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Posted in Reflections by John Snider on 5/5/2012
Sorry I wrote this blog on Wednesday, but didn’t get a chance to post it until today - so the content is a few days late - we’re in Jinja now staying at a hostel with an amazing view overlooking the Nile and we’ll start the flight home on Monday. I’ll have some more thoughts about leaving to post later.
Today marks our last Wednesday in Uganda. We will be leaving from Lira early on Friday morning and heading to Jinja where we will relax and “debrief” for 2 days before heading to Entebbe and flying home. The past couple days we have been focusing on saying goodbye to everyone we’ve met over the past four months and trying to thank and encourage them before we leave.
Things have been moving at such a fast pace I feel like every spare moment we need to get together to plan some program that we’re supposed to be performing in the next hour- on Saturday we planned a song medley and another choreographed dance for a dual wedding (I was a groomsman this time) - I was wearing a borrowed suit with safety pins in the pants so they wouldn’t fall off of me and shoes that were 2 sizes to big - I suppose it was an honor and a good story...but boy was it HOT...nothing like wearing a full black suit in the Ugandan sunshine.
On Sunday we planned a special day for the workers at Alpha Hotel where we stay - we cooked them dinner, made a slip and slide out of laundry detergent and a strip of plastic - it was a big hit with their kids, with us, and we even convinced 2 of the ladies to try it out - it was hilarious seeing these African ladies acting like giddy 6 year olds. The dinner was great - we thanked them for all their work, had some special awards, shared some sentimental memories and sang some songs - and then tears were shed - they started crying thinking about us leaving which made a lot of people in our group cry and we aren’t even leaving until Friday...yeah...we will miss these people.
Then on Tuesday we planned another dinner and program - this time inviting friends we’ve made in the community over the past four months. We shared some songs, performed a skit for them, and shared some speeches/Bible verses to thank and encourage them. Then some of them gave speeches to thank us for the impact we’ve had on them. My favorite moment was a short speech that Jaspher gave. The pastor from a branch church of VOC where Jaspher lives (Pastor Thomas) was there and we introduced them to each other. Jaspher thanked us for the role we had played in changing his life and then said “I am so happy to meet the pastor from my community and now that I know him I will always be at that church.” That short phrase was so important to me because one of the things I’ve really been concerned about and praying about it the community these people will be left with once we leave. It was really reassuring to believe that Pastor Thomas (who is a great guy) will be leading and teaching Jaspher and others once we leave - they are in good hands. The night was just a lot of fun overall - it kind of had the feel of a graduation open house - invite all your friends, thank them, share memories, and eat some good food. The rugby guys came too and it was a blast just laughing and hanging out with them.
thanks for checking in with me - like I said I'll have more thoughts about our final goodbye in Lira and reflections on the trip coming soon.
thanks - God bless,
John
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Posted in General Posts by Darby Biasotto on 5/2/2012
This program was created to rip your heart out and tear it into tiny little pieces! Tomorrow is my last day in Lira, Uganda. I thought about writing a blog post about all of the great things God has done in just 4 short months. But every time I sit down to write it, I start crying. I was put together with 12 other people from all over the USA and Canada, forced to live with them for 4 months in a country where we're are only support system, then quickly torn apart! This is awful.
I was going to end my blog there, but I then I remembered I wanted to ask something of all of you who are reading this! First I would like to ask for prayer for my friend Esther. Esther is 13 years old, in the hospital, weighing only 39 lbs. I would appreciate prayers for healing in this little girls body and that God would revile himself so strongly in this time, that she never feels alone! Second, for the kids at Atin Africa and Child Restoration Outreach. These are the two ministries our team has been working with that work with street children. Our whole team has fallen in love with them and it's going to be heart breaking saying goodbye tomorrow! Starting tomorrow our team will just have to trust God with these children. It's not going to be easy, but fortunately I have a God that doesn't care if a child is smelly, high, drunk, dirty, or homeless- He loves them anyway!
Thanks for the prayers and I'll see you all in a week!
<3 Darby
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Posted in Admissions by Ally Arnone on 5/2/2012
“Do not grow weary in doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest.”
Before I came on this trip my dad reminded me of this verse, and little did I know how true it would be.
