Wish we could win!

ekissa, the organization that Kevin and I went to Uganda with (and that I now serve on the board for), is raffling off a 16GB Apple iPad through midnight on September 17. Raffle tickets are $25 a piece and 100% of the proceeds goes towards purchasing land in Bweya Village, Uganda (East Africa) for ministry for orphans - in fact, the very orphans you see in the pictures below. Individuals may purchase as many tickets as they wish to have greater chances of winning! Tickets can be purchased via PayPal on ekissa's website by clicking the "buy raffle tickets now" button.

3 miles 3 acres

Join us for an exciting family fun event called 3 miles 3 acres.    This course is a 3 mile course and all the proceeds will go towards the purchase of a 3 acre tract of land (pictured above, minus the road) in the Bweya village in Uganda.   ekissa, a local non-profit, is sponsoring this race, along with contributing partners above (Fleet Feet Sports of Winston-Salem and Primo Water).   'ekissa' is Ugandan for 'mercy' and seeks to join partners in showing mercy to the people of Bweya village.   It is our hope and dream to see the plant of a church, and the building of medical clinic, a school and a children's home.   The purchase of this tract of land marks the tangible beginnings of this dream. Each acre will cost approximately $28,000 (US Dollars) plus fees.

SO, put on your walking or running shoes, grab the kids, come and join the fun for a GREAT CAUSE! This fun run is based on donations not set registration fees (you may make checks payable to ekissa - we are a 501c3 non-profit and your gift is fully tax deductible).

The 'race' begins in the Oak Valley clubhouse parking lot and ends at the playground.  Click here to view the course.

We would like an idea of how many to expect, so please register attendance only (for a count) at our e-vite 'page'.   Click here to view the invitation (and to register attendance).

If you have questions, feel free to contact Sarah (of ekissa) at 336.971.4855 or click here to e-mail Sarah.

Trip Video

Click below for a video of our trip!

ekissa 2010 05

Home Sweet Home!

We're home after two full days of travel, and were so happy to see Whit and our families! After some rest, we'll post more, but as for now we're jet-lagged and up to our eyeballs in dirty clothes! Thanks for following the ekissa blog (http://ekissa.blogspot.com) while we were gone. And thanks for your many prayers!

Much Love,
Kevin & Lori

It's Wednesday already?!?!

Follow our trip: http://ekissa.blogspot.com/

0.19 N, 35.25 E

Charlotte, NC: 35.14 N, 80.50 W

Kampala, Uganda: 0.19 N, 35.25 E

7655.51 miles apart

In just 12 short hours we will begin our journey.

Follow our trip at: http://ekissa.blogspot.com

Uganda Eve Eve

When I was a little girl, my sister and I used to open presents from each other on what we'd call "Christmas Eve Eve". It's one of my favorite memories and traditions around the holidays, and anytime I'm two days away from something, I'm tempted to call it "_____ Eve Eve", so that's the story behind this blog post title.

It's very hard to describe what I'm feeling today. On the one hand I'm excited and expectant at what the Lord is going to show Kevin and I through this trip. On the other hand I'm scared to death of traveling to a third world country and what I may see/experience while I'm over there. I'm also feeling anxious about leaving Whit here, although I know that he'll be cared for by a woman we all love so much, his "Tammy GiGi" as well as his two awesome grandmothers, G & Nana. I'm nervous about so many things - getting sick, losing my luggage, the plane ride, the 5-foot (yes, really!) birds that apparently live in Uganda (which previous teams have encountered), about the people and their situations breaking my heart in a way it's never been broken, and really too much more to list here. Kevin and I were talking last night before we went to sleep about the trip and I was asking him if he was nervous. His only reservation is the flight (not that the plane's going to crash) and that he's going to get bored or his muscles are going to get stiff. Wow - I could make a list (ok, so I guess I just did, huh?!) of the countless things I'm worried about and he's cool as a cucumber. He explained that he knows that God called us on this trip and that he's going to take care of us while we're there, so there's no real need in worrying. I could really learn a lot about FAITH from this man!

What Kevin said was exactly right, so today, on Uganda Eve Eve, I'm focusing on the Lord and not on my fears. I'm focusing on His provision instead of relying on myself. I'm focusing on the fact that He called us to this trip and He has big plans for us - even if I, in my human mind, have doubts.

This past fall, I did a Bible study at Calvary West with my two good friends, Amber & Sarah (Sarah's our team leader for our trip), titled "One in a Million" by Priscilla Shirer. This study took us into the book of Exodus on an exploration of the Israelites' journey out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and eventually to the Promised Land. The longest part of their journey was spent in the wilderness - oftentimes wandering around waiting to hear from God. It was during that time, however that the Lord was the most visible to them; He never left them and guided them. The amazing part of this story is that of the two million Israelites who accepted God's invitation to leave the Egyptians who enslaved them, only two people actually made it to the Promised Land! Shirer says, "Similarly, modern day Christians often hear and understand the promises of God each Sunday morning at church but they rarely choose to experience them in everyday life." This study taught me to expect to see God move in miraculous ways, even when I think I'm in a wilderness. Sometimes it takes a wilderness for God to be able to reveal Himself in a new and powerful way to us.

