Word in Deed Ministries

June 27th, 2015

Medical Missions 2015 – Reflective Essay

There is no better testimony than the ones we treasure and share. Some are painful and some are ways for God to use and mold and refine us into the Christians we become for HIS GLORY.  As a ministry leader, it’s a joy to see transformations during mission trips.

This video is just a glimmer of what fun we have in Uganda attending church at First Presbyterian Church of Ntenjeru, in the remote village close to Mukono City.

Below is a reflective essay written by one of the PBAU-GSOP university students after returning from the Uganda medical mission trip.  I hope you enjoy.

Stained

Every story has a beginning and an end and my story is no different except that it starts the same way it finishes, with God leading the way. I once read that the work of God is completed in three stages, impossible, difficult, and done. This could not be truer even if I wanted it to be. When I started this journey, two things became clear, one I was going to have to trust God more than I wanted too and secondly, God was going to redefine who I was and what I wanted. There are few times in my life where I knew exactly what God wanted me to do. This was one of those rare moments. When I heard about the mission trip to Uganda from the 2014 team I knew it was where God wanted me to go. Why me, why this trip? I’m not sure what God’s reasoning was or what He saw in me but I knew I had to go. “For many are called, but few are chosen”, Matthew 22:14. I don’t know that there is anything special about me in particular for God to have chosen the path that he chose for me but I do know he was calling and that I had to obey. In Kisses for Katie, Katie discusses how God chose ordinary people, common people, simple people, and people with nothing special about them except that they said yes and this is precisely how I felt. The only thing that differentiated me was that I said “Yes”.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and it states, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”. The first step is easy because you are working off of ground you have set foot on before and that is still visible. It’s those next steps in the stair case that are unsettling all those that you cannot see because the ground you are working off is new footing and so it goes without saying that faith is requirement. I had complete faith and took that first step without hesitation I said, “Yes Lord, I will go”. It was everything after that where I had to remind myself God had me by my right hand every step of the way and would not let me falter. My first obstacle, money, how in the world was I going to pay for this trip? I not only did not have the money for the trip but I had also managed to choose a mission trip that was the most expensive. And if life could not be hard enough, I chose to go to Africa in the midst of facing my own personal battles. I had just recently separated from my husband and here I was struggling to focus and stay afloat not only financially but academically as well. I had zero funds to buy me a seat on that plane to Africa. I remember the first prayer I prayed that started it all. I said, “Lord I have no clue how I am going to pay for this trip but I know you want me to go, so I know you will provide, I don’t know how but I am trusting that you will, just lead the way”. I don’t know how I knew but I knew that God would provide. This is not to say I wasn’t worried because I was but this is where my controlling personality had to let go and let God replace it with peace and trust. Two scholarships later and with the support of my family, I had the money for my plane ticket to Uganda. God paid for my trip 100%; he achieved what I had thought to be impossible but this was only the beginning.

The greatest obstacle I would face was still to come, and that obstacle was me. We can be our own worst enemy and at times I was. I wanted to be vessel for God but in order for that to happen, I had to let Him transform every aspect of my life. I had to stop dwelling on the past and embrace the present and future. I think anytime you have spiritual growth you are bound to change drastically. When I obeyed God’s calling I was struggling personally to fight for my marriage and my own sanity. I was deeply depressed and felt as though I was failing in every aspect of my life. As I finished out my fall semester, feeling defeated at this point I recommitted myself to building a stronger relationship with God. I wanted this experience to be transforming and to do that I knew I had to trust God. As I approached the end of the fall semester I remember breaking down into uncontrollable tears and asking God, “How do I keep going? I am doing my best but I need your help. I am unsure of everything in my life right now and desperately need your guidance”. Later on that same day I received news that I had been selected for the Great Commission Scholarship. This was the encouragement I needed, God was paving the way for me to go.

As I returned for the spring semester, I returned with a new found strength that God had given me which I would need. I set aside time each day to spend quality time with God in his word and in prayer. I noticed as I did, God began to transform my mind and spirit. Our mission trip to Uganda had much higher expectations than any other trip. I say this because the effort and work we were required to put in was much more stringent in comparison to my other colleagues who were also clerkship students for other mission trips. Expectations were very high and I do not like to disappoint but it was more than that alone that fueled me. I wanted to be able to be a blessing to others when I reached Uganda and so that meant I needed to give this trip my all. At the time I was immensely overwhelmed with everything I had to do but relying on God helped me and looking back I am so grateful that our preceptors had high expectations because it made me into a better leader. I tend to be very soft spoken so I was faced with having to voice my thoughts and take charge and lead. Leading is not my favorite because I do not like being at the center of attention. Leaders are the center of attention because they are looked up to in order to get tasks accomplished and so as this trip unfolded from preparation to the mission field I was forced to come out of my shell and lead. A diamond doesn’t become shiny and sparkly overnight it requires lots of pressure and this trip gave me the pressure I needed to shine. In Kisses for Katie, Katie talks about the story of the velveteen rabbit and in order for it to become real it had to be worn and torn down by life before it would become new. After preparing for this trip and actually going and coming this is how I feel. I had to go through tough times all around in order to come out new and shiny in the end.

Before I knew it the time had come and I was getting on an airplane to travel thousands of miles to a foreign country. Not only was it my first time out of the country, it was my first mission trip away from the United States. So many firsts all at once but I did my best to embrace it. My time in Uganda came and went so quickly. I have never felt like I did when I was there. The people of Uganda are near and dear to Jesus’s heart and you can feel God’s presence with them. It didn’t matter what area I worked in or where in Uganda I was serving I felt God’s presence and each day someone new found their way into my heart. I met so many people whom I absolutely adored and loved. The people were so kind and every smile I received was so genuine and refreshing. Everyplace in Uganda where our team devoted time and energy was well received, gratefully and happily. It was such a contrast to what we see in America. The people of Uganda may have very little but the gratitude they express for everything is so refreshing and in a way I believe they have even more than we do because of that. Their attitudes made me realize how much I take for granted and how I need to smile more and have a more appreciative attitude. Their lack of necessities makes them close to God and I saw how crystal, clear that was when we visited Arise Talents. The presence of God was so strong in our praise and worship together. In Kisses for Katie, Katie mentions that in America, she misses Jesus. In America we are blessed to have everything we need but when it comes to Jesus we are lacking because we don’t rely on Jesus for everything as the people in Uganda do. One of my favorite verses in the bible is Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This verse explains why God is so close to the people in Uganda.

After being there and working with the doctors in Uganda, it made me realize that I would like to return to Uganda and be involved in longer missionary work as a healthcare provider. When I first decided to go, I had this crazy notion that I might want to go to medical school following graduation so that I might be able to do more work as a missionary when it comes to caring for the health of others. Reading Kisses for Katie inspired me to want to do more and I love medicine so my thought process was that as a physician I would be able to help more. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel after going to Uganda but this is another reason why I wanted to go. Working a long side with Dr. Moses and Dr. Robert only made me long to be a medical doctor more. It’s not just that they are incredibly smart but it’s the difference they are making in the lives of others that intrigued me more. Dr. Robert would light up when he was working with the kids but the kids also light up in return. Being the person that determines the ailment and prescribing treatment to an ill patient is truly rewarding. Seeing sick children is not easy but you feel better when you realize you can be the difference in that child’s wellbeing. I was excited and fascinated with determining the diagnosis and treatment. Both doctors allowed us to diagnose, ask questions, and determine treatment. It was amazing to know that I was able to finally apply my knowledge and best of all I was helping people who needed it most. I’m not sure where I will end up but I can say that after working with the doctors, I know that medical school is a strong possibility. I think that being a pharmacist will make me a better medical doctor if I choose to go that route. All of our education has been valuable and that manifested itself in the work we did in Uganda.