The last four months me and our team have worked, sweated, stepped out of our comfort zone, eaten nasty food, had joy, and struggled. We have fought spiritual, mental and physical battles. We have been sick, and healthy. We have gone on little and a lot of sleep. We have been on a bus ride from the grave. We have been afraid, yet courageous… Sick, but strong… Overwhelmed, yet filled with joy… And at the end of ourselves, but filled with Jesus Christ. During this trip we have gone through many highs, and many lows. And at times it felt like our work and exhaustion was in vain, but last night we saw the truth…
The last week we have been inviting everyone we have built a relationship with the last four months to an appreciation dinner for them. We had food, did a skit and worship, and shared testimonies…and more than that, we saw a lot of what God has been doing the last four months. We had people stand up from different walks in life, some were students, doctors, stay at home moms, children, men, woman, pastors, but all friends…. And every one of them testified to what God has been doing. Two of them came to know the truth of Jesus Christ and have received freedom by His blood. One was blessed by learning how to be a better worship leader and musician. Others were touched by our friendship and the times we have shared with them. And there were many other stories….
But as I sat there listening to them speak I was overcome by how much God has done. My flesh wishes I could claim the glory, but my spirit rejoices in what Jesus has done! Our team is living proof of the grace of Jesus Christ, and we were allowed to see how His grace and love has shown forth in and through us the last four months. Jesus, thank You for allowing us to see a glimpse of how eternity has resonated here in Lira, Uganda the last four months!
Glory be to God!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted in Admissions by John Snider on 4/25/2012
On Thursday I went to Child Restoration Outreach again with Makyla, Logan, Carrie-Anne, and Darby and saw Steven, a street kid that I met months ago near the church, that had been chased off by police from living there so I hadn’t seen him in a long time. Our team has begun to think about what we want to accomplish before the trip ends and the loose ends we wanted to tie up. I had been praying on Tuesday about seeing Steven again, so it was so sweet to see him there that morning. He came right up to me and was excited to see me as well - it’s encouraging to see the impact I’ve had on him and how he has been encouraged just by me sitting and talking with him, letting him draw in my notebook and just showing him I care about him. I felt a burden to make sure the Gospel was presented to him that day because I’m not sure if I’ll see him again. So we sat down and went through the Bible and I asked if he had any questions at the end. He asked some good questions about forgiveness and it was really encouraging to see that he was engaging with what I was saying. He thanked me for taking time to go through it and while I’m not sure where his heart is with God, I was really thankful for the time we had. As we left CRO he walked with us towards the church and showed us where he works making sandals out of scraps of old tires. I’m really hoping to see him again this week.
Jaspher was released from prison last week! We met with him in his home community and it was again great to see the doors God is opening through him. Logan, Carrie-Anne, and I went with him to talk to 3 of his relatives because he wanted them to hear the gospel and at the end of our meeting they said they wanted to “get saved” so we led them through a prayer. The gospel is such good news. Something I am seeing more and more is how totally unworthy to carry it I am, and I’m sure I messed up in delivering it, but it carries power. Praise God. One of the women, Fiona, was pregnant, so we prayed with her for a healthy delivery. On Sunday morning we saw Jaspher at church and he told us that she had given birth the night before to a healthy girl named Kevin Logan after her Grandma and Logan from our team! (Kevin is a girl’s name here; the baby was going to be named John if were a boy haha) So later in the week we visited Fiona and Logan’s new namesake and got to hold the baby which was fun. It was also cool to see just how thankful she was for us meeting with earlier and praying for her.
On Monday we did an outreach program at a branch of VOC in a poor community. The church is in the same area where Jaspher lives; we’ve been meeting with people in that community for several weeks - we invited all the youth in the area and everyone else with whom we had been meeting. The program ended up being really chaotic - we performed some songs, a dance, and a skit and then I preached the gospel, but the whole time the bootleg sound system was acting up and all the kids there were really loud. I felt really distracted while preaching and wasn’t sure if the message was hitting home, but was reminded (yet again) that this work isn’t all about me. If God is pleased he can bring about a lot of great change from that program even with all its faults and if God wasn’t present then even the most slick presentation that brings the audience to its feet is worthless. My team really encouraged and affirmed me, saying that the few adults in the audience really did seem to be engaging and we had a chance to meet with some after the program and answer questions and pray with them which was good.
