Tag Archive - church

Last Orphanage Walk

August 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 1 Comment

This morning was filled with mixed emotions. I was ready to get back to see my kids, but I wasn’t quite ready to leave these orphans. I said, “If I could, I’d bring them home with me.” The final packing was very somber. Jacque and I finished before the others were ready and asked if we could walk over to the kid’s house to see them one last time.

Last visit to the Orphanage

We walked like it was our last stride taking in every small thing. Here’s the African cows we passed everyday on our walk:

African Cow

We wanted to take it slow, but also wanted to get to the kids quickly. The kids hollered with excitement when we rounded the corner and they saw us. I wanted to cry, but held it together. The kids were delighted to see us.

Carolyn, the orphan choir mistress (leader) and I

Orphans Saying Goodbye

The older ones wanted to hug us their goodbyes. Some holding on to us with their eyes. It was difficult to smile. The younger ones had a quick greeting then disappeared to the far corner of the compound to play. As I visited with the older ones, I watched the younger ones building a fort-like tent our of a torn mosquito net, old plastic bags and trash. They tied the net to the corner of the fence at the same level to make a triangle roof to crawl under, Then they put trash on top to block the sun and laid plastic sacks underneath to cover the dirt. They were very busy building.

Homemade Shade Going Away Gift

Later, I felt a tug on my hand. A little girl had come to get me. She didn’t speak English so I had to read her intentions. I’m sort of slow at that and it took her pulling my hand several times for me to get it. She led me to the sitting spot under the homemade shade. The thought crossed my mind, that they were honoring me, the oldest mama, by giving me a special seat that they created. After a minute or two, another went to bring Jacque too.

Orphans Worship as our Parting Gift

About the time we settled in, the vans came to get us. We gathered around the mango tree to share our goodbyes and tears and to sing a praise song once more before we left. This is the first song they taught us and it stuck. Here’s a video of them singing:

We took off toward Entebbe and stopped in Jenga for lunch and picking up a few souvenirs along the way. We were not making good time and drove into the night into Entebbe. It was our first real outing at night in Uganda because it wasn’t the safest for us to be out at night.

We made it through security, faking Chuck’s health all along the way. The team rested in the Entebbe airport for a couple of hours then started the loooong flight home, 22 hours and layovers. Not fun. Since we boarded at 11:30 p.m. I slept the first flight into Amsterdam. During the 4 hour layover in Amsterdam, Chuck laid down in a McDonald’s restaurant area and the team debriefed a little. I found a Starbucks and had my first taste of home, a no foam latte, and a chocolate croissant for breakfast.

On board again. Chuck was taking high potency pain killers along with the antibiotics like clock work. He also numbed the pain by watching back-to-back movies. We finally landed in Texas Thursday afternoon and called the doctor right away. We went to his office and he put Chuck in the hospital. We were so glad to be hospitalized IN Texas.

While Chuck was getting the treatment he needed, I spoke at a women’s prayer breakfast Saturday morning and Sunday morning our Uganda Mission Team (minus Chuck) gave a testimony about Uganda in both our church services. He was released Monday afternoon with plans for surgery later, when the infection was clear.

Orphan Adoption and Sponsorship

Mike and Jacque are looking into the adoption process to give Fiona a physical home since she already has an emotional one in their hearts. You can read more about their story here and on their Bring Fiona Home website. You can also sponsor an orphan, write to them and read letters from them. If interested, check out Elpis Ministries.

Fiona!

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear any insight you have about our choice of choosing to come back to Texas before seeking healthcare, your experience of leaving those you’ve grown to love in ministry, or possibly how God may have moved you to adopt an orphan. Please share your comments below.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Riding Around Africa

August 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

I slept very comfortably in a grass hut. During the night, if we had to use the toilet we walked outside to another hut with a concreted porta-potty kind of thing. It had a toilet seat concreted into a raised sitting spot that went straight into an underground tank. Comfy-at-night feeling.

Waterfall at Sipi Falls

Chuck didn’t sleep very well. The altitude sickness from the evening before wasn’t letting up. He was looking forward to getting back down the mountain this morning to see if he got better. Iganga’s elevation where the orphanage is based is about 3600 ft above sea level and Sipi Falls Lodge about 6700 ft in the foothills of Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda, almost to Kenya. That’s nothing compared to 40,000 ft for about 22 hours flying there (link to flight post).