I feel as though I'm getting ready to leave the comforts of Egypt (my home) and go into the wilderness of the unknown (Uganda). Because just like the Israelites, I'm enslaved by the things in my life that are not pleasing to God. Even though the Isreaelites were enslaved, when they left Egypt, they had to leave behind some slavery "perks" - freedom was risky for them and they weren't guaranteed their next meal. At least in slavery they knew their nourishment would be provided and it was going to consist of familiar flavors - they enjoyed this security! I too, enjoy the "security" of what my life holds for me now. I have so many "perks" in my slavery to my life as I know it now. While I know my lifestyle won't be radically changed when I return from Uganda, I hope that some things will be changed - especially my heart. My fears of walking in freedom and having complete faith in God has crippled me, and I've been my own worst enemy in impeding my spiritual progress. So, come along for this journey as our hearts are radially changed! I long to be transparent in this journey, so that's why I'm giving you the good, the bad, and the ugly along the way! Buckle your seatbelts and get ready...the countdown is on....TWO...ONE...GO!

Be still & know that I am God

I can't believe Kevin and I leave for Africa in 11 days!! Wow! Today is my last day of work for this semester and I'm just trying to tie up loose ends here and then getting my summer online classes ready to launch next Wednesday (can someone please remind me again why I am working this summer!?!?).  Anyway, our to-do list seems to be growing at the exact speed that time is so very quickly slipping away from us. Please pray that we get everything completed that we need to before we leave. My mom is watching Whit on Thursday so I can make a final shopping trip to get all of the clothes and supplies we'll need. In this midst of all of this chaos, we are trying to do a few fun family things before we leave and have a day-trip planned to Tweetsie and the Blowing Rock outlets this Saturday, which we're all looking forward to! On the one hand, I'm so very ready to leave for Africa because I know that it will be a life-changing experience and I'm ready for that, but on the other hand, I'm freaking out because I'm not sure how things will get done between now and then!

I came across a verse twice yesterday (sometimes God has to use repetition to get my attention when I'm rushing too fast through life!) and I'm trying to embrace it and meditate on it today. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." Now, I know that in telling me to be still, God doesn't expect me to just drop everything and let things slack or be weak. I know that He's telling me that in the midst of this undeniably and probably unavoidable chaotic time of preparation, don't forget that we're doing all of this for His glory. He's wanting me to be still and surrender my lists, fears, and worries to Him. He's reminding me that when things fall into place perfectly and I'm feeling motivated, and get things accomplished or crossed off my list, when people respond to my emails when I need them to, or when things seem to happen exactly how I need them to, that I shouldn't take credit for that - I need to know that HE (not me) is God. It's about giving God the glory/credit and knowing that it's only through divine dependence on Him that these things are happening. It's not by the sweat of my own brow or by my superb coordinating efforts or my own intelligence that things are getting marked off my to-do list, but it's by his undeniable power and will that I'm able to accomplish anything! On the flip side, when I'm NOT motivated, getting things accomplished, when roadblocks are put in my path, or when people don't have the same sense or urgency that I do, I must remember that it's not necessarily my fault, and God's not out to ruin my day. It's more than likely an attack from Satan and a reminder that I need to redirect myself to God and keep my eyes focused on Him and rely on Him to do these things, not relying on myself.

I am trying to remember that no task is too small or big for God and that I must surrender my to-do list to Him. I must let go in order to objectively know the saving power of God in my life - even if I need Him to save my sanity over this to-do list! I must give up trusting in myself (or my family) to get these tasks completed before we leave and my own designs for how things should be done in order to experience the glory of God's all-sufficiency. And when things don't get done, or marked off my list, before we leave, I must also surrender these outcomes to God and my desire to control these outcomes and entrust Him with our care on this trip and the care of Whit while we're gone.

ekissa Article

Click HERE to go to a great article written about ekissa and part of what we'll be doing while we're in Uganda. It's hard to believe that in exactly 3 weeks we'll be landing in Africa!!

A 200 lb. Goal

We are going through training with our Uganda team every two weeks. During our last meeting, our team leader had gotten word on some needed tangible items for the orphanages and medical clinic we will be visiting.

