We arrived in Uganda safely around 8pm (Uganda time is 7 hrs ahead of EST). All group members & carry on luggage are here, but NONE of the 20 checked bags of supplies are here. We are praying that they make it here in the next few days. We are leaving the airport soon to ride the 50 mins to the house where we are staying. A shower & clean pair of clothes are on the top of everyone's list! Stay tuned for a longer post later detailing our travel stories!
Lori Robertson
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Shedding
Well, they're off. This morning, about 9:30am, the team and families gathered in the church parking lot to pack up the vehicles and begin the journey. Most of the packing of suitcases had been done, all preparations made, and the excitement had already built to a new level.
God saw fit to bless us with a slow but very steady rain - it was refreshing. All assigned vehicles had each nook and cranny stuffed with some suitcase, duffel bag or carryon... One last huddle, by the church door (sheltered from the rain) for prayer. David led us, calling on God to 'show His mercy'. THAT's what this trip is about - knowing and showing the mercy of God.
One by one, team members ran out to vehicles, trying to not get wet. My father in law handed me a handful of pink yarn - something they use to tie on suitcases / duffel bags to better distinguish them. He said that he was told to give this to me. When he asked what it was, my reply was... "shedding". This is something you do when you have physically, mentally and spiritually prepared all you can - you simply shed. Whatever is not needed for the task - whether it be yarn, families, friends, homes, jobs. We can count on Him to supply whatever is needed for this journey, because He has proven Himself faithful to us in the past.
So, in honor of this journey (now in progress), let's all shed. Whatever is 'extra', whatever is not needed for the tasks WE are called to carry out. Gear up and GO!
Shedding - Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Chuck Ledford
Friday, May 21, 2010
12 Short Hours
In just 12 short hours we'll be meeting as 11 individuals bound for a life-changing journey to Uganda. We're a diverse team, ranging in age from 17 to 60. (I'm guessing since it's probably rude to ask!) We are composed of 3 men and 8 women, but more importantly consist of 2 nurses, a preschool teacher, a talented musician, two high school students, an avid runner/exercise enthusiast, a mother of 4, a community college teacher, an agricultural guru, and last but not least, our fearless, pink-haired leader, Sarah. It's not hard to see that we all have various backgrounds, talents, interests, and testimonies, but we have the common bond of Christianity and a desire to follow God's will.
However multifaceted we may individually be, in the past few months of training, we've gradually come together as a cohesive group with one common and distinct purpose - to travel to Uganda to minister to and to be ministered by the people of Bweya Village.
As we spend the eve of our journey cherishing precious time with our families who will be left behind, packing last minute supplies, checking final things off our 'to-do' lists, and nervously anticipating what this trip has in store for us, I encountered a verse via Facebook today that I was unfamiliar with but that fits where we are about to be in just 12 short hours.
2 Chronicles 20:20-21 states - "Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.' After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: 'Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever.'" (NIV)
In these verses, Jehoshaphat exhorted his troops to firm faith in God. Firm faith equals a firm life. Faith inspires people with true courage; nor will anything help more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times, than a firm belief in the power, mercy, and promise of God.
As we set out on our own "Desert of Tekoa" tomorrow morning, may we all remain faithful in the promises of the Lord and know that because of our faith, our trip will be successful. May we prepare our hearts and minds for what we will encounter and may we constantly give thanks to the Lord, even when we are feeling anxious, nervous, wired, and excited -- all at the same time!
We ask that you please keep our team in your prayers as we make this 7000+ mile trek that we all undoubtedly have been led by the Lord to take. Pray for our work in Uganda to bring glory to God and to be pleasing to Him. Pray that we constantly follow His lead and that we are surrounded with His protection from the enemy. Pray for our families at home as they go about life without us for the next 10 days. Pray for the people we will encounter and the locals who will be working along side us.
Stay tuned...the REAL fun begins in just 12 short hours!
However multifaceted we may individually be, in the past few months of training, we've gradually come together as a cohesive group with one common and distinct purpose - to travel to Uganda to minister to and to be ministered by the people of Bweya Village.
