After months odf preparation, a team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - are at work in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. The 2010 Uganda Mission Team from First Presbyterian Church of Midland will be sending back regular reports from Uganda, along with photos.Update #6
It is hard to believe the team left Midland one week ago. So many wonderful moments have been experienced over the last week and they have been blessed over and over again by the people they have encountered along the way. Karen Winkler led the devotional time this morning. We studied the second half of chapter 8 entitled "Compassion" and it was a fitting topic for the day. With the beginning of the medical clinic today, the team would be surrounded by people of Kanyumu, some of whom would need special care. A quote from Henri Nouwen's book, "Here and Now" helped up face the day. "Compassion means to become close to the one who suffers. But we can come close to another person only when we are wiling to become vulnerable ... We can be with the other only when the other ceases to be "other" and becomes like us."
The medical mission started out this morning seemingly in mass confusion but we quickly realized that the Ugandans had a method to their madness. We had hundreds going through the makeshift clinic to receive medical attention. The inside of the church was transformed into 4 doctor stations, one wound care station, an inoculation station (for AIDS testing and malaria testing), the pharmacy and a mosquito net station. So add in a few hundred people and it gets awfully warm in those close quarters. The doctors and nurses that we worked with were wonderful and very compassionate. We think we have a few ways to streamline the congestion tomorrow. The day was full of blessings but one of the more gratifying things was to get to give away over 800 mosquito nets. Our church raised the funds for 3000 nets to be distributed while we are here!! Thank you all so much-it's one of the things that make so much difference over here. They really do save lives.
Throughout the week, the team has encountered elderly or sick people who would have difficulty traveling to the church. We were grateful to learn that Dr. Patrick Mutano had an extra wheelchair left from a large wheelchair distribution through Free Wheelchair Missions. We drove to the church in Kanyumu with the wheelchair strapped to the top of one of the vans, wondering who would need it most. At one point Cynthia and Kathy were called from the Medical Clinic to meet a woman with abnormalities in her legs - she could not move from the ground without being lifted. There was no doubt that God intended the wheelchair for her! Overwhelmed and grateful, her three sons lifted her into the wheelchair that would allow her to be mobile and independent for the first time. Praise God for his perfect plans!
While at the crusade this afternoon, a young girl approached Hannah and said her name was Miriam. She was 17 years old. But the first thing Miriam said to Hannah was, "Will you be my friend?" Hannah replied with, "of course I will be your friend!" From that moment on, Miriam never left Hannah's side. The two began to talk and Hannah soon discovered that Miriam was the daughter of a polygamist. Her mother was the first wife of her father, but her father had left her and her family for another wife. Miriam told Hannah about how difficult it was to grow up without a father and knowing the reason he had left their family. Yet she also explained that the reason she had accepted Christ is because through him she knew she could have a heavenly Father, even if she couldn't have an earthly father. Miriam's faith in Christ was inspiring. Hannah was blessed abundantly by their new friendship.
Karen and Garrett Lang and Walter visited three schools today. Two of the schools were primary schools and the third was a secondary school. The children were very attentive and many trusted Christ for the first time. The rain came right as the service started at the secondary school, so the event was moved inside. Despite cramming almost 500 people into a room at the school, the students were very excited to have music and preaching at their school. Everyone was very appreciative of the team's visit.
Today Allison Ellis, Jim Alsup and Robert Rendall traveled to the prisons. As Robert put it, Allison will most likely win the award for "The Most Interesting Summer Vacation." After a morning spent reading and writing in her journal, Jim, Robert and Allison loaded up the van and headed South of Mbale. When they arrived at the prisons, Allison realized that she had drunk one too many cups of coffee that morning, and the only facilities available were those at the prison. That, she said, was an experience in itself. Speaking to the prisoners was surprisingly unintimidating. There were 10 to 15 men sitting in front of them and they were all very attentive, responsive, and respectful. They appeared to be thankful for their presence, and gracious for the encouraging Word of God that they brought before them. Jim and Robert both came prepared with amazing words of faith, and it was rewarding and affirming to see the Lord work through them. Allison felt so blessed to have been able to live out this opportunity. It was both refreshing and empowering to be able to speak to the men that we spoke to today. This experience was one more instance that confirms my faith in Christ and His power to forgive all of mankind.
At the crusade, Ben Spinks, Jeff and Elizabeth Darr shared their testimonies and Steve Schorr preached a powerful sermon to our largest crowd yet. Many people came forward to accept Christ, including one young man who had caused problems on the trail for Karen Williams the day before. It was encouraging to see how God pursued this young man long after the seed was planted by Karen. God's timing is always perfect. It was a very good day. Praise the Lord!
Please keep the team in your prayers as we finish our week on the trail, going to schools and prisons. Pray that we are able to help as many people as possible at the medical clinic and let the clinic be a blessing to the people of the area. We have a few people on the team who are not feeling quite "up to par". Please pray for health and renewal.
