. Bye!<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Jessica<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;">Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that <b style="color: #bf9000;">if you believed, you would see the glory of God</b>?"<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">John 11:40</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-81818508379904730362011-09-18T08:11:00.000-07:002011-09-18T09:07:57.925-07:00Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!Day 10 - Sunday<br />
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Today we gathered together in the Ebenezer Gospel Church and worshiped the Lord. We gave Him thanks for the great things He has done this weekend and for the many lives that were touched. Fiona, the little girl who was healed during the hospital visit on Friday, came with her father. Praise God!! Jess and I gave them each Bibles and worshiped beside them. Pastor Moses's wife, Betty, called all those who were visiting today to the front of the church. She then asked them to tell the congregation where they were from. Fiona's dad broke down crying as he talked about what the Lord did for them on Friday. Fiona spoke into the mic and told everyone how thankful she was. We were overjoyed with the goodness of the Lord! Then a young college girl asked if someone could pray with her to be saved. Betty asked if there was anyone who would like to come lead her to the Lord. I jumped out of my seat, and we prayed for her salvation!!<br />
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Service began at 9am and ended at around 2:30. You might be wondering, "What did you do for six hours?" We worshiped the Lord with prayers of intercession, songs of praise, listening to the Word being taught; then we sang more songs of worship, danced (yes, Mark was dancing with a group of young children), prayed for healing, and celebrated the great things that Jesus has done for all of us. <br />
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We then took a tour of Tororo and walked around an outdoor marketplace. We purchased a few 'oranges' from one of the vendors. They were green on the outside and a yellowish color inside with no seeds. Boy, were they tasty! A little sweet and a little tart at the same time. Next we went to see Pastor Moses's new home that they are building. It sits in the shadow of 'Mount Rock', a tall haystack-looking mountain from which you can see all of Tororo and into Kenya. The border of Kenya is only 10 miles from where we are staying. What a restful and joyful day!!<br />
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<b style="color: #bf9000;">"Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!..Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!" <span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 150:1,2,6</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-26840084631094194372011-09-17T07:37:00.000-07:002011-09-17T08:32:48.346-07:00The WidowsDay 9 - Saturday<br />
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Today we ministered to over 260 widows at the church property. The entire day was set aside to minister to them. First we worshiped the Lord; then we fed them the Word of God. Joy Ricks shared an encouraging message and invited ladies to receive Christ as their personal Savior. Three women responded and came forward to accept Christ. We worshiped some more; then I had another opportunity to preach the gospel. It was such a blessing to share with them the love of Christ from the Book of Ruth and the Song of Songs. God wants them to know in their hearts that He Himself is their Husband and Redeemer, <i>"For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth." </i>I sensed in my heart that there were others in the audience who did not know Him as their Husband, for they had yet to give their lives to Him. I pleaded with them; "Today you came in as a widow, but Jesus does not want you to leave this place a widow. His desire is for you to become His bride." After a short pause, a widow stood and came forward to ask Jesus for His hand in marriage. Then another and another came forward asking Jesus to be their Lord and Husband. Ten widows in all (1 Muslim) went home today, not as widows, but with Jesus as their Bridegroom. Hallelujah!!!<br />
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It turned into a wedding celebration from that point on with singing and dancing. We then called the ladies forward for healing prayers. We broke into several teams praying for each lady individually. Jessica was on my left side praying over women; it was so precious!!<br />
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At the end of the meeting, we handed out gifts to all the ladies (soap, underwear, handkerchiefs) and served them dinner (rice, beef, and beans). What a joyful day we had serving the Lord! Everyone left being blessed by His good hand!!<br />
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<b style="color: #bf9000;">"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and <span class="criteria">widows</span> in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." <span style="font-size: x-small;">James 1:27</span> </b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-19860432590475255832011-09-16T09:28:00.000-07:002011-09-24T12:58:55.831-07:00FionaI will never forget this day for as long as I live!! This morning we went into a high school (not University) to preach the Gospel. The meeting room was packed with over 200 students, and others were outside looking in through the windows as they listened to us share God's Word. Ashley asked the students how many of them were born again; about 25 hands went up. She then shared about the love of God. Mark exhorted the students to study hard and to never give up, but over and above that to 'Fear God' for it is the beginning of wisdom. It was wonderful the way the kids responded to his message. There was a mixed group of Christian and Muslim students. The headmaster said there were 300 present today. The Lord put it on my heart to start by sharing the words of Agur from Proverbs 30, "Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?..What is His name, and what is His Son's name?" Then I shared the gospel from John chapter 3, "You must be born again". At the end we prayed and asked the Lord to come into the hearts of all those who believed His words this day. Finally I asked, "How many of you are born again?" Hands shot up all around the room - Praise God!!<br />
