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!

Playing it Safe

In general, I'm (Lori) not someone people would consider a "risk-taker". I stayed in my home state for college, married someone from my hometown, have a job where I get a steady & predictable paycheck each month, and in general my friends and I are a lot alike. I've never been bungee jumping, quit a job (or graduated from college) without having another job lined up, and I always wear sunscreen. I'm the type of person who has a Plan A, always a Plan B, and more than likely a Plan C, just in case. When I was younger I was much more of a risk-taker, but where I am in life right now, I like predictability, comfort, control, peace, and safety.

Going to Uganda has completely put me outside of my comfort zone. I struggle daily with fear and anxiety, so to me, going to a third-world country to work in an orphanage is "risky" behavior. Now, I most certainly do not mean "risky" in the sense of being reckless, without inhibition, deviant, thrill-seeking, or taking a risk simply for risk's sake. I feel that there is a purpose behind this risk-taking behavior of traveling to Africa that is much greater than Kevin or I could ever imagine. We're not just traveling for the sake of traveling to a place we've never been before, or to live dangerously on the edge, or to say we've been to Africa on a mission trip. This is much bigger than any of these things.

Yes, we feel like there is a complacency we're feeling in our lives, especially in our faith. And in a way, this trip does involve a "risk" of the pursuit of novelty, intensity, excitement, and change. It involves us stepping out of our comfort zones and taking a risk. However, we don't feel like the "risk" of going on this trip to Africa is one we're taking simply on an impulse or through reckless abandon. I also feel strongly that taking a risk in the name of Jesus is much different than taking a risk as a sensation-seeking behavior merely out of boredom. To us this risk is necessary - I'd even go so far as to say it's mandatory for our lives. The Lord is wanting us to get out of our comfort zone and to take the risk of going to Africa. We feel like if we didn't take this trip, we would be in direct disobedience to what the Lord has called us to do and would miss out on so many blessings He has for us.

The Lord doesn't need us to accomplish what He can and will do in Uganda. He has, however, invited us to be a part of His work there, we believe, to strengthen our faith, our marriage, our family, and our community. It's a worthwhile risk because it's for Him, not for us. Though it may be uncomfortable for us, our families, and others, I believe that oftentimes in those uncomfortable times we're drawn closer to the Lord because we must lean on Him for everything.

One of my good friends, and one of the people who will be traveling with us to Uganda, is reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I have this book, but haven't started it yet, and after her email, I'm definitely reading it before our trip. Here is a quote she emailed me from the book that ties in perfectly to this post: "If we allow ourselves to live recklessly for Him, the, we too, will see His glory.  We will see Him do the impossible.  Christians today like to play it safe (my own emphasis).  We want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe even if there is no God.  But if we truly desire to please God, we cannot live that way.  We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity. Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy.  Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers."

Do I sometimes feel like we're crazy for going on this trip? Sure. Do I sometimes second-guess whether or not we should be going? You bet. Will this trip "cost us during our life on earth"? Quite possibly. Will it be worth it in eternity? Without a doubt. Are we going to be talked out of going? Absolutely not.

I want to be sold out for Christ. That may sound crazy to some people, and that's fine. If the Lord wants me to take a risk and to not play it safe (by MY definition of "safe") then that's what I'll do. I believe that if we keep our eyes focused on the Lord and obey His will for our lives, it is through our faith that He keeps us safe. Surely if He kept Noah safe on the Ark, gave David the strength to defeat Goliath, and parted the Red Sea so the Isrealities could get safely to the other side, He can keep Kevin and I safe during our 10 days in Africa.

Does that mean that merely because people have faith in God that something terrible won't happen to those who believe in Him and do His work? Absolutely not. Are we prepared for those things? Not yet, but we're getting there.

Psalm 127 (from The Message):
I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
 
He won't let you stumble, your Guardian God won't fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel's Guardian will never doze or sleep.
 
God's your Guardian, right at your side to protect you—Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke.

God guards you from every evil, He guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, He guards you now, He guards you always.