In summary, God has made it clear to me that whatever I do it will have to involve continuing his work in foreign countries such as Uganda. I can see myself returning to help again and I would love nothing more than to be able to return again. I love the people there and the work God is doing in all of the children. This experience in its entirety has transformed me and a large part of that transformation came directly from God but also from each person who chose to serve beside me in Uganda. I went from a very low point in my life to a point where I am ready for whatever life has next because I know God will be with my every step of the way. Every aspect of this trip allowed for change in my life and that is evident by how God blessed me along the way from passing difficult classes with good grades, restoring my marriage, and my sanity, and all because I chose to say, “yes”. I can’t believe all that he has done and I feel going to Uganda has given me more than I could give in return. I fell in love with the people and the country. I just want to close with the following passage from Kisses for Katie that parallels my experience:

Suffering. Rejoicing. Squalor. Beauty. Love. Pain. These are the things that surround me, and all of them are from Him. This life is beautiful and terrible and simple and difficult, and He is using it for His glory. My knees are dust orange, stained by the soil into which they press for hours as I beg God for the mercy and strength to continue. My tears flow in puddles that do not soak into the red, parched earth of Uganda. The puddles and the color of my knees remind me that I was not to leave this life unstained or unscarred. Even Jesus kept His scars after the resurrection. My stains are beautiful to Him and as I become dirtier, more beat up, I am becoming perfect, transformed into the image of the One who made me. And I am thankful.

Melissa Hubbard

Palm Beach Atlantic University – Gregory School of Pharmacy

Tags: Missions, Short Term Missions, Uganda
Posted in Newsletters, Short Term Missions, Uganda | Comments Off on Medical Missions 2015 – Reflective Essay

November 8th, 2014

Uganda Medical Missions 2014

Please enjoy this brief video put together from our Palm Beach Atlantic University, Gregory School of Pharmacy team.  It truly represents the trip and the impact on the students and the people of Uganda we had the joy of serving.

DAILY MISSION EXPERIENCES

Here is a journal I started to write when we were in Uganda this May.  I wanted to share in case anyone was interested in hearing about some of the things our team and me personally was going through during our trip. It will give my individual perspective anyway!

Lisa Sorensen, Volunteer-Word In Deed Ministries

________________________________________________

Mukono, Uganda - May 12^th 2014

We are all getting settled in after our first full day in Uganda. The long journey does not seem to have affected or discouraged anyone. Tonight after dinner the team shared, after being introduced to the locals who are assisting our mission trip, and they all duplicated their excitement and joy of being in Uganda, to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Today we had the RX clinic drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, suitcases full of supplies all spread out on the hotel entrance, parking lot, open-air bar area of the hotel – basically trying to get organized for the 4 clinic days.  It was humorous to see all this in the making, specially the location we were doing it in.

Professor Nornoo shared tonight how she remembered from last year, seeing Steve & I greeting & hugging, reminiscing, and recognizing old friends from our prior trip to Uganda and what a wonderful thing it was for her to observe in 2013. Now she was getting to do that this year, seeing people she had met before and being the one to say, “it’s so nice to see you again, how are you doing?” This is relationship- building God’s way.

We have laid out all our plans for the day, clinic schedule, health talks, evangelism lessons for the children…but the reality is, God has a plan and it will be even better than what ours are, I am sure of that.

May 13, 2014 - Today’s Highlights

Last year we treated and counseled a wife/mother who tested positive for HIV. She was very reluctant to tell her husband when we informed her of the test results. As is often the situation here in Uganda, if a woman finds out she is HIV +, she will keep it to herself because of the fear that comes with telling her spouse, his reaction often leads to physical abuse and abandonment. We convinced her that she had to do the right thing and tell her husband, and that we and one of the church elders she respected would be there with her, so her husband could be counseled in a Godly manner also.  It was hard for us from a missionary standpoint, not knowing the outcome, would he stay with his wife and continue to be a loving husband?

Today she returned to the clinic to let us know, now a year later, that she was doing well on the medicine she had been taking, her family was still in tact, and she deeply desired us to come to her home so she would ‘welcome’ us.  We were told her place was not too far from the clinic, so we decided to drop in to see her on our way back to the town.

The bus ride through a small village took about 10 minutes, than we turned down a questionable road (I asked the bus driver repeatedly, “Are you sure we should be driving down here?”)… Now 20 minutes had seemed to pass and we go to a point we had to stop, park the bus and walk the rest of the way.

So picture a landscape of rolling hills, acres of bananas, plantains and coffee fields, mixed in with the occasional draping trees and clay pathways that had only just recently dried enough for the way to be easy enough to walk.  It took another 15 minutes to walk to our new friends house, past other scattered neighbors with goats tied to posts, clay mud huts with children playfully talking to the “Mzungu” parading through their turf.

We arrived at the humble hut and could easily see that this couple was in the process of expanding their clay mud hut and building a brick structure that would soon be their new home.  She offered us to come into her home, which only really allowed for 4 people to stand inside. We mingled out in the tropical sunset for a few minutes and when we started saying our good-bye’s, one of our team members, Professor Souriel (who was instrumental in the counseling of this couple) was offered the traditional Ugandan gift of thanks, their fattest, prized chicken!  It was beautiful.  Like the woman in the Bible who offers the last few pennies she has as an offering of thanks and tithe, this sweet child of God wanted to do the same. Showing proper thanks for the loving kindness she received in a desperate situation.  To me, this is what mission work is all about.

Gift offered of prized chicken to Dr. Souriel

I think the hardest thing today was a little girl, just under 2 years old, who showed up with her Auntie just as we were winding down the day. We had committed to attend to 75 families for the day and about 12 people remained to see the doctors. The nurse asked me to come meet someone.  Auntie had just traveled a very long distance with her niece. Mom & Dad had both died of AIDS and Mom had apparently passed the disease on to her children.  She hoped the doctor could help the little girl with her illness, as she was lethargic. After Dr. Moses talked with her, she was receiving treatment from another clinic, but it was not the best medicine she could be taking because of her young age.  The Doctor recommended an alternative Auntie could inquire about when she goes back to her facilitating clinic to see if they would make the Rx change. It’s hard to send away a child and not being able to help. I pulled her aside into a small room with a translator and told her not to tell anyone, gave her some shillings to pay for some food, and some clothes for her children.  I know none of this is long term, but at that moment, that was all I could do.  Then we prayed.

Little sisters face HIV infection

Day 2 in Ntenjeru/Ntanzi  –  Clinic & Kids Programs

During the afternoon, I had a few things planned for the students of the newly opened school that sits adjacent to the clinic and church. The structure itself was originally constructed with the financial support of many through Word in Deed Ministries with the desire to open a vocational school. There local villagers could learn job skills that could provide them with better earning opportunities. Unfortunately, the organization that had initially promised to partner with them in getting the project running had to back out because of lack of funds. Thus, the structure sat empty for almost 2-years.  As a ministry, Word In Deed had expressed concern that so much time had passed since completion of the building project, and pressure was being put on the leadership in charge to not be wasteful with what has been given.  Pastor Edward shared that this primary school was opened and run totally by faith, as they had no funds to run the school or pay the teachers.  They have about 175 students now who have completed their first semester and school commenced a few days early so our team could help give health talks to the students.

Youngsters selling sweets for pennies and a profit

At 11 A.M., Leslie Rosa was doing the health talk on Malaria Prevention and left her assignment in triage so we could go to the school.  She did the talk wonderfully, involving the students by asking questions and being interactive. Many of them had confirmed that they had experienced malaria before, and we well aware of the side effects and now medical treatment was very important if you are to survive.

Of course there was lots of excitement because the students could see the piles of mosquito nets sitting at the front of the room. At the end of the lecture, the younger P-1 and P-2 students were asked to leave and after a head-count, we had just under a hundred students in the room.  We gave out all the nets and the extra few were given to the teachers.  Many of the younger students who didn’t receive nets had older siblings, so we were told that they would likely all be sleeping under nets.