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Next, we went back to the church for lunch. Pastor Moses's wife Betty prepared chapati, beans, potatoes, beef, and chicken for us. Moses said we needed strength in order to go and serve. So, we sat under a mango tree and ate together before going to the hospital to minister to the patients there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The regional hospital has about 250 beds in it -- not enough to serve all the needs. When we arrived, people were lying on the floor because there were not enough beds. As we went through the hospital praying for the people, a little girl caught my eye. Jessica came with me and we went to her. Nicholas, our translator came with us as we went to her bedside. Her aunt was with her, and we asked her what was wrong with the child.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She said the doctors are not sure, maybe malaria? I asked for her name, but she could not speak. The aunt told us that ever since she got sick she has been unable to speak. She told us that her name is Fiona. </div>I asked Fiona if she is born again, and the little girl shook her head no. I shared about Jesus and asked her if she would like to ask Him into her heart and be born again; she nodded yes. So we prayed for her salvation, and then we prayed for her healing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyRXKmlj73UoWNgC6vFNsginThlXi52sS-6T1zgIgNHTCHafddq-k-ZITJU2NTCRB_qe4GPounitZ6k2ggn_YTs15WRC8NrpkhtWjpnojDgrP6dNSgqe95enjbnmKVYKDPdcaUY4PEAg/s1600/Fiona.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyRXKmlj73UoWNgC6vFNsginThlXi52sS-6T1zgIgNHTCHafddq-k-ZITJU2NTCRB_qe4GPounitZ6k2ggn_YTs15WRC8NrpkhtWjpnojDgrP6dNSgqe95enjbnmKVYKDPdcaUY4PEAg/s1600/Fiona.JPG" /></a></div> We left and went outside to serve the patients just outside the door. The line was huge with people holding bowls in which they could collect the food. We served them rice, beef, and mashed banana. We went through several large bins of rice and came to the last of the patients when Nicholas came to me and said the little girl was sitting up in bed asking him if she could come to church on Sunday. I grabbed Jessica, and we went in to see for ourselves. There she was sitting on the edge of her bed talking to her father. The father thanked us for praying for his daughter. He then asked me how he could know Jesus. I sat down with him and explained the gospel to him; he prayed for Jesus to come into his heart!! He asked to come to church with his daughter on Sunday, and we told him that he would be most welcome to bring her. Tomorrow I will get him a Bible so he can read it to his daughter Fiona. It is hard for me to explain how I feel right now. I have cried over and over again as I stand in awe of what Jesus did today. Tomorrow we will serve the widows...I cannot wait to see what He has in mind!<br />
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<div style="color: #bf9000;">"The King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for <b>I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink</b>; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; <b>I was sick and you visited Me; </b>I was in prison and you came to Me.' <b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Matthew 25:34-36</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-26214981983486742082011-09-15T21:56:00.000-07:002011-09-15T22:13:32.882-07:00TororoDay 8 - Friday<br />
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Today is a full day of ministering here in Tororo. The Lord has opened a door for us to share the gospel in the University from 11 to 1pm. In the afternoon we will minister in the Regional Hospital. We will be feeding the patients in the Name of Jesus. Tomorrow we will minister to 300 to 400 widows by bringing them a meal. This is Pastor Moses's ministry of caring for the widows and the sick. Please pray as we share the love of Christ with these precious people.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-64474797181369136912011-09-15T21:23:00.000-07:002011-09-17T20:52:11.608-07:00Source of the NileDay 7 - Thursday<br />
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Mercy prepared a wonderful breakfast (chapati, egg, and fruit) for us; then we continued our journey east to Tororo. We spent several hours in Jinga visiting two national parks that are located right along the Nile River.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI70fqB8mMoY6J8gfgoCstIU4h5q9ecdBtyJqOHE1VLH8NhmG8jAwmQ3nhGQI97ug9hJ4cQHClfY0s2rkVpuN2r11-CftGjSS98LoBJ8mu80lf-gLz9_YLuq5A4rIVrwaBpGWx2wQhCfg/s1600/DSCF0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI70fqB8mMoY6J8gfgoCstIU4h5q9ecdBtyJqOHE1VLH8NhmG8jAwmQ3nhGQI97ug9hJ4cQHClfY0s2rkVpuN2r11-CftGjSS98LoBJ8mu80lf-gLz9_YLuq5A4rIVrwaBpGWx2wQhCfg/s200/DSCF0259.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jess and Shai at Nile River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We took a boat ride up river to where the Nile meets Lake Victoria. The source of the Nile comes from an underwater spring at the mouth of the river, and you can see where this spring water comes up. The boat ride was so much fun and relaxing. During the boat ride, the guide took us along the shore and pointed out birds, a huge lizard, and a Black Mamba!! That was very cool - as long as he stayed where he was! My son Ryan has been telling me about these snakes - the MOST poisonous in the world - not to mention some of the fastest on ground as well as in water. I'm so glad we were in the boat!<br />
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Afterwards,we got some ice cream and headed straight to Tororo. We passed sugar cane fields and rice fields all along the way as well as a whole family of baboons along the side of the road.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPFES61pH3gu0Rn3Z0k3isEAsn912YtM04vhWqg7M1DsiDpw4wqRFxkY0HvT7jh5gbq4s0AIBghQwAyaBOncXjvOLV8mQUrSSubk5YnSQ0Ckg5Vl8p9YBNMD3H_ekfWYq437MU2D124Q/s1600/DanielsFamily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPFES61pH3gu0Rn3Z0k3isEAsn912YtM04vhWqg7M1DsiDpw4wqRFxkY0HvT7jh5gbq4s0AIBghQwAyaBOncXjvOLV8mQUrSSubk5YnSQ0Ckg5Vl8p9YBNMD3H_ekfWYq437MU2D124Q/s200/DanielsFamily.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel (right) with his family</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>When we arrived in Tororo, we stopped to see Pastor Daniel Male's mom. She lives in the outskirts of Tororo in a mud hut. None of us had ever been in a mud hut before, so this was a new experience. We had to drive across an open field and then through some brush to get to her home. Once inside it started to pour down rain. The roof is a thatch roof and no matter how hard it rained outside, and it rained heavily, we stayed dry inside. Once a year after the rainy season, they do some maintenance to the walls so that they stay dry and cool inside. Daniel's mom is 62 (he thinks - they don't really know) and she is a sweet lady. Another son, Stephen, was also at home when we arrived. After talking and praying, Daniel shared that neither his mom nor brother were saved. So, Virgil approached Stephen and shared the gospel with him asking him if he would like to ask Jesus for forgiveness - he did!! We rejoiced with the angels in heaven! Then Daniel's mom asked Jesus into her heart. What a glorious way to begin our time in Tororo!! We are very excited to see what the Lord has in mind for us here.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="table_bible"><tbody>