According to our airline's policies, each person is allowed 2 x 50lb checked bags, a carry on, and a personal item. Kevin and I have decided that we are going to pack our carry-on with the clothes, etc. that we will personally need, and want to dedicate our 2 x 50lb checked bags to the items we will take over and leave in Uganda with the people there. We are hoping that between the two of us, we'll be taking 200 lbs worth of the needed items below:

diapers

childrens underwear

sanitary (maxi) pads

anti-fungal cream (apparently ringworm is rampant in the orphanages)

Our group is also taking funds over specifically to purchase mosquito nets (which are only $10 in Uganda compared to $40 in the US). The medical members of our team will be working in Wentz Medical Clinic, which is one of the few Ugandan versions of an urgent care facility, that mostly treats patients with Malaria. It's hard to believe that over 320 children in Uganda die each day and most Ugandans contract Malaria an average of 6 times per year from this preventable disease carried by mosquitos. Treated mosquito nets have proven to reduce the risk of contracting Malaria by 65%, and one mosquito net lasts for 5 years.

Our group is getting together to pack up supplies the weekend before we leave.

I can't believe we leave 5 weeks from today! Wow!

a Caboose & an Ethnographer

At our team training last night, Kevin and I received our "Team Jobs" for the trip. Kevin has the funniest title (albeit extremely fitting), as he is the "Group Caboose" throughout our trip, walking at the back of the group to protect everyone, and he also has the responsibility of keeping up with the group telephone. Cabooses were developed to protect the rear of the train, just as Kevin will be protecting the group. I love to think of Kevin as my protector and am honored that he'll not only be protecting me, but the group as a whole. I love that I'm married to a "man's man" who not only protects me with his heart but also with his physical strength. On a side note - I get such a kick out of his title since Whit is obsessed with trains right now!

My role is the ethnographer of the group. Although that's not Sarah's title for me (she phrased it as "Daily Writer and Blog Poster"), when I received that role, I knew that God certainly was using my strengths and interests as an ethnographer (writer) to choose this role for me. For those of you not in the communication field, ethnography is a research method used in sociology, anthropology, and communication studies to gather and record data on the nature of a culture or group of people. The goal of this research method is to fully submerse yourself into a culture (as a participant observer), and observe the people/customs/nature of those people in their natural context/setting in order to better understand their behaviors, beliefs, etc. I did a lot of (southern and WASP-y) ethnographical research & writing during my years as a grad student at UNCG, but am quite rusty in this type of writing, so I'm very much looking forward to getting back in the saddle and using what I was taught many years ago to now glorify God! Wow - at the time (2001-2003) I was writing about cultures and subgroups like the Junior League and now in 2010 I'll be writing about Africans - what a change in direction! Isn't it amazing how God uses skills you forgot you had at a later time in your life to do His work - I just love to see God's hand in the small things and how His timing is perfect!

My prayer is that not only will I be a cultural ethnographer, documenting the vast cultural differences, or travel ethnographer, documenting our travels to a foreign land, but also a SPIRITUAL ethnographer (I totally made that term up), documenting the ways in which they worship, discern the voice of the Holy Spirit, pray, come together as a body of believers, etc. I've actually contacted one of my favorite grad school professors (who I think of as the "Ethnography King") to see if there are any resources out there for me to prepare myself for this role and to make the most of it.

Pray for us as we assume these roles and prepare ourselves to fulfill them however God has planned. Help us to discern what God wants to teach us and through us in these team roles.

Uganda Direct Trade Coffee

One of the ways we've been raising money for our trip is through Just Love Coffee. Our fundraising page can be found HERE. Just Love Coffee just started selling a brand-new Uganda direct trade coffee this past week! This is their only coffe that is not fair trade certified, which means that with the direct relationship to the farms, the farmers receive over 50% more than the fair trade price of their coffee! Order some today - you're not only going to enjoy the coffee which is described as "on the dark side of medium...this wild East African coffee has wonderful hints of sweet lemon" but over half of the proceeds go to the famers and towards our trip! Cheers!

I [We] Need Africa More than Africa Needs Me [Us]

This video really puts it all into perspective (for some reason I can't get the HTML to embed in this post, so you'll have to click the link to watch)...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

8 weeks

Just 8 short weeks from today (May 23) we'll be touching down in Entebbe, Uganda from Amsterdam, Detroit, and Charlotte (flying out on May 22). We'll then be making our way to Gaba, Uganda, just outside of Kampala, the capital.

On the one hand we absolutely cannot wait, but on the other hand we need time to slow down a bit so we can make sure and get everything completed by the time we leave. We have clothes and shoes to buy, final rounds of shots to get, preparations for Tammy (who will be staying at our house with Whit), preparations for Whit, etc.

Please pray for us and these final weeks that we get everything completed that has to be done, for our trip as we continue the training and continue to get to know each other, for our hearts and minds as we prepare ourselves for the things we will see and encounter while we're over there, for us and our team as the enemy no doubt will be working overtime on all of us as we near the trip, and for the preparations of our fearful leader, Sarah, as she works "behind the scenes" making sure everything is how it needs to be here in the US and with our in-country facilitators in Africa. Thank you all for your prayers!

To the next 8 weeks!

Praise God from Whom ALL Blessings Flow!

