My Journey With God to Africa - Day Six part II 25-06-2009

Go Out in Joy
"You are not here in the world for yourself. You have been sent here for others. The world is waiting for you!" Catherine Booth
What an awesome observation Ms. Booth had and how appropriate for the time!
As the day continued and the team sat and listened to the teachers reveal to us how the children had come to this school, many orphans from the cattle raids of the Karamojong tribe, and the children sang songs of the crisis they face daily with hunger, famine, and AIDS, it was hard not to feel overwhelmed with grief and sadness for them. Yet each one of them had an unmistakable smile of Joy! I thank Jesus for allowing me the opportunity to go into the world in His name and bring His Joy to those that most likely feel like they have been abandonded and forgotten at times.
We were all so impressed by how well mannered the children were and how much they respect their elders and teachers. The headmaster "Naboth" would approach the children and say "Hello Children" and they would immediately respond "Hello Headmaster", then he would follow with "God is Good" and they would reply "God Is Good All the time" and then everyone together in unison would say "God is good, all the time, for that is His nature". How awesome is that, that they teach the children daily, and instill in their hearts and memory that it is Gods NATURE to be good all the time! It would seem so easy for these children and adults to curse the God that seems to have forgotten them and to moan and groan about all that's going wrong. To be mad about not having what they want, when they want it. Wow, how disgustingly American that sounds to me! I would dare to say this is how 90% of Americans would react if they were living in the same condition, and YET these children and adults of Uganda PRAISE GOD each day for being good because that is His nature. I think we could all learn alot from the Ugandan people. I'm already beginning to understand some aspects of why God allowed me on this trip. ;)
I was allowed the priviledge of standing before these children and talking with them about How God is good, and that no matter how bad it might get He is always there with them. I was able to share with them that many people in America had wanted to come and be there and that many had helped us to bring some special gifts for them in the name of Jesus. I had introduced our team members and asked Sharlyn to come up and share a song with the children. We asked all the teachers to come up too, as this is one that they would enjoy and we would get a kick out of watching them. She sang the song "King of the Jungle". I can't tell you how much fun this song is, and how much they all enjoyed it. It was much different from their cultural songs..it was a song from America. I think some of the adults enjoyed it as much if not more than the children!





After Sharlyn and her wonderful song came a salvation message to the children from Jeanice. Her words were so appropriate for the day and reaffirmed that God is the King and that the children belonged to Him. Not only did He provide them with gifts we had with us that day, but He gives them the most special gift of all, the gift of eternal life. Naboth and all the teachers had commented on how much her sharing meant to not only the children but to them as well.
We had decided that the time was perfect for passing out Gods gifts to the children. Naboth had asked me to come tell them what gifts we had for them. When we sat and really thought about all we had and I started telling him he just sat and grinned and said Thank God, the children will be well pleased. Well pleased they were! As I started to tell them all the wonderful things God had provided for them, they began to yell in excitement...eyeglasses for those that were in need..YAY!! fruit, YAY!!! story of Jesus booklets, YAY!!! soccerballs..HURRAY!! big screams..toothbrushes and toothpaste..they screamed so loud at receiving toothbrushes and toothpaste I thought I would lose it and break down crying right there! All the team members stared at each other in disbelief, could they really delight in the thought of a toothbrush over a soccerball?? It was true! And of course each child would go home with their own personal Bible. It was a day of blessings all around.



As I sat back down I looked at Jan she was wiping the tears in her eyes. She was overwhelmed with Gods goodness this day and the joy He brought to these precious children. It was amazing to watch how God had worked in each of our hearts at different moments during the trip.
Before we would hand out the treats to the children, Dr. Bwonya had come out with the matching glasses and had begun calling the children and adults up that we were able to find a match for. This was such a joy to my heart!





It was getting late and time was coming for the kids to go home. Many had to walk long distances and if they didn't leave soon they would walk in the dark. We also had to visit Feddy still. It was hard to leave the children. Naboth had asked us if we would come back tomorrow and work with the teachers on handling the children. Now knowing what they are saying he was asking us to come work along side the teachers on new methods of learning in the classroom. Unfortunately our schedule was so full that we would not be back in Butambutye this trip. It was something I tucked in my mind as a new project on another trip to Uganda..yes.come back! ;)