Pastor Edward shared later that what we had done, by giving the nets to the children, was a good way to ensure that the nets were used for the purpose intended, by the kids themselves. He said that if we had given them out to the adults, many would have likely sold them, preferring to have the money instead of trying to protect their children.  This way it also gives a boost to the school out in the village. The gossip will be, according to Past or Edward, that here is this team of Mzugu’s (white people) coming into this new school, it must be a good school so we need to send our children there.

In the afternoon we met again at 1 PM to talk to the older students who were interested in gardening and learning how to grow vegetables.  Lawrence Kayma, who we met a year ago at the Botanical Gardens in Entebbe, had joined us on this trip to serve as a translator. Lawrence has started a non-profit organization in Kampala called Green Youth Conservation Uganda, trying to educate children about environmental protection, preserving medicinal plants, and doing camping trips for kids in villages who never get to come into the city to see the Botanical Gardens.

With Lawerence’s help, we got to talk to the kids about the importance of gardening and growing your own food for sustainability and for health.  I brought with me a bunch of vegetable and fruit seeds for the school to use to start their own community garden and we determined that it would be good to develop their own “Garden Club” at school.  We democratically had them vote in a male and female president of the garden club and charged them with the authority to ensure the garden was being looked after and that they needed to set up a schedule to make sure everyone participated and the garden was being watered.  With Pastor Michael and the teachers we walked out onto the land in front of the school and determined what would be the best spot for the garden to be placed.

At that point, I thought we were done (it was very hot and humid in the sun) and that the kids would be in charge to get it done at a later time under the supervision of the teachers.  But out of nowhere two hoe’s appeared and Lawrence and one of the male teachers started to clear out the land and prepare the soil for seed-planting.  During this time, Lawrence talked to the kids about the importance of good soil, taking care of the seedlings, and what needs to happen during transplantation when they are ready.  Many of the older children were very knowledgeable with gardening as they attended to the family garden at home, mostly growing sweet potatoes, maze and plantains.

So the land was prepared, seeds planted and a promise made.  We asked the students how many of them had been to Entebbe to visit the Botanical Gardens. One young man said he knew that it was on Entebbe Road but no one had ever been there.  I told them that if they were productive in keeping their garden growing and I saw photo’s (through Pastor Michael) of the fruits of their labor, I would arrange a field trip for them to go into see the Botanical Gardens and have a tour with Lawrence.   Ultimately, this just may have to be another trip to Uganda to verify the productivity of this project . . . like I’m always looking for a reason to return!!!

Planting a garden in Ntenjeru

Thursday, Mpunge Covenant School - Mobile Clinic

There was much anticipation for visiting Mpunge this year, the reason being to see one of our patients from last year, a little boy named Moses.  The 2013 PBAU team spearheaded getting this little boy the medical attention he needed as he had a life-threatening condition when we met him last year, so we collectively financed the surgery he needed to live a healthy, productive life.  You can imagine there were lots of pictures taken with Moses and the scar on his tummy. He was smiling and playing in the schoolyard. It was such a joy to see.

Moses showing his scar from 2013

I had a few tasks for myself at this school, and now the students had the procedure down pat – set up the triage while Paul, the HIV counselor, did a talk about HIV prevention to the patients waiting to be seen. The pharmacy is a busy place, being organized in one of the classrooms.  Each of our two doctors, Moses and Robert, got their own classroom to meet with patients. We also used one classroom for HIV and Malaria testing.

Mamma Resty, who is the headmistress of the school and village leader, is the heart of this community. She has 11 children of her own, so you can well imagine she’s got great personal knowledge of child rearing.  We did get a tour of the completed dormitory, which was just in beginning stages of construction when we visiting last year.  It was a real transformation from clay sand and bricks scattered, to a really sophisticated compound by Ugandan standards.  I was particularly pleased to see a bathroom they had made with an actual toilet seat encased in concrete sous gal’s didn’t have to squat over a hole in the ground.  I told Pastor Edward that now, because of this feature, I could live here.

I also got to deliver a gift from a girlfriend, Cathy Russo, to one of my bible study students from 2-years ago. I took photo’s of all the girls and when I returned from Uganda in 2012, I invited people to “pick & pray” for a girl from my Sunday school class in Mpunge. Cathy selected Gloria Makamya; she wants to be a doctor.  When I arrived this time in Mpunge I showed Jackie, Mamma Resty’s daughter the picture I had of Gloria and asked if she knew where to find her.  She told me that her name was not Gloria, but that her name was Jesca Agaati.  I guess my administrative skills aren’t as good as I thought!  Anyway, Jesca received the gift sent by her prayer partner, and I received a letter to deliver back to Cathy.  I love being a postal carrier.  When Jesca opened her gifts, she was elated to see all the things in her packages.

While we were standing there, taking pictures and laughing, a lady approached us with a little baby in her arms.  He was extremely swollen all over his body. His eyes could barely open.  Through Mamma Resty and Lawrence, I determined that she did have a number to get to seethe doctor. It was number 38.  I asked Lawrence to take the lady and baby to triage so they could get ahead and not have to wait. This little child needed to see a doctor.

Baby Moses severely malnourished

The rest of the day ran smoothly. A few people showed up needing medical attention that did not have a number, so we added them in and bumped a few people and children ahead of the line, those who clearly had a problem.  Many people show up to get the free medical attention because there is no clinic in Mpunge that has doctors available, mostly they would be seen by a nurse and directed to go to the larger towns for hospital or clinical attention. And most people don’t go because they don’t have the money to travel to the towns.

May 16th Friday – Exhausted but grateful

Everyone is in his or her respective rooms. It’s been along, fruitful day, but I don’t think we will get much sleep.  There is a ‘revival’ going on down the street and the singing with loudspeakers and organ music at a toxic (noise pollution) level; it will be entertaining us all through the night.

We finished our last clinic day in Mpunge today – it was exhausting, but invigorating at the same time. So, many great God stories these past 4 days, but also unfortunately, many painful experiences.  But now, I am even too tired to type…so I must say goodnight.

Saturday, May 17th  –  We are more than a number to Jesus

Today, tears are flowing and I seek forgiveness from God for the hardness in my heart and lack of wisdom in seeing Jesus in the least of these.

Yesterday a little boy who looked to be about 9-months old was brought to the clinic by a neighbor ‘friend’. I first met him when the woman inquired about getting to see the doctor. Mamma Resty, the headmistress of the school (Mpunge Covenant School & Church) is where we have set up the mobile clinic, and she & I were talking.  The woman approached us carrying this little boy, his entire body was severely swollen, and his eyes despondent and he looked malnourished.  I told her that she needed to have him see the doctor and she let us know she had received number 38 and was waiting for her turn.

A short time later I was in the classroom were we had set up the pharmacy and Jenny, one of our students, came in crying and needing some water.  She was working with Doctor Robert and he had just examined the little boy, number 38, I saw earlier. After examining the baby he diagnosed that this little child of God would probably die in a few days and he needed to be in a hospital, and even than, it was very likely he would not survive.  After seeing and hearing that news, Jenny had to leave the examine room and recompose herself.

Soon after that, the neighbor ‘friend’ and patient #38 was seen in the pharmacy to be given the medicine we had available to help him.  He got medicine for worms, and Steve got to give him some water to help hydrate him.  Again, it was translated that this baby needed to be in the hospital, and while translating this our Word In Deed partner, Rachel, also had to leave the pharmacy because the toll on her during this administration was overwhelming.  As for me, I saw little patient #38 later as the women from the village all gathered around him as he sat on the ground. I could tell there was much discussion about the diagnosis, I touched his swollen feet, trying to be careful not to hurt him, knowing he must be in pain considering the condition of his little body; I took his picture with my iPhone and prayed that God would be merciful.

Last night we returned back from our successful clinic day, probably seeing over 120 patients, adding together the families with children.  I was sitting with Lawrence, one of our Ugandan translators, during dinner and got to hear some background about patient #38 as Lawrence was in triage translating during intake. Apparently this little baby’s life started without much hope.  His mother had died and then his father could no longer care for him so he took his son to his mother, wanting her to look after the baby.  Grandma was really not interested in looking after her grandson but he was left with her anyway.