I was also really encouraged by speaking with a few of our friends who also work at VOC (Sam and Doreen). They mentioned that our team has done an exceptional job of maintaining our energy and passion throughout our time here. They were expecting us to have an excitement at the beginning that would die off after we had been here for around a month, but said they were very thankful for the way we had kept our zeal for serving God by serving people. (Gal 6:9-10, Rom 12:10-11). They said we have truly loved the people here and they can see the impact we have brought to this community. Needless to say this was a real encouragement for me.
Prayer requests:
Focus, passion, and God’s favor for our last 9 days here - we leave Lira early on May 4.
Please pray that we would make the most of our time here, be able to meet with and tie up loose ends with those we’ve been seeing, wisdom for how to leave a lasting impact as we prepare to say goodbye.
Please also pray that the new believers in this area would seek and find Christian community and that they would grow in wisdom and knowledge through the Holy Spirit.
For emotional strength as our team says goodbye to people we’ve been pouring into for 3 months.
thanks so much - grace and peace to you.
-john
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Posted in General Posts by Somer Allen on 4/25/2012
In Case You'd Forgotten...
In case you've become too comfortable with living in a third world country...
In case you had found it easy to live in northern Uganda where very few US dollars can still afford you a very affluent lifestyle in comparison to the majority of the population.
In case you'd forgotten that the country you are in has only recently come out of a 20 year war led by a mad man by the name of Joseph Kony...
These were the thoughts that went through my mind a few days ago when I heard....To read the rest please go to my personal blog http://idwellinhope.blogspot.com
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Posted in Adventure by Marissa Taylor on 4/25/2012
Wow. Only a week left in Lira. So crazy.
I don't think I'll ever get used to the fact that I'm in Africa...it definitely doesn't seem like we've been here for almost 4 months. At all. It has become apparent, however, how much Africa is messing with my ability to act in a way that is socially acceptable. I've realized how drastically less awkward I feel interacting with people here. And for a while this made me feel better about myself, but upon further examination, I've realized that this is mostly just because Africans don't really think anything is awkward, and instead of improving my own social skills, I've just moved to an area that is making me more and more socially inappropriate. Not showering for days, yelling at random passersby in whatever language you can think of, assuming you can do anything you want to even if you're highly unqualified...openly picking your nose...the list goes on and on. I had to talk to a white person today. It was very awkward.
This week I assisted in surgery. Because Dr. Henry is really into hands-on teaching. The beginning interaction went something like this -
"Do you know the names of the instruments?"
"..no."
"Can you hand me the artery forceps"
"..uhhhh..this one?"
"no."
"This one?"
"no."
"This one?"
"no."
We were repairing a hernia on this prisoner named Jolly Joe. If I ever decide to do surgeries as a real nurse in a few years, I'm sure they won't be anywhere near as difficult as this one because the only painkiller he got was some local anesthesia. There were a few moments as I was blotting up blood with gauze and holding his skin open with various instruments and as Henry was cutting and digging around looking for his intestines that he couldn't help flailing around and yelling. Mary and I decided we'd try to distract him in the only way we knew how...which pretty much was just to act ridiculous -
"You know, you have really nice arms!"
"Do you want to marry a Mzungu?!"
"Why are you in jail?"
"Wow! You have the best sematic cord I've ever seen! It's really nice!"
"Have you ever killed a man? ..Would you actually tell us if you had?"
"Do you want kids?...oh wait..maybe this isn't the best time to be asking..."
"Your stomach is really nice too. You must be in great shape!"
There was a point when Brittany made him a song and a dance to aid in the distraction as well.
It was really rough, but finally he was done after about an hour and a half and the entire time he didn't cry once. Because strong africans don't cry. He's been in jail for 2 years because he stole some money and they haven't told him when he'll get out.
Another one of my friends, Quinto, Happy's dad, got sent to jail because he doesn't have enough money to pay the teachers at the school he runs. He's probably one of the sweetest men I've met here who's heart is just too big for this economy. He takes in orphans and doesn't make them pay their school fees and doesn't want to fire any of his staff. It's a problem because he's about 500 USDs in debt every month..which is a tonnn of money here...over a million shillings.