Early, James knocked to see if we wanted to hike up to the falls. I wanted to, but Chuck was feeling pretty bad so I stayed with him. James, Jacque and Mike took off to climb the slippery, red-mud slopes. It took them about two hours to make the hike to the second waterfall taking pictures and sliding most of the way.

After they left, I went to take a shower which was located in a separate grass hut. It was exquisite in decor. The shower head dripped over flat and smooth rocks where my feet went. The drain was hidden under the rocks. The hot water was non-existent. Well, there was occasional flash of warmer water, but it mostly felt ice cold like the water from the Sipi River. Since the weather was cold 50-60ish and rainy, I was VERY reluctant to jump in the shower. No hair washing today!

After re-packing my backpack, I walked up the hill to the main lodge for coffee and breakfast. I needed some warmth. Sipi Falls Lodge was like a royalty treatment in grass huts. The food was delicious and served with special yummy-ness. The total cost of this romantic getaway was about $60 a night per person and that included three meals.

Riding Around Africa

We loaded into the van for the ride home. The beauty of the valley below with the clouds wisping through was awesome. I was totally struck with the thought, “Hey, I’m riding around Africa!”

Driving the mountain

On the road, we came to a police check point. The police have stations where they stand on the side of the road stopping traffic whenever they have a whim. They wear camo, carry their AK-47′s, look over the van and ask questions like: Where are you going? Where have you been? What are you going to do? This time they made a request for us to give them a book. Cameron gave him his Bible, then he let us pass. I was pretty scared sitting in the back of the van watching another policeman watching the van. I found out after we were allowed to pass that Jacque was fearful too. (Sorry, no pictures were allowed of police. I didn’t want to get arrested!)

On down the road, Chuck saw monkeys in the forest trees. Jacque and I stuck our heads out the window to look for some. When we didn’t see them right away, we started making monkey sounds hollering into the trees as we whizzed by in the van. At that speed, who knows if I saw one or not. Maybe I did.

Celebration with the Orphans

With only a four hour trip home, we pulled into the missionary house to get ready for the party that night. We took streamers, animal crackers, cake mix and party balloons to have a party for the kids. A regular feast was fixed with rice, beans, chicken, beef, fish, cabbage, peppers, onions, ground innards (a pretty tasty paste made up of …, guess), and soda pop.

Party Streamers with the Orphans

Chuck took a turn for the worse by the time we got him into bed. Fever spiked and decisions had to be made about doctor, clinic, or go buy some more of the same antibiotics he had already finished the day before. We opted to buy more medicine which anyone can buy without prescriptions in Uganda. We were to fly out the next day and it was already late into the night. He laid in bed while the kids prayed for him in the courtyard. They sang their prayer. Although I fretted about Chuck, their song was beautiful. Chuck dozed and the party began.

We ate played and visited with the kids. We witnessed the whole lot of orphans getting in trouble by Susan. The amount of respect she warrants isn’t to be trifled with. They mind. This might be the reason they are so respectful with us. It’s easy to see the love they have for Susan and her love for them. The party was a hit even though there were obstacles. We had a blast, but in our thoughts was the fact that this was the last night to see the kids.

Before bed we packed part of our bags for the trip home. Click to see more pictures on FaceBook.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to hear your guess about ground innards, your understanding about discipline and respect, or your idea about resorting Uganda being more like camping America. Go ahead and comment.

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Travel to Romantic Sipi Falls for Rest

August 20, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

This morning we went had a good breakfast and went to the orphanage to finish setting up the solar lights and water filter (no more boiling their drinking water). We rode in the back of Phil’s truck, standing up holding onto the rack. Which is common. We saw many Uganda buses, flatbed trucks with rails where people stand and hold on. Every time we walked to the orphanage, we gathered stares from the people on the streets, but riding in the truck like this made us feel like we were in a real parade. “Watch the mzungus” (white people). We smiled and waved back to the people as we rode by. One must wave like a parade queen in Uganda anyway. The folding-fingers-over-palm wave is their way of calling their children to come to them. (Phil used this kind of wave to call me from the van to the porch to meet some school officials.)