As we spend the eve of our journey cherishing precious time with our families who will be left behind, packing last minute supplies, checking final things off our 'to-do' lists, and nervously anticipating what this trip has in store for us, I encountered a verse via Facebook today that I was unfamiliar with but that fits where we are about to be in just 12 short hours.
2 Chronicles 20:20-21 states - "Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.' After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: 'Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever.'" (NIV)
In these verses, Jehoshaphat exhorted his troops to firm faith in God. Firm faith equals a firm life. Faith inspires people with true courage; nor will anything help more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times, than a firm belief in the power, mercy, and promise of God.
As we set out on our own "Desert of Tekoa" tomorrow morning, may we all remain faithful in the promises of the Lord and know that because of our faith, our trip will be successful. May we prepare our hearts and minds for what we will encounter and may we constantly give thanks to the Lord, even when we are feeling anxious, nervous, wired, and excited -- all at the same time!
We ask that you please keep our team in your prayers as we make this 7000+ mile trek that we all undoubtedly have been led by the Lord to take. Pray for our work in Uganda to bring glory to God and to be pleasing to Him. Pray that we constantly follow His lead and that we are surrounded with His protection from the enemy. Pray for our families at home as they go about life without us for the next 10 days. Pray for the people we will encounter and the locals who will be working along side us.
Stay tuned...the REAL fun begins in just 12 short hours!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
"Captivated" part II
As if seeing God move in regards to the church plant in Bweya Village wasn’t enough, God decided to jack up the “shock factor”!---(which shouldn’t shock us at all) In addition to His movement as it concerns the church for Bweya Village, simultaneously He is working to provide a “safe haven” for some of the children to be rescued from the local orphanage.
One of our indigenous partners contacted me proposing he and his wife move forward to establish a children’s home in Bweya! This couple shared with me a year ago that their passion and desire to serve the Lord is through establishing and running a children’s home. Following our initial involvement in Bweya, this family has committed every weekend to go and provide direct care for these mistreated children at the local orphanage. It appears the government has gotten involved in the local orphanage and it’s going to be closing in a few months. God’s timing is always just right on time! I often feel it’s late or He’s “coming in on 2 wheels” (at the last minute)… but His timing is always perfect.
So, it looks like God’s been doing a little OT (overtime) in Bweya and the ministry of ekissa… my cup spills forth!
I was trying to explain my emotions to a friend today. I have all the faith in the world that God can do anything… anything He wants and chooses to do! I see Him moving about and doing the most amazing things in and through the life of so many. However, while I expect Him to work and move in the lives of others, I’m regularly caught off guard when He wants to move and include me in what He’s doing.
I told my friend the only word I can think of to describe my feelings is “captivated”. I am “captivated” by what He’s doing, all He’s doing and captivated at His love for me. I don’t know why He’s chosen to give me this “birds-eye view” but I’m so humbled He has. It’s not anything I deserve and certainly nothing I’ve earned, but I accept it with a humongous sense of gratitude. IF God showed partiality among His children and had a “favorite”… well, I’m feeling like I’m it right now! ---again, not that I deserve it…I suppose it’s that concept of in being a “child of the King”, I’m feeling “chosen”.
I’m cuddled up in His blanket of love. This world can be a rather cold place but when wrapped in His blanket, it’s as if nothing can penetrate the threads of love and acceptance. This is where I am right now… how great it would be to stay like that…never moving from this place! ---soooo… healthy or not… I’m considering myself “His favorite!”
How about you? Are you feeling “chosen”? Are you feeling that “blanket of love” on a chilly evening? Are you feeling like His favorite?
Not that one ever needs a blanket in Uganda, but, it’s those threads of love and acceptance I pray every child in Bweya Village will eventually feel. This will only come through knowing and experiencing the life changing love of a Father… Jesus.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19
One of our indigenous partners contacted me proposing he and his wife move forward to establish a children’s home in Bweya! This couple shared with me a year ago that their passion and desire to serve the Lord is through establishing and running a children’s home. Following our initial involvement in Bweya, this family has committed every weekend to go and provide direct care for these mistreated children at the local orphanage. It appears the government has gotten involved in the local orphanage and it’s going to be closing in a few months. God’s timing is always just right on time! I often feel it’s late or He’s “coming in on 2 wheels” (at the last minute)… but His timing is always perfect.