<tr id="Luk_15_10_988010"><td class="vRefa"><span class="nowrap;"><a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Luk&c=15&t=NKJV#10"> </a></span></td> <td class="vDispa"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one </span><span class="criteria" style="color: #bf9000;">sinner</span><span style="color: #bf9000;"> who repents." </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-small;">Luke 15:10</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-1142154040450146162011-09-15T10:55:00.000-07:002011-09-15T11:06:22.187-07:00Faith OrphanageDay 6- Wednesday<br />
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We woke up Wednesday morning to check out of our hotel and head east to Lugazi. Several of the pastors came and met us before leaving. We took time to pray and thank the Lord for a memorable week in Kampala. The people at the Manhattan Hotel were so kind toward us. One of the more challenging things in Uganda is electrical power. The power was out more than it was on while we stayed at the hotel, but we managed using our flashlights and some candles. It has made it difficult to update the blog as frequently as we'd like.<br />
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We arrived in Lugazi in the afternoon and met Pastor Hudson and his wife Mercy. What a wonderful married couple they are! Hudson has this smile that lights up a room when he enters. Mercy prepared a meal for our arrival, and she is quite a cook. It was the best meal we have had since being in Uganda. She served beef and rice with a cabbage salad. It was delicious!! <br />
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Afterwards Hudson took us to our hotel and we got checked in. We had a few hours before the meeting, so I went to a salon (barber shop) for an African hair cut :) and beard trim. Boy was that refreshing!<br />
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Went to Hudson's church at night and was given the opportunity to preach again. The Lord led me to share a message from Revelation 3 about the faithful church. This is what I have observed as we have traveled around Uganda meeting pastors and worshiping with our brothers and sisters from numerous churches here. They have been faithful and are continuing to overcome many obstacles for His glory. I have been amazed to see their persevering spirits. <br />
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Once the meeting ended, we headed to Faith Orphanage. Pastor Hudson and his wife Mercy started this orphanage of 50 children and oversee its operation. When we arrived the power was out! So the headmaster brought two lanterns, and we went into the main assembly room. All the children came in, and we sat around the room. One of the older children, Rhonda, sang "O precious Jesus" and "Give us clean hands". It was so sweet; one could not help but cry hearing all these precious children singing to their Savior. They are so thankful for what they have been given. We bought ice cream for all of them and sat around eating it with them. They had such big smiles when I asked them if they like ice cream. We loved our time with them! It was another memorable evening that I will cherish in my heart forever.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-78787969907150954642011-09-13T22:05:00.000-07:002011-09-17T19:47:38.549-07:00The BushDay 5 - Tuesday<br />
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Today we headed north of Kampala to visit churches out in the bush. I must say there were times I thought we were in Oregon; it is so green and covered with so much vegetation. We saw corn fields, banana orchards, all kinds of fruit-bearing trees. It is a beautiful country; no wonder they call it 'the Pearl of Africa'.<br />
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We visited 8 churches in various locations. At each church we were greeted by the Pastor. We met some real heroes of the faith today. Most of the Pastors we met today have small flocks of 40 to 100 people. They endured persecution during the turbulent years of Idi Amin's regime. Quick note: every morning we are awakened by the call to prayer. There is a huge mosque that sits on the highest hill and overlooks the entire city of Kampala. The Kadafi Mosque was built during Amin's regime and was completely funded by Libya's president Omar Kadafi.<br />
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Islam grew rapidly as Amin persecuted the church. Thousands upon thousands of Christians were killed at his command, and many people converted to Islam. Many of the Christians went underground, holding Bible studies and prayer meetings in their homes. It is only recently, now years after Amin was driven from power, that churches are being rebuilt because our precious brothers and sisters have been given more freedom. I was humbled as I met a number of pastors today who came through it all and continue on in the work of preaching the gospel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSi9PzhQUVThGIrrTv-ZtLN5Qs7pXiNiDuIVuxbIuQ1mrlhQ4Wnnq48NpukNYcrGUXnJUKyHSIkuR304SmchjU5VVwvbld-CR6tGDylf-7bI1_O5TAA9wAoYMyiP1Zd0W_NM-KC25RRuM/s1600/303_1069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSi9PzhQUVThGIrrTv-ZtLN5Qs7pXiNiDuIVuxbIuQ1mrlhQ4Wnnq48NpukNYcrGUXnJUKyHSIkuR304SmchjU5VVwvbld-CR6tGDylf-7bI1_O5TAA9wAoYMyiP1Zd0W_NM-KC25RRuM/s200/303_1069.JPG" width="200" /></a>A few of the churches we visited are in the center of Muslim areas, yet these pastors just shine the love of Christ. Several of them have schools with up to 120 or so children. We were warmly greeted with smiles, songs, and clapping in each of the classrooms we visited. We would introduce ourselves and write our names on the chalkboard (made from plywood or cardboard). One church we visited had all the children outside waiting, and once we pulled up they began singing and dancing. The girls were dressed in grass skirts and some of the boys were playing drums. It was so much fun!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1CbSIoE4Js80iRI3iinsLjQdjlHdP9rtUfugRqZmakayY6w8u4t_mEz7eG0pozUEf8T5Vk213f8tLXnwVJ4C-CVem0R6GcIKJ38H6Shdl5HMWsCeLiVUIFidi3Ju6G2TSb0Pj2VCAFE/s1600/303_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1CbSIoE4Js80iRI3iinsLjQdjlHdP9rtUfugRqZmakayY6w8u4t_mEz7eG0pozUEf8T5Vk213f8tLXnwVJ4C-CVem0R6GcIKJ38H6Shdl5HMWsCeLiVUIFidi3Ju6G2TSb0Pj2VCAFE/s200/303_1020.JPG" width="200" /></a>A number of the churches we visited were in remote areas in the bush. One church was a 6x20 shelter. These believers are in the middle of fasting and praying as a church. They were worshiping when we arrived and invited us to come join them. There are 35 people in this church --and hard to fit them all in there, so some sit outside. While inside, a storm came; and as the wind blew, the roof started lifting up at one end! I really thought it was going to come off (it may have after we left).