According to the neighbor ‘friend’, Grandma was not very good at looking after this little boy because she was angry that the son had left him with her.   Grandma left the village and was gone for several days when the neighbor wondered what had happened to the little boy, our patient #38. She went to the Grandmothers hut and found that the little boy had been left there on the ground, alone, and had been there for several days.  She took him with her and was trying to do her best to look after him, and it was shortly after that we had arrived for our free clinic.

Because of the lack of clear understanding of patient #38’s circumstances, I feel we failed to be the hands and feet of Jesus yesterday. We let this little child of God down; we did not do our best for him.  This morning Steve and I prayed for his soul and prayed for God’s forgiveness and wisdom in what we could do to help this little boy.  We resolved that we needed to get Pastor Edward to call Headmistress Resty and see if she can locate patient #38, get the neighbor friend to bring the baby to the hospital and offer to pay for the costs to get him there. Is that the best we can do? Why Lord did we not see that as an option yesterday? Are we so incensed now with what we see here in these remote villages that we have lost our compassion or ability to see Jesus in the face of this little boy, patient #38?  I am now burdened with my failure to do my very best for God and His children.

Sunday, May 18th –  A New Number

We just returned from our trip to Malago hospital in Kampala.  After visiting 2 other hospitals in Mukono and being told that the severe malnutrition nature of this baby Moses, a/k/a patient #38, required he be admitted to the hospital which specializes in children.  In the emergency room there were actually 7 – 10 other mothers and fathers waiting in the seating area to be checked by a doctor and there didn’t appear to be anyone in charge to ask how we get to see someone. After several minutes I walked through the area that patients were being looked at and asked a woman (assuming she was a nurse) if she could speak English and if she could come look at Moses, as he was in a bad condition (tome much worse than the babies I saw in the waiting room.  She came with me back out to the waiting room and had Grandma bring him to a desk with a scale on it.  She took down his name and wrote down his weight, and in her notebook I found it ironic that he given a new number, patient #36.

The nurse brought us into a room with 2 doctors and several examine beds that lined the perimeter of the room.  One child was lying in a bed with an I.V. and there was blood on the floor under where he was lying.  He was complaining to the nurse that they needed someone to come in and clean up the blood and she told him there was no one.

Moses was looked at by both doctors and the told us he was severely malnourished and that they would admit him and keep him in the emergency section for the night to stabilize him. Tomorrow he would be transferred into the other unit where he will be given a feeding tube to start him on better nourishment.  He told the Grandmother that she was not to feed him anything while he was in the hospital, that they would do that. My thought was she wasn’t doing it before, given how sick he was, so they wouldn’t have to worry about that.

We watched for a while as the doctor filled out the intake paperwork and shortly after that another doctor came in and suggested that we leave because they would be admitting Moses and there was nothing else we needed to do.  I gave Grandma $20,000 shillings so she would have some money to feed herself while Moses was in the hospital, as our first doctor in Mukono said after about 2-weeks in the hospital, there was a great chance Moses would get better and be healthy again.  We prayed that Grandma would not abandon him again.

Backtracking now to earlier in the day, so many things happened at church service, it was very long but very special. The new students from the Ntanzi Covenant School did their traditional dances for us; we had a message from Pastor Kefa on how God changes us, that we are new transformations once we let Jesus into our lives.  He spoke in English and Pastor Edward spoke in Lugandan.  Professors Nornoo and Souriel both got to say a few words and it was very touching.  Adwoa also told the church, “I hope you aren’t sick of us, because we will be back.”  Praise God.

At the request of the Pastors, I got to speak to the congregation about the necessity of them taking ownership of the 3 buildings they’ve been given – their church, their clinic, their school.  God has provided them with great blessings and now it was their responsibility to “Make it Work!” was the message I tried to convey.  The pastors had shared with us that they don’t want to pay to come and see the nurse at the clinic, they don’t want to pay for their prescription drugs, they don’t want to pay their school fees (which is typical in Uganda), they are wanting to just have a hand-out.  This is life in Uganda.  I told them like the parable in the Bible, they have been given much (talents to grow and prosper), so they have a choice now to bury them in the sand and then have it taken away from them, or to grow and prosper what they have been given. It is their choice.

Lunch was served after church service, so you can well imagine since the news got out that we were providing lunch, the attendance compared to a typical Sunday had tripled. That’s a good thing! The rice was abundant and the kids love it, as they don’t get it very often.  We also handed out bars of soap and the PBAU students did a health talk on hand washing and the importance of using soap to prevent disease.

We had arranged for the sick baby Moses to be brought to the church so we could get him to the hospital.  Surprisingly, the grandmother did bring him and our adventure getting Moses to the hospital is another whole story in itself.  We heard a very different story from what we had heard before.   The biggest question we asked was, “Do you love this baby?” She said “yes” and she said she would wait with him at the hospital as long as it took.  To me that was the right answer, but in reality, there is no way of knowing if that was the truth.

Today is now Monday and we purchased food for Moses so that there would be food when he got home.  We also learned that Moses is not the only child Grandma looks after.  She has 4 of her own children at home plus another grandchild.  The oldest child who she told us was 14, was left to care for the other four children. This is also typical in Uganda & Africa.  We also purchase extra food to be given to the children who were left alone and made arrangements through the church that it be delivered and asked that someone in the village check on that family since Grandma may be gone for a couple of weeks.  Again, we can only pray that it happens because we are not in control.

Lots more to tell about today’s adventures, but its time to eat – so it’s time to go!

May 22^nd, Reflections  –  It’s More Than Medicine

Had a few days now to allow my mind and body catch up with each other, and I will surely need a few more days to feel somewhat stabilized, but I would be remiss if there weren’t a few things I shared.

The team of PBAU Gregory School of Pharmacy students, as a whole, was incredible. The cohesive teamwork that I observed was truly outstanding.  I don’t give out compliments easily either; it’s not one of my spiritual gifts (LOL!). But, I have to say these young men and women were great examples of those being the hands and feet of Jesus in both word and in deed.  This was our second team participating from PBAU. Last years team was also gifted, well planned and smooth… but we learned a few lessons and applied them this year. I think one of the major improvements was the prayer and spiritual aspect of this trip.  One of the questions we asked each person during triage on this trip, “Would you like someone to pray with you?”  From the reports after each clinic day, most people replied, “YES”!  Praise God!

Praying with patient’s at the clinic

As I roamed around each area to try and facilitate different needs for the clinic and monitoring patient flow between the Doctors, HIV & Malaria testing, counseling, etc., (with as much ease as possible), one of the joy’s of my experience was seeing that once people received their RX’s fills and instructions for proper administration of and drugs or vitamins, there would also be those who would be standing remotely aside receiving prayers from one of our team-members.  It doesn’t get any better than that!  These drugs can assist a temporary, physical need.  Our improvement this year was in the spiritual needs and praying with 100’s of people.

I would be remiss is I also didn’t share this story. Melchisedek Dagis, one of the pharmacy students posted two beautiful pictures and this on his FaceBook page; “This picture sums up my trip to Africa. I meet Hadijjih during the 2nd day of clinic while I was triaging her. For some reason I asked to pray with her and she was reluctant because she served other Gods. I noticed a metal bracelet around her arm and she explained that her bracelet represented her commitment to the Gods that she served and the day that she took it off these spirits would terrorize and kill her. I proceeded to tell her about the only God that I knew, the only true God. I told her about Christ and what he did on the cross for sinners. She seemed interested to hear more so I told her everything that I knew about God and Jesus. She eventually accepted Christ and as I prayed with her I noticed that her taking off her bracelet. I asked her to come back on Sunday to church. I was worried that she wouldn’t come back but she did (we wore the same colors). With the help of a friend I was able to have a bracelet made for her. I told her that this new bracelet represented hope, a bring future and a new beginning. It meant that she did not have to resort to drugs, alcohol, tobacco and sexual promiscuity to find meaning in her life. JESUS was now her new identity. There is more to her story but I was glad that I was able to impact someone’s life by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This trip was beyond amazing. God is good!”

