Friends,
Our time was well spent on the Nile. Moses actually rafted the river a few years back… IN A BASKET! Well nowadays they raft in rafts and we spent the past couple of days on two of them. We fell a few times each, drank from the Nile, and together made our way out safely. The UAPO has generously offered us a beautiful place to stay for the night before we trek through the market tomorrow. We’ll hop on our plane tomorrow evening and arrive home sometime soon. “Every picture tells a story” Rod Stewart said that. We’ll be sure to express our wonderful time here through pictures. “Can’t you see what love has done” U2 said that. Love has been a powerful force here in Uganda for a while now and from what we’ve seen over the past eleven days, it continues to be a driving force in each of these YL leaders’ lives. It shows in the way they have committed their lives to the Lord and their friends. “Apart from me you can do nothing” Jesus said that. The strength of the Lord that demands our fear of Him has become real here. Our time has been so very well spent. I can’t wait to return home to you.
Schroder
Thursday, January 8, 2009
January 7, 2009
So as I write this, I am surrounded by 14 other (Simon included) incredible new friends, looking out over the Nile filled with awe over God’s glorious creation. We serve a very big God! Today has been a bittersweet day. As I am sitting here I hear many talking excitedly about today’s adventures rafting, which was certainly an incredible experience, while others are beginning to talk and realize that we will be heading home in just two days. We have left the leaders for good now, and although we are excited to see family and friends back home, it is hard to leave the incredible servant leaders we met here in Uganda.
Last night was one of the sweetest experiences I have had in Africa. In the afternoon we served in the Pallisa library and did contact work with some of the local village kids. When we came home we found the front porch of the house and the tent we had been eating and stayed cool under during the day completely decorated with balloons and streamers. We knew these Africans were preparing for a great celebration. For the next hour or so we had an amazing time helping the many leaders that had come to eat dinner with us prepare for our meal. It was such a gift to see everyone sitting together sharing stories, dreams, and life with one another as they were working to sort rice, grill chicken, and boil potatoes. When we began to gather for dinner, we were absolutely blown away at the feast set before us. The meal was incredible, but the fellowship with our new family here was even better!
After the meal, the program team came out for one last appearance in Uganda. Bailey, Schroder, and Wilson were amazing all week long, and last night was a fun conclusion to the program. Following the fun and games we entered into a precious time with the leaders. We felt after the incredible way we had watched them serve us over the past 2 weeks, that it was only appropriate to wash their feet. We did not do it to repay them for all they had done, but because we felt like it was the greatest way we could serve them. We wanted to clean the feet of those that so beautifully carry the gospel across this country. It was such an intimate time with our brothers and sisters and our Wonderful Maker. The Lord used it to refresh us, to remind us of our salvation, and last night we really felt the glory of the Lord in that place! After washing, each of our team knelt before two of their leaders and prayed over them, and the ministry God has placed before them. It is hard to describe in words how truly amazing this time really was. There were no cultural or racial boundaries in that place. We truly experienced the intimacy of one body in Christ, one family worshiping our Father. It was a little glimpse of Heaven!
Stephanie Hinton
We know we are still in Uganda because…
-When our African friends rent a generator for a final farewell dance party, and all of us spend three hours dancing the night away together (w/ all the leaders) following an amazing dinner & an awesome time of praise & worship, & sharing...
-There are a minimum of 20 kids at the home you are staying in because they never get to see “mzungus” (white people). There is so much LOVE in this place.
-Kids like to rub your leg hair because they don’t have any
-We switch taxi drivers (not taxis) 4 times within 20 minutes this morning on the way to Jinja for rafting.
-When you pick up the third taxi driver at his house at 6am and need to blast the horn because he is still sleeping. When he arrives to the car he is still putting his clothes on.
-When the horn is used 61 times within 5 minutes to warn pedestrians of the approaching vehicle. We've come to really appreciate & love the "motherland".
-You feel like you are blind because of the all dust that is in front of the van
-While rafting your guide purposely flips the raft in order to safely prepare you for the upcoming rapids that will rock your face off
-You have master river rats (fellows in kayaks) chasing you down the Nile to pull you out of the rapids in case you fall out
-When your raft does a flip over a class 5 rapid and you find yourself scattered across the monstrous river Nile
-When you feel accomplished after you look at the 12 foot waterfall you just dropped down
-When it hails for the second time in 11 years on the river and you have to get out and protect yourself against the gumball size pellets.
-You see a baby croc along the river and wonder where the mommy is
-If you have the option to shower but you opt not to because the river put you though a washing machine
-A luxury includes a flushing toilet and running water... SIMPLICITY
-You are sad that you only have 2 more days left in this wonderfully simple place
-You are looking forward to 24 hours of traveling so you are able to rest and reflect
-You’ll miss not being surrounded by such an awesome community of people at all times because you have shared the kind of life-changing trip that comes once in a lifetime...
Thanks for your prayers!
Haley &the rest of the "Mzungu Tribe"
Last night was one of the sweetest experiences I have had in Africa. In the afternoon we served in the Pallisa library and did contact work with some of the local village kids. When we came home we found the front porch of the house and the tent we had been eating and stayed cool under during the day completely decorated with balloons and streamers. We knew these Africans were preparing for a great celebration. For the next hour or so we had an amazing time helping the many leaders that had come to eat dinner with us prepare for our meal. It was such a gift to see everyone sitting together sharing stories, dreams, and life with one another as they were working to sort rice, grill chicken, and boil potatoes. When we began to gather for dinner, we were absolutely blown away at the feast set before us. The meal was incredible, but the fellowship with our new family here was even better!
After the meal, the program team came out for one last appearance in Uganda. Bailey, Schroder, and Wilson were amazing all week long, and last night was a fun conclusion to the program. Following the fun and games we entered into a precious time with the leaders. We felt after the incredible way we had watched them serve us over the past 2 weeks, that it was only appropriate to wash their feet. We did not do it to repay them for all they had done, but because we felt like it was the greatest way we could serve them. We wanted to clean the feet of those that so beautifully carry the gospel across this country. It was such an intimate time with our brothers and sisters and our Wonderful Maker. The Lord used it to refresh us, to remind us of our salvation, and last night we really felt the glory of the Lord in that place! After washing, each of our team knelt before two of their leaders and prayed over them, and the ministry God has placed before them. It is hard to describe in words how truly amazing this time really was. There were no cultural or racial boundaries in that place. We truly experienced the intimacy of one body in Christ, one family worshiping our Father. It was a little glimpse of Heaven!
Stephanie Hinton
We know we are still in Uganda because…
-When our African friends rent a generator for a final farewell dance party, and all of us spend three hours dancing the night away together (w/ all the leaders) following an amazing dinner & an awesome time of praise & worship, & sharing...
-There are a minimum of 20 kids at the home you are staying in because they never get to see “mzungus” (white people). There is so much LOVE in this place.
-Kids like to rub your leg hair because they don’t have any
-We switch taxi drivers (not taxis) 4 times within 20 minutes this morning on the way to Jinja for rafting.
-When you pick up the third taxi driver at his house at 6am and need to blast the horn because he is still sleeping. When he arrives to the car he is still putting his clothes on.
-When the horn is used 61 times within 5 minutes to warn pedestrians of the approaching vehicle. We've come to really appreciate & love the "motherland".
-You feel like you are blind because of the all dust that is in front of the van
-While rafting your guide purposely flips the raft in order to safely prepare you for the upcoming rapids that will rock your face off
-You have master river rats (fellows in kayaks) chasing you down the Nile to pull you out of the rapids in case you fall out
-When your raft does a flip over a class 5 rapid and you find yourself scattered across the monstrous river Nile
-When you feel accomplished after you look at the 12 foot waterfall you just dropped down
-When it hails for the second time in 11 years on the river and you have to get out and protect yourself against the gumball size pellets.
-You see a baby croc along the river and wonder where the mommy is
-If you have the option to shower but you opt not to because the river put you though a washing machine
-A luxury includes a flushing toilet and running water... SIMPLICITY
-You are sad that you only have 2 more days left in this wonderfully simple place
-You are looking forward to 24 hours of traveling so you are able to rest and reflect
-You’ll miss not being surrounded by such an awesome community of people at all times because you have shared the kind of life-changing trip that comes once in a lifetime...
Thanks for your prayers!
Haley &the rest of the "Mzungu Tribe"
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
More Answered Prayers
Wow... Our God is truly an awesome God. Thankyou all for continuing to pray for us. We at last received Leigh's missing bag yesterday. After a very special last night of fellowship\celebration with the YL Uganda Volunteers here in Pallisa tonight, we're headed out early tomorrow am to spend a couple days rafting the Nile with Simon.
May His Spirit continue to move among & within us here, all for His glory. Amen.
Pamoja Pamoja.
John 15
-D
May His Spirit continue to move among & within us here, all for His glory. Amen.
Pamoja Pamoja.
John 15
-D
January 6, 2009
We will head to raft the Nile tomorrow, and I’ll just be honest, we are ALL NERVOUS!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!!! We had a day of rest yesterday, so we read, had group devotionals, walked into town, and played frisbee. I cannot believe we have only a few days left. We have been cleaning/giving away clothes this morning and getting prepared for one last trip into town to do contact work and help organize the Younglife Library. We did a prayer walk over the land this morning because Simon shared with us a dream about starting a school for teens and a Younglife camp on his property. I think it would be so amazing to be able to come back in the next few years and see the progress with the school and Young Life. The Lord has already multiplied the teenagers affected by Young Life, and I have been blown away by the excitement and passion for YL club and contact work. The Lord is definitely working here, and I have been blessed to be able to have been a part of it, even if it is a really small part...
I have learned so much, and I cannot wait we can tell all of yall in person all of the many stories and memories we have had in Africa!
Turner Outlaw
Okay, so after getting over my “fear of blogging” (all thanks to Drew)…I decided to jump on the bandwagon. In all seriousness, this trip has been absolutely amazing and I feel so blessed that God has called me to this place. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to serve and to fellowship with 13 amazing men and women who have such a heart for the Lord. Yesterday, which was our only free day, we had time to just be still before the Lord and recharge our battery. As I watched the sunset, I was reminded of the beauty of God’s creation and all his goodness. I was truly humbled to think about this path that he has allowed me to travel to bring me to this place: AFRICA. With a heart that is healed and made new, I feel truly blessed that God chose ME to be a part of this journey. Though at times it can often be a struggle and a challenge, I am constantly reminded of God’s grace and sovereignty when I look into the eyes of these beautiful children who truly paint a portrait of God’s love for us. And I am even more reminded of His love for us, when I talk with the African leaders here who share in this same love for the Lord. We are all united by one common love, CHRIST, and that will never change! It is so hard to believe that this journey will end in just a few days and we have to go back to our lives in America. But, this experience will continue to change and transform each of our hearts. As we wrap up our time here in Palissa, I pray that we can continue to be servants of Christ and love on these people who have touched each of us. I am reminded of God’s words in Matthew 25:40, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Although God’s purpose for bringing all of us here is different for each of us, we were all brought here to learn how to love more, to love better, and to love deeper. Jambo Rafiki!