So, it looks like God’s been doing a little OT (overtime) in Bweya and the ministry of ekissa… my cup spills forth!
I was trying to explain my emotions to a friend today. I have all the faith in the world that God can do anything… anything He wants and chooses to do! I see Him moving about and doing the most amazing things in and through the life of so many. However, while I expect Him to work and move in the lives of others, I’m regularly caught off guard when He wants to move and include me in what He’s doing.
I told my friend the only word I can think of to describe my feelings is “captivated”. I am “captivated” by what He’s doing, all He’s doing and captivated at His love for me. I don’t know why He’s chosen to give me this “birds-eye view” but I’m so humbled He has. It’s not anything I deserve and certainly nothing I’ve earned, but I accept it with a humongous sense of gratitude. IF God showed partiality among His children and had a “favorite”… well, I’m feeling like I’m it right now! ---again, not that I deserve it…I suppose it’s that concept of in being a “child of the King”, I’m feeling “chosen”.
I’m cuddled up in His blanket of love. This world can be a rather cold place but when wrapped in His blanket, it’s as if nothing can penetrate the threads of love and acceptance. This is where I am right now… how great it would be to stay like that…never moving from this place! ---soooo… healthy or not… I’m considering myself “His favorite!”
How about you? Are you feeling “chosen”? Are you feeling that “blanket of love” on a chilly evening? Are you feeling like His favorite?
Not that one ever needs a blanket in Uganda, but, it’s those threads of love and acceptance I pray every child in Bweya Village will eventually feel. This will only come through knowing and experiencing the life changing love of a Father… Jesus.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19
"Captivated" part I
You know…we are one strange creation created by Christ Jesus! I often have to sit back and laugh at myself.
ekissa (our nonprofit- www.ekissa.com )has been looking for land as we’ve partnered with Gaba Community Church in Kampala Uganda, to plant a church in Bweya Village; a village just outside of Uganda. Bweya is void of any church and lacks many basic necessities for a “community” to function productively. (Keeping in mind that “productivity” is subjective.) It needs clean water sources, a medical clinic and an orphanage/ children’s home where children can thrive, frolic like children should, and grow in Christ.
I was reminded this afternoon of my first introduction to Bweya village. It was May 26, 2009… less than one year ago. Upon arriving in that village and entering an existing orphanage, my life has been forever changed…changed in such a way I dare not to return. The affects of my seeing and experiencing have had a deep branding in my soul. The lack of care and concern for humanity in a local orphanage was about more than my heart could take.
My first trip to Uganda was called a “Vision” trip… and indeed it did just that… it gave me “vision”…a vision to see the unthinkable really does exist and some children live it every day. Children live through the aches of going days without anything to eat. Children living with the chills from fevers, the sting of skinned knees and the absence of a mother’s warm embrace when the boogie man comes out at night. Young girls endure exploitation and the unthinkable when the sun goes down. At night when they should be having “sweet dreams”, nightmares are all they know. Dancing sugarplums are not in sight; they simply hang on in fright.
I wondered why God had taken a “stay-at-home” mom all the way to East Africa, exposed her to such atrocities, simply to return home with passion as her only resource.
I began to pray… pray for God to move… move in a way like I had never experienced; move in such a way that no one could deny it was God.
I wanted to see him do the impossible, in what seemed to be an impossible situation. My desire was to somehow see the local orphanage closed, the children placed in a loving environment… to see Christ raise up a church in order that the people of this village could know of a hope in their desperate situations.
Well, 11 months later He is doing all of these things. When I think over the last year, I am in awe and humbled at all Christ has done. He has heard the cries of these young children.