Water Filter Barrel in Orphanage

After the few chores were finished at the kids house, we loaded back into the truck and went back to the missionary house. Everything was ready for our trip of rest. We reloaded into the van with an overnight bag and water bottles to go to Sipi Falls for a much needed rest. We really wanted to stay with the kids, but this scheduled respite was needed. We stopped to pick up Susan, her mother and baby Kaith then got on our way.

The drive was to be four hours in the direction of Kenya. That’s a long trip considering that every village uses huge speed bumps to slow traffic. That’s on top of the pot holes that take up most of the road. Phil said the roads will be fixed and reworked when an election is upcoming. I guess, politicians in every country want votes and do things to get them.

We rode in a new-to-the-ministry van that had “new” seats which were very comfortable. The drive took much longer because the van kept getting overheated. We stopped often to pour our water bottles into the radiator. Once we began to run out we had help form the locals who fetched the water from a river or somewhere that had dirty reddish water. The ground in Uganda is red and the water has a red tint. The dirt is sort of like the red clay stuff on the baseball diamond. Turns out the van was fresh from Tokyo and had some strange blanket over the radiator making it heat up.

Ocean of African Plains

African Dog Overlooking Ocean of African Plains

As we approached Sipi Falls, mountains rose out of the plain. These mountains are not quite like any I’ve seen in America. They were beautiful like ours but different. Cows grazed and farmers walked the steep hillside working crops in places similar to the ones the goats and sheep bound from in Yellowstone. Once we were in the mountains and looked back, it seemed like an ocean of African plains laid below as far as the eye could see.

Uganda Orphan Mission Team at Sipi Falls

Eight hours or so later, our van finally made it to our overnight place. We pulled in and had a European lunch that should have been served at 1 but we were arriving at 5. That’s Uganda time again. One never knows what will happen or when. We ate “lunch” then hiked a short trail to a handmade cave under the first water fall. It had rained and the red dirt was mud. Sipi Falls was more like Slippery Falls.

European Elegant Dining at Sipi Falls

Once we started out on the trail about 6 youths joined us to hold our hands and be tour guides. I had one on each hand to keep me from slipping. They were barefoot and kept solid footing the whole time. I might as well been in ice skates and I don’t skate! We slid back for dinner by 7:30. We dined in elegance in an African hut rustic meets Europe kind of place. European foods (A creamy fish soup to start off served with big crusty rolls and jam, followed by curried chicken and rice with steamed veggies, then brownies which were more of an unsweetened, bitter chocolate version, and African Tea. Chuck got altitude sickness and missed the meal.

Grass Hut Experience

Grass Hut at Sipi Falls

Inside Grass Hut at Sipi Falls

Grass Hut Keeping us Dry

After dinner, I went with Chuck to our grass-roofed hut for the night leaving the team visiting with their African coffee and tea. It was raining and dark out, but we were amazingly dry in our grass hut. Once again, it was so elegant and quaint. The grass on the roof was at least 12 inches thick and the edge of the roof showed only the first inch wet. The bed and night stands were rocked into the hut with a foam mattress to rest on. The bathrooms were in a separate grass hut and the showers were in another.

Chuck and I at Sipi Falls

Sipi Falls is a very romantic kind of place. We slept with the roar of the waterfall lulling us to sleep. Through our opened door, the morning light held a splendid view of the falls with beautiful foliage surrounding.

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear any questions you might have about mission work in Uganda.

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Sunday Worship, Dinner and Gifts

August 20, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

Sunday we got up and had lazy morning and breakfast. Uganda time ruled. We rode in the van to church and Chuck was prepared to preach because he was told the night before that they would ask him. The church was held in Grace School where the orphans attend.

Worship

(YouTube of kids singing at Burial)

When we drove up we could hear the singing and clapping with the drum. Their voices carried. I was excited to see them again. The church was a homemade brick building with plaster. It was painted and had smooth concrete floor. Openings were in the walls for windows, but there was nothing covering the holes. There was one doorway without a door. Homemade school benches were arranged on one end like pews. They had a plank for a seat and another for a desk and would sit 3 adults comfortably. The orphans put on their best clothes for church. Africans like to dress up and they are the cleanest of people.