We all loaded back up in the van and headed a few hundred feet up the street to the home of Feddy. Feddy is the grandmother of a Ugandan soldier in Iraq by the name of Deo Mushumbo. I had met Deo online through Verda Reeves the Assistant Attorney General in Arizona. Deo is also involved in the Soldiers Bible Ministry of Heart of God International. We send Bibles and study materials to any soldier that wants them. Deo's testimony is amazing and somewhat long, so I'll share a shortened version, he was born and raised a muslim and began having dreams about a man named Jesus. This man Jesus came to him each night and began to reveal himself to Deo and to uncover and reveal the sins Deo was committing. The dreams intesified each night and the desire became more urgent about following this man named Jesus that after the fourth night he gave his life to Christ. He is now sharing the gospel with other men in Iraq and hopes to return home soon and share his new found faith with his family. This is quite amazing when you think about it..a man in N.Y. is ministering to Deo from Uganda in Iraq, who is in conversation with a woman in Arizona, who in turn is in conversation with me in California and Feddy just happens to live within 5 minutes of a school we are ministering to...hmmm..God once again has his fingerprints all over this trip! Another interesting fact; Dr. Bwonya also happens to be a childhood friend of Deo, they grew up just huts away from each other, so he knew exactly where to take us to reach Feddy..amazing!! Feddy is blind. Verda asked me to bring her some seeds to help her grow crops and some money to help her buy food. There is a drought in Bunambutye and food is harder to get.






Deo told us that even though she could not see us, just to be near her and pray with her would be a blessing. Next to the home were graves of family members that had recently passed away. All the family members came to greet us and thank us for taking care of Feddy. When we arrived we sat with her and Dr. Bwonya explained to her what gifts Verda had provided, that we had for her. We really didn't have much time to spend as it was getting late and you don't want to travel at night in Uganda. As we thought we would be leaving all of a sudden they began to bring out food and set it on the tables. YIKES! We don't have time to eat, and we're not sure about how much we can eat. It's a horrible spot to be in, you don't want to offend anyone that has taken the time to prepare food, ESPECIALLY when they don't have the food themselves and yet they are preparing it for you. Things are not prepared the same way we prepare it and the bacteria could be a problem for us.


I looked at Dr. Bwonya and said, "what do we do? we don't have time to spend for dinner?", he grinned and quietly said, "sister Denise, it is custom that if someone prepares a meal for you, you must take a small bite of something before you leave", ok, so here we go..we all sit and take a small bite. I had some boiled potatoes. All the neighboring people were out near the hut, peaking at the "mazungo's", the guests of Feddy. They really don't have guests in these villages, so it's a big deal if you do. We sat for about 15 mins. and during that time Pastor Ruth had shared her testimony with me. She is ONE amazing woman and I am forever thankful to God for allowing our paths to cross! We were soon on our way back to Tororo. What a long but rewarding day we had. It saddens me to see some of these wonderful people just once in our trip. I know that God must have future plans.
On our way back we were able to see more of the african culture. This photo is a group of men sitting around a large pot with very long straws. They are "boozing". A common custom of adult men. They sit around drinking from these long straws and get drunk on homemade booze. As we drive by and take photos I say a silent prayer that God would release them from this habit.



We were able to stop at Mbale Regional Hospital for Dr. Bwonya to take in a bag of glasses that still need to have the prescriptions read on them. I was excited to see this because I had be working with Dr. Bwonya for a few months prior to our trip and he had told me that he was a specialist here at this hospital. It's amazing how different you picture something in your mind, then when you actually see it. Let me paint a picture for you. In Uganda there are NO ambulances, if you get hurt, you figure out how to get you or the injured person to the hospital. Picture our roads, very smooth and paved. Now picture a road riddled with pot holes large enough for your vehicle to go into and not be seen until it comes out again...this is the road to Mbale regional hospital! If you were injured, you may very well not survive the ride to get help if your injuries were bad enough! Anyway, I'm glad I got to see with my own eyes where Dr. Bwonya works.



We finally made it back to the hotel and decided to eat in the room. Sharlyn had packed freezed dried meals and we were able to sit and enjoy each others company and reflect on the day. Pastor Ruth had let me borrow her internet modem for my laptap! WOOHOO!! I was able to get online for awhile tonight and post a few things. We actually had been without computers, phones (for the most part) and t.v. the whole week, and actually aside from the computer..I didn't miss any of it! God is Good!
What an great scripture for today and all days! I love this!
"The poor shall eat and be satisfied...All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord's and He rules over the nations." Psalm 22:26-28 NKJV

My Journey With God to Africa - Day Six 25-06-2009 Part I

We're on our way today to visit Kings Primary School in Bunambutye. It's about 2 hours away from our hotel and Smile Africa. We are holding another vision celebration and have loaded up the van with the glasses, toothbrushes/paste, and soccer balls. We decided that we would stop at a market in Mbale to purchase fruit for the children. Our original plans had included a meal for the children, but we encountered some problems along the way and the meal would have to wait.