In His Hands,
Reagan Hardy (aka GUNZ)
Yoga! (Hello in Ateso, the local language),
We are enjoying our final day in Pallisa. It’s amazing how after a week here, this place has begun to feel much like home, so much that on our walk to town we ran into over 10 leaders who knew our names. Living with Simon and his family has been such a blessing, they seem like they have become family to us. Conversations seem to be drifting towards us returning to this Holy Ground.
Every night before bed, we have gathered under the stars for a time of sharing and worship. Most nights we have had the privilege of hearing Simon speak and last night he followed up on a message from 1 Corinthians 13 given by another African leader. His message emphasized not only on love, but on the greatness of hope. He made reference to a neighbor who by all worldly standards of living conditions should have no hope. Simon challenged us to question what it is that makes this man wake up every day. The answer is simply HOPE. Hope is exactly what we have seen in every face and smile here in Uganda. There is a joy and beauty in the life here that from an American’s eyes seems filled with disparity.
This message of hope is one that we all desire to carry back to our own lives in the States. The story of hope is one that will not only wake us up every morning but will also empower us to further the Lord’s kingdom.
We are excited to share stories, pictures, and memories of our time in Uganda with all of you back home. Pray for safe travels and continued growth and understanding from this experience.
Love, Love, Love,
Emily and Elizabeth
Today was a busy day because we were packing our bags. It was interesting watching the children crowd around our bags. Seeing the amount of clothes and stuff that were coming out of our bags was very strange for the onlookers. We hope that the things we’ve left behind- material and relational will be used by God. Today we also spent time praying over the future school grounds. We will have to pray and support the team that Simon is forming. They are meeting next week to decide what the buildings will look like. I wonder if they will have a pitch (soccer field) or not. It’s exciting to think about how God will use the school to develop leaders for Uganda. As I prayed the thought came to my mind of what will happen twenty years from now. I hope that the school will grow and become an excellent institution. I think that there will be a struggle in the community of evil against good. But God promises that God will take the victory. Even so faith will be built to trust God. Simon spoke to us last night about hope. So now we have heard about love, faith and hope. Just today I was reading in Romans 4 and 5. There was a part which mentioned against all hope Abraham believed God. He continued in faith. Then there is suffering produces perseverance then character then hope because of the love God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. I really think that God has used us here. Michael and the other leaders have shared just how much God has used us to encourage them and validate their ministry in the villages. So, praise the Lord.
There have been many conversations during these days in Pallisa, but the one I had with Augustine today amazed me. We were talking about the AIDS epidemic. He was explaining how fast it spreads. You know, there is one person in every three with HIV. He said that churches are trying to help by monitoring each member’s infection. If a husband becomes infected, the church cancels that marriage and the couple in forced to separate. In other ways, when a woman is left a widow any many will come to support her and her children financially. Many times the widow will have AIDS and give it to the new husband who will in turn transfer it to his other wives and children. Polygamy is very common here. A man in Simon’s village has 39 wives. There are so many that he does not even know the names of his children. His sons even infect the wives and then the babies born may contract it. Teenagers just pass it along. Casual sex is very common. Still the statistic hits me: one person in every three is infected. Pallisa is not even that bad. Jinja is terrible, and Kampala is worse. It is hard to imagine what AIDS is like in America. God have mercy. My hope is that the rich will stop exploiting the poor and spreading AIDS. It IS a killer. But against all hope, we can believe that God will save the poor and lost. There is hope that small steps can be made. There is hope that Simon’s school will be finished quickly and that students will learn how to stop the epidemic and lead their fellow villagers to a better life style.
I no longer think that one- Uganda or America- is better. Suffering is in both. Sin is in both. The only difference is that we in America have modern conveniences like running water, but we all have a deep cavern in our lives that can be filled with the abundant love of God. God is amazing. God will overwhelm us with himself. If people have God, then life can be lived to the fullest, even a life with one pair of torn clothes and malaria and AIDS looming on the horizon. God’s ways are different than ours.
Amen.
Bwana Asifiwe, Amen.
Lauren Harper
I have learned so much, and I cannot wait we can tell all of yall in person all of the many stories and memories we have had in Africa!
Turner Outlaw
Okay, so after getting over my “fear of blogging” (all thanks to Drew)…I decided to jump on the bandwagon. In all seriousness, this trip has been absolutely amazing and I feel so blessed that God has called me to this place. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to serve and to fellowship with 13 amazing men and women who have such a heart for the Lord. Yesterday, which was our only free day, we had time to just be still before the Lord and recharge our battery. As I watched the sunset, I was reminded of the beauty of God’s creation and all his goodness. I was truly humbled to think about this path that he has allowed me to travel to bring me to this place: AFRICA. With a heart that is healed and made new, I feel truly blessed that God chose ME to be a part of this journey. Though at times it can often be a struggle and a challenge, I am constantly reminded of God’s grace and sovereignty when I look into the eyes of these beautiful children who truly paint a portrait of God’s love for us. And I am even more reminded of His love for us, when I talk with the African leaders here who share in this same love for the Lord. We are all united by one common love, CHRIST, and that will never change! It is so hard to believe that this journey will end in just a few days and we have to go back to our lives in America. But, this experience will continue to change and transform each of our hearts. As we wrap up our time here in Palissa, I pray that we can continue to be servants of Christ and love on these people who have touched each of us. I am reminded of God’s words in Matthew 25:40, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Although God’s purpose for bringing all of us here is different for each of us, we were all brought here to learn how to love more, to love better, and to love deeper. Jambo Rafiki!
In His Hands,
Reagan Hardy (aka GUNZ)
Yoga! (Hello in Ateso, the local language),
We are enjoying our final day in Pallisa. It’s amazing how after a week here, this place has begun to feel much like home, so much that on our walk to town we ran into over 10 leaders who knew our names. Living with Simon and his family has been such a blessing, they seem like they have become family to us. Conversations seem to be drifting towards us returning to this Holy Ground.
Every night before bed, we have gathered under the stars for a time of sharing and worship. Most nights we have had the privilege of hearing Simon speak and last night he followed up on a message from 1 Corinthians 13 given by another African leader. His message emphasized not only on love, but on the greatness of hope. He made reference to a neighbor who by all worldly standards of living conditions should have no hope. Simon challenged us to question what it is that makes this man wake up every day. The answer is simply HOPE. Hope is exactly what we have seen in every face and smile here in Uganda. There is a joy and beauty in the life here that from an American’s eyes seems filled with disparity.
This message of hope is one that we all desire to carry back to our own lives in the States. The story of hope is one that will not only wake us up every morning but will also empower us to further the Lord’s kingdom.
We are excited to share stories, pictures, and memories of our time in Uganda with all of you back home. Pray for safe travels and continued growth and understanding from this experience.
Love, Love, Love,
Emily and Elizabeth
Today was a busy day because we were packing our bags. It was interesting watching the children crowd around our bags. Seeing the amount of clothes and stuff that were coming out of our bags was very strange for the onlookers. We hope that the things we’ve left behind- material and relational will be used by God. Today we also spent time praying over the future school grounds. We will have to pray and support the team that Simon is forming. They are meeting next week to decide what the buildings will look like. I wonder if they will have a pitch (soccer field) or not. It’s exciting to think about how God will use the school to develop leaders for Uganda. As I prayed the thought came to my mind of what will happen twenty years from now. I hope that the school will grow and become an excellent institution. I think that there will be a struggle in the community of evil against good. But God promises that God will take the victory. Even so faith will be built to trust God. Simon spoke to us last night about hope. So now we have heard about love, faith and hope. Just today I was reading in Romans 4 and 5. There was a part which mentioned against all hope Abraham believed God. He continued in faith. Then there is suffering produces perseverance then character then hope because of the love God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. I really think that God has used us here. Michael and the other leaders have shared just how much God has used us to encourage them and validate their ministry in the villages. So, praise the Lord.
There have been many conversations during these days in Pallisa, but the one I had with Augustine today amazed me. We were talking about the AIDS epidemic. He was explaining how fast it spreads. You know, there is one person in every three with HIV. He said that churches are trying to help by monitoring each member’s infection. If a husband becomes infected, the church cancels that marriage and the couple in forced to separate. In other ways, when a woman is left a widow any many will come to support her and her children financially. Many times the widow will have AIDS and give it to the new husband who will in turn transfer it to his other wives and children. Polygamy is very common here. A man in Simon’s village has 39 wives. There are so many that he does not even know the names of his children. His sons even infect the wives and then the babies born may contract it. Teenagers just pass it along. Casual sex is very common. Still the statistic hits me: one person in every three is infected. Pallisa is not even that bad. Jinja is terrible, and Kampala is worse. It is hard to imagine what AIDS is like in America. God have mercy. My hope is that the rich will stop exploiting the poor and spreading AIDS. It IS a killer. But against all hope, we can believe that God will save the poor and lost. There is hope that small steps can be made. There is hope that Simon’s school will be finished quickly and that students will learn how to stop the epidemic and lead their fellow villagers to a better life style.
I no longer think that one- Uganda or America- is better. Suffering is in both. Sin is in both. The only difference is that we in America have modern conveniences like running water, but we all have a deep cavern in our lives that can be filled with the abundant love of God. God is amazing. God will overwhelm us with himself. If people have God, then life can be lived to the fullest, even a life with one pair of torn clothes and malaria and AIDS looming on the horizon. God’s ways are different than ours.
Amen.
Bwana Asifiwe, Amen.
Lauren Harper
Monday, January 5, 2009
I know we’re still in Uganda because…
-Stephanie and Mills were asked to give an impromptu sermon at the church they visited this morning for half an hour
-Your circa 1968 van breaks down and the guys have to get out and push/run along side the van to get it into “town”. Later, the axle breaks in half. May be time to put the van into the classic car museum.
-When you feel like you are in a high-speed chase while driving down a one-lane dirt road with a big IZUZU truck tailing you only to pass you on the right with a 6-inch margin. Safety first.
-Drew takes a big bucket of water with him to the outhouse to wash down anything that may not make it into the big hole
-Leigh still has not gotten her bag from the airport.
-The police come to your New Years celebration not because of a noise ordinance (those don’t exist here) but because they want to join the fun. And they continue to stop by every night
-When your trip leader doesn’t want to be called by his name anymore but insists on being called “Daddy”. TIA.
-Shower time is a community affair and just getting your hands, feet, and face clean feel awesome.
-Your head lamp is the most functional accessory you can wear unless the moonlight is enough to light your way
-When you start blending in with the Africans because of the dirt caking your face after truck rides. And your hair sticks up making you look like a lion.
