Echo Back: from Valene and Dustin

The following post is contributed by Valene and Dustin who shared with their church some of the experiences from the Kumi mission trip.

Every day was an amazing experience in Uganda. We were in awe not only of how we saw God working in the lives of the Ugandan people and the members of YCVM, but also of how God took what little we thought we could offer and used us for great things. God had revealed his glory and his work to us so clearly that, by the middle of the trip, we were starting each day in expectation of God to do something wonderful, amazing, and miraculous that day.

One of these experiences happened early on our trip. We were discussing the schedule with the YCVM team and found out that they would like one of our team members to share a message for Sunday worship. Though before the trip, we were given the advice to be flexible, we didn’t expect to be asked to preach a sermon for two worship services. At first, two of the older team members decided to share the task and share a testimony or share an encouraging word. One of the YCVM team members revealed to us that the theme of the recent messages at church has been about “grace” and “salvation”. Once Dustin heard this, he sighed and said to himself, “Oh, gosh.” You see, first of all, when it was requested for someone to speak at church, Dustin felt that they weren’t asking for a testimony or sharing, but felt that they were expecting a bible teaching type message. Because he had already prepared a devotional for the team that was about “grace” and “salvation”, he knew that God wanted him to speak, and all he needed to do was tweak his devotional into a message.

Dustin was very anxious about speaking in front of so many people, but felt that God’s clear call was enough to make him take a step out of his comfort zone. Valene sensed Dustin’s nervousness and became his personal prayer warrior up until Sunday morning. When Dustin spoke during the worship service, God filled him with His words and His message, and he felt at ease. Six women got saved and gave their lives to the Lord that Sunday morning. The next Sunday, Dustin preached the same message in a local prison. About forty prisoners accepted Christ that day. We were completely humbled and in awe at how God used Dustin to preach His gospel and save lives. How awesome is our God!

Another special experience happened on our two year anniversary, which we celebrated in Uganda on July 14th. On this particular day, we had two things to do. First, in the morning, we went to the site of the YCVM’s future boarding school and helped work on the construction of the school building. Second, in the afternoon, we went to an all girls high school to do worship and to share the love of God in our lives.

Before going to the school, our team decided to have someone share his/her testimony to these high school girls. Valene felt God tugging on her heart that this would be the day that she should share. She personally does not like to talk in front of groups of people, especially a whole high school of people. However, Valene knew that God would be doing amazing things that day and knew that she needed to allow Him to use her in the process. During the one-hour ride there, Valene began to get very nervous, so much to the point that she had trouble breathing and felt like she had a stomach ache. Valene really had to call out to God to be her comfort and peace.

When we arrived at the school, Valene quickly learned that there were about 400 high school girls waiting for us. Although she was still nervous, she no longer felt sick. She allowed herself to dance and sing during the Praise & Worship time and felt truly filled with the Holy Spirit. There’s nothing like dancing and singing at the top of your lungs for God! Once the music stopped, Valene was introduced and invited to share. She truly felt at peace and surrounded by the love of all those around her as she talked. Valene knew that worshiping together had brought such a sense of community into the place. She was able to share about her insecurities as a female, and how God continues to remind her that she is His daughter and His wonderful creation. That afternoon, through God’s amazing power, we had the privilege of seeing over 150 girls give their lives to Christ. We felt God’s presence in that place in such a powerful way.

Our time in Uganda was filled with so many emotions and moments: magical, transforming, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Above all, it was truly God centered and God powered from day one.

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Echo Back Sunday: by Becky

On September 20th, the Kumi Mission Team shared with the CCUMC congregation their experiences during/on the trip to Kumi, Uganda. The following is an excerpt from Becky:

First, thank you, CCUMC, for commissioning me, as one of the eight, to travel to Kumi on this mission trip. As someone who has done a fair amount of traveling, I have to say it turned out to be one of the most rewarding travel experiences I've ever had. I thank God for giving me the opportunity, and for being with me every step of the way. And since we have such a short time to share this morning, I had to think, what was it that made THIS trip so outstanding for me ….. and I have to say that it was being able to meet and work with the YCVM team in person.

I wish I could somehow transport you all to Kumi to meet the 4 very extraordinary people that became our friends, and treated us like family all the days we stayed there, not to mention their hours of prayer and preparation both before and after our trip, because a trip like this doesn't just happen. I truly felt the Holy Spirit working through all of us, and particularly through these 4 individuals.

So, meet Patrick, the ever-smiling Patrick, who is the most amazing worship and praise leader you can imagine. When he does the “Biggy God-O” song, you are jumping for joy and YOU KNOW that our God is SO BIG and SO LOVING and SO MIGHTY! But little did we know that just days before our arrival, Patrick was very sick, so sick that he couldn't move, couldn't get out of bed----and he is the athlete of the group, on the national volleyball team, so for him to be struck down takes a lot of sickness.

But he never mentioned it, and pitched right in with everything, from loading boxes, cases of heavy water, buying fresh chickens at the roadside, arranging for a place to sleep while we were in the comfortable hotel in Kampala. Patrick, who at that point didn't know how he was going to pay for his next semester at the university, because the summer job he had hoped for fell through. But he trusted in God, and came to give up 2 weeks of his time to devote to us and the mission trip. Miraculously, God answered his prayers for tuition fees.