Our Yard Sale for Uganda was a HUGE success! Over 25 people donated items for us to sell and hundreds of people came out to shop on Saturday, March 20 at Bixby Presbyterian Church. We had everything from antique furniture, clothing, electronics, yard/lawn equipment, home decor, baby items.....you name it, we probably had it at the sale! Hopefully we were able to meet local people's needs who came looking for a great bargain!

Several people donated yummy pies, cakes, breads, brownies, and cookies for us to use in the Bake Sale and much thanks to my wonderful (step)brother, Robert, for working that part of the sale and "pushing" the sweets! We had representatives from Thirty-One gifts, Pampered Chef, and PartyLite candles who were able to sell their new items to shoppers and who graciously donated a portion of the proceeds of their sales for the day.

There are so many great stories and blessings about the sale - everything from being able to use the church's outdoor (shaded) arbor with picnic tables for free, to the absolutely beautiful weather, to having plenty of volunteers on hand to help us set up and sell the items, to being able to witness to a woman and her mother late in the afternoon after we were exhausted and ready to be finished. God certainly gave us the stamina, energy, and endurance to work well over 24 hours.

All that hard work was not done in vain, however, because the Yard Sale was a humongous success! Not only from a monetary standpoint, but also from the standpoint of making people aware of the needs of the people of Africa. We are praying that through the sale (and the article in the Enterprise that told about the sale and our mission), that people are made aware of the needs in Africa and that God will stir in someone's heart the desire for them to help others that are less fortunate and who may not know Him.

We are forever grateful to our families, particularly my mom and step-dad and Kevin's parents, for helping us out for almost 24 hours straight! Without your help there's no way we could have gotten organized, items priced, and known that Whit was being taken care of the whole time! We are also so grateful to our extended families, aunts and uncles, who came up for the day (even some from several hours away) to shop and help. We are grateful to the Habitat ReStore and Goodwill who took our "leftovers" and we pray that those items will also serve as a blessing to someone locally in need. We are grateful for so many friends who took the time to clean out their homes and give us truckloads of items to sell. And those same friends (and many more) who came out to shop!

Doing something like the yard sale truly confirms our decision to go to Africa. Through the sale and its success, God has clearly shown us that we are obeying Him through this trip and this mission. God's blessing was incontestable and obvious throughout the sale and He showed up big time!


Praising God from Whom ALL Blessings Flow,

Training

Last night we met the other team members who are going with us to Uganda in two months. We knew some of them alredy, but others we met for the very first time. We've been praying for our team for a while, knowing some members by name, and learning about others who just recently joined the team this week. We shared a bit of our stories as to who we are and why/how we decided to go to Uganda on a short-term mission trip.  I look forward to getting to know all of the members even more, building/furthering relationships with all of them, and hearing more about their stories and testimonies. Our team ranges in age from 17 to (I'm guessing) late 50's/early 60s.

We went over some trip specifics such as packing items, what our plan is while we're there (which is still somewhat unknown due to other circumstances), Ugandan culture, what to expect, where we'll be staying, etc. We know that two of our team members are nurses and they will be spending some time working at Wentz Medical Center and that the entire team will be doing Vacation Bible School for either the children of Bweya Village or in Mercy Orphanage (depends on those other circumstances I mentioned earlier). We know we'll be spending some time building relationships with the people of Bweya Village, which is part of the long-term plan of ekissa and Gaba Community Church to plant a church in that area (which doesn't currently have a church, it only has a mosque and a Catholic church with a caved-in roof).

Our team will meet for training pretty much every other Tuesday until we leave. We're also following a curriculum during the training, which we will get into starting next time. It's so hard to believe that we'll be leaving 9 weeks from this Saturday!

There are so many things I'm looking forward to on this trip...

growing closer to God and joining Him at work

getting to know the other team members

experiencing a culture completely different from my own

loving on some Ugandan children and people

growing closer to my husband through this experience

coming home to a completely changed life and never being the same

Please continue to pray for us and for our team as we make preparations over the next 9 weeks. It's starting to feel very real and we're starting to get really excited!

Strategically Placed

It's no secret that I love my job. I teach at GTCC and I'll tell anyone and everyone who'll listen that this is by far the best job I've ever had in my life. It's low stress, highly rewarding, and enables me to have an extremely healthy work/life balance.

Over the past few semesters, I have had more and more African students in my communication classes. These are students who were born and raised in an African nation, but for whatever reason are continuing their higher education pursuits in the United States.

When we made the decision to go to Uganda, I quickly realized the wealth of information and knowledge I have at my fingertips in these students who have lived the African culture, rituals, and lifestyle.  For the past two semesters, I have sought these African students out early in the semester and told them of our plans to travel to Uganda, letting them know that I am wanting to glean as much knowledge from them about Africa as possible. The responses I've received from them have been 100% positive and so far they have embraced switching into a teacher role, with me being the student learning from them about African life.  I've been asking questions about everything from what to pack, what not to eat, customs and culture...you name it!