There were several choirs, one of younger children, another of older children and then one a little older. The church has a program director that was a woman. She introduced us to the pastor and congregation using Kenneth as an interpreter. A lady stood and asked for prayer and healing for her baby. The four to six week old boy had accidentally had boiling hot water dropped on his foot. This boiling water was extreme because they cook on open flame which makes boiling water bubble over. During one of the songs the mother came and laid the baby in my arms. The skin and some of the flesh was gone on the top of his foot. Some whitish cream was applied to his raw foot. I managed to hold my breakfast by focusing on the baby’s pleasant face. He sucked his fingers and didn’t make a fuss. His big brown eyes were clear and he looked healthy and content except for his foot. I rocked the precious little one to sleep and felt honored to hold the baby. (Sorry I don’t have a picture of this precious one. He was the son of the local pastor.)

It seems that everywhere I go someone is handing me a baby. I’ve held more babies in Uganda than I have in years. See baby here. The women in Uganda are proud of their babies and sharing them must be their way of showing them off. I guess they give them to me since I’m older than Jacque. I’m not really one who takes up babies every time I see them, but in Africa I became that person.

Kenneth, Our Guide and Protector, eating American Pop-Tarts

The lady program director asked us to stand and introduce ourselves. We spoke with Kenneth interpreting. They church applauded that I travel to different churches speaking and encouraging women to love Jesus with all their heart. As predicted Chuck preached with Kenneth interpreting and then we visited shortly with the members before leaving. Phil pulled Fiona out of the crowd of orphans and gave her to Jacque with, “This one is with us.” Fiona loaded into the van with us and we left. We stopped to pick up Susan along the way to Mum, the resort hotel for lunch.

Dinner at Mums in Iganga

We drove through a gate and to the left, under a grass roofed cabana was a pool table with a guard standing near. The men in our team quickly noticed the AK-47 lying on the pool table. We drove on in and parked. The hotel attendant, servant met us and escorted us to a table under a carport and another brought out menus. Phil and Susan said the Shallow fried Tilapia was yummy. It was served whole, head and all, with stewed tomatoes, peppers and onions on top. I’ve never had a better piece of fish, even with the eyeballs looking at me. (Susan ate the eyes.)

It was a joy to see Fiona drinking cold orange Fanta, making a face with each sip, and eating chicken and chips, which are french fries. Apparently cold food and drink is strange to Fiona. She doesn’t get cold stuff. The orphans eat posho and beans or porridge that is made with the same posho corn flour. Fiona put the food away.

After a wonderful dinner, we visited. Some talked about sleeping on the van rode home, others talked about dessert. Phil stopped the van on the way and Susan hopped out. She went in to the store and came back with Ugandan ice cream for every one. It was very good, sort of like melorine, the ice cream I had at my grandmother’s when I was growing up. You should have seen Fiona’s face as she tried it. She like the taste but not the cold. After eating all that food Fiona’s belly was pouching.

Fiona with Jacque and Mike

We arrived back at the missionary house full. Some wanted to take a nap, others wanted to finish setting up the solor lights in the orphans rooms and others went shopping to buy new soccer balls for the kids. Jacque sat on the front porch with Fiona sleeping in her lap. I sat with her working on these blog posts and visiting with her.

African Gifts and Dress

Later Susan arrived and started cooking a Ugandan pasta with beef bits and veggies. Yummy. Before dinner was ready she took Jacque and I to the back room and tied a scarf over our eyes. Then she dressed us and turned out the lights and called the men. The men came in and when she turned on the lights Jacque and I heard all kinds of ooo’s ahd ahh’s. Susan had dressed us in the traditional African dresses with poofy sleeves. She unblindfolded us and we got to see each other. Her’s was pretty pink and mine was wonderful blue. Absolutely gorgeous dresses.

Gifted Dresses

While Susan had us blindfolded the kids came into the back courtyard for the rest of the movie. After the guys gave us their opinion, Jacque and I walked out back to show the kids our new threads and they all loved it. They clapped and laughed heartily. They love it when we try learning their native, tribal language and now we were wearing their cultural clothes. They loved it.

Holding little orphan girl

These children are so happy. They love to laugh and genuinely love to see us. If you ever get depressed you should come to Uganda. These pretty smiles will cheer you up. My face hurts from smiling back.

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear any questions you might have about mission work in Uganda.