Land is in the process of being purchased for a church plant, “Bweya Community Church”. The asking price of this land is $25,000, and within a matter of 3 days, almost $11,000 has been raised. God is calling the North American church to step up and provide the financial resources for a physical church in Bweya! What a beautiful picture. Just as I began to feel weak in my belief (not doubting God’s sovereignty but doubting the response of His people), God “busted a move” to remind me that HE is GOD… and I am not! His people have responded! God is faithful….but stayed tuned… He’s not finished yet!
“The one who calls you is faithful…1 Thessalonians 5:24
ekissa (our nonprofit- www.ekissa.com )has been looking for land as we’ve partnered with Gaba Community Church in Kampala Uganda, to plant a church in Bweya Village; a village just outside of Uganda. Bweya is void of any church and lacks many basic necessities for a “community” to function productively. (Keeping in mind that “productivity” is subjective.) It needs clean water sources, a medical clinic and an orphanage/ children’s home where children can thrive, frolic like children should, and grow in Christ.
I was reminded this afternoon of my first introduction to Bweya village. It was May 26, 2009… less than one year ago. Upon arriving in that village and entering an existing orphanage, my life has been forever changed…changed in such a way I dare not to return. The affects of my seeing and experiencing have had a deep branding in my soul. The lack of care and concern for humanity in a local orphanage was about more than my heart could take.
My first trip to Uganda was called a “Vision” trip… and indeed it did just that… it gave me “vision”…a vision to see the unthinkable really does exist and some children live it every day. Children live through the aches of going days without anything to eat. Children living with the chills from fevers, the sting of skinned knees and the absence of a mother’s warm embrace when the boogie man comes out at night. Young girls endure exploitation and the unthinkable when the sun goes down. At night when they should be having “sweet dreams”, nightmares are all they know. Dancing sugarplums are not in sight; they simply hang on in fright.
I wondered why God had taken a “stay-at-home” mom all the way to East Africa, exposed her to such atrocities, simply to return home with passion as her only resource.
I began to pray… pray for God to move… move in a way like I had never experienced; move in such a way that no one could deny it was God.
I wanted to see him do the impossible, in what seemed to be an impossible situation. My desire was to somehow see the local orphanage closed, the children placed in a loving environment… to see Christ raise up a church in order that the people of this village could know of a hope in their desperate situations.
Well, 11 months later He is doing all of these things. When I think over the last year, I am in awe and humbled at all Christ has done. He has heard the cries of these young children.
Land is in the process of being purchased for a church plant, “Bweya Community Church”. The asking price of this land is $25,000, and within a matter of 3 days, almost $11,000 has been raised. God is calling the North American church to step up and provide the financial resources for a physical church in Bweya! What a beautiful picture. Just as I began to feel weak in my belief (not doubting God’s sovereignty but doubting the response of His people), God “busted a move” to remind me that HE is GOD… and I am not! His people have responded! God is faithful….but stayed tuned… He’s not finished yet!
“The one who calls you is faithful…1 Thessalonians 5:24
"Free-flowing?
I read something the other day which I’ve been marinating in…so much that it woke me up in the middle of the night. It’s the idea that we as Christians “imprison” Christ within us…the notion that the Lord is so confined with in us that nothing flows out of us.
It’s been interesting to experience the worship of my Christian brothers and sisters in Uganda. They are so free with their worship as well as their everyday Christian walk/ life. When I return home to North America, it’s such a “let down” to be with the average Christian.
Christ lives on through His followers…and while I know Christ is certainly alive here in the states, we DO imprison Him a great deal! When I was confronted with this concept, my head immediately fell in shame! How often we squelch the Spirit of the living God. How can we say we are His agents if we don't allow Him to freely flow through us?
"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing." John 6:63
Oh God…may we all submit to you as a broken alabaster jar, such that your spirit flows like a river through us. May others smell the pure fragrance of your love. May we know you experimentally and may our brokenness be a picture of beauty.
Are you living the full life He has called you to? Or…is He your rainy day fund? How are you imprisoning Christ? Is He "free flowing" in your life?
....Release Him…release the Spirit!
originally posted on 04/05/2010
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