Uganda: Update #8

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Here is a report from Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team.
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Uganda Update 8

Today started out wonderful as we got to sleep in a bit later. Our plans were to visit the Lulwanda Children’s Home, so we didn’t have to get as early a start. We were able to leisurely have breakfast and then on to devotional at 10. Joey Willis led the devotional today and it was an outstanding talk. It is so obvious that Joey has a special calling to the ministry---it is thrilling to see the gifted teacher he has become.

Visiting the Lulwanda Children’s Home was such a pleasure for all of us. The people who have been here in past years got to renew acquaintances with special little friends. It’s remarkable to see the progress of the Home since the first year we came to visit. That year there was only a concrete slab with some steel girders for the beginnings of the main building. Now they house and lovingly care for 90 children as well as educate them there on the property. It is a beautiful facility and Edward, the director of the home, has the softest heart for the children. It is a prime objective of the home to have the children raised in a loving, Christian environment. They will stay at the home until they are 18 and then hopefully, they will return to their own communities to be productive and effective Christian leaders. We also had the privilege of seeing the new water well. What fun it was watching the children pump fresh, clean water. Thank you to the generous donor who made this possible, it has been life-changing at the orphanage. We were served a delicious lunch and then enjoyed a delightful program by the children in several different age groups. It was precious! At the conclusion, Pastor Morris got up to thank us for coming and for our financial support. He also thanked us for coming to plant the church and working side by side with them this week in establishing a new congregation. Pastor Morris ended with a wonderful statement, “This week has been the best investment you will ever make—an investment in people’s souls. When you get to heaven you will see the people you have shared Christ with this week. “ It truly has been the best investment we’ve ever made.

After leaving the Children’s Home we visited Sisiyi Falls with Doctor Patrick and his wife Helen. They own a piece of property there that is what I would think the Garden of Eden looks like. There was time for relaxing for some and fabulous hiking for others. We were so grateful for their generous hospitality. All too soon we had to load up and head back to our “home”---Mt. Elgon Hotel. As we go to bed tonight we excitedly anticipate tomorrow morning---the first service in the new church in Nelubembe. We praise God for what he has done thus far and know there will be much rejoicing tomorrow!

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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on your minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

A Continuing Mission Back Home

In some respects, mission continues long after you've returned home as you see and move about the world with a heart, a mind and a faith that has been changed by your mission experience ... whether it was across town or around the world.

But you would think that, in other respects, the mission comes to an end as you return to familiar and comfortable surrounding, settling back into your time zone and the normal routine of life, home and work ... right?

Well, maybe not. Maybe the thousands of miles you've traveled, the hundreds of people with whom have formed a bond, the connections and correspondences you have established, the insight that you have gained ... all of this is just the beginning of a mission - not on the far side of the world, but in your home town ... just a mile or two down the street.

Which is exactly what has happened to many members of our 2008 Thailand Mission Team. Building upon what we have learned in the refugee camps and migrant worker villages along Thailand's border with Burma (Myanmar), we are now called to continue serving those who have fled the oppression of Burma's government - and do it right here in Midland, Texas.

It turns out we have a small-but-growing community of Burmese refugees here in the Tall City. An oppressed people, they have been allowed to emigrate from the refugee camps to the United States, where they are now making new homes and new lives for themselves. They are members of the Chin, one of the largest ethnic minority groups in Burma. And while they are different from the Karen people with whom we worked while in Thailand, they share a common and terrible story with the Karen and other ethnic groups in that troubled nation - they are an oppressed people and an oppressed church (an estimated 80%-90% of the Chin are Christians).

What began with a single man has grown in recent times as he has been joined by more refugees - individuals, couple and small families. As they arrive, they go to work, providing badly-needed personnel for Midland's strained workforce. They rent apartments at a complex close to one another - just as immigrants to America have done for hundreds of years, watching out for one another and aiding one another in their shared goal of establishing themselves in their new home.

And there is so much to do in that process, and our mission team members have stepped forward to help them - providing them opportunities to better know Midland and its people; helping them fill out the many, many forms that are such an important part of American society; helping them acquire the English language; helping them into the workforce; connecting them with opportunities to furnish their apartments and their lives; aiding and providing for their worship; aiding and providing for their education ... the list goes on and on.

And we have been blessed in how others have come forward to help. It didn't take a trip to Thailand for them to realize that we can ALL answer Christ's call to mission (as outlined in the tenth Chapter of the Book of Matthew) in one way or another.

For some of us, it's a new model for mission - one that will continue long after our return home, long after our lives have returned to normal ... whatever that is.

Uganda: Update #7

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Here is a report from Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team.
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Uganda Update 7

Today was our last day on the trail. The sheer magnitude of what we had encountered this week was brought home to us as we arrived at the church. As we stepped out of the vans, a wave of people began pouring out of the church. It seemed unending; so many people and so many babies who needed help. People pressed in on all sides as we walked to the church and met up with our translators and began a very long day.

In the medical outreach today we encountered a 14-month old girl extremely malnourished and close to death. The baby had been abandoned by her mother and brought in by her stepmother. This particular woman had 9 children to take care of, children of her own and of her deceased brother. Because of the home situation and lack of assistance, baby Bessy had little chance. Dr. Patrick and his wife Helen assessed the home situation to see if this baby really could survive. They realized they couldn’t just say “Feed the baby” and it would happen, there were no resources to buy the food and medications for the baby and there was a lot of anger in the marriage. The adults were too focused on themselves and not the baby. Patrick and Helen counseled the family and prayed and witnessed to the family. After almost an entire day of counseling and many, many tears, this couple accepted Christ. The family received the vital medical care they needed. Our prayer is that the family will make a new commitment to care for their family, both spiritually and physically.