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZCDRk_Mf5CtAswc7-K7voTL73lkDLc6z-BkJb4DBmgHoMA51FR2GRbjqP0UV75mzAM0TRNBJVSGB94JM_mLqq80h-pFbwVfzzy5Xzgml_AEmfdBwJuhCA6a9saN_fEM19UzojbgNFUs/s1600/303_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZCDRk_Mf5CtAswc7-K7voTL73lkDLc6z-BkJb4DBmgHoMA51FR2GRbjqP0UV75mzAM0TRNBJVSGB94JM_mLqq80h-pFbwVfzzy5Xzgml_AEmfdBwJuhCA6a9saN_fEM19UzojbgNFUs/s200/303_1073.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>One pastor has been pastoring for 62 years. His flock meets on a rented plot. Recently the plot sold, and the new owner wants him off the land; the owner brings his garbage and piles it up outside the church building in an attempt to drive them off the land. Pastor has located a plot of land nearby that is for sale. It would cost about 2.5 million shekels ($900) to purchase this property. Once purchased he could move his family there and build a new meeting place. He does not have the funds to buy it at this time, but he's believing that the Lord will provide it. We prayed for God's provision and protection.<br />
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What was really encouraging is that some of the pastors own the land that their church and school are on. They have small running farms (maybe an acre or two) with chickens, pigs, and goats. They also have fruit-bearing trees such as Jack fruit, papaya, bananas, etc., so they have become self-sufficient to some degree. This is the vision for these small churches - to help them become self-sufficient. <br />
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We finished the day meeting at Pastor Isaac's church. It is located right in the heart of the Muslim community. All the pastors we have visited today gathered there plus another 10 or so joined us. We capped off the day with worship and prayer. Pastor Jonah asked me to share a word of encouragement. It was hard for me; who am I to share a word of encouragement with these men? They are in the trenches day after day fighting the good fight. I have been so ENCOURAGED by THEM!!! Yet the Lord is gracious, and it is His heart that we encourage one another. The Lord gave me some simple words to share with them - to not grow weary from doing good, and that He is with them always.<br />
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I wish that I personally had the resources to come in and give them what they need to carry on the work of building His Kingdom. Land is not that expensive here, especially in the country (bush). Our prayer is that God will raise up believers, in the USA and elsewhere, who will have a heart to get involved in the great work that is taking place in Uganda. So many of these pastors have visions to impact the villages they are in by opening schools and orphanages. It makes a tremendous impact, as we have seen with Pastor Jonah's example; and it's not just the children, but also the parents, who are coming to the Lord as these Pastors pour their lives out each day caring for the children. Would you pray about being part of the work here in Uganda? Our US dollars can go a long way in helping these ministers of God's Word do the work that He has planted in their hearts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-85409146264109064082011-09-12T05:21:00.000-07:002011-09-17T09:09:20.637-07:00The Pastor who caresDay 4 - Monday<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoUQ7WPGaoHycHffCTO1qZLBqsB0fUOyevxncqa4i7kWa8zA32jcBvk_tX3U3ftsXRI3dzLYNennSxTNyFRG1xX5v99pmMWZBNknx99ofne2r9hVecjiRO9dK6Z8fKBqJYVewxoaXxg/s1600/303_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoUQ7WPGaoHycHffCTO1qZLBqsB0fUOyevxncqa4i7kWa8zA32jcBvk_tX3U3ftsXRI3dzLYNennSxTNyFRG1xX5v99pmMWZBNknx99ofne2r9hVecjiRO9dK6Z8fKBqJYVewxoaXxg/s1600/303_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoUQ7WPGaoHycHffCTO1qZLBqsB0fUOyevxncqa4i7kWa8zA32jcBvk_tX3U3ftsXRI3dzLYNennSxTNyFRG1xX5v99pmMWZBNknx99ofne2r9hVecjiRO9dK6Z8fKBqJYVewxoaXxg/s200/303_0964.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhva6daqtqNtEkUcrBNL-UiDmc49EuemXsO3RUqgygDDm0OZoakOwXrHu532fo8JXXQx61uhgpNUOQGGH51KwuFDS0B5sFGTonikEQle5iYC3uxs8JeZ4Y_UChLw2mqwUKjpPtB_n66e6A/s1600/303_0961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhva6daqtqNtEkUcrBNL-UiDmc49EuemXsO3RUqgygDDm0OZoakOwXrHu532fo8JXXQx61uhgpNUOQGGH51KwuFDS0B5sFGTonikEQle5iYC3uxs8JeZ4Y_UChLw2mqwUKjpPtB_n66e6A/s200/303_0961.JPG" width="200" /></a>Last night I was asked to preach the gospel message at Pastor Jonah's church. Years ago Pastor Jonah was called into the slums of Kampala to start a church. He met much resistance from the Muslim community. They burned down his first church building and threatened to kill him if he stayed, then the Lord gave him courage and an idea. He envisioned starting a school in the midst of the village and reaching out to the parents, offering to teach their children. The Gershibon Educational Center is a Christian school where the gospel truth is being poured into the hearts of these children. His school is now 160 strong -- Christian, Muslim, and pre-Christian. They are in the process of building a new school building for the children, but they have needs for school supplies such as books, pencils, paper, etc.. And the greatest need is to be able to pay better salaries to the teachers who are at present underpaid. They are often enticed to leave for better paying positions elsewhere. Pastor Jonah has asked us to pray and ask the Lord to open the hearts of some people back in America who might be willing to supplement the income of one or more of these teachers. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSETMgnkzDmNLpzClDhKvFQCaL4rBp4Sc4SO7zGFSSH6PXiQm09WLaSDKh2Nr6zT8lYvrBtzI0teog-WH2zFhsUuKunH_cf7VJd379169GXn4P5a1iDFw2LUeOMKlkh8T6iMWcqlH8tY/s1600/303_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSETMgnkzDmNLpzClDhKvFQCaL4rBp4Sc4SO7zGFSSH6PXiQm09WLaSDKh2Nr6zT8lYvrBtzI0teog-WH2zFhsUuKunH_cf7VJd379169GXn4P5a1iDFw2LUeOMKlkh8T6iMWcqlH8tY/s200/303_0980.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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I had the privilege of exhorting the teachers to not to give up, for the work they are doing is great! They are laying up treasure in heaven. The work that they are doing matters in the lives of these children and for the future of Uganda. The people around the village see the great work that is being done, and even the Muslims have started calling Jonah 'Pastor'. He is winning their hearts to Christ as they see him loving and caring for their children. He truly is the 'Pastor who cares".<br />
