Saturday, December 13, 2008
You say goodbye, I say hello...
I'll be in Dar Es Salaam sometime tomorrow (the arrival time isn't on our itinerary so I really don't know when...) for debriefing with all of the other HandsOn missionaries from this semester in the CESA region. We leave Dar on Tuesday and get home on Wednesday afternoon. There are 2 others flying in to Memphis with me, so I'm excited about that.
Thanks for your prayers and I look forward to seeing everyone in just a few days!!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
So many pictures...
Uganda [thus far] 11
Uganda [thus far] 12
Uganda [thus far] 13
Uganda [thus far] 14
Uganda [thus far] 15
Also added a countdown for when I leave for Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. I tried to add another for when I will be arriving in Memphis, but I couldn't figure out how to add another event. Maybe after the first countdown finishes it will move to the next event. We'll see...
Thanks for your continued prayers, and I look forward to being home and seeing everyone in less than 2 weeks!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
I'm writing a book...
I am going to Entebbe today for a Thanksgiving lunch with a bunch of the missionaries in the country here. All of the guys are going fishing on Lake Victoria (second widest freshwater lake in the world) sometime after lunch, so that should be fun. HAPPY THANKSGIVING from Uganda!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Another month gone by...
Pray for my teammates and I as we have begun wrapping up our areas of ministry, preparing to leave in just a few short weeks. Our schedule for departure begins on December 13 as we will fly from Uganda back to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania [where we were for orientation] for a few days of debriefing with all of the other HandsOn teams. All of the HandsOn teams will depart from Tanzania on December 16, flying into D.C. and parting ways from there to arrive at our respective homes on December 17.
I'm working on a post of what God has shown me this semester, kind of an overall summary of sorts. It was going to be part of this post, but I decided I should put some more time and thought into it and really just search for more. I'm excited and nervous about sharing what God has shown me. With that said, I promise at least one more post.
Thanks for your continued prayers! Hope everyone likes the new song."Love, after all, matters the most..." Share that Love with someone!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Long time, no...blog?
Last night, the 3 of us went with Douglas to Butabika to go to a medical school and meet with students there. It was pretty much awesome. There are some incredible guys and girls there who are so eager to do great things for Christ! I got to see one of the dorm rooms. It was about 3 or 4 times the size of my closet back home and had 2 bunk beds, so 4 guys stayed in each room. We rode with Douglas in a car he is borrowing from some missionaries who are stateside [I think], and that's been an experience. Ugandans are interesting drivers, to say the least. The car was pretty cool. It is a Mitsubishi Pajero, an older model, but it had leather, armrests that folded down on both sides of the back seats, and get this, an oversized sunroof over just the back seat. I decided that it might just be the African equivalent to a town car or some other car good for having a chauffeur . :) On the way home we opened up the sunroof and looked out at the clear night sky. Marvelous.
But enough about cars. I'm excited about the days ahead. I am going to be putting a video together for the missionaries here, a presentation of the different ministries going on here. I will hopefully be going out with the different missionaries in the days and weeks ahead to take pictures at different sites. Also, looking at possibly going to an orphanage in Jinja sometime next week with Hannah and Breanne.
I just discovered Stewart and Kelsey's blogs online, so I added them to the links on the right. I'm so excited about all the things God is doing back home in the lives of my friends! I'm so proud of the huge leaps of faith that people are taking in trusting God with things. It's awesome that people are seeing that there is something greater in life than just the "American dream." To my friends back home: you are all amazing! Keep striving to do good things for God, and in turn, He will turn them into GREAT things! I am so seriously proud of all of you and miss everyone so stinkin much! I love you and am praying for you all!
Thanks to everyone for your prayers and love. Continue to glorify God in all you DO! [keyword: DO something!]
New Album: Uganda [thus far] 10
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The most annoying thing in the world...
I mean, I am outside but still. There's a whole lot of 'em out tonight. Just thought I'd share. :)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
So, about those pictures...
Uganda [thus far] 9
Uganda [thus far] 8
Uganda [thus far] 7
Uganda [thus far] 6
Uganda [thus far] 5
Uganda [thus far] 4
Uganda [thus far] 3
Uganda [thus far] 2
Uganda [thus far]
Thanks for your continued prayers and love!