This is the kind of testimony that can only be given when short-term missions are accomplished. God is moving mountains in this. People who may be questioning their faith in these small villages where witch doctors are still prevalent, where strings are being tied around waists and wrists to ward off evil spirits, where Jesus is still being questioned as the Son of God. Seeing so many Ugandan villagers asking for prayers is a testimony to the medicine they are receiving.  They are hungry for God. They are hungry for Jesus. They are hungry for the truth found in God’s word.  What a blessing to be part of.

The two PBAU professors leading the trip this year, Adwoa Nornoo and Mariette Souriel, were instrumental in making things happen again this year.  What really excited me also as a ministry leader was to hear that so many of the students who joined us in 2013 also wanted to return in 2014.  Dr. Nornoo and I discussed this as a kind of after-thought the evening the team was departing. We had 3 students returning with us for the 2^nd year on this trip to Uganda.  For me personally and as a trip coordinator, it was an affirmation that what we are trying to accomplish for God’s glory is working also. These students returned with a passion and assurance that God wanted them to continue what they had started, to build on the relationships they had made last year.  The reality of that shows up in Facebook and in photographs where they have been reunited with their friends and patients from last year.

This kind of medical mission trip takes numerous hours of preparation and planning, but it also takes of village of hands across the globe to be successful. I want to thank the numerous people who supported the trip financially and with prayer. The Ugandan volunteers, the two amazing Doctors, the translators, the Pastors & their wives who consistently go over and above the call of duty. All the people who fed us and provided the safe, comfortable place for us to sleep. Our sweet assistant Rachel, who is full of energy and without her, being my right hand, we would have had way too many complaints! It takes a village! God’s provision was full in so many ways.

Now, what is even more exciting for our small ministry, Word in Deed (WID) has expanded 1,000 fold by these experiences.  Students this year have seen the changes at Mpunge Covenant School (the same village campus we did a mobile clinic last year was in the midst of construction and expansion).  This year, offers to sponsor children to attend school have developed and affirms for me that what we, WID, is doing as a ministry is honoring God by providing education and spiritual development for these young children.  As I sit here now, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the lives that are being affected, not only here in Uganda, but at home in USA.  Praise God.

Lisa Sorensen, Word In Deed Ministries

May 2014

Postscript – November, 2014

Baby Moses spent over 2-months in the hospital in Kampala. He has returned to his Grandmother and now we have set in place a monitoring system so that if she runs out of food for the children, she can go back to the school and ask for provisions. Moses has been there also several times and our prayer is that he will start school at the Mpunge Covenant School and grow up to be a mighty warrior for Jesus.

Moses after lots of TLC in the hospital

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June 23rd, 2014

UPDATE FROM KENYA-WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING TODAY

As a ministry, Word in Deed offers up prayer and financial support to local pastors in remote villages, to spread the gospel and plant churches.  Pasto John Nathan is one pastor who has been working diligently to serve the rural poor where he lives.  He contacted us to share the life-threatening situations their congregation was experiencing.

Below is a chain of emails (unedited so you can see the flavor of our communications) regarding a tragic situation going on in Kenya today. People (Christian brothers & sisters) are being rounded up and placed into these ‘camps’.  As a ministry we are doing what little we can to help get a few of Pastor John’s church members out of the camps. We hope and pray that by reading these, you too will be inspired to help by financially supporting what WID is helping with in Kenya.  Blessings to you and please keep these people in your prayers.

Email from June 12, 2014

From Stas Nicholade:Camp Dadaab is a refugee camp near the border of Somalia, 500 miles away from Pastor John’s church.  When Somalis  were rounded up and put in detention camps because of recent terrorist attacks they complained they were being singled out. So apparently they began to target all displaced peoples, including his (John’s) church members as well as those in sister churches. The gov’t came and loaded them into trucks presumably to check their papers, but they never returned. Pastor John told them not to hate the officials but forgive and pray for them. Others from Burundi, Congo, Rwanda and from his sister churches were taken too. However, they can’t provide for themselves. Though a UN HIGH Commission for Refugees exists his congregational members are not yet recognized as part of their program.

He visited them last weekend and discovered they had not eaten in 3-4 days. When they do it the food is quite meager.

While they are in the camp they can be taught because they are not slaves. UN encourages help from other sources. John advised us it was  too dangerous for non-Kenyans to go b/c terrorists can interfere. He can send food in a truck. It would take $3,000 to fill it with necessary supplies that would last for one month. Along with  this, locals can provide some limited food temporarily for less. Eventually 100 of these people may be resettled in the US though it could take up to a year.

We are currently raising money to send to Pastor John who will buy food and daily necessities for the men and women there. He has an account at PNC bank that donations can go to. Please pray and consider donating. Thanks

All Hallows Church, our home church, is sending $1,000 next week. $400 was put directly into his account yesterday to help with immediate needs. So you can send it in Pastor John’s name or I can check if it is possible to funnel it through our church

Email received June 17, 2014

Dear Sister Sharon, greetings once again in Jesus name. I kindly wanted to say thanks to you, to Apostle Steve and great friends in Christ like brother Stasie, David and all the Word In deed brothers for their quick response to this Ugly Satanic attack on our church members.

I wanted to travel to the Camp this week as I here that even the little food they were being offered has been cut off. They have been calling me every other hour to know how soon I should be there. I checked on my account today Monday morning and saw that the donation you offered is not there yet, hopefully it will be done today so that I can move to the Camp tomorrow.

I have scanned herein, an advertisement from the main nation magazine paper talking about the conditions leading to this situation which have affected our members and how they have been separated from their children. We still need to do something for the children who have been left behind, besides supporting those at the Camp.

Please continue remembering us in prayer and all you can possibly do. You are our parents God has provided for this period of live. Pleas do not get tired of doing good for this is our heavenly reward.  The nation of Kenya is getting attacks on weekly basis, although they are isolated cases. Yesterday there was an explosion attack in the coastal region, close to Somali boarder causing much panic. More than 50 people died and many injured. The political and economic situation is not good as the current president is trying to pull away from the good relationship which was there with the Western countries ( US, Canada and Europe ) and liaising with Eastern countries ( China and the Arab world ). We know that there is nothing the country can possibly benefit from such. We are 80% Christians and what he is attempting can cause trouble in Kenya.

I hope I will be able to travel to the Camp as soon as I have any little funds.

May God bless you., Pastor John

Email received June 19, 2014

I am trying  to change your title from Sister to Mom because you are honestly a mother to me and my ministry members. This is for spiritual purposes!

I have received the funds from the Word In deed account and right now I am almost at the Camp. I started late from Nairobi and had to spend a night on the way but today Thursday morning I am back on the road which will take a maximum of 5 hours before I arrive.

As you advised, I would like to divide the funds( $400 each week) to purchase food that can last one week each for a whole month. That means we shall be buying food every week. It will mean that I personally stay at the Camp for a longer period or else I should be traveling back and forth to make sure there is a better supervision of the purchase and distribution.

I will try as much as possible to send a report inclusive of some photos as we do this exercise.

We also also doing an advocacy to the government to consider the case of these brethren as they are totally victimized for no apparent reason. I know that the government is also under pressure considering many terrorist attacks which have been witnessed in the country. The last one was last Sunday which claimed many lives in the Coast.

To explain a bit on why terrorism has become a big issue here, let me summarize is that it is an aggression against the Western influence in the African countries based on Christianity. The country of Somalia is 95 % Islam while Kenya is 80% Christian. We are immediate neighbors. Somalia is influenced by the Arab world while Kenya has always been influenced originally by the British and now America. Religion is playing a major role here.

