Outreach Summary and Links

As leaders of the Wheels for the World-Uganda 2012 team, we would like to thank all those who were instrumental in making our outreach a success for the glory of God, especially those who were praying for us and supported team members financially.  In addition, our in-country partners were invaluable and gave us a real-life demonstration of serving the Lord in practical ways with whole-hearted devotion.  You can learn more about each of their ministries (Sports Outreach and Father's Heart Disability Ministry) by clicking on the links to their websites on the sidebar.  We would particularly recommend the video "Hope Reborn-Part 1" where Pastor Aloysius shares about the ministry of Sports Outreach Farm to the displaced peoples of Northern Uganda where our distribution was held.  You can also enjoy some photos of our time in Uganda by clicking on the Picasa link on the side bar.

We would like to give God all the glory for bringing many into His kingdom.  With your prayers and God's help we were able to serve 248 families affected by disability, train 35 National volunteers, distribute 185 wheelchairs and fit 31 walkers, 68 crutches and 23 canes.  Over 331 people heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and 174 accepted Him as their personal Savior.  Please continue to pray that they will be rooted and grounded in God's Word.  Also pray that the seeds we planted will be watered and even more lives will be saved in the days to come.

Thanks to each one taking the time to read our team blog and Praise be to God who "gives His undeserved favor to the low in rank, the humble, and the afflicted"  Proverbs 3:34 (AMP)

Jill and Richard Neuenschwander

My Reflections on WFTW Uganda 2012

During my mission trip in Uganda, I frequently felt overwhelmingly and humbly grateful that God had allowed me to participate in this chance to serve these precious people.  I felt the need to fall down before Him in grateful, humble thanksgiving.  That feeling often brought me to tears.  I first felt this way when I found out I was going to get to go on this trip.  I still feel this way, weeks later.  I see faces in my mind’s eye and enjoy looking at photographs; so many memories. 

 

I wrote the stories of those who wished to share them.  Some stories and pictures can be seen here on our blog. I can’t get the stories out of my mind.  I kept remembering that the giraffe represents standing tall in adversity.  That is a description of these dear people.  I learned what it means to teach them to help themselves and others.  Our In-Country Partners and volunteers learned disability ministry so they could work with us and teach other churches and families.  People were delighted to learn.  Many people in northern Uganda have disabilities due to polio, malaria, and the LRA.  

As I continue to reflect on what I saw and participated in, I am receiving more wisdom and understanding.  My 18 other teammates were all such loving, Christ-centered people.  God taught me from each one of them.  It is no coincidence that we were a team.  I reflect on chance encounters at the airport, on the plane, even in line at a public restroom!  God gave me many of these divine moments that I treasure.  I have tears of gratitude that He lets me be a part of His plan.  

I danced and sang with a little girl who has Down’s.  I could not get her to say anything but her name.  Her name was so beautiful that I danced and sang her name.  Suddenly she got up and danced with me, also singing her name in the sweetest voice imaginable.  God gave her that beautiful name; I could feel His delight.  I met a lady named Winnie who talked with me and then put her head on my shoulder as someone took our picture.  I came to serve and show love: I was served and love was lavished onto me. 

Now that I am home I frequently feel like I don’t belong here.  I should be there.  It is strange.  My Doctor, who has done mission trips, calls this the “mountaintop experience.”  She says it feels good to be a part of but hard to come down from. I still feel such a closeness and unity with my team.  Reflection has made me realize that what I have learned from this trip will help me with the Sudan trip I hope to take.  I now know better how to pack, and I can better maneuver airports, security, and customs.  I am able to look into the face of suffering, see the cross of Christ, and help carry it.  Frequently I can bring a smile and laughter.  The country of Uganda is so beautiful.  I fell in love with the red dirt roads, the gardens, and the homemade bricks; unfortunately I was unable to take one home!  I fell in love with these beautiful people who are so friendly and welcoming.  My desire to return is very strong.  