Then there's Emma, short for Emmanuel, with the most gentle, unassuming Godly Spirit to offer us his support. The only one married in the group, his little son Jabez, only 1-yr-old, was going through a bout of malaria, and you can imagine how worrisome that must be for a child so young. Emma would be riding on the bus with his wife and sick baby to the hospital at the next larger town: Mbale, a 50-minute ride, there, and 50 minutes back, to get treatment for Jabez, and then Emma would appear at our sides, ready to join in on the work, probably having had little sleep the night before. Emma is an accountant, but he would come in the mornings to the building site and help us with the construction, then change clothing and go off to report to work at 1:00 in the afternoon. Then he'd be with us again in the evening for debriefing, planning, and sharing. It is this kind of sacrifice and devotion that deeply touched my heart.

Grace, the high school English teacher, and the one who was planning our mission every step of the way had arranged with her supervisor to take off two weeks of full-time work to be with us....as a teacher, I know how hard that is, to interrupt your classwork for 2 full weeks! It was Grace, who we later learned, was fasting and praying for us for the entire two weeks, skipping some meals to be communing with God on how to proceed-----remember, this was the first time for the YCVM to host a team from the US, and it certainly presented challenges to see that everyone was healthy and comfortable while doing the ministry work. Grace was like a guardian angel to all of us, attending to every detail!

Last, but not least, is Silver. Without Silver, there would be no YCVM. Silver, at different points in his life, reminded me of Joseph, Moses, and Isaiah. Silver, who seemed most shy to even talk about himself, finally shared some of his story with us. He told about how he was transformed from being a BAD BOY, a bully, into the visionary whose goal is to help the widows and orphans, all because of having invited Jesus into his life.

Each of these young adults lived through the times they call “The Insurgencies”, when Uganda was under ruthless dictators, and wars and lawlessness prevailed throughout the land. They were each uprooted from their homes as young children, and experienced harrowing dangers. It was difficult for them to talk about it with us, so painful were some of the memories, but we pressed them to tell their stories, so that we could know them more intimately.

There was a time when Silver, about 7 years old, was left home by himself in a rural village when bombing began. Not knowing what to do, he jumped in some swampy waters and hid himself while chaos reigned around him. We can only imagine his fright. Who knows how long he stayed there---perhaps for hours. When it seemed quiet enough to emerge from the waters, he saw only death and destruction around him. Deeply affected by the carnage, he soothed himself by playing his instrument and singing softly....from this experience, he composed the song “Child of Africa” a song of peace and hope.

Silver composes the songs and builds the humble instruments that the Band uses to spread the Gospel. Silver literally dreamed of the visions of helping the poor villagers to know God, and experience the joy of the Lord. Silver welcomes the orphans to stay with him when they are not in school----at age 34, he is like their dad. He farms the land to feed them, and by God's grace, is only now able to finish his certificate in Social Work.

My life has been forever changed: now I am called “Momma Becky” by Patrick, Emma, Grace, and Silver. I am honored to be a part of their work, half a world away, but spiritually, they'll always have a place right here in my heart.

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Blog post from Aeri: Report Back

Hi all!

It’s me, Aeri, reporting back from Uganda. I remained in Kampala atRTC to do my usual teaching stint until August 16th. I kept in touch with our YCVM leaders through phone calls. Silver came to Kampala towards the end of my stay, so that he can give me the latest updates on all the YCVM ministries.




Since the return of the mighty 8 minus one, the builders of YCVM kept up the good work of building the school all the way up to the window level, as you can see in the photos.





The other important piece of business was the purchase of the YCVM pick-up truck. The team had seen it already hard at work, transporting all the building materials to and from the work site, and doubling as the van (open topped!) for the YCVM band members to their many ministry sites. As soon as the Kumi team returned, they sent money so that the truck can be paid off.

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Kumi Mission Team De-brief Session

Aug. 5, 2009

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. Phillipians 4:8-9

For Reflection:

What have you learned from the mission trip? What have you received from God through it? What insights have you gained about yourself? About missions?

What have you seen God do in the lives of the people to whom you ministered?

Have you noticed any important changes in who you are since the mission trip? (Physical, social,, emotional, political, spiritual, financial)

What do you intend to do with what you have learned, i.e., your goals?

What obstacles might keep you from achieving your goals (fears, uncertainties, lack of strategy)?

Your plan for achieving your goals and for overcoming any obstacles you have identified.


We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 1:2-3

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Reflection Upon Return from the Kumi Mission Trip

By Becky

This was my first international mission trip, and I returned truly amazed by what God could do with a small group of people, who may have thought they had very little to offer, yet God accomplished far more than any of us had imagined possible. I saw God's people in Africa offered the message of salvation and HOPE for their futures, as presented by the drama, the preaching, and testimonies. And I was humbled by the response, the hunger for the goodness of God to work in their lives, when I knew that the Ugandans had so few material goods, and had suffered so greatly due to no fault of their own. I was touched by their genuine warmth and openness, shown by the hospitality we received everywhere we went, from Miroi Village, to the Displaced Persons Camp, to the Soroti Prison.

While the construction of the school was interesting, and the VBS skits were fun, the relationships we had working with the people and with the YCVM team in particular is what was most outstanding to me about the entire trip. Silver, Grace, Emmanuel and Patrick are no longer names on paper and faces in a photo; they are unique individuals with amazing stories of faith, courage, and determination that will bring you to tears. They devoted their time to our team 24/7 to see that we were happy, comfortable, healthy, prayed for, and working alongside them as God's servants. As David Ofumbi wrote to me, “Now you have a family in Africa”, and he is right.