America and some European countries have been using Kenya as a base for some interests in Africa and middles east regions. There have been many international organizations running projects in Kenya. This has not been  going down well with Extreme Islamist movements which have always tried to control Africa ( China and Russia backing them ). One private mission Muslims have been targeting Africa to make the whole continent Islamic. They could not succeed this as the Eastern influence has been strong for them. Thus, Terrorism has been one weapon for them to achieve their goal.

It begun by the Terrorists kidnapping western tourists, missionaries and NGO workers in Kenya. This became a problem because Kenya earns much income from tourism and NGO projects. Kenya government decided to control this y fighting terrorists into inside Somalia, the base of Alshabab terrorists. Kenya has a large military force inside Somalia to fight and neutralize the outlawed militias. As a way of retaliation the terrorists have resorted to guerrilla ( including suicide bombings ) and mass kings in Kenya. My country has not been well prepared or experienced over such wars. They are taking desperate steps which have affected innocent people and affecting the economy in general.

The president of Kenya who was not favored by Western countries has also erred by turning or support and investment from the Arab and China countries which has affected good relationship with Western thereby cutting down donations  (from Western countries) which were main sources of the country’s economic growth.

All these factors have played roles to what we are facing now. Maybe his can briefly explain why we are getting into this situation. We shall discuss more with time. I am in hurry for my bus now.

Thank you again. Pastor John.

Email received June 22, 2014

May I kindly take this opportunity to share my brief experience of my tour and the feeding exercise at the Somalia Kenya boarder. These photos will explain more of what I may forget by words.

Below is the budget as we discussed with the refugee leaders at the Camp.

The simplest food for one person in a day will be costing about Kenya shillings 50 (an equivalent of  $ 0.588). That is about 50 cent of a Dollar.

For a total of 235 people at the Camp, the cost will be Ksh 11,750 an equivalent of ( $ 138.23 )

The total cost for one month feeding will be ksh 352,500 an equivalent of ( $ 4,147 )

Thus, the simplest food (Just for survival) that can support people at the camp is costing $ 4,147 in a month.

We are indeed grateful for the donation we have received from you amounting to $3500 (Word In Deed $ 1200, From New Life Church $1000,  All Hallows Church $ 1000  and $200 and $100 deposits not sure who sent).

We only lack $514 to have enough food for the Camp lasting for one full month. This is contribution for food a lone, leave a side other basic needs like Soap, Tooth paste and brushes, basic medication, telephone calls and other communication, Ladies pads etc.  (this should be contributed from other well wishers).

We have tried to source for Children food from the local community and churches and have so far managed but still will need an amount of $2000 which could help in extreme cases like children who have health problems. This is an approximate for one month.

We are also doing advocacy to persuade the government to move quickly and reconcile especially parents with children left behind. So Far we have managed to convince them to reconcile about 16 parents who are in the process of being transported back in the course of one week. We are seeing a situation where about 60 people who have extreme cases to be considered for reconciliation back with their families in Nairobi in one month period.

The rest, 175 people, will be left in the camp for as long as they will be resettled by the United Nations High commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Accoring to UNHCR, It will take more than 3 months to have any structures that can support extra refugees at the Camp. They are already overloaded and cannot do anything for refugees whom they did not plan for, as they were forcefully brought here by the Kenya government without their prior planning. There is a stand off between the government and UNHCR at the moment. Remember it was not only my church members who were forcefully moved to camps (Over 50,000 Urban refugees were moved suddenly. Many of them of Somalia origin, South Sudan and Ethiopia. My Church members are Congolese, Rwandans and Burundians.

Meanwhile, the UNHCR is working to resettle one person (family) after another in developing countries including USA. This has been an ongoing exercise for those in and outside the Camp. So far, one person has been sent to settle in USA from my Church refugees at the camp since they were taken there.

God has done much through you to sustain his children in this condition. We are sure this situation will not continue beyond this year.

Please receive our thanks once again in Jesus name.

Pastor John M Nathan.

Email from June 23, 2014

I have taken pics of a few extreme cases we are requesting the government to consider. Two cases were so serious that I had to travel with them and pleaded on the way for their cases. Charles Ntebutse has an acute heart condition and would easily have died at the camp. We brought him back with his wife Jemima and they are now reconciled with their small kids. Another Sister, Dianna would not let me leave. Eric, her husband strongly believed that we could go through security checks even without proper traveling papers from the Camp. We believed God and with prayers, we argued strongly with Security officers ( more than 20 road blocks ) who finally let us go. Thanks to your donation for their transportation on the way back.

The few cases of sisters herein need such urgent attention.

Generally the brethren here can’t thank you enough. Those who may be resettled in Pennsylvania in future, will make a point of visiting you and give you their testimony.

May God bless you your great sacrifice for us here.

Pastor John

Posted in Kenya, Project Updates | Comments Off on UPDATE FROM KENYA-WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING TODAY

March 28th, 2014

Kenya Communications – Support that changes lives!

Posted in Kenya, Newsletters, Project Updates | Comments Off on Kenya Communications – Support that changes lives!

November 29th, 2013

Ministry in Missions – Why We Do What We Do!

“Mzungu, Mzungu!” you hear them cry.  They are excited because you, the Americans, have arrived.  Children surround you, drums start playing, shouts of joy and exhilaration exude from their mouths as you walk towards a gathering of people.  The men and women come and greet you with songs, hugs, and best of all smiles.  You are welcomed!

You look at the people there and quickly see that many of them have worn their ‘Sunday best’, just to greet you, but you still see bare feet, tattered dresses, half-clothed children, pants a few sizes too small.  You see dirty feet.  You see bellies, which have not been filled and are distended with hunger.  They see a pot of watered-down porridge, which will be that day’s meal, no taste and lacking nutritional value, but it will fill the stomach, only to remind them a few hours later that it’s all they’re going to eat today.充气城堡

As you arrive though, they see hope; they see a chance; they see love.  They see your smile.  All things bad go away.  When you spend time with them, they cherish it.  When you sing for them, they clap and cheer, no matter how badly you keep a tune.  When you pull out a soccer ball to play, they quickly throw aside the plastic bottle they had been kicking and patiently and joyfully wait their turn to show their skills with a round ball.  When you pull out a new t-shirt, or outfit, they dress quickly, anxiously waiting to view their new look. If you take a picture of them in their fashioned attire and show them, this is a sweet blessing of modern technology in a place where it is seldom seen.

When you paint their school classroom, they watch in amazement as the plain walls change into a new world, where brightness and vibrancy exists.  Their faces change, like the color of a chameleon, reflecting the new environment they now are in; they smile, and smile, and smile, quickly matching the effervescent color of the walls with their exuberant faces, filled with the joie de vivre (joy of life).

This is the difference that can be made.  Even if for only a short while, the joy of their hearts is lifted, their fears relieved, their problems gone and they have hope and peace.  The children cling to you and soak up all the love you can give them.  They want you to know they exist.  They live each day as you do, with the same sun rising over their heads and the same moon keeping watch over them at night.

Thank you for being a part of the adventure that the Lytle family and a great team from Word in Deed Ministries took, working in Uganda during the month of September 2013.

The delight that you could see on the children’s faces as they received soccer uniforms for the first time ever.  Shoes, socks, clothes, school supplies, balls, and most of all the love that came with each of these material gifts that was given was felt and received.  Know that you have changed the perspective of a child’s life, as they saw love in action.  They felt cared for because of your gifts.  They felt important.  They felt noticed.

To recap our stay, our first day was spent revitalizing the church and clinic grounds at Ntenjeru Presbyterian Church.  We painted the lower half of the 30-foot walls of the church with a beautiful deep green where handprints and dust had overtaken the light-colored paint, which had originally been applied.  We planted 50 trees, varieties of fruit and medicinal, all around the clinic.  In the years to come, this will serve the clinic and community as a resource for herbal medicine.  Some of the team also helped to plant corn, which will feed the pigs.  Later in our stay, a few helped plant beans at this site, as well.  These will be sold to help support one the local ministries of the church and the Elder-lead care for the orphans, widows, and seniors.  The clinic also got a facelift with a good cleaning and a new coat of paint on the lower half.  A bed was also purchased during our stay, so now there is a place for patients to actually lie down during an exam.