Our time here is quickly ending. And as much as all of us have been talking about the first things we're going to eat when we get to the Atlanta airport and seeing our friends and families and sleeping without mosquito nets and drinking drinks with ice in them and ...sooo many other things we're excited about, it's going to be pretty heartbreaking to leave here. I can't really imagine not coming back to Africa at some point in my life.
I know the reentry process into America is probably going to be infinitely harder than it was to get used to being in Uganda. That part of my heart is going to stay with these people I've lived with over the past months and that seeing how drastically different our lives are isn't going to make some things easy. I don't have any idea what to tell people when they ask how my trip was...or how to explain even a tenth of what we've experienced. It's going to be like a venn diagram. haha. Where one circle is Uganda and one circle is America. And me and my team are going to be the only ones in the overlapping area. And I don't think I'll ever be able to pick one circle over the other to fully invest my heart.
There is comfort in the fact that my God goes with me though. That He doesss know what I've been through and where I'm heading and where I'll end up. That He's allowed me every relationship in my life - whether in America or Lira or that has recently started or has already ended - for a reason. And that's comforting. That the God who goes with me also stays with the people I can't stay with.
2 weeks from today, I'll be home!
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Posted in General Posts by Mary Keller on 4/25/2012
if there is anything I have learned these past few months it's that I don't have much to offer people. I have very little money, I really don't have any practical skills, and my intelligence only goes so far. all I have is love, and thanks to God, I have an abundance.
as I sat there rubbing little Gremma's back my hurt was aching. Gremma is an eleven (ish) year old sreet boy. thiss past Monday he showed up to Child Restoration Outreach higher than a kite on a windy day. he sat across from me and pulled the glue out of his pocket, it was painful to watch. this precious and beautiful child gets high on a regular basis. he does so to stay warm, to try to quiet his hungry stomach, and simply to forget. to forget what his life on the streets is. I didn't know what to do, I wanted to take the glue and tell him how bad it is. how it's destroying his body. I wanted to yell at him for doing something so dangerous. but I couldn't do any of those things. deep down I knew none of those things would help. so I did the only thing I knew how to, I loved him. the two of us shared a chair underneath the mango tree and as he began to crash I rubbed his back. as his tiny body was trying to rest and recooperate from all the damage it was having to deal with on a daily basis, I told him that he was loved. that I loved him. and that God loved him. I started to pray for his tiny little body and his heart that he had shut off from the world. as I was sitting there talking with God I couldn't help but ask why? why is this child hurting this badly? why is this eleven year old boy living on the streets having to fend for himself? why is there any child on the face of this earth so high that they can barely stand up! as I began asking all these things I felt myself getting angry. and then God reminded me that He hurts more. He reminded me that He didn't make those terrible things happen to Gremma and that Gremma is His son. His son whom He loves so dearly. when Gremma began too wake up I looked at him and once again told him that I loved him. He simply turned his face, he didn't even know how to accept the fact that I love him. So I said again, "Gremma, I love you SOOOO much. I am so happy that you came today because I love you." At this he replied, "I think I'm going to go play now." It may not have sunk in, it may not have meant anything to him but it very well may have been the first time that someone looked that litttle boy in the eye and told him that he is loved.
I am not capable of changing the world or even fixing all of Africa's problems but what I can do is love every person I meet with every ounce of my being, with every ounce of love they deserve.
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Posted in Life on the Field by Jordan Scott on 4/25/2012
Hello everyone! We are winding down our time here in Uganda. We leave Lira a week from this Friday. From here we will head to Jinja for a few days to do some white water rafting and to wind down a bit. Then from Jinja we will drive to Entebbe for our flight back to the states. It’s sad that it is so close to being over but we have had a great time here and have done so many amazing and fun things and have made relationships with the most amazing people.