My first weeks back, I was constantly running the praise song “Biggy God-O” through my mind. I found myself thinking of the YCVM and praying for them and the people often. I was more mindful of my own wastefulness and am determined to be a better steward of God's precious resources. I would sometimes find myself close to tears thinking of the hardships the people endured, while I have had life so easy. And while I have always enjoyed travel as a hobby, I now know that travel with a mission purpose is the most rewarding travel experience one can have. My goals are to support the orphans financially and to help the Mission Team continue to work together and bring the stories we now have to new people and places, in order to fundraise for the completion of the Kumi School. And above all, I hope to encourage more people to engage in mission work, whether here or abroad, but especially in a very special place called Kumi.

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EchoBack Sunday

Plans have tentatively been set for September 20th as our EchoBack Sunday. It is one of many opportunities for the Kumi Mission Team to bring to our communities the richness of their testimonies, stories, pictures, videos, prayers, songs, etc. In short, we get the "live" version from the Great Eight themselves -- what they ate, where they slept, who they met, what songs they sang, and maybe, just maybe, we could get the live version of "Biggy Biggy God O"!

Stay tuned for more information...

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Jetlagged

The Great Eight (minus one) are back in CA, and we're pleased, thankful, happy, excited that they are all in one healthy piece/peace. Many are still jetlagged; some are napping for a few hours during the day, while others are using toothpicks to keep their eyelids propped open during the day. Valene has recommended NOT napping until about 9pm or 10pm so that you can try and get back into a regular sleeping pattern. Becky has been singing "Biggy Biggy God O" and everyone's wondering how Aeri is doing in Uganda.

A few of the team members were taken to lunch this past Sunday, and plans are being hatched for an official Welcome Back "Tell Us All You've Seen, Heard, and Felt" Event. Please stay tuned for more... as we bring "it" back to the communities we serve!

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Day 16: Blog Post by Valene

Day 16 - Wednesday, 22 July 2009 (posted by Valene)

As I am writing this, we are currently waiting in Nairobi, Kenya, for our next flight to London. We spent the morning today shopping at a craft village to buy some souvenirs. It was a shopping spree as we only had about an hour and a half to shop. Donna and Pete bought a bag made out of bottle caps from one of our favorite sodas here – Stoneys. Other items bought included some woven bags, small instruments, wooden salad spoons, and children’s clothing.



After shopping we quickly went back to our hotel to pack our things to go. Before leaving the hotel Silver, Emma, and Patrick sang us a goodbye song. “Won’t you pray for us, as we pray for you. One love will bind us round the corner.” Most of us were in tears by the end of the song, even the YCVM guys singing. Silver had actually written that song the day before for us.



Then we went to eat lunch before going to the airport. We went to an Italian restaurant near the hotel and had 6 different types of pizzas. It was the first time for the YCVM team to eat pizza. During lunch we also got to hear Silver share part of his story, of how he grew up, the challenges he faced, and how God clearly spoke to him to lead his life and protect him.

Finally, we were off to the airport. We were very sad to have to say good-bye to our new and dear friends, Emma, Silver, Patrick, and Grace. Also, we were sad to say goodbye to our trusty leader Aeri as she will be staying for 3 more weeks in Uganda to teach music at RTC. However, I know that for Dustin and I this won’t be our last time seeing our YCVM friends – we are sure of it. But, we are looking forward to coming home and seeing all of our friends and family. We are also looking forward for the ways God has moved us to grow in our efforts to help YCVM from the States.



Thank you, all, for following our blog, sending us messages, and most importantly, for praying for us. We have really appreciated all the efforts of the home team – from the t-shirts, and daily letters of encouragement, to daily prayers.

Eyalama Noy. (Thank you very much!)


Prayer Requests:
-Please pray for our continued safe journey home.
-Pray for the YCVM team and Aeri as they travel back to Kumi.
-Prayer for the future work of YCVM, both in Uganda and our work here in the States. -Pray that we will each follow God’s callings on where to go from here for the growth of YCVM.

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Day 15: Blog Post by Dustin

Day 15 - Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 (posted by Dustin)

Today, we left Kumi and started our journey back home. We first drove to Jinja where we were able to see the “Source of the Nile”, the point where the Nile River meets Lake Victoria (the second largest freshwater lake in the world next to Lake Superior). We were able to take a short boat ride on the Nile which was refreshing. We also had a delicious lunch of fried tilapia (probably fresh from the Nile) and chips.





After Jinja, we made our way to Kampala. We ended up staying at the same hotel we had stayed at our first night in Kampala, the City Royal hotel. For dinner, Aeri suggested going to a Chinese restaurant she had been to many times before. This was a treat for the YCVM team for all of them, except Silver, had never had Chinese food before. Before they food came, we had fun teaching the YCVM team members how to do chopsticks. They were surprisingly quick learners and were able to pick up single peanuts. We had hot & sour soup, cream corn chicken soup, fried rice, cashew chicken, beef with black bean sauce, duck, lamb, tofu with mixed vegetables, bok choy, and gai lan (Chinese broccoli). The YCVM team really liked the lamb and the gai lan. For dessert, we had a couple plates of fresh pineapple, watermelon, and something that was carved into a nice pagoda. Dustin, Emma, and Patrick had fun taking bites out of the pagoda and trying to figure out what “fruit” it was. We eventually found out that it wasn’t a fruit and that it was just a large carrot.









Tomorrow, we’ll be completing our journey back home. We’ll probably be on our way once you receive this blog, so please pray for us!