-When the chairman of the village asks you to speak to the village people at the same time that you’re about to yak (or you do and swallow it) after doing the dizzy bat spin for them
-You are greeted at a Young Life club with 50 people swamping the truck and then getting hoisted into the air in a parade through town
-When you try to go to the bathroom but the only semi private place is next to a feeding hog and people are still able to see what is happening
-When sitting in the shade it is still about 85 degrees
-Picking your nose is acceptable. And brown boogers are normal.
Haley Gage
P.S. Sarah, I saw a yellow truck
So I just wanted to throw out the disclaimer that my previous post (and the lack of proper grammar- my apologies to my third grade teach Mrs. Long) was a direct result of too much equatorial sunshine (that and having about 12 kids jumping on, climbing on, clinging to, laughing at you…not to mention helping you type. Speaking of Africa, yesterday was perhaps my favorite day so far. As I mentioned previously we all got to attend church yesterday. I continue to be amazed by the simplicity and passion of the people’s faith here. It really is all about knowing Jesus and believing that He is a real part of your life. There are no fancy church buildings with fancy projection screens. There is no choir practice or service rehearsal. Their idea of a worship planning meeting involves time spent in prayer with the Holy Spirit. I am finding very quickly what a production we make of church and of our faith. Simon keeps talking about letting go of “program”. Being flexible to God’s moving in our lives. So often I think we overindulge ourselves with rehearsals and singing the right song in the right order. If you read the gospels you find that Jesus came to serve and love and pour His passion into those around him. He never avoided a situation or made an excuse or missed a chance to meet with someone because of a scheduling conflict. I wonder if we too can learn to live out our faith with such an attitude that nothing else matters but to just BE. I’m finding that God is reveling that to me on this trip. I still don’t quite know why He has brought me to Africa here and now (after 4 ½ years of waiting and praying). But perhaps it has something to do with just being with Him. Just spending time in His presence; to allow myself to be open to receiving the wonderful world He has made and the beautiful people that are a part of it. This Is Africa. May we continue to be blessed on our journey through the Motherland!
Leigh
PS- Mom, I don’t have my bag yet but I’m fine…actually I’m great. God has provided SO much! And 1.4.3. ;-)
I count 17 chickens running around the yard at the moment. They are scavengers feeding on the crumbs from our table, which so happens to be the yard. Eastern Uganda has become a part of my story for the past six days of my life. I can say that a lot has been written and I wish I could spend the next few hours explaining, but time is valuable here with these people and this Mac is burning my legs. Six of us have conglomerated together in the middle of our rest day to talk about the Lord and love. At the moment, the rest of the group is arriving from in town on little motorcycles. I can’t get enough of this feeling though. God has provided comfort here. Sure it’s hot, food is interesting, solid sleep is intermittent, and bathing is difficult, but the time here is surely comfortable. Anxiety and worry is really non existent even when the Ugandan police show up at 12am to collect names and passport numbers with AK-47’s wrapped around their shoulders. Our Muzungu tribe has commanded much attention over the past few days as we have helped out with Young Life Clubs in different villages. My jealous heart wants to be a loving brother to all we come in contact with. The attention is overwhelming sometimes. Through this, though, I have valued the time alone with the Lord to re-energize whether that is in prayer or in the Scriptures. We have stepped into an area that finds good things and joy in the simplest provisions. We’ve shared stories from day one and I can’t find anything more enjoyable than hearing about a ridiculous experience here in Uganda or previously in the states. Wow, this computer is hot… so hot. I am starting to sweat from the heat of the Mac coupled with the dry heat of Uganda. I’ll go, leave the blog to someone else. C.S. Lewis once explained the effect of Dr. Ransom’s journey from the distant planed of Mars in his book Perelandra that can accurately let you know how I feel about our trip here, “A man who has been in another world does not come back unchanged. One can’t put the difference into words.” The experience here will leave our changes unseen. We probably won’t come back and bathe with a bucket without swallowing the water or poop in a man made hole in the ground, but we will come back with a story to tell of how our hearts were affected. A song to listen to that has been playing since I arrived would be Miracle Drug by U2. Can’t wait to share with y’all when we get back!
Schroder
-Stephanie and Mills were asked to give an impromptu sermon at the church they visited this morning for half an hour
-Your circa 1968 van breaks down and the guys have to get out and push/run along side the van to get it into “town”. Later, the axle breaks in half. May be time to put the van into the classic car museum.
-When you feel like you are in a high-speed chase while driving down a one-lane dirt road with a big IZUZU truck tailing you only to pass you on the right with a 6-inch margin. Safety first.
-Drew takes a big bucket of water with him to the outhouse to wash down anything that may not make it into the big hole
-Leigh still has not gotten her bag from the airport.
-The police come to your New Years celebration not because of a noise ordinance (those don’t exist here) but because they want to join the fun. And they continue to stop by every night
-When your trip leader doesn’t want to be called by his name anymore but insists on being called “Daddy”. TIA.
-Shower time is a community affair and just getting your hands, feet, and face clean feel awesome.
-Your head lamp is the most functional accessory you can wear unless the moonlight is enough to light your way
-When you start blending in with the Africans because of the dirt caking your face after truck rides. And your hair sticks up making you look like a lion.
-When the chairman of the village asks you
-You are greeted at a Young Life club with 50 people swamping the truck and then getting hoisted into the air in a parade through town
-When you try to go to the bathroom but the only semi private place is next to a feeding hog and people are still able to see what is happening
-When sitting in the shade it is still about 85 degrees
-Picking your nose is acceptable. And brown boogers are normal.
Haley Gage
P.S. Sarah, I saw a yellow truck
So I just wanted to throw out the disclaimer that my previous post (and the lack of proper grammar- my apologies to my third grade teach Mrs. Long) was a direct result of too much equatorial sunshine (that and having about 12 kids jumping on, climbing on, clinging to, laughing at you…not to mention helping you type. Speaking of Africa, yesterday was perhaps my favorite day so far. As I mentioned previously we all got to attend church yesterday. I continue to be amazed by the simplicity and passion of the people’s faith here. It really is all about knowing Jesus and believing that He is a real part of your life. There are no fancy church buildings with fancy projection screens. There is no choir practice or service rehearsal. Their idea of a worship planning meeting involves time spent in prayer with the Holy Spirit. I am finding very quickly what a production we make of church and of our faith. Simon keeps talking about letting go of “program”. Being flexible to God’s moving in our lives. So often I think we overindulge ourselves with rehearsals and singing the right song in the right order. If you read the gospels you find that Jesus came to serve and love and pour His passion into those around him. He never avoided a situation or made an excuse or missed a chance to meet with someone because of a scheduling conflict. I wonder if we too can learn to live out our faith with such an attitude that nothing else matters but to just BE. I’m finding that God is reveling that to me on this trip. I still don’t quite know why He has brought me to Africa here and now (after 4 ½ years of waiting and praying). But perhaps it has something to do with just being with Him. Just spending time in His presence; to allow myself to be open to receiving the wonderful world He has made and the beautiful people that are a part of it. This Is Africa. May we continue to be blessed on our journey through the Motherland!
Leigh
PS- Mom, I don’t have my bag yet but I’m fine…actually I’m great. God has provided SO much! And 1.4.3. ;-)
I count 17 chickens running around the yard at the moment. They are scavengers feeding on the crumbs from our table, which so happens to be the yard. Eastern Uganda has become a part of my story for the past six days of my life. I can say that a lot has been written and I wish I could spend the next few hours explaining, but time is valuable here with these people and this Mac is burning my legs. Six of us have conglomerated together in the middle of our rest day to talk about the Lord and love. At the moment, the rest of the group is arriving from in town on little motorcycles. I can’t get enough of this feeling though. God has provided comfort here. Sure it’s hot, food is interesting, solid sleep is intermittent, and bathing is difficult, but the time here is surely comfortable. Anxiety and worry is really non existent even when the Ugandan police show up at 12am to collect names and passport numbers with AK-47’s wrapped around their shoulders. Our Muzungu tribe has commanded much attention over the past few days as we have helped out with Young Life Clubs in different villages. My jealous heart wants to be a loving brother to all we come in contact with. The attention is overwhelming sometimes. Through this, though, I have valued the time alone with the Lord to re-energize whether that is in prayer or in the Scriptures. We have stepped into an area that finds good things and joy in the simplest provisions. We’ve shared stories from day one and I can’t find anything more enjoyable than hearing about a ridiculous experience here in Uganda or previously in the states. Wow, this computer is hot… so hot. I am starting to sweat from the heat of the Mac coupled with the dry heat of Uganda. I’ll go, leave the blog to someone else. C.S. Lewis once explained the effect of Dr. Ransom’s journey from the distant planed of Mars in his book Perelandra that can accurately let you know how I feel about our trip here, “A man who has been in another world does not come back unchanged. One can’t put the difference into words.” The experience here will leave our changes unseen. We probably won’t come back and bathe with a bucket without swallowing the water or poop in a man made hole in the ground, but we will come back with a story to tell of how our hearts were affected. A song to listen to that has been playing since I arrived would be Miracle Drug by U2. Can’t wait to share with y’all when we get back!
Schroder
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Sunday, January 4th
"Without Faith, it is impossible to please God..." Hebrews 11:6
Our heavenly father is so FAITHFUL... This is HIS work. He is LOVE & His kingdom is COMING. Jesus is ALIVE. The Spirit's presence moving among, between, & within us here in rural Uganda has been so REAL, it almost seems tangible. Lives are being transformed. THANK YOU for your prayers. If He is with us, who then can ever be against us...
May the Glory be His forever.
Praying less of us, more of him,
Drew
"Afrika Akwapuka" (Africa, this is my Motherland)-
Today is the first Sunday of the new year and we all got to go to different churches. Drew, myself and Wheeler went to church with Pastor Michael, one of Simon's Volunteer YL Leaders. When I say “church” I mean a mud hut under a mango tree. We were privileged to meet Michael’s mother and wide. It was the first time I had ever experienced God’s presence in another language…Ateso. Joy here in Africa is a simple thing. Loving God and feeling His presence is so simple. I realized this morning as Simon was talking to us at breakfast just how much we complicate “church” and faith. He told of a time that he was asked to preach and the group kept asking him is he was going to rehearse his sermon. His response was to “wait on the Holy Spirit”. Still no suitcase today, but God continues to provide. Things that we hold in such high importance in America seem so unnecessary here. It’s amazing to know that I can survive on another continent with such meager supplies. But This Is Africa. Things are simple. God is Good. Amen.
This is my Motherland,
Leigh Vail
Our heavenly father is so FAITHFUL... This is HIS work. He is LOVE & His kingdom is COMING. Jesus is ALIVE. The Spirit's presence moving among, between, & within us here in rural Uganda has been so REAL, it almost seems tangible. Lives are being transformed. THANK YOU for your prayers. If He is with us, who then can ever be against us...
May the Glory be His forever.