Last semester, I learned that one of my public speaking students, Elizabeth, was born and raised in the same part of Uganda that we are visiting. She was actually an orphan for part of her childhood and when she became older, worked in a local orphanage in a social worker capacity. She knows well the area in which we'll be traveling and the orphanages we'll be visiting. Her aunts still live in Kampala and she has told them about our trip. They're willing to be in-country resources for us if we need them. Elizabeth has been a wealth of knowledge for me and a resource I plan to tap into more as our trip draws nearer.

This semester, while I don't have any students from Uganda, I do have several students from Africa -- Elyse, Espoir, Eliza, Francoise, Gabriel, Adeyinka, and Boukari. I don't think it's a coincidence that this semester I have many more African students than I ever have before, and it's certainly no coincidence that these students were placed (strategically by God) into my classes. I firmly believe that God puts people in our lives where we're at to aid us in our journey towards Him and to bring about His purposes. While these students and I aren't necessarily ministering to each other in class (because that would be illegal), they all know WHY I'm going to Uganda and for what purpose. I think they all have been placed in my life as tangible resources for our mission work in Africa. For example, one of my current students, Eliza, and her husband met in Africa - he was a missionary from the United States and of course she was a resident. She's offered to compile a list from her knowledge and her husband's knowledge of things that we need to pack (and things we need to leave at home).

All of these students have been so excited when I've told them of my travel and mission plans and all have been more than willing to answer questions and offer their expertise. These students are ministering to me in their own ways and are certainly placed in my life for a time such as this (Esther 4:13). It's amazing to me that we serve a God who knows what we need before we even know it ourselves! These students are meeting my needs and answering questions that I didn't even know to ask. There are all kinds of people who step in and out of our lives. We are impacted by more people and in more ways than we could ever imagine. While I am there to teach these students about communication, I truly believe that this semester it's my turn to share, grow, and learn from them. I feel so blessed and grateful that God has put these students into my path.

Paving the Way

There is a group from ekissa in Uganda this week on a Vision Trip, helping to pave the way for our upcoming trip in May. You can keep up with their trip on this blog.  The blog also gives some further specifics about the goals of our May trip with ekissa. 

Please pray for this team as they have lost all of their luggage & supplies they brought for the orphanage (they think it's somewhere in Nairobi, Africa, but it's not looking so good for them to get it back), for their safety, as they are negotiating the plot of land for the church we'll help build in May, and as they minister to the orphans and people of Bweya Village. Pray that God will work through them while they are there and that He will be glorified in all they do.

Yard Sale for Uganda

Along with sending out donation letters and making money off the purchase of free trade coffee, we are also planning a Yard Sale for Uganda on Saturday, March 20th. 

Kevin's parents' church, Bixby Presbyterian in Advance, has graciously agreed to let us use their outdoor shelter and fellowship hall the day of the sale.

We have emailed our family and friends asking them to clean out their closets/attic/basement and send us over anything they want to contribute to the sale. We're taking care of picking up the items, advertising the sale in the local papers, pricing/sorting/tagging items, working the day of the sale, selling it, and donating whatever doesn't sell.

100% of the proceeds from the yard sale (minus a % offering to Bixby Presbyterian for allowing us to use their facilities without charge) go towards funding our trip to Uganda. 

Today we picked up our first truckload from our friends Nicole and David who generously donated so many great things for the sale. We're hoping to get more and more truckloads from folks so we can make this yard sale a huge success!

At the sale, we've also invited some friends who are in business for themselves and/or who are consultants with direct sales companies to be a part of the yard sale and to promote their business in return for donating a % of their sales from that day back to our trip. Right now it looks like we're going to have consultants from Party Lite, Tupperware, Thirty-One Gifts, Mary Kay, and Catering by Sarah!

We would love to make more than what is needed for our trip and then be able to turn around and buy food, shoes, or clothing for the children in Uganda or purchase mosquito nets for families in Bweya Village.

Please pray for us as we prepare for this sale and pray for its success. Pray for good weather on March 20 and that we are able to get the word out to folks who enjoy a great yard sale. Pray that we are given opportunities to witness to shoppers during the sale and that people will able to clearly see Christ through this event.

Spiritual Warfare

Adversary...Beast...Deceiver...Enemy...Father of Lies...Power of Darkness...Tempter...Thief...Wicked One

These are of course names for Satan as mentioned in Scripture. In fact, there are more names for Satan in the Holy Bible than for anyone else except Jesus Christ.

Lately I've been feeling more and more the presence of Satan. Although this presence is unseen, the spiritual warfare I've felt is absolutely real. I feel like I'm constantly fighting Satan and that he is constantly trying to hinder my progress. I know that from Scripture this means that Satan is feeling like I'm a threat to him and that I'm on the journey that God wants me to be on by serving Him in Uganda. I know that if the Enemy stops trying to hinder my journey, then that means that I'm not moving forward in my relationship with the Lord.