Orphan Ministry and Burial

August 5, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

Today we arose African style again, had breakfast, then left for orphanage to play with the kids and have Bible study. We took two soccer balls as we walked to the orphanage. When we rounded the corner the whole compound went into an uproar. They were so excited to see the balls, and well, maybe us too.

Playing ball in the orphanage

We kicked the balls over the fence and the play began. The boys took over both balls, the older ones with one ball and the younger ones with the other. The girls came to me asking that I get one of the balls for them. I intervened for them with the men on our team and the girls got their ball. Then they asked me to play a keep away type of game where we tossed the ball to another person on our team. Jacque and I were on opposite teams. The team tried to get the ball closer to their side of the fence to score a goal. Sort of a skirt-wearing-girl version of soccer.

Playing Ball

We played in the same yard with the boys as they played soccer and that’s when I crashed. An older boy, that towered over me, and I collided and we both went to the ground. Neither of us had seen the other. There I was rolling around on the ground and in my skirt. I’m afraid that I frightened the orphans as they saw much more mzungu, pasty white legs than they bargained for. What fun! The girls all came to help me up, dust me off and ask if I was okay. I told them I was fine, but I had a very painful hip-pointer type of pain immediately. I played a little more, then bowed out.

Chuck gathered a bunch of little ones and he began to sing to them. The older girls joined in and taught us a song that we originally thought was in their language. The song was in the Queen’s English and I guess our Texas ears couldn’t pick it up. They wrote the words down for us, then we got it.

Lunch with the Orphans

After singing praises, we ate lunch with them. They eat posho and pintos. Posho is made by adding white corn flour to boiling water making a solid lump of hardened grits-type food. It’s too hard to be spooned, and needs cutting. They scrape a plastic bowl across it to shave off a chuck to serve bean soup over. The beans are plain, nothing added. We ate out of their bowls with our hands just like them.

James and I Enjoying Posho and Beans

Eating with Orphans

After lunch we had to leave because late the night before we received notice that Susan’s grand uncle passed. They call all men in their family baba which means father and the women mama. Need I explain the meaning? The unexpected death meant we had no time for the Bible study so we could go to the burial. The Ugandans call funerals burials. We walked back to the missionary house and found Phil had returned with our team leader, James. We loaded into the vans with the family and left.

The ride was very enlightening. We saw much of the village. Susan stopped by the property where the ministry is going to build a vocational school where welding and sowing and other skills will be taught. The orphans will be taught a skill.

Ugandan Burial

When we arrived at the family’s house, we noticed the women and young children sitting on the ground in a group and the men sitting on homemade benches and stumps in another group. The women were dressed in their best. As we unloaded we were asked to go to a shady spot where lawn chairs were set up for us. A van of the orphan girls arrived with wailing, They went into the house wailing and after a while it turned into singing.

Peter came and asked for one of our team to preach. Once again, we were so honored. The men on our team told Chuck to take it. He went to get his Bible and while he was gone the orphan girls brought us a bowl of rice with spices and small beef chunks. After eating, they called us to the house front. We got up to go and the orphans picked up our chairs and ran ahead to give us a front row seat for the burial. Several men spoke, the orphan girls choir sang, then Phil spoke both in their language and in English with an interpreter. Then Chuck preached with an interpreter.

After Chuck finished, the men backed the van to the house and went in and brought out the small wooden coffin/box with black paper tacked to it and placed the box on top of the van. We were then told to get into the van and the family piled in with us. We drove while all the other people walked to the burial. The driver stopped beside a 4 ft hole. As they placed the box in the grave, the orphans led the people in singing. Then Paul, Susan’s brother handed me a handful of their red dirt to toss onto the box along with the family’s handfuls. Talk about humbling!!

After the family threw their handful of dirt on top, several men picked up shovels an began piling dirt to fill in the hole. The orphan girls lead the people singing as the men worked. Susan asked Cameron if he wanted to shovel and a man gave him a shovel to help.

Sorry I didn’t take pictures of this, but we did video parts of the burial and will upload it to YouTube when we get good internet. The internet here is sporadic at best. Here is the uploaded video of the orphans singing. The orange tarp is attached to the deceased’s house where his body was.

After the van ride home, the team sat in awe of the day. Awe!

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to respond to your questions about the burial, the singing or the orphan’s meal plan.