We don’t have the numbers from today as yet, but the medical clinic numbers from yesterday were staggering.

Patients seen & meds given 532
Children immunized 124
Children dewormed 539
Women given TT (tetanus) 136
Children given Vit A 604
Mosquito Nets Distributed 400

Jeff Darr continued his reign today as “Mosquito Net Nazi” as we passed out over 400 nets again today. These nets will be such a blessing to the families and almost everyone received one amid the “controlled chaos” of the net distribution area.

The numbers of people that we saw today seemed to be larger but we won’t have the exact numbers from the clinic until tomorrow. It is so encouraging to see how far a dollar will go here. It’s remarkable how much medication we have been able to distribute, especially considering that in the US each one of us had to get a prescription filled for a malaria prevention medicine that costs $120 per person. The cost of that one prescription could treat 50 people at our clinic.

Joey, Vicki, Page and Sam visited two schools today. The first one was Makhai Primary, started in 1936. They had approximately 750 students and they were so well behaved. Many of them (about 200) go without lunch everyday because the parents don’t send it with them. They were the most excited to learn of Jesus and readily accepted Him. The secondary school at Kamchorwa had 1108 students, the largest one we have visited this year. After our singing and testimonies, they asked us to sing – so – “Momma and the Mazungus (white persons) Band” fired up! What was so amazing about the number of kids, plus the setting (being up in the mountains) was the way the children had to “layer” themselves in tiers up the side of the mountain. Four layers of children on a mountainside made them think of a scene from the New Testament when Jesus preached to the multitudes.

It was another special day for the prison mission team. This time the team consisted of Louisa, Ralph and Robert; none of whom had been to a prison. The team picked up Pastor Stephen on their way to Kapchowa. Pastor Stephen has a passion for prison ministry and may be one of the more powerful preachers here. We witnessed to about 40 male prisoners who were seated on the ground in front of us. Louisa felt uncomfortable standing because she didn’t want them to think she was looking down on them. The Warden provided a chair for her so that all the prisoners could see her. Louisa gave a wonderful lesson on the “Lost Sheep”. She has such a loving spirit. Pastor Stephen did a masterful job of reinforcing each of the team’s testimonies and messages. The best part came at the end of our time there. Pastor Stephen asked the prisoners “Who would like to receive Christ into their life?” and nearly every hand went up. What an awesome sight! Instead of having the prisoners come forward for the alter call, Robert, Ralph and Louisa went into the crowd of prisoners, placed their arms around their shoulders, and prayed the prayer of confession. One of the aspects of the prison ministry is to bring gifts of needed items with us. They are so excited as we unload the mats, blankets, plates, soap, and some bags of sugar. They seem to sense that we care for their needs, both spiritual and physical. What an incredible day!

On the trail Lisa Zachry and her translator, Rogers, were sharing with a group of people that consisted of a couple of families. A man came upon the gathering and asked several unusual questions. Eventually, the entire group prayed the prayer of confession, including the man with all of the questions. After Lisa and Rogers returned to the trail, Rogers told her that the man who asked all of the questions had been a witch doctor. What an unexpected opportunity!

Hannah and Susan were on the trail when they encountered a family who wanted to hear the story of Christ. In the family was a blind man. As they began telling the story, the blind man, who was sitting away from the group, came closer to hear. When they were finished sharing, he began excitedly talking about how grateful he was that they were there and how appreciative he was that they had shared. Before they left, Hannah and Susan gave the man a hug and he had the biggest smile on his face. When they began to leave, they heard a noise in the corner. As they continued out to the trail, they saw a pure white lamb sitting in the bush and they knew that God had sent them a sign to show He was present. Susan had asked God for a sign that what she was doing here was truly His will. From now on, in the group, the lamb is referred to as the Lamb of God.

This evening Al Spinks was scheduled to preach. The custom here is that the preacher wears a coat and tie. Al was prepared to preach wearing his tie but didn’t have his coat on yet because it was so hot and he wouldn’t preach until later in the crusade. However, after a long day on the trail his pants had stretched and were quite baggy. He had even folded them down one turn so that they would fit better. He was standing listening to Ben share his testimony when Pastor Dennis came to him. In a most bashful and humble way, he asked, “Please accept my offer.” Al asked him to explain what he meant and Dennis politely stated that he would like to offer Al his belt. Al’s first impulse was to refuse but the offer was so kind and genuine that he accepted. Al tried to explain that he was a large man and the belt may not fit but Dennis led him into the pastor’s home and took off his belt to give him. Al threaded the belt through his belt loops. Unfortunately the belt fell at least 6 inches short of even meeting ends. Poor Pastor Dennis stood there looking at Al in disbelief! Thanking him for the gracious offer Al explained that once he had his coat on everything would be okay… and it was.

The last night of the crusade was very powerful. Elle Spinks, Missy Grimes and Ben Spinks gave their testimonies. Al Spinks gave a message on The Parable of the Sower and you could see that the Ugandans were relating to Al’s love of farming and the land.