Answers to Day 14 Questions:
1. Which person from YCVM used two walking sticks? Silver!
2. Who wore flip flops on the climb? Grace! She is one tough cookie.
3. What was the gift we all received from YCVM? A wooden map of Uganda with the districts that we had visited.
4. Who was the one that was left speechless last night? Patrick!

Prayer needs:
1. That Silver’s father will truly commit his life to the Lord to be transformed.
2. YCVM single members find a life partner that will support their ministry.
3. Prayer for our safe return back home.

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Day 14: Blog Post by Donna and Pete

Day 14 - Monday, 20 July 2009 (Posted by Donna and Pete)

Praise the Lord! Can you believe it’s been 14 days we have been in Uganda? We have had 14 amazing days and we cannot believe it’s coming to an end. Not having any ministry duties today felt a little different. We even got to sleep in an hour later, though I don’t know how many people did since we were on such an early schedule almost every day. We started with our breakfast of little squares of bread, diced watermelon and papaya and a hard boiled egg. Burt was disappointed this morning because the coffee was finished. After breakfast Silver and Grace led our morning devotion. We sang a couple of songs and Grace read Psalms 136. After reading a verse we all responded with “His love endures forever.” Some of us shared how we saw God at work during our time here.

On to the bus we go for our day at Sipi Falls. Patrick told us we would be going at 9 dot, but he didn’t get here till 9:20. On our way we stopped at the construction site for the last time. We took photos, looked at the progress that was made since the last time we were there, but the most special thing was that Aeri got to lay her cornerstone brick to the applause of everyone. We said our good-byes again and got on the bus.



Richard from the North East Villa Resort joined us today. It was almost a two hour bumpy ride to Sipi Falls, but the scenery is almost too hard to describe. Fields of corn, millet, cassava and other vegetables passed by our windows. Grass huts and mud houses dotted the country side. Children at school in their uniforms of different colors according to the school they attend. We passed by two open markets that are only open on Mondays. One in Kumi and the other in the next town. Both were very large, selling everything and anything you need. There were a lot of cattle for sale. So we are riding along and the road is going up and we can see the beautiful mountains up ahead. We stopped on the side of the road to look down into the valley of everything green except for a few huts. We continued on our way up, up, up the mountain till we came to a sign that said, Sipi Falls Crow’s Nest. We turned onto the road and ended up at a little clearing that had a great view of the valley below.




We got our restroom break and then we each got a bamboo walking stick. A walking stick? We thought we were going to go look at the falls – not hike to them. The hike to the falls was 2 kilometers which took us an hour to reach. We had slippery gravel trails, steep rocky steps and narrow walkways. For some it was a piece of cake and for me it was very difficult. But when we got to the falls it was definitely worth the hike. The top of the falls to the bottom was 100 meters. The mist from the falls was a pleasant break from the heat. Our guide told us that people come to the falls to do rapelling and to do rock climbing. After much photo taking, water drinking and snacking back up the trail we go. I found the climb back up harder especially since there were women with a huge bundle of bean plants for harvesting on their back walking up the trail barefoot passing me by. Can I do it, I’m sweating. Can I do it, my heart is pounding. Can I do it, they are telling me we are almost there. I DID IT! So did everybody else in front of me. We went up to the veranda of the little café there, relaxed and ate our lunch.





After a much needed rest it was time to leave. On the way down to the main road we gave a couple from Holland a lift. They were headed to Mbale, but there wasn’t a taxi around so we gave them a ride to Mbale so that were able to catch a taxi to the place they would be staying at. After a nice nap in the bus we arrived at “home.” Dinner at 7:30 turned into a buffet dinner at 9:00. Before dinner we started a conversation with the YVCM team and continued through dinner and after. We learned the beginnings of the team and where the team is going. At the end we presented the team with gifts of YCVM t-shirts, food/snack items and other donated items. Uncle Emma ended with a powerful prayer that left us all spiritually and emotionally spent.




Questions for Day 14
1. Which person from YCVM used two walking sticks?
2. Who wore flip flops on the climb?
3. What was the gift we all received from YCVM?
4. Who was the one that was left speechless last night?

Answers for Day 13 Questions
1. Burt was called “Bolt” and Donna was called “Diana.”
2. Mugole means either the bride or the groom.
3. We didn’t have utensils, we ate with our thumb and two fingers.
4. Grace Among still volunteers with the Ugandan Red Cross Society.


Prayer needs:
1. That Silver’s father will truly commit his life to the Lord to be transformed.
2. YCVM single members find a life partner that will support their ministry.

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Day 13: Blog Post by Burt

Day 13 - Sunday, 19 July 2009 (Posted by Burt)

Here we are again, and beginning our day with 6:30 AM devotions, we prepared for our last day of ministry. Before long, we are on the road to present worship at Soroti Prison, located about 60 kilometers north of Kumi. It was here that we found a very receptive audience from within the 397 inmate population. Approximately 30-35 inmates are female and are housed in a separate wing of the prison. They responded enthusiastically by their singing and dancing to the YCVM praise base. They also listened eagerly to Aeri’s testimony of how she related of her imprisonment brought on by her struggles to forgive a significant adult in the last of her teen years and fasted for three days as a means to discern God’s plans for her life. Ask her to share her testimony with you some day.

Today’s worship presentation was another example of the power of God’s love and grace. When Bro Dustin ended his preaching, he did an altar call, and about 30-35 individuals stepped forward, including a female guard. His scripture text was Luke 18:18-26, The Rich Ruler. All of us enjoyed hearing him “preaching with the power of God”. After three hours of worship, we headed back to town to the Land Mark Hotel for lunch. Again, the food was quite tasty and well prepared, as it was previously from our Katakwi trip to learn about Internally Displaced Persons.

