We're Back in Kampala!

Here's a blog from a bunch of us:

Janelle: Thanks for the update, Shannon. Please keep me posted on MOM. Tell Reagan that I love and miss her and Nene will be home soon. We'll be home Saturday night at 9:00 pm. The trip to the village was awesome! It was great to see the African children's smiles again. Can't wait for Friday to see the church we built last year and see our kids of promise. We're bringing 25 more home to sponsor from the area of the church we built this year. Some of the pastor's kids haven't been sponsored and that is one of their great concerns because they can't go to school without school fees. So please spread the word.

Genda: Thank goodness I'm out of the car and both feet are both on the ground! That carsickness isn't fun! I love the way the kids' faces brighten up and smile for us.

Emily: I've done exceptionally well. Be home Saturday evening at 9:00 pm, Lord willing. Tell my kids and Norma, thanks for their prayers. The people here are so enthusiastic about God. It is a joy to watch them. I've got a lot to tell when I get home. Jim, I hope you have found the refrigerator by now.

Debbie: I'm speechless till I get home. There aren't words to describe all the feelings and thoughts I have. The people that I met in Nebbi like the youth pastors had a huge impact on me. I'm definitely a changed woman.

Terri: 'Chelle and Josh, we are back from the village. I'll email Michelle later. We are anxiously waiting to hear news from Carla so if you have any, please let us know.

Jennifer: Diane Bartel and Wednesday Women, thank you for all your prayers. I miss everyone. Anything Larry says is probably not the whole story. I've had a lot of fun but I'm ready to come home. See you on Sunday!

Larry: The trip to Nebbi was long but was well worth it. The building project went well. The dedication was on time. Dan, Cheri and I worked with the pastors. It was humbling to talk with them and find out about their urgent needs. We had 46 pastors from Uganda and the Congo. Some of the pastors walked 40 miles to be there, when some of us wouldn't walk down the street for an ice cream cone (except right now, craving ice cream like we are, I would walk two miles for a DQ Blizzard). They felt that we were God sent. Too bad they don't know the real us. I taught a class on hope. It was hard to teach that because how could someone so rich from the states teach someone with so little about hope? That was hard. We have learned one thing when we were on the Safari. When the lions chase you, you don't have to be first, just don't be last. We serve a great God! Team Two, the squatty potties are awesome! :)

Cheri: I'm so glad we went to Nebbi. It was a whole new experience. The people we met had greater poverty and were more isolated than any of the people we had met so far. Colleen told us that when she went to one village in this area one time to teach the women, they wouldn't come in the room because they were afraid of her because they had never seen a white woman. Some of the children were a little unsure of us until we showed them the love we felt for them and then they warmed up to us. Overall we were overwhelmed by their welcome with their heartfelt songs and palm leaves waving, leading us to walk up the hill to the church. The kids ran behind our vehicles with their leaved branches for a mile, singing songs and laughing - our welcoming committee!

I think what was different for me this time is that I built relationships with the pastors who came for training and the youth pastors who came from miles around to spend time helping us with the kids. These men sacrifice so much! It's hard to comprehend. The afternoon after we first spent the day sharing with them, we asked them what was the most challenging thing for them. They said that transportation was one of their issues. They have to walk so far to minister to all the people (some of them are district leaders over several churches). There are 70 churches just in that one region. While they are out ministering, they are thinking about their families, and their crops that need to be cared for. They are among the poorest of the poor. I asked them if their people tithe and they said that the majority of the people in their churches are widows and children on a very small income themselves. 60% of the population is under the age of 15. They want better for their kids than to struggle so hard but without school fees their children can't even go to school. There is a lot of AIDS there and very little health care and truly you see very few men involved in church unless they are in leadership.

I also spent time working with the women on a different day. Colleen taught a class on family planning. This is always important. There are so many women who attend church without their husbands and many men feel that large families prove their manhood. The women are afraid to practice family planning because sometimes the men leave them if they don't have lots of male children. The woman named Jolly who is in charge of the Women's Ministry for the region, lost her husband when he left her for only having three girls. Fortunately after much prayer, he did return. She is a very strong woman that commands respect. When she speaks, even the men listen.

The women find it hilarious that we can't balance a piece of paper on our heads let alone 50 pound water jugs! :) They have some talents we never will!

On Saturday we worked on another church in the Nebbi town and did ministry with the women and children. They put on a program for us and presented us with gifts. They gave Central Community group a rooster and a shirt, and gave Tim and Colleen a chicken.

On Dedication Sunday, I preached! Get that! I think it went over well. I like the translation thing because it gives you space to think what to say next. Larry fell asleep but what can I say? He hears from me all the time! :)

Again, they showered us with gifts. They gave us bananas, eggs, cabbage, kasava root and Tim got a sheep. It's very humbling when they have so little, and they give us so much.

The chickens went under the seat and the sheep on the roof. Poor thing, I think he got car sick - lots of bumps and I know for sure Larry and Genda wouldn't have survived up there! They would have been diving off to get away from all the juggling! Fortunately for us, but not for him, he was tied on too good to escape.


On Sunday afternoon, we drove up a mountain and then climbed even further up to a school. They had a program for us and we gave them items for their school. We also saw their school building that they are trying to get built. They also gave us gifts. They gave me a female sheep to go with our male sheep and another chicken, placed it right on my lap, first time I've ever held a sheep! So, Tim's sheep had a buddy to keep him company and between the two of them they created quite the mess on the roof of the car - took quite a while to clean it off the next day! Think they were a bit nervous. :) So, Team Two your menu is complete and the groceries were all provided by God. Bon Appetite!

Guess I could write a book but this is enough for now. We've had a great time and are looking forward to the rest of this week. Thanks so much all of you for blogging us! We all enjoyed hearing from home when we returned today!