WEDNESDAY -OCTOBER 18th

We are in the United States of America! 🇺🇸  Woohooo!!  We are waiting for the last leg of our trip.  Our flight from Philadelphia to Greensboro leaves at 1:25. We have greatly appreciated your prayers throughout this trip. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 

MONDAY - OCTOBER 16th

Good afternoon from Jinja!

We spent our morning at Amazima. What an incredible thing GOD is doing there.

We got to spend some time with students in the MailBox Club ministry. The students were still excited to see “mzungu” (white people). Some students had built relationships with some of us in just the short time we are here. The MailBox Club program has programs in ten school (which is similar to AWANA). Within these ten school sites, 1400 children are hearing and reading the Gospel.

Tomorrow we load up at 7:00 a.m. to head to Entebbe for our 3:10 flight. We covet your prayers for safe travels as well as endurance. Our total returning trip time is approximately 30 hours including traveling on bus, layovers as well as actual flying. We will be coming back through a seven hour time  difference.

We are looking forward to being back, but will surely miss the people of Uganda. 

SUNDAY - OCTOBER 15th

This morning we got to worship at Acaica Community Church. It was a beautiful blend of people from all nations. The service was in English. The speaker spoke on being a leader.  We were blessed by his message.

Afterwards we had lunch with the staff and volunteers of the Quest ministry which ministers to college aged students. It was traditional Ugandan food - goat meat, pork, rice, cooked plantains, cooked pumpkin, g nut sauce and fruit.

We went to a local Ugandan university to worship with college students (majority males) at the Quest ministry. Quest is similar to Young Life. We worked in small groups. And we worshipped. And we worshipped. And we worshipped more.

We can definitely feel GOD working in this city. So much so that the enemy is on the prowl. We covet your prayers for protection, a restful night’s sleep and that we would finish strong with our last full day on ministry tomorrow. We also ask for prayers for safe travels Tuesday. We will be leaving Jinja at 7:00 a.m. to drive to Entebbe for a 3:10 flight. We’ll post the flight schedule tomorrow evening out time.

WiFi service is not the greatest which is affecting our ability to upload the MANY pictures we have taken. The blog will be updated by Thursday afternoon once we arrive back in the States and have a night’s rest.

SATURDAY - OCTOBER 14th

Another day full of GOD’s grace and beauty.

We worked with the MailBox staff this morning with a group of unschooled children mostly ages 2-6.   These children walked from the local market and points beyond. We sang songs, listened to a Bible story and colored a picture with a Bible verse for the day. The children enjoyed the singing. Be sure to ask any of us to sing, “Touch Me Jesus”. 😁 The songs are sang in both English and Ugandan. It is amazing to hear. Reminds us of how it will be when Jesus returns and all HIS people will sing his praise at once.

We got to enjoy some time downtown today. The salesmen and women are very welcoming into their shops. The prices are negotiable, so you have to have a niche for bartering. The merchandise is very colorful. You see some authentic pieces, but you can also find similar items as you peruse each store. We definitely got a lot of attention as we walked through the streets.  A few of us tried a “Rolex” which is a rolled sandwich on a thicker pita type bread with eggs inside and whatever other things you’d like.

Afterwards, we visited HEAL ministries to participate in a kids day program for children 6 months up to 11-12 years old. There were between 150-200 kids there. The volunteers did a great job with leading worship, a Bible story, group prayer and then the children were broken into “small” groups (20-25) to do a more personalized lesson.

We wrapped up our day with a delicious spaghetti dinner with the Higginbotham family. We walked down to THE Nile River (we are still speechless that we were standing on the banks of it). Our
conversation flowed through topics of both what was happening back “home” as well as what was happening here in Uganda.

Tomorrow, we are attending service at a local church in the morning. The afternoon will be spent with Quest ministry. We can’t wait to see what adventures will unfold.

MORE PICTURES:

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 13TH

Another great day!

We had a day of seeing others worship our loving GOD as well as celebrating and showing appreciation for the volunteers who graciously give of their time to show others the love of CHRIST.

At HEAL, we worshipped with women of all ages. There was an interpreter so we got to hear the WORD in both English as well as the Uganda language.  We joined them in small group to discuss Joshua 5. Such an amazing time.

Back in the city, the art class wrapped up today. The paintings these young men and women painted were amazing!



After lunch, we went out to serve in the MailBox program at another local school - Victoria Nile.
We enjoyed seeing the smiles of the children as they answered questions about scripture that they are learning about.