The day offered many opportunities to reflect on the devotional led by Pat Hunter this morning on “Humility and Holiness”

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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on your minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Friends in Mission, in Africa

This photo was taken by a member of the 2008 Uganda Mission Team, made up of 32 men, women and children from Midland, Texas. But Midland's Christian outreach to Africa is even greater than we might know.

One reader tells us that First Baptist Church of Midland happens to also have a team over there at this very moment, in the nation of Mali, on the western side of the continent. We have also learned that, earlier this month, another Midland church, Stonegate Fellowship, had a mission team in the nation of Sudan, just north of Uganda in northeast Africa.

We hope to get reports and photos from both those churches, that we can then share with you. In the meantime, please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Uganda: Update #6

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Here is a report from Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team.
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Uganda Update 6

Our fourth day on the trail was a busy one. The majority of the team went to the church site at Nalubembe. The medical clinic started today. Dr. Patrick and his staff, with help from our team, stayed busy all day and continued through the crusade. Other team members walked the trails and again had a fruitful day of spreading the Gospel. Al and Sam visited the prisons and Robert, Karen, Robin and Elizabeth visited schools.

A most pleasant and unusual experience happened today on the trail for Ralph Green. He and his interpreter came across a small village and was informed they had a small ceremonial chair/stool and would like for him to use it to deliver his message. His interpreter later explained that each village had such a chair/stool. Ralph thought it a great treat to get to preach from the village ceremonial chair. He would just get to the end of sharing the gospel when another group of people would approach and want to hear what he was talking about. This kept happening over and over. As Ralph sat atop the ceremonial chair in a village in Africa many people came to the Lord.

Randy Willis met a man named Fredrich on the trail today and led him to the Lord. Fredrick was so excited about his conversion that he led Randy and his translator (Keepha) the rest of the day on the trail. He introduced them to people in his village and sat while listening to Randy tell the story of Jesus. Later he came to the crusade, found Randy and spent the evening worshiping with him. At the end of the day Randy introduced Fredrich to Robert, the new pastor at Nalubembe. They began talking and Fredrich committed to coming to the new church with Pastor Robert.

Lisa Zachry encountered a very well educated, English speaking man on the trail today. After she shared with the family, the man had many questions which Lisa answered. His entire family accepted Christ and he told Lisa he had been “crying out” for a Bible so that he could learn of the Good News. She gave him a Bible and he was so moved and excited that his reply was “I begin a new life today”.

Al and Sam went to a small prison near Mbale. It was the same prison Al visited last year. It was a low security prison and family and children of the prisoners flowed in and out during the day. The prisoners spoke a different dialect than the interpreter so one of the prisoners translated. What a sight – Al preached in “Texan” the interpreter translated into English and the prisoner translated into Lugandan.

Robert and Karen Winkler and Robin and Elizabeth Darr went to the schools in Kapchorwa, which is a beautiful village up in the mountains. As you may recall, the team has been studying Andrew Murray’s book Humility for their devotionals. As Cynthia led our devotion, she drew our attention to the lesson in the book that when humility has become the very spirit of our life, it will manifest itself in all our actions towards others. As the group was riding in the van to Kapchorwa, a Kenyan man, Michael, who was accompanying them, told them that he was new to Uganda—he’d been there 9 months—and that he loved Uganda because the people were so humble. He went on to say that humility wasn’t something that you could just do. It had to come from within, from inside. Michael said the same thing the devotional had said this morning. At the second school, Robin struck up a conversation with the gardener who was “organizing the hedge.” When she told him that we had come from America to tell people in Uganda about Jesus, he replied that they were all believers. He went on to give Robin a lesson on humility, quoting Mark. At that same school, the girl who was asked to lead the prayer began by saying, “let us humble ourselves before God.” Then she proceeded to pray. The team is thankful that God is not only using them, but instructing them, especially in humility, as Murray categorizes humility as the “mark of Christ.”

The school team visited three schools today – one primary school and two secondary schools. The primary school had approximately 500 students, ages 5 to 15 years old and the secondary schools had between 300 – 500 students each. Karen, Robin and Elizabeth gave their testimonies and Robert preached. At the primary school the children, dressed in their red-checked uniforms, sat on the ground and were transfixed by Elizabeth. To evangelize with Elizabeth was a delight. She captured the attention of all the students and they hung on every word, clapping when she stated that she was saved. Robin joined her in teaching a simple lesson on being thankful; using a balloon and a hex nut (Elizabeth learned the lesson in her Sunday School in Midland). Robin also taught the children sign language for “I Love You”. Robert gave his sermon and Pastor Godfrey made the alter call. Many children were saved and we rejoiced with them as they came forward. It was the same reaction at the other two schools, Elizabeth was the highlight, the children laughed at our “Texas” accent, and young adults came forward to answer the call of salvation. As we left the final secondary school, some of the children from the primary school we had visited earlier were there to send us off – signing “I Love You” as we drove away.

Today was the beginning of the medical outreach and it was quite a busy day. Page Price, Susan Strange, Cynthia Howard, Vicki Miller, Debbie Spinks, Hannah Schorr, Kathy Schorr, Link and Missy Grimes and Jeff Darr were the medical team that helped Dr. Patrick’s team. We treated over 675 people starting early and going right through the crusade. Having the new building greatly improved the efficiency of the whole program. The Mosquito nets were the hit of the day. Jeff Darr had to become the “Mosquito Net Nazi” as he had to work crowd control while he was passing them out. It was heartwarming to know that we were treating so many people, but the amount of malnutrition and starvation in this area was heartbreaking. We have never planted a church in an area so impoverished. We dealt with so much sickness and suffering in the clinic, but were assured by Dr. Patrick that most would respond quickly to the medication, as their bodies are not accustomed to it. We thank God for Dr. Patrick and his whole team for their compassion and patience. It was an honor to work along side them. We are thankful to have Missy Grimes, who is a nurse along with us, but we pray for doctors to feel the call to join us in the future.