Mbale is a much larger and a little more modern city than that of Tororo. The shops and vendors were all out in full force today as we waited for the purchase of the banana's. The heat was also at full force today in a van with no air conditioning other than opening your windows. Our windows were at half crack due to the amount of suitcases and things we had with us. It's not unusual for on-lookers to walk up and see what they can see in the windows.
After we purchased our fruit we drove a bit farther to meet up with Mary. Mary is Naboths wife, she will guide us to Bunambutye and Kings Primary School. We also met up with Dr. Bwonya's wife as they had some quick business to take care of while we were there. As we waited we started to hear music. It ended up that a parade happened down the main street while we waited. Although it was a very small parade it was exciting to see.


As we were sitting and waiting, and the sun was getting hotter and hotter something became apparently wrong. I don't know who noticed it, but all of a sudden we realized that we had left 300 Bibles sitting behind the counter at the hotel! This was one of the main reasons for visiting Kings Primary School along with the vision celebration. Now what would we do? I let Pastor Ruth know about our dilemna and she said, "I'm so sorry". Are we finished? Will the children get their Bibles? Surely, "I'm sorry" is not the end. Another education in language translation, "I'm sorry" means "I'm sorry"..LOL. She called a back-up driver to go to the hotel and drive them out to us. We had already driven a little over an hour. If we had driven back to get them we would miss the celebration and seeing the children all together. As it was they would be waiting on us to go home for the day.
Pastor Ruth had commented that satan was hard at work trying to keep those Bibles from reaching the children. We all agreed. Thank God that we noticed when we did! There was still time to get them to the children.
Pastor Ruth had made the decision to stay in Mbale until the driver arrived and then guide him to Bunambutye, otherwise we might never see them.
We headed off again and would drive another hour before reaching our destination.
Along the way we saw beautiful african countryside, more african culture and had a brief stop at Dr. Bwonya's home. It was quite beautiful and very ornate compared to those in the area.


As we pulled up to the school the kids were all sitting, waiting patiently for our arrival under a huge tree. When they saw our van they began waiving and yelling in excitement. Again, we are received far greater than we are deserving! We got out of the van and met some school staff that showed us up to the office of Naboth, the Headmaster of Kings Primary school. We greeted inside his office and signed the school guest book before heading out to the kids. He asked about our agenda and was concerned with time. We decided that what ever he though appropriate would be fine. The children were excited and it was an extra long day for them.








We were seated in front of the children and the teachers. Each teacher had a speech to make. Remember from previous days postings, when you have an event such as this, and guests involved, everyone wants a turn to say something. Their custom is to bring much formalities to special events. One such formality is the ever present coke for special guests!




In between the teachers speaking the children would come up from different grade levels and sing songs. Each song had a message attached to it from welcome songs, to Karamajong raids, and a young boy did a poem on Aids. It was all to inform us of the things they endure in their village. I had mentioned to Jan some time ago that it was interesting how God had brought two schools together for our team that are in opposition to each other. The children at Smile Africa are from the Karamojong tribe. The children in Bunambutye at Kings Primary school are victims from the Karamojong tribal raids in the district. Yet, God led our team to both on the same trip from meetings that happened over 1 year ago! One of the songs that the children had sung spoke of love and believing in Unity. Ok, God we know You are here!

This day would prove to be a long one...stay tuned for Day Six, Part II

My Journey With God to Africa - Day Five 24-06-2009

I awoke to the alarm clock this morning and forgot where I was and where I had to be! Took me a moment to realize I was still in Africa. The sign that I had truly slept hard last night.
Again, I was so thankful for the coffee that Sharlyn had brought. I always had my protein bar with coffee and it was amazingly wonderful. We both went down to the restaraunt so Sharlyn could grab a bite to eat before we started our day of wonder and excitement. Today we would spend with the children at Smile Africa for most of the day.
Jan was not feeling well today and decided that she would stay back at the hotel and catch up on things from her room. We are sorry that she will not be with us today.
We loaded in the car and headed for Smile Africa. We entered the gates and the children were once again screaming and yelling and waiving to us as we arrived.
We headed into the office and Pastor Ruth gave me the phone to talk with Sarah from Kings Primary School. There is some important issues to clear up before we make our trip there tomorrow. The phone call gave some clarification, but all our concerns had not yet been resolved. We trust that God will oversee all the details.
Before our arrival Sharlyn had asked about purchasing fruit for all the children today from the donations that had come in on her behalf for this trip. We had decided to go to the market and purchase banana's for each child. Pastor Ruth was so pleased by this gesture. Fruit is something that the children of Smile Africa rarely get, and is an important part of their diet.
We loaded back up in the van and headed to the market. I'm sure the children were wondering where we were going. Their smiling faces and hands waiving were hopeful of our return!