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Apart from this school, Pastor Jonah has 55 children in his home. He and his wife have adopted all these children and care for them. Today as we drove up to the house they were all waiting and chanting, "Daddy! Daddy!" He would honk the horn twice between each chant. It was precious to see how these children love him and his wife. I'm weeping as I recall the sight of them greeting him. When I got down out of our "Safari" van, I was swarmed by the children and warmed by their smiles. We took a tour of the grounds. They have recently added some additional rooms for the children. One room, maybe 8x8, has two bunk beds (stacked 4 high) and sleeps 11 boys. I could go on and on about the conditions and needs, but instead I'll just say that the needs are great. We brought several of the suitcases from the "Fill the Luggage" drive that we had at the church. We handed out clothing, toys, and candy. Pastor Jonah said the children were so excited that they did not fall asleep until 2am!! A BIG thank you to everyone who contributed to bless these little ones in Jesus' name. <br />
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Tonight we have another meeting at Jonah's church. It is part of a conference he is hosting for the other pastors in the area. He has asked me to speak to the pastors. Please pray that they would be blessed and encouraged by what the Lord puts in my mouth for them. God bless!!!!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #bf9000;">"I am doing a great work so I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down?" </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-small;">Nehemiah 6:3</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-36214074282483407672011-09-11T12:03:00.000-07:002011-09-11T17:42:02.326-07:00A Fun Day!(=Hello! Today was so much fun! Both Shai and I visited Pastor Jonah's church in the slums and shared with the children. It was so sweet! They sang for us and then shared about the great things that God has done for them during the week. It was so sweet to hear these young kids share with us and thank God.<br />
After church service, Shai and I were taken to Pastor Daniel A's church for our hair appointment. Pastor's wife Juliet had brought two women to plait our hair. It took 4 1/2 hours for them to plait my hair. My hair is now BLACK from the micro fiber hair that they wove into the braids ( I decided that I look like a pale Egyptian).<br />
Driving down the Ugandan roads, I feel like a celebrity. Everywhere I go people are yelling at me "Muzugu! Bye-bye!" and waving. (They yell "bye-bye" to us because they believe that white men are always going somewhere.) Another funny thing happened from one of my "fans." As we were driving, a man looked at the window and started making kissing noises at me! It was so funny! I laugh whenever I think about it=).<br />
Well, I must go now. I will try to keep in touch!<br />
Love,<br />
JessicaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-3594939614900685602011-09-11T05:47:00.000-07:002011-09-11T06:39:17.310-07:00Preach the WordWhat an amazing day!! This morning we broke up into small teams and were sent in different directions. I don't know the exact number of churches Pastor Jonah oversees throughout Kampala (maybe 100), but each of us were sent to share and preach the Good News! I will let Jess share her experience when she gets back tonight. She went to Pastor Jonah's church to minister to the little children.<br />
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<br />
As for me, I feel overwhelmed with the love of His Church here in Uganda. I was sent to Rivers of Life Church in Nabweru Village. It is a very poor village located in the outskirts of Kampala. When I arrived I was greeted by Pastor Richard's wife. She gathered my things from the car and carried them into the church. They will not let you carry anything, always ready to serve you. The love of God truly flows out of them like living water.<br />
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We were blessed when the Children's choir sang to the congregation. Overall, it was a very lively worship time, and then the Lord used me to preach His word. I felt led to call the twenty or so children up front at the end to pray over their lives. The Lord put it in my heart to pray for them as they are the future of Uganda. All these little ones came forward, faces of angels staring up at me; it was so precious!<br />
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At the end of the service a love offering was taken-- FOR ME!!! Out of the little they have people came forward to give. Pastor Richard had told me it was for a crusade at the end of this month. I had no idea when a young man came over and presented me an envelope full of money. I turned to Pastor Richard and told him that I was not expecting this, but he insisted that I receive it as a gift. He said they are sowing into what God is going to do for them as a people. He said they need to give, because it is the right thing to do. I humbly received it. It was so hard, because I look around the village conditions that these people live in and see that there is such poverty and need everywhere. But these people shine in Nabweru Village because their spirits are not impoverished; they have a Father in Heaven who takes care of all their needs. The Lord is teaching them and me what it truly means to trust in Him as our Provider.<br />
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Pastor Richard asked me to come back to Uganda next year for a crusade to the youth. Could it be that the Lord would have this in store for me, for us as a church, to come and preach to the youth of Uganda? <br />
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Tonight we all will meet together at Pastor Jonah's church for a big celebration!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #bf9000;">"Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." </span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b>Matthew 6:31-33</b> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-67978174992755079612011-09-10T11:49:00.000-07:002011-09-10T13:11:01.040-07:00We are in Uganda!!! We are in Uganda! When we arrived on Thursday, we were greeted by over 20 people. They all welcomed us and then insisted that they carry ALL of our baggage. Our ride home was funny, scary, and sad. In Uganda, drivers sit on the right side of the car and you drive on the left side of the road. The roads are FILLED with potholes, so we were bouncing in our seats all the way to the hotel (which is about an hour away from the airport). Shai and I both teased that this was our "Ugandan roller coaster ride." The scary part was that we almost got into a car accident. Thank God for His protecting angels that are surrounding us! The thing that made me sad was the sight of so many lost people, wandering the streets, playing pool, or just sitting on the side of the road. So many people need to know the Love of God. <br />
Life here is very simple. Our first night, we didn't have any electricity! There are also geckos in our room and in the dining room. (Just tonight when I went to take a shower, I found a gecko climbing up the wall in front of me!)(Shai and I named the geckos in the dining room.)<br />
