Friends of Uganda

Arrived in London

2009-10-31T02:46:00.000-07:00

So, we departed the village Thursday morning, stopped for some coffee in Jinja, and then split with the rest of the group with them going back towards Kampala and Greg, Lauren, Jared, Matt and Jenni going to the Hairy Lemon.

The Hairy Lemon is a campground type area that is actually a small island on the Nile River. It was very picturesque and relaxing. We were able to get a shower after several days in the very muddy village and talk about our experiences so far through the trip. It was a very good time of further getting to hear about the ups and downs we have experienced and the lessons that we have learned so far.

We departed Friday morning back to Nasana and spent the next several hours packing up, tagging paper bead necklaces that support the Threads of Life ministry of CLD and saying goodbyes to our friends at CLD. We went to a pizza restaurant on Lake Victoria by the airport with Jenni, our driver Emma, and a Ugandan friend Florence. It was a great time of relaxing and hearing insight about the Church in America and in Uganda. We got through the airport with no real hassles and flew for 9 hours. We landed in Heathrow and got through pretty quickly.

We are now sitting at the Ace Hotel(where we will be staying the next 2 nights) which is from where we are updating the blog.

We are looking forward to getting home and getting to share more details about the stories we have experienced and lessons we are learning.

Village Life

2009-10-29T01:33:00.000-07:00

We have spent the last two days and nights in a village of one of the pastors who works with CLD. It is outside of Kalero, in eastern Uganda. There was no power or running water, but shown gracious hospitality by the families we stayed with. Our meals were simple with porridge for breakfast, rice and beans for lunches and dinners. We slept on the floors of the concrete house under mosquito nets (Jared, Greg, and Matt sharing one net and two pads was a bonding experience).

Our time there was spent encouraging the village pastor, Jacob, and visiting both a primary and secondary school. The visits allowed us an opportunity to hear from the students about their hopes and give them a chance to ask us questions about American life. The weather over the last two days has been challenging as it rained on and off most of our time there. Despite the weather our team played a soccer game against the secondary school, losing 4 to 2. The students found great joy in seeing the "muzungus" defeated by their schoolmates. Last night we distributed both candy and toothpaste & toothbrushes to the people of the village before they showed a movie on the projector we brought from Kampala.

We are now in Jinja where we will separate from the rest of the CLD team for the next two days. Our team along with Jennie O are going to spend some time at a campground on the Nile river about 20km outside of Jinja. The retreat campground is called the Hairy Lemon and we have heard you take a boat to reach it. It should be an interesting adventure to conclude our time here in Uganda with.

Our time here is coming to an end and we are grateful for the opportunity to spend these last few days reflecting on our experiences and debriefing them with Jennie O. We look forward to sharing more stories and pictures of our time with many of you soon. Thank you for your prayers over the last few weeks.

Pictures After All !

2009-10-26T03:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently we lied, we are going to put some pictures up after all. Greg, Lauren, and Matt are spending some time at the Internet cafe before heading down to the Kids house while Jared is running around doing other stuff in Kampala.

Here are some pictures:

Here is Greg, Lauren and Jared in London.

Here is Matt in London in front of a large swan in Hyde Park.

Here is Greg and Lauren at the Kids House

Here is Jared and our friend from Colorado Tiffney at the Kids house.

Here is our friend from TNL and CLD staff member Jenni with baby Jonathon. Read her blog linked on the side for more information about baby Jonathon.

Here Greg and Lauren are passing out cars.

Here Jared is leading the kids in Yoga.

Kids on the slip and slide.

Greg, Jared, and our friend from Colorado Nate about to partake in Indian food.

We spent this morning preparing for our village outreach. We spent half of our project money on buying the trees for the farm and hiring laborers to plant the trees we were unable to get to. The rest of the project money is being put towards the village outreach which will include buying a pig for CLD's Pigs for Hope ministry in the village.

We will be spending Tuesday, Wednesday, and part of Thursday in the village doing ministry, playing soccer, showing evangelistic films and trying to partner with what God is already doing in the village of Kalioro.

Thursday afternoon/evening and Friday morning will be spent in the town of Jinja at the headwaters of the Nile. We start our journey back to the States around midnight Friday night/Saturday morning.

Friends from Colorado in Uganda

2009-10-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Our friends, Nate, Tiffney, and Josh have their own blog - Epic Adventure

Sorry - No Pictures

2009-10-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

Since our internet access has been limited and none of us brought a laptop, we are unable to upload pictures. Sorry. :-(

We plan to upload pictures of our experience and friends over here in Uganda when we return.

Kids House and Church

2009-10-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Since our last post, we have gotten to enjoy many “rolexes” with and without hot sauces(those we brought and those that were here). Fri. night there was a party for a CLD staff member, Torrey, who is leaving at the end of this week to go back to the States. We got to have lots of good discussions through the night and Greg, Matt, Jared, and our friend Josh decided to act like we were college students and stayed up until 2:30 AM talking through the night. Some of us(Jared), paid for that decision more than others. ;-)

Saturday was mainly spent at the Kids House. CLD does a weekly Saturday activity with the kids. They try and alternate a really big event, like going to the zoo, with doing smaller activities at the house. This Saturday was the week to do smaller activities with the kids. The first part of the day was spent reading and coloring with the kids. There was a break to eat beans and rice for dinner. Sarah and Ryan, former staff and volunteers, had sent over Matchbox cars for all the kids at the Kids House. The kids were very excited for their new toys. We then had some great fun of Slip and Slide with the kids. Jared decided to lead by example and demonstrate the proper way to Slip and Slide.

The rest of Saturday night was a night used for resting, recharging and a great game of Nerts. We also got to experience our very first Uganda power outage.

Sunday morning was spent at the unique cultural of Ugandan church. We went for the very end of English worship and got to hear Justine preach an English message. It was a very good message about continuing to grow in Christ and to run the race set out for us. There was an interesting theme of not totally relying on our pastors but that we can approach God just as well as our pastors can. It is a good message for both sides of the Atlantic. It fascinating that just like God is present throughout all of time, he is also present in all of the world. Seeing our brothers and sisters in Christ joyfully worship our Lord during the Ugandan worship time was a great joy.

We went to the craft market this afternoon, drank delicious coffee and tea at 1000 Cups and are taking our friends of CLD to dinner for a well deserved treat.

Life on the Farm

2009-10-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

For the last two days our team has joined with other CLD Staff and Volunteers in planting a "live fence" at the CLD farm. It sounded easy enough until we saw the project. It required slashing the growth back to hoe and plant the seedings - 5,000 of them were purchased. We were able to plant over 1,500 of them and hopeful that they will make it. No serious injuries were sustained, although Greg did manage to cut his finger enough to cover his pants and machete in blood, but we think that it was a ploy to make Lauren more attracted to him. Matt and Jared chose to not shed any blood in Uganda so far as they have no women to impress.

After working on the farm on Thursday we attended Prayer Alter at the local church which was an experience of group prayer and worship unlike anything most of the team had ever seen. Friday after the farm we stopped by the Kid's House for our second time and celebrated the birthdays of two of the volunteers. Thanks to George from Mountain Man Candy we were able to give each child their own bag of sweets.

The team was introduced to the local fare of "Rolex" which is a rolled chapati and fried egg ("rolled egg" is the etymology). It has been the dining highlight so far as lunch is peanut butter and bread and dinner is potato and either beans or some other vegetable.

The staff of CLD has been gracious in welcoming us into their lives and world here. It is encouraging to hear about how many of them have connections with TNL. In many ways the CLD house is a unique Colorado - Uganda relationship of family and friends.
We will be returning to the Kids House this weekend, attending church, hopefully meeting some friends from Colorado for dinner in Kampala, and beginning planning on the Village Outreach for next week.

Welcome to Uganda

2009-10-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

We landed in Entebbe this morning around 7:30 local time. The view of the sunrise from the plane was spectacular -- it seemed that the horizon was endless and the sun rose as a red ball from leftover storm clouds.

From Entebbe it was about an hour car ride to Nansana and the CLD headquarters. We got settled in and then headed out to visit Solomon at the sew shop -- he and the women working there are truly inspirational. We were fortunate to be able to share in a devotional time with the women led by James the Boy ("the Boy" beacause he's not a woman, but he hangs out at the sew shop).

Our latest adventure was our first taste of Ugandan food. I had matooke and chapati in g-nut sauce. Its no Oscar Meyer weiner, but quite satisfying. We're on our way to play soccer with the kids from the Children's Home, and then maybe some much needed sleep.

Hot Sauce, Broncos, and Fish & Chips

2009-10-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

We are 12 hours into our journey to Uganda and the trip has already been full of adventure. First was three hot sauces from BW3's that Matt P was taking to one of our friends in Uganda that he had left in his carry on. We were escorted out of security at DIA to find a box and newspaper from a recycle bin to pack the sauces in a box and check as baggage to Uganda. We found a plac to watch the Broncos game while waiting for our flight that was 30 minutes delayed. As the first half ended we began to walk toward the gate to hear our names being paged over the intercom. As the final four passengers on the flight we sat down commenting about how bad it would have been to miss our first flight for the Broncos game (which we are unsure of if they won or not). Nine hours later we arrived in London for a nine hour delay until our next flight. We took the train into London for lunch of pints and fish & chips.
We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers and will attempt to update the blog when we arrive in Uganda and have access to internet. Grace and peace.