As we drove along the streets and market fronts we finally parked. There was no produce to be found (or so we thought). We exited the van and walked between two store fronts and found ourselves inside a huge fruit/vegetable market. Rows and rows of fruit and vegetables laid out for purchase by women in the area.





We headed for the banana's. Pastor Ruth had haggled back and forth with the vendor for the best fruit at the best price. We were so thankful to have her with us, as these people know her and respect her.
We purchased 3 bags of banana's, about 450 banana's for 75,000.00 schillings..or about 35.00 US dollars.
We met up with Saphan and Alex for a brief time to say our goodbye's. They were still in the area and were heading back to Entebbe. I had hoped that we would meet up with them again before we left.
As we pulled up again to Smile Africa the kids were all screaming and yelling. It really was overwhelming to get this kind of greeting everytime you pull in. It wasn't a forced greeting, they were truly excited and happy to see us.
As we got out of the van the kids were getting seated under the pavillion. They began to sing welcome songs and songs of praise. The screams got louder and louder to the point that you could not hear anything else. The banana's had come out and the out cry of happiness that came from these little faces caused the tears to flow in all of us. Pastor Ruth had come out from the office and I looked at her and just broke down. I told her this shouldn't be this way, these children should get fruit all the time. We hugged and she told me, "Sister, Denise, I believe every tear you shed is a prayer to God". I believe she is right. Dear God, these children are yours and they deserve so much more than this.



In my journal there is a a prayer by David Livingstone that I found so appropriate coming from a fellow missionary to Africa. "Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any ties but the tie that binds me to Thy service and to Thy Heart". Oh I love this prayer and I agree with it's message and today more than ever before!
I only regret that Jan was not here to see this. Jan we love you!
The children sat so well waiting for their banana's. The older children sat patiently while the little one's received theirs first.






Each child and each teacher received a piece of fruit. I'm sure that the teachers rarely get fruit either. They get 30,000.00 schilling for a months salary. That's $15.00. They work from 8:00am - 4:00 pm Monday - Saturday..that's 50 cents a day. They are such a blessing to these children. They give sacrificially each day, sometimes spending what little they have on the children.
Sharlyn had brought some clothes from wonderful friends at home for the children. We asked how best to distribute them. The teachers told us that during bath time they would bring 20 children with the most need (and what a task to decide when they ALL are in need) to the office. Otherwise the little ones that don't get any will pull from the ones that do.





After the kids were bathed they came running to the office. There was not enough room inside so I stood outside as the kids lined up. I broke down in tears again, as the kids started to realize that something was going on and that the ones that stood outside naked were getting new clothes. They began to tear off their old clothes and stand naked in line hoping that was all they needed to get some. There just wasn't enough clothes to go around. It was gut wrenching and still brings tears to my eyes when I visualize it over in my head. Lord, please help them is all I kept saying, please help them.
The children that were able to get new clothes were so excited, and actually many of the ones that didn't were excited for those that did. The older siblings of younger ones that received them had grins on their faces as if it were them that received. Thank You, Jesus.



Jan had made it back to Smile Africa, but still not feeling to well.
The kids were fed lunch and we took a short break. As the children went back to class we went inside the classrooms. Sharlyn started off with a wonderful song for the older kids called "King of the Jungle". It was a motions song and the kids just loved it. They especially loved the "bubble, bubble, King of the sea". I assume that many, if not most have never seen the sea, and to sing about something that was different for them and do a fun and silly motion to it, brought such laughter and joy. A song that I'm sure to this day they remember!



She followed up the song with a puppet show with Eli. Eli talked about being a new creation in Christ. The kids loved Eli!



A fun craft followed with pencils and toppers of butterflies and a scripture verse on being a new creation in Christ. It was fun to see them make something that had such a symbol of love for them.



As Sharlyn moved on to the next classroom, Jan began a salvation message to the older children with ribbons for the kids. They have been a major part of the great commission!



We headed back to the office to get the treats for the end of the day. We headed to the gates and the kids were pushing and shoving to get to the front. They knew what was inside our large bags. The escares (guards) were irritated by the confusion and mobbing of the children.



We definitely needed to find a new system for passing out treats. The babies were getting smashed! After the kids were gone we passed out treats to the teachers, gaurds, and other workers at smile africa. They were just as excited to get sweets. We packed up our bags and headed back to the hotel. Another God driven day!
Sharlyn and I sit on the balcony while the thunder is rumbling and the scattered sprinkles fall. We talk about what other things we could do on Friday. It should be fun!!