Haggling with a Boda Driver
Stephen: Muyenga, Tank Hill. 2,000 schillings
Driver: 3,000
Stephen 2,000
Driver: 2,500
Stephen: 2,000
Driver: Okay, let's go.
Victory. My mother would be proud...
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Halfway there...
Steven and I got moved into our house this past week. We moved into the house that the girls were living in and now they have moved into another place. The BMU has these big storage containers on the compound that are full of household items to stock missionary's homes here, so I got to go through and pick out a bunch of stuff for the house. That was fun. A lot of the stuff is kind of old [think 70s and 80s type decor] but it works. It's a really awesome house, but we have to walk back down to the guest house (where we were staying) in order to use the internet. That's one reason I haven't given an update in a while. It's nice waking up in the morning and not thinking, "I need to check my email." Well even if that's the first thing I think of when I wake up, I then remind myself that I can't.
In reflecting back on the past 2 or so months and seeing where we are now, I'm not sure what to think. At times it seems that we haven't accomplished a lot, but that the same time, I know that God has done so much in me and that He is still working in me. It's crazy how many things I see here that parallel ministries back home. It's helped me to see how much effort and love it takes to do [especially to start] any kind of ministry, whether in Africa or in Bartlett. It's given me a greater respect for missionaries and has just opened my eyes to what the life of a missionary is really like. It should be just like any other Christian's life. The only difference is that we are taken out of our familiar culture and immersed in a foreign culture. For any Christian, our lives should still be all about telling people this incredible thing that we know. That there is something wrong with us. We are separated from God, but He loved us so much that He came back for us. And He's coming back again!
Being the first Hands On team here in Uganda, we are kind of the guinea pigs. And I knew that going into this and from just about every mission trip I've ever been on, I know one of the most important things is to be flexible. Thankfully, God has prepared me in so many ways for this experience, even in some circumstances that are somewhat humorous. I know that whatever God has planned for the rest of my time here, it will be more than I could ever achieve on my own. Anything that is accomplished is simply and utterly a gift from God, nothing of me.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:9-10 (NIV)
May we all learn to boast in our weaknesses, that Christ's power may increase as He receives all the glory!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Homesick, in more than one way...
And that's when I found out.
I read my sister's latest blog and learned that my grandfather had passed away. Then I got on Skype and sure enough I had voicemails from my mom and sister telling me the news. I knew that this was coming, and in the recent weeks since my time here, I just have felt in my heart that I wasn't going to be seeing Papaw when I got back home, maybe even from the moment I saw him in the hospital on July 30, the day before I left for Tanzania, when he told me he loved me and was proud of me as tears were filling his eyes (and mine). Maybe this was God's way of preparing me for what was to come. This is the first grandparent to leave my sisters and I, and being so far from home makes it difficult for me to really grasp. I don't think it will really seem palpable or real until I get home in December and he's not there...
Despite the loss in our lives, today was a wonderful day. God is still God, and the victory is still His. I can only think of the things that I saw today, the beauty of God in the nature of Africa, and I wonder what I was looking at during the exact time that Papaw went to be with the Lord. This morning I saw my first sunrise since being here, and it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. It was truly breathtaking. I saw more than 20 miles of the Nile River, experienced the fury of powerful rapids. I saw the bluest sky and the whitest clouds, so amazing and somehow different than any I have ever seen. All these things created by the God of the universe, and now my Papaw is in His presence worshipping Him. No more frail body or bruised bones, no aching or hurting. A new creation made for an eternity of being in the presence of and worshipping the Almighty God.
I wish that I could be at home with the rest of my family during this time, but I know that God has called me to be here serving Him. Just as Matthew 10:37-39 says, I must continue to take up my cross and follow Christ. I must realize that there is still work to be done here, all over this earth, that there is still a race to run (Hebrews 12:1-2). Even though I feel homesick more than ever, missing Papaw and friends and family back home, I can look forward to a day when I will be back home, and the day when I will truly be home with Christ, just as Papaw is. May we strive to live for Christ, spreading His name and renown wherever He takes us, that the words of 2 Timothy 4:6-8 might be true to our lives when God calls us home.