Thank You TNL

2009-10-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Last night over 200 lbs. of towels, sheets, shoes, and toiletries were brought to TNL for our team to transport to the Children's Home in Uganda. Thank you to every person who took their time and resources to partner with our team in giving and sharing to those in need.
A special thank you to George Alexander (father of Andrae Alexander)with Mountain Man Fruit & Nut, for providing 50lbs. of candies and sweets for us to take to the children. (The dozens of toothbrushes and toothpaste given will be an appropriate companion to the extra sugar).
It is humbling to be a part of such a generous and thoughtful community of faith. We look forward to sharing the experiences and adventures with you in the weeks to come.

One week Away

2009-10-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

We are one week away from TNL is sending a team (Greg & Lauren Owen, Jared Mackey, and Matt Paulsen) to Uganda to work alongside the grassroots non-profit Come, Let's Dance. TNL has sent several teams to Uganda and currently Jennie Otte and Morgan Johnson, who have attended TNL, are working full-time with CLD.

The TNL team will be visiting the CLD Children’s Home that provides care for over 40 children. The team can transport up to 400lbs. of resources with them for the Children’s Home. All supplies need to be delivered to TNL by Tuesday, October 13. Currently needed supplies are:
· twin bed fitted sheets (50)
· towels (50)
· kid sizes black shoes (50)
· kids underwear
· kids mulit-vitamins
· toothpaste and toothbrushes

The team is raising financial support for two projects they are sponsoring:
1. The Farm – Purchase and plant a tree line to protect the land to assist with the continued development of a self-sustaining agricultural and livestock center. Cost - $2,000.00
2. Village Outreach – Travel with the Ugandan CLD staff on a 2-day village outreach for delivery of resources, assessment of needs, and a village wide celebration meal. Cost - $1,000.00

All support can be contributed to TNLC c/o Uganda Team and is tax deductible.

TNL to Come Let's Dance - October 2009

2009-08-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Family & Friends,

We have the opportunity to travel with a team from The Next Level Church to Uganda in October 2009. The team will be working alongside a grassroots non-profit organization called Come, Let's Dance. The Next Level Church has sent both teams and individuals to Uganda to work with CLD over the past few years and TNL has had the opportunity to host visits from Come, Let's Dance when they are visiting the USA. The team is a continuation of the ongoing relationship between TNL and Come, Let's Dance.

Come, Let's Dance was founded by Shane Gilbert in 2005. Shane is a native Coloradan who grew up in Steamboat Springs. Here is a brief explanation of what Come Let’s Dance is in doing in Uganda.

"Come Let’s Dance exists to empower and inspire African children and their communities through the hands-on implementation of education, medical care, family style living, personalized relief, and the creation of self-sustaining agricultural and business ventures. By empowering at-risk African youth and their communities, we enable a generation of leaders who will take the hand of their Africa and dance into a stable, hopeful future."

The team traveling to Uganda is six people who have a desire to support CLD and experience firsthand the both the challenge and beauty of Uganda. The team is Jason & Jenna Meyer, Greg & Lauren Owen, Jared Mackey, and Matt Paulsen. Our purpose is to encourage the staff of Come, Let's Dance. Daily life for our friends who live and work in Uganda can be disheartening at times. We want to offer assurance that they are not alone in the work they are doing. The majority of our time with Come, Let's Dance will be spent working with them on two ongoing projects:

1. The Farm – CLD purchased land in 2007 to create a self-sustaining agricultural and livestock center. The design and plans were completed last year by Engineering Ministries International and include fish ponds, poultry houses, and housing for workers and staff. The long-term goal of the farm is to generate income and provide a basis for a variety of micro-business ventures. One of the initial aspects of infrastructure needed is a tree line to protect the land from intruders. The team from TNL plans to fund this project and work with CLD to plant the trees while we are there.

2. Village Outreach – many of the Ugandan CLD staff have come from neighboring villages outside of Kampala. We will be working with one of the Ugandan CLD staff for a 2-day community outreach that includes relief projects, delivery of essential resources, assessment of needs and future development, and a village wide celebration meal.

You can read more about both the Farm and Village Outreach online at www.comeletsdance.org.

As we prepare and travel to Uganda we ask for your prayers for our team:
- For the staff of CLD (Shane, Julie, Morgan, Jeremy, Ryan, and Jennie) to be encouraged by our visit
- That our hearts to be motivated by compassion and love for the people of Uganda
- For our safety and health as we travel in an unstable environment
- That God would be honored as we work, learn, and live with CLD and those in Uganda we meet

Your support of the financial cost of this team is also appreciated. The total cost for our team is $17,000 which includes project funds for the CLD Farm improvements ($2,000) and the Village Outreach ($1,000). As a team we have personally contributed the initial $7,800. We need to raise $9,200 for the additional costs of the team and provide financial and tangible resources to CLD. 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 the hope and love of Christ to those in Uganda.

Our hope is for this experience to be a catalyst of growth and encouragement not only for ourselves and those we work with in Uganda, but for you as well. We plan to provide updates on this blog - www.friendsofuganda.blogspot.com.

Thank you for partnering with us in this journey.

The TNL Uganda Team
Jason, Jenna, Greg, Lauren, Matt, and Jared

Home Safely

2008-08-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

I am kind of at a loss for words. How do I put into words the depth of our experiences in Uganda? So many things happened the last week we were there – rafting on the Nile (which we are thankful to have lived to tell about), continued service working with the kids at Mercy House and in the slums of Katanga, treating our Come Let’s Dance friends and Jennie Otte to a “fancy” dinner, Prayer Mountain, the house where we were staying being robbed, the building of new friendships and the strengthening of old ones. Now, being home, I look back on this trip as being the most adventurous one that I have ever taken. It was good, hard, life giving, depleting, joyous, challenging, and overwhelming to name a few. I truly have a new found admiration and respect for those who give their lives in full time missionary work…and find joy in it. I am glad I went, but I am glad to be home. Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement. We truly appreciate them and each one of you. Please continue to pray for those who are living and serving in Uganda with Come, Let’s Dance. They are wonderful, amazing people and need all the prayers, encouragement, and support we can give them. Thanks again and may God draw you closer to His heart this day.
Tanya

Winding Down

2008-08-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

Chady and I had wondered at the beginning of our trip what our purpose was in visiting CLD and Nansana at this time. There were only two of us and we didn’t really have any big plans. We were just going to encourage those at CLD, play with the kids, paint, and be used by God in whatever way He saw fit. Even though I am still not completely sure of why we were there, I know that God knows. He gave us a glimpes of His purpose. We were encouraged to know that we had been an encouragement to those we were staying with at CLD. That was an answer to prayer. Also, knowing that from the beginning, God had orchestrated this trip, we trusted that He knew the greater plan. I believe that He has done more than we will know. I could sense the spiritual aspect of life SO intensely while over there. I know there was a lot more going on than we could just see. Praise God that He is in control…

We were able to meet up with Jennie Otte and take her out to dinner with all of us. Hearing some of what she has experienced in the last year while living in northern Uganda was so amazing and overwhelming. It was so evident in her story and just our daily life in Uganda that we are all alive by the grace of God…nothing more. Sometimes it was overwhelming and at other times so joyous. It is something that I had heard about Africa before I went – the extremes: the joy, the sorrow, the love, the hate, the beauty, the ugliness. Life in Africa…we only experienced it for a short time, but I am truly grateful for the opportunity.

Rafting on the Nile

2008-08-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

Chady, Laura (a new addition to the CLD team), and I decided to go white water rafting on the Nile this week. So exciting! Eunice, another of The Girlz from CLD, was our guide as we made our way to crazy downtown Kampala, found our taxi, and headed off to Jinja for a day and a half of R&R. We arrived in Jinja in the late afternoon and hung out at a local coffee shop, shopped a little, and then had a very nice dinner sitting outside with the cool breeze soft on our skin. I found that I could take a deep breath and start to relax after the constant chaos of Kampala/Nansana. Even though I enjoyed the people and place that we were staying in Nansana, I found that the constant noise, crowds, feeling of being on defense for the unexpected was very tiring for me.

As Eunice headed back home to Nansana, the three of us found our way to the campground where we were to stay before heading out for rafting the next morning. The Nile River is amazing! Wow! And we were able to see the source of it. God has made such beautiful things…as well as people. All those that we met while in Uganda were wonderful and friendly. Even most strangers, after greeting them with a smile, were ready to chat and share a smile in return. Rafting was an experience of a lifetime. Not only to be on the Nile, but the first of five class 5 rapids that we came to, we flipped and hit rocks. The thought ran through my head, “I am going to die.” But, fortunately, it was not my time (or anyone else’s) to go. After some time in the first aid boat, we continued down the river. Not five minutes later on the next class 5 rapid, we flipped again. That was enough for me. We finished the trip, but some of us opted to walk a few of the remaining class 5 rapids. Fortunately, there were no broken bones or permanent damage, but Chady and I are still recovering from some pretty large bruises and bumps.

