upward & inward

Heading back to the United States today and plan to update this blog with pictures and text once I get all my resources together. As I consider my nearly two weeks here, I offer just a few observations of the time spent here. Generally speaking, the people of Africa are welcoming and pleased to receive guests. This is especially true in the rural areas of both Uganda and Kenya. In fact, a very common phrase we heard was "You are welcome." This wasn't in response to a "Thank You", but simply a declaration that we were welcome there. I want to be more welcoming to my guests. Although poor economically, the rural communities we visited are rich spiritually. Their faith is strong as is their resolve to be obedient followers of Christ they're called to be. This spiritual wealth is something I want to invest in! The infrastructure in Uganda is quite limited. Although the infrastructure was more advanced in Kenya, they still struggle in the rural areas, espe

On Tuesday, it was another warm day. Joni had a great idea the previous day of setting out the tarp used to cover luggage from the top of the van as a sort of awning. Modified somewhat to make the most shade we could this was put in place again. Shade always draws a crowd. Soon we had kids, moms, and grandmas resting under the awning. After shooting an interview with Tim and Colleen, Colleen had arranged for me to meet my new sponsor child, Janette. She's a sweet girl and shy. Because of the timing of her visit to the church site, I was unable to spend a lot of time speaking with her - so I still don't know her age or circumstance. I do have pics, tho. Because Colleen had to drive to Kampala, I volunteered to drive the van on TAPP visits. It's amazing how that van can fit into walking trails. We had good visits and even led two older men to the Lord! Meanwhile work continued on the building as the platform was completed, a door installed, and the roof was finished o

As we arrived the first day (Monday), we saw that the roof was already begun. The building is an elongated octagon. The rafters, already in place, have been treated so that they can resist termites. These pests are a problem as we learned of another church in the district which lost its original building due to an infestation. The roof is made of overlapping corregated steel. The building itself is brick. By the end of the day, the roof was in place. All that remained was the steel caps that cover where the roof angles meet along the ends and sides. The doors and windows would come in the next days. The building site was a hive of activity as the floor was cleared and rocks were brought in to support and fill the platform area. Many of us helped in this and we were humbled as the village women and girls would haul huge rocks on thei heads! They are accustomed to this as they have to carry water from the local well to their homes. Water is carried in Jerry cans weighing 45 pounds. Some

Sunday morning, after breakfast, we split up into two teams of 8 each. My team had Grant, the Toupins, Joni, Twyla, Cassie, and Matt. Tim Stevenson was also with us. They sang several songs, we sang two (I played guitar) and they asked for an encore for which we were unprepared, and there were testimonies from the community and our team. Then I spoke from John 9. The service was less than 3 hours but didn't seem that long. The picture here is of the table at the front of the service. People were instructed to come forward to present their tithes and offerings. The tithe basket was empty. The other was filled. You can see the offering basket at the top of the picture. Most of the cash came from us. There was an egg from a woman (possibly like the widow from the Bible), a note, and a partially eaten roll. Humbling. After service there was an altar call for those who needed prayer. I was asked along with Tim to pray. All women, one had a baby wth malaria (baby Lazarus a

After arriving from Kamuli, I had the opportunity to shop for some Ugandan gifts. This is something I don't do well. In fact, this is something my bride does really well - wisely choosing the right gifts is itself a gift that she has received. After getting an email list from Sherry, I made my purchases and, because some of the articles were made by widows, I was able to help others, too. When the team travels we go in two vans with our luggage, supplies, and tools on top. Our group, piloted by Moses Magoolo, left first and landed last. In the group were Jill, Grant, Joni, Jeannie, Twyla, Heather, Cassie, and me. When we left Kampala, the plan was to go to a guest house first because we would arrive so late. En route, plans change. We went directly to the church and was welcomed by singing, dancing, yodeling women, smiles, shaking hands, and cries of "You are welcome!" If I had to imagine what a believer's reception into heaven would be like, this picture would com

Kamuli Town, in the Kamuli district, is a small town with two gas stations and several small shops to purchase food, merchandise, livestock, and so on. We stayed in town at a guest house where the couples had their own rooms and the rest of the team were divided into groups of two or three. I roomed with Moses and Carl Gordon in a small room where three twin beds were shoe-horned into. The doors were locked with a padlock and remained secure the whole time we were there. In fact, the guest house was a walled compound with a gate to drive into a courtyard in the back. The church site is on the outskirts of town past several private schools named after Catholic saints and filled with colorfully uniformed kids. The church property was purchased at the end of a road - also purchased to reach the larger site. As a guess, I think the property is less than acre while the road is about 200 feet long. The church, as we arrived, lacked some brickwork, a roof, doors, and windows. The trus

It's been nearly a week since I updated this blog. It's been more than difficult to get my laptop to connect to the network. So, I'm using the Stevenson's computer to provide a brief update. Remember, more info can be read on Central Community's Mission Blog . All of us arrived safe and sound (with all our luggage) on Tuesday. Tired after well over a day of traveling, it was good to arrive and meet the people we've all heard so much about. Moses was our group's driver and has been as we've traveled to one village already. He's a great guy - kind, always happy, and loves the Lord Jesus. Tim and Colleen welcomed us and continue to provide guidance, encouragement, and support as we encounter many new experiences, sounds, sights, and smells. The team has gathered together well after having to separate on our trip out. Our first visit was to Kamuli - a town northeast of Kampala, beyond the Nile River.

Many of you may know that I have been planning for many months to go to Uganda. After many changes of flights, we finally ended up with a start date of yesterday morning - waaaaay too early in the morning. We arrived at the airport and discovered that our flight was cancelled which threw the team into uncertainty. Fourteen of us (another 2 had planned to come 2 days later) were at the mercy of Northwest Airlines and Delta. After more than a few flight plans and changes, we ended up splitting the team into 2 primary groups. The first group (I'm on this one) leaves today and will arrive in Uganda on Tuesday afternoon. The second group leaves early tomorrow (Monday) and arrives Tuesday evening. Our group has a more circuitous route through Dubai and Ethiopia and the other groups follows our original route straight from Amsterdam through to Uganda. Why go? We listen to the stories of those who've gone before and desire to make a difference - to be a part of something greate