Lira is a place I’ll never forget and I hope that I can return again someday. The weather has been hot for the most part but now that rainy season is here it rains nearly everyday and gives us some refreshment from the heat that we had earlier in the trip. Everyone you meet here treats you like an old friend. Everyone has been so welcoming to us when we come to visit them, (probably cuz were white) it has been so nice. We’ve had our hands in so many ministries too, it has been really awesome. I won’t even attempt to try to name them but some of my favorites have been with Atin Afrika & Child Restoration Outreach. They are the two street kid ministries here in Lira that are doing an amazing job at helping these kids get back on their feet. The other of course has been the Rugby team, being on a team and gettin some guy time has been really good for me. I have also enjoyed going to hang out with a group of students from Sudan on Tuesday nights. They are a really awesome group of kids and are just so fun to teach and hang out with.
There are so many things we have done here that I can’t even try to begin to describe but it has been such a great experience and I thank everyone so much who helped me get here. So thats all I have for now. I don’t know if I’ll blog next week or not but I am looking forward to seeing everyone and getting the chance to tell you all my stories!
God Bless,
Jordan
John 9:4
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Posted in Adventure by Darby Biasotto on 4/25/2012
"There's no place I'd rather be than here in your love". These are the lyrics I was listening to monday morning. As I sit on my bed, swaying side to side, thriving in pain from a burning sensation in my stomach, tiered from being sick all night, worshiping the Lord because there was really nothing else I could do; tears began to stream down my face. My teammates asked what was wrong and I somehow blubbered out, "I'm just so happy". Now that's a funny thing for a person to say when they're suffering from "the malaria". But I was. I didn't care that I had never felt physically worse. I didn't care that my back was sore from the rods that stick out in my bed. I didn't care that I had spent most of the night awake, sick in my bathroom. I didn't care that I wanted my mom to rub my back. I didn't care that it is impossible to get a popsicle in this country (or anything with ice for that matter). I didn't care that no matter how badly I wanted it, netflix was not going to mail a movie to Uganda. I was just happy to be here. Every bit of pain was worth it to get to have met the people I have met. Every bit of pain was worth it because I have gotten to feel Gods love in a new, dependent, and personal way. It was worth every bit of pain to hear little children's voices that answer "I am fine" when you simply say "hello". It was worth every bit of pain to have the privilege of praying over my sick friends in the hospital. It was worth every bit of pain to somehow get to be a part of Gods amazing plan for this beautiful country. There was truly no place I would rather be.
Here in His love I sit and write to you. I am here in His love. No matter where I go. No matter if I stray. No matter what I do, I will be here in His love. Want to hear something awesome- that's true for you too. That's true for everyone you've ever met. That's true for anyone you've ever laid eyes on. So tell them. There's this saying that says, "Always share the gospel, and use words when necessary". And I agree with that. We should be showing people Christ's love by our actions, that's true. But I think often times as Christians we hide behind that, we use that as an excuse not to share with our friends. But when Peter received the holy spirit did he just show people how much Christ loved them? No! He told everyone he met! This is peter we're talking about. He wasn't qualified. He was by no means perfect, but he did it anyway.
There is so much Joy to be found in Christ's love. Enough joy that you can cry out of happiness in the "worst of times". I thank God for the Joy that he's brought to my life, especially in this time in Africa. This isn't a joy that I can keep to myself. This isn't a love I can keep to myself. I've chosen to use my voice. I'm choosing to live a life that seeks that joy and love and shares with everyone WHERE that joy comes from. And I hope you will as well.
To everyone back home- I love and miss you lots! I can't believe I will be with you in such a short time! Start preparing the mac & cheese and chick-fil-a!
<3Darby
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Posted in Admissions by Ally Arnone on 4/25/2012
Welp, we only have two weeks left before we are home! How time has flown! As excited as I am about going home, I am also really sad to leave Lira. I believe each one of us has come to a point where Lira is our home, it’s not just a place we’re visiting. We have become each others family and we have friends surrounding us in Lira. It’s to the point where we can’t even walk through town without seeing someone we know. It’s great!
Anyways, I don’t have much to talk about this week, I just want to share something I noticed God has been doing throughout the last four months in my life, but also in the lives of my team members, who I consider as family. Before coming on this trip, I knew that God had a lot in store. I knew He was going to grow me, and those on my team, He was going to stretch us, and strengthen us. But I didn’t realize how much confidence He would give us through His purpose for our lives.
