The team has settled into a daily routine and we've now started the heart of our trip - visiting and blessing the people of Uganda. House visits are special in Uganda. For many families living in the bush, no one ever comes to visit them and to have a Mzungu (foreigner) take the time to come and see them is special. Add to that the fact that the Mzungu is bringing them gifts and telling them that they love them and ask nothing in return opens their hearts brings smiles to their faces.

It is this small show of kindness that opens the door for Pastor Robert, his wife Sara, and others to share the love of Jesus. The team is studying the book of James and putting what they are learning into action. James talks of a faith that is lived out in works and that a true believer in Christ can not help but live out their faith by helping others. Today the team is living this to the fullest.

House visits can also be heartbreaking. One member of the team broke down later in the day crying. They had visited their sponsored child and found them living in a circular mud hut, maybe 10 square feet in size, with a thatched grass roof. The previous night we had all been woken by thunder and extremely heavy rains that lasted from 3am to 6am. This team member had been awoken by the noise, as most of us were, and prayed a pray of thanksgiving that we were safely inside and protected from the rain but was also not happy with not being able to sleep because of the rains. They now stood in their sponsor's hut and listened as the mother told them that eight children live in the hut and due to the holes in their thatched roof the entire family has to get up and stand during heavy rains. As we were lying safely in our beds irritated by the storm, the family was standing huddled together in their hut.

Our visits will continue as we have many children and families to visit and bless. Caleb, our youngest member was able to visit the child his family sponsors as well as others and lead all of us in prayer as we held hands with families and blessed them and their gifts. It is so encouraging to see young people take their faith into action and be an example - thank you Caleb. The team's also learning how poverty doesn't necessarily mean lack of faith or happiness. It's amazing how Ugandans can be so friendly, hospitable, and happy when they live with so little.

Last night as part of our bible study, Pastor Robert, Sara, and Bosco (another key member of the local team) share how our visits are so key to their ministry. Because Pastor and Fountain of Hope School have a relationship with Mzungus and the Mzungus come and help the community, the people of Bukeeka are opening their homes and hearts to Pastor and his message of salvation. Because of the financial aid given and supplies for Sara to reach out to those in need, the people of Bukeeka are seeing the love of Christ in action. Muslims and traditional believers are opening their homes and hearts to the gospel.

All of this is helped by the fact that a small team made the effort to come to Uganda and love the people. Not just send money but come as a family member coming to help.

Our time will quickly come to an end but for now we are the ones being blessed by being here. We are the ones growing in our faith. Enjoy the photos.

Enjoy some pictures from Fountain of Hope and Uganda. Yesterday we spent time painting the school's new kitchen (paid for by Lutheran Women's Mission League), giving gifts and letters to sponsored children, and shopping for larger gifts for children with money sent by the sponsors. We also endured a 30 minutes downpour of buckets of water. Enjoy, John

Photos: Boys smiling face, Miles painting kitchen, child receiving sponsor letter, 4th grade class boys, inside boys boarding house, and boys soccer team practicing running cones

Sunday worship and Nile baptisms

Today's blog is from team member Miles.

Today Sunday June 26, 2011 is another day I will never forget as long as I live. How can I share everything that I have experienced today? I got up later than usual; never the less I read from the book of John chapters 4 & 5 and spent the remaining time in prayer for the nation of Uganda. Breakfast at the Nile Guest House was an opportunity to read some e-mails and get caught up on things back home. It was so good to read several encouraging messages from friends and family.

We then all traveled to Waajinja to the bush church for Sunday worship service. A small dirt floor building made from rough cut planks and poles with a shiny new tin roof. They were already underway by the time we arrived and our appearance was greeted with a very warm welcome. Hugs and kisses interrupted the services for ten minutes. They seated us in the very front facing the congregation as honored guests. The people in the small bush church really know how to worship God. Their singing is so beautiful primarily because everybody sings. The children sing at the top of their voice and everybody moves with the music which consists of two young men with drums. Joy is the word to describe the service. There is so much joy in their singing, we were able to share in the offering and enjoy two performances by the youth choir. There was a dramatization of the blind man who Jesus healed.

I was able to preach and Pastor Robert translated. The audience was very attentive and seemed to genuinely enjoy the words of encouragement. Everyone was so kind and affectionate and at the end of the service we actually stood in a greeting line. Some of the children even knelt as they greeted us. I have never experiences a worship service like this where the entire congregation participated so whole heartedly.

From there we made our way to the Fountain of Hope School where church services had just concluded. We spent a few hours with the kids that board at the school and had lunch before making our way down to the Nile River where we were to baptize about 70 people. As it turned out, we baptized 162. It was the most incredible thing I have ever witnessed. I stood on the bank of the river weeping as I took it all in.

One after another after another professing their faith in Jesus Christ, and many when they had come up out of the water were not able to walk or stand. At first I just thought they were overcome with joy in their new life in Christ. Then you could hear the shrieks and see their bodies convulse and the spirits came out of them. Many of them had spirits come out of them and were set free. It was very emotional and amazing to see the pastors and deacons at work. They prayed without ceasing and laid hands on the people as they regained their composure. There were several who were so violently shaken that two or three would come to their side to intercedes and cast out the demons. The Holy Spirit did a mighty work today and many young people were delivered. In America we scoff and debate if demons even exist; in Africa the demons are real and everyone knows it. The Church is fighting a mighty battle against the powers of darkness in this place and I have seen it with my own two eyes.

