...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.