Lately we've gotten some push-back from relatives who we thought were on board with our upcoming trip to Uganda, who through their questioning and criticism, apparently aren't very supportive. Our dryer has stopped working, along with our ice maker. We're having some financial issues that are seemingly coming out of left field that we thought we had resolved a while back. We're fighting over stupid things and finding it harder to make time for just each other and our marriage.

I feel like Satan is centering in on our lives and that in a sense he's said to us, "game on." I'm arming myself and preparing for battle based on Ephesians 6:14-18.

I know that spiritual warfare is a reality of the Christian life and am so grateful that we already know the outcome - our side wins. The Devil has already lost the battle, but he's trying to take as many with him as he can, just to hurt God.

I'm also arming myself by reading Mark Corts's book, The Truth About Spiritual Warfare: Your Place in the Battle Between God and Satan. I'm hoping that by reading this book I will learn more about the biblical truths on spiritual warfare and be inspired to remain all the more faithful during this time.

 

(Photo courtesy of Lifeway.com)

I'm sure that as our time approaches, we will begin to experience even more the presence of the Enemy. Past teams to Uganda have told us that the presence of the Enemy can be overwhelming while we're in Uganda too. As my friend Sarah said, "Satan cannot destroy us because we belong to Christ...but he sure can distract us!" Satan knows our strengths and weaknesses, and the buttons to push in our lives to try to keep us under his thumb. He wants to burden us to the point that we no longer feel passionate about being people of God.

Please pray for us as we're preparing for this trip, including as we are arming ourselves with the armor of God to fight this spiritual battle with the Enemy.

John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Leaving Kadesh-Barnea

I am participating in a Bible study on Thursday mornings at Calvary West and we're currently doing Priscilla Shirer's newest DVD study, One in A Million. The overall gist of this study is about the Isrealites' journey through the wilderness to their Promised Land of Canaan. This Bible story in Exodus serves as a backdrop or jumping off point for how God calls us from mundane Christianity to a radical experience of Him where we can encounter our own Promised Land on this side of eternity.

She is clear to point out that each of us must consciously decide if we want to go where God is leading us, or if we are simply satisfied with our Christian lives as they stand now.  Deciding to go where God is leading us means totally putting ourselves aside and trusting God to provide what we need. It means that accepting God's call to journey onward means some things must also be left behind, especially things (sins) that tempt us to return to our old ways. It means letting go of some of the "perks" of sin. It means having a hunger to authentically encounter God. It means accepting that the road God chooses for us is often not the road we might expect or even desire. It means experiencing the Lord in the way that Job describes it from being a relationship based on hearsay to one grounded in experience.

Shirer explains that oftentimes to reach the Promised Land of milk and honey God has in store for us, we must first go through the wilderness, just as the Isrealites did on their way from Egypt to Canaan. The journey through the wilderness is undoubtedly not an easy one. It will test your faith, stretch your belief system, and challenge your level of commitment. However, we must remember that God's destination will be filled with everything we need and so much of what we want, hence the milk and honey that is referred to in describing the Promised Land.

Out of the proverbial 40 years of wandering in the wilderness/desert, almost 38 years of this time was spent in Kadesh-Barnea. In fact, the Isrealites spent this 38 years traveling in a circle around Kadesh-Barnea. Priscilla Shirer described this place as an "oasis of complacency." The Isrealites were satisfied on the brink of Promised Land living. They were okay where they were and didn't want to risk going any further.

In my mind in a sense I see Kadesh-Barnea as a "suburb" of the Promised Land. It was just outside of the land of milk and honey, but they didn't quite make it all the way. In fact, only two people out of two million Isrealites even went past Kadesh-Barnea (Jacob and Caleb). The Isrealites came so far just to fall short of the ultimate goal of their journey. They were almost there!

How many times do we do this as Christians? We are satisfied with our Christianity as it is and satisfied with our relationship with God. It's good enough for us.

Why do so many believers never experience the fullness of God? Why don't the people of God, who can tap into so much divine power, break through the barriers that keep us from experiencing an abundant relationship with Him? Why do we hesitate to take our faith to the next level?

Why do we continue to wander around in Kadesh-Barnea when the Promised Land is just around the corner? Why don't we realize that wandering in the wilderness is the barrier to the Promised Land?

I've been wandering around in Kadesh-Barnea for a while now. In fact, I'd all but taken up permanent residency there. I've gotten used to my life that is on the brink of the Promised Land and for whatever reason didn't feel it necessary to go any further. However now I'm getting restless. I'm ready for a change - for a move in the direction towards the milk and honey my Father has promised me. I'm ready to 100% trust God to provide what we need, not the 50/50 or 60/40 trust relationship I've had with Him. I have an insatiable hunger to authentically encounter God and to move from being in a relationship with Him based on hearsay to one grounded in experience. I'm ready to do something different, something radical, and leave this oasis of complacency. I'm ready for God to give me an opportunity to experience Him in a way I might miss in a place of ease and convenience.