Work for Orphans

August 5, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

The first day of work for the orphanage meant unpacking all those trunks from the generous people in America. We woke up on Africa time, with everything sort of laid back and no strict time schedule. I love this way of living. It reflects the way I homeschool and operate with my writing. I must be Ugandan. Chuck is having a terrible time with this laid back lifestyle. He thinks that when someone makes plans to do something at 1:00 p.m. then 1:59 is too late. But in Ugandan time, that is still 1:00 p.m. Time is more of a guideline not an appointment. Chuck even tweeted that he wanted to send all of Uganda to the Steven Covey course on time management.

We had the best breakfast ever. Scrambled eggs with minced pepper, onion, carrots and cheese. We also had African tea, fresh squeezed papaya juice and this unique wonderful toast. They use a lot of ginger and cloves in cooking.

Unpacking Trunks

Trunks for the Orphans

We unpacked the trunks and sorted all morning. We have so many wonderful sheets and socks for the children. Balls, school supplies, etc.

After the morning’s work we had lunch and a real ginger ale made with real ginger and real sugar cane. Have I told you that the food here is real? The taste is out of this world.

During lunch a huge rain storm blew in. We waited until it was over to go to the kids house. We loaded up in the van and drove to the orphanage, the kid’s house. I cried when I saw it. But in another way, I was so encouraged. The children’s way of life is so much better than if they were on the streets and being taken advantage of, raped, murdered or stolen.

Orphanage Fence and Guarded Gate

The house felt more like a compound where the kids were trapped. Look at the fence they are in. The razor wire on top is facing outward to keep people from getting in. They are locked up in side unless they are at school or escorted safely to different places. A patron and two matrons live with the children to give them protection, guard the gate, and do the cooking. They are very thankful for protection from the streets and place to sleep and eat where they were cared for. These children were so respectful, grateful and glad to have us for a visit.

Girls Wing of Compound

Girls wing of the Compound

The rain left the kids courtyard a mud/water hole. The bedroom doors enter this courtyard and each small room sleeps 6 to 10 in bunk beds. Susan gave us a tour and Cameron videoed. After a tour of the house, we visited and then handed letters to the children that were written in San Antonio, TX. The kids were excited to get a letter. I don’t know how the letter writing was done, but the look on the children’s faces when we ran out of envelopes and had not called their name was crushing.

Then we separated into groups to teach a short Bible lesson and get further acquainted. I took the older girls back into the girls wing of the house and they took me into one of their rooms. They all took off their muddy sandals, went in and sat on the concrete floor. The room was dark without light except for what the sun allowed into the door. No windows. I stepped just inside the door and sat on the floor with them. We opened the Bible and talked about having a personal prayer relationship with God and the importance of hearing him speak and obeying. These girls are so teachable, quiet and respective. Education is highly valued and they want to learn at all times.

Afterward we played a little with them and walked back home with Ken. It’s like we are on parade as we walk through the village. People wave and the children laugh. This lady walked with us for a while.

Woman on the Street of Iganga

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear your reaction to the amount of respect the children show, or the gratefulness they display in our coming to them.

Obstacles to the Mission

July 29, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 3 Comments

Ever notice when you set out to do what God asks, the going gets tougher? Opposition mounts to discourage and cause doubts. Seems like the enemy is working as hard as we are.

That’s where our Uganda team is right now, in the middle of one obstacle after another as we prepare for our trip. We are set to leave Saturday, July 30th and the setbacks and difficulties have been numerous. But through it all we remained steadfast in our intentions and focused on our mission. We packed 23 trunks for the orphans full of supplies, food, tools, clothes, bedding, books and toys, etc.

Here are a few pics from one of our after-work, late-night packings:

Trunks for Uganda orphans

The trunks get a second life as a “dresser” in which an orphan will keep their belongings (Not much. One of my kids could nearly fill those trunks by themselves).

We got word that the water and electricity is off then on again at the orphanage. You may also have noticed the news that a horrible famine is ravaging Africa right now. People are starving and desperate for food. As the famine increases, more orphans will be dropped off because the families can’t afford to feed them. Please pray for the people the orphanage will touch as well as our team going to minister.