My Journey With God to Africa - Day Four 23-06-2009

Woke up this morning to freshed brewed coffee from Sharlyn. She has no idea how much this makes my day. It's the closest thing I have to home at this point. My laptop isn't working for skype, and my texting is about to go through the roof. So to sit and sip on coffee gives me the comfort I need today. We get ready for the vision celebration today and my phone rings...it's Pastor Ruth. She has good news! Saphan had gone to the airport early when the baggage claim opened and was able to find my luggage, he was on his way to Tororo with it! It was a cause for a celebration of it's own.
Sharlyn and I went to see if Grace was joining us for breakfast. Grace is Pastor Ruths daughter. She will be staying in a room at the hotel with us, incase we need anything. She joins us in the room with Jan and Jeanice, Sharlyn and I. We prayed over the day and over the praises of finding my luggage. We all cry together. It was refreshing to know that I'm not the only one that cries.
We arrive at Smile Africa and the kids are all waiting under the pavillion, screaming and yelling, smiling and waiving at this van full of strange people. "Mazungu, Mazungu" is what they are yelling.
We unload our supplies into the office and start to discuss the days plans, Pastor Ruth takes on a quick tour of Smile Africa before we begin the celebration.


As we're inside Dr. Bwonya joins us. What a treat to finally meet the partner in Christ I had in Uganda for the vision celebration. He has spent countless hours screening men, women and children for this day. The last day of the vision screening he had brought his wife with him. She was pregnant and due anytime. Just after setting up for the screening with literally hundreds of patients lined at the door, his wife starts having contractions. He sets up his staff and takes her to the nearest hospital. I can tell you from experience, this was no ride intended for a pregnant woman. The ride alone could have caused her to deliver! He gets her there safely and makes sure that she's comfortable and stable, and returns back to Smile Africa to finish what he had begun. This is called dedication in Uganda. In America it's called a death sentence!~LOL No man would leave his wife in labor to return to do work for any cause at no pay..none that I know anyway. He completed his task, calling and checking on his wife the entire time. The task completed he packed up and headed back to the hospital. Within 2 hours his wife delivered a healthy baby girl. So, to say that I was honored to meet this man at this moment was an understatement.
We walked over to the medical building to start sorting out the prescriptions of those that would be receiving them today. This is what I've been waiting for! The project that God had placed in my heart was now about to unfold before my very eyes..His vision became clear to me and to those in Uganda through the corrected eyesight of many. What a picture!
Soon we were greeted by Jack, the President of Tororo, Richard, The Mayor and his assistant. Bishop Robinah was also amoung the group. They were inspecting the medical center and looking over the nearly 900 pair of glasses spread out on the table. This was a pretty big event about to unfold.



They followed Pastor Ruth for a quick tour of Smile Africa. By this time we were well over 2 hours past our original timeline for glasses. As I peaked outside the tents were up and about 100 or so adults were under the tent. The children were all under the pavillion with the teachers. I expected that we would join the children. My expectations were wrong. Pastor Ruth told me that "they" were ready to begin. The government officials. ACK! Here we go!!
We started off with speeches from the officials. They greeted us, and thanked us for all that we had and were going to do on behalf of the children and the people of Uganda. In Uganda it's a custom that everyone and anyone related to a purpose at hand, get to say something about it. Speeches can take a long time. I was thankful..the longer it took them, the longer it took for me to do it! LOL
Maybe they would run out of time and we could just skip me...uh No, not going to happen I'm afraid. Soon my name as "team leader" was announced and it was my turn for speeches.



I was so nervous my Bible was upside down and I couldn't figure out how to straighten it..haha. I took a deep breath and found the strength through God to complete my speech. Originally it had been geared toward children, so some re-adjustments had to be made. After my turn, Bishop Robinah gave a speech. Dr. Bwonya had come out with glasses and we were ready for him to pass them out. The Mayor of Tororo approached me and let me know that I needed to pass them out, that this was a right given to me as the founder of this project. Dr. Bwonya would call the names, hand the glasses to me and I would in turn hand them to their new owner. I stood there with a lump in my throat as the first names were called. It was such an honor to hand them to the men and women. Then it came, the first pair of glasses for a child. I immediately looked over at Jan. She knew that this was the moment, the moment that we had talked about over and over, that the first child to get glasses I would break down and cry. The lump was a big as texas in my throat as they guided her across the grass to the tent. Her name was Jeni. She was about 7 or 8 years old, and so scared. Dr. Bwonya pulled the glasses out and placed them on her. Immediately I knelt down to see if they fit and asked her if she could see. If I had nothing more on this trip than to see this precious face with her new glasses I would have been happy. Thank You, Jesus! What a gift it was to her, but more so I think for me.