We made it back to Nansana that evening, but I was kind of out of commission for the last few days of the trip since my knee was pretty banged up and I couldn’t bend it without pain. I ended up going to the doctors to have it checked out. Chady, the amazing trouper, hardly complained and continued working at the kids house finishing painting and also spending another day working with the kids in the Katanga slums. Part of me felt bad to be laying around on our last few days there, but another part of me was thankful for the rest. I decided that since I couldn’t do anything physical, I could spend my time praying.
Tanya

Visiting the Hospital

2008-08-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

Our second (and last) week in Uganda continued to be as eventful as the first. We visited the one of the local hospitals and spent time in the infant ward where we prayed with the families over the children, gave out balloons & stickers, colored, and made fun little things with colored pipe cleaners. The minute we brought out the little red balloons and the color books and crayons, there was a small gathering of mothers and babies around us. The mom’s seem instantly cheered by the little things we brought. It was good to see them smile after feeling the heaviness of worry in the room. Also, being able to pray with them was an amazing experience. Feeling the power of prayer and knowing that God was listening and answering was overwhelming. I was with Florence, one of The Girlz from Come Let’s Dance, and as she prayed in Luganda and I prayed quietly, even though I didn’t understand what she was saying, I know that God was working.

Play-Do and Day Care in the Slums

2008-08-17T04:59:00.006-07:00

Tanya and I have spent a couple mornings in the slums just doing day care with the kids. The first day was overwhelming when we tried to hand out sweeties and stickers – all the kids just crowed around. Luckily there were a couple older children around to help the kids take turns form lines!

One day Tanya & I made homemade play-do to bring to the slums for the kids. We set up stations for play-do, books and coloring. At first the kids had no idea what to do with the play-do – luckily I only saw one kid who attempted to eat it! They seemed to have a lot of fun, were laughing and cheerful! The kids were so much more calm the day we played with play-do.

Painting at the Mercy Children Home

2008-08-17T04:59:00.005-07:00

Painting seemed like it should be an easy task. Tanya & I realized that although we had a vision of what we wanted to paint for the children we think God had more planned for us. This two day process started with walking for about 30 minutes (round-trip) to gather water at the local well so that we could wash down the exterior walls that were caked with red dirt. The first time gathering water was good – the children gather water two times a day. Julie is currently working with a friend to potentially drill some water wells at the children’s home. One of the things they are waiting on is funding for the wells $5,000 to $10,000 per well.

We had a couple of children help us wash down the dirty walls - our rags barely held up! (the next day we decided to purchase brushes!) All the children were very anxious and willing to help us paint the base coat of paint on the walls. By the end of the day all the children showed markings of paint. The paint here in Uganda is just a bit different than in the states – it does not rub off, but requires Paraphin to remove (at the end of the second after being paint stained we decided to buy the Paraphin and it was marvelous!).

For the second day of painting Tanya & I ventured off on our own for the first time! (taxis, botos, shopping for paint at the local 8x10 ft shops – we had to go to about 7 stores to buy and find the supplies we needed today) By the time we arrived at the kids house it was already close to noon – the pace of life here is so much slower and relaxed.

All the kids were very excited to help us wash the remaining walls and paint. Tanya had a great idea of beautiful educational mural for the children. But, we ended up letting the kids create most of the artwork and drawings. They were so excited and wanted to show us their creations! The wall turned out much differently than we expected, but it was beautiful!

These children so want to help and take ownership of their projects!

Visit to the Women’s Sew Shop

2008-08-17T04:59:00.004-07:00

Just a short walk from the slums ‘Come, Let’s Dance’ has opened a sew shop for ladies to try to make money to support their families. The women arrive early in the morning, are provided breakfast and lunch and can bring their children along with them. They are compensated on a per item basis. They make aprons, uniforms, beaded necklaces from paper, etc. Ideally it would be nice if they could get contracts with local schools to provide uniforms, but they are not consistent enough with producing goods. Currently the sew shop is not fully self-sustaining, but the hope is that eventually it will be!

They attempted to show Tanya & I how to make the paper beads. It appeared easy. But, we found out that it takes a lot of time to make just one bead that is perfectly symmetrical and balanced. The ladies were so very patient, gracious and helpful!

A couple days later we helped bring three of the children (Julius, Johannie and Hannah) from the Mercy Children’s Home to stay with their mother who lives in the slums and works in the sew shop. Hopefully they will eventually be reunited permanently.

Visit to the Slums

2008-08-17T04:59:00.003-07:00

I was a little intimidated to visit the slums - unsure of how safe it would be. But, sometimes it is good to step out of your comfort zone to fully experience life and what God has planned for you. I was later shocked at how safe and welcoming the people in the slums were!

When we arrived at the church (visually all the buildings and houses look like make-shift shacks, but they are truly homes to these people – no running water and no electricity), Jeremy was working with one of the locals help them set up a micro business. This 20 year old guy from Colorado has spent most of the last year building relationships with the people who live in the slums and it is amazing to see the impact he has made – person by person. They were working out of a mead notebook writing down the necessary supplies, estimated costs – sitting on wooden benches on a dirt floor with a group of people gathered around to absorb the conversation.

Mama Flavia, older lady, is one of the local ladies who lives in the slums that Jeremy has helped get on her feet. She graciously welcomed all 9 of us into her ~10x10 house. The interior of the house was decorated in full with skateboarding magazine pages! She was abandoned by her husband and moved to the slums. Jeremy loaned here enough money to start up her micro business of making somosas, (basically triangular tortillas filled with peas/beans – also very delicious), japote, etc. Amazingly she was able to pay off her loan within two months! She was such a joyous and happy lady – totally amazing given the physical circumstance she has been placed in – you could definitely tell that she had the Spirit of God in her heart.

Shakirah, a 20-year old, also welcomed us into her new house. I believe that ‘Come, Let’s Dance’ helped her pay off her 10x10 home in the slums so that she and here family would not have to struggle. I believe she is managing/renting two other homes in the slums to make ends meet. Florence, one of the Ugandan girls who is helping to guide us, went to school with Shakirah. Shakirah’s husband basically fell a couple stories down from a construction site and is not able to work. He has pain and some brain injuries. Shakirah has two adorable children Emma (3-year old boy) and Ester (1-year old girl). She also told us her story and that she was close to leaving her husband and children because life was so hard and she did not know if she could make it through everything. She patiently prayed to God to help her and her family. Amazingly Jeremy came along with such energy and helped her to get on her feet financially and was able to encourage her to continue living through her struggles. Such an amazing example of love, patience, perseverance, trust and total reliance on God.

Visit to the Farm and a Local Village

2008-08-17T04:59:00.002-07:00

This year, Come Let’s Dance had the opportunity to purchase close to 21 acres of farmland. They had to give ~3 acres to their squatter neighbors as an appeasement. It was great being out in the country not surrounded by all the noise and clutter. They have a group of engineers, etc. coming later this fall to help design the best use of the land. Currently they have 3 locals from Nansana staying on the property to build a bunkhouse. Here is a picture of the outhouse well – I have no idea how they were able to dig such a big hole manually!

We walked to Mama Victoria’s house, up the hill from the farm. She was very glad to see us. She pulled out a mat to place under a tree for some of us to sit on. I could tell that she was in pain. And then she pulled over a log to sit on herself. Julie later mentioned that she had never seen Mama Victoria so uncomfortable. We visited with her and I ended up giving her my whole bottle of Advanced Tylenol for her pain – thank God for healing me! Maybe Mama Victoria will have a little relief. Mama Victoria thinks her pain was caused by years of digging (basically gathering natural food in the local fields) – not an easy life, but you could tell that she was a joyous, bubbly lady amidst the hardness.

We stopped by a couple other neighbors and delivered sugar and ‘sweeties’ for the children. As we left the last house it down poured…perfect timing!

Walk in Nansana

2008-08-17T04:59:00.001-07:00

We are staying in Nansana, basically a suburb of Kampala. We are very fortunate that we have running water and electricity. As Tanya and I walk along the red, dirt road with huge cervices we realize that most everyone is outside (houses are fairly small). There is laughter, crying and talking in the air. People are giving children baths in small plastic basins, ladies are braiding each others hair, children are playing small soccer games in their front lawns, children are carrying huge, yellow plastic jugs of water on their heads or sometimes have 5-6 jugs tied to a bicycle that they are pushing down the road. Although the area would be considered poor by American standards, you can definitely sense a strong bond between the people and a strong sense of community.

All the while the children shout ‘Mazungu’ which means ‘Hello, white person.’ Everyone is very friendly and respond to our greetings of ‘Hello” or “Oliettia”. Tanya stopped to play with some of the children while I talked to a lady who was ready to deliver her child – I think she was walking to help induce labor.

Visiting the Mercy Kid’s House

2008-08-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

We had our first experience with public transportation today (very few people in the area we are staying have personal vehicles). On later trips we will realize that you can fit more than 20 people in a four-row mini-van. The trips typically cost between 500-800 shillings ($1 = 1,600 shillings) so it is quite cheap. We then took a boda boda (motorcycle) from the Wakeso Taxi Park to the Children’s Home, which cost 1,000 shillings. This ride was a little intimidating at first with no helmets, but we feel safe and it was a great way to see the countryside and locals!