Jacque Packing for orphans in Uganda

James is on the right (pray for his right shoulder to heal), Chuck is next to him (he’s not feeling well, pray for healing), I’m standing next to Chuck (I’ll take all the prayer I can get), And Jacque is standing next to me (pray also for her). Jacque’s husband worked late that night and didn’t make this pic (pray for Mike), and Cameron (pray for him too) will join us Saturday at the airport. We have a total of six on our team going to Uganda to work in the orphanage.

Uganda Mission Team Minus Two

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to hear how you deal with obstacles that make you mission difficult.

One Way to Move from the Chair to Uganda

July 15, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 1 Comment

From My Chair to Uganda

I sat in church one Sunday morning, totally moved with compassion and possibility. God began calling me to Uganda.

: Orphans in Uganda photo by Elpis Ministries

In getting ready for Ugandan orphanage trip, I learned I’m a wimp! I have to get shots! Part of the preparation also includes packing a trunk of needs to be left with the orphans, and writing the discipleship material our team will be using to train the orphans. My husband and I will be in Iganga, Uganda at the Elpis Ministries orphanage from July 30th until August 11th training the older orphans. I want to teach them to live in God’s power and not repeat their social norm that put them on the street in the first place. My hope is that they can make a difference in their culture.

Your Opportunity

Because of God’s work in me, I would like to offer you an opportunity to also bless the orphans of Uganda.

Become a partner in prayer for this mission, the team and the preparation. Please join the list of those who pray for us. I know I could use it.
Support us with your interest. I will provide up-to-date reports, pictures and interact with you, your children and co-workers while I’m there. Think of this as your eyes on the ground to learn about culture, people and all kinds of other interesting tidbits. I can make this as interactive and creative as possible. Maybe even introduce you to a child that God breaks you heart for and that you can sponsor for as little as $10 a week. These reports can be followed from my Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and your curiosities and questions can be posted in the comments. I will respond.
Donate your dinner or something you value. If you would like to help support this mission, you can donate and find out more about Elpis Ministries here. Donations cover school supplies, underwear, beds, food, school uniforms, sewing machines, welding machines as well as travel expenses. Please support making a difference in Uganda. And pass this opportunity to other interested groups and individuals. If you want more personal information, please contact me here.

How do you see yourself being involved with God’s mission? Would you be willing to join a mission team?

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to know about your interest in living and working on mission.

This is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

How to Embarrassingly Prepare Cross-culturally in One Sunday Morning

July 14, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

I stepped out of the restroom into the busy grand foyer of our church auditorium. People were milling around, visiting with their friends and chasing their children into their seats for the service. The place was hopping. I took about twelve steps into the race of people and paused to get a mint from my purse. Earlier, in class, I had a cup of java with friends, and now I’m sure that no one would want to talk with my coffee-breath-self. Besides we have to make our best appearance, and smells matter right?

photo credit: Katie Tegtmeyer
Appearance: Pretty in Pearls

Speaking of appearances, since I am going to Uganda to disciple orphans at the end of the month, I decided to practice fitting into their culture, beforehand. In Uganda, you must wear long skirts because wearing pants or showing legs makes you a flirt. I should tell you that short dumpy people typically don’t wear long skirts, because they make us look shorter and well . . . dumpier. Nevertheless, I acquired a long skirt and was practicing the use of it this fine Sunday morning.

While standing in our crowded church foyer, two people stopped their trek to meet people and get into the service. One older woman, whom I didn’t know, paused and began to tell me something when the other, a much younger teen, wrapped her arm around me and said into my ear, “Your skirt is caught up.”

Naturally, I leaned forward to look at the yards of material nearly at my feet, not quite understanding what she meant. She quickly jumped behind me and tugged at the overflow behind my knees. That’s when I figured out that I had flashed Uganda’s flirt alert!

photo credit: TheArtGuy
Alarming Situation!

Yes, that’s right. I had inadvertently misplaced the trail end of this monstrous bolt of cascading cotton. Apparently, it was tucked somewhere north, near my waist.

All dignity and “best” appearance vaporized. How many of the 300+ people caught my “special” style? Hopefully not many since all of that took place in a short minute or three. Or five?

Since my bff, Kate, pulled at the material from knee level, and since there was enough of it to fold over twice and still cover my shortness, surely I was safely not flashing American Style flirt. Fool maybe, but not flirt. Even when I bent forward, it could only have been embarrassingly un-stylish, right?