God gave me the greatest spur-of-the-moment opportunity to sing and dance with a precious bunch of children in the middle of a red dirt road in Uganda.  I got to hold babies and see the powerful love of a mother who tirelessly tried to help her child.  I received thank-yous with tears from people who were overwhelmed to receive a Bible.  I saw the hopeless look in a young girl’s eyes despite the fact that she had just received a wheelchair and had recommitted her life to Christ.  She desperately wished to go to school so she could have a job.  The minister who was speaking to her was going to make arrangements for this.  I told her I would be praying for her.  This is when her facial expression changed; she made eye contact, smiled, and thanked me.  Her name is Rosemary, and I still pray for her.  A young woman who sat next to me at the Uganda Airport, asked me to keep helping the people of Northern Uganda as there is much loss of limbs due to the LRA.  She asked me to pray for the young people who need education and forgiveness.  Her parents taught her younger sister forgiveness after she had been kidnapped and raped by the LRA.  This young woman is now a Doctor.  As I continue to reflect, I see that God has put prayer requests before me.  So many stories are etched in my heart.  My telling these stories to others will encourage them to pray also.  

I enjoyed doing story-telling sessions with the Primary Classes at the Kampala School for the Physically Handicapped.  I loved the way the children helped one another.  Every day we were reminded to “Be Flexible.”  This was easy for me as I do this every day at work!  It was interesting to see how different “African time” is; no hurry, no worry, calmness prevailed.  

These people know how to pray and to worship.  It was so humbling for me to join them for Sunday Services.  Scripture teachings that we received came to life as we served.  1 Samuel 2:8  He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles, and inherit a seat of honor; for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He set the world on them.  This Scripture still brings me to tears because I saw people who have crawled in the dust for many years, lifted up to be seated in a wheelchair.  God used us to fulfill His promise.  God used every single hand that had a part in preparing and sending each wheelchair on this journey.  God showed His provision time and time again.  Each team prayed over the disabled person and family whom we were about to serve, asking for wisdom and provision in finding just what this person needed.  We prayed again after they had received and been fittedfor the wheelchair, walker, crutches, or cane they needed.  We thanked God for this person, their family, God’s provision, and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  176 people made commitments to Jesus Christ!

I am a widow, and I was able to connect with so many of the women who also are alone.  It appears common for the husband of a disabled woman to leave both her and their children.  As I reflect on these things I am mindful of something I just read by Amy Carmichael:  “A year of great battle; now as we look forward we see great stones and many of them.  Who shall roll away the stone?  The angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it.  We shall see the angel of the Lord sitting upon many a stone during the coming year.”  The battle is the Lord’s.  We are in it with Him.  Thank You Lord for including me in Your plan.  As I reflect,  I think about the life I live between the dashes (the dates on my tombstone.)  I don’t want to waste my life.  I am numbering my days so I can make the best use of them for God’s Kingdom.  All glory and praise is to Him!          

         

...that Your house may be filled.

The team arose early this morning, some of us to the sound of the call to prayer from a nearby mosque, and headed to Gaba Community Church to worship our Lord. Located on Lake Victoria, the church and adjacent Bible Institute has partnered with Joni and Friends to host disability ministry training for church leaders of Uganda. As the congregation stood singing the familiar worship song "Mighty to Save", my thoughts turned to those the team had ministered to and with in Gulu last week. I considered those believers with disabilities who, because of the gift of mobility they received, might be attending church for the first time in a very long time...finally having the means to get there. I pondered what it might be like for all those who had received the gift of salvation last week to worship for, perhaps, the very first time as a new believer. Amidst the sounds of voices raised in harmony, it was not difficult to imagine their delight in worshiping with fellow believers and the great rejoicing in heaven. Savior, He can move the mountains, My God is mighty to save! Thank you, dear friends, for your partnership in prayer. Please continue to pray for our Ugandan brothers and sisters. May they continue to grow in faith and in knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ and to labor among persons with disabilities so that the Lord's house may be filled.

We have a Mighty God!