We spent the remaining part of our first week painting the Mpunge Covenant School, which is located in a small village further down the road, in a remote area bordering Lake Victoria.  This new school provides these local children (beyond the education they receive) with a place that is dry from the rain and allows their feet to stand on cement floors rather than the dirt and mud.  There are desks for them to sit at and blackboards on the wall.  There is a new dormitory that is almost completed, which eventually will be a place for children to live (both boarders and orphans).  We also installed two 10,000-liter water tanks for the rainwater collection system while we were there.  Soon, grass will be planted on a full soccer field, which has been cleared and prepared. This will be the site of many local games, with the hopes to also hosting events and exhibition with national soccer clubs; a community-gathering place that will be an evangelical tool to share the gospel also.

The school was given new basic supplies, allowing some kids to continue to go to school, as their parents will not have to struggle to find the money for these simple materials.  My son, Tucker, had fun every day making new friends, and playing soccer with the children during their recess.  He also spent many of the mornings helping in the outdoor kitchen, stoking the fire and stirring the porridge for the children’s daily meal.

The second week we went and reached out to a new village called Bunakijja, and enjoyed a time of singing and fellowship.  We provided some clothing for the children and played games like musical chairs and Frisbee.  A full lunch was served, which fed the 150 or so women, men and children that had joined us.  Here I played a game of soccer with the locals, who had an organized college-aged team.  A few of us Mzunga’s (Americans) joined, as well as some of our Ugandan friends, and we played against them.  They were surprised at how well a big American man like me could play defense!  It felt good to be out there and I look forward to now joining the adult league for UMSC someday, although I will need to work on my endurance for sure.

During the second week we also visited the Ugandan Baseball Little League Headquarters and Tucker (who is 9) was able to practice with the 12-year-old team after they finished school.  They practice every day for about 4 hours after school.  God willing, if we are living here in Uganda in the future, Tucker may have the opportunity to play on their team and I may have the occasion to volunteer at a coaching clinic which they offer every February.  The headquarters also have a soccer team at this school, which is specifically set up to assist the most athletic children of the country, providing them not only with the outlet of sports, but the opportunity of a good education.

We week finished with my wife, Kim, leading a time of teaching and having fun during Kid’s Camp, which included religious education, crafts, and songs.  On the final day we had a huge party of dancing and singing which the whole community participated. We had a loudspeaker system and played Ugandan karaoke.  We also provided two schools with Upper Moreland soccer uniforms, which they can use as their own.  These kids were ecstatic to don these new clothes and could not wait to have their next game where they could show them off.

Thank you again for the support you gave helping make this mission trip a success. But more importantly for the opportunity to help put smiles on these children’s faces, a joy in their heart, and a brief moment away from the depravity they live daily.

If you would like more information on how you can continue to help with these children and the communities we are serving in Uganda, please email me  (Peter Lytle) at –  plytle28@msn.com.

Posted in Project Updates, Short Term Missions | Comments Off on Ministry in Missions – Why We Do What We Do!

November 24th, 2013

Unexpected Reason – Why Do Missions?

This story comes from a missionary, teacher & supporter of Word In Deed (Cecil Walker) who came to Uganda in 2012 with his wife & son. This recent experience Cecil had gives a very unexpected reason to share missions experiences. Thank you Cecil for sharing this story and for listening to the Holy Spirit by sharing Uganda with Bob.

******

Hello everyone. I thought I would share this with you.

We have a guy in our neighborhood named Bob.  Bob is in his 70’s and he lives alone. Monty (who also lives next door with his wife Sallie) has really been working a lot helping Bob, taking care of him, as his mind is beginning to fail. Bob has three different degrees from Florida State University in history. He retired as a professor at Rollins College.

Anyway, as you guys all know, Monty and Sallie left to go out of town. Last night I was taking out the garbage and noticed Bob knocking on Monty and Sally’s front door. As I walked over to the front yard I could tell Bob was crying and he was agitated.  Bob’s short-term memory is very bad and when Monty is out of town, it really throws him off.

I started talking to Bob trying to get him the calm down. He couldn’t understand why Monty wouldn’t answer his door, despite the fact I repeatedly told him Monty was out of town. So, in the middle of ranting, Bob reminded me he had three college degrees in history and had been a professor at Rollins College.

For some reason the Lord laid it on my mind to bring up having gone to Uganda on a mission trip.

As soon as I did, immediately Bob’s demeanor completely changed.  He looked at me and said, “Do you realize how special you are for having gone to Uganda.” From that point on I was able to share about our trip, which had a calming effect on Bob.  He went home in a much more peaceful mood than when I first found him.

God is great and His love continues to work through Uganda…even here in Cocoa Beach, Florida, when ministering to our friends and family…we can thank God for our experiences doing missions in another part of the world. You never know what will happen when you share them; God will bless you in surprising ways. Praise God, Amen.

Helping Hands Appear in Godly Ways.

Posted in Project Updates | Comments Off on Unexpected Reason – Why Do Missions?

August 26th, 2013

Action in Missions – Loving Out Loud

Welcome to Mpunge

Praising God & Thanks Be To You!  A note of thanks to all those to helped make this trip a reality.

We have returned from our medical mission trip with the Palm Beach Atlantic University pharmacy school students; the Ugandan dust has settled, but will forever be indwelled in us.  You have been instrumental in supporting the Word In Deed Ministry we have been partnering with, and we wanted to share some stories with you.  A picture is worth 1,000 words, so hopefully these photos can give you a flavor of what we got to experience airblown inflatables canada.

Our team of 15 was certainly hand picked by God, because we had such a great flow of teamwork and the spirit of the Lord was upon us.  Over the course of 3-1/2 days, we saw 439 patients.  We arranged to have 2 Ugandan doctors assist us in the two remote villages (Ntenjeru and Mpunge) during these clinic days.  Most of the people in these areas do not get any medical attention for 2 basic reasons. They cannot afford medical care and the clinics or hospitals are too far away.  Our goal was to be the hands and feet of Jesus by serving them and bringing medical care to them.

Part of the philosophy of Word In Deed Ministries is first attending to the apparent felt needs of the people in the Mukono District of Uganda, we are doing ministry.  When you meet a ‘felt need’, then their hearts are more open to listening and receiving the gospel message. It’s like building a relationship and trust first. Once they see that you care about them by helping with their health and the education of their children, they are willing to listen to what you want to share about God.

Meeting Moses - We first went to the school Word In Deed has been building to meet the children, and even though they were on vacation, they came to school and had prepared a wonderful presentation of songs and dances.  Our PBAU students also did a small skit for them about Noah.  It was great fun.

Preparing the Land

As we toured land, having Pastor Edward Kasaija guide us through where the new dormitories are being built and the soccer field (which will be a great outreach tool for the community), we met a little 6-year old boy named Moses, who lived in the Mpunge community.  Professor Sourial initially picked him up to say hello and noticed a really bad odor and that Moses had a cloth wrapped around his belly.  Moses’ dad was also with him and told us that Moses was very sick and really needed our help.  We were not prepared for anything that day, as our scheduled clinic day with the doctors was on the following Monday.

We took Moses back to the church and upon examination, it was determined that after a previous surgery, the incision had not healed properly and his intestines were protruding from his little tummy and excrement was draining out.  They had tried to take him to a hospital months before, but were told it was not a life-threatening emergency, and he was sent home.  This poor little boy was living like this and would surely die if his stomach wasn’t surgically restored.