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39 (ESV)
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2
"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to al who have loved his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (ESV)
"Homesick" by MercyMe
You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now
Help me, Lord, cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why, I wonder if I'll ever know
But even if you showed me the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now
In Christ there are no goodbyes
And in Christ there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now
Monday, September 22, 2008
Christmas comes early in Africa...
This afternoon felt a lot like we were opening presents as Hannah, Breanne, and I were over at the Shelton’s house looking through all the things that were sent to us from home with the mission team from Mississippi. Kind of funny, since we knew most of the things we were getting, but I guess that’s a lot how Christmas usually is, too. My parents sent me some Barbeque Pringles (they have them here, but the store down the street has been out for a couple weeks), grape jelly (yay!), fabric softener sheets (hard to find here; smells throughout the house...), peanut butter filled pretzels (that got mostly crushed in transit haha), CD-Rs & DVD-Rs (always come in handy), iPhone armband (gift to myself to use when running), and my favorite: cards from friends at church. I cannot tell you how much the messages in each of these cards mean to me. Even the simplest “praying for you” or “miss you” means so much more and brings more encouragement than anyone could ever know. Thank you all so much for encouraging me and praying for me.
Today was a good day. The team from Mississippi got here this weekend, so today was their first day of ministry. We went with them this morning to an area called Bootabika (no clue if that’s spelled right, but that’s how it sounds). We did door to door evangelism and encouraging, as the Kampala Urban Team is looking to start house churches in this area. We were witnessing to people, but also looking for persons of peace in the area to use a house or a courtyard for people to meet and fellowship in the future. Some of the groups saw many people come to Christ! My group met many who were already believers, but we spent most of our time with one woman, who did not choose to accept Christ today. I hope that you will pray for her, as we will, that God will convict her heart with the words she heard from us today, that she might have visions and dreams so that she will realize that she is in need of a Savior.
For lunch, we introduced our new friends to I<3NYK (I Love New York Kitchen) at the Garden City Mall. It was quite delicious, and they were grateful that we showed them that little gem. While we were eating lunch, the sky fell out and rained out the plan for the afternoon. I think the team ended up going shopping, but the 4 of us came back to the compound for much needed rest. It’s amazing how exhausting going out can be. After resting, Hannah, Breanne, and I went to the Shelton’s an picked up our “care packages” and Hannah stayed to watch the Shelton’s girls so that they could go out to eat with the mission team. Breanne and I came back to plan for tomorrow. We will be going to a school nearby during their lunch hour and doing a presentation of sorts. We pretty much have the hour or so to do what we want, so we decided to have a little church service. Breanne, Hannah, and I will lead four or five songs and then Steven will bring a message. That is what is on the agenda, but God could totally have something else in mind. We’ll see.
I am so excited about Wednesday. We found out yesterday that Hillsong is in town. If you look in my older posts, you’ll see that I posted the lyrics to a song sung by none other than Hillsong. I am stinkin stoked that they are here and we will [hopefully] be going to see them in concert Wednesday night. I told the Berry’s that I would have to see if I could take Darlene Zschech and the band to lunch (haha). I have no idea how big of an event it will be, but I am so excited for some Mzungu worship and songs… or better yet Australian worship and songs!
That is all I have for now. I’ll try to update again this weekend. Pictures are being uploaded constantly and randomly, so check often to see the ones I’ve added. Thanks again for your prayers and support! God is good!!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Photos Added!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Humility and the Mzungu
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Loving and missing...
Monday, September 8, 2008
Encouragement and Discipline
Friday, September 5, 2008
Packages and such...