This never happens with my regular length skirts. I was way out of my norm even in my own church building. There’s no telling how things will go in Uganda when I’m really out of my culture. Won’t you partner with me in prayer?

We all need to try different things to make connections with people and touch their lives with the hope of Jesus. What part of your culture are you willing to stretch or give up to meet people and make a difference in their lives? For their sakes, are you willing to try and fail, even look foolish?

Please make contributions in the comments and let me know what topics you’d love for me to cover!

This is part of the Minister Wives Fellowship and Support Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or other Blog Series.

Blog Series

July 13, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women, series with 0 Comments

Blog Series

These blog post and blog post series are considered the “Best Of” here on Confessions of a Preacher’s Wife Blog. These are the ones that moved me the most and naturally they are the best I have to offer.

I hope you enjoy the time journeying through them at your own leisure. Also, I trust you find them helpful, become inspired by them, and then maybe change or do something because of them. That your life will be different by taking my hard-learned lessons to heart and applying them as well as sharing them with others!

photo credit: Xelcise
Best of Blog Series

Here are the series that I’ve put together for you:

A Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges

This is a series of confessions on how God gently nudged me along on my spiritual journey. Sometimes it felt more like a kick in the pants, nevertheless, I got the message and back on track. Laced throughout are key truths I’ve learned along the way that changed me and I’m sure will help you, if only to laugh at this preacher’s wife and her zaniness.

Meander here at the gentle nudges along my spiritual journey and avoid my pitfalls to climb higher than I.
Remember, to laugh along the way, either at me or at seeing yourself in this preacher’s wife!

Living and Working on Mission

This series is more of a log of various ministry efforts and opportunities as well as sharing insights I’ve gained. Any special effort like the Ugandan Orphan Mission or the Capture Me! Conference for women will share about another culture or a mission opportunity. These posts will deliver inspiration to get involved with God and share his love even in your own hometown. Click over to begin your journey of sharing God’s love and be ready to laugh and learn along with me.

Engage us here as we live on mission, changing the world one heart at a time.
Remember, it isn’t about guilt, it’s about finding something to live for, something that gives your life purpose!

Insights into Ministry & Leadership

This series includes insights and encouragement to improve leadership, ministry and personal/team development. Often we get into ruts doing things as usual. I want to broaden our thinking with some “what if” questions as well as some helpful tips. As a pastor’s wife and leader, I made a fair share of mistakes which caused me to study leadership and effectiveness. In these posts you will learn from my mistakes and gain insights on many aspects of leadership development, teaching and ministry, including ministering to women.

Gain insights into ministry and leadership here and watch your effectiveness grow!
Remember I’m on a journey and not perfect. If you find these helpful, please share them on Facebook or Twitter.

Minister Wives Fellowship and Support

This series both challenges and honors the leadership of ministry wives. If you’re a minister’s wife, you’ve felt the essential need to connect with someone who understands the ministry and gets you. I’m a preacher’s wife and I have a desire to help minister’s wives find a safe place to to be heard and receive ministry. In this blog series, you’ll find helps, a few opinions and lots of confessions in the struggle to be a pastor’s wife. The plan is to build a support system for these special servants that often feel isolated and overlooked. Click on over to take a look at some of the topics.

Rest here with me if you’re a minister’s wife and find a safe place to be yourself!
Remember, you won’t find perfection or pretense. I can’t handle the pressure to not be myself.

Other series may be developed as need is expressed. If you have any ideas, please share in the comments below. Please comment and share your insight and solutions. What issues do you deal with that you would like discussed?

As always, if you have a topic or suggestion you would like to discuss please contact me here or make a comment on this post!

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Last visit to the Orphanage

Orphans Worship as our Parting Gift

Orphan Adoption and Sponsorship

Riding Around Africa

Celebration with the Orphans

Ocean of African Plains

Uganda Orphan Mission Team at Sipi Falls

Grass Hut Experience

Worship

Dinner at Mums in Iganga

African Gifts and Dress

Playing ball in the orphanage

Lunch with the Orphans

Ugandan Burial

Unpacking Trunks

Orphanage Fence and Guarded Gate

Girls Wing of Compound

From My Chair to Uganda

Your Opportunity

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