It brings tears to me now as I recall the day, a perfect day that the Lord had made!
Several more adults were fitted with glasses. The excitement continued for what seemed like hours. There were about 11 adults that needed cataract surgery and were disappointed that glasses would not work for them. I had asked Dr. Bwonya what the cost of a surgery was. He said, "$20.00". We were amazed at how inexpensive it was, and decided that we would provide the funds necessary to have those surgerys done. Thank God, for the many wonderful donations that came in before this trip. I know that He knew this day would come. The government officials had made some significant promises they would give Pastor Ruth. This celebration was just as much for her as it was for the kids, even more so at this point. They promised to provide her with medicine for her clinic, with paid trained teachers for her school and much more. I believe God provided many gifts that day to many people.
We took a much needed break after the vision celebration and all sat grinning and talking about how awesome it all was.
One of the best parts was to see Saphan and Alex arrive and sit amoung the group and behind him was my luggage! Woohoo! I saw Saphan sit in his chair, close his eyes and begin to pray. Alex would sneak a look at me and just smile her innocent child-like smile.



I pulled out the gymboree bubbles and decided to take them out for the kids. Needless to say they were thrilled and rushed around from all sides. Soon they were gathering pieces of grass weeds and catching bubbles with them. They looked for every opportunity to touch or be touched. They would poke my skin to see if it felt like theirs. The little ones would pull on our skirts to be picked up. They are impoverished in so many ways, not just money, but food, touch, love and simple nurturing. Each child is so dirty and many have some kind of ailment. It just breaks your heart. The thing that amazes me is that they still smile, laugh and have joy.
As I was playing with the kids a young man approached me. He told me his name was "Uncle Sam" and that his real name was Steven. He was a radio announcer and had come to cover the vision celebration. He said that he was very impressed by our efforts and also very thankful. He would be covering our efforts on the radio that evening and that he wanted to come back on Friday to talk more about what we were doing while we were in Tororo. A nice young man!



We sat and talked more with Pastor Ruth about plans for the future of Smile Africa.
We all agreed that Pastor Ruth and her ministry were God driven and we are excited to be a part of it. A good indicator of this was during the celebration. The dignitaries had mentioned that there are over 400+ registered NGO's in Uganda (non-profits) and of those only 20 can be proven to be legitimate. Smile Africa is in that 20. Thank You, God again for aligning us with your partners in the Kingdom!
We headed outside to pass out some soccer balls for the kids. We had spent much of the day with the adults, so it was time to shower some gifts we brought with us on the kids.




We took out about 12 balls and began to blow them up. The kids screamed like it was Christmas! They were all over the place with the balls having a great time!
We decided as it was time for the kids to go home that we would line them up at the gate and hand them candy as they left for home. WOW! Who knew it would cause a frenzy..we should have known! Each child got 2 pieces of candy. They stood outside the gates staring at us with their suckers wanting their pictures to be taken..LOL



We headed back to the hotel for dinner. Not sure about what food to eat I decided on a chicken sandwich. How bad could it be? Well, let's just say I didn't order it again. LOL I was hoping to get on the internet tonight, and as luck would have it they got the cords in and internet was available. WOOHOO! Wasn't until I got down there that I realzied I wasn't so lucky after all..it had the speed of dial up and the connection too! LOL after several unsuccessful attempts at getting online, I gave up and went to bed.

