CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
02 April 2010
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
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
28 March 2010
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!
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!
27 March 2010
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,
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,
17 March 2010
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!
27 February 2010
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.
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.
25 February 2010
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.
20 February 2010
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.
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