Update from David!

The CBC team got back to San Antonio late on January 9th. What a trip we had! God moved, we got to watch...doesnt get any better than that! The team will be getting together today to exchange photos, reflect on our trip and our time back, and celebrate together all that God did while we were in Uganda. Recap post to come soon.

We all came back, except for one. David stayed behind and will be home in late February. While there he will be visiting villages, assessing current needs, spending time with the people, and letting the Lord use him as He sees fit. He has already had an incredible time there and the following email and pictures were received from him today:

The time has just flown since the team left. Last couple of days have been really special. Praise God, he did miracles in the Uganda Revenue Authority to give us our License plates and Logbook for the attached new vehicle. Tony and I finally gave up waiting and road the post bus to Kampala. What an experience. I looked down and chickens were loose in the bus. Walking under the seats up one side and down the other. We drove back yesterday took a quick shower and headed for the bush for well number 32.

We arrived a little late in the Village but no worries. I set up the tents while Tony set up the movie screen. When the music got turned up people began to stream in through the darkness. Although it was late, they seemed to be in no hurry. You know the tight schedules they live by! Everyone was very content to listen, watch, and party till almost midnight. Papa was dreaming about Mimi starting around 10pm. I missed the fun but loved the dream.

We woke up this morning to a quiet little compound. As I unzipped the tent and peeked out I just had to praise God for letting me do this. Pigs, goats, chickens , and a lone dog wandered through camp to see if the movie goers had drop anything that might serve as breakfast. These people were so hospitable. They had tables and chairs arranged around the fire for our breakfast pleasure. But before that, I had an opportunity to milk the family cow. This compound was headed by a single mom. She was always had a pleasant smile. Her children and grandchildren live in the compound and help here work the garden for their subsistence. I can only imagine how tough it was raising four children on your own through the War experience. But she held them all together. The youngest  boy, maybe a grand son was 10, already in P5. He knows that he loves since and aspires to be a Doctor. I told the Patron Margaret that she should begin this year planting pine trees so that by the time he headed to college she could sell trees to pay for his education. She thought that was a great idea. But where to you get the 15 cents for each tree?

After breakfast we walked to the well site to see the water blow. I did not expect that to last all day. This was the toughest well we have ever drilled. There was not only serious rock but there was a heavy clay mud down hole. The drill bit got stuck at the bottom which took hours and lots of prayer to retrieve. As they pumped the well rocks and mud sprayed everywhere. They pulled all of the drill pipe to prepare for placing the permanent casing. The mud was to thick down hole to get enough sections to reach the bottom. Pumping did no good at all. We were stuck. More praying, Tony and I prayed without ceasing and the mountain finally moved. There were to many additional problems to enumerate but at around 5 pm we saw fresh water. Thank you Lord for you faithfulness.

Sitting at JoJo's waiting  for the drilling team to arrive for steak and potatoes. Not!! But I am really excited about the rice, beans, and cabbage. In Acholi that would be, cabbage, muranga, and mucheri. Enough for now.

God bless you,

David

The following pictures are from David:

Last day in Gulu, Wells, Safari Park, Travel Home

Our last day in Gulu...it is a bit bitter sweet, but we are all excited for our last day of ministry. This morning looked a little different. The day before, we had the chance to stop by the first of 6 new well sites that are being drilled over the next few weeks. They hadn’t hit full depth yet, but were close. Before going to bed that night, the team agreed that they all really wanted to experience the finishing stages of a well drilling and were willing to wake up slightly earlier than usual. We were all anxious to see them hit water and waited in anticipation for the big moment where water explodes from the ground into the air!  When the moment arrived, we were all overcome with awe and joy.  Cheers and clapping broke out through our team members and the local villagers.  The Holy Spirit was definitely felt.  Thank you Jesus. 

Not only was the well an incredible experience, but there was also some incredible ministry moments happening as well. David saw a boy with an infected foot limping with a cane. He was off by himself, so David went over to talk to him. He discovered that the boy had no medication to help his foot heal. In Gulu town, we see many older people crippled by similar infections that start out just like this boys, if they could only get the right medication in the beginning, it would save them from a lifetime of disability. So David took the boy to our team Doctor. Upon examination, and with the help of an interpreter, they decided the boy needed amoxicilian and would have to go to a nearby town to get some. They then found the father of the boy and David began chatting with him about his son. Although the man spoke english, due to his hesitation to talk with David, he only wanted to speak in Acholi. But as they began to break down some walls, and the man became more comfortable with David, the man began to become more transparent and eventually would speak in English with David without the need for an interpreter. He and David talked about the boy, the well, living water and eventually the conversation led to the need for Jesus. The man realized how much he needed the Lord in his life and decided right then and there to ask the Jesus to be his Lord in savior!