The crusade got another brief intermission with a nice rain shower again tonight. This area has been dry this year so we rejoice in the rain for them. It doesn’t stop the praise for long (actually the children continue to sing and dance in the rain the whole time!) Hannah Schorr and Vicki Miller gave their testimonies and Jim Alsup gave the sermon. Jim’s message was powerful and rated a lot of spontaneous applause. After Jim was finished we loaded up the vans to head for town while Dr. Patrick’s team was still dispensing the last of the medications to a crowd of grateful Ugandans. We’ve been blessed with another day of feeling humble in the presence of what God is doing here. We are so thankful to be a part of it.

P.S. Please pray for the health of our team members, as a few are feeling a little under the weather.
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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on your minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Burma Cyclone Relief: Update

We received the following from one of our Friends In Mission in Thailand, Partners Relief & Development, regarding relief efforts for those struck by the devastating cyclone in Burma. Please read it, and please give thoughtful, prayerful consideration to helping Steve and the people at Partners.

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Silver Moon is a Living Miracle
311 Out of 400 people From Her Village Died on May 2nd ... She Lived

Silver Moon is a bright-eyed 11-year-old. She is an orphan; one of hundreds of survivors Partners is now embracing to protect, provide, and care for. She is one of nine cyclone survivors my family and I met two weeks ago in Mae La Refugee Camp near the Thai-Burma border. Her four siblings, mother, and father were all swept away by the tidal waves that flattened her village in the delta of Burma. She survived the night of May 2nd after being battered by waves and debris while clinging desperately to a large banana tree. Silver Moon is a living miracle.

Your generous support has helped hundreds of children like Silver Moon. The widows, orphans, and vulnerable people in the delta continue to depend on our efforts and your support for the essentials they need to survive. Please continue to pray, and if you can, give.

Saw Keh Leh is Silver Moon's uncle and the leader of his village. His story best epitomizes what happened to the humble farmers in the delta. Like Saw Keh Leh, many of the survivors are ethnic Karen. In the middle of describing his ordeal he said this with tremendous pain in his voice:

"Then the force of the waves and, after a while, the force of the wind, made the church collapse. The small children that we had wanted to save so desperately all fell into the water and drowned. I was holding my youngest daughter. The water covered my head and I tried to keep my arms in the air, and my daughter above the water. But I could not hold on as the water knocked me off my feet and we were swept away. When I hit a tree, I clung to my daughter and I held on to the tree. God's grace and that tree saved our lives."

"All night I held on to that tree while the water rushed around me. I did not know what was happening to the people I loved. At 3 am the water level and waves started to decrease and soon it was all back in the ocean. What I saw was the destruction of my world. Everything was gone. There were dead people on the ground; however, miraculously, I found my own son still alive. He is only 9, and he survived the night by holding on to a cluster of bamboo. Out of 400 people in my village, there were less than 100 of us still alive. All the others were gone. We were so exhausted after the night of fighting with death that we had no strength left to bury the dead."

To read the rest of his account visit our blog. To learn more about our cyclone relief work in the Burma, please visit our cyclone page.

Partners continues to send supplies and funds into the Delta region of Burma. Thanks to your generosity we have been able to send in substantial resources to support 25-30 national relief teams currently serving in the delta. These teams and the vital provisions they are providing are saving lives. While the regime continues to block access, our guys keep pressing on and finding ways into remote communities of people who would otherwise be left to die.

The reports we are hearing suggest that tens of thousands are now at risk due to a lack of water, sanitation, food, shelter, and medical care. Our work, and the many teams we equip, are out on the front line of this disaster saving lives and demonstrating God's compassion. Thank you for being a crucial part of the lifeline of love and aid to these teams and the desperate people they are reaching. Please pray that shattered lives would be healed, and give so that we can continue to provide food, shelter, and hope to Silver Moon and her people.

Pressing On,
Steve Gumaer, Executive Director
Partners Relief & Development

Uganda: Update #5

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Here is a report from Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team.
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Uganda Update 5

This morning we met together with the team from Oklahoma for our devotional time. It was led by Missy Grimes and was out of the book “Humility” by Andrew Murray. She did a wonderful job and serves as a beautiful example of a servant with a humble heart. I think we forgot to mention that the previous two days the devotions were led by Robin and Jeff Darr. These times of worship and singing praises spent together in the mornings seems to get our hearts prepared for the day ahead. We have used Murray’s book for our devotions in years past but we feel the importance of the subject warrants more study.

It was another blessed day as we continued our work in Uganda. As we have over the past few days, teams were sent to the schools, the prisons and to the church site to walk the trails in Nalubembe. But an additional team had the joy of going to the Lulwanda Children’s Home for a special art activity. The trail we walked today was a short drive from the church and we visited huts scattered among farms. Some of the team from last year recognized the area. It was near the village of Kanyolo, our previous year’s church.