Everywhere we go, people yell "Muzungu! Muzungu!" (which means "white man") One guy, whom I guess has never seen a white person before, even reached through the window and pinched my arm! (It was awkward then, but now I laugh whenever I think about it.)<br />
Last night, we went to Pastor Daniel A.'s church. It was so powerful, and God used our whole team to heal people! It was so exciting! I went back to the hotel astounded at God's great power.<br />
Earlier yesterday, we visited the different ministries of Pastor Daniel's church. We then visited his school. It was so much fun. When we arrived at the school, they sang to us and gave us each a flower bouquet. Afterwards we played with them, talked with them, and danced with them. The kids are all so sweet. One of them, I have to confess, sort-of became my favorite. Her name is Sahara ( I call her "Buddy"). She is about 4 years old, and she is so much fun! We made faces at each other, danced, and laughed. Although she can't speak English, God broke down that barrier and still provided a way for us to have a friendship.<br />
<br />
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Today was so much fun! The first thing we did was visit Hope Children's Home (an orphanage). There I met a young girl named Harriet. She led me around the grounds, showing me her school, church, and friends. She was so sweet; she held my hand the WHOLE time, never wanting to let go.I am crying now thinking about the friends I have left behind at the school.<br />
After visiting the orphanage, we went back to the school (also used as the church). I got to see Sahara again! She was so sweet. She fell asleep in my arms... I loved sitting on the bench and holding her. ( I found out today that she is Muslim.) After spending time with the kids, we attended a graduation ceremony for the women who graduated from the seamstress school. During the ceremony, Sahara and I could be seen making faces at each other across the courtyard- oops! (I couldn't help myself; we were doing goofy smiles, sticking out our tongues, and other hilarious faces)(Sahara started it!)<i> </i>I miss her so much!<br />
The other friend I miss is Oscar. He is the man that I prayed for and God used me for his healing on Friday night. He gave me the most precious letter, asking me over and over again to never forget him. I never will.<br />
Saying good-bye to the children was so hard. Shai and I were an emotional mess for the entire hour-and-a-half drive back to the hotel. Every time the names of the kids, or the words "crying" or "tears" were mentioned, Shai and I would burst into tears. We miss those kids so much! <br />
love, Jessica<br />
P.s. Please be praying for our team. We will be visiting Pastor Jonah tomorrow, and he decided that he wants to split up our team, sending us to different churches to have us preach. Pray that God will give us the courage, boldness, grace, and humility to speak.<br />
P.S.S. Tomorrow after church, Shai and I have a hair appointment. We are getting our hair pleated! Yay!<br />
<br />
Looking forward to tomorrow! I will try to be in touch again! Bye and miss you all!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwhQ8PPQGdqL8d3dZRC6cA-ah650n6u2TmBDvocWPjdj8aXjL1519T38E_CwhNIbVPEpulFZqlR-YTvUUWNA6pAzMuIcDudPBvuru3GLyDMt7dhY73CXjlYw7JBToFXbVrDOBhH_RYCA/s1600/Harriet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwhQ8PPQGdqL8d3dZRC6cA-ah650n6u2TmBDvocWPjdj8aXjL1519T38E_CwhNIbVPEpulFZqlR-YTvUUWNA6pAzMuIcDudPBvuru3GLyDMt7dhY73CXjlYw7JBToFXbVrDOBhH_RYCA/s200/Harriet.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harriet</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJqV7DHuMcfKqnljgEq9GPgqdB8GeCGUDh8s3K1Ht3UMGZu-r3wyA_9a8_wV4sn_MZ2NAlvU4EB8fnKAjj50msU416PsXG0TxB1pJY1un-r4JRjROq1EhNiKX5O5A9XfCszmbD6_vALE/s1600/Sahara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJqV7DHuMcfKqnljgEq9GPgqdB8GeCGUDh8s3K1Ht3UMGZu-r3wyA_9a8_wV4sn_MZ2NAlvU4EB8fnKAjj50msU416PsXG0TxB1pJY1un-r4JRjROq1EhNiKX5O5A9XfCszmbD6_vALE/s200/Sahara.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sahara "Buddy"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-59165292641242508692011-09-10T09:18:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:03:51.053-07:00Arrived Safely<style type="text/css">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After 28 hours of travel we arrived
safely in Uganda!!! After going through customs at Entebbe
International airport, we were greeted by 20+ people, including
Pastors Jonah, Daniel, and Richard. They brought with them members of
their congregations to welcome us to Uganda. Immediately, young men
stepped forward and carried our luggage to an awaiting bus. Many of
these people traveled over 2 hours to come and bless us. They would
not let us carry anything to the bus. Once on the bus we made the 1
hour journey along very crowded narrow streets, from Entebbe to
Kampala, where we will be staying the next five days. Our driver did
an amazing job of navigating through the traffic. It's kind of like a
game of 'Chicken;' you buzz down these narrow streets with cars and
motorbikes headed right at you until the very last minute, and you
wonder, “How did we not hit each other?”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We spent the last two days ministering
to the people of Ganda village. Friday we were greeted by the
children from Jonah Say Yes International School. When we arrived
they were all lined up ready to welcome us with songs: “We have
waited for you to come, We welcome you, We are so very glad you've
come.” We spent most of the day with them playing with the
children and seeing what the Lord has been doing at this school. We
were sooo blessed! We played some soccer and other games. You become
so attached to them in such a short time. Your heart breaks as you
see the conditions in which they live, yet they have such BIG
smiles!! Friday night there was an evening service in which people
came forward for prayer and healing. Prayers of faith were prayed and
people were healed. It was a memorable night!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Today we went back to Ganda Village and
visited Hope Children's Home which is run by Show Mercy International
(Albany, OR). What a wonderful work the Lord is doing in the lives of
these 100+ orphaned children. Next we went back to Jonah Say Yes
School for a graduation ceremony. The school started a Sewing School
to equip women in the village with a trade. Through Say Yes
International someone generously purchased a number of sewing
machines, and the women were trained in this skill. Today we
celebrated their graduation. It was a beautiful testimony of God's
grace to the several hundred people who attended. The school staff
cooked a meal and served all the people. The hard part came
later when we had to say goodbye to the children. I'll never forget
little Ivan looking into the bus with tears flowing down his cheeks.