But before he did so, he asked David to take him to his wife, because he knew before he made that decision, he needed to ask his wife for forgiveness for his wrong-doings. He found his wife in the field and brought her to David and told her of his decision. She forgave her husband but was very hesitant to make the same decision he had because she brewed alcohol for a living. David assured her that God loved her as she was at this moment and for the rest of time and that for her to pray for God to change her life, which would change her family and that God would be very clear and prompt her when it was time to give up brewing. When that happened, she would be ready to do so.  

David left them to return to the well site and a little later the family joined the team as well. We prayed with them and introduced them to the team. It was a wonderful time to rejoice with the family, and the village over the new well and the new decisions made.

The rest of the day was spent back in Gulu-town resting and packing. We had a very early morning the next day. The team had to leave Gulu at 5:30am to make it to the Safari Park in time for our boat ride down the Nile river. 

Our time at the park was wonderful! We saw many animals in the park, even a lion family, including the males...very rare! We saw elephants, crocs, hippos, giraffes, antelope, water buffalos, warthogs, birds of all kinds, giant lizards performing what looked like a crossfit work out, etc...We swam, ate delicious food, and debriefed as a team on our time together in Gulu. We all recognized what a life changing experience this has been for all of us, and we cannot wait to get home and tell you all about it!

We now sit in the Amsterdam airport and will soon be jumping on our next plane back to the states. Please pray for our safe return home and for rest before we all jump back into our normal lives. We will be home around 10:45pm on Monday night. Our flight number is DL3433.

Thanks you all for your prayers, and support during this time. We come back not the same. Uganda and the Acholi people have left a lasting imprint on all our hearts. We know this trip would not have been possible without all of you. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

Lukodi, Otem, And Olong villages

Sorry for the late post...internet has been hit and miss, but...Wow, what a great past few days! On Tuesday, we traveled to Lukodi village. The great thing about this was, back in July, another team from CBC visited this village while the well was actually being drilled. On that day, while the men were chatting with the village men and the drill was working in the background, when the water hit, several of those men saw the water and realized at that moment they needed living water and gave their lives to the Lord. So now on this trip, we were able to travel back to that same village and visit with those people and have the official dedication ceremony of the well.

When first arriving at the village we were invited to join Rosemary, one of the leaders of the community, in the garden. There, her and her friends taught us the proper way to work a hoe, and how to pick G-nuts (peanuts) from the roots and collect them in a bucket. It was a lot of fun seeing the team “get their hands dirty”. 

Alison showing everyone how its done.

The G-nut crew

After our time in the garden, we ate some lunch (more peanut butter, honey and banana sandwiches) and headed to the tree to sit in the shade and have the water opening ceremony. The ceremony consisted of a greeting from the pastor, an introduction of the village leaders, and introduction of the American guests, a musical performance by the village children, a charge to the people to care for the well and a time of prayer. After that we walked over to the new well and pumped water for all to celebrate with.

Lukodi village after receiving gifts from the team

Well opening ceremony

We decided to call it an early evening as the team deserved some much needed time of rest. Several of the team members were able to access internet for the first time at cafe Larem next door (a real treat in Gulu town) while others visited the market and got to experience grocery shopping-Gulu style. Dinner was especially a treat as we decided to try something new in Gulu, something unheard of until now at Jo-Jo’s palace...spaghetti! Alison was kind enough to join the ladies that cook at Jo-Jo’s in the kitchen and taught them how to make the dish. Within just a few minutes into the process she looked up and saw a whole crowd of women gathered around her wanting to learn (and taste) as well. It was quite the show. But the team was so happy to have a taste of home followed by a good nights rest.

Wednesday, January 4th

This morning’s devotional time was a great discussion on the idea of not fretting, which is the act of dwelling on your worries. We discussed Psalm 37:8 as well as Philippians 4:6-7. What a wonderful time it was to recognize the need to rest on the Lord and not depend on external circumstances which cause us worry, but to depend on your relationship to God Himself.