A definite highlight of today’s activities was a special team meeting at 5 PM, at which time each of us was given a brand new African garb. A couple of our women received a two piece outfit “dressed to the nines”, while the men received a pull over shirt with printed animals and flora indigenous to African culture and art.





And, the special meeting turned out be a time we celebrate two wedding anniversaries, Peter and Donna [13 yrs] and Dustin and Valene, both within this week or last.



The celebrations were fashioned after an authentic wedding celebration, just as if the families had invited slews of villagers from near and far to participate in it. You’ll have to wait for Benjamin’s recorded video to see the styles and vibrant colors, or when we give our first collective mission report.

And, finally, our evening was not complete until we were surprised to hear the cell phone ringing in my pant pocket. It was our terrific CCUMC family preparing for their 11 AM worship service. It was good to hear from our folks back home, especially their laughing and giggling. We praise and thank our Great God for the connections we have with our world-wide hook ups as we profess along with John Wesley, founder of Methodism, that the world is our parish.

We’ll take tomorrow as a day of rest, and travel 2 – 2 ½ hours to Cipi Waterfalls in Kapcworwa. Stay tuned and we’ll send along some of our excursion experience.
Thanks be to God!

Peace,
-Burt

Answers for Day 12:

1. “Stoney” is a soft drink that has a ginger flavor.
2. We discovered some locusts.
3. A hand-painted CCUMC t-shirt.

Questions for Day 13:
1. Who were called “Bolt” and “Diana” during introductions at the prison?
2. What does “mugole” mean?
3. What utensils did we eat with at the anniversary celebration dinner?
4. Which one of the YCVM host members has volunteered with the Ugandan Red Cross?

Prayer needs:
1. Pastor Emma’s 11-month-old son Jabez is again fighting malaria, and had to be taken to be seen by a specialist.
2. That Silver’s father will truly commit his life to the Lord to be transformed.

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From the Home Front: "Hope for Healing"

Dearest Kumi Team members -

It has been wonderful to see your daily updates. It almost feels like we are there with you. It sounds like you've had the wonderful opportunity to see more than just the orphange and VBS.

Our new pastor Emily took ill last week and was not able to join us on Sunday. Instead we had Rev. Dr. Sharon Thornton from the Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts as our guest speaker. She was quite surprised and impressed when we broadcasted the phone call during worship service to all of you! Her message was entitled Hope for Healing, and she shared about the need that all of us have for healing and the healing that God offers to each one of us. As I read about your visits to the prison, the refugee camp, and the children, I was reminded how much we all need God. I was particularly moved by the altar calls and those to whom you are ministering who responded to the call. What a joy it must have been to encourage and be a part of this special moment when a person lets God into her/his life.

We look forward to hearing many more of your stories and pray for your safe return.

God Bless,
Derek

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Day 12: Blog Post by Becky

Day 12 - Saturday, July 18th, 2009 (Posted by Becky)

Today we awoke to find the power out (again), which meant no water for some of us, since the pumps are electrically generated. I think we are getting used to finding our way around in the semi-dark, and it’s not so bad, as long as you are not in the shower. Breakfast consisted of fried chapati bread (a flatbread) with honey, and instant coffee, hot water, cocoa, or hot milk (sorry, but tea has been “over” for two days).

We’re happy that Aeri is feeling better and is able to join us today on all our activities. She led morning devotion on our theme verses: Philippians 2:1-11. We sing, share, and then read the daily letter from the Home Team---it’s from Ulander, and it’s a part of the day we all look forward to ☺.

We decided to split up the team for part of the day, so Peter and Burt are taken to the construction site for a last chance to work there. We’re pleased to see that the brick wall has gotten higher! There are more piles of sand, and the crew is already mixing mortar, and re-positioning forms to pour the stabilizing layer. The two guys are eager to pitch in. The remaining magnificent 6 now head to Ngora to see the house for the orphans which was built two years ago and to put on a VBS program.
When we arrive, we meet more of the orphans we have been supporting: Sheila is a smiling, sweet child of 10 who looks about 7. Helen and Stella are sisters. They have just washed the morning dishes, and are drawing water from the well, which YCVM had dug: one well is for the orphan’s house, and another well for the community. We also meet Martha, who is quite tall for her age.



We are excited to see the house! It is quite large and attractively laid out, with a spacious living room, 5 bedrooms, a kitchen with a storage pantry, and space for an indoor bathroom for guests to use. The steel with wood-beam roof is high, and exposed for now, as is the rough concrete floor. These finishing jobs, along with windows, doors, and electrical wiring and plumbing are all awaiting more funding.



So the girls invite us to step into the round hut which they share with Silver when they are not away at school. The 12-foot diameter space is crowded, with a bed partitioned by curtains for Silver, and mattress and mats on the floor for the kids. He says sometimes as many as 10 people share the space! There’s a mosquito net, a clock, and a poster on the wall for decoration.



Outside, Silver has planted an abundance of cassava next to the orange grove, which unfortunately is down to about a dozen very small trees, due to the drought. On the grounds is also a guava tree, a lime tree, and a small jackfruit tree. The land is surrounded by farms planted with sorghum, corn, groundnuts (peanuts), with other huts fairly distant.