See ya later, Kadesh-Barnea. I'm packing my bags and moving out of town!

God's Glory on Display

We continue to be dazzled and amazed by this undeniably awesome God we serve! He truly has His hand directly on our trip to Uganda and continues to showcase His glory around every turn! 

Just this week, big and small miracles have happened which are undoubtedly only possible through and by our God. Here is a glimpse into just a few.

We purchased our plane tickets to Uganda on Wednesday of this week. This purchase was a "quick" one in the sense that Sarah and our travel agent had been watching the prices closely for weeks and because they were significantly more expensive than for previous ekissa trips to Uganda, Sarah had even briefly entertained the idea of having the group come back to the US a day later than originally planned. Well, on Wednesday the plane ticket prices dropped almost $400 a piece so we needed to act fast in order to order them before the prices shot back up and we were forced to rearrange our travel dates. Since we had raised 96% of our flight costs so far, Kevin and I were able to go ahead and book our flights. On Friday of this week, Sarah got another email from the travel agent who said that he just got word that on March 31, 2010 and beyond, fares on Air France KLM (the airline which we are traveling for our whole trip) are going to be going up due to the Delta, KLM, Northwest merger. This means that our trip to Uganda would have cost each of us about $400 more had we waited until after March 31 to book the flights. Essentially, this could have bumped the cost of our flight up $800 per person! God is looking out for us even financially through this trip and knew what we needed even before we knew to ask!

We also received a significant donation over the weekend from one of my oldest friends (we've known each other since elementary school) whose husband I'm pretty sure isn't a Christian. In fact, when Kevin and I were getting the latest round of sponsor letters together, we had even talked about not sending them a letter because we were sure they wouldn't want to give to such a cause. I'm so glad that the Lord had us send them a letter anyway and I know that they will be blessed by Him for providing for orphans through this act of benevolence.  I cannot wait to talk with her and tell her just what a blessing this is for our trip and how I hope this can be a ministry to them. I also want to ask her forgiveness for standing in judgment of them and assuming they wouldn't care about this work or our trip. I'm so glad that the Lord allowed this to happen in order to give me an opportunity to put my faith into practice. We continue to be humbled at how the Lord blows our minds and goes beyond what we could ever imagine ourselves.

Our in-country expenses have been calculated and were right in the range of what we thought they would be for the trip. We still have about $2600 to raise for the remainder of the trip, which will cover travel insurance, our Ugandan visa, bottles of clean water we'll consume in Uganda, meals, on the ground transportation, accommodations, 24-hour protection, our in-country facilitator (Patrick), and the training curriculum our team will use for our meetings both before and after our trip.

I am starting to pray very hard and very specifically for this trip and for all of the people going with us. Please pray with us for our team and for the next 15 weeks as we continue to prepare our minds and hearts for what we will experience in Uganda. Right now, and during and after our trip, we need prayer more than any other resources. We are opening our eyes and our ears to watch Him do great and mighty things!

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." -- Ephesians 3:20 (New Living Translation)

Letters and Thank-Yous

Kevin and I are overwhelmingly humbled by the gifts that have been given in honor of the ministry we are doing in Uganda in May! We sent out our first round of support letters in November and sent the second round just a few weeks ago, and already have raised enough to pay for 96% of both of our round-trip flights to Uganda (we were able to purchase our plane tickets earlier this week)!

Go God!

We still have in-country expenses that will need to be raised (will range anywhere from $2000-3000 total for both of us and will cover lodging, food, etc.), but we have no doubt that God will provide for our needs based on the miracles we've already seen happen with regards to this trip!

We are in the process of writing thank-you notes to the folks who have already contributed to our trip, and as I was browsing online the other day for some unique thank-you notes, I stumbled across these:

Not only do the note cards fully capture what our purpose is for our trip to Africa, but 100% of the proceeds of the sale of these note cards goes to fund a family's adoption in Ethiopia. In fact, the family who started this fundraiser (they also have t-shirts and other items for sale with this same logo), the Dubois family, have raised 100% of their needed adoption funds, but they feel called to continue the fundraiser in order to help out another family, the Dixons, who are also in the process of adopting from Ethiopia.

I just love this quote from their website:  

 "God makes it clear throughout the Old and New Testament that the fatherless have a special place in His heart.  He commanded His people to provide for them through benevolence and tithes, and He promises judgment if they ever mistreat them. He promises to be a Father to the fatherless, and He makes it clear that it is His will to set the lonely in families. (Psalm 68:5-6) He holds close those that are abandoned by their father and mother. (Psalm 27:10)  He tells us that He is pleased and sees our religion as pure and genuine if we take care of orphans and widows.  (James 1:27)"

Talk about purchases with a purpose!!

I am so glad that the Lord led me to stumble across these note cards and gave us the provisions to be able to purchase them in order to thank those who have given to our mission in Uganda. We are also so incredibly grateful for those who have sacrificially given of their offerings to help us care for orphans and widows in Uganda. We also know that there are so many people out there praying for our preparations and will continue to pray for our trip while we are there.