When we arrived one of the older children was cutting a jaka fruit for the younger children. A large group of kids gathered around in anticipation of the treat. Later we ate a lunch of beans, rice and chapatti (tastes like a cross between a crepe and a tortilla – so delicious!) – the older children prepared the meal. We sat on the cement floor with 6 of the young toddlers. It was amazing how self-sufficient they were. They ate with their fingers and left their bowls completely clean! They then wandered off to explore. The only other adult around to take care of these children was ‘Mother Margaret’….most of the kids were home on holiday from school so in total there appeared to be 40-60 children.

Mercy Children’s Home was founded by a local minister and his church to take care of children who were abandoned or whose parents are not able to support their family. The organization we are staying with “Come, Let’s Dance” has come along side this local church to help support their ministries. Some of the kids have parents who are in the process of trying to become self-sufficient so that eventually they can take the children back in to their family. There are situations where the parents are unknown – two little boys Jackson (3 years old) and Jordan (1 year old) were abandoned along the side of the road in Nansana (the town we are staying) and the local pastors brought them to Mercy Children’s Home. There appears to be a strong family and community bond with a care-taking mentality – so I think it is fabulous that the ultimate goal is for the families to eventually bring the children back into their original home. So many times in typical orphanage situations the parents would quickly turn their children over so that the kids would have a better life – guaranteed food and a good education. I believe that all kids have to pay school fees to attend school here in Uganda. We just spent the afternoon talking with some of the high-school children, playing with the younger kids and holding babies. Jeremy, our guide, started up a game of soccer with the boys. These kids just need a lot of loving!

Arrived Safely

2008-08-09T03:23:00.000-07:00

hi all =)
chady & i made it safely to kampala last nite after about 20 hours of travel. we arrived in the dark so haven't seen very much of the city, but it is good to be here. phew! we met some of the people that work at the come, let's dance houses. they have all been very kind and welcoming. the weather here is pretty mild - not as hot as i would have imagined on the equator. the air here is definately thicker with moisture than in denver. i awoke this morning to the sounds outside our window - birds chirping, a child crying, someone singing, and some others talking. walking along the road to come & type this, we passed houses built of bits of wood & steal, small gardens, small piles of trash, small shops with items lining the shelves. the air of burning trash hangs faintly in the air. many of the children along the road from the house called out greetings to jeremy who is our "guide" today as julie is in jinja talking to someone about digging a working well at the children's home. please be in prayer that this negotiation and the finances work out for them. after sending out our emails (which is infinately slower than even dial up at home - a test in patience - we were warned of this...), we will be heading to the children's home for much of the rest of the day. we are glad to be here and are so thankful to you for your love and prayers. we'll type again soon. tanya

On our way...

2008-08-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

As Chady & I prepare to leave for Uganda tomorrow morning, I am filled with such excitement for this trip. God has provided beyond what we could have asked for or imagined both financially and in words of encouragement, support, and prayers. But I also feel a burden of the reality of this trip. It will not be a “pleasure cruise” and part of me is unsure as to what God has in store. So, with my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds, I look forward to experiencing the things that only He can bring. I know that He has a purpose and plan for this time, even if I am somewhat unsure of what that might be.

We are going to be working with Come, Let’s Dance in Kampala spending time with the kids in the displaced children’s home, working in the slums, and just helping out wherever they need it. The trip feels a little nebulous because we don’t have specific activities planned for each day, but, to be honest, I prefer it that way. Being open to God’s timing and schedule gives me a hands-off feeling, trusting that whatever He brings our way is what is needed at the time. I am so looking forward to interacting with and building relationship them. I am hoping and praying that we will be a source of encouragement to those at CLD, and even to those that we meet along the way. Also, we are hoping to meet up with Jennie Otte and spend some time with her before she returns to the states.

We will be posting blogs as often as possible to keep everyone updated on what is happening. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and feel free to respond to the postings. Words of encouragement are always accepted and appreciated. =) May each of you find joy in this day, knowing that the God who created you did so with a purpose. May the joy of the Lord be our strength.
Tanya

Still Processing

2007-12-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

Those of us who went to Uganda have been back in the US for at least a week at this point. Last night we gathered once again, this time back in the living room of Jared's home with Adam and Sarah on the phone from Minneapolis. With snow on the ground and below freezing temperatures in both places Uganda seemed a long way away.

We talked about our return and how each of us, although in many ways ready to return to family, community, safety, and sanity - still are processing through being back in the context we left not too long ago. We commented about missing the pace of life, the unscheduled nature, the darkness and the sounds of animals rather than automobiles. All of it lingers in the mind as each of us attempts to integrate what we have seen and how we have lived back into life here.

There were no great moments of clarity, but in the caring conversation of community we found pieces that help us continue. Prayers for our friends, some we had just met, others we have known for years and miss dearly. Hopes for a country that continues to capture our heads and our hearts. Faith that it is God who will bring healing through small efforts such as ours.

Relaxing in Jinja

2007-11-27T03:22:00.001-08:00

Alyssa, Jennie and I (Tiffani) traveled to Jinja after saying good-bye to Jared on Saturday. There was some hubbub in Jinja because the delegates from Kampala along with Prince Charles were visiting at the same time to get a break from their meetings in the city. We went to see the “Source of the Nile” (the place where the Nile starts flowing from Lake Victoria) and were diverted because Prince Charles was going to be there “very soon.” “Very soon” turned into a couple of hours and we lost interest and decided to go to lunch until it was over. On Sunday we went to Bujagali Falls, which was absolutely gorgeous! On Monday after a wonderful TexMex lunch and some time at the pool, we took a sunset canoe ride on Lake Victoria and ended at the Source of the Nile. We kept looking around over the weekend and talking about how beautiful it was and how it felt like some kind of tropical resort. Everything was so green and the flowers were so bright. Now we are in Kampala and have checked into our guest house and got Jennie settled in her room at Medair. Alyssa and I will get on a plane to London tomorrow morning and send Jennie off to Kaabong again. It has been an incredible trip and we have had such a good time with Jennie. Tomorrow will be difficult saying good-bye, but, alas, it had to come. Pray for safe travel for all three of us and pray for Jennie as she goes back to work.

Home Sweet Home

2007-11-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

After two years of planning and praying Africa is officially a past tense in my life. Its strange to think about. During my flight to London I was looking out over the Darfur Mountains and it hit me that I'm no longer in Africa. Time moves at a slower pace in Africa and it has felt like the past couple weeks have in fact been much longer.

I just wanted to let you all know that I arrived safely in Denver this evening. As I landed I was greeted by an orange and blue sunset over the Rocky Mountains and a group of familiar faces. It was sad to leave the new relationships and beautiful faces in Uganda, but it feels good to be home.

[brandi]

The Return

2007-11-23T04:52:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow the team begins to leave Uganda. We have traveled for over 40 hours the last week from Kampala to Gulu, Gulu to Adjumani, back to Gulu, then yesterday back here to Kampala. It will be another week before everyone on the team returns, but one at a time we return to the world we left not too long ago.

After leaving Adjumani we visited one of the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps outside of Gulu. We were able to again partner with CPA (Concerned Parents Ass.) in a Solidarity Day. The beginning of the day consisted of welcomes and introductions, traditional music and dance. Then the girls (Alyssa, Jennie, Brandi, Sarah, & Holly) went away to fetch water, build fires, and prepare food. The guys (Adam, Ben, & Jared) did the work of digging in a field and watching with the older men as the young kids herded the cattle then rested under a tree waiting for the food while eating sugar cane. There was not question who worked harder. Whose stomachs worked harder was no question either as Adam & Jared were expected to taste food from several huts. The day concluded with a soccer match between the camp and CPA, which the camp won 4 / 0. The ride to and from the camp was an hour of four wheeling at 40mph. As we shared dinner with Ben & Holly and the staff of CPA the director thanked us for our discomfort and willingness to go and see things that, as he stated, "not even the President of Uganda has seen". It was another bitter sweet farewell as we left Ben & Holly.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we traveled the six hours back to Kampala. Exhausted we arrived to fresh vegetables, artichoke dip, and guacamole thanks to Shane and Julie with CLD. Jared, with great assistance from Alyssa, carved the turkey (which also required removing the full stomach of the turkey). We had a stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and even cranberry sauce thanks to Brandi and Alyssa shopping in London on the way over. It was a wonderful meal and celebration as there were over 20 people, both Ugandan and American, sharing time together. Our prayer of provision and thankfulness was poignant as we recognized how greatly we have been blessed after spending just the day before among some of the worst poverty and need on the planet. We ended our time sharing what we were thankful for. Many of us were reminded of the friends and family we have back home and how greatly we miss them.

Today the team has spent some time in Kampala resting and carrying on the American tradition of shopping the day after Thanksgiving. It is limited as CHOGM has most of the city closed due to security of moving the Queen and the other delegates from the countries. Tonight we plan to share out last meal together as a complete team. The journey, both physical and spiritual, has been significant for every one of us. We thank each person who has journeyed with us through our posts, emails, texts, and calls. We will see you soon.