Today we completed the final 5th day of our distribution!  It was another busy day as we served the people of Uganda and had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them.  An estimate of our total numbers for the week is:

~240 people were seen this week receiving various pieces of equipment from wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and walkers

~170 people accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior!! 

Praise the Lord!!!

It has been an amazing week!  Throughout the week as we were helping individuals they were expressing their thanks and gratitude to us and praising the Lord for our team coming.  However, I am so thankful for these people and how they have blessed my life!  They shared their lives and stories with us teaching us so many lessons and opening our eyes and hearts to a bigger world.  My mind is swirling from all the experiences and sights this week... it will take time to process.  But I look forward to sharing with all my friends and family stories when I return.

Thank you Lord for your faithfulness throughout our journey this week and for calling home so many of your sons and daughters!  We love to add to the family!

The Red Dirt Road and A Powerful Testimoney

Today we went for a walk down a red dirt road in Gulu, Uganda which leads to the Sports Outreach farm where we have been serving all week. I saw a group of children, and I called out "Hallelujah" to them. They all immediately responded, "Amen". I repeated this "Hallelujah" and started to dance. They all joined in the dance as they responded "Amen". More and more children ran to join us as we sang and danced in the middle of the red dirt road. We all raised our hands high as we slowly sang a final "Amen". Then we started the whole thing over again and again... How truly wonderful to praise the Lord in the middle of a red dirt road on a beautiful day with a bunch of precious children in Uganda.

My team provided Pastor Michael with a wheelchair today. He had become lame at two years of age from polio. He wished to tell us his story. He used to be a drunkard. He was not happy because everyone walked well but him. A witchcraft spell had caused all of the men in their home area to be barren. He and his lady friend could not have babies. His lady friend was living with him. His parents took him to a witchdoctor because of this. This did not help. He was unhappy because he was lame and barren at the same time. He was going to look for a poison drink and just die. He asked his friends if they knew a good witch doctor. A fellow drunkard asked him, "Why are you looking for a witch doctor?" Michael told his fellow drunkard his problems. Then the fellow drunkard said, "Why don't you try getting saved? I know I am a drunkard, but I know that Christianity works. The good part about Christianity is that it works and you don't have to pay a witch doctor and you get free salvation." He didn't like it because he asked for a witch doctor, but he was told about getting saved instead. He stayed home and thought about this for one month. Then he got saved. His lady friend also got saved. Now they realized they were living in sin so they got married. Michael was immediately healed. As he and his wife had 6 children including the double blessing of twins! The church gave him Scriptures to teach to other fellowships; which he did so well that he was encouraged to become a pastor and start a new church. Michael did become a pastor and opened a new church. A boy attended who was "mad". Pastor Michael prayed for him and he was saved! Many others came to salvation after hearing the boy's testimony.

Yesu (Jesus) Saves!

On this day Americans all across the nation celebrate their freedom. Though not on American soil, we too celebrate! Happy 4th of July! However, we aren't only celebrating our freedom; we're also celebrating the freedom that was given to the Ugandans served today. This was freedom from immobility but most importantly freedom from this dark world and hope in the One who gives us true life!

Today our team served a woman named Mary. She would crawl to church on Sundays but it got to the point that it hurt her so much she couldn't attend anymore. Her knees were swollen and she had severe hip pain. She now is able to attend church again in her new wheelchair and praise God with her brothers and sisters!

Another recipient named Bosco was just 2 weeks old when he contracted malaria. He was taken to the hospital but the doctor told his mother to go home because he wouldn't survive. He appeared to be lifeless for 3 days but then came back to life! Praise God! Bosco has cerebral palsy and for the 15 years of his life he has sat on the ground and crawled (moolu means crawl in the Luo language of the Acholi people). Today, Bosco received his first wheelchair and can now sit with his family!

Thank you Lord for using people like us for your kingdom!

The team served 56 people today and 33 dedicated their lives to the Lord!