The VBS program begins in the living room of the house, with prayer, introductions and spirited singing. The kids here (about 80-100) are pretty responsive, and join in on the songs and motions. After the Noah’s Ark Story, Dustin teaches the Arky, Arky song with lots of repetition, and the children GET IT ☺! The David and Goliath puppet show is so vivid that one of the children cries at the appearance of the giant! They love the Biggy Biggy God-O song led by Patrick. We hand out the pencils, erasers, and stickers, which they immediately put on their arms and faces ☺.







As we are about to leave, we are surprised that Silver’s father has asks us to pray for him as he accepts the Lord Jesus! He has had a rather dubious past, so we need to pray that he will have a real change of heart and strength to withstand the powers of evil. We entreat God to pour out the Holy Spirit upon him.

At 2:30 we leave for a short respite at Nyero Prayer Mountain, where we join up with Peter and Burt for a picnic lunch of groundnuts, chapatti and fruit salad. Nearby, are grazing cows and a group of children playing soccer, with what appears to be a home-made ball of found materials tied together. After lunch we do a short hike through the rocks to view petroglyphs in some of the nooks and crannies of the rocks. There is a beautiful view from one of the “caves”, which the caretaker tells us is used for prayer and study. The rocks are perfect acoustics for us to sing “Holy Ground”.



We return home, and the power is out again ☹, but cold sodas are a welcome treat. Dark clouds are gathering and the wind is picking up, so we hope for rain for the region. Dinner is beef stew and matooke (steamed and mashed plaintains).
The day ends with sharing, evening devotion, prayer and lights out. So ends another day in Kumi.

Answers for Day 11 blogpost:
1. Dustin, since Valene was the “baby” at the birthday celebration.

2. Donna laid the cornerstone.
3. Cassava.
4. “How are you?” is shouted to us by children we pass as the bus rolls along.

Questions for Day 12:
1. What is “Stoney”?
2. What colorful insects were discovered in the bushes today?
3. What gift do we present to Silver’s father?


Prayer needs:
1. Pastor Emma’s 11-month-old son Jabez is again fighting malaria, and had to go to the hospital.
2. That Silver’s father will truly commit his life to the Lord to be transformed.
3. Prayers for tomorrow’s prison ministry in Soroti. Dustin will be speaking after we present the skit.

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Day 11: Blog Post by Ben

Day 11 - Friday, July 17th, 2009 (Posted by Ben)

This morning, Pete provided the morning devotion. As of the night before, he was waiting for a “bolt of lightning” to provide his inspiration. It never struck, although he did tell us about some unusual dreams he has had while here in Uganda. Maybe that anti-malaria medication has some side-effects. Pete shared a memory of a movie starring Gary Cooper, playing a Sgt. York, who was tasked as a soldier with shooting the enemy. However, killing others was against his principles, so he struggled to do his job. Sgt. York then recalled reading that “God works in mysterious ways.” Pete felt that for him, this mission trip has been working in mysterious ways for him. Initially, he just wanted to “walk the walk” by going abroad to build the YCVM school building. However, Pete shared that this experience has been eye-opening, and he sees how big the situation is, even if our part is just a small step of the way. Praise God for “working mysteriously” in Pete!

Aeri was not feeling well, so she remained at the resort with a stomach ache and headache. It does not seem serious, although she definitely needed to take the day off. The rest of the team departed for the construction site, where we found significant progress since Wednesday. Concrete has been poured along several walls, and the rebar tying was almost complete. We quickly helped to finish the rebar, and moved the concrete forms to the next spot for pouring. Dustin helped to move bricks from one place to another by being part of a throw-and-catch line of people starting at the brick pile and ending in the mortar mixing area. He would make a good 2nd basemen, since he didn’t drop any bricks during that exercise! The workers then drew water from the well and mixed the concrete.



On the back wall, where the concrete was dry from the previous day, we applied a moisture blocking sheet and began to lay bricks upon it. Each member of the team got to lay a brick of their own. The workers then took over, laying bricks at a much faster pace than our team. By the time we departed, they were already on the 4th layer on the back wall.




A woman who owned the land next to the YCVM site brought some mushrooms that she had grown. They might be prepared for us in a future dinner. The woman had also sold YCVM the land that the school is being built upon, and she is like a mother to Silver.



This being our last day at the construction site, we took some group photos with the workers. Some of the YCVM team will still be with us during Saturday’s VBS and Sunday’s prison ministry.



We returned to the resort, and enjoyed some chapatti, chicken, and rice, before taking the afternoon to rest and recuperate from our hectic schedule. After 1 camp visit, 1 VBS, 2 school visits, 3 Sunday worships, and 4 construction days, we needed some rest! The rest was short-lived, however, since our YCVM hosts arranged a special birthday surprise party for Valene, who turned 27 today. There were smiles and laughs all around as she was given well-wishes, cards, a cake, and a Ugandan outfit. The YCVM hosts really went all-out to arrange the party. Happy birthday, Valene!



After the surprise celebration, one of the YCVM hosts, Patrick Okore, gave us a tour of Kumi town. We also walked through an outdoor market that sold everything from handbags to fresh fish.



Upon returning to the resort, we found Aeri up and about. Praise God for restoring her health!

Questions for today:
1. Who was referred to as the “babysitter” today?
2. Who laid the first brick of the day?
3. What were the workers roasting for a snack?
4. What English phrase do all children seem to know here?

Answers for Day 10 Blogpost:
1. Out of all the men, which man did not help push the bus out of the mud and sand today? Ben didn’t push, because he recorded video for all 4 incidents.
2. Whose pants and shoes are these? They’re Dustin’s. There was mud all over his pants.