Praying less of us, more of him,
Drew
"Afrika Akwapuka" (Africa, this is my Motherland)-
Today is the first Sunday of the new year and we all got to go to different churches. Drew, myself and Wheeler went to church with Pastor Michael, one of Simon's Volunteer YL Leaders. When I say “church” I mean a mud hut under a mango tree. We were privileged to meet Michael’s mother and wide. It was the first time I had ever experienced God’s presence in another language…Ateso. Joy here in Africa is a simple thing. Loving God and feeling His presence is so simple. I realized this morning as Simon was talking to us at breakfast just how much we complicate “church” and faith. He told of a time that he was asked to preach and the group kept asking him is he was going to rehearse his sermon. His response was to “wait on the Holy Spirit”. Still no suitcase today, but God continues to provide. Things that we hold in such high importance in America seem so unnecessary here. It’s amazing to know that I can survive on another continent with such meager supplies. But This Is Africa. Things are simple. God is Good. Amen.
This is my Motherland,
Leigh Vail
January 3, 2009
Language barriers can pose problems, but only if you let them. Here in Uganda, we’ve learned to roll with the punches because if you’ve been following this blog you might have read about “Africa Time” or maybe Simon’s go to expression, “Blessed are the flexible.”
So far in Uganda, I have had an absolute blast doing the program and skits for club. In Jinja at the leadership training camp, Franz, Jamz, and I (Hanz) became very comfortable in front of the crowd and most of the leaders were able to understand what we were saying and we even had a similar sense of humor. (FYI – Franz = Schroder, Jamz = Wilson, and Hanz = Bailey). But yesterday, we had club again in a village that we traveled to via a regular cab Mitsubishi pick up. All of us fit more than comfortably in our 1 hour drive. We had club in the shade of a tree in the middle of a primary school and our audience spanned 3-4 generations of Ugandans. However, the vast majority of the people did not speak English, so we had to adapt program a little bit to make kids laugh. Thankfully, Simon’s brother Augustine was with us and he dressed up with Wilson and I as we led a game. He did a great job of translating for us and if it were not for him, there was no way we would have been remotely funny.
Once we did our program and a few games and skits, a couple Ugandan kids showed us up with a game of their own. It was amazing to see the crowd so involved and entertained.
Having done program in Uganda, I have learned many things, but one thing I have learned is that Young Life club is a place where people are unified. People come together to laugh and love one another and it doesn’t matter how you got there or what you’re about, Young Life club is a place where kids can feel loved and welcomed and where they can hear the Gospel. Praise the Lord.
Lastly, I want to thank my two program partners in crime, Schroder and Wilson. Getting to stand up in front of a crowd and do and say ridiculous things has been an absolute joy. I don’t know how I haven’t broken character every time because watching them on stage is hilarious. (You’ll have to have Schroder demonstrate his moonwalk and Wilson his weight lifting techniques…) For now you can use your imagination. But in all seriousness, I am thankful for being able to serve alongside these two guys. God bless you wherever you may be reading this from.
Bailey Pouns
You still know you’re in Uganda when…
-You share an outhouse with a bat that flies beneath you while you “go” into the hole
-Your bag still has not arrived from the airport and you haven’t changed your shirt yet because it doesn’t really bother you that much
-A vicious bug bites you on your fanny and it is appropriate for everyone to examine it. You later learn fanny doesn’t mean the same thing here…makes for a good laugh.
-When you use the word “conglomerate” and they look at you like you’re a moron (Thank you, Shroder)
-While watching a 45 minutes dramatic theatrical performance at a Young Life Club, a naked baby runs around flashing everyone spread eagle ….UUPPPPPPS
-You are able to differentiate each rooster’s cock-a-doodle from the chicken coop starting at 4:30 a.m. each morning.
-You go to the well to collect water and all the ladies laugh at you while you try to put the 70 pound bucket on your head
-It is not against the law to ride 20 deep in the bed of a truck meant for two
-A dad will walk 3 miles into town in the middle of the night in order to sit with his daughter who is sick with malaria
-You go to watch a Young Life soccer tournament and 2000 people show up to watch. Talk about contact work.
Loving life,
Haley Gage
P.S. Grace, Wilson wants to know if Kilimanjaro is a volcano...?
Today was day number 3 and a half in Pallisa and I feel that we are so removed from any sense of knowing what day it is other than our watches tell us and maybe from the dates we write in our journals. I could have never imagined exactly how remote things would be here, nor could I have ever imagined how absolutely amazing this experience would be. Walking into town today was a nice and relaxing and was much less stressful than our rides in the back of a 6ft bed pick-up truck going 50 mph down a dirt road (more like a path that has holes and drop offs) with 20 plus people cramped in the back and having to stand and eat about 200 African bugs with your teeth, nose and cheeks.
The walking makes me a lot less nervous than the riding in the back of the truck, and these people basically walk everywhere with no other choice and do it without complaint. I can sometimes get frustrated when I realize I need to go the grocery store that is about a mile away in my car that takes me there. Talking about being stripped from all things comfortable……WOW!!!!
In addition to the adventurous car travels……talk about some amazing sleeping situations!!!! 9 girls in a 6 x 12 room and being one of the last girls to go to bed….this then makes it interesting. Looking down at a space that is about 2 feet wide and realizing that 2 people need to share that space….. not to mention that it is about 99 degrees in the room and there are a few random bugs that may crawl across you while sleeping.
I would take my experience here so far over any of the comforts of home….Although this does make me appreciate the little things a lot more!!!!
This is Africa – TIA
Loving Africa,
Wheeler Burns
So far in Uganda, I have had an absolute blast doing the program and skits for club. In Jinja at the leadership training camp, Franz, Jamz, and I (Hanz) became very comfortable in front of the crowd and most of the leaders were able to understand what we were saying and we even had a similar sense of humor. (FYI – Franz = Schroder, Jamz = Wilson, and Hanz = Bailey). But yesterday, we had club again in a village that we traveled to via a regular cab Mitsubishi pick up. All of us fit more than comfortably in our 1 hour drive. We had club in the shade of a tree in the middle of a primary school and our audience spanned 3-4 generations of Ugandans. However, the vast majority of the people did not speak English, so we had to adapt program a little bit to make kids laugh. Thankfully, Simon’s brother Augustine was with us and he dressed up with Wilson and I as we led a game. He did a great job of translating for us and if it were not for him, there was no way we would have been remotely funny.
Once we did our program and a few games and skits, a couple Ugandan kids showed us up with a game of their own. It was amazing to see the crowd so involved and entertained.
Having done program in Uganda, I have learned many things, but one thing I have learned is that Young Life club is a place where people are unified. People come together to laugh and love one another and it doesn’t matter how you got there or what you’re about, Young Life club is a place where kids can feel loved and welcomed and where they can hear the Gospel. Praise the Lord.
Lastly, I want to thank my two program partners in crime, Schroder and Wilson. Getting to stand up in front of a crowd and do and say ridiculous things has been an absolute joy. I don’t know how I haven’t broken character every time because watching them on stage is hilarious. (You’ll have to have Schroder demonstrate his moonwalk and Wilson his weight lifting techniques…) For now you can use your imagination. But in all seriousness, I am thankful for being able to serve alongside these two guys. God bless you wherever you may be reading this from.
Bailey Pouns
You still know you’re in Uganda when…
-You share an outhouse with a bat that flies beneath you while you “go” into the hole
-Your bag still has not arrived from the airport and you haven’t changed your shirt yet because it doesn’t really bother you that much
-A vicious bug bites you on your fanny and it is appropriate for everyone to examine it. You later learn fanny doesn’t mean the same thing here…makes for a good laugh.
-When you use the word “conglomerate” and they look at you like you’re a moron (Thank you, Shroder)
-While watching a 45 minutes dramatic theatrical performance at a Young Life Club, a naked baby runs around flashing everyone spread eagle ….UUPPPPPPS
-You are able to differentiate each rooster’s cock-a-doodle from the chicken coop starting at 4:30 a.m. each morning.
-You go to the well to collect water and all the ladies laugh at you while you try to put the 70 pound bucket on your head
-It is not against the law to ride 20 deep in the bed of a truck meant for two
-A dad will walk 3 miles into town in the middle of the night in order to sit with his daughter who is sick with malaria
-You go to watch a Young Life soccer tournament and 2000 people show up to watch. Talk about contact work.
Loving life,
Haley Gage
P.S. Grace, Wilson wants to know if Kilimanjaro is a volcano...?
Today was day number 3 and a half in Pallisa and I feel that we are so removed from any sense of knowing what day it is other than our watches tell us and maybe from the dates we write in our journals. I could have never imagined exactly how remote things would be here, nor could I have ever imagined how absolutely amazing this experience would be. Walking into town today was a nice and relaxing and was much less stressful than our rides in the back of a 6ft bed pick-up truck going 50 mph down a dirt road (more like a path that has holes and drop offs) with 20 plus people cramped in the back and having to stand and eat about 200 African bugs with your teeth, nose and cheeks.
The walking makes me a lot less nervous than the riding in the back of the truck, and these people basically walk everywhere with no other choice and do it without complaint. I can sometimes get frustrated when I realize I need to go the grocery store that is about a mile away in my car that takes me there. Talking about being stripped from all things comfortable……WOW!!!!
In addition to the adventurous car travels……talk about some amazing sleeping situations!!!! 9 girls in a 6 x 12 room and being one of the last girls to go to bed….this then makes it interesting. Looking down at a space that is about 2 feet wide and realizing that 2 people need to share that space….. not to mention that it is about 99 degrees in the room and there are a few random bugs that may crawl across you while sleeping.
I would take my experience here so far over any of the comforts of home….Although this does make me appreciate the little things a lot more!!!!
This is Africa – TIA
Loving Africa,
Wheeler Burns
Friday, January 2, 2009
Thursday, January 1st
Our first full day in Pallisa. We slept in Simon’s “guest quarters” last night. The boys had their share of space while the girls slept 9 to a 6’x10’ room. We arrived yesterday on the last day of 2008 to the warmth and love of Simon and his family (and about 30 kids from his community). We will be staying here through the middle of next week and after one night we are already feeling at home. The conviction and intention with which our Ugandan friends here go about their day is unexplainable. It was our intent to come and serve them and instead we are humbled by the way they care for us and cook for us the best that they have. They are doing everything to make our stay as wonderful and as full of an experience as possible. They even helped us ring in the New Year African style. It was quite the sight I assure you—complete with a surprise visit from a truck full of armed guards checking on the joyful noises coming from our house. All was well; they even let us take a picture with them! God has truly opened our eyes and hearts to His wonder here and continues to bless us and protect us as we go on this journey. As you continue to read our updates, please know that we praying that this day finds each of you wrapped in God’s love and surrounded by his grace and blessings. We have missed each of you greatly and look forward to sharing our stories and pictures when we get home. Peace and grace in the coming year. 1.4.3…
What a wonderful, gracious provider we serve. We can praise Him today for the gift of life this day and for a new year! If there is one thing I have been reminded of on this trip so far it is our overwhelming need for Him, something I often feel we can lose sight of in the States. Here, it is impossible to miss! As I sat aside this morning reading, surrounded by children who wanted to look at what I read and watched everything around me I saw this more clearly than ever before. As I watched, everything around me is full of noise and activity. One man sweeps the ground with a broom made of sticks. Only through God’s provision would He have those sticks, and He knows this as He gathers them together. Several men and kids (including some of the guys from our team) step aside to kill several chickens for lunch, another thing we visibly see that the Lord has provided. It is funny to think that as Americans, we were annoyed as we woke up early this morning from the noise of the chickens and the crowing of the roosters. And yet our brothers and sisters here praise God for these gifts! We were able to eat breakfast today from their eggs, and lunch from their meat, what a gracious provider we have!