"He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world." - 1 Samuel 2:8

I Am My Brother's Keeper

We began our day with a devotional given by Pastor Greg to our team on Mark 5:21-34. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus healed the woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years. Jesus stopped everything He was doing and seized the opportunity to restore this woman's dignity and honor, returning her back to her God, her family, tribe and clan. He showed that indeed, we are our brother's keeper. Today was our second day of ministry at the farm in Gulu for the distribution of wheelchairs. We prayed that we would seize the opportunities given to us so that those who needed the compassion of Jesus, would receive His love. Our physical therapists and mechanics were given much wisdom and discernment to choose 27 wheelchairs, and not only that, but 25 people gave their life to Christ today. The angels in heaven are rejoicing as are we, for the 55 new brothers and sisters that have joined the family of God these past two days. There are so many wonderful stories to be told by each of the seven stations who ministered to the hurting and needy that came to receive the gift of a new wheelchair. It is our great honor to be God's hands to touch the body and souls of those who came. It is such a privilege to hear the call of Christ and to be our brothers and sisters keepers here in Uganda. Come, Holy Spirit, Come.

Hello everyone! It's Kathy Hayden writing on Joyce's account. Thank you Joyce!

Today was our first wheelchair distribution day. We saw 45 people and gave out 27 wheelchairs, 15 crutches, 4 canes, and 1 walker. And the most exciting news is that 25 people made first time commitments to the Lord!

This precious girl is named Sharon. She received her first wheelchair today and now no longer needs to be carried everywhere. She was so happy to receive her wheelchair and all the gifts. Note the gospel bead bracelet on her right wrist:

BLACK

Romans 3:23
SIN
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
RED
Romans 5:8
BLOOD OF CHRIST
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
WHITE
Psalms 51:7
PURIFICATION
Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
BLUE
Ephesians 2:8
FAITH
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
GREEN
II Peter 3:18
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 
YELLOW
John 14:2
HEAVEN
In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you.

Sharon and her mother also received a Bible, the "Joni" book and multiple other goodies.

This was a great day in Uganda! Praise the Lord for all He has done!

Greetings from Gulu, Uganda!

Hello friends and family!

The Baboons!

It has been an exciting and busy 48 hours since we landed in Uganda!  We spent Friday night in Kampala and then began our journey to Gulu on Saturday morning.  Everyone enjoyed the bus ride and the many sights we got to see as we left the busy city of Kampala passing through numerous small villages before arriving in Gulu.  We had the opportunity to see baboons (and feed them some banana peels from the bus), take in the beautiful site of the Nile river (and snap a few pictures), and experience riding along the Uganda roads! 


This morning our team was invited to join 3 different church services, so we divided up into groups and set out to worship with the people of Uganda.  It was an amazing opportunity to worship with the Ugandan people.  They are people full of Life!  I attended a local church here in Gulu with 6 other teammates where we got to worship the Lord together with these people and join in some clapping, hand raising, and dancing while we worshiped and praised our Savior!  We also were blessed with the opportunity to be part of a family coming forth to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, it was a sweet, precious moment!

This afternoon, we headed out to the farm (part of Sports Outreach) where the distribution will take place this week.  We spent the afternoon unpacking and organizing our supplies and organizing the wheelchairs.   We also had the opportunity to meet some of the local national volunteers that will be assisting us this week and help train them in basics of transfers, w/c parts, and w/c mobility.  They were an enthusiastic group of individuals excited to learn and be able to help this week!

Getting the wheelchairs ready for distribution!

This evening we concluded with a commissioning service: a sweet time of communion, prayer, and praise! 

From my devotion (40 days with Jesus Celebrating His Presence by Sarah Young) this morning:
"The hope God provides is an anchor for your soul, firm and secure even in the most tempestuous waters.  A good way to remain anchored in Me is to whisper as often as needed:  Jesus, You are my Hope."

As we begin our distribution tomorrow, my prayer for our group is that we will remember the focus of our mission to share the Gospel, that this trip is all about Him, and that we will remain anchored in Him relying on Him for wisdom and strength throughout this week!