3. Who offers everyone coffee candy as a pick-me-up during the day? Becky.

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Day 10: Blog Post by Valene

Day 10 - Thursday, July 16th, 2009 (Posted by Valene)

Today was a very different experience from our other days so far here in Uganda. Last night we went to be without power, and were hoping for power to come on in the morning. Unfortunately it did not. On most other mornings it’s ok because we wake up when the sun is rising and have light. Today we had to wake up at 5 a.m. before the sun. With the help of flashlights and water bottles we got ready to go (there was no more running water due to the power outage because the water pump needs electricity to run).

We took a 3 hour bus ride starting at about 7:40 a.m. to a refugee camp in Katakwi. The bus ride itself was an adventure! It had rained the night before so patches of the road were muddy. About 2 hours into the ride we got stuck in the mud. Everyone had to get out and the men pushed the bus. 20 minutes later, through a combination of pushing and putting branches below the wheels for traction we were finally off again...only to get stuck in the mud one more time before reaching the refugee camp. Everyone’s shoes had a thick layer of mud encasing them.

The specific refugee camp we visited was called Olupe refugee camp. It is part of a group of refugee camps that are near one another. At this camp there are 3,887 people. The camp councilman gave us a history of the camp and shared many of the challenges.




This camp, like many of the others, was started because these people were attacked by a neighboring tribe called the Karamajong. The Karamajong felt they were entitled to all the cattle of the world and would take them by force. At the same time they would kill the men and rape the women. These insurgencies happened during the late 1980’s to early 1990’s. As a result, the people that are now in the Olupe refugee camp were left with no resources and displaced from their homes. The camp was the government’s way to try to help the people.




However, the refugee camp lacks many of the resources needed for these people to sustain healthy and productive lives. For all 3,887 people, there are only two watering holes where they can pump water for the day. There is hardly any work for them and many of them are not educated past the primary level. We learned that no girl in this camp has ever reached Secondary Level 6, which is equivalent to senior year of high school in the States. The infant mortality rate is extremely high because there is no maternity ward nearby. For the babies that are born at the camp site the umbilical cord is cut with a razor blade or blades of elephant grass. These are just a few of the challenges that were explained to us at the site.

Unfortunately, there are many refugee camps like this, and much worse, in Northern Uganda. Although we are really here to support YCVM’s ministry during this trip, the leaders of YCVM felt it was important for us to visit a refugee camp to see for ourselves what the people experience there. The YCVM team member Grace had lived in a refugee camp herself as a child. We had a lot of good reflection time at the end of the day led by Becky to process what we saw and heard at the refugee camp, and I’m sure it will continue to be something we hold in our hearts as we think about and pray for Uganda.

Upon leaving the camp we had two more exciting instances of getting the bus stuck, once in sand and once more in mud. Finally we were on the road and on the way back to Kumi. On our way home we stopped in the town of Soroti for lunch and had some amazing fried chicken and fried fish, which was pretty close to what we’d get at home. Then after lunch we stopped at a roadside market and the YCVM team picked up a couple chickens for a later meal.




Tomorrow we’ll be back to the construction site for our last day to help work on building the school.

Prayer Requests:
-Please pray for the Olupe refugee camp. Pray for them to receive the aid they need in the forms of water, food, and education. Also pray for them to receive community education to help them empower themselves.
-Pray for the construction workers and their continued work building the YCVM school. Tomorrow will be the last day we will be working with them on the school.
-We would like prayer for discernment for the YCVM leaders (Silver, Grace, Patrick, and Emma). Pray for their plans for the future direction of the ministry.
-Please pray for discernment for us as we prepare to go back home. Pray for how we can proceed in our partnership with YCVM and our ministries back home, especially with all that we have learned and experienced here in Uganda.


Answers to questions for Day 9 Blogpost:
1. Peter was chosen to hammer in the first nail for the wooden forms.
2. Dustin was scared by the creature in the picture below and ran away like a girl. This bug was inside the frame of a bicycle. As we were looking at it, it flew out and scared all of us. The local construction workers were confused and amused by our actions.

3. The worst thing about the not having electricity at the Northeast Villa Country Resort is that the water pump runs on electricity. So when the power goes out, the water pump doesn’t work and we can’t flush the toilet. (This really doesn’t help when you are having stomach problems due to the change in food!)
4. The YCVM team member that has an older sister who gave a testimony at Ngora Secondary School is Emmanuel (Emma).

Questions for Day 10:
1. Out of all the men, which man did not help push the bus out of the mud and sand today?
2. Whose pants and shoes are these?

3. Who offers everyone coffee candy as a pick-me-up during the day?

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From the Home Front: View from the EMC Chair

The following is a post from the EMC Chair at CCUMC.

"He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, 'Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right.' But it's not just Abraham; it's also us!" [The Message, Romans 4:20-24]

Rudy ended this week’s Bible Study on Romans 4 with the thought that although God did many miraculous things through Abraham, the real exciting part is that the opportunity is also offered to us. Us? What do you mean “us”? Worship, teaching Sunday School, leading Bible Study, community service, missions trips. Aren’t those things done by those other people in the pews? Not me?!