As the day continued, we were continuously blessed by our time in this village. We traveled through the village to see the various projects that have gone on from past Young Life teams. This was a gift because it is not everyday that we are visibly able to see the fruit of the work we have done. We saw a house that had been built for an older woman and a spring well that had been protected to provide clean water. Before this new well was built there was only one source of clean water for these people. This new well gives clean water to nearly 5,000 people. On our way to visit the well, we stopped by a local church that was having a New Year’s Day worship service. The sight of such praise was overwhelming. The people overflowed with joy for the Lord. We had an opportunity to dance with them and to share with them how thankful we were for God’s work in this place!
Simon and I had a conversation today walking back to His home that really challenged me. We spoke about the vastness of things we have in America as he often tells us we have “too much!” He expressed his pain for us Americans in our constant desire for more. We are always working to buy bigger houses and newer cars before it is even necessary. I asked him if he thought it was wise to invest and save in certain things. His response was convicting. He explained that it is wise when we invest or save for the absolutely necessary things of life. He continued to explain that in America our investments are never toward things of necessity, but often to things of security or pleasure. We justify the newer car or the bigger house by saying we will use it for God’s work, and often we do, but we are here in a guest house with 2 rooms for 14 people and we have seen the mighty hand of God at work! We have seen how Simon and his family and the other leaders give abundantly beyond what they have been given. For instance, whatever meat they use for meals (whether we are here or not) they give the same amount of meat to someone else in the village. Though they have little, God continuously provides more. Simon shared with us last night as we were entering the New Year that they do these things all from the LOVE of God. It is how we are called to live. It is not an obligation, but the love of Christ constrains us! I have never been served in such a way as this and with such joy from those serving. It is from the overflow of the love they have for the Lord. I have been challenged today in the beginning of this year to love like this, a love that can only come from our great Lover.
- Stephanie Hinton
Warm coca cola in Uganda quite refreshing…
- Schroder Voyles
What a wonderful, gracious provider we serve. We can praise Him today for the gift of life this day and for a new year! If there is one thing I have been reminded of on this trip so far it is our overwhelming need for Him, something I often feel we can lose sight of in the States. Here, it is impossible to miss! As I sat aside this morning reading, surrounded by children who wanted to look at what I read and watched everything around me I saw this more clearly than ever before. As I watched, everything around me is full of noise and activity. One man sweeps the ground with a broom made of sticks. Only through God’s provision would He have those sticks, and He knows this as He gathers them together. Several men and kids (including some of the guys from our team) step aside to kill several chickens for lunch, another thing we visibly see that the Lord has provided. It is funny to think that as Americans, we were annoyed as we woke up early this morning from the noise of the chickens and the crowing of the roosters. And yet our brothers and sisters here praise God for these gifts! We were able to eat breakfast today from their eggs, and lunch from their meat, what a gracious provider we have!
As the day continued, we were continuously blessed by our time in this village. We traveled through the village to see the various projects that have gone on from past Young Life teams. This was a gift because it is not everyday that we are visibly able to see the fruit of the work we have done. We saw a house that had been built for an older woman and a spring well that had been protected to provide clean water. Before this new well was built there was only one source of clean water for these people. This new well gives clean water to nearly 5,000 people. On our way to visit the well, we stopped by a local church that was having a New Year’s Day worship service. The sight of such praise was overwhelming. The people overflowed with joy for the Lord. We had an opportunity to dance with them and to share with them how thankful we were for God’s work in this place!
Simon and I had a conversation today walking back to His home that really challenged me. We spoke about the vastness of things we have in America as he often tells us we have “too much!” He expressed his pain for us Americans in our constant desire for more. We are always working to buy bigger houses and newer cars before it is even necessary. I asked him if he thought it was wise to invest and save in certain things. His response was convicting. He explained that it is wise when we invest or save for the absolutely necessary things of life. He continued to explain that in America our investments are never toward things of necessity, but often to things of security or pleasure. We justify the newer car or the bigger house by saying we will use it for God’s work, and often we do, but we are here in a guest house with 2 rooms for 14 people and we have seen the mighty hand of God at work! We have seen how Simon and his family and the other leaders give abundantly beyond what they have been given. For instance, whatever meat they use for meals (whether we are here or not) they give the same amount of meat to someone else in the village. Though they have little, God continuously provides more. Simon shared with us last night as we were entering the New Year that they do these things all from the LOVE of God. It is how we are called to live. It is not an obligation, but the love of Christ constrains us! I have never been served in such a way as this and with such joy from those serving. It is from the overflow of the love they have for the Lord. I have been challenged today in the beginning of this year to love like this, a love that can only come from our great Lover.
- Stephanie Hinton
Warm coca cola in Uganda quite refreshing…
- Schroder Voyles
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
We came to Pallisa today and are staying at Simon’s house for the next five days. Simon is the area director of Younglife Uganda and is the kindest and godliest man I have ever met. We cannot believe we are about to celebrate the New Year in such a wonderful place. 2008 has been great, but I know our whole group is excited about starting out 2009 by being here in God’s holy land. It is VERY hot and rural where we are, but Simon has built us a guest house to stay in and we are surrounded by about 40 children from the community constantly. We have been singing songs, helping cook, playing soccer, and resting from the Younglife training camps we have been running in Jenja. We had such a great time running the camps for the Ugandan Younglife leaders, and we felt that we really were able to inspire and encourage them about Younglife, and of course, they had a lot to teach us about Younglife, too. Those leaders love kids and will walk four hours ONE WAY to go find ONE kid; I have learned from these leaders how to selflessly love a teenager and be willing to lay down my life for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are excited to reflect on the time we had in Jenja and to get to ring in the New Year here in Pallisa. The Lord has been evident to us, and Simon keeps telling us are main goal is going to do what the Lord tells us to do. I know personally I am excited about what that is going to be!!
Loving Africa,
Turner Outlaw
You know you’re in Uganda when:
You don’t look twice when you see someone walking down the street carrying an AK-47.
People don’t use signals while driving and often drive down the middle of the road into oncoming traffic---or cows
You carry toilet paper with you everywhere in case you need to pop a squat
You have a layer of dirt coating your feet and you sorta like it
Power in the entire camp goes out when you (Reagan) try to charge your camera battery
When they say 30 minutes, it usually means at least an hour---it’s called “Africa Time”
Children wear tattered clothes, no shoes, and HUGE smiles (always)
Your host family builds a bathroom for you to use during your stay
You have an entire community come over to prepare meals and care for one another’s children
You don’t have the comforts of home (i.e. electricity or running water), but love every minute of it...
Love,
Dirty Haley Gage
P.S. Mom, tuition is due the 7th! THANK YOU!!!!!
T.I.A. This is Africa. You can buy roasted corn on the side of the streets. The leader James bought some on the street today from a lady, and we all enjoyed it as a snack as we traveled from Jinja to Pallisa. For me it was such a joy to be eating a familiar snack while letting the Ugandan sunshine and wind hit my face. The smells here enter my soul and remind me that God is faithful and the people are busy cooking. Uganda is very different than Tanzania, where I lived last year. The language is different. I keep trying to speak Swahili to children, but it doesn’t register. Some things are the same, like you can also carry petrol oil inside the bus. We were getting gas, and the driver just put two containers inside the car. All the while I could hear my mom’s words “Never put a container of gas inside your car. It is very dangerous.” And then I remembered this is Africa. Anything can happen, and of course it was the necessary thing to do when there is no gas in Simon’s town, where we have just arrived. Now I am typing on this computer and in just in front of me there is a big cow, a little child wondering how this computer works, and the ladies of the house are preparing the food. We all are sitting here together in amazement. The child beside me is eating a kasava fruit. There is also a five year old girl holding her little infant sister. The cow just bellowed, and now I realize it’s actually a bull. Hm. Tonight we will celebrate the past year’s memories and the possibilities of the new year. I love it here. Yeah!
-Lauren Harper
Loving Africa,
Turner Outlaw
You know you’re in Uganda when:
You don’t look twice when you see someone walking down the street carrying an AK-47.
People don’t use signals while driving and often drive down the middle of the road into oncoming traffic---or cows
You carry toilet paper with you everywhere in case you need to pop a squat
You have a layer of dirt coating your feet and you sorta like it
Power in the entire camp goes out when you (Reagan) try to charge your camera battery
When they say 30 minutes, it usually means at least an hour---it’s called “Africa Time”
Children wear tattered clothes, no shoes, and HUGE smiles (always)
Your host family builds a bathroom for you to use during your stay
You have an entire community come over to prepare meals and care for one another’s children
You don’t have the comforts of home (i.e. electricity or running water), but love every minute of it...
Love,
Dirty Haley Gage
P.S. Mom, tuition is due the 7th! THANK YOU!!!!!
T.I.A. This is Africa. You can buy roasted corn on the side of the streets. The leader James bought some on the street today from a lady, and we all enjoyed it as a snack as we traveled from Jinja to Pallisa. For me it was such a joy to be eating a familiar snack while letting the Ugandan sunshine and wind hit my face. The smells here enter my soul and remind me that God is faithful and the people are busy cooking. Uganda is very different than Tanzania, where I lived last year. The language is different. I keep trying to speak Swahili to children, but it doesn’t register. Some things are the same, like you can also carry petrol oil inside the bus. We were getting gas, and the driver just put two containers inside the car. All the while I could hear my mom’s words “Never put a container of gas inside your car. It is very dangerous.” And then I remembered this is Africa. Anything can happen, and of course it was the necessary thing to do when there is no gas in Simon’s town, where we have just arrived. Now I am typing on this computer and in just in front of me there is a big cow, a little child wondering how this computer works, and the ladies of the house are preparing the food. We all are sitting here together in amazement. The child beside me is eating a kasava fruit. There is also a five year old girl holding her little infant sister. The cow just bellowed, and now I realize it’s actually a bull. Hm. Tonight we will celebrate the past year’s memories and the possibilities of the new year. I love it here. Yeah!