Then it was off to the Sunset International Hotel to show appreciation to the volunteers and staff members of JPCC, MailBox and the gentleman, Tom, who visits the sick in the hospital and the dying in the village. The stories they shared with us of souls that have been saved through the staff’s and volunteers’ obedience were something to celebrate. These people are true servants of GOD. Every. Single. Day.

To end our day, we were fortunate enough to have a river boat cruise on THE Nile River. What an amazing opportunity!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12TH

A picture is worth a thousand words.  If this is true, we will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Today, we divided and conquered....not really conquered...it just sounded cool.

A group of three went back to Imani to love some more on orphans ages birth through five years. We worked with preschool kids and rocked some babies.

Another group visited Jinja Hospital with Carolyn to deliver MUCH needed supplies.  We prayed with a few patients for complete healing of body and mind. We saw a young teen who was battling TB. In the midst of all the sickness and disease, we did speak with some followers of Christ. The head nurses of the wards we visited were shining lights in the darkness. Today’s images will be forever in our minds. We are thankful for the healthcare we have.

Another group stayed at JPCC and listened to Dorkus, one of the fabulous employees working with the Jacobsens. Dorkus ministers to young moms from local villages.  She teaches the WORD to these women and how they can move forward. She also teaches them awareness of illness not only for their children but also for themselves.

Another group stayed in Jinja and worked with aspiring artists.  There will be an art show tomorrow. The paintings are AMAZING!

In the afternoon, many of us went out to serve in the MailBox program. MailBox is a ministry that works with school age children in at least ten schools around Jinja. The children are given paper books with scripture to memorize as well as questions that reinforce the message of the Gospel. The children we saw in different places today were full of joy and proclaiming Jesus is LORD.  (We also snuck in a little fun and laughter, too.).

Afterwards, we visited a village to make a home visit to one of the young mothers in the program at JPCC.  This is the village that inspired Katie Davis to stay in Uganda and begin her ministry.




 

A few went to visit one of Bob’s students. This young man has become successful under Bob’s micro financing program. He is self sufficient and in the process of building his own house which is not an easy accomplishment in Jinja.  Late afternoon, we wrapped up our day by ministering to school aged children at the Railways School. We worshipped with them; made a special craft; played games and heard a lesson on Gideon and trusting GOD at all times.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11th

So much happening here with Jesus leading the way.  First thing, we visited a local preschool, Lady Milly.  The three to five year olds were gathered in a tiny room.  They were learning about Joseph and his dream.  There was worshipping with voices sounding like angels in heaven. Sweet, sweet sound.

Afterwards, we visited GSF (Good Sheppard’s Fold) this morning to see how the Higginbothams are doing. We got to walk around the property and see what GOD is doing in the lives of some of HIS children in Uganda. We were met with smiles of little ones that are learning about HIS love.  Such a peaceful place.

Next, we visited Sunset Hotel International on the Nile River to serve a group of young ladies from a local school.  These 41 girls were treated to chicken and chips, worship, a craft project and a short story about how GOD created each one of them uniquely and wonderfully.   The craft gave the girls an opportunity to understand this truth. They enjoyed this immensely.  It was a Holy Spirit filled time with the girls.   Everyone, including us, felt the love of Jesus.

We ended our day packing 122 bags for tomorrow’s adventures with the children of Uganda Railways School.  We pray that tomorrow is just as good as today.  We want to share the love of Christ not only through our words but also through our actions.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11th

What an amazing day we had with GOD serving children and widows in Jinja!

We split into smaller groups this morning. Two of us taught art to adults that will go back and teach to students.  Two of us went to the Jinja Hospital.  Five of us went to Imani School and James Place of HEAL Ministry.  Two of us served at JPCC.

This afternoon, we loaded up after lunch and headed out to a school in a local village. We did Vacation Bible School with children who love the LORD.  There were 210 children, one dog, two goats and a few chickens.  The children enjoyed the activities, but not so much the animals.

Tomorrow, we are going to visit GSF and visit with some young ladies from a local school.

We’re here!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 9th.

It is Monday evening, Uganda time 7:15. We are here!  The LORD went before us making our flights smooth, not one piece of luggage was lost AND we made it from Entebbe to Jinja in record time!  Carolyn and Bob couldn’t believe it!

We are enjoying a delicious meal prepared by one of the lovely women who works in Carolyn’s ministry JPCC (Jinga Pregnancy Care Center).  This evening we met with Carolyn and Bob about tomorrow’s adventures. We will be visiting Imani School and HEAL ministry at St. James Place. We will also be going to a school in a nearby village to serve children in a VBS style program.