When I met my team just a few months ago, I didn’t know what I was doing, and I definitely didn’t know what I would be doing when I came home from Uganda. And it didn’t take long for me to realize that the majority of my team mates were just as in the dark as I was. At training camp, just about all of us voiced that one of our desires for this trip was for God to give us direction on where He would have us when we went home in may. Little did we know that God would do much more than simply tell us where to go. I believe we all felt that He would tell us, but what I have seen Him do is much more than just tell us. God has given us a confidence even in the unknown of going home. To some of us, yes God has revealed His plans, to others He has not, but despite this, Jesus has been giving us something greater than direction. Jesus has been teaching us what it means to have a confidence in what is not seen.
Right now, I don’t know what job I will have, if I will go to school, or what church will be like when I go home. But for once in my life I am not worried because I know Jesus is going to work out the details in His timing. I am not confident of this because of anything I can do to work out the details. In fact, I know I usually screw up the details. But I’m confident because Jesus has been teaching me how safely I rest in His love and that my purpose is for Him. And I have seen the same lessons being taught to my team mates. I feel like the disciples must have after Jesus died, was resurrected and was taken up to heaven. They were un-certain, and afraid at first, but then because of knowing Jesus they became confident in the purpose Jesus had given them for their lives. And they boldly walked in that. And I have seen my team do the same. Three months ago, most of us were un-certain and afraid of what we were to do with our lives when we came home. But now, although some of us are still uncertain, we are no longer afraid. We are confident of our purpose in Christ, despite whether or not we know the direction we are supposed to walk in.
I feel like God has brought this team to this point of confidence so that we can now be sent out once more to the world. Yeah, we’ve been in the world doing missions this whole time, but never have I felt this confident about going out into my life and being a disciple. God is good and His name will be praised!
Welp, we only have two weeks left before we are home! How time has flown! As excited as I am about going home, I am also really sad to leave Lira. I believe each one of us has come to a point where Lira is our home, it’s not just a place we’re visiting. We have become each others family and we have friends surrounding us in Lira. It’s to the point where we can’t even walk through town without seeing someone we know. It’s great!
Anyways, I don’t have much to talk about this week, I just want to share something I noticed God has been doing throughout the last four months in my life, but also in the lives of my team members, who I consider as family. Before coming on this trip, I knew that God had a lot in store. I knew He was going to grow me, and those on my team, He was going to stretch us, and strengthen us. But I didn’t realize how much confidence He would give us through His purpose for our lives.
When I met my team just a few months ago, I didn’t know what I was doing, and I definitely didn’t know what I would be doing when I came home from Uganda. And it didn’t take long for me to realize that the majority of my team mates were just as in the dark as I was. At training camp, just about all of us voiced that one of our desires for this trip was for God to give us direction on where He would have us when we went home in may. Little did we know that God would do much more than simply tell us where to go. I believe we all felt that He would tell us, but what I have seen Him do is much more than just tell us. God has given us a confidence even in the unknown of going home. To some of us, yes God has revealed His plans, to others He has not, but despite this, Jesus has been giving us something greater than direction. Jesus has been teaching us what it means to have a confidence in what is not seen.
Right now, I don’t know what job I will have, if I will go to school, or what church will be like when I go home. But for once in my life I am not worried because I know Jesus is going to work out the details in His timing. I am not confident of this because of anything I can do to work out the details. In fact, I know I usually screw up the details. But I’m confident because Jesus has been teaching me how safely I rest in His love and that my purpose is for Him. And I have seen the same lessons being taught to my team mates. I feel like the disciples must have after Jesus died, was resurrected and was taken up to heaven. They were un-certain, and afraid at first, but then because of knowing Jesus they became confident in the purpose Jesus had given them for their lives. And they boldly walked in that. And I have seen my team do the same. Three months ago, most of us were un-certain and afraid of what we were to do with our lives when we came home. But now, although some of us are still uncertain, we are no longer afraid. We are confident of our purpose in Christ, despite whether or not we know the direction we are supposed to walk in.
I feel like God has brought this team to this point of confidence so that we can now be sent out once more to the world. Yeah, we’ve been in the world doing missions this whole time, but never have I felt this confident about going out into my life and being a disciple. God is good and His name will be praised!
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