-Lauren Harper
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
From Ginja, Uganda - YL Training Camp
Sunday, December 28th- 10:30pm
We arrive in
Monday, December 29, 2008-
The end of the first day and we are all adjusting fairly well. Aside from one lost luggage bag and an upset stomach everyone seems to be in high spirits. It’s been a glorious day and God has already shown up in some wonderful ways. The following is a reflection from our time so far… I am now sitting in a jagged metal chair with just three legs, as sweat drips down my head even while I am typing. I am asking myself where I am and when I got here. The time leading up to the trip was swift and empty for me. I want to say that I should have thought about the trip to come for longer and prepared more, but I think the way in which I came to sit here was just the way God wanted it. God is working through my uncertainty. On the flight over and in the little time alone with God I have found here I feel as though simplicity is the reason I am here. Each fascinating and moving story I hear somehow leads back to simplicity. I am not saying I completely understand it or am ready to fully embrace it, but wow the beauty of the freedom to come. “… The simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3) can be seen in every heart I meet. Oh how I have loved seeing the same Young Life from
In Him,
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Matthew 4:19
To Mills Snell and the entire Uganda 2008 Team:
May the Lord Bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace.
Love DAD!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friends,
As I sit here tonight on the eve of our departure I am filled with many emotions. Sitting comfortably surrounded by my most treasured loved ones I find myself straddling two worlds. I think I speak for the entire group when I say tomorrow will mark the beginning of an incredible, life-changing journey. God has blessed each of us with the opportunity to be a part of this great work He has already set in motion. There is such an incredible air surrounding this trip with such a strong group of 14 set to go. Please keep praying. Keep lifting this trip up to the Holy One whose name and love we seek to share with others. Thank you to our friends and families both near and far for all of your support and encouragement in our preparations. The time is come. May our Lord Jesus be blessed! Amen.
**please join the blog so you can be included in our updates from Uganda!**
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" ~ Romans 10:14-15
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Hey gang. Here is a sermon by Andy Stanley, the pastor at North Point Church in Atlanta. I'm a huge fan and listen to a lot of his stuff online. I'm really drawn to his ministry because you never walk away from his sermons feeling like he's preached at you, but rather he's had a conversation with you. Prayer has been a huge part of this gathering and will remain a huge part of this trip. Make time to listen to this one sermon by him. I heard it back in January of this year and it has made a profound impact on my life. The link below will take you to his sermon page. Scroll over until you find the series titled Q3. Click on the link to "Asking Big" from 1/1/07. Watch it if you can. I think you'll find his words inspiring. Hope you all had a great weekend. TWO MORE WEEKS!!! Can't wait!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Responding to His Call
"To become neighbors is to BRIDGE THE GAP between people. As long as there is distance between us we cannot look into one another's eyes. We forget that they love as we love, care for their children as we care for ours, become sick and die as we do. We forget they are our BROTHERS and SISTERS." - HENRI NOUWEN
“It is a response to a CALL... A Call from HIM who has no voice, and yet Who speaks in everything that is, and Who, most of all, speaks in the depths of our own being… For we ourselves are words of His. But we are words that are meant to respond to Him, to answer to Him, to echo Him, and even in some way to contain Him and signify Him…”
- THOMAS MERTON
“If we want HUMILITY, we should condescend to all the weaknesses and infirmities of your fellow-creatures, cover their frailties, love their excellencies, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice, be a servant of servants, and condescend to do the lowest offices to the lowest of mankind.” - "CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE"
My PRAYER for each of us tonight, is that He would continue to strip us of anything & everything which is about us, so that our lives would be a direct reflection of Him, would continue to respond out of selfless obedience to His Call... as it continues to lead us…choosing to hear HIS voice, rather than to live as slaves to the voice of the world....walking by Faith, & not ruled any longer by fear.... that He would continue to work out His will in our lives, one day at a time…maturing in our hearts, a Divine Wisdom like that of King Solomon, Absolute Trust unconditional of circumstance like Joseph, a Faith as we step forward & out into the unknown like Abraham, a Passion & Commitment to share God’s Word like Paul…and ultimately, a HEART after God’s own heart, like King David....
WE NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS US...
PRAY BIG...!
in HIM,
Drew
Silent Night, Holy Night
So nothing profound or prophetic today, mainly because I left my list of verses I wanted to use at home. But then again I'm a firm believer that God loves to use the ebb and flow of our daily lives, even our forgetfulness, to open the window to something greater than we had planned. There is a Caedman's Call song called "Table for Two" with a particular few lines (actually the whole song is amazing) that I love..."Well this day's been crazy but everything's happened on schedule, from the rain and the cold to the drink that I spilled on my shirt. 'Cause You knew how You'd save me before I fell dead in the garden, and You knew this day long before You made me out of dirt." I love how intentional our God is. How He knows each of us and loves on each of us daily. He shows up in the truly divine AND in a simple whisper. I pray during this busy season- that seems to have moved so far beyond its true meaning--you find yourself in a place where peace and love surround you. I pray that you open yourself to the Wonder that is your daily life. Please, during the busyness allow yourself time to be still and be moved, even in the smallest of ways. If you consider the title of this blog- not the first time I'm sure- you may very well be reminded of what I mentioned earlier about the true telling of this Holy event we celebrate this time of year. That it includes a hint of something silent and wonderful- something so uncanny and overpowering that we can't help but find ourselves entranced with the miracle of Christ's birth. May you continue to invite the unexpected and celebrate the seemingly insignificant in the coming weeks. May God bless and keep each of you as we prepare to take this journey together.
"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exhalted among the nations, I will be exhalted among the earth." ~Psalm 46:10
Lord Jesus, we pray for quiet wonder and simple joy today. We ask that as we celebrate Your unobtrusive entrance into our world, we would be reminded of the sacrifice You made through your life and death. Prepare us, Holy One, to venture forth in grace that we may share Your wonderous story with those in darkness. Quiet us, that we may take notice of Your all too often silent presence in our hearts and be open to the ways You are leading us. Amen
"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exhalted among the nations, I will be exhalted among the earth." ~Psalm 46:10
Lord Jesus, we pray for quiet wonder and simple joy today. We ask that as we celebrate Your unobtrusive entrance into our world, we would be reminded of the sacrifice You made through your life and death. Prepare us, Holy One, to venture forth in grace that we may share Your wonderous story with those in darkness. Quiet us, that we may take notice of Your all too often silent presence in our hearts and be open to the ways You are leading us. Amen
I am eager!
I am eagerly awaiting our trip to Uganda. Drew sent an email out to our group today and it said, "God is Love, & He is so faithful. He's absolutely who He says He is. Jesus is alive. The Spirit is moving. His Kingdom is coming. Pamoja Pamoja." I am eagerly awaiting His kingdom to come in my heart and change my life. I prayed for the trip this morning, and I prayed for the people we encounter, but also for my heart to be changed. I want the praises of God to be on my lips and I want my greedy eyes to be washed clean. I need a new and fresh taste of who the Lord is; I am so sick of the mediocrity in my life, and I am waiting for the spirit of God to stir my heart and affections for Jesus. Uganda is something I have prayed about for a long time.
I was reading in 1 Corinthians 1 about God being faithful and about the Church being unified. I think these verses apply to us about to embark on this journey to Africa:
"He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His son Jesus, is FAITHFUL. I appeal to you that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in one mind and thought."
This was on my heart today and my prayer for us. May the Lord unify us and continue to reveal to us how ALIVE and FAITHFUL He truly is.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Two Weeks in Africa
I sent this in a email but here again are the words from a Caedmon's Call song that I seem to have fallen victim to repeat on my ipod. The Lord is far bigger that what we comprehend this trip being. I love the line in the end that says "he doesn't need us but he lets us put our hands in." I think we so often forget power of our might God. He is going to do GREAT things on this trip and I am confident in that. (sorry my computer will only type in 'underline') Excited to be with you all. Blessings, Emily
"Two Weeks in Africa"
From Johannesburg to Cape Town, the plane had barely touched down
She was taking photos for the friends back home
This was where she had always felt her heart belonged
She was finally here, the sky was bright and clear
Two weeks
And we all can feel the calling
Two weeks
To make the world a little smaller
So a girl got on a plane for two weeks in Africa
Johannesburg to Houston she came home on a mountain
But school was starting, things kept moving on
Before you knew it seven years had gone
She found a picture of her standing smiling,
Arms around the starving kids she swore to not forget
She swore to not forget
Two weeks
And we all can feel the calling
Two weeks
To make the world a little smaller
So a girl got on a plane for two weeks in Africa
And if we follow our dear sun to where the shores are not familiar…
Faces turn to numbers, numbers fall like manna from the sky
Why, oh why, oh Father, why?
Why, oh why, oh Father, why?
One village in Malawi now has water running pure and clean
One church alive in Kenya's full of truth and love and medicine
We put the walls up but Jesus keeps 'em standin'
He doesn't need us, but He lets us put our hands in
So we can see His love is bigger than you and me
One church alive in Kenya's full of truth and love and medicine
We put the walls up but Jesus keeps 'em standin'
He doesn't need us, but He lets us put our hands in
So we can see His love is bigger than you and me
Two weeks
And we all can feel the calling
Two weeks
To make the world a little smaller
So a girl got on a plane for two weeks in Africa
Re: YL Uganda Trip - Prayer Time 8:00am
Hey Y'all-
I'm so excited that we'll be in Africa in just 24 days....WOW! I wanted to let y'all know that I got a STEAL of a deal by getting my shots at the Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Atlanta. I am only paying $300 as opposed to $600 by having it done at their travel clinic. If anyone is interested, the number is 404.224.3600. Just wanted to pass this along in case anyone was interested. The travel clinic is only open Monday through Wednesday. Have a great day!
REH
Reagan E. Hardy
Southern Proper, LLC
www.southernproper.com
404.805.3825
From: "Drew Voyles"
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 17:59:30 -0500
To: Bailey Pouns (YL WA Leader)<jbpouns@gmail.com>; BLOG - Uganda Trip 2008<drew.voyles.uganda@blogger.com>; Elizabeth Gonda<elizabeth.gonda@gmail.com>; Emily Stone<emilychristinestone@gmail.com>; Haley Gage<haley.gage@gmail.com>; Hunter Lambeth<MHL23@juno.com>; Lauren Harper<SLaurenHarper@hotmail.com>; <Leighvail@gmail.com>; Mia Morgan (YL WA Leader)<miamorga@uga.edu>; Mills Snell<millssnell@gmail.com>; Reagan Hardy<reagan@southernproper.com>; Schroder Voyles<schroderv@gmail.com>; Simon Okiria - Uganda<simonpokiria@yahoo.com>; Stephanie Hinton<stephhinton@gmail.com>; Turner Outlaw<turneroutlaw@mac.com>; <wheelerbrx@yahoo.com>; Wilson Carroll<hcarroll3@gatech.edu>
Subject: YL Uganda Trip - Prayer Time 8:00am
Reminder that all of you are invited to meet to PRAY with us over our Trip to Uganda tomorrow at 8am, here at the YL Office. If you can't be there, take some time tomorrow morning to PRAY on your own. Our #1 priority right now is to cover this very special time the Lord has in store ahead of us, together in Uganda, with PRAYER...
