Update #6 from Africa

As you are aware, our team has gone in two different directions over the past couple of days. It was difficult to split- Psalm 133:1 says "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity." We have been amazed at the fact that 23 people representing 10 different churches can come together and unite with one common goal. We are so very thankful for all of your prayers. We very much feel that you are part of our team as well. The majority of the group has had a wonderful time debriefing at the Murchinson Falls Safari Lodge. This time was so critical as many of the team members needed to open up and pray through not only the amazing things that God did in Midigo, but also the difficult things.

The team was able to see God's creation up close and personal as we encountered hippo, crocodile, water buffalo, giraffe and the most adventurous animal...the baboon. We had a baboon who tried to jump on our bus and snatched a bag through the window. It was quite a surprise as we many screamed in fear. The fear quickly turned into laughter and several team members caught the whole baboon attack on video. The only thing that was missing was the theme song to "The Lion King!"

The team members who stayed in Midigo continued to visit the Promise Child families. Our first trip was to visit a widow who lives 3 kilometers from Sudan. When Chris and Brent visited Uganda last year, this woman was living in a Sudanese refugee camp. She had been separated from her children and was living in hopeless conditions. It was early in the morning on Friday when we came to Joyce (her American name) and she had already been out working. As she walked in from the fields, she greeted us with a smile and by lifting her right forearm, which is a cultural way to greet someone if your hands are dirty from working. The women work so hard here. They are responsible for cooking, cleaning, fetching water, working the fields and chopping fire wood. It is rare for women in Midigo to ever have help from their husbands for these grueling daily tasks. We noticed that in the center of her dirt walkway was a huge tree stump. She explained to us that her hands were calloused from the machete that she was using to try to remove this eye sore. Dr. Mays and Chris almost simultaneously knew what they had to do. They picked up the worn and dull machete and began whacking away at the tree stump. After a half hour, Chris raised the stump up as if it were a trophy from a championship victory. Joyce joyfully laughed aloud, but I think deep down inside she sensed our love for her. We did not realize when we arrived that Joyce's hut and the crops that were growing so abundantly were provided by Promise Child support. We shared the love of Christ with her and reminded her that the Lord has been her provider. We always ask the question...Can love bring hope? In this situation, it was crystal clear...the answer is YES!

Saturday we invited the Promise Child kids to the church for a Vacation Bible School. As Brent interviewed the children and gathered profile card information, Chris and Dr. Mays shared and acted out the story of David and Goliath. As Dr. Mays crashed to the floor as a dead Goliath, the children laughed hysterically. This was the first of three times that we shared the gospel with the families throughout the day. In addition to the VBS, we were able to provide a full meal for everyone who attended that included cassava bread, goat, chicken, rice, beans, and soup. As we piled the food on the plates, Pastor Juventine explained to us that this was such a blessing for the families because it was the first time since the food shortage that these children had had enough to be full.

The highlight of the last day in Midigo was having the opportunity to share the gospel with one of the Promise Child mothers who has been diagnosed with HIV. She could not stop repetitively thanking us for supporting her children, but the seriousness of her condition was still at the forefront of our minds. We excused the children (who do not know that their mother is HIV positive) and openly and honestly shared the love of Christ and her need for a Savior. We encouraged her to come to that place where she would leave a legacy for her children that will last for eternity. Her head dropped and her eyes welled up with tears as the Word of God pierced her heart. She immediately responded and prayed to receive the free gift of salvation.

Monday- Wednesday the team will be in Kampala. We will be hosting another pastors conference, and many team members will be ministering medically and spiritually to the surrounding communities, including some of the islands on Lake Victoria. Please continue to pray for us!