We are blessed to receive regular updates from our Kumi Missions team in Uganda on a near daily basis (at least when the power is on over there). We have been reading some wonderful stories, and I am sure being over there in person is even more amazing. Sometimes it is easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that this is their project and it has nothing to do with us. But one difference about this project was that we intentionally created a Home Team, led by Jane, Hoang-Anh, Peggy, and others. It has been important that the project be a church project and not a project just for the eight who are on the other side of the world. Indeed, the church as a whole through its operating budget helped financially; many people were involved in making crafts, scrapbooks, and journals that the team brought with them; some attended the diversity and planning workshops; and many have been praying for the team. As Jeff reminded us last week, “CCUMC is a small church that is doing big things.”

The Uganda mission project is a neat one because it culminates in one event, and we can claim success after it is done. However, there are many other ministries and functions that are done by our folks here at home. I am thankful for Irene’s leadership in handling the Nursery School deactivation; I am thankful to Matthew for helping with the request for our new associate pastor; I am thankful for Hoang-Anh, Jessica, Rudy, Tuan-Anh, and Joanna for helping out with worship while our Worship Team is away. And it is not that they are just “filling in;” rather they are answering a call and doing a great job! It is exciting to see them in action, and I hope it is inpiring us all to recognize that ministry is not someone else’s job - it is something that all of us can do. Just like with Abraham, we see some pretty miraculous things happen when we let God work in us. Praise the Lord!

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Day 9: Blog Post by Dustin

Day 9 - Wednesday, July 15th, 2009, Posted by Dustin

Today was our third day working at the construction site.

Today, we read another letter from one of our most avid blog readers and responders – Brenda (and her family)! Thank you for your encouragement for having feet fitted with readiness to spread the gospel. We know you are enjoying the blog, but we can’t wait to tell you all our stories in person!

Once we arrived at the work site, we could see that about 85% of the rebar frame work was completed. We were excited to see that part almost done and that we would soon be able to pour the concrete over the rebar framing. Here are some construction highlights:

• There wasn’t a whole lot to do when we first arrived except for bending rebar or tying the squares to the rebar. Most of us jumped right in to help wherever we could. Eventually there was no work to be done after the wire ties ran out.
• More bailing wire arrived and we were quick to cut them into the proper lengths. This job was done in no time as there were many hands available.
• Long wooden planks were the next supplies to arrive. We moved them off the truck and into piles of the same width. These planks were to be used as the forms so we could pour concrete onto the rebar framing.
• The last of the rebar and rods needed to complete the rest of the rebar framing arrived. Burt, Dustin, and Becky jumped on sawing the rods into their required lengths with Grace, Valene, and Aeri making the squares. Soon after, it was time to return to the hotel.



After resting and eating lunch at the hotel, we headed to Ngora Secondary School, the co-ed high school where Grace teaches Literature. When we got there (as was the case at all our events so far), the whole school seemed to already be seated and ready for us. Maybe you can estimate how many kids were there from the pictures. We just knew that there were a lot.



Once the equipment were set up, we started the program. We looked around and noticed that the YCVM band hadn’t arrived yet. Uh-oh, I guess it would just be us in the program. Some highlights:



• Ben gave an awesome testimony about how God has used the little gifts in his life to serve God and how a lot of these seemingly little things led him to where he is now (married to Aeri, and serving on a missions trip in Uganda). It was perfect for the high schoolers. Even Pete was impressed.
• Another “how-do-Ugandans-pronounce-Burt’s-name” episode occurred and after the kids were asked to repeat his name, instead of the usual “butt”, “boat”, or “boot” answer, we just got “whats” and “huhs”. However, when Aeri spelled his name out, they seemed to get it and pronounced it correctly.
• The YCVM band showed up at the exact time they were to present and they were excellent as always. The headmistress and one of the teachers even got up and started dancing with the band as the students laughed and cheered them on.
• More Burt: Burt gave his testimony once again, but also led the students through the drama. He really led them through with detail, and we were sure they understood.
• At the end, an altar call was made, and praise the Lord that even more students than yesterday took the step of faith to commit or recommit their life to the Lord. Amazingly, four teachers even took that same step of faith to roaring cheers from the crowd. We are still in awe of how little we do can affect so many youth to accept God as their Lord and savior.
• We met one of the YCVM sponsored children —- Raymond!



We were also able to drop by the Ngora Girls Primary School to visit another YCVM sponsored child —- Jessica! She is 12 years old and probably around 5’4” already.



Afterwards, we went back to the hotel, unfortunately, without electricity. I don’t think it mattered much since we were all exhausted. Another day in the books.

Prayer Requests:
• Pray for continued health and rest for the team.
• Pray for the Ngora Secondary School students that committed or recommitted their lives to the Lord.
• Pray for all the vulnerable children and youth of Uganda that the YCVM ministry is trying to reach out to.

Answers from Day 8 Blogpost Questions:
1. Who is the lead for having the most mosquito bites? Aeri has taken the lead, though there are murmurs of use of performance enhancing drugs.
2. Who is called “ecokon” which means pastor? Dustin.
3. Who made a friend with a praying mantis? None other than bug-man Pete.
4. Which newlywed couple was swarmed by a band of high school girls? Valene and Dustin probably because they look like high schoolers.
5. How many girls from Ngora Girls’ School answered the altar call? D. Over 100. Praise God!

Questions for Day 9
1. Who was chosen to hammer in the first nail for the wooden forms?
2. Who was scared by the creature in the picture below and ran away like a girl?

3. What is the worst thing about not having electricity at the Northeast Villa Country Resort?
4. Which YCVM team member has an older sister who gave a testimony at Ngora Secondary School? A. Grace B. Silver C. Patrick D. Emmanuel (Emma)

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