Monday, September 1, 2008
He Is LORD!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Revamped, refreshed, and ready to go!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Adjustments and Blessings
These are the vehicles sitting here at the compound that I see everyday and think to myself, "I really wish I could just drive one of those instead of using public transport." But that what we have to do. We have 3 options: Taxi's, Boda-bodas, or private hires. Taxi's are not like taxis as we think in the U.S. They are more like buses, but much smaller in size. The best way to describe them is that they are like 14 or 15 passenger vans compressed to the size of minivans. These are the least expensive to use, but can be confusing because there is no neon sign in the windshield telling us where they are going. Also, to go to some places, we have to take a taxi to the taxi park in the middle of the city where there are hundreds of thousands of taxis, and get on another one to take us to where we want to go. Talk about chaos and stress. And we had Ugandans leading us through the park the one time we have done it. Boda-bodas are motorcycles that you can hitch a ride on the back of. These are my favorite so far. They were scary at first, but I think they are the most practical at this point. They can go anywhere you want them, but safety really is the main issue with these, so we are not supposed to take them to go very far. It's like playing real-life Mario Cart, but you're not in control of the vehicle. Yeah. Lastly, the private hires are the most expensive. These are like what we know as taxis in the U.S. They would be the best option if they weren't expensive. I say expensive, but they are pretty cheap compared to a taxi back home. We are alloted 8,000 UGX ($5) per day for transport, so that's what we're working with. I need to take a picture of me on a Boda so I can post it on here.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Life in Africa
Well, I finally made it to Uganda! Tanzania was nothing short of amazing. In Dar Es Salaam I met with 37 of the other Hands On participants as well as numerous missionaries to the CESA region for 2 weeks. Honestly, a lot of the sessions we sat through were pretty boring, but the people I met were incredible. God really used that time to show me that he has all of this worked out and that we have all been called by Him to be here. Hearing everyone's testimonies and just being surrounded by such strong people in the faith was amazing. By the time we left Dar, I truly felt like I was living
Hebrews 12, "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." As the verse continues, now that we have all parted ways, we must "lay aside every weight, and sin, which clings so closely, and...run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus..." How great it will be when we all meet together again in Dar before heading home in December to share with each other the amazing things that will happen in the months ahead!
It's hard to believe we have already been here in Uganda almost a week! Our flight was delayed something like 6 hours leaving Tanzania (something about the airline not having any fuel...there were a few rumors going around). Once we finally made it in, we were there almost another hour trying to deal with a missing bag (still yet to be found).
We spent the night in our new homes. The girls are in the house they will be staying in until late October or early November when some other missionaries come to move in. Steven and I are staying in a guest house on the Baptist Mission compound until our apartment is ready, which will hopefully be sometime next week. I'm not complaining because this guest house is a lot roomier than our apartment will probably be. They told us that the apartment has one room and a bathroom. They are planning to put a cooktop (stove) and fridge on the veranda for a make-shift kitchenette. In the guest house we have separate bedrooms, bathrooms, a living room and a full kitchen. Oh well, TIA and this is actually more than I ever expected. :)
We went with Misti (one of our supervising missionaries) and her girls to meet her husband, Anthony (our other supervising missionary), in Jinja for the weekend. He is teaching at the Baptist seminary there for the next couple of weeks. We got to meet more missionaries who live in Jinja and see a smaller, quieter place than Kampala. We also went to the source of the Nile, where lake Victoria feeds into the Nile River. Steven and I went bungee jumping over the Nile Sunday afternoon. It was about a 150-foot drop from the tower (seen in the upper-right of the picture) down to the river. I went first. It was pretty exhilarating! I'm pretty impressed that I didn't hesitate after they counted down for me to go. I did have second thoughts once I left the ledge, but it was a little too late then, and my stomach was already in my chest (which was strange since I was upside down). The worst part was hanging upside down after I stopped bouncing until they lowered me down into a raft. I had a headache for most of the rest of the day. Don't think I could do that twice in one day...
[The bungee tower over the Nile River]
So, what exactly are we going to be doing here in Kampala? Well, that's the question that all of us are asking! We are going to be working with the youth in the network of house churches here in the urban areas. There is currently no kind of student ministry in the house churches, so we will pretty much be launching it. We are going to be spending the rest of this week and next week figuring out what exactly all of that will entail. We are meeting with the pastors in the house church network as well as some from churches in the city that have existing student ministries. We will possibly be looking to them for an example of what we might could do in the churches we will be working in, except that we won't have any kind of a budget, of course. We don't really have a specific agenda or outline to follow (other than Christ's example in scripture) so what we do will be mostly up to us. We are looking to start Bible studies and disciple students here. Most importantly, as I recall Misti saying yesterday, we want to find where God is working and join Him there. Couldn't put it any better.