Grace and peace.
(Jared)

Back to Gulu

2007-11-19T04:08:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! The team arrived safely in Gulu today. I wrote one last blog while in Adjumani, but due to internet issues, we were unable to post it. Oh well.
Leaving Adjumani was bittersweet. The hardest part about meeting new people and making new friends is having to say goodbye when it is time to leave. But as Jared talked about on Sunday in church, even if we never see our new friends again in this lifetime, we will see them again in heaven.
On the other hand, for those of us who haven't seen Jennie Otte while here in Uganda, we were able to meet her here in Gulu. So much fun. It is good to be with her again. We were walking around Gulu today remembering what it was like the last time we were here. So much has changed, and yet so much is still the same.
Not much else to say today, but since we now have better access to email, we will hopefully update again. Love to you all.
[alyssa]

Learning Together

2007-11-17T04:57:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to believe that our team has been together here for a week now. All of us have been commenting that time moves much slower here as we are a world away from all the normal things that occupy our thoughts and time.

Wednesday and Thursday we spent our days traveling to some different churches in the Adjumani district. It has been an odd tension going to these churches and being treated as dignified guests when we are all just normal people. It’s hard for us to get our heads around the way that just a Westerners presence is seen as an encouragement and sense of hope for the people here. Wednesday was Michelle’s birthday, so we surprised her with a birthday cake made by Michael Idha, one of the individuals we’ve connected with doing community development.

We’ve been engaging in good dialogues about the role of a short-term team on trips like this. We each bring our own lens and perspective, seeing as Jeff and Michelle are here long-term, Rick and Faye are mid-term and our team is short-term. Our activities and experiences thus far have given all of us a lot to discuss, so that we can learn from each other about the effectiveness of different roles in the mission field.

Yesterday we played “choose your own adventure”. We all went separate ways that allowed us to be able to interact with things that are important to us. Alyssa, being a nurse, had interest in the local hospital and wanted to see what health care looks like here. Cosmos, a pentecostal pastor, came over to visit in the morning and he became our guide in the Adjumani hospital. Jared, Adam and I tagged along with her. It was good to tour the hospital. I think we were encouraged to see what a good job they are doing with the amount of resources that they have. They are sorely understaffed. When we were there yesterday, there was one nurse covering about 40 patients in all different wards of the hospital. The maternity ward was the busiest ward, and considering all the little kids running around, that is no surprise.

While we were at the hospital, Brandi spent time here at the house, hanging out with the house help staff. Relationships are tough here. Westerners are seen as people that have money and that can solve everyone's problems, so it's tough to have friendships with people that are not motivated by money. Jared and Adam had a good talk with Michael Idha yesterday afternoon. They listened as he explained his business plan for the pumpkin cake business. It is good to see such an motivated entrepreneur that is helping his own community.

To all of the moms reading this, know that we are being spoiled by Michelle and Faye...we're all eating very well. And despite Alyssa not feeling well yesterday, Brandi with a cold, and Adam with a tick bite, we are all healthy.

[Sarah]

Gulu

2007-11-17T04:24:00.000-08:00

From Tiffani--
Hello, everyone! I thought I would give a quick update from Gulu.I am almost finished with my interviews. Due to time constraints and having to travel quite a distance to reach the camp, we (my translator and I) did four interviews on Wednesday and 3 on Friday. Concerned Parents’ Association (CPA) has been wonderful to work for. (To learn more about them go to www.cpa.net) I can hardly believe that my field research is half over! I feel like the interviews went well; the women seemed very honest and were extremely hospitable. They even made us lunch and sent me home with a bag of g-nuts (kind of like small peanuts in the shell). All four of the women I interviewed were in their early twenties and had been abducted by the rebel army, some as young as age nine. One woman even conceived her first child at age 13 while she was still with the army. All of them have escaped and have been living in the camps for 4-10 years. I am so amazed at their strength and courage. And after all that they have endured, they are still able to give and love and find some joy.

I was feeling pretty tired and a bit overwhelmed with everything after the first day of interviews -- it was a LOT to take in and I felt like I was still getting used to the culture here too. But the week ended well and now my friend Jennie (who works in NE Ugand) is here with me and we are having a wonderful, relaxing Saturday. I am looking forward to rejoining the team on MOnday, although I'm sure it will be sad for them to have to leave Jeff and Michelle. It seems like all greetings and good-byes are bittersweet here...trading one good thing for another. I continue to covet your prayers as I finish up my interviews and working wit CPA on Monday. Blessings.

At home in Adjumani

2007-11-14T06:51:00.000-08:00

Things are beautifully simple here. Since our arrival on Sunday our team has received nothing but love and generosity from our friends in Adjumani. It is funny, though we are so far from home, I think I speak for everyone when I say we feel very much at home here with Jeff, Michelle, Rick and Faye.

In the past couple of days we have spent our time meeting so many amazing people. We first met Michael who has helped some women in the area by building an energy conserving stove in order to bake pumpkin muffins which they can sell in town. I know we were all so encouraged by his desire to see his community prosper. His passion is contagious.

We have also visited a handful of churches now. Each congregation has welcomed us with open arms... and much singing... We have been so blessed to join them in praise and worship. And to hear how their churches were first started and how they've continued to grow. They also made requests in areas which Jeff and Michelle might be able to help them. I've been blown away by the way Jeff handles the requests. I know one of his biggest goals during his time in Adjumani is that the people would not grow dependent on him, but rather that he would be an encouragement to them to take steps on their own and to become self-sufficient. He has been in Adjumani for many years now and can honestly tell them he understands their needs and reminds them that God is the one that provides and fulfills those needs. Its hard to explain, but I think Jeff has been made for this place. He has a great understanding of what helps and what hinders.

I could type for hours about the massive potholes, or the sugary sweet african tea, or the cute neighbor kids that yell to us whenever we leave the house, or the sparking power surges, or the giant net of stars that show up at night in the giant african sky, but i will not. internet connection here is so touch and go. we will continue to update as frequently as possible. much love to you all.

[brandi]

Arrival in Adjumani

2007-11-11T23:47:00.000-08:00

After three consecutive days of travel, our team has arrived safely in Adjumani, Uganda (East Africa). We are grateful and thankful for all the prayers that have helped us arrive here safe and sound. Our friends from Kampala provided gracious transportation to Gulu which took approximately 6 hours via taxi. The travel was particularly humorous since we only had nine people in the vehicle instead of the standard sixteen. We arrived in Gulu only to find that our hotel reservations had been dropped, but Jared and Alyssa did a great job finding rooms for all of us for the evening. Even without running water or electricity, a bed to sleep in was a good respite from the travels of the day. It was also good to spend time with Tiffani before leaving her in Gulu so that she could continue working on her counseling project focusing on women affected by war in Uganda.

The next morning, Jeff and Rick traveled down from Adjumani to pick us up. We traveled via truck from Gulu to Adjumani with Alyssa, Sarah, and Brandi riding in the cab and Jared and myself riding in the back. The roads were relatively smooth and dry, but Jared and I shared some exciting moments together in the back of the vehicle. When we arrived at Jeff and Michelle’s, we were greeted with a wonderful homemade meal. We shared communion together with Jeff, Michelle, Rick and Faye with the help of homemade bread made by Faye and red Crystal Light.

We look forward to a week filled with visiting churches and community leaders. We’re excited about the various supplies we were able to bring (clothing, candy, eyeglasses, financial support, etc.) and looking forward to seeing how these items impact the lives of the people here. Another particularly exciting aspect of our journey is that we have successfully doubled the “Mundu” population in Adjumani from four to nine! Jeff and Michelle are in the process of developing an intergenerational missional community here in Adjumani. They were recently joined by Rick and Faye, and it has been exciting and beneficial already to see how two couples from different generations are able to find common ground and work together for the good of the people here.

It has been good to spend some time with people who share the values and vision we have in our journey as a team. We began our time together with communion and we will end our time here next Sunday with communion before traveling again to Gulu. Communion was a simple reminder of our common faith and our common belief in God’s love for the people of Uganda.

Our Sunday

2007-11-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

I (Tiffani) have been delegated the task of posting today, so I thought I'd tell you all about Jennie's and my fun and yet heart-breaking time at church on Sunday at this orphanage in town. The kids were so precious. It took us 45 minutes and some 4 wheel drive maneuvering because of traffic and the biggest potholes I've ever seen....but we made it and it was totally worth it. We ate lunch with them and got to hear more of their singing and see them dance. Actually, a group of older girls lead the music part of the worship along with some very talented little drummers and they had some almost choreographed dance moves. It struck me as ironic that these little children who have nothing and have often experienced great amounts of pain are able to sing songs with words like "God is my comforter...provider....protector." their faith and love seem to run so much deeper than should be possible at their tender ages. The orphanage "mother" commented to me at one point that she thought we would all be surprised about who gets any kind of "reward" when we get to heaven. The last shall be first and the first shall be last. I think these little ones who had so little worldly possessions will be shoved to the front of the crowd. How beautiful they are!

the rest of our team has either already left or will be leaving Thursday night. Please pray for their last day in the states as they prepare to leave. Pray for safe travel to Kampala and for our trek to Gulu on Saturday. From what I've heard from people here, it could take us up to 8 hours, but 5 hours at the minimum. Pray for those roads and for all of our bodies. It will be a long weekend, but we are all looking forward to finally being together as a team and heading up north.