The Lord knitted our hearts in the short time we had together. This picture of Ivan saying goodbye expresses both of our hearts.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgK6Nqfkq3QslNR-ahAg6YWV7g9tYyD2AAAYtKXYWLk3NO2b8IFknIUmHzLr7sw9yUW8G6Wo2PdQPg8QGMqrHJngLT3RZb0Wpx5sBg5juBLKbgSoLUAAJSbXc9g3z2P6Kkp5h3i1q0YA/s1600/Goodbye+for+now+Ivan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgK6Nqfkq3QslNR-ahAg6YWV7g9tYyD2AAAYtKXYWLk3NO2b8IFknIUmHzLr7sw9yUW8G6Wo2PdQPg8QGMqrHJngLT3RZb0Wpx5sBg5juBLKbgSoLUAAJSbXc9g3z2P6Kkp5h3i1q0YA/s320/Goodbye+for+now+Ivan.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-21706558162493288562011-09-07T04:14:00.000-07:002011-09-07T05:42:46.322-07:00Luggage is Filled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__KyYZMR0trsXPm0e-PQwOqI0PCjVtf-tV_1-rx0_TYxf2rqPZP2mlg9WH-A6syUp7biceppdIGkQaoIRQhxCh64GyA36anxuK_3TzVM5LJqnlE9isIT9VUgG5vnok4p6jIcPDtuG4WI/s1600/P1010395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__KyYZMR0trsXPm0e-PQwOqI0PCjVtf-tV_1-rx0_TYxf2rqPZP2mlg9WH-A6syUp7biceppdIGkQaoIRQhxCh64GyA36anxuK_3TzVM5LJqnlE9isIT9VUgG5vnok4p6jIcPDtuG4WI/s320/P1010395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">THANK YOU!! We have been so blessed as you all have responded to the Lord’s prompting and given towards this mission. As Jess and I board the plane this morning for Uganda, we will be checking in over 200 lbs of soccer balls, gum balls, Frisbees, Beef Jerky, clothes, toys and goodies for the children in Uganda. Thank you for Filling the Luggage!!</span><br />
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<b style="color: #bf9000;">"And whoever gives one <span class="criteria">of</span> these little ones only a <span class="criteria">cup</span> <span class="criteria">of</span> cold [<span class="criteria">water</span>] in the name <span class="criteria">of</span> a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." <span style="font-size: x-small;">Matthew 10:42</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="color: #bf9000;"> </b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-50764974299271590562011-09-06T19:29:00.000-07:002011-09-06T19:29:42.981-07:00Let the little children come to Me!One of the sweetest memories yet leading up to this mission trip happened last Sunday. I was asked to share with the children at church (K thru 5) about our trip. Afterwards our Children's pastor, Matt, asked if any of the children would like to come forward to lay hands on me and pray. Well, not all the kids jumped at once; but Matt waited a minute and finally a little boy got up and started towards the front to pray over me. That seemed to break the ice, and about twenty children followed his lead. They prayed the most precious prayers from their hearts. It overwhelmed me as they lifted up prayers to the Father for His help and protection. What a memorable send off!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYK75tAQnCN55HZfHq-a4XxR8opW69HS3TU-cKjUH-UcsLO8JLEOoLVPzN8Xp0NwWwLz_y0fmGByEazffvu-xZVSAGb92SyShd43gPDLjmCoVCiHbDiwwe35RJAU-NULBfGn0VmQMQm0/s1600/ChildrenPraying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYK75tAQnCN55HZfHq-a4XxR8opW69HS3TU-cKjUH-UcsLO8JLEOoLVPzN8Xp0NwWwLz_y0fmGByEazffvu-xZVSAGb92SyShd43gPDLjmCoVCiHbDiwwe35RJAU-NULBfGn0VmQMQm0/s320/ChildrenPraying.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Jesus said, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven </span><span class="criteria" style="color: #bf9000;">their</span><span style="color: #bf9000;"> </span><span class="criteria" style="color: #bf9000;">angels</span><span style="color: #bf9000;"> always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." - </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-small;">Matthew 18:10</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-27493196857047237872011-09-06T13:10:00.000-07:002011-09-06T13:13:33.075-07:00My Side of the StoryHello! This is Jessica, and I am finally writing on this blog!! I am still having a hard time grasping the fact that I will be on a completely different continent in two days! I have shopped and packed, prayed and prepared my heart, and now the time is here. I can't wait to step foot in Uganda and tell the Ugandan people about the love of Jesus!<br />
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Some of you may be wondering how this came about in my life?<br />
<br />
Well, earlier this year after we met Pastor Jonah who has the 55+ kids, my dad vaguely asked me if I would ever want to go to Africa with him on a mission, specifically Uganda, and I said, "Sure, I'd love to go." (I just had to "Say Yes," get it?) I mean, my dad and I love to travel; we love adventure and surprises, and we've been hoping for a few years to go on a mission together. I wasn't thinking he meant THIS YEAR, but that he meant in years to come. You can imagine my surprise and excitement when he told me there was a team going to Uganda in September and that he was praying about us going with them!<br />
<br />
My excitement has increased dramatically as the plans and details have come together. When I found out that my close friend Shai Miller and her dad were accompanying us, I was ecstatic! This mission trip will not only strengthen my relationship with my dad, it will also strengthen my friendship with Shai (and, of course, it will strengthen my relationship with Jesus, too!).<br />
<br />
The preparation for this trip has had both its ups and downs. It was so much fun to shop for our clothing and our luggage, toys for the kids, and gifts for the widows and the pastors' wives. God's provision for everything has been so amazing! However, the ENDLESS amounts of shots and medicine (we just started our malaria medicine yesterday) have been annoying. Thankfully the shots are over; now we just have to take the medication and drink LOTS of water!<br />
<br />
Thank you again for your prayers and support as my dad and I "Say Yes" to whatever God has planned for us. <br />
<br />
In Christ,<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: DA_Zippy; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Jessica Hall</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: DA_Abigail; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: DA_Abigail; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-Jeremiah 29:11</span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: DA_Abigail; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-2284014521880995272011-09-05T10:02:00.000-07:002011-09-05T11:11:57.670-07:00Itinerary<div class="MsoNormal">Some of you have asked for our itinerary so that you can be praying for us. Please pray for us as we travel (27hrs) to and (30hrs) from Uganda. Our schedule while in Uganda is tentative and could change depending on what the Lord has in mind. Please ask the Lord to give Mark and me wisdom as we travel with our daughters. We want to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as we minister, especially in the hospitals and prisons. We desire for Jess and Shai to experience all that the Lord has for them, yet as dads we need to be watchful and hearing. Here is our flight information and itinerary while in Uganda:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/7/11</span></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Depart Portland: 08:35 AM <br />
