Give, and it will be given to you….

(an update on the Uganda Team)

“There is no exercise better for the heart

than reaching down and lifting people up.”

John Holmes

We’re back and ready to report all the wonderful things that happened in April with the Visions of Hope Team in Uganda. This will take a bit longer than the usual blog posting. Grab coffee and a cookie. The stories are so many, which would take far too much of your time, so let’s hit the highlights for now.

You already have much in common

with people you’ve known for a long time.

With old friends, much of your life has already been shared.

Such is the case with former AIC (Adults in Custody) who have been sponsors of the Otino Waa students for years. Our team included three parolees who came full circle, starting sponsorship long before release, and now actually meeting their students face to face. It’s never happened before! These photos do not do justice to the emotions in those first few minutes

The person born with a talent are meant to use them

and will find their greatest happiness in using it.

And Wow, did this team step up.

Ask for volunteers to preach in a Ugandan church? Immediate responses of YES!

Angela and James presented such impactful teaching AND the rest of the team responded when so many came forward to accept the Lord, seek healing or deliverance from demonic influences. Yep, that seems to happen all the time in Uganda. 

Each of the team had a project or classes to teach. Tina, Angela and Carolyn led a bible study for the 39 house moms. 

Angela formed a bell choir. No doubt historic for Uganda.  Their songs were performed at Illera Community Church (across from Otino Waa).

Zander and James brought excitement and fun to the kids, including sports related equipment and activities. The balloons and sidewalk chalk were a big hit.

James assisted with sports and interacting with the social workers who had many questions related to his own social work in the US.

The whole team helped gathered video interviews of the Otino Waa kids for their AIC sponsors. This included art and letters to their AIC sponsors. This started last fall with visits to multiple prisons to gather video from them.

Tina taught basic anatomy to multiple age levels. She created hand made transparent overlays to show it all.

Carolyn used her prison experience in beekeeping and butterfly preservation to share with multiple grade levels. She also facilitated friendship bracelets.

Dale brought new music experiences with contemporary Christian videos, as well as samples of music instruments never seen before in Otino Waa.

AND… of great importance, James and Zander spent hours behind cameras capturing thousands of images and video.

People may forget what you said,

but will never forget how you made them feel.

One such occasion was visiting a Ugandan prison. Four of the team shared their personal stories of prison or depths of failure in life and how God powerfully rescued and changed them. Cameras were not allowed, so a description will have to do.

(photo courtesy of chapterfouruganda)

This is a men’s facility built to house 300, with 1000, barefoot, minimal orange clothed prisoners now residing there. Visitors are rare, especially white ones. Women in the midst of this crowd, also very rare. But even more rare, anyone coming in to share the love of God. James and Zander left such deep impressions, especially as they spoke, finished, took off their shoes and sat shoulder to shoulder with these men. The emotional responses were powerful. So much so that when an invitation to accept the Lord as Savior was given, 84 of them responded! Everyone sensed a potent presence of the Holy Spirit. Tears flowed as the team spread out to pray with these new believers. Simply amazing.

Very early one morning, Sandy, James and Zander made their way to the local radio station to share their testimonies with the listening audience. It may not seem like much of an experience until you are told the audience could easily be over three million!  

Joy Church, Bend OR thoughtfully provided much needed bee suits for that vocational program.   

What happens when you sit in front of someone,

not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart,

you feel like you have known the person for forever….

connections are made with the heart, not the tongue.

True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges

over which they invite others to cross.

Life’s persistent and most urgent question is,

‘What are you doing for others?'”

There are those who have sought and found how to serve.

The women at Coffee Creek Correctional created knitted hats and animals which were distributed all over northern Uganda.

A women’s group at Taylors First Baptist Church (SC) made over 300 dolls, and provided coloring books, while Angie & Mark Brown (Brown Family Ministries) provided hundreds of color pencils to pass out to kids at Otino Waa and those in the depths of poverty

The second portion of our team activity was spent with Journey International. The level of extreme poverty we saw was impactful. Poverty demands fear and stress and so often, hopelessness. It shows up in a thousand petty humiliations and hardships. Trying to change that can only be done in deliberate small steps. “Everyone can do something for someone.”

Perhaps you assisted this team with funds or prayer. Both were extremely important. The team understood it could have been a sacrifice, but also realize your attitude of service. You’re not just serving yourself. You blessed us in so many ways as you served in your best capacity to those 9000 mi. away.  Our thanks to God for leading the way and many thanks to you who deemed this a worthy investment in lives!

Give, and it will be given to you:

Good measure, pressed down, shaken together,

 and running over will men give unto you.

For with the measure you use, it will be measured unto you.

 Luke 6:38