Thank you to all our friends and family for your support and prayers!  Keep those prayers coming, we need them!  Love to you all!

A Selfless Beauty

God's Word says in Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."
The Ugandans that we have teamed up with are a wonderful example of God's Word. Though we are here to serve along side of them to give love to those in need; they have not forgotten to share their love for us as well. When we got off the plane, the Uganda Sports Outreach team was there to greet us and had bottled water for us, they spent time talking with us while we waited for others to arrive, they loaded all of luggage onto the bus, drove us to our hotel we were staying in for the night, and then helped us carry our luggage to our rooms. The next day the Out Reach drove us from Kampala all the way to Gulu; about an 6 hour ride. When we discovered that the restroom facilities at the distribution site were out of reach, the Ugandan team built them for us.
They have shown what the love of Christ truly looks like. Their selflessness and eagerness to help overflows and is so beautiful. I am grateful God has given me the opportunity to work with not only the Ugandan team but also this WFTW team. This group is absolutely incredible. The support, encouragement, rawness, and the urgency to do God's Will is alive and thriving.
Jill, one of our team leaders, shared with us that an estimated amount of 300 people come in contact with each wheelchair we distribute. These wheelchairs are not ordinary wheelchairs. God specifically designed them to have meaningful journeys that would touch the lives of those who came in contact with them, which would lead up to reaching named individuals; to bring them hope and everlasting life.
What a beautiful love story.

The Gang's All Here!!

The entire team arrived safely in Gulu yesterday afternoon.  Praise God!!  We are ready to attend worship services with our National brothers and sisters this morning.  Then we will be training and preparing the for distribution.  To close the day we will have our team commissioning service.  We appreciate your prayers.  God is good!!

Here I am, about to go on my first mission trip! Wow this is exciting!  I am at the airport in New York about to board for Brussels, Belgium and then to Entebbe, Uganda.  I am serving with Joni and Friends Wheels for the World.  We will distribute wheel chairs, Bibles and Joni books.  I am so humbled that God has allowed me to serve these precious people.  Please pray for our team.  When your heart and life has the presence of God in it and your willingness to follow His direction, this is what can happen!  To Him be the glory!

Advance Team Arrived in Uganda

The advance team has safely arrived in Uganda.  God was very merciful in all our travels.  We arrived on time, were permitted an extra bag of luggage without any fees, had no difficulty through immigration/customs and had no delays in receiving our luggage even though we had some close connections.

We are thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to meet and work with our in-country partners and prepare for the team's arrival Friday evening.

Please pray for:

• the rest of the team as they travel all day Thursday and Friday
• strength, health and energy for the work ahead
• wisdom in organizing the distribution site and obtaining supplies
• team members to have a clear message from the Lord to encourage the Body of Christ in church on Sunday morning
• effective team orientation and training of many National volunteers

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” Mark 14:15

In preparation, the WFTW Uganda 2012 team has been encouraged to read a daily devotional titled Before You Go. Each of these readings have challenged me. One reading, in particular, caused me to consider a familiar concept in a new way. Using Mark 16:14-20 as the text, the devotional is called “Signs and Wonders are Following You”. As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus’ example and His commands. In our relationships, we are to love one another as Jesus loved us. Our purpose in going to Uganda as members of the WFTW team is to just that: to demonstrate the love of Jesus and in obedience to His commissioning words. But I had not considered that as we go proclaiming the gospel in word and deed, something would be following us. When we share the love of Jesus with one another, the presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit follows us! Perhaps God may even open a door of faith as He did for Paul and Barnabas. As we leave for Uganda, please pray that the people we meet will know that we are Jesus’ disciples by the love we have for one another. Then, watch with us for the presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that follows... And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:27

Sent Out in Jesus' Name

This morning at church we were asked to share a few words before being sent on our way to Uganda.  Please click on this link and join our pastor in praying for God's hand of blessing to be upon the Wheels for the World-Uganda team and outreach.  J&R at Calvary Chapel-Truckee  Thank you!