My Journey With God to Africa - Day Three 22-06-2009

Didn't get as much sleep as I thought I would, I guess anticipation creeps in during the night as well. Sharlyn and I awoke to what sounded like tribal chanting. It was pitch dark out, roosters crowing and tribal chanting. My mind took me to the place where you would open your door or window and find african tribesman with a stew pot! LOL Later we found out that the muslims have their early morning worship and that when the air is still it sounds very close.
Made my way out of bed around 6:00 am to shower and start off the day. My blow dryer wasn't about to work even with the converter I brought. Thank goodness they had one ready to go in the guest bathroom..this would not have been a pretty sight!
By 7:00 am everyone was up and stirring about the house. Mary showed Sharlyn and I around their home and told us how it all came to pass. They were so thankful for all the mission host homes that they've stayed in on their journeys that they wanted to give back, so they started building more rooms. Each time a visitor came they would add something new onto the house. It was almost complete with the exception of an end room outside the back patio. I have no doubt they will get it completed. Mary is such a happy soul. She was up very early preparing us breakfast and cleaning her home. I was very entertained by her broom. They are mere sticks bound together. They work fabulous. Her's was decorated and painted blue.
We sat and ate breakfast together with hard boiled eggs, toast, honey and peanut butter along with african tea (chai tea). I think Sharlyn and I were the only two of our group brave enough to try it. It was actually quite good.
Steven sitting next me had said, "I really love toast" and I grinned and said, "oh you do?" and continued with my breakfast. A moment later he said, "sister Denise, would you pass me the toast"..oh my goodness I wanted to crawl under the table! LOL
We had several confusing moments with our language barriers. Pastor Ruth had told us that when we are asked if we want something and we don't want it, that we simply say, no. We are not to say, no thank you, as this confuses are hosts. We explained in America it is polite to say, no thank you. She explained in africa "thank you" means yes, and no means no, so if you say "no thank you" they think you've changed your mind! hahah..there were many customs we would get to know as the days progressed.
As our breakfast came to an end, Pastor Steven presented each of us with a gospel cd that he recorded with his praise team.
He is such a colorful man with a spirit in him that makes you feel so at home. Already we could tell that God again was with us in this home and that we were all family. A precious thought to me!
We said our farewells and headed out with a loaded van for Tororo. We made some stops along the way to the bank for exchanging money and then to the Bible House to purchase bibles for Kings Primary School. There really does not seem to be any rules of the road in uganda. I liken it to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride! We stopped in the middle of the road in Kampala and parked while Jan and Sharlyn dodged cars to get to the sidewalk. Pastor Ruth had told them to stick near the car as they got out so that they didn't get hit. Quite frankly, there was no safety near the car either. LOL
They did manage to get to the bank and back safely, a true blessing!
We drove in what seemed endless circles trying to find the bible house. I was thankful we weren't in New York in a taxi..we would have gone broke! LOL
As we were nearing our destination with cars, bikes, pedestrians and boda-boda's rushing from each direction we were startled when out of nowhere a car runs into the front end of our van. Neither our driver George or the other driver seemed the least bit concerned, in fact they just continued on their way! Jan, Jeanice, Sharlyn and I were all gasping and in shock, but quickly realized, this is Uganda! LOL
I think we took our lives into our hands with the driving more than anything else we encountered! Each day we get into our vehicle is another day God shows his mercy by allowing us to survive. Both Sharlyn and I agreed and laughed heartily that we would never again complain about our husbands driving! haha!
It's been pretty exhausting up to this point and we had spent many hours driving around in Kampala getting supplies. As we look around there is no place to stop and eat. No fast food, no drive throughs, nothing. Pastor Ruth informed us that we would stop at a place called "chicken on a stick" on our way to Tororo, just a short time away. Chicken on a stick, is this like shiskabob??
Finally, we get on a smooth road and still we are dodging cars..LOL George our driver has a lead foot and a daring attitude when it comes to making a move around a vehicle to pass. Poor Jan and Jeanice, they had white knuckles most of the ride I'm sure! I was thankful that from my position I was not able to see just how much danger we really avoided..Praise God!
As we drive we make a sudden pull to the right of the road and stop. About 20-30 people come running out of every direction and rush around our van. With our windows open, they decide to stick their products in and beg us to purchase it. Every part of a chicken you could think of was skewered on a stick, along with other items of fruits and vegetables. At that point we had just come out of the rain forest and the trees were still pretty tall and thick. We were the only vehicle on the road and the sight of these people rushing our van with cooked food on a stick put one vision in my head.."dawn of the dead". I was actually petrified and would have been happy to start the car..start the car..START THE CAR and GO!! LOL
Pastor Ruth and George explained to us that this is the "hot spot" for all tourists and locals coming and going from the North to the South of Uganda. Hot spot or not, I was ready to GO! LOL another car soon came zooming up and they rushed over to their next possible customers.



We headed on to Tororo. I noticed that village after village was exactly alike, looking similar to Warez, mexico, but worse. How can anyone live in these conditions, it boggles my mind.
We passed the Nile River which was beautiful. Pastor Ruth had told us on the way back to the airport that we would need to have a bit more time and she would take to us to see the source of the nile.




As we neared Jinja I couldn't help but think about Pastor Fred. Where in this place might he live. I was now more familiar with his surrounding than a mere photo. It broke my heart to know that this is why he most likely was tempted by money. It's an easy temptation when you have so little.
The country side of Jinja and upwards towards Tororo was absolutely beautiful. Green manicured feilds. God's grace and beauty were stamped all over.
When we reached our destination at the Prime Hotel in Tororo, I was surprised by it's beauty and grandure. Compared to what we had seen so far, and the neighboring houses, it was a mansion.
As we begin checking in I notice that my large suitcase is not in the lobby. We checked the van, we called Steven and Mary. No luggage could be found. I was sure that I saw it at Steven and Mary's. But when I sat and really thought about it, we had 20 pieces of luggage and at night, with being tired, I could have seen just about anything. It was not there. I was crushed to think that the kids would miss out on the items I had brought for them inside my bag. I had all my important items in my carry-on and one extra change of clothes just incase this had happened..and it did. I was so tired and so overwhelmed by the day that I just had to cry. Poor Jan, she probably wondered if I'd be so sensitive about everything..yes Jan I am..LOL
Sharly prayed about the situation and told me that she would make sure I had clothes to wear and not to worry. She found an outfit that I could wear the next morning. What a blessing she is..she is a sacrificial giver as we would continue to see the rest of our trip.
I called Mark and asked him to call the airport about my luggage. I had 24 hours to report lost luggage and it was now about 26 hours later. He made some phone calls but wasn't getting any real help. Later that night he had text me and said that my luggage had never left Amsterdam and that they would ship it and let me know when it arrived! Praise God..please let it arrive safe and sound. My thoughts now were on how I would get it from the airport that was 5 hours away. I'm going to bed, I'll see about that in the morning. We had a big day ahead of us for the vision celebration!