We sent a small team, Kathy, Hannah, Missy, and Audrey, to the Lulwanda Children’s Home to provide an art experience for the children there. It was pure pleasure to teach children who were so focused and so eager to learn. Each of the five classes was framed around the idea that God is THE artist and that He created not only a beautiful world but each of them. He delights in their creativity. We will be bringing home a beautiful sampling of their unique artwork to share with the congregation and the community. An added blessing of the day was witnessing everyday life in this loving orphanage family.

Jim Alsup, Lisa Zachry and Susan Strange visited one primary school and two high schools today. The schools were located in a beautiful mountain setting. Each of the women shared testimonies and Jim preached. The primary school had over 630 students. It was a great day for all.

Steve and Thomas Schorr and Cynthia Howard did prison visits today. Pastor Stephen who is the chaplain of the prison ministry for the Presbytery in Eastern Uganda accompanied them. What a powerful man of God! His love for sharing Christ with those in prison is so evident. He served 17 years as a prison guard before he became a pastor. Steve gave the message and Thomas gave his testimony while Cynthia spoke with the women.

What a wonderful morning Louisa and Page had on the trail today! Their very first encounter of the day was with an older man named Paul. We were excited to learn that Paul spoke very good English and their entire conversation with him was in English. He told them that two nights ago he dreamed that we came to tell him about Jesus. They didn’t think much of it at first, but Paul continued telling them about how people had come last year but he hadn’t accepted Christ. (This area is adjacent to the church area that we planted last year). He said that now he knew for sure that he wanted to trust Christ because God had told him in a dream we would arrive. They then got to share with Paul, and he accepted Christ. If it weren’t for that seed planted in his heart last year by our team, he might not have been ready to hear and receive the message today. As they say here, “God is good---all the time!” We were reminded and encouraged that God is the one doing all the work and we are so blessed to be vessels used by him!

Steve Schorr had the privilege of walking the trails with the pastor of our new church, Robert, as his translator. Pastor Steve and Pastor Robert visited a home and discovered that the District Health Inspector lived there. This was a HUGE contact for Pastor Robert as they begin to set up the medical clinic next to the church. Much to our delight the family is Christian and had been at the crusade the night before. They are very excited about the church and are looking forward to being involved. Once again, God is well out in front of us!

The crusades were as inspirational and lively as always. Louisa Musselman, Maddie Spinks and Joey Willis gave their testimonies and Randy Willis preached his sermon on Moses and the plagues. He told them that the God who took care of Israel during that time is the same God who is with them now in Uganda and He wants to have a personal relationship with them. Very powerful. The children’s chapel was again packed with hundreds of children. They learned about Noah and how he was obedient to God. They actively participated in the “calling of the animals”. With baas, meows, woofs roars, moos and mak mak’s (monkeys), the rafters echoed with the sounds of the ark. It was loud, chaotic and FUN! What a blessing to have all the children to love and cherish.

The medical outreach portion of our trip will begin tomorrow. We want to thank Dr. Greg Bartha for his time and hard work procuring all the medical supplies and medications that will be used at the clinic. We anticipate extremely large crowds, given all the illness we have seen on the trail. Please keep Dr. Patrick and his staff in your prayers as they minister to the physical needs of the people of Nalubembe.

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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Uganda: Update #4

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Here is the fourth report from Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team.
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Second Day in Nalubembe

What a God-filled day we had today! Twenty three of our team members walked the trails behind the church and it was a day marked with stories of salvation, long discussions about Christ and friendships started with the people of Nalubembe. The day was quite warm as we traveled the trails with our translators. The people along the trails were so gracious – many times they would stop the activities of the day, place their simple chairs in the shade for us and quietly sit and listen. Other times, we would simply stop along the road to share the Gospel with those passing by.

Kathy Schorr shared an encounter with a middle-aged man walking on the road. Even his eyes were listening as the story of Jesus was shared. When asked if he had any questions, he replied, “How can I pray to receive Jesus, I am a drunkard?” Kathy was able to tell her own story of her father’s drinking, his faith in Christ, and his healing from the disease of alcoholism. What followed was a “laundry list” of concerns that might keep him from being acceptable to God. “What if I have two wives?” “What if my two brothers and I share a shrine and practice witchcraft?” “Will my family disown me if I make this choice?” Kathy and her translator described to the man how and who Jesus loved when he was here on earth, how he loved prostitutes just as he loved his own disciples, sinners just as he loved the righteous, and that he welcomes us all, just as we are. The man humbly prayed for God’s forgiveness and confessed Jesus as the Lord of his life. He had only spoken Luganda during their visit, but his last words were, “Thank you.” Truly we all have a laundry list which can keep us at a distance from God. This man’s soul-searching honesty was truly a blessing.

Robin, Elizabeth and Jeff Darr, and Lewis, Nelson and Link Grimes visited Mbale Prison. Robin and Elizabeth met with 17 female inmates. They each gave testimonies and Robin taught everything from the hand prayer to dancing and singing. Elizabeth played with the three small children who live with their imprisoned mothers. Lewis, Nelson and Link gave testimonies to more than 500 male inmates and Jeff delivered a powerful message to them about the woman at the well. The prisoners had a wonderful traditional African sting and drum group that played fantastic music praising God. The messages were well received with grand enthusiasm.

Today Jim Longstreet and Dr. Patrick Mutono visited about a dozen water wells, half of which were donated out of love from caring people of Midland, Texas. Jim was amazed to see and discuss how these six artesian wells have transformed the health and lives of thousands of Ugandan people. About 600 to 1000 people use the water from each well. To date, twelve wells have been donated by Midland, making clean water accessible.