PRAY BIG
"If you CLING to your life, you will LOSE it, but if you GIVE it up for me, you will FIND it..."
MATTHEW 10:39
Young Life Africa - www.africa.younglife.org
Young Life Expeditions - www.Expeditions.younglife.org
*PARTNERSHIP - YL NW Atlanta + YL Africa
--
"The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing , & forceful Men lay hold of it." MATTHEW 11:12
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
YL Uganda Trip - Prayer Time 8:00am
Reminder that all of you are invited to meet to PRAY with us over our Trip to Uganda tomorrow at 8am, here at the YL Office. If you can't be there, take some time tomorrow morning to PRAY on your own. Our #1 priority right now is to cover this very special time the Lord has in store ahead of us, together in Uganda, with PRAYER...
PRAY BIG
--
"The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing , & forceful Men lay hold of it." MATTHEW 11:12
PRAY BIG
"If you CLING to your life, you will LOSE it, but if you GIVE it up for me, you will FIND it..."
MATTHEW 10:39
Young Life Africa - www.africa.younglife.org
Young Life Expeditions - www.Expeditions.younglife.org
*PARTNERSHIP - YL NW Atlanta + YL Africa
--
"The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing , & forceful Men lay hold of it." MATTHEW 11:12
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Give Thanks...
I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving filled with plenty of food and family. I hope too that you were able to take some time to be enlightened to all the good things in your life. Cliche, perhaps. But never the less, it is often this time of year that we ARE especially in touch with the blessings God has lavished upon us. Now that we've gotten our fill of turkey and green bean casserole I pray that we would begin to move deliberately into this most Holy of seasons.
As we begin the celebration of Advent, I encourage you to reread the Christmas story. For it is, afterall, because of the miracle of Christ's birth, the wonder of His life, and the graciousness of His death that we are each making this journey in the coming month. During this time of year I pray that we be reminded of not only Christ's redemptive sacrifice through death, but His miraculous yet quiet entry into our world. When we read Luke 2:1-7 we find that Jesus reset the standards even in birth. His presence in our world, as foretold years before, was radical even from infancy. The King of Kings did not come in a flashy display of glittering robes and crowns. He came humbly that we may be open to the presence of God in everyday places. So many years later, I pray that we are still conscious of His gentle and often silent presence in our lives.
What is God doing in your everyday places during this Advent Season? Today seek the ways that God is using the everyday familiar places to work out His divine plan for your life and for the world. How can you be preparing your spirit to receive Him during your time in Africa? Let us ask for softened hearts and child-like wonder so that Jesus may enter in and steal our certainties and self-dependencies. May you be open to the moving and molding of the Holy Spirit today and always.
Prayer: God of Prophecy and Perfect Plan
We travel the journeys of paths that our known to us each day. Yet, we long for your will to break through our every day familiar places. We sing the familiar hymn “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel,” and we long to make that prayer our own. Take our history, our everyday, and enliven us to see the ways you are at work and present within and through it all. Open our hearts to receive your coming this Advent Season. Use our everyday places to bring about your unexpected plan for our lives and for the world. Our hearts yearn for you, O God, and our lives seek to rejoice in your grace. Bring forth your power and will in our everyday, and shine your light upon us all the days of our lives. In the Shepherd’s name we pray. Amen. *
In praying today, I encourage each of you to begin praying especially for the Ugandan leaders we will be serving. Give thanks for their willingness to live and move with the Spirit's guidance; to step faithfully along the path that God is calling them to. Pray that their spirits may be strengthened and empassioned with the grace and love our Jesus has for each of them. Pray that these saints know and trust that His goodness will follow them everywhere they share God's love. Give thanks that they have the hearts to love on kids and to bring the light Jesus into the midst of a very dark continent. Humble us away from thinking that we could possibly have anything to offer them on our own. Ask for compassion, for broken hearts in meeting with them on common ground; in realizing that we are all children of a great and loving God.
"Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too" ~ Frederick Buechner
*as taken from First Cup Advent Devotion- Westminster Presbyterian Church and Rev. K Threadgill
As we begin the celebration of Advent, I encourage you to reread the Christmas story. For it is, afterall, because of the miracle of Christ's birth, the wonder of His life, and the graciousness of His death that we are each making this journey in the coming month. During this time of year I pray that we be reminded of not only Christ's redemptive sacrifice through death, but His miraculous yet quiet entry into our world. When we read Luke 2:1-7 we find that Jesus reset the standards even in birth. His presence in our world, as foretold years before, was radical even from infancy. The King of Kings did not come in a flashy display of glittering robes and crowns. He came humbly that we may be open to the presence of God in everyday places. So many years later, I pray that we are still conscious of His gentle and often silent presence in our lives.
What is God doing in your everyday places during this Advent Season? Today seek the ways that God is using the everyday familiar places to work out His divine plan for your life and for the world. How can you be preparing your spirit to receive Him during your time in Africa? Let us ask for softened hearts and child-like wonder so that Jesus may enter in and steal our certainties and self-dependencies. May you be open to the moving and molding of the Holy Spirit today and always.
Prayer: God of Prophecy and Perfect Plan
We travel the journeys of paths that our known to us each day. Yet, we long for your will to break through our every day familiar places. We sing the familiar hymn “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel,” and we long to make that prayer our own. Take our history, our everyday, and enliven us to see the ways you are at work and present within and through it all. Open our hearts to receive your coming this Advent Season. Use our everyday places to bring about your unexpected plan for our lives and for the world. Our hearts yearn for you, O God, and our lives seek to rejoice in your grace. Bring forth your power and will in our everyday, and shine your light upon us all the days of our lives. In the Shepherd’s name we pray. Amen. *
In praying today, I encourage each of you to begin praying especially for the Ugandan leaders we will be serving. Give thanks for their willingness to live and move with the Spirit's guidance; to step faithfully along the path that God is calling them to. Pray that their spirits may be strengthened and empassioned with the grace and love our Jesus has for each of them. Pray that these saints know and trust that His goodness will follow them everywhere they share God's love. Give thanks that they have the hearts to love on kids and to bring the light Jesus into the midst of a very dark continent. Humble us away from thinking that we could possibly have anything to offer them on our own. Ask for compassion, for broken hearts in meeting with them on common ground; in realizing that we are all children of a great and loving God.
"Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too" ~ Frederick Buechner
*as taken from First Cup Advent Devotion- Westminster Presbyterian Church and Rev. K Threadgill
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Good morning! So I know I'm a day behind and was going to consider waiting until next week to start the devotions, but I'm thinking late is better than, well later...
God has been oh so good to bring this trip together and call us each to be a part of it. Keeping in mind His grace and love for each of us I thought I would start this thread by sharing the following:
"The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among the wolves." - Luke 10:2-3
It seems today that everywhere you look there is plenty of work to do. There is never a dull moment and often times we are consumed not only by the day's business, but the ever present busyness that seems to crowd our time and thoughts. Every time you turn around there will be something else or someone else who needs tending- someone who needs to hear and feel God's love, some situation that needs prayer and encouragement. Just as Jesus challenged his followers so long ago, He challenges us to be alert to the needs and dangers of this world and to pray for God's help as we serve one another. He nudges us to be open and willing to GO, to answer the call "whom shall I send?". If we are faithfully abiding in Him, Jesus will equip us with the strength to answer "Here I am, send me!".
A Prayer
May today there be peace within
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you
May you be content knowing you are a CHILD OF GOD
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love
It is there fore each and every one of us.
~St. Theresa
God give us your vision and courage to see the plentiful challenges and tasks you put before us as divine opportunities. Give us grace to step away from our 'to-do' lists and simply be available to be vessels of your love, agents of mercy and kindness to those around us in the name of Your Son. Amen.
Books to Read:
-Celebration of Discipline per Drew's suggestion
-The Shack by William Young
-Dance Children Dance by Jim Rayburn III ("If you want people to come to Sunday school, don't have it on Sunday and don't call it school" - Jim Rayburn)
Movies to see:
The Last King of Scotland
Invisible Children documentary
Songs to listen to:
Albertine by Brooke Fraser
The Saints Are Coming by U2
Signature of Divine (Yahweh) by NeedtoBreathe
God has been oh so good to bring this trip together and call us each to be a part of it. Keeping in mind His grace and love for each of us I thought I would start this thread by sharing the following:
"The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among the wolves." - Luke 10:2-3
It seems today that everywhere you look there is plenty of work to do. There is never a dull moment and often times we are consumed not only by the day's business, but the ever present busyness that seems to crowd our time and thoughts. Every time you turn around there will be something else or someone else who needs tending- someone who needs to hear and feel God's love, some situation that needs prayer and encouragement. Just as Jesus challenged his followers so long ago, He challenges us to be alert to the needs and dangers of this world and to pray for God's help as we serve one another. He nudges us to be open and willing to GO, to answer the call "whom shall I send?". If we are faithfully abiding in Him, Jesus will equip us with the strength to answer "Here I am, send me!".
A Prayer
May today there be peace within
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you
May you be content knowing you are a CHILD OF GOD
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love
It is there fore each and every one of us.
~St. Theresa
God give us your vision and courage to see the plentiful challenges and tasks you put before us as divine opportunities. Give us grace to step away from our 'to-do' lists and simply be available to be vessels of your love, agents of mercy and kindness to those around us in the name of Your Son. Amen.
Books to Read:
-Celebration of Discipline per Drew's suggestion
-The Shack by William Young
-Dance Children Dance by Jim Rayburn III ("If you want people to come to Sunday school, don't have it on Sunday and don't call it school" - Jim Rayburn)
Movies to see:
The Last King of Scotland
Invisible Children documentary
Songs to listen to:
Albertine by Brooke Fraser
The Saints Are Coming by U2
Signature of Divine (Yahweh) by NeedtoBreathe
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
So here is a link to the actual company I think we were talking about using...Adrift. Check it out. I know one thing... I'll be trying not to swallow the river (that, and I'll be ironing my clothes!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu16HdpsC0Y
Looking forward to so much more than rafting! God is truly amazing and I can't wait to share these 2 weeks with each of you. Keep praying and listening!
Gentle me, Holy one,
into an unclenched moment,
a deep breath,
a letting go of heavy expectancies,
of shriveling anxieties,
of dead certainties,
that softened by the silence,
surrounded by the light,
and open to the mystery,
I may be found by wholeness,
upheld by the unfathomable,
entranced by the simple,
and filled with the joy
that is You.
into an unclenched moment,
a deep breath,
a letting go of heavy expectancies,
of shriveling anxieties,
of dead certainties,
that softened by the silence,
surrounded by the light,
and open to the mystery,
I may be found by wholeness,
upheld by the unfathomable,
entranced by the simple,
and filled with the joy
that is You.