My Journey with God to Africa - Day Two 21-06-2009

I suppose this is really still day one, although with the time change in Africa it was day two. Amazing how you can be turned around in a matter of hours as to what time of day it "really" is.
We finally arrived in Entebbe and not a moment to soon! As we gather around the baggage check it became quite apparent how tired we all were. No longer were we gathering what we could in our arms, we were all headed to carts to carry even our purses! LOL
Our carts were overflowing with luggage and the very real concern was "would we get all this luggage through baggage check without a hitch". I prayed a private prayer as we headed for the counter. Not suprising, but still surprised we were waived on through by the baggage check personnel. Again, a small fingerprint of God.
As we rounded the corner I immediately spotted Pastor Ruth in her beautiful dress. My heart was pounding and the lump in my throat was immediate. I looked at Jan and she told me to go over and be the first to make contact. I was over joyed with emotion. We hugged and immediately I knew I would come to love this woman. She began to introduce the people standing by her. George our driver/guard and then she turned and said, "this is Saphan". I don't think it hit me for a moment who it really was. Then I realized and was happily surprised that Saphan and his wife Alex had actually come to meet us. They had lost their daughter to cancer at the age of two, just a couple months short of our arrival. I had been on a prayer list for her along with many others. When they heard of our arrival in Uganda they wanted to meet us. Due to our arrival time, we thought it would be best if they came to the vision clinic. There is something that we didn't know about the people of Uganda at that point and would come to know later during our trip. That is that they truly appreciate and want to be a part of knowing and sharing in the family of Christ. They don't care about time, trouble or anything else that we as americans look to first. It's an overwhelming sense of love..the love of Christ. How sweet it is!
They brought a friend by the name of Sanon with them.
We started out to the cars with a half ton of luggage..how on earth we would get it all there was the question of the moment!
Saphan and Alex were gracious to offer their vehicle to help get our luggage to the missionary home. Again, sacrificial giving at it's best. They didn't know us from Adam, but insisted that we allow them to help us.
As we headed out to our host home for the evening, I sat in the back of the van with tears streaming down my face! I am in Uganda! Thank you, Jesus for allowing me the privilege of being here on your behalf. I'm consumed with emotion!
The ride to our host home was laughable too, as we came across many people, motorbikes, and cars buzzing all around us. Some just mere inches from our car! The drivers are on the opposite side as ours here in America. The road seemed to be nothing short of a free for all, if there's a spot and you get it, it's yours. This is when you wish you had insurance with you! LOL
We dash off the main road onto a side road to get to the home of Steven and Mary. If you've ever rode on Indiana Jones at Disneyland you would then have some idea of what this road was like. Not only are you shaken to the core, but the idea of scraping up against a wall or tree or bush at the exact moment made it much more exciting! LOL



We unloaded our bags and headed into the home of Steven and Mary. What a hospitable couple they are. I had the idea we would go in and head to bed, but they had other plans. After we sat and greeted each other Steven informed us that dinner would soon be served. Oh my! I could no more eat than ride a buffalo!~ LOL
Mary had cooked a meal of chicken, rice, cabbage and a ground peanut sauce and pineapple for dessert. As we sat and ate dinner, we all praised God for his provision and all the He was about to do this week. Mary who seemed a bit shy stayed in the kitchen quite a bit.
We sat back in the livingroom for a while and continued to get acquainted. Saphan and Alex were so sweet. Alex is just a little bitty thing. I couldn't help but thik about the loss of Bernice, and yet they both sat smiling. As the night grew later, we were shown to our rooms. They were very comfortable. It was strange seeing a mesquito net hanging from the ceiling, but they are very much needed on more than one level. Sharyln and I shared a room. I was never so excited to see a bed! LOL After sleeping on a plane for 21 hours, the thought of laying down was so appealing. The little things we take for granted. It's now the end of a very long plane ride and the beginning of our adventure in Uganda. I'll no doubt sleep well and wake excited to see what tomorrow brings! Thank You, Jesus..Thank You, Jesus!