We also visited three new fish ponds fed by one artesian well. The fish provide much needed protein for the community as well as a new source of revenue which has truly changed the complexion of the community. People are healthier, stronger and more productive members of their village. We visited Kanginima Hospital which Dr. Patrick serves as the only full time doctor. The capacity is 25 beds and has a patient load of 1000 per month. There is an urgent need for expansion and the hope is that it can even become a teaching hospital. It is obviously a holistic gospel offered by Dr. Patrick and that we seek to offer through the new church plant at Nalubembe with its water well and medical clinic which will be coordinated by Dr. Patrick.

Joey and Randy Willis, Louisa Musselman and Ben Spinks went to the schools today. It was a day full of laughter and jovial worship. The team’s most impactful aspect of the day was the fellowship established with the Ugandan Christian hosts who went to the three schools with them. The team taught students the words and motions to “Pharaoh, Pharaoh” and joined the kids in worshipful dancing. About fifty students professed a new belief in Jesus as a result of the day. The team was sad to witness the sunset (beautiful as it was), symbolizing the end of an amazing day!

The crusade tonight started out sparse but people quickly poured in from the fields as soon as all the music and praise began. The location of the church next to the school has provided us with children coming out the rafters. Tonight we had over 400 children during the children’s chapel. We’ve never had this many children before and we are working at ways to accommodate these numbers. What a great problem to have! Robert Winkler gave the message on “The Body of Christ” and testimonies were given by Karen Winkler, Page Price and Sam Spinks. The response at the alter call was amazing. We are all excited by the numbers of the men present at the crusade. The attendance in general is up from past years but the number of men is encouraging.

Today we all encountered lots of illness with the people we met. This area seems to be more impoverished than most so the poor health is not a surprise. How perfect was God’s plan to have our wonderful new medical clinic in this location where it is so desperately needed.

The weather has been unseasonably hot, taking a physical toll on us all, but tonight we were blessed with a wonderful thunderstorm that cooled things off. All took shelter for about 20 minutes and then the preaching started right back up. It seemed to lift everyone’s spirit—not dampen it. Please pray for strength and rejuvenation, as we have a few that are fighting colds and fatigue. Tomorrow we will send people back to the trails, schools, and prisons but we will also have a team going to the Children’s Home (orphanage). We are confident that God will again bless our day. Blessings to all of you at home.
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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Uganda Photo Gallery

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team is composed of 32 men, women and children, and here are some photos taken on the mission trail in Uganda.

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Audrey and Susan with the Children of Nalubembe Link Grimes and the Altar Call

Lisa Doing Her Testimony at Crusade

Louisa and Page on the Trail

Robert's Sermon
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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Uganda: Update #3

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team is composed of 32 men, women and children, and here is their third report from Uganda.
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First Day on the Trail

Today was our first day on the trail at Nalubembe. It couldn’t have been more exciting and rewarding! The church is in a wonderful location, close to a primary school and a trading center. It’s so wonderful to drive up that first morning and see the new church and pastor’s house. But this day was special!! This year we got to drive up and see a beautiful new building alongside the church which will be used for a medical clinic. It far exceeded our expectations. It will be such a blessing to the whole community and special opportunity for the church to witness. To the generous donor who had such a heart for this mission, we thank you and the people of Nalubembe thank you!

Twenty five of the team members were at the church site walking the trail with their interpreters, going hut to hut sharing the gospel. The people in this area were very receptive to invite us to sit down under a tree and share with them. We canvassed the area till around 2:30 and then broke for a wonderful lunch that our Ugandan friends cooked for us at the church. At 4:30 the music of the crusade was calling all those in the area to come and hear sermons, testimonies and lots of Ugandan spiritual music. Today Link Grimes gave the sermon while Jeff Darr, Nelson Grimes and Lisa Zachry gave their testimonies.

Randy Willis, Joey Willis and Pat Hunter went to a prison today. Joey gave the sermon while Randy and Pat gave testimonies and Pat talked to the women of the prison. Randy brought his djembe drum and played along with the prison band (consisting of 6 or 7 inmates and various instruments). After Joey's sermon, he was able to lead a half dozen inmates in the prayer to receive Christ as their Lord. Jesus was praised and both Ugandans and Americans were closer to Him as a result of the day.

Today Jim Longstreet, Elle, Maddie and Debbie Spinks went to two primer schools and one high school. The three girls gave their testimonies and Jim preached to over 2500 kids throughout the day! It was quite an adventure. Each school treated us with great fanfare and ceremony. Several hundred children made decisions for Christ. All four of them were required to sing accapella. One headmaster gave them a 45 minute lecture on world affairs. Debbie was requested to adlib her testimony. She said she thanked God that He provided the words. Jim had to present his sermon with the distraction of a disturbed man wandering through the room! He managed just fine. Elle and Maddie were quite a hit with all the school children. Through the entire day we could feel God’s presence--it was a glorious day.