Blessings to everyone,
The Ugandan Team
It is hard to believe the team left Midland one week ago. So many wonderful moments have been experienced over the last week and they have been blessed over and over again by the people they have encountered along the way. Karen Winkler led the devotional time this morning. We studied the second half of chapter 8 entitled "Compassion" and it was a fitting topic for the day. With the beginning of the medical clinic today, the team would be surrounded by people of Kanyumu, some of whom would need special care. A quote from Henri Nouwen's book, "Here and Now" helped up face the day. "Compassion means to become close to the one who suffers. But we can come close to another person only when we are wiling to become vulnerable ... We can be with the other only when the other ceases to be "other" and becomes like us."
The medical mission started out this morning seemingly in mass confusion but we quickly realized that the Ugandans had a method to their madness. We had hundreds going through the makeshift clinic to receive medical attention. The inside of the church was transformed into 4 doctor stations, one wound care station, an inoculation station (for AIDS testing and malaria testing), the pharmacy and a mosquito net station. So add in a few hundred people and it gets awfully warm in those close quarters. The doctors and nurses that we worked with were wonderful and very compassionate. We think we have a few ways to streamline the congestion tomorrow. The day was full of blessings but one of the more gratifying things was to get to give away over 800 mosquito nets. Our church raised the funds for 3000 nets to be distributed while we are here!! Thank you all so much-it's one of the things that make so much difference over here. They really do save lives.
Throughout the week, the team has encountered elderly or sick people who would have difficulty traveling to the church. We were grateful to learn that Dr. Patrick Mutano had an extra wheelchair left from a large wheelchair distribution through Free Wheelchair Missions. We drove to the church in Kanyumu with the wheelchair strapped to the top of one of the vans, wondering who would need it most. At one point Cynthia and Kathy were called from the Medical Clinic to meet a woman with abnormalities in her legs - she could not move from the ground without being lifted. There was no doubt that God intended the wheelchair for her! Overwhelmed and grateful, her three sons lifted her into the wheelchair that would allow her to be mobile and independent for the first time. Praise God for his perfect plans!
While at the crusade this afternoon, a young girl approached Hannah and said her name was Miriam. She was 17 years old. But the first thing Miriam said to Hannah was, "Will you be my friend?" Hannah replied with, "of course I will be your friend!" From that moment on, Miriam never left Hannah's side. The two began to talk and Hannah soon discovered that Miriam was the daughter of a polygamist. Her mother was the first wife of her father, but her father had left her and her family for another wife. Miriam told Hannah about how difficult it was to grow up without a father and knowing the reason he had left their family. Yet she also explained that the reason she had accepted Christ is because through him she knew she could have a heavenly Father, even if she couldn't have an earthly father. Miriam's faith in Christ was inspiring. Hannah was blessed abundantly by their new friendship.
Karen and Garrett Lang and Walter visited three schools today. Two of the schools were primary schools and the third was a secondary school. The children were very attentive and many trusted Christ for the first time. The rain came right as the service started at the secondary school, so the event was moved inside. Despite cramming almost 500 people into a room at the school, the students were very excited to have music and preaching at their school. Everyone was very appreciative of the team's visit.
Today Allison Ellis, Jim Alsup and Robert Rendall traveled to the prisons. As Robert put it, Allison will most likely win the award for "The Most Interesting Summer Vacation." After a morning spent reading and writing in her journal, Jim, Robert and Allison loaded up the van and headed South of Mbale. When they arrived at the prisons, Allison realized that she had drunk one too many cups of coffee that morning, and the only facilities available were those at the prison. That, she said, was an experience in itself. Speaking to the prisoners was surprisingly unintimidating. There were 10 to 15 men sitting in front of them and they were all very attentive, responsive, and respectful. They appeared to be thankful for their presence, and gracious for the encouraging Word of God that they brought before them. Jim and Robert both came prepared with amazing words of faith, and it was rewarding and affirming to see the Lord work through them. Allison felt so blessed to have been able to live out this opportunity. It was both refreshing and empowering to be able to speak to the men that we spoke to today. This experience was one more instance that confirms my faith in Christ and His power to forgive all of mankind.
At the crusade, Ben Spinks, Jeff and Elizabeth Darr shared their testimonies and Steve Schorr preached a powerful sermon to our largest crowd yet. Many people came forward to accept Christ, including one young man who had caused problems on the trail for Karen Williams the day before. It was encouraging to see how God pursued this young man long after the seed was planted by Karen. God's timing is always perfect. It was a very good day. Praise the Lord!
Please keep the team in your prayers as we finish our week on the trail, going to schools and prisons. Pray that we are able to help as many people as possible at the medical clinic and let the clinic be a blessing to the people of the area. We have a few people on the team who are not feeling quite "up to par". Please pray for health and renewal.
Blessings to everyone,
The Ugandan Team
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