The Fire

2007-11-06T02:30:00.000-08:00

Today is back in the fire of the reality of life here. Most of the morning was spent at the local police station trying to create enough of a scene to keep a man who raped a four year old girl in jail. She is the younger sister of one of the young men who works with Come Let's Dance. Shane and I took the Criminal Investigator along with the man's wife (who had to go to unlock the gate) to the house where it happened. The young girl described the incident to him. The neighbors are upset that this family is causing trouble. The process continues only if the pressure to make an example of this man continues - which requires calls and "appreciation" (money) to the officials. It was difficult as I stood there, holding the hand of a four year old girl, standing less than five feet from the man's wife, wondering where does one go from here. I was asked what did I think about so much trouble by one of the young pastors. I told him it is the cancerous nature of sin - it spreads and kills, far beyond one person, whatever he has done to this girl, it has spread into this community and impacted so many.

The second explosion hit closer to home as Shane received a call from a man claiming to be the father of a young girl who has lived with her for the last two years after her mother died of AIDS. It is difficult to know what his intentions are as at the time of her mother's death he was thought to be dead as well. The family system here is challenging to understand. Children are given away and put out so freely; but when a wedding, an achievement, or in this case potential adoption occurs the family appears with expectations of contributions. Please pray as the road ahead I am sure will be difficult.

The time here has illuminated the deep need and value of caring for children in the context of community. I have been constantly reminded of many of the children in the TNL community and of the responsibility together we share to care for them. Today is Tuesday in Uganda and my thoughts are with those worshiping together at TNL. May the peace of Christ be with you.

Grace and peace.
Jared

Road Conditions

2007-11-05T07:19:00.000-08:00

Jared, Tiffani, and Jennie spent the day in Kampala today. We found a pizza place for Jennie and also a cafe' to have frozen coffee drinks - not quite Starbucks. It has been good to spend time with the each other listening and sharing stories of life in Uganda. Tonight we plan on eating Indian food on a roof top restaurant overlooking the city of Kampala. We are trying our best to show Jennie as much of civilization as possible while we are here since she has not seen a building over two stories in quite some time.

We received a phone call from Jeff in Adjumani - they traveled yesterday and the update is 6 hours to Gulu, 6 hours to Adjumani, and digging out only once. He said, "be ready for an adventure" as Adam and Jared will be traveling the second leg in the back of a pickup truck.

We are grateful for your prayers and believe that the road ahead is worth taking to encourage our friends and be with those in need.

Grace and peace.

Many Friends

2007-11-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

An unexpected phone call connected many friends today. Jared and Jeremy Schmitz (who has lived and worked in Kampala for 5 months) went to see a local rugby tournament since Jeremy has played for a club team while living here. We were traveling across town in the local taxi (a mini bus that should hold 14 people but usually has 20) when we received a call from Jeff Theisen.

We met him and were able to connect with Jennie O thanks to several replies to early morning texts from Jared (thanks Constance and Alyssa). We were able to transfer a large tent Tiffani brought over with her for the work in Adjumnai. So here we are, in the middle of a Saturday, connecting three different groups here in Uganda. It is exciting to see the networks come together.

Jared in Kampala

2007-11-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

I arrived yesterday morning and was greeted at the airport by Shane
Gilbert, Julie DeBoer, and Jeremy Schmitz - all who work with Come
Let's Dance here in Kampala. The airport has recently been updated as
the Queen of England will be here this month for Commonwealth Head of
Governments Meeting. The roads have also been repaved and much of the
city cleaned up for the visit. The cost was passed along to our visas
as they increased to $50 - lucky us.

Last night we drove to the site of the new children's home that was
purchased this last month. The house will hold 60 - 80 children once
completed. The solar powered pump was installed this last week as well
as a hand pump proudly shown to me by the resident expert plumber
Jeremy Schmitz. After dinner and sound check the evening praise &
worship (& dancing) began. We left close to midnight but the word on
the street is that many stayed until sunrise. Those at TNL can
appreciate the dedication to the sound system and set-up which
required a duct fan for cooling the amplifiers of the sound system. It
was just like Tuesday night.

The staff of Come, Let's Dance has just begun a 21 day fast praying
for the new house and moving the children along with a new beginning
for many of them returning for another year. Come, Let's Dance is
closely tied with Light of the World Church which is led by five
pastors in the twenty's. It has an amazing energy and influence in the
young people here in Kampala. One of the pastors is Wilson Bugembe,
who is a well-known Christan singer here in Uganda. It is encouraging
to see the connection between the Ugandan and American youth and the
respect and humility shown to each other.

Grace and peace.

Jared

Our return to Uganda

2007-10-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

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.

Sunsets & Security Escorts

2006-06-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we travelled to Anaka which is the third largest IDP camp in Northern Uganda with a population of over 30,000 people. We participated in a program called ‘Solidarity Day’ with the CPA (Concerned Parents Association) and students from Gulu University. There were also radio personalities, local pop music artists, newspaper reporters, and photographers with us for the event. The goal was to show solidarity between the youth of the IDP camp, the youth of Gulu University, and the youth of America. We were greeted by a traditional processional and walked about a mile from the entrance of the camp to an enormous mango tree that thousands of people were sitting underneath. The program included speeches from many of the local government and camp leaders. We then divided into groups to spend part of the day as we would if we lived in an IDP camp.

The ladies were sent to pump water and cook – Jennie cooked fish and okra, Alyssa prepared some sort of ground grain paste, and Kellen won the prize as she prepared portio (a dense white cake) with white ants. They all were incredibly brave as they ate with the families they cooked with. Kimball and I went to the field to dig with the men of the camp and the male students from Gulu University. We tried to keep up with the local men to little avail. We were congratulated after about an hours worth of digging with our wooden hoe with some raw sugarcane. The rest of the afternoon we sat and listened to traditional and ‘pop’ Ugandan music. The day concluded with a football game between the students and the camp. They were only able to play one half as we needed to leave by 6:00pm for security reasons.

As we drove the hour and a half back to Gulu we witnessed the most amazing African sunset. But the tension that existed between that beauty and the reality that we needed to stay close to the armed security escort in front of us was almost too much. One stretch of the road we were on has been notorious for the rebels crossing. We passed several military checkpoints and due to the level of security were unable to take pictures for most of the way. As I sat and watched the sunset I was overwhelmed by the paradox of Uganda. It is a beautiful land with kind and generous people, but the reality of life here is there are thousands of lives in constant danger and a deep sense of loss by everyone for the children who are still ‘in the bush’.

This morning Kellen and Kimbal left with Holly to return to Lira. They will be spending the next week with Ben and Holly on a much deserved holiday. Jennie, Alyssa, and myself are travelling towards Kampala today to begin our journey home. It seems as if we have been travelling together for much longer than two weeks. We are all anticipating being home, but our experience here has impacted each of us significantly. Thank you for your prayers for our team, for this country, and for the hope of peace.

[Jared Mackey]

Images of Hope

2006-06-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Gulu on Monday evening after a relatively short, but breathtaking drive from Lira. Tuesday we headed along a heavily guarded road to an IDP camp called Lalogi to work with a camp youth group. I was very excited about visiting this camp because we were planning on painting a mural. I had been thinking for a long time about what we should paint but it was hard for me to imagine what could be meaningful to people who have been through so much trauma. Before we went we were talking to Holly about what she thought might be most meaningful, I loved her idea. She shared about the youth group we were going to be seeing and suggested that we let them paint the mural. The mural’s title is “Hope for Lalogi/Gen Pa Lalogi”. The members of the youth group, all affected by the war in some way were asked to paint their interpretation of hope for their camp. I can’t express in words what each member painted but I would like to share a few that impacted me. One that was very moving read “Only God Knows My Problems”. Even though this was not an expression of hope I was so glad that this person used art to express herself. It was somehow so important to have the struggle juxtaposed next to the hope because that is how it is there. So many times you will sit and hear how much pain and suffering someone is going through one moment and then be laughing and dreaming with them the next.

Other paintings included images of schools, and teachers, more agriculture or livestock. We even had someone draw our vehicle coming to the camp; I’m not sure about that one. In the end there were two that I really loved. The first was written in the Acholi language. It read “Peace and Reconciliation/Timo Kica Ki Mato Oput”. In a country so filled with turmoil and genuine reasons to hate and kill there must be a voice that speaks for true healing. I am so glad that there are voices among the most effected youth that are crying out for this kind of end to the violence. The second image was portraying the village elders and all of the young children sitting around the fire late at night. This tradition has been lost in so many places because there is a curfew in the camps. Traditionally, this act is important because it is how morals and important tribal histories are passed on. This person was saying that hope for the camp would be to allow the traditional rituals to be carried out, bringing some sense of normalcy to their lives.

After all of the youth members finished painting we had a crazy patchwork of “hope”. It was so fun, and much more meaningful to me and to them I believe.