Be Kind to One Another

......Recovery from Prosopagnosia

In the book of Proverbs, a woman clothed with strength and dignity is described.  It says, "she openeth her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness."  As we leave for Africa, I have been thinking about this "one another" and have been wondering just exactly what does it mean to live by the law of kindness?  By definition, kindness is affectionate, loving; a sympathetic or helpful nature.   We are going to a part of the world where the disabled are treated very unkindly and yet we know in our innermost part, that kindness is a language the dumb can speak, the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  And aren't all of us as sinners  saved because of  His kindness?  Our incurable disease called sin, was taken up by the Lord Jesus Christ and in Roman 3 it says, "that His kindness leadeth to repentance."  Christ looked past our sin and saw our need for His mercy.  When you are "kind to one another" you are willing to look in the face of the hurting.  We are living in a culture of faceblindness, prosopagnosia.  The term prosopagnosia is derived from Greek: prosop meaning “face”, and agnosi meaning “without knowledge”. Accordingly, those affected with the disorder lack the ability to recognize distinguishable facial features in humans.  So often I find myself suffering from this disorder;  I don't want to look in the face of the homeless, the hungry, the needy.  I don't want to look at suffering.   As we leave for Uganda, I pray for Dove's Eyes, that as Job 6:28 says,  "I will be so kind as to look"  at the suffering, the hurting, the needy and be healed of my faceblindness.

Vessels to be poured out...

In about two weeks our team will be heading to Uganda coming from many different places, backgrounds, occupations and histories with one common goal:  to leave an indelible fingerprint in the hearts of the people of Uganda!  Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit would find willing vessels that would be poured out to effect change!  I am always encouraged when I read history that it only takes one person to bring about change, may we be the vessels of change!  Follow us as we travel the world to share the Love of Jesus...

PRAYER REQUESTS

Greetings,

As the Uganda "Wheels for the World" team prepares to serve in Gulu from June 25 (the advance team) to July 11, 2012, we would ask for your faithful prayer support in regards to the following:

• For wisdom for the Team's Leadership and the National leaders.
• For the release of the wheelchairs from customs in time for the distribution.  
• For the Churches as they schedule wheelchair recipients and recruit National volunteers to prepare our meals, register clients, serve as therapists, mechanics and evangelists, etc.
• For connections with more churches and pastors to promote disability ministry.
• For the financial provision of each team member.
• For protection, physical stamina, safety and health as we work and travel 
• For unity among our team and the Ugandan volunteers
• For wisdom, discernment and sensitivity to be led by the Holy Spirit.
• For ample supplies and Acholi Bibles for each recipient .
• For the provision and protection of our family members remaining at home.
• That God will be glorified in everything we do.
• That our hearts will be humble and submitted to Him .
• That God will be preparing hearts to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
• That new believers would continue to grow in Christ after the "Wheels" team returns home. 

k    

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete! ~ John 16:24

      More to come in the weeks ahead, we pray you are blessed as you follow our journey to touch the hearts of the Ugandan people and leave an indelible fingerprint upon their lives...  

HOW IT WORKS

  

Dedicated volunteers called Chair Corps Representatives collect used wheelchairs across the United States. The chairs are then transported to Restoration Shops where carefully trained inmates in 16 separate correctional facilities around the country restore wheelchairs to like-new condition. The inmates learn to work together, perfect basic mechanical skills, and produce a product of which they can be proud. Hardened inmates have been moved to tears when they see the happiness in a photo of the face of a little boy or girl receiving a wheelchair of their very own.

After the wheelchairs are fully restored they are shipped overseas to meet up with short-term missions teams. These distribution and evangelism teams custom fit each wheelchair specifically for each recipient and train him or her in wheelchair use and upkeep. Team members also give each recipient a Bible and communicate the message of God's love for them.   

 

As a recipient of the love of God in action, many place their trust in Christ. They experience new life and purpose with their new mobility . . . and disability ministry grows all over the world.