In Gulu and resting...

Tonight I sit in my hotel room after a 3rd grueling day of travel. After arriving in Entebbe Wednesday Night we slept and then began the long trek to Gulu. My body and my spirit are tired from being cramped and folded in airplane seats for 2 days and then a full day bus ride over rough roads. Getting to Uganda and then to Gulu is just hard. No easy way to do it. Times like this can make you think, “ Is this worth it? Are we as a team, and as individuals, making enough of a difference to warrant this much time and comfort?” Sometimes I wonder...

But then we arrive at the hotel in Gulu and the local pastors whom we have worked with the last 7 years are there to greet us with smiles, laughter, hugs and excitement. We ask how families and children are. We inquire about work and ministry, as well as, any other item of interest development over the years. And of course the answer is, “Yes this is worth it!” This is like coming to a family reunion. I get to encourage, and be encouraged, by men and women who I care deeply about and care about me. They want to know how Kysia and Jonah are doing; they loving seeing updated pictures. They laugh, hug, and welcome Kariel to Uganda with genuine joy. They thank us for coming back again to serve and share in ministry with them.  The tired bones and aching muscles disappear as we enjoy a sort of cold Krest or Stoney and re-connect.

So much has happened over the years here in Uganda. And we as a team and a church have engaged in a piece of the bigger story God is writing for the people he loves. It is worth it.

Tomorrow the team heads to visit the World Vision Children of War Rehabilitation Center. This is holy ground. The center is how I first heard of the war in the north. It was what God used to move my heart out of its comfort zone and ask what could I do. There may be former child soldiers and sex slaves there to meet with us. We are not sure. It will be powerful either way for the team to see and hear the stories for the staff and/or children. It will be a tough day when first timers hear for the first time. But it will be a good day.

We then will spend the day with Pastor Soloman at the Layibi UMC church where we will be ministering to children and visiting some income projects our church has helped support.  We will worship, pray and bless the church. This trip is about slowing down, listening, learning and sharing. Soloman is a great man of faith and family, I love spending time with him and his wide smile.

Everyone is safe and sound in the hotel. We have eaten and divided the bags for ministry. We are about to go to sleep. Thank you for your prayers and support. We feel the hand of God over us. The team is getting along great. Friendships and community are being developed and encouraged. Everyone is ready to be used tomorrow to be a blessing.

I will post an update when we return tomorrow. Your family member or friend is an inspiration to me. Many do them shared today they had been wanting to come on this trip or get to Uganda for many years and it never worked out till this year. God has a great plan for the team He put together.

The trip was pretty uneventful (great thing!) but we did see the Karuma Falls and some wild baboons. One of them screamed at us and almost jumped in the bus! Dangerous animals!

Peace my friends. Talk to you tomorrow. Prayer is needed for a tough but incredible start to the day,

Blessings,
Chris

Morning after arrival

This morning we woke to the sound of a gentle rain and rolling thunder. At first I thought I was back home except for the mosquito net hanging above me. Kariel (my daughter) and I had trouble sleeping last night. Maybe from exhaustion or maybe from excitement. Probably both.

Last night at the airport, it was a delight see my brother Edward waiting for us, his wife Julie, along with Sam Mdune and Rev David. Dear friends and family, it was like leaving home to arrive home. The team's excitement was evident. Everyone is ready to jump in and experience the culture while loving people with the love of Christ.

I am blessed this morning. I am among friends and family. as well; ready to embark on a journey my with daughter. I have been blessed to serve here with my son and wife.  Each time is special. This year will be no different.  My girl is ready to go!

Today’s plan:  We will eat breakfast, spend time in scripture and then set out for the 8 hour country side tour to Gulu in the North. It will be another long day, but the view will be much more beautiful. We as a team will get to know each other a little more. We will form new friendships. We will encourage each other. We will learn people's stories and their faith journey. We met the remaining members of our team yesterday... Ashley met us in Amsterdam, then Julia and Naomi  met us in Entebbe. The team is complete.

Here we go. Use us, God, as your hands and feet to share the good news of your love and salvation.