Robin Darr went with Fred, her interpreter, on the trail. She came across a man, Ismael, who had several questions. His first question was, “I am a witch doctor. If I confess Jesus, what am I going to do (to make a living)? She answered that if he were in her country she might have some suggestions, but she wasn’t familiar enough with Uganda to make those suggestions. She also told him she felt sure that Jesus would provide a way for him to make a living. Then he had another question: “My father and grandfather are Muslim, and I’m afraid that if I confess Jesus they will make me leave.” (Families in Uganda generally live together, with several huts on the same plot of ground.) Once again she told him she believed that Jesus would take care of him. However earlier that morning an interpreter—Bashil—had gotten into the van she was riding in. Bashil shared with us that he had been a Muslim before becoming a Christian. So she told Ismael to come to the crusade and meet with Bashil that he might could better answer his questions. Ismael did come and Bashil did answer some questions and Jeff shared with him the way to become a believer. In the end we decided that they would meet again Wednesday morning and go to his father’s house and try to share Christ with his father, Solomon. Please pray Solomon will have an open heart.

Kathy Schorr had a moving experience the first day in Nalubembe. After she and her interpreter shared with a group and had returned to the trail, a 15-year-old girl named Janet who had accepted Christ came running after them. She was sure that she was having episodes where she was attacked by demons. As she described the episodes, Kathy and her interpreter Michael realized the girl was describing epileptic seizures. She tearfully told them that she had recently fallen into a fire during one of her spells, and showed them the scars on her cheeks and forehead which she said made people not want to look at her. Kathy and Michael prayed for the girl’s healing right then. “It was one of the those times in prayer where I knew I was only delivering what God had to say to her,” Kathy said. Janet attended the crusade that afternoon and will be receiving medical attention at the clinic on Thursday. Thanks be to God, our divine healer.

Vicki Miller and her interpreter took a break under a tree on the trail when a woman approached them and asked Vicki to share with her what she had been telling other people on the trail. After Vicki shared with her about Christ she asked if she was ready to accept Him and the woman replied, “I am more than ready.”

Tonight when we returned to our hotel home for dinner we had several remarks from team members of events of the day. Lisa Zachry commented that it was one of the most incredible days of her life and that it was like walking through the New Testament. That about sums it up for all of us. It’s been a wonderful day, but the team members are extremely tired. Please pray for good rest and renewed strength as we start fresh again tomorrow. Thanks be to God for allowing us this opportunity!

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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Uganda: Update #2

A team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team is composed of 32 men, women and children, and here is their second report from Uganda.
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Amazing First Sunday in Uganda

Before we even begin this e-mail we struggle how to put into words this incredible day. The mission team was divided into eight teams of three or four people per team. They were sent out to churches that had been established in the past few years, four of which were planted by previous First Pres. teams. Each team came back with stories of how they visibly saw the work of the Holy Spirit. All the teams reported that the churches seem to be doing well and the congregations were extremely welcoming.

The Holy Spirit filled the rafters with rejoicing and praise and it was all that we could do to contain ourselves. Why do we, as Americans, worry about containing ourselves when we are surrounded by people who have completely surrendered themselves to the Spirit? There is so much we can learn about worship from our Ugandan brothers and sisters. There is nothing in this world that compares to experiencing the power of Ugandan prayer. Everyone praying uninhibitedly out loud to our Lord, the sound echoing off the rafters and filling every inch of the church. It is the sound of heaven - prayers being lifted up to our Almighty God, prayers that dance around the angels as they sing praises and thanksgiving. It is an experience that can only be understood by being here. And now the new members of our team know why Uganda has become such a part of the rest of us.

Susan Strange, Elizabeth Darr, Louisa Musselman, Randy Willis, Lisa Zachary, Hannah and Thomas Schorr, Maddie, Ellie, Ben and Sam Spinks, Missy and Audrey Grimes, Karen Winkler and Page Price led the Children’s Sunday school at the churches. Stories abounded about the openness and willingness of the children to participate in all the activities planned. Bible stories of the parables, teaching the Hand Prayer, singing songs and puppet plays highlighted the morning.

The Women’s Sunday school classes, most times held under the trees, were amazing and inspiring as well. Robin Darr, Cynthia Howard, Pat Hunter, Vickie Miller, Kathy Schorr and Debbie Spinks enjoyed the interaction with these women of faith as they studied prayer, being joyful, training up children and how to be a Godly woman.

Men’s classes were led by Ralph Green, Link Grimes with help from his sons Nelson and Lewis, Jim Alsup, Joey Willis, Jim Longstreet, Steve Schorr, Al Spinks, and Robert Winkler. They had many exchanges with the men and were so impressed by their knowledge and insight of the scriptures.

Sermons were given by Jeff Darr, Link Grimes, Jim Alsup, Randy Willis, Jim Longstreet, Steve Schorr, Al Spinks and Robert Winkler. Listening to the sermons in both English and Ugandan brought the Gospel to a whole new light.

Highlights of the day:

* Definitely – the veterans watching the “Newbies” experience their first Ugandan worship service!
* Comments from Newbies:
• Overwhelming
• Surreal
• Moved by the realness of their faith and their passion
• Indescribable
• If I had to leave Uganda tonight, the whole trip was worth this day
* Handing out the stuffed bears that Chrissy Mee and the children made to share with the Ugandan children.
* The churches expressing such gratitude for the spiritual and financial support of our church
* Singing out of a Ugandan Hymnal with Ugandan lyrics and feeling the presence of God overcoming all barriers
* The remarkable sounds of the choirs, the prayers and the praises being lifted up simultaneously

Today was about worshipping with established churches and believers. Tomorrow begins the mission work where we will reach out to the un-churched and begin building a congregation for the new church at Nalumbembe. Please continue praying for good health, safety and boldness as we hit the trails in the morning.