Our last few days have been amazing. We are going to be doing a solidarity day tomorrow and then wrapping up the trip. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers over these last few weeks.

[Kimbal]

Honey & Prayer

2006-06-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

[this post was written on Monday morning - we were unable to post it in Lira due to power surges]

After the last post on Saturday morning, we went to visit Dan, Ben and Holly’s night watchman. (You can find Dan’s story on Holly and Ben’s blogspot linked from our page). Dan lives in a village about 9 km north of Lira. It is down a long dirt road through some of the most beautiful countryside we have seen, lush and green, undeveloped and open. Dan’s family were all there to meet us, his grandfather, parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews. After a round of formal introductions in which every person had to stand and give a mini speech, we sat down for a meal. First came the honey, harvested just the night before, which we ate straight from the comb. Dan’s grandfather was so excited for us to try his honey that he prayed over it before we ate. Wow, the honey was sweet and so filling, we hardly had room for the traditional Ugandan meal of rice, sweet potatoes, chicken and bitter herbs with g-nut paste (similar to peanut butter) which Holly helped to prepare. Although I was a little skeptical, the meal was actually really good. Dan took us on a tour of his family’s tobacco farm, and then we went up to a rock, the highest point in the village. The view was spectacular, with the cool breeze and surrounded by friends both new and old, I felt like we were experiencing just a small glimpse of the kingdom.

Sunday we gathered with the staff and friends of CPA to pray and fast for the children who have escaped from the LRA and for those who are still in the bush. In typical African fashion, the service lasted about 4.5 hours. Once they found out that Jared was a pastor, he was called up to the front to help lead. I think he got off easy, as he only had to give two sermons during the meeting. In all seriousness, it was so good to be with brothers and sisters, listening to their prayers for their people, and adding our own to theirs, asking God to bring healing and restoration to the people of Uganda.

After the prayer meeting, we went into town to get groceries for dinner that night and ran into a group of American college students. They were over here helping to build an orphanage in Lira. What makes this meeting so amazing is that the mother of Jonathan, one of the students, had met Jared and Kellen at TNL and again at the Global Night Commute. She told them about what he was doing over here, and hoped that we could meet them. Unfortunately, we did not think this was possible, until we ran into them in the store. What a small world. They whole group came over to Ben and Holly’s last night, and we had a great time laughing, listening to good music, and taking communion together. We leave for Gulu today, and so we begin another week here in Uganda.

Your thoughts and prayer are so much appreciated.

Lots of love to you all.
[Alyssa English]

IDP Camps & Hope

2006-06-24T01:07:00.000-07:00

Today is Saturday. Yesterday we concluded our time in the I.D.P. camp with a football (soccer) game. Thanks to the skills of the youth we worked with out there we won the match 2-1. It does not change the fact that USA lost to Ghana, of which we are reminded everywhere we go.

For the last three days we have been working with a subsidiary organization to Concerned Parents Association, the organization that Ben and Holly work for, Concerned Children and Youth Association (CCYA). They regularly go into the IDP Camps to organize play days. As they instructed us on the first day, “we are trained in making fun”. The day consists of hundreds of children, from those carried on the backs of their siblings to young 20’s, being divided into groups to “make the fun” together. The addition of our team has provided humor and some additional resources. After two hours of dancing, a Ugandan version of “duck, duck, goose”, singing and laughing we are exhausted. We have had different art projects each day – the first day distributing over 900 pieces of construction paper and a single (actually half) crayon to each child to draw. It is amazing seeing hundreds of children sit and wait to be instructed on what they will draw. Yesterday we gave out 500 pieces of chalk, broken to have enough for the children to have one piece for every two kids, to color on an abandoned building. The colors and pictures of trees, houses, flowers, animals, and math equations demonstrated how dedicated the children are in every opportunity they are afforded. Each day we have given out Colorado Rapids Football jerseys to the children who have participated the “best”. To give out 50 jerseys and a dozen footballs is wonderful. To only be able to give them to a handful and have thousands of eyes stare at you and question why there is not more is probably for me one of the worst parts of my day. We brought enough candy for every child to have one piece. As we walked down lines of hundreds of children placing a single piece of candy in their hand I had a moment where it was not candy, but rather a form of communion - that I was there touching the hand of a child and praying for them that they would somehow know the love of God in this place. Leaving the camp yesterday there was a sense of deeper understanding, greater confusion, and a desperate need for hope.

The most memorable part of the day was a conversation with a young man named Dennis; he was 20 years old and has lived all of his known life in IDP camps. He had many questions for me including how far away from our home were we, if it is 2:00pm in Uganda what time is it in the USA, which led to a poor explanation by me about how the world is round like a football (soccer ball) and how Africa is always about a half a day ahead of the USA. The question that turned the conversation was when he asked, “compare life here in this camp to life in the USA”. I told him, “you can not, there is too much difference”. By the time the conversation ended there were over 100 people listening to us discuss how we both wanted the extreme poverty and unimaginable living conditions of the camps to not be the only life he and thousands of others would know. He asked regarding my desire to see things change, “what NGO (Non Government Organization) are you with?” I replied by asking him, “you want things to change, what NGO are you with?” The crowd laughed and he smiled. We agreed that we were simply two men standing in the middle of a camp, surrounded by thousands of people living in some of the most difficult circumstances, and hoping for change. Last night at dinner and this morning at breakfast our conversations continued about what does hope look like for this country, these people. A small piece of clarity came with that hope is not prescriptive, rather redemptive.

The day included multiple celebrations of Alyssa’s birthday as well. The CCYA staff sang to her and gave her an unexpected “bath” of water poured over her back since it was her “bath – day”. Ugandan humor I suspect. We also had an angel food cake baked by Ben and Kimball that we took to a restaurant where the entire restaurant joined in singing to her – twice. Once when we brought the cake out with the candle, and once we the power went out and we were all sitting in complete darkness for about three minutes. We learned the additional verses to “Happy Birthday”, which were, “how old are you now?” and “you look like a donkey”. When the power came back on an African man looking at Kimball shouted, “Where is my wallet?, Kimball looked at him and shouted the same, with much laughter following. At times laughter is the best, and only, medicine.

We have been away now seven days. It seems at times much longer. The moments of pause at the end of the day include either “high / low” or reflection and silence of what we have seen and experienced. There is no doubt that we are sustained and given strength to walk through this land by the prayers of so many. We continue to attempt to post pictures of our time here; the power issues and the unstable connections make it difficult. To try to give you a picture of what we see here imagine the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets with the biggest sky you have ever seen. Against that backdrop is poverty, pain, sickness, and doubt that it is almost impossible to remain engaged with. It is good to be here. Not easy, but good.

Grace and peace.

[Jared Mackey]

Life in Lira

2006-06-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

Well, it is hard to believe that we have been in Lira for 3 days now. For the past two days, we have been traveling to Bala Stock Farm, which is an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. There are over 15 camps in the Lira area. To give you an idea of how many people are in these camps, Bala is one of the smaller ones. Yesterday we had about 500 children, today we had over 900 as the word spread that we were there, and tomorrow they are predicting that there will be even more children as they all bring more friends. I can't get over how beautiful the children are when they smile. Some of them, especially the little ones, are frightened of the "munus" (white people), but we are learning a few words of greeting in the Luo language and we have found some ways to communicate without words.
I look around at all of the children and wonder how they can live in the conditions in which they live. As a nurse, I see so many of the kids with medical issues that would be so easy to fix in the states, but they will never get the care that they need. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start, but I found a place today. As we were driving back to Bala after lunch we saw a boy on the side of the road with 2nd and 3rd degree burns covering his left forearm, and another one on his right leg, with the flies buzzing all around them. I was able to clean the wound and put some antibiotic cream on it (yes, mom, I did wear gloves), but it just wasn't enough to keep the flies away. Ben called CPA, and we were able to take him to a clinic where they could dress the wound and give him some extra supplies. It seems like we did so little for him, but as Ben was telling us last night, if we can help at least one person, then it is worth us being here.
There are many eye-opening experiences staying in Lira. It is striking to walk around the town and the only other two white faces I see are my two teammates that I am walking with. People everywhere stop and stare wherever we go, sometimes they just laugh at our “strange” ways. This morning, I rode the boda the wrong way. A boda is the main source of transportation, it is a bike with an extra seat over the back tire. The women sit with their legs to one side, but apparently, I had mine on the wrong side and the people in town thought this was hilarious. I asked the driver if I had embarrassed him and he said, “Well, yes.” The power here in Lira is on again off again, approximately every other day. The generators are on from dinner until the World Cup games are over, then the fans are off and the rooms just keep getting hotter until about 3am. Kellen and Kimbal are staying with Ben and Holly. Jennie, Jared and I are all staying in the Mango Tree Hotel in Downtown Lira. We all share the bathroom in Jennie’s room, and every day is a new adventure as we figure out which way will work to flush our toilet. Jared has broken the toilet twice, but Jennie still lets him use it.
To all our family and friends, we love you and appreciate your prayers. It is so fun reading your comments on our blog.
[Alyssa]

God Loves Patience

2006-06-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

The First 24 Hours- 2 perspectives

1.) Our arrival in Entebbe, Uganda came after a ‘short’ 8-hour plane ride from London. We have to admit we felt quite blessed with the emergency row/bulk head seats…but even with the extra room it was hard to sleep. Perhaps it was the anticipation, but I think our combined total hours of sleep for Sunday evening was about 8 hours – between 5 of us! And so began our first day in Uganda…

The drive into the capital of Uganda – Kampala – was complete with a beautiful sunrise over Lake Victoria, lush green hills, and a few African bottle-neck traffic jams! Having loaded some of our bags into the bed of one of our trucks while at the airport, we realized they were easy prey in the midst of the traffic. Jared offered to be their guard & took up his post with the bags - he’ll have to tell you more about that adventure himself.