Pastor Robert is teaching us so much with his words and his actions, please pray for him that God would heal his body and strengthen him for the work ahead.

Adjusting

Saturday was a day of adjustments and organization. All of our internal sleep clocks were somewhere between the west coast and Uganda. Wide awake at 2:30am seemed to the be normal with total exhaustion at dinner time. Our first morning brought a new experience for Miles and Caleb as the Muslim call to prayer echoed through our windows at 5:30am. Since we were all lying in bed wide awake we decided to get up. The ladies spent most of the day organizing our 39 suitcases into sponsored child gifts, sports festival items, and school supplies. The boys attended the Fountain of Hope High School parent's meeting and encouraged the parents to continue to be active in the school's operations and their children's education as well as following God in their daily life. After the meeting, the boys then headed into Jinja to purchase paint and supplies to prepare to put the final touches on the FOH kitchen. After spending 538,000 shillings we had what we needed (that's about $220 dollars :) )

As my computer battery is about to die I'll keep this short but look forward to updating you all tomorrow after we complete our first Sunday today. Miles is preparing to preach to one of the bush churches and then we'll be heading to the Nile River for baptisms. Blessings to all of you. We're all doing well and talk to you tomorrow, John

Arrival in Uganda

We've made it to our new home for the next 20 days in Jinja. After meeting up with Emily in Seattle we boarded our British Airways overnight flight to London and tried to sleep as best we could. A few of us dozed comfortably but Vicki, Martha, and others found that they do not sleep on planes! Miles flew non-stop from Vegas and eventually found us half asleep in the London terminal while we passed the time during our 9 hour layover.

At 9:00pm London time we boarded our next overnight flight to Uganda and settled in for another sleepless night on a plane for the ladies while the boys watched movies and dozed. The next morning we finally glimpsed Africa for the first time as we descended over the green countryside dotted with homes, palms and banana trees, dirt roads, and then Lake Victoria as we landed lakeside at Entebbe International Airport. The doors opened and we were greeted by 80 degree weather and sun. For those of us from Spokane it was summer at last - for Miles it was a 35 degree drop in temperature from the Arizona desert!

Our next challenge was collecting 39 bags in baggage claim and amazingly every one was accounted for! We were quite the site pushing our bags out of the terminal looking as if we were moving permanently to Uganda with so many things. Clearing customs we were greeted like family by Pastor Robert and our driver Peter. For me, it has been two years since I've last seen Robert. Face to face time is so much better than the email relationship we have throughout the year.

After loading the bags into a small pick-up they headed off to Pastor Robert's house in Jinja while we climbed into our minivan and headed into the capital city of Kampala. For first timers to Africa the drive to and through Kampala is an eye opener. Non-stop traffic, horns beeping, bicycles, motorcycles, and survival driving skills as vehicles and people took advantage of every opening in the road whether it was going the right way or not. We detoured to a crowded dirt street to pick up the newly custom made cooking pots for Fountain of Hope School's new kitchen. Miles couldn't stop saying "I've never seen anything like this before" and then look at me with a big grin on his face. Kampala is Uganda's capital and most prosperous city that has attracted millions looking for work and trying their skills at the free market economy. The main street from Entebbe through Kampala is a "non-stop shopping market" according to Martha as we passed vendor after vendor selling everything possible. Miles declined buying the electronic bug zapping tennis racket from a street vendor but we did buy a bag of raw sugar cane and let everyone squeeze the sugar juice out. Boda Boda (motorcycle taxi's) sat outside Coca Cola painted buildings looking for fares as we finally left Kampala and continued East towards Jinja. The team had fallen quiet with some sleeping and others taking in the sites.

In Jinja we arrived at Pastor Robert's house and were greeted warmly by Robert's wife Sara and were soon sitting down to a hearty lunch of rice, beans, chicken, chapati bread, and fresh pineapple. Yummy! We've now brought the ladies over to the Nile Guest House where they will be staying and their currently showering and cleaning up after two days of traveling. Miles and I are typing away on our computers. Tonight we'll begin briefing everyone on the itinerary for the rest of the trip and begin to sort through our 39 bags in preparation of "going to work" tomorrow.

Hope you enjoy the post and we're thankful for all your prayers. Tomorrow the work begins!

Blessings, John

Uganda Mission Team Makes it to Seattle!

The trip has started. We've managed to check in 34 bags for 6 people in Spokane without any problems except for the nice credit card charge for the extras! We've landed in Seattle and will meet up with Emily in 45 minutes as she has driven from Portland. Miles in Arizona is on his way to the Las Vegas airport and will meet us in London.

The team in Spokane (picture below) is off in search of lunch as I write the blog. Since we're in Seattle, I'll share a fe

w good pictures of Seattle culture and let you all vote on which fish eatery is better! Enjoy the photos and look for more in

about two days when we settle into Uganda.