Our return to Uganda

Last summer a team from The Next Level Church traveled to northern Uganda to witness first hand and serve those living in Internally Displaced Persons (I.D.P.) camps with local non-governmental organizations. Our experience as a team was incredibly impacting. Upon our return many of the team helped coordinate Enteraction: AFRICA, in which over 20 organizations working on the continent of Africa were able to provide information and avenues for involvement to over 500 people. From that event we over a dozen individuals went to serve in some capacity this last year in Africa. We continue to connect people to opportunities to enter into action on the continent of Africa through www.enteractionafrica.org.

Eighteen months later we are planning a team to return to Uganda. The last year we have been amazed at the continued developments in our relationships and contacts in Uganda.

• Jennie Otte, one of the individuals from our team last summer, is living and working in northern Uganda. She is stationed with Medair, working as a office manager overseeing repair and sustainability of boreholes for providing water in remote areas of Uganda. http://jennieelaine.blogspot.com

• Shane, a friend from Steamboat, Colorado, has founded an organization in the capital city of Kampala (Come, Let’s Dance) providing housing and education to children without homes. http://www.comeletsdance.org/

• Ben and Holly Porter are serving with the Mennonite Central Committee in Lira, Uganda. They continue their work with Concerned Parents Association (CPA) providing training for local counselors and supporting the process of peace negotiations in different regions. http://hollyandben.blogspot.com/

• Jeff and Michelle Thiesen are developing a missional community in Adjumani, located near the Uganda - Sudan. Together with others from their church in Portland, Oregon (Imago Dei) they are living and working with both Ugandan and Sudanese who have been displaced by the wars. http://sudanpartnership.org/wordpress/

The team from The Next Level Church this November is made up of six individuals who all have a deep desire to discover how they can serve the people of Uganda (Alyssa English, Adam and Sarah Rao, Brandi Albrecht, Tiffani Rathbun, Jared Mackey). Our goal is two fold: to encourage the leaders and workers in various communities by listening and seeing the world from their perspective; to continue to foster relationships in Uganda for our community to send teams and resources on an ongoing basis. Our team will be spending the majority of our time (10 days) with Jeff and Michelle in Adjumnai. En route to Adjumani and via our return we will take a few days to spend time to encourage and provide needed resources to Jennie, Ben, Holly, and Shane. Daily life for our friends who live and work in Uganda can be disheartening at times. We want to laugh with them, cry with them, and offer assurance that they are supported both there in Uganda and here at home.

We need your help for this team, we ask for your prayers for the following:
• For Jennie, Shane, Ben, Holly, Jeff, and Michelle all to be encouraged and refreshed by our visit
• That our hearts would be motivated by compassion and love for those in the Uganda
• For our safety and health as we travel through the war torn and unstable environment of Uganda
• That we would communicate the hope of Christ and that God would be honored as we serve, learn, and partner with those who serve in Uganda

Your help in supporting the financial costs of this team are also necessary. The total cost for our team is $18,000 – together as a team of 6 we have contributed the initial $8,000 personally. We hope to raise $10,000 for the additional costs of the team to take the needed financial and tangible resources to our friends. All financial support should be sent to The Next Level Church, c/o Uganda Team. All support is tax deductible. Your partnership is vital as we seek to communicate to others how to support peace and healing for those in Uganda.

Our hope is for this team to be a catalyst of growth and encouragement not only for ourselves and those we work with in Uganda, but for you as well.