The plan was to spend a few minutes in Kampala to drop Holly & Kellen off at the bus with some of the luggage since it wouldn’t all fit into one truck. The few minutes turned into a few hours (see Kellen’s perspective below) as the banks had some pretty specific requirements for our exchanging money. But, we finally got it all worked out & the other 5 of us headed to Lira via a truck the Concerned Parents’ Association so kindly allowed us to use.

The drive was long, about 5 hours, through beautiful green hills, gradually flattening out and providing us with the ability to see for miles. Even those of us who have been to Africa before still cannot get over how big the sky seems – there’s just something expansive & elusive to it that awes you. And we crossed the Nile along the way…wow it’s hard to describe the beauty! Lush green foliage all around, class 5 rapids & some waterfalls – we weren’t able to stop, but we did meet some baboons on the road just after crossing – ah yes, we’re in Africa!

There’s much more to tell, but for now know that we are safe, settled, and loving every second! The next few days we’ll be oriented to the city & introduced to the staff at Concerned Parents’ Association who Ben & Holly work with. And we’ll head to the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps to do some planned crafts/games/activities with the children & play fooball (soccer)!

We’re feeling tired, excited, blessed, and inspired – thanks for your prayers and thoughts! (Jennie)

2.) Overjoyed, I walked out of the airport to see one of my best friends, Holly. I nearly cried to hug them again. How natural it felt to be here with them. As we packed the vehicle (they don’t call them cars here), we realized that all seven of us and our ten bags, filled with soccer balls, candy and loads of stickers, would not fit. Holly had decided that she would ride the bus with a few bags. With joy and excitement, I volunteered to go with her, longing to spend a few hours on a bus with my dear friend.

We arrived to the Bus park in Kampala minutes after the 8AM bus left and had to wait for the next bus. It was scheduled to leave at 10AM. We decided to make use of the extra time by exchanging money and running to a local Italian bakery for pastries and a cappuccino. We never made it to the pastry shop. When we went to exchange the team money, the bank wouldn’t take any American bills made before 2000. After a fun time sorting old vs. new bills, exchanging the current dollars and creative problem solving on “how to get the older dollars taken” it was 9:55 so we had to run to the bus park. When we got back to the bus park they informed us that the bus would be leaving at 11AM.

Reluctant to wait, Holly and I got on the bus while Jared, Kimbal, Alyssa, Jennie, and Ben left in the vehicle toward Lira. The hour wait in the bus went by quickly as we caught up on life. We noticed it was 11:45AM and the bus was still in the station. Our friend, Edward who worked for the bus, then told us that the bus would leave closer to 1PM. You see there aren’t “official” departure times in Uganda. Holy explained that here a bus leaves when the driver decided it is full. Out if the corner of my eye I noticed a bus with the name “God Likes Patience” parked across the street. I laughed with Holly and told here that I am not sure my American form of patience is true patience.

Finally, at 3:30PM our 10AM bus left the parking lot. We made it four whole blocks before the engine began to smoke. Everyone exited the bus, gathered their luggage and waited for a new bus to come pick us up. The second bus picked us up. Holly made sure our bags got on, while I fought through the crowd to get a good seat on the bus. At 4PM the bus left, again, and broke down nearly 100 meters in front of the first bus. We once again left the bus, sat on our bags, as it started to rain. Around the corner came our third bus. “God Likes Patience” was its name. Holly and I laughed, got on the bus and finally left for Lira, on the 4:51PM bus.

The ride was quick, one that normally takes five hours, made it to Lira in three and a half. The scenery was beautiful, and lush while I could keep my eyes open to see it. We crossed over the Nile in the dark and made it to our destination, Lira. Coming home, with Ben and Holly was so good. We chatted over a cup of tea, and then Kimbal and I crashed under the mosquito net. It was good day! I am eager for many more; I just pray that I can remember to fill them all with the patience that God likes! May you all as well… (Kellen)

London

2006-06-18T02:25:00.000-07:00

This evening we leave London for Uganda. Our flight was, as described by our BA stewardess, "a bit bumpy", but we arrived safe and sound. All of our luggage, inclduing a bin for Ben and Holly duct taped by Kimbal at the last moment at DIA, arrived as well. Our hotel is a study in small spaces and staircases. Kellen and Kimbal have the "penthouse suite", located after six flights of stairs and about sixty five square feet of lodging heaven.

We were fortunate to meet Holly's family here in London - her parents, Jay and Terri, and her siblings, Travis and Christina. We celebrated Kimbal's birthday at a local coffee shop complete with burning stir sticks as make shift candles. We spent the evening in traditional British fashion, watching the World Cup game between USA and Italy. Afterword we enjoyed walking to the South Bank along the Thames River, taking too many pictures of Big Ben and laughing at our evening entertainment, Kimbal and Travis, complete with matching cowboy hats.

Sunday morning here in London has allowed us time to catch our breath and some rest. Hyde Park affords a calm and quiet refuge among a busy city for us to pause and pray about the road ahead. This time tomorrow we will be in Kampala, it is what is most in our thoughts. That along with that many of our friends and families are together today in various places praying for us.

Grace and peace.

[Jared Mackey]

What Are We Doing?

2006-06-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

Facts about Uganda:
Uganda has been called one of the worst humanitarian crisis because of the lack of attention
An estimated 1.7 million people have been forcibly displaced in Northern Uganda
An estimated 40,000 children have/are being abducted to fight as soldiers by the LRA Tens of thousands of children are commuting nightly for safety to avoid these abductions
130 people die per day in Northern Uganda due to the ongoing violence

What is being done? What can we do? How do we as followers of Christ respond?

These are the questions heavy on our hearts. We are both enraged by the ongoing atrocities afflicted mainly upon the children of Uganda as well as inspired by the stories of hope in the lives of families struggling to survive in this war-ravaged country. In response, a team from The Next Level Church (Jared Mackey, Kimbal & Kellen Kurtz, Alyssa English, and Jennie Otte), is traveling to Northern Uganda June 16 - July 3, 2006. We will be spending time in Internally Displaced Persons (I.D.P.) camps serving with local non-governmental organizations who are working towards peace in Uganda. We will support long term workers by planning activities for the kids, listening and encouraging the leaders in the community, and hopefully bring cheer and hope to this place of pain and suffering through our presence.

We will be traveling and working with our friends from Denver, Colorado – Ben and Holly Porter, who are serving with the Mennonite Central Committee in Lira, Uganda. They work with the Concerned Parents Association (C.P.A.), a local NGO that birthed after the abduction of over 300 girls from a girls school. Ben has a background in counseling and his Masters in Counseling from Denver Seminary. With an emphasis in traumatology and a passion for war-torn regions of the world, Ben is working as a psycho-social trainer for the C.P.A. Holly has MA in International Development & Conflict Resolution, with an emphasis is in community development in conflict affected areas. She serves as a technical advisor for peace and reconciliation with this grassroots organization. Our goal in visiting Ben and Holly is to listen, observe, serve, and encourage them. The health and peace for the Ugandan people they seek is not easy to obtain. Daily life has become at times disheartening for them. 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 ask that you would join with us in the journey and would ask for your prayers for the following:

- For Ben and Holly to be deeply encouraged and refreshed by our visit and service
- That our hearts would be purely motivated by compassion and love for those in the Ugandan crisis
- For both 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 God would be honored as we serve, learn, and partner alongside those who are literally “in the trenches” of His Kingdom in Northern Uganda

Your help in supporting the financial costs of this trip is appreciated. The total cost for our team is $16,000 – we contributed the initial $6,000 personally. To date, we have had $10,000 given for the additional costs of the trip. Any financial support over the trip cost will be directly given to support the work in Uganda.

Financial support should be sent to The Next Level Church, 3999 South Lipan, Englewood, CO, 80110, c/o Uganda Team. All support is tax deductible. In addition to financial support our team has collected resources and goods for Ben and Holly, and supplies for the work in the I.D.P. camps. One example of the generosity of those supporting the trip is a friend from the Colorado Rapids Soccer Club who donated 50 jerseys and 25 soccer balls for the children in the camps. It is with your partnership that we seek to learn and then communicate to others how we can support peace and healing for those in Northern Uganda.

We will have an opportunity for you to share in our experience when we return through video, photos, and stories of our time in Uganda. Our hope is for this trip to be a catalyst of growth and encouragement not only for ourselves and those we work with in Uganda, but for you as well.

Thank you for your prayers and support. May the peace of Christ be with you.

The Uganda Team