Arrive Philadelphia: 04:43 PM </span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Depart Philadelphia: 06:10 PM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/8/11</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrive Brussels, Belgium: 07:55 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Depart Brussels: 10:30 AM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrive Entebbe, Uganda: 09:45 PM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/ 9 to 9/13</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> - Nansana, Uganda – Ministering with Pastor Jonah and Daniel and their families and flocks</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/14</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> - Lugazi/Mokomo Uganda – Ministering with Pastor Hudson</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/15 to 9/19</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> - Torroro, Uganda – Ministering with Pastor Moses to widows, in hospital and prison.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/20</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> -To Jinga, Nile River, Bujagali Falls –team will stay in Kampala. Jess and I continue on to Entebbe -</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">11:00 pm - Kevin and Jessica fly to Kigali, Rwanda</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/21</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Rwanda - Jessica and I spend the day with Gedeon (see posting). Team travels to Entebbe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> 08:30pm - Kevin and Jessica fly to Entebbe to re-join the team.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/22</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Entebbe – Visit Calvary Chapel Entebbe for outreach to children. Begin journey back home to Oregon:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Depart Entebbe, Uganda: 10:45 PM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">9/23</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrive Brussels, Belgium: 05:45 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Depart Brussels, Belgium: 10:45 AM</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #f9cb9c; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrive Philadelphia: 01:20 PM </span><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Depart Philadelphia: 05:50 PM</span></div><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrive Portland: 08:49 PM</span><br />
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<span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #e69138;">Thank you for PRAYING for us that "The LORD will keep watch over us as we come and go, both now and forevermore"!!! Psalm 121:8</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-57034059389270895162011-09-04T08:58:00.000-07:002011-09-04T15:55:45.317-07:00“Come over to Uganda and help us!”<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Many people have been asking me how it is that we are going to Uganda. Here’s the Reader Digest version. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Several years ago (2009) after coming back from a short term mission to Honduras the Lord began to turn my eyes towards Uganda. The first mention of Uganda came when I sat in the office of a local pastor who had just been there. Pastor Bill Smith (http://www.worldwidecrusades.com) shared story after story of how God moved powerfully as the Gospel was preached during crusades. He encouraged me to consider going someday as the fields are white and ready for the harvest. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">Six months later, January 2010, I met Virgil and Joy Ricks (founders of Say Yes International) at our home church, Calvary Chapel Corvallis (http://www.calvarycorvallis.org). They "happened" to be visiting on a Sunday and brought a very special friend with them, Pastor Moses from Uganda. We sat on the opposite sides of the church, yet the Lord drew my eyes towards them and encouraged me to go speak with them when the service was over. So, I approached Virgil and introduced myself and I met Pastor Moses. I invited them to come to our House Church the following Sunday and share what the Lord is doing in Uganda. Moses came, and we were so very blessed and encouraged by his report and prayers!! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">One year later, January 2011, Pastor Moses returned to Oregon and once again shared with our House Church. Before I was even aware of it, there was this desire rising within me to go to Uganda and see for myself what the Lord was doing. At that time I began praying and asking the Lord about going with Him to Uganda. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">Then, in March 2011, the Lord brought Pastor Jonah to Oregon. Jonah spoke to our House Church about his ministry to the children of Kampala, Uganda. Jonah and his wife (and five children) were called years ago to live in the slums of Kampala and to minister to the people there. They began opening their small home to orphaned children, and today they have 50+orphaned children living with them. Bunk beds are stacked to the ceiling, food is "prayed in," and they all stand in awe of how the Lord meets their every need. Jonah shared wide-eyed with our children at House Church the story of how his children had no mattresses to sleep on, so they would all huddle together every day and pray for mattresses. These little prayer warriors just believed that the God who loved them would hear their prayers and provide. After two months of praying, the Lord provided the mattresses!! This is just one example of how the Lord cares for these little ones through Jonah and his wife. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">Jonah started a school near his home to reach out to the many Muslim children in Kampala who have been abandoned by their fathers. Muslim fathers may marry three or more wives, bear children, and then abandon all but their favorite wife and children. Jonah reaches out to these single moms and their children by sharing the love of Christ and providing schooling for the children. His school now has several hundred children enrolled, and God is being glorified in each of their hearts as he teaches them about Jesus. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">That night at House Church, Jonah pleaded with us to come and share the gospel with his children and the people of Uganda. With so many needs in his country, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Greatest Need!<br />
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As I listened that night to Jonah, I was reminded of the vision that Paul had of a man from Macedonia pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Unlike Paul, I did not have a vision; a man from Uganda was standing right there in the living room inviting us: “Come over to Uganda and help us!” I was irresistibly drawn by the Holy Spirit and knew in my heart that I would soon be going to Uganda! </div><br />
<div style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Matthew 9:37, 38</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5045959315360202589.post-85866295452667996542011-08-27T07:27:00.000-07:002011-08-27T08:10:22.483-07:00GedeonSome of you may think that we have only two children; however, six more were added to our "quiver" ten years ago through Compassion International (see Ministry Links). Over the years we have grown to love these children as our own through the exchange of letters, pictures, and prayers. Two years ago while on a mission trip to Honduras, I got to meet our sponsor son Jean Carlos; it was life-changing!! <br />
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Now, as we travel to Uganda on a mission we are finalizing plans for Jessica and I to fly into Rwanda for one day and meet our sponsor son Gedeon; we are so excited! He will be17 years old this December. Below is a recent picture alongside our first picture of him. Meeting him face to face will be a dream come true!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAvNvVb1Md2IbM746uLPy4Zf58OncacVQquomM796XVn_FamNKRsSY1W5NJc95bdplWv3r0KVrEL_qGQAFkkpoVWFNRc5urEUnxRWWyFbJDofko6TYp51zPBzRNQJpCh6eQvxqLZpHVU/s1600/Gedeon7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAvNvVb1Md2IbM746uLPy4Zf58OncacVQquomM796XVn_FamNKRsSY1W5NJc95bdplWv3r0KVrEL_qGQAFkkpoVWFNRc5urEUnxRWWyFbJDofko6TYp51zPBzRNQJpCh6eQvxqLZpHVU/s200/Gedeon7.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gedeon age 7 </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaVDXz7aJeAdgu1vYZlIW_Oq3ULgSy59uOu3Lea8vICDw3EMVZPSRYU8FjjGQpQ7kuaMz2_-kVXtKhiGU81Shm2_4SECsliwXlxzKq2f9MyASktzZoP8A7QFbBaS2t5SfIDya1_db488/s1600/Gedeon.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaVDXz7aJeAdgu1vYZlIW_Oq3ULgSy59uOu3Lea8vICDw3EMVZPSRYU8FjjGQpQ7kuaMz2_-kVXtKhiGU81Shm2_4SECsliwXlxzKq2f9MyASktzZoP8A7QFbBaS2t5SfIDya1_db488/s200/Gedeon.jpeg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gedeon age 16 </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: #e69138;"><b>"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My Name welcomes Me." - <span style="font-size: x-small;">Matthew 18:5</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">NIV</span></b></div><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0