From the bottom of our hearts...Thank You & Blessings to you all!

Vaccines, Immunizations, and Meds...Oh My!

Friday started "Round One" of our vaccines and immunizations for Africa. We each got a Hepatitis A and B shot in the right arm, a Meningococcal shot in the left arm, and a Typhoid shot in the rear! We go back in 4 weeks for the Hep A and B booster (it's a series of 3 shots total) and still have to get the Yellow Fever vaccine, but can't get that shot from our primary care provider. We will likely have to visit Passport Health in Winston-Salem for that. We also got prescriptions for an anti-Malarial drug, Doxycycline, as well as a high-powered antibiotic, Cipro (yes, that's the same drug they give SARS patients!), "just in case" we encounter anything while on our trip. Our doctor also advised that we take Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Imodium, and a micro filter water bottle, along with any other medications we are currently taking.

I'm still in a walking boot for a broken foot (over 4 weeks now), and also had my foot re-X-rayed, but have to wear the boot for two more weeks. The doctor said it's healing nicely, so hopefully it will be 100% better before our trip!

Prayer Quilt

This weekend Kevin's parents told us that the women of their church, Bixby Presbyterian Church, in Advance, NC are making a prayer quilt for our trip. This gift of love and prayer is constructed by the women to promote prayer through the use of quilts.

We are praying for the quiltmakers of this church, for the materials they are praying over and blessing, and are so humbled that they are doing this in honor of our trip to Uganda. The work it takes to construct one of these quilts is amazing, and are so grateful for Bixby's prayer quilt ministry. What an awesome visible symbol of God's grace and mercy!

A Taste of African Worship

On Sunday, January 24, Kevin and I attended Cornerstone Christian Church to hear Pastor Patrick Sserunjogi speak. Patrick, a resident of Uganda, will be our in-country guide when we travel to Uganda. Patrick was in the United States for a few weeks with his wife, Sarah, and their two children, Mark (8) and Martha (5) pictured here.

Here is Patrick's bio: In 1995, Ggaba (Gaba) Community Church (the church that we are partnering with in Uganda and allowing us to stay in their guest facilities) started the Mwangaza Choir, a children's choir, which was started initially as a Sunday School Choir. Patrick led their first international tour to the US. For more than 11 years, Patrick worked with African Renewal Ministries (ARMS), an international outreach of Ggaba Community Church. In 2007 after returning from a US trip, Patrick and Amos Musoke began Bridge Africa International. Patrick answered this call from God to be able to meet the growing need of Western Churches, groups and individuals to coordinate and organize logistics for short and long term mission trips. Bridge Africa International also serves Rwanda and other African nations as the Lord opens these doors.

During his talk on January 24, Patrick gave us a glimpse into the African culture and how we can help the people of Africa. Patrick talked about what worship is like in Africa, which was probably the thing that Kevin and I took away most from his talk. We are so excited to go worship with these people! As Patrick put it (and I'm of course paraphrasing), when you don't have anything at all (no shoes, no idea where your next meal is coming from, no security, no comfort), all you have is the Lord and all you can do is worship Him. We cannot wait to worship the Lord with that sort of "rawness" and simplicity!

Here is a little more information about Ggaba Community Church: It is a non-denomination, evangelical church that is shepherd to more than 80 churches around Uganda, and has sent out missionaries to begin ministries in the countries of Rwanda and Tanzania. It is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in Ggaba, a suburb of Kampala (the capital of Uganda). Many of their members are active in ministry in the UK, USA, and other parts of the world. In 1990, God gave Senior Pastor Peter Kasirivu (who is Sarah - Patrick's wife's - brother) and his ministry partners a vision to reach the world through equipping young men and women for leadership. That ministry became known as Africa Renewal Ministries. It is known throughout the world, in part due to the assistance provided by Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love (which I mentioned in this blog post). Ggaba has grown to be an international organization with ministries to orphans and children, medical ministries, boarding schools to educate children, seminaries for pastors, which has birthed ministries of evangelism and humanitarian work in Uganda and many parts of Africa. Ggaba Community Church today has an attendance of 1500 youth and adults and more than 1000 children on an average Sunday.

Nkwagala

This is the Luganda phrase for "I Love You." I cannot wait to get to Uganda and love on these people! Enjoy this video (made by my good friend Amber) that is now on the ekissa website. ekissa (pronounced etch'-uh-sa) is the organization we are traveling with to Uganda and is "a Christ-centered, nonprofit ministry engaged in partnering with individuals, churches and organizations to provide care and support to the most needy in the world through short-term mission trips of service. It is through these short-term mission trips that we facilitate long-term relationships with the people in Bweya Village in Uganda. ekissa seeks to serve orphans and widows by demonstrating the love of Christ through practical ways."



It's hard to believe we have just 130 days until we leave!