-Ted Loder Guerrillas of Grace, Prayers for the Battle
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For those of you asking for it...a small clip to get you excited about getting wet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_RlTSwTy-8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_RlTSwTy-8
Friday, November 7, 2008
UGANDA TRIP 2008
these brothers of mine, you did for me." MATTHEW 25:40
UGANDA 2009 TEAM,
*Please be sure to let me hear from you to confirm the following items...
1. If we still haven't received your INITIAL DEPOSIT of $150, I need for you to get that in the mail to me asap, at our office address listed further down below.
2. Are you planning to RAISE $ SUPPORT to cover either all OR a portion of the Trip Cost...? Have you MAILED out a Support Letter...?
3. Please email me your MAILING ADDRESS.
*SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENTS :
- Group Roster : Phone #s included.
- Shots / Passports : You need to be sure you have a valid Passport, that's not expired. More information provided in attachment.
- Flight Schedule : Note that we'll be both departing from / returning to Atlanta as a Group.
- Fundraising Guidelines + Sample Support Letter : Instructions to follow... Should give you some helpful ideas & direction re/ how you might proceed to raise support for this type of trip.
- List of Items to Donate : Items we'll work to collect to take with us to donate & give away to the Staff/Leaders/Community we're going to serve in Uganda. We'll talk more about the List, at our next Trip Meeting on November 16th. If you should see something you can or want to be on point for collecting/bringing, please let me know.
- Packing List : Your goal will be to pack all of your Personal Gear in # 1 large duffle bag, 50 pounds max. We'll pack #2 duffle bag full of Donated Items, 50 pounds max, we've collected to take with us to give away. You can also pack a Backpack, etc, as carry-on.
- Info re/ Travel Safety
- Background Info on Uganda
*IF NOT FUNDRAISING :
You can make a Check out to "Young Life Expeditions" for $2,100, to cover your Airfare, which you can mail to me at our Office Address listed below. Same goes for Field Costs ($900), to be received by deadline given further below. Even if you're not raising $ support, you may still want to send out an Email or Letter to friends & family, asking for Prayers & to share with them about our Trip. Above all else, we need people at home to be committed to Praying for us.
*IF FUNDRAISING :
Those of you Raising Support, should be working now to get your Support Letters & Mailing Lists done ASAP. Be sure to carefully follow the directions in the "Fundraising Guidelines" Packet that I've attached, & remember that in your Letter, you want to be sure to ask for PRAYERS as well as $ FINANCIAL SUPPORT. Another way to raise support, would be to organize a group or individual Fundraising Event. I really encourage you here, to remain PRAYERFUL, & to be creative & open to how the Lord leads, as you move forward in this process.... You'll want to be sure to communicate to potential donors, that the focus of our trip mission will simply be to serve & support YL Africa's local outreach ministry today in Uganda. You can also note that a portion of your Personal Fundraising Goal of $3,000, will go purely as a donation to support YL's mission in Uganda. We encourage you to put as many names on your Mailing List, as you can come up with & feel lead to. You can have donations sent to our office at the address below. That way I can track them here, & keep you updated periodically of your progress, so you can be sure to thank each of your donors. Please email me a copy of both your Letter & Mailing List if you would...
ATTN: Drew Voyles - Africa Expeditions
Young Life Northwest Atlanta
PO Box 724731
Atlanta, GA 31139
All costs up $3,000 are tax-deductible, thru YL. Your donors will receive a tax-receipt in the mail, after their check has been processed. Note that donations may continue to come in all the way up until & after we leave. Remember that we're Raising Support as a Team... if you should raise above your fundraising goal, extra funds will go both towards the purchase of supplies/materials associated with the Trip, or else to anyone who's still short on support....... If you want to, you can invite people to send you their Email Address so we can add them to the Mass Email List we'll use to send Email Updates home from Uganda. We'll then compile a Mass Email List using the email addresses you send us. If you have any concerns or specific questions about Fundraising, etc, you can reach me either via email or on my cell (# 770-851-2949).
*DEADLINES :
Group Airfare Payment ($2,100) is due November 25. Field Costs ($900) are due December 10. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions. If on Nov 25, you're still short of cost of airfare, then you can simply send us a check for the difference you owe, & we'll reimburse you later after we've received checks from your donors.
*LINKS to Give Friends/Family/Supporters:
- Trip Blog : yltanzaniatrip2008.blogspot.com
Folks at home can view updates & photos of our Trip which we'll be posting from Uganda. They can also
write & send comments to our Group...
- YL Africa Trips Info : www.nwatlanta.younglife.org (Click on Africa Trips Link)
- YL Africa Website : www.africa.younglife.org
- YL Uganda Homepage : Offers some general background info & the story of YL's mission in Pallisa,
UGANDA, put together a few years ago in 2005, following my first Trip there to be with Simon
& his Leadership Team. Includes Photos collected over 3 Trips to Uganda over the past few summers.
*PRAYER TIME / MEETINGS:
Those of you in Atlanta are invited to meet to PRAY with us over our Trip @ YL Office, every Wednesday Morning @ 8am, up until we leave. Those of you outside Atlanta, I want to challenge you to commit to Pray for the Trip on your own, every Wednesday Morning at the same time.... Bottom line, NONE of this is about us. Period. PRAYER will remain our absolute #1 priority & commitment as the Lord prepares our Hearts for the AWESOME journey He has in store ahead of us. This service opportunity we're so BLESSED to get to be a part of, is absolutely ALL about the Lord, His Heart, & His awesome movement today in & through the relationships He's building, uniting more of us together with our brothers & sisters serving Him over in Africa. Lives are absolutely being transformed here, for HIS Glory, through the awesome power of HIS Love. This is about God's Kingdom. Although it's up to you, I do want to encourage each of you to begin keeping a JOURNAL of your thoughts, prayers, etc, leading up until we leave in late December.....
*FACEBOOK GROUP : If you haven't joined the group yet, please do so. We want to use this Page to serve as another way to communicate with each other up until we leave for Uganda.
*TRIP BLOG : Same goes for our Trip Blog... I really encourage you all between now & when we leave, to post ANY thoughts, encouragement, expectations, prayer requests, personal introductions, ridiculous humor... that you want to share with rest of us. After we come home in January, you'll each receive a copy of the Blog, along with a bound copy of our Group Journal, which we'll talk more about later.
*READING : Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline :
I really want to encourage you to read the 2 Chapters on "Simplicity" & "Solitude".
*MOVIE : "Last King of Scotland" :
You may also want to check out this movie, set in Uganda, if you get an opportunity to.
Our Next Trip Meeting will be back at our YL NW Atlanta Office on Sunday November 16th, @ 7pm... we will then begin talking about who's going to be ON POINT for what, re/ the Camp & Leadership Training we'll be hosting, in addition to other important responsibilities associated with the Trip. In the meantime, PLEASE don't hesitate to Call or to Email me if you have any specific questions re/ Fundraising, Shots, Passports, Packing, Donated Items, etc. Remember that I'm here to serve you... & am praying for each of you today. Thanks Everyone!
KEEP PRAYING... Pamoja Pamoja
in HIM,
Drew
Cell # 770-851-2949
Office # 770-850-1888
The Focus of our Trip's engagement will be to serve & support YL Uganda Staff & 25+ Volunteer Leaders, who will be coming from all across the country to be with us... We'll be hosting a Leadership Training Camp, doing Contact Work, running Clubs, Program, etc... Together, we'll be serving in communities in Pallisa & Ginja, Uganda, where Simon Okiria (YL Uganda Staff) & his leaders have been praying/building relationships/loving kids/laying groundwork, trusting the Lord to help them pioneer YL's mission across their country, & reach Uganda's next generation with Christ's love. During our time with the leaders, we'll have the opportunity to do a group homestay, visit their families, play with their children, etc. Anyone whose been to either Pallisa or Ginja before, will tell you what a very, very special people & place this is. Simon & his Team of Volunteer Leaders are truly some of the most giving, God-loving, servant hearted brothers & sisters you will ever meet. In addition, at the tail end of the Trip, we're looking at spending 2 days rafting on the Nile River, which begins at Lake Victoria in Uganda - this is still to be confirmed.
"If you CLING to your life, you will LOSE it, but if you GIVE it up for me, you will FIND it..."
MATTHEW 10:39
Young Life Africa - www.africa.younglife.org
Young Life Expeditions - www.Expeditions.younglife.org
*PARTNERSHIP - YL NW Atlanta + YL Africa
"A couple of nights ago we met with all of the Uganda Leaders for the first time to have dinner together with them. After dinner, we worshipped… to hear all of our voices together as one chorus glorifying the Lord was something I will never forget. Not all of them knew the English songs we were singing, & although I learned the words to the Swahili song we sang, I had no idea what they meant just that they were praising the name of Jesus. But it didn't even matter… for even the rocks surrounding us will praise His name. God is so BIG. I have been humbled greatly here in Africa."
Jenn Anderson – YL Uganda Trip 2007
*First-Ever YL Uganda Outreach Camp.
"Look at the nations and watch, and be UTTERLY AMAZED. For I am going to do
something in YOUR DAYS that you wouldn't even believe if you were told." HABAKKUK 1:5
"We are committed to real Partnership and Friendship between African Young Life staff and ministry, and Young Life in the United States. We Pray for a Great Movement of the Holy Spirit among young people in Africa and in your home America." AUGUSTINE (YL Uganda Leader)
*YL Uganda Staff & Volunteer Leaders
"My own VISION & FAITH is nothing compared to that of Simon & his Team of Ugandan Volunteer Leaders here. I realize now that I Pray too small, & don't truly believe when I Pray that God will & can use me to do something GREAT. We must all plant a mango tree. God is so BIG. I have been humbled greatly."
Stirling Douglas – YL Uganda Trip 2007
"Our group of 29 has been serving together alongside 25 YL Uganda volunteer leaders, as the Work Crew for around 220 kids, at the first-ever YL Uganda outreach Camp, out here in the heart of rural Uganda. There's no doubt, the Lord is moving to make history here before us. We're running the camp on power using a tiny generator loaned to us by the community mayor. The village has been without water or electricity for more than 2 weeks... & honestly, thats just the beginning." Email Update I sent Home – YL Uganda 2007
*YL Club Say-So
"These Africans just give, give, give, & share, share, share. Although they have nothing, they give away everything. They so openly share their possessions with us and among themselves, so openly share their lives. With their dance, there is no shame, their struggles, their story… they are confident in who they are in Jesus." Randy Harding – YL Uganda Trip 2007
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"To become neighbors is to BRIDGE THE GAP between people. As long as there is distance between us we cannot look into one another's eyes. We forget that they LOVE as we LOVE, care for their children as we care for ours, become sick and die as we do. We forget they are our BROTHERS and SISTERS." HENRI NOUWEN
"He must become GREATER; I must become LESS." JOHN 3:30
"We must LOSE our life to SAVE it." MARK 8:35
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"The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing , & forceful Men lay hold of it." MATTHEW 11:12
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