After devotional as we were getting ready for the day, we found out that our bus had a flat tire and it was going to cause a slight delay in getting out to the bush. Well, when in Africa you learn to improvise and that is exactly what we did.  After we packed another 100 mercy bags & prepared items for the children’s VBS, some of the girls on the team sat in the courtyard with the girls on staff at JoJo’s .  Some were painting the girl’s nails while others were simply talking and sharing their photo albums.  Jacob and the boys picked up a game of soccer in the courtyard with some of the men on staff as well. The staff at JoJo’s help clean our rooms, clean our laundry, prepare our breakfast & dinner, and always greet us with a smile, so it was a great time of conversation and sharing.

The bus arrived with a new tire and we were ready to load and be on our way!  Once in the village of Otem, our medical team began to set up their station for the day, while the rest of us divided into teams to set out with mercy bags in hand!  The door to door mercy bag distribution was a great success.  Multiple people split up throughout the village and were able to talk to many families in a short time.  Several individuals, one in particular with whom we sat under the shade on a bamboo mat, accepted Christ into their heart.  One group even met a 90 year-old Mama!!  A good point was made that she is such a ray of hope for the village - she has remained healthy for 90 years.  Pastor Dick & Pastor Ray of the village were able to travel and interpret for us, which was a HUGE blessing.  We were able to introduce and direct families to Pastor’s who will be able to act as a shepherd and watch over their sheep. At one point two men were running to catch one of the groups asking to be prayed over!  Now, THAT is God at work in Uganda!

The medical team was able to see and help over 70 people for a variety of needs. Praise the Lord!!  Doc Walter, an African man whom David & Dana have known for a while, was able to join us and he was a great asset.  The “pharmacy” team helped prepare, pre-package medication & hand out needed medication and explain dosage and usage. A lot of children received medicine for worms, which is a common issue in the village, and pain medication was given to many adults complaining of chest pain.  Please join us in continuing to pray for the people we minister to both in mercy bag evangelism and through our medical outreach.  

After passing out toothbrushes and wrapping up the medical clinic, it was back on the bus and we were headed back to the Jo-Jo. On the way home, about a 5 minute drive from the hotel, our bus got another flat tire. Immediately David flagged down 10 bota-bota (motorcycle) drivers and the team paired off in two’s and hopped on and away we went back to Jo-Jo while the bus stayed and had the tire repaired. Although we hated to see the bus have a problem, we took it as a blessing in disguise because it happened so close to town and not in the middle of the bush and we all had an awesome time on the bota-bota’s. Dinner that night was back to our traditional beans rice and cabbage before we all headed to bed. Here is a quick video of the team on the bota-bota's. Sorry for the sideways view...Dana...enough said :)

Thursday

This morning was another great devotion time were we discussed the rich young ruler and the need for abandonment in our lives. We recognized the need to give him everything, even the things we hold most dear. Not because he is a stingy God, but because He loves us enough to want the very best for us and knows that that is simply Himself above everything else.

After out devotional it was back on the bus as we had a long drive ahead of us to Olong village (about a 2 hour bus ride in to the depth of the bush). The people of this village had not seen a mzungu (white person) since they returned from the camp 3 years ago. That means VOHA is the first NGO aide they have received since their return. We were greeted with singing as the whole village was awaiting our arrival. The plan today was to set up another medical clinic and while that was going on, the other team members ran the VBS program with the children, played soccer, blew bubbles, sang songs, and painted finger nails (the women jumped in on this activity and it was a big hit!)

Kat painting a village woman's nails

Arlene is quite popular as all the kids are waiting to have their nails painted.

VBS...the parachute game seems to be the most popular of all the games, these kids love it!

Kacie is learning to be Acholi...complete with a baby on her back.

The medical clinic ran especially smooth today as we had 3 team members running triage while Dan, our doctor, visited each patient. He then prescribed to them the needed medication and a sheet with their prescription on it was handed to our make-shift pharmacy (a handful of team members bagging the various pills) and after that the medication was given. 

The medical clinic "pharmacy" crew.

Cindy dressing a little girls wound.

Cody doing medical triage

There was one army man named Joseph visiting the clinic and as Colleen was examining him she was concerned that his problem was more spiritual than physical and took him to David, after conversation David realized that although he knew who Jesus was, he did not understand relationship with him and David discussed Romans 10:9 with him and told him of the necessity to have Jesus in his heart and the man realized that this is what he was missing in his life and prayed to receive the Lord. When we left there was a whole new countenance upon his face and was praising Jesus with his community. Hallelujah!