Peace my friends.
Chris

We have ARRIVED!

 

Everyone is well and excited to be here.  We are off to sleep and rest for the journey to Gulu tomorrow.  Thanks for all the prayers!

Chris

I was a little off on when they would be there.  Sorry about that, folks.  They will be traveling by bus 8 hours to Gulu tomorrow.  It's a long trip, but exciting to see Uganda on the way.  Please pray for travel safeties.  - Kysia

Hello Amsterdam!

Received from Chris this morning at 2:56 a.m.:

The team has arrived in Amsterdam after a lovely 8 hour flight from Atlanta.  Everyone is in great spirits while a little ragged and jet lagged.  The excitement is taking over though!

The team is gelling really well.  We are all taking time to visit and get to know each other.  Everyone is encouraging and engaging.  I see great things happening in Uganda.  God put the exact team in place just for this trip to do the works He created in advance for us to do.

We do miss Randi and her smile and her spirit.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Well the plane is about to board for Uganda.  Will talk to you in a few hours.  Thank you all for your prayers.

God Bless,

Chris

In Flight...

God is good.  The team met a few complications this morning.  It started about an hour before arriving at the airport, when one of our team members had to back out due to a stomach bug.  Please, keep Randi in your prayers.  Then we arrived to have another team member a little under the weather, but still traveling and problems with one of the airline tickets names not matching to a Passport.  Some of us were a little frazzled, but then something amazing happened.  This trip we are joining a YWAM group out of Tennessee.  I'll call them the professional missionaries.  They were calm, collected, seemingly relaxed.  They had been meeting once a week praying for this trip and the members of our team as a group.  It was like God covered me with a comfortable grace blanket at   that moment.  All is well, for "it is well with my soul".  The team boarded for Atlanta, arrived safely and are now in route for Amsterdam.  They will arrive at their final destination of Entebbe, Uganda at the Ugandan time of 10:25p.m. tomorrow night.  Our time: 2:25 p.m. on Wednesday.

Please pray for them to have a safe and restful journey, along with an easy transition into Uganda through customs.  Please also keep sweet Katherine in your prayers, that her health will continue to strengthen as she travels.  Thanks for joining us on the Blog this year!

Kysia

Strong and Courageous

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.”  - Joshua 1:6

The Uganda Mission Project is celebrating its eighth summer mission trip this year.  As we try to focus on ways to minister in Uganda, at Central UMC we are celebrating another new mission project ministering to the needs of our little city.  Although that hasn’t consumed all of our attention, other areas in our lives certainly have.  From work career load increases to American life speeding up, many distractions have been constantly battled.  We also have members of our team who have been sick in the last week, an element we’ve been blessed to avoid so many times in the past.

How many times though, have distractions been the enemy’s tool to keeping God’s people from the blessings that await?  The Israelites roaming, roaming, and roaming are a prime example.  Missing a generation of their blessing because they were too distracted by their current circumstances to answer a call and follow God.  In Joshua 1:6 God tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.”  Finally, they would receive their promised land.  Now, we as a team are faced with the same opportunity.  We may not be blessed with a geographical land of sorts, but with a territory to share God’s promises of His Holy kingdom. 

We ask that readers of this blog would cover our team in prayer.  We pray for the path to be clear in front of us, for wisdom in the decisions that we are making, for discernment in dealing with local customs, for boldness to proclaim God’s word, for strength to be the hands and feet of Christ, for a protective covering as we travel, for healthy bodies in which to serve, and for hearts to pour out God’s love abundantly.  The journey begins Tuesday June 3^rd.  We walk in courage and in strength from Christ, our Lord.

No Sleep till Uganda 2014!

The time has come for another trip to Uganda to serve and share the gospel! This year we have a team of 19 that will be flying out on June 3rd and we arrive back home on June 16th. We will again be spending time with our brothers and sisters in the Gulu and Jinja areas. Stay tuned for more updates and for hopefully daily updates during our time in country. Thank you all for your support and prayers! The time is almost upon us! Talk to you soon.
Chris