Here are some ways you can continue to pray for my team, as well as the other Hands On teams:
1. Pray that God will glorify Himself through our ministries
2. Pray for opportunities to share our faith.
3. Pray for boldness as we live out our faith.
4. Pray for God to prepare the hearts of the people we will encounter.
5. Pray for our cultural sensitivity and understanding.
6. Pray for our relationships with our supervisors and other missionaries.
7. Pray for team unity.
8. Pray for our relationships with nationals.
9. Pray for safety in travel and health on the field.
10. Pray for humility and a flexible spirit.
11. Pray for protection from loneliness and depression.
12. Pray for peace of mind for our families back home.
13. Pray that God will use our missions experiences to grow the passion in us for missions.
I cannot tell you enough just how much I appreciate the prayers and all of the support from everyone! I hope to keep you updated weekly if I am able, but we will see. The internet is very, very slow here so the time it normally takes to do the simplest thing is increased exponentially.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be will you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
I made it!
Lightning off the coast of Italy
City lights of Rome
Stars over Naples
Shooting star over Lybia
Sunrise over Egypt and Sudan
Incredible.
Keep praying!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
One adventure to the next...
It was humbling to see the many memorials to those who died and the rubble left from the recent war in the area. In the school alone, there were pictures of three children who were killed in a bombing on their village. The destruction is a reminder, to me, of the evil in this world that can only be overcome by the love of Christ spread by us as believers to the lost. We were able to see one man come to salvation after reading the gospel of John. Pray for Kosovar that he may be a light for Christ to shine in that village that others may be saved!
I think what was most encouraging for me was the crew that I was able to work with. God truly placed us each together. That’s all there is to it. It was an amazing time of fellowship and worship working with each of the incredible people on my crew. We were called “the wedding singers” and we lived up to our name by filling that school with the praises of God while we worked!
I am now en route to Africa. I can’t believe it’s really here. Leaving was bitter sweet and many tears were shed (I started it), but I think I’m okay now. In leaving, I really realize just how blessed I am to have the amazing family and friends that I have. Thank you to everyone who came to my going away party and for those who made me cards and things. It all really means a lot.
I met a guy named Josh who will be in South Africa for the semester. We both flew out of Memphis, but we didn’t actually meet each other until we got to Atlanta. I am now in a hotel room in the D.C. area until I leave for my flight to Ethiopia in the morning. 15 hours and 15 minutes. It will be a new record for longest flight for me. Still, I am looking forward to finally getting to Africa and being back with the people and the place that I loved so much last summer.
While I am in Tanzania, I most likely won’t be able to update my blog. I will be there for 2 weeks (until the 14th or so) so this may be my last update for a while. I should have a chance to email my parents to let them know that I made it safely, so that is good.
Continue to pray for safety as I resume traveling tomorrow morning and get in to Tanzania sometime Saturday. Please pray for me for the next 2 weeks as all 37 of the Hands On participants are training for the semester, that we might be prepared for the work God has prepared for us.
I’ll end this post the way I ended my journal entry coming back from Kosovo: I am amazed at how God is choosing to use me. 3 countries in 3 months. And that’s just the beginning...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Kosovo Pictures
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Beginnings in Kosova
Proverbs 24:11
Be challenged.
Monday, July 14, 2008
1 Corinthians 1:9
Kosovo is coming! I leave bright and early at 5:40am Thursday morning. I'm flying by myself so I'm a little nervous, but it will help me prepare for flying to Africa. I'm so excited!
In the midst of their newfound independence, let us show them the new life we have found in Christ!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Urgent Prayer Need!
Leaving Uruguay
The coffee houses Thursday and Friday nights were a success, despite the rain, according to the missionaries. They were thrilled! Thursday night we had around 30 people come, and Friday we had 50 to 60 come. We had 2 people come to Christ, that we know of, which is an amazing thing! We were warned that there most likely wouldn't be a large harvest, such as with the Brazil team from last week. Our goal for the week and for the coffee houses was to form relationships, which would lead to eventual presentations of the Gospel. After we got back to the states, Casey heard from someone that some new people came to one of the cell churches Sunday after we left as a result of our ministries last week! Priase God for the work He continues to do in Uruguay!
I've uploaded the pictures from this trip to photobucket. Use the link on the right under "Photos" to see the pictures I took in Uruguay. I didn't take as many this trip because of the rain and just because the camera got in the way of what I was trying to do sometimes.