P.S. We are experiencing internet difficulties and updates may be delayed. You may receive two updates at a time if we can’t get through daily. We will also try and send pictures in separate e-mail.
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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Uganda: Update #1

After a long journey, a team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - have arrived in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team is composed of 32 men, women and children, and here is their first report from Uganda.

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Greetings from Mbale!

After many miles of traveling by van the team arrived at our "home away from home" - Mt. Elgon Hotel. We met up with the team from Oklahoma (combined FPC Oklahoma City and FPC Edmond) and renewed old friendships and made new ones.

We unpacked the many suitcases we brought and had our first devotional under the open air cabana with a wonderful, refreshing rain coming down. Each day we will be doing a devotional based on the book "Humility" by Andrew Murray. After dinner everyone went to the rooms to prepare for Sunday services that eight different teams will conduct at 8 of the churches that have been planted in previous years. Each team will be responsible for the sermon, men's Sunday school, women's Sunday school and children's Sunday school lessons and present individual testimonies to the congregations.

We are very anxious to visit the churches we've planted in recent years to see how they have flourished. Please keep the team in your prayers as they step out into new adventures with Christ. Hopefully we will have pictures to send tomorrow.

The team would like to say "Thank You" to our many supporters who have allowed us the opportunity to share the Gospel. We feel both blessed and excited.

More to come . . . Webale (Good Bye)

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Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

Uganda: Goodbye, Godspeed

Today is THE DAY when a team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children - depart West Texas for Christian mission in Uganda. Through a wide-ranging ministry, this annual effort has impacted the lives and spirits of so many people in so many ways.

Midland's 2008 Uganda Mission Team - 32 men, women and children, some of whom are making return visits to Uganda to continue the mission and the ministry they began in past years - depart today for the eastern African nation, where they will link up with other Christian missioners from other parts of America.

Please, keep them all in your hearts and on you minds, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Want to know more about Uganda? You can visit the Uganda entry in 'The World Factbook' maintained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. You can also visit the official Uganda tourism website maintained by the Uganda Tourist Board. And Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, has a webpage devoted to Mbale Presbyterian Church of Uganda.

West Texas Seeds Sprout in Thailand

Seeds gathered in Midland were planted early this year in the northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai. We have now learned that those seeds have taken root, sprouted and begun bearing fruit.

Those seeds come from a special initiative in 2007 called "Midland 35" where 35 Midland churches were asked to make a one-time donation of towards opening a Drop-In Center in the Thai city of Chiang Mai where at-risk and sexually-enslaved children, youth, and women can find the hope and help they need to escape or avoid such exploitation. $35,000 is a large contribution for any single church, it was acknowledged, but $1,000 was within easier reach. It was hoped that that by coming together in unity the “Church of Midland” could make a one-time contribution that promises a significant on-going and eternal impact.













The doors of the Chiang Mai drop-in center are now open, following a lot of the official efforts that usually accompany the assessment and acquisition of property, and the reworking of that property for its new use. Our mission team visited the site in February, discussing the final stages of the process with the Garden of Hope leadership, and praying for them, for the property, and for the success of their ministry. In the weeks following our visit, the property was secured and the process of decorating and outfitting the building for its new use began. Many of the children who will will be served by the center have been a part of these efforts.















Among those hard at work directing these efforts is Faa Sumitra Choemue, a Hill Tribe woman of Thailand and a member of the GOH staff. Many in the Tall City will remember Faa, her enthusiasm and her spirit, from a visit she made to Midland late last year. She is one of our favorite people, and a blessing to all who have come to know her.

"We are constantly learning more about the kids and the families we serve," it has been reported. "We are appreciative of all you have done to make it happen."

The center's outreach continues to grow ... we have learned that this coming Sunday they will begin "Children's Church" services at the Center from nine in the morning until twelve noon. "Please pray," we have been asked, "that the kids' hearts and lives would be touched."

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Over the course of two weeks we spent in Thailand, earlier this year, our Mission Team learned a great deal about faith-based ministries among victims of human trafficking, displaced persons, and those fleeing persecution in Myanmar (Burma). We were also committed to aiding and supporting existing ministries among those people; and sharing the Gospel and encouraging leaders who are ministering there.

One of those ministries is

Garden of Hope. Established in 2005, Garden of Hope reaches out to women, children, and youth involved in, at risk of, or affected by prostitution, sexual exploitation and/or trafficking by developing Christ-centered relationships and offering alternative livelihoods and resources for personal development so they may experience a life of restoration, dignity, and hope that will lead to the transformation of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand for God’s glory.

On the international level, Garden of Hope equips national leaders with training, logistical, and financial support to address human-trafficking in their communities. The Garden of Hope International team conducts outreach in border areas and works to secure safe living situations for each individual.

At the local level, participants in Garden of Hope programs are taught marketable skills such as baking, cooking, sewing, customer service, English and computer training, as well as provided opportunities for income generation through small business opportunities.

How do these participants come to Garden of Hope? Volunteers builds relationships with women in the bars of Chiang Mai, who are involved in prostitution or are at-risk of entering prostitution. It is hoped that, through these contacts, the women might choose new options in life. Volunteers also conduct outreach to children who spend time in the bar areas selling flowers or trinkets to provide income for their families. These children are vulnerable to trafficking, prostitution, and child pedophilia.

For more information about Garden of hope, you can visit their website, or e-mail them at info@justfoodinc.org