Tuesday, July 17, 2018

God Is With Us--ALWAYS!

God gives us precious moments to know, and see Him clearly each and every day! I know that one reason I love our times in Uganda so much is that--because I am aware of God working—He is ALWAYS so apparent to me. In Uganda, I am on high alert to see and hear from Him, and so I notice more what He does in my life while we are there! He is in my life EVERYDAY, just as He is in Uganda, but I am not looking so intently! 

We arrived in Uganda, late on a Thursday night. We had already seen God make a way for a late plane to arrive for an “on-time” connection. We had seen Him get us through immigration and customs, and almost all of our luggage arrive safely. He had helped Pastor Mathias and Pastor Steven to travel safely to pick us up. And then, He took us safely on the three-hour-drive to Jinja. All of these things were before we had even slept one night in Uganda! 

For the next nine days, God was all around us. He was answering prayers almost before we could ask friends and family to pray about a concern. I would pray in the morning about the day’s concerns, and then watch, anticipating how God was going to meet every need. 

We were so blessed to be with the Ugandan people—to see their faith, and ministry commitment, to see their faith through struggles that we as Americans have no conception of facing. Struggles that, honestly, before we started going to Uganda, I had never imagined! We were blessed to worship through dance and song, see children lead out in testimony to God’s goodness, and visit in homes of struggling women who have a strong hope in Jesus Christ. 

At the clinic, God allowed us to minister with committed Ugandan doctors and dentists, church members, and pastors and their wives, to over 1,700 patients. We were able to visit, play games, and give testimonies about Christ to over 1,000 students at schools. We visited Jennifer’s school and orphanage, and were so excited to share crafts about God and His love for them, “pillowcase” dresses, t-shirts, and hand towels with 300 students, because of the generosity of precious members at Oakwood. Then, through Oakwood’s sewing ministry gift of 15 quilts, we presented each child at the orphanage with a personalized quilt! They were so excited! Oh my goodness, we were blessed by their smiles! 

And, in the midst of all of these “God blessings,” we were surrounded by the natural beauty of Uganda, and able to stay at the  Nile River Bend Resort—beautiful accommodations, absolutely delicious food, and the most amazing staff! 

We were completely blessed! No doubt about it! Most wonderful, beyond comprehension was God answering prayers, concerns, making a way, each and every day—One-Step-At-A-Time! 


Amazing Oakwood Mission Team to Uganda!

Arriving and Loading on the Bus for Jinja
Mashah Birthday Party


God is Grace Visiting--Gifts of Pillowcase Dresses and T-Shirts
Sorting ALL the Items We Brought!
Counting and Sorting Meds!
The "Pharmacy"
Friends Indeed!
Delivering Prescriptions to the Pharmacy

Registration and Prescription Slips
Doctors Consulting with Patients
Continuing to Count and Sort Meds During the Clinic
Dr. Peter
Our Amazing Dentists!

And Amazing Doctors!


Uganda and US Ministry Teams
Kiddos Playing Games on our School Visits
Tug-of-War
Limbo
Potato Sack Race
Playing with the Parachutes
New Desks!
One of the Older Desks

Students in P7 Studying at Their New Desks!

Three Cuties Sitting at a Desk! :)

Children at Jennifer's School in Kalagala
Making John 3:16 Crafts
Children Enjoying Their New Towels and Craft!
Showing Off Crafts, New Dresses, T-Shirts, and Towels
Children at Jennifer's Orphanage with Their New Quilts
Such a Sweet Girl!
The Quilts Will Look Beautiful on Their BunkBeds!
The Wonderful Staff at River Bend Resort. BEST Hotel Anywhere!
Yes!
Many of the Ones That Worked With Us in Ministry
Pastor Mathias--Our Leader!
Some of My Favorite Pics of Children!





I Never Tire of this View of the Nile River
God's Showing Off His Handiwork!

Monday, March 19, 2018

It Is All About Relationships!

Each time we go to Uganda and return to the US, I try to pause and determine the message God was trying to send me on the trip! He sends abundant blessings, helps me tremendously, and loves on me too, but He seems to always send an overall message. This trip I believe His Word to me is: RELATIONSHIPS! I think He is saying is that what it all comes down to in my walk here on earth is relationships. First, and most importantly, my relationship with Jesus Christ, and that I have accepted Him as my Savior. Then, my relationship with others is important. Have I spent time with others; not only telling them about Jesus, but living my life to show them Jesus? Does the “walk” they see match the “talk” they hear? It seems He is saying, “All else falls away, and these things are what are most important!” 

Because we stayed three weeks in Uganda this time, we were able to spend more time in home visits, see the same children multiple times, spend more time at the orphanage, visit each of the churches, and visit more with the pastors and their families. We were completely blessed! 

In the pictures, I have included some of the home visits, the church services, visits with pastors’ families, visiting Elizabeth,  bringing Jennifer's orphanage children to the hotel for the day, seeing Habiba's new baby, meeting a new friend, Gloria, seeing how the Kalagala School has progressed, the new children’s building at Mathias’ church, and even Larry playing golf with Mathias and Moses! Oh, how I wish I could give you details of all these highlights! We will have to meet for lunch for that! ❤️

You know, wherever God calls each of us to minister—He wants us to have a relationship with Him, and then He wants us to have relationships with others—showing Him through ourselves! And, as always, He guides us One Step at a Time!
The Nile River--God's Beauty Abounds!
New Construction at Kalagala School
Friends in Kalagala
New Latrine at Kalagala
New Kitchen at Kalagala

The Church in Kalagala is growing!
Sunday School Teachers Workshop that we were able to attend!
 Pastor Joseph
and his wife, Faith! They are such a blessing to us! 
Jane's Family 
We are blessed with so many friends in Uganda!

Teddy and Her Sweet Family!
Gracious and Jajja Larry
Sweet Kiddos!
New God is Grace Facility
Precious Friends!
We are Blessed! 


Thank You, God, for Elizabeth!
Kalagala Sweeties
The Whole Bunch!
Pastor Steven
And His Precious wife, Vickie! More Blessings!

Children's Church at Steven's Church 
Vickie's Sweet Mom

Pastor Mathias and Frances. Oh my! We Are So Blessed!
Moses playing golf!


Our Sweet, Sweet Friend, Habiba, and Her New Baby
Children at Kalagala School
Precious Jennifer with Frances and Mathias 
"Crafting" with Students in Reach Youth Global School
Our New Friend, Gloria!
Modeling "Pillowcase Dresses"! 

Children's Church at Mathias' Church in New Building!
Pastor Mathias--Oh the Blessings God Has Given Us Through This Servant of God!
New Children's Building at Lugazi2 Church
Time for a Haircut! 
Allen, Timothy, and Baby Trent--We Are Blessed!
Uncountable Blessings!
Part of the Wonderful Staff at RiverBend Resort
Sunrise on the Nile River