Thank you for your prayers. We are excited about being on mission for Jesus to the people of Uganda.

Business Workshop

Jon and Debbie (BAM – Business As Missions Team) finished their three-day workshop today called, “How a Good Business Plan Can Double the Chances of Your Business’ Success and Increase the Impact it Will Have For the Kingdom of God”. We talked about how our God is One who plans, and how critical it is for us to have a solid business plan. We showed them why 8 out of 10 businesses fail, and helped them work through all the different sections of a Business Plan. It was a workshop, so they were writing their plan as the workshop progressed.

There were eight young men and women who attended the workshop, 6 of which grew up at GSF. Here in Uganda, you see so many young people who are struggling for one reason or another, often as a result poor choices by them or someone around them. It was such an encouragement for us to see these young adults who are maturing and making good choices, and have a desire to learn and grow and use the skills God has given them to build Godly businesses that have a ministry focus. It was a privilege to step into the middle of the harvest, the result of the many workers like Bob and Carolyn who served so diligently at GSF for many, many years. By the end of the conference it was exciting to see them challenging one another and helping each other with the material. There is such a need here for critical thinking in Uganda because it is not taught in the schools. But these young people received it with excitement and were so appreciative to learn. At the end of the conference, one of the young men said to us, “This does not leave us the same.”

pic - another try

Heading Home

We are headed to the airport for our long journey home. All praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for health and safety and for feeling like useful clay pots this week. Our deepest gratitude to all of you who have prayed, and sent us here on this journey. We pray that we have encouraged the full time workers here, and have been the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are in such desperate need. We will not leave here the same.  Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Uganda, who despite such difficult circumstances, continue to praise God, for His love and His hope and mostly for His Son, who has raised them up out of the pit, and set their feet on the Rock, and have made their footsteps sure.  To Him be the glory!

Questions

Bruce (a Software Quality Assurance Manager) and Steve (a Financial Consultant) went together to teach an iY class at Tom and Sharon’s house. After the kids are finished with their basic high school education at the orphanage, they enter a program called iY, which stands for “Investment Year”. Tom and Sharon have 7 kids living with them who are enrolled in the iY program, ranging in age from 17-24. During the iY year they continue they’re schooling, but are also taught to shop for food and clothes from a set budget. They learn how to cook their own meals and other basic “on your own” life skills. They do Bible study every week and have a retreat time where the emphasis is on how God is their Father.

Steve taught a class on business and planning, and Bruce taught a very basic computer class (how to turn it on and off, how windows work, basic file structures, opening and closing documents, etc.) They were surprised to learn that the kids had a lot of apologetics type questions, and questions about how to witness to their non-Christian friends, so they did an unplanned Q&A session answering many of the questions. As part of the iY curriculum the kids attend three different internships at various businesses or careers that the kids have shown interest in. When the program is finished the young adults either go on to university or some type of vocational training.

Bruce and Steve also were with Randy at Jaja Jennifer’s house. They have a great story about that experience and how God showed Himself in ways only God can, but I’ll wait to let them tell you about it in person.

Later in the week Bruce taught an Excel class to 13 of the staff at the orphanage. They already knew basic Excel for creating tables, but didn’t really know how to use the formulas. Bruce taught them how to create basic formulas and do some conditional formatting of cells so that they can make better use of that tool for their jobs.

MVP

It’s hard to summarize all that Randy (Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor) has worked on this week; we’ve all voted him as MVP! He went with Bruce and Steve to a nearby village to work on replacing “Jaja” Jennifer’s Roof. Jennifer is a Grandmother in her 80’s who has taken in many orphans and others in need. He worked with Tom (Tom Batley – Westover supported missionaries here) on a long list of maintenance needs around GSF (the orphanage we are staying at), Tom really hates to see him go. It is so much easier to tackle a project when you have someone working along side you who thinks like you and has a similar work experience. Randy and Tom were surprised to learn that they both served in the Navy and worked on aircraft during their civilian careers.

We brought with us some equipment for the kids with special needs, but some of them didn’t fit right or needed to be modified. Plus there were many things that we didn’t bring, needs we discovered after the PTs had a chance to observe the kids in their environment. Randy was able to create or modify what was available here to fill a lot of needs for the kids. For example, He made a floor table for a little guy who couldn’t eat properly at the picnic table-style tables the kids eat at. Again, it is hard to list everything he helped with, because every time you turned around he was there to help. The servant heart God has given him (along with his height and strength) were a great blessing for all of us on this trip!