After about 5 hours of medical clinic and about 200 patients, the gang said their goodbyes and piled back onto the bus.....as the tiniest boy in the village chased the bus. While on the bus the team members in the back acted as our own personal DJ singing a compilation of 70’s, 80’s & 90’s hit songs.  Mama Dana really liked it.  :)

Earlier in the week Arturo befriended a Lebanese couple staying at JoJo’s with us, and as a special treat to the team, we took everyone to their restaurant, Cedars.  The team enjoyed their version of a chicken fajita, chips (french fries), two different salads and to top it all off... vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup.  Yum Yum!! 

Prayer Request

• Our last day would be a great finish to a wonderful trip
• That we would all really press in and finish strong
• That God would continue to work in and through us on the next portion of our trip, as we relax before our long journey home.
• That the bus would continue to provide safe travels
• As we leave our translators behind, that God would continue to use them in their ministry to others.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year friends!! Wow...what an incredible way to start out a new year! 

December 31, 2011

Our New Years Eve started out with a team devotional time where we discussed true abandonment and what it means to be identified with Christ and free from the bondage of sin and our old selves. It was a wonderful time to simply recognize the amazing gift we have been given in our relationships with Jesus and the gift He has given us to be able to call ourselves His.

We then packed up the bus and headed out into the bush for our overnight stay in Pokogali village. We set up at the school that actually feeds into about 6 surrounding villages. The lunch team for the day got to work making our peanut butter, honey and banana sandwiches and the rest of the team greeted the local villagers awaiting our arrival. After lunch we split up in to small groups, each with a translator and guides from the surrounding villages, and took off on foot handing out mercy bags along the way. 

Karla handing a woman a mercy bag who had just rededicated her life to the Lord.

The teams didn’t know, until they got back that the church community in that area was in one of the rooms of the school interceding on our behalf. David, Dana and Tiffany stayed behind at the school to organize the camping supplies and were able to be witness to it. Wow, can I just say how incredible an Acholi prayer meeting is! They were in there interceding for us the entire time the teams were gone which was about an hour and a half. But that is not the amazing part. What was so incredible was the way the Acholi pray. It’s not something that is easily put in words...but, what I can say is that is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. They literally put every part of themselves into their prayers. It is not simply a conversation with God. It is a humble, yet powerful reverence before the Lord unlike anything I have ever seen.

The team returned with tons of stories of conversations had and invitations into huts. One story that really stood out was of one of the teams that was blessed with a gift from a woman they visited. The gift was a bag of peas and sim-sim, two things of great value so it was an incredibly beautiful gesture.

The rest of the afternoon was spent playing with the children while other team members shared testimonies with the church of their time handing out mercy bags and simply encouraging them as a body.

The games consisted of playing with a parachute brought by the team (which was a big hit!), Red Light, Green Light, Hokey Pokey, relays, the balloon game and much more. After that the team shared with the children the story of Daniel and the Lions Den and got to teach them a memory verse (said as a cheer with hand gestures) of Joshua 1:9...in Acholi! The kids loved being taught in the own language! The team then handed out baggies filled with coloring sheets, 2 crayons, candy, and a balloon.

 

Karla and Jacob leading the children in a game of hokey-pokey

The parachute game

The team after handing out gift baggies to the children.

After the activities with the kids, it was time to set up for camp, which the team did an awesome job of working together to put up 13 tents (you would never think we had some first-time campers in our midst!) 

Arlene helping to set up camp

Brittany, Will and Kacie working together on a tent, while Geoffrey, one of our translators, had some fun with the camera.

After dinner there was a large screen and projector set up and we played “The God Story” for the villagers which came from all the surrounding villages (about 300 people in total)

Finally after a long wait, it was 11:30 and the party began! The team members that were able to stay awake had the opportunity to experience what it was like to ring in the new year...Acholi style! What a celebration! Praising God through song and dance, prayer, laughter, dust was flying every where as feet stomped the ground in dance. Testimonies where shared and when time came, we all embraced each other with a big “Happy New Year!” Quickly after that, we went to bed while music continued to fill the village all night long.

January 1, 2012

...6AM is here and joyful music, singing, praying and dancing is still going on!  Do these people know how to party or what??  As team members were waking up (or just getting out of our tents for those who didn’t sleep), they were able to catch a beautiful pink and orange sunrise coming up over the rooftops of huts.  

No sooner had the sun come up, when a handful of local Acholi people were seen carrying a man off the side of the road and into our camping grounds.  The people were asking for a doctor because he was very “sick” and in need of help.  Dan immediately raced to the man’s side as other team members, family & friends surrounded as well.  After much observation & deliberate prayer over the young man, whose name we later learned was Ordega, it was apparent that he was intoxicated and high on opium and the medicine he needed only God could give, so the team gathered around him and started praying. It was not long at all that Ordega had come-to, something that we learned was rare to happen so quickly. Shortly after that, Ordega was able to share the morning worship & devotion with the team.  He was a new man sitting among us and the team was blown away as just a few minutes before then he was writhing on the ground and out of his mind. After devotion Ordega’s father showed up to check on him as he was told his son was sick and being prayed over by the Christian visitors. He said he did not come right away when he was told, as he too was a believer and knew that Ordega was receiving exactly what he needed. We later discovered that Ordega’s mama was the lady who blessed our team with an offering of sim sim & peas.  How awesome is that?!?  Make sure to ask your team member more about this story.  The intricate and miraculous details that God weaves together to produce the “golden thread” is too precious and should be heard from the mouth of your loved one.

Ordega, Tony and David at the team devotional.

After a very special devotion with Ordega and the team (and a large cup of coffee.  Black.) we were being called to church service beneath the shade of a tree.  How sweet to hear the sound and passion of traditional Acholi clapping, dancing and worshiping to God.  I’m not sure how they went all night, AND came to church the next morning with the same vigorous energy and excitement, but I do know that I’m thoroughly impressed! Upon the conclusion of testimonies and sharing the word of God, a tithe was collected from the congregation consisting of coins, papaya & limes.

Church under the tree.

The remainder of our stay at Pokogali was spent holding a smaller and very successful medical clinic for the church members and packing up all of our camping gear back into the bus.  

Dan and Colleen in the Medical Clinic

A very tired, yet energized, team of 19 piled into the bus for the journey back to JoJo’s.  The camping experience was nothing that any of us could have imagined, but it was just what He had planned for us.  While on the bus, a surprise dinner of pizza and salad was announced, much to the appreciation of us all!  Mmm... it was a unexpected and delicious delight!! 

January 2, 2012

Up again this morning for another day loving men, women, and children! Today’s agenda was one that changed throughout the day, but at this point we have learned to throw all our plans out the window...as this is Africa after all...and this is God’s trip. (We’ve learned it’s so much more exciting when you simply allow God to orchestrate the “plans”.) So we made a few more mercy bags after our time of team devotion (where we discussed being less SELF aware and simply come to Him). Then we hopped back on the bus and headed out to Opee village. The cool thing about this village is just this past July, another CBC team was here and went to visit this same village, except then, it was VOHA’s first meeting ever with them and it was a very destitute village with no water source (except a seep hole in the ground about a mile away). We told them then that we would pray for water. Since then, VOHA has indeed continued to pray and has began a sponsorship with them and in the next month they will begin drilling a new well! Hallelujah! So today, we participated in a short welcome service in the church, then the children went off to play with the team members running the “VBS” program, while the men and women were separated and had our own conversations about their lives, and their relationships with Christ as well as our own. It was so cool to see God working in each part of the day and activity.

We returned once again beat, but quickly dropped our stuff on in our rooms, cleaned off our feet and ate dinner at JoJo’s. This time there was a change up from the normal beans, rice and cabbage. Tonight it was beans, rice and...peas! Yum!

So another day has come and gone. Sorry for the long post, but much has happened in the last 3 days and we didn't want you to miss out. Your prayers are so effective and God is doing a good work and we are humbled to be a witness to it!

Prayer requests:

Tomorrow we will be gardening and harvesting with the families in a different village, as well as participating in the ground breaking of a new church, mercy bag ministry, and the VBS program. Pray it continues to be all God desires.

As we are now in the “thick” of the trip and the “newness” has warn off, pray that we continue to stay energized and that our love for these people continue to grow.

Pray we would continue to die to ourselves and allow God to guide our every footstep, every word spoken, every thought, every part of our time here.