After evaluation by one of our doctors, who also happened to be named Moses, we agreed that he needed to go into the city of Mukono (where we were staying) and get admitted to the hospital.  As a team, we collectively put in $20 each and for $300 Moses had his surgery and within 2-days was smiling (he’s the one smiling in the pictures) and he could look forward to being a playful little boy again.  We have since heard that this ‘deed’ has been talked about throughout the Mpunge village. Through the love and caring for the least of these, a little boy was saved.  We want to give God all the glory and feel that we are the ones who have been blessed by being a small part of a life-transformation for one little person.

Sharing God’s Word

One of our goals for this mission trip was to fundraise to purchase Bibles for the 2-village churches we would be visiting. For $10 we could purchase Bibles in Kampala in the native Lugandan language and share God’s truth with people who did not own a Bible.  Our hope was to raise $1,000 so we could purchase 100 Bibles.  Between the PBAU students and Word In Deed fundraising we did, God graced us with the joy of providing 160 Bibles.  We give out some of the Bibles during church the on Sunday we attended service in Ntenjeru and left extra Bibles for the church library, so that they can be used during Sunday service.  The Elders also agreed that they would ‘sign out’ Bibles to anyone who wanted to borrow a Bible, if the need should arise.   This is a testimony that when we ask, God provides immeasurably more than what we ask or imagine possible.

God’s word brings smiles

Bible brings hope and smiles.

The last day of the clinic at Mpunge School, I took with me several English versions of the Bible, hoping to find someone who could read English and would enjoy a new Bible.   I was sitting in the classroom we had set up the pharmacy because it had started to rain.  A young woman with a little baby sat next to me while she waited for her prescription to be filled (Steve was very busy).  She was so beautiful and had an amazing smile.  She spoke softly in a very low voice and asked me if I had extra Bibles.

I was so excited that she spoke English and told her “yes” that I was praying God would bring someone who could read English.  She was very grateful and I too was thanking God that we were able to provide for her little girl with some needed medicine, and for the Mom, with God’s word.  It was a double blessing.

Some More Stories

While at the Mpunge School, some of the PBAU students were doing VBS with the children while the clinic was in operation.  A young girl named Faustine Mamakula (in the blue & red stripped shirt), whom I met last year as she participated in a Ruth Bible study, was there again and we got to reunite.  It was during the kid’s fun time I heard some commotion and I popped into the classroom to see what was wrong. Faustine was lying on the ground with an apparent seizure.  As it turned out, she is epileptic and on medicine for this condition.  Unfortunately, in this part of the world, it is considered a devil’s curse to have these kinds of seizures and children are treated badly because of this condition.  We were able to have Faustine see the doctor and after a short while, she came out of her seizure, slowly getting her bearings back.  We had to fire one of our interpreters that day because of this incident.  He was trying to tell everyone that Faustine was filled with the devil because of the way she was acting.  We quickly told him how wrong he was and that the seizure we witnessed was a medical condition and was being properly treated with medicine.

Sweet Faustine at the clinic in Mpunge.

Steve also met with some of the men he did a small group with last year.  One of them came and shared how thankful they were for all we were doing, bringing the mobile clinic to the Mpunge Village.  He and his wife wanted to show their gratitude and told us they were going to bring us some chicken the next day.  Of course we thought they were going to bring a couple of pieces of fried chicken for lunch – but much to our surprise, we received 2 live chickens as gifts.  And you cannot refuse a gift like that… so they were put on the bus with us and traveled back to Kampala in plastic bags.  We were able to bless 2 of our Ugandan helpers by passing on these live animals for them to have in their own yards to provide eggs for their families.

At the clinic, we did triage and one part of that was taking everyone’s weight.  Most people had never stepped on a scale before, so the reactions to being asked to do this were quite amusing.  Some of the little children were so fearful, they would cry when being asked to step on this flat box.

The Mpunge School Headmistress, Resty, was very thankful to receive some educational tools, school supplies and books for her students.  We are also in the process of providing a set of Encyclopedia Britannica for the Covenant School in Kampala where the children are more dominant in English.  We delivered the first 6-volumes to Pastor Edward.  This September a team of Word In Deed missionaries are traveling back to Uganda and will be bringing with them another 12-volumes.

Mpunge Covenant School gets supplies.

During our clinic days, our team administered 200 HIV tests.  There are many stories that go along with this, but the hardest was having to tell a 13-year old girl she tested positive & a young woman who was concerned about passing the disease onto the baby in her belly.  But this is life in the rural villages of Uganda.  There is much need, little resources, but a hunger for God.

WATER-Next Steps

The Mpunge School is expanding; Word In Deed is building dormitories for the students to live and the teachers also have their own housing, so that this remote village can educate their children.  One of the goals for Word In Deed Ministries is to provide the school & surrounding community with a water source.  Currently there is a shallow borehole that is unreliable and very unclean water.  The Ntenjeru Clinic & Church have rain catchment barrels, which provides water for the community, and is the cheapest method (deep-bore wells can cost $12-25k to dig).  The rain-catchment method can be done for about $4,000.   We are asking for continued prayers for the resources to be in place by the time the September team arrives so that the men going on the trip can help with the construction of the system.

We all need water.

I could go on & on . . . as these are only a small flavor of the many wonderful things we experienced.  Steve & I are praying that with God’s favor and provision, PBAU will join us again next year for another mission trip.  But that of course, is in God’s hands.  Please know that your support is something we dearly cherish. Thank you so much for being part of this God-sized adventure. In awe & humbly grateful, Lisa Sorensen

Posted in Project Updates | Comments Off on Action in Missions – Loving Out Loud

August 26th, 2013

PBAU – Uganda Missions

Waiting at the clinic

Uganda Trip Reflection

My chance adventure to Uganda was made possible by no more than a lucky coincidence, rather than an actual interest in going. After initially being “chosen” to go on the Costa Rica mission trip, which I had no interest in going on, I was casually walking through campus when Dr. Chahine made me an offer that would soon change my life forever. The proposition was to go to Africa to begin my rotation. To say I was uncertain about whether or not to spend time in Africa would be a dire understatement of my actual skepticism. Not only was I unsure if I wanted to expose myself to potentially very sick people, but I was even more weary of whether or not my own health problems would drastically hinder my experience. However, my inhibitions and fears were far outweighed by the excitement I felt and the prospect fulfillment from helping those who need help the most.

The next step was to get the opinions of my doctors and the people closest to me. So I began with my parents, who expressed their doubts, and my doctors were no more promising. So even though that is where many thought my adventure should end before it began, I had a different notion. The very next day I woke up knowing that I would be very disappointed in myself if I let my health issues control my life and steal such great opportunities that were in my grasp. Now that my mind was made up I had almost an entire semester to look forward to the trip. However, my excitement was short lived and quickly turned to fear and second guessing my decisions. I began talking myself out of going to Africa and often tried to manufacture excuses to get out of my obligation. Nonetheless, my fear was overcome by courage and a desire to help those who need help the most.

Mpunge School VBS

After returning I realized God has a plan for all of us, and the path laid before us is never perfect but rather a rough one filled with fear and doubt. However, it became clear that the dark curves of my path made the light shine brighter, and the weakness I faced along the trail made me stronger, and showed me the meaning of faith. Similar to Katie’s experience I took a leap of faith by trusting in God and it changed me forever. I was able to draw my inspiration from Katie’s words and experiences by letting go and acknowledging that “Every day, we have a choice. We can stay nestled in our safe comfortable places, as I did when the rat was in my room. We can let fear of something that really is small compared to the greatness of God cripple us. Or we can take a risk, do something to help someone else, make a person smile, change someone’s world. Life to the fullest exists. It’s available. All we have to do is decide to get up and embrace it.” Regardless of the immensity of the decision I always struggle taking the next step because my faith often lacks the strength needed to let go and embrace the world around me. Yet, I took a big leap forward and allowed faith to carry me on an adventure to Africa, and became a stronger person along the way. By choosing to go on this mission trip with the group that was selected I know I made one of the best decisions of my life, so far. Leaving the United States, though still quite nervous, I reflected on how blessed a person I truly am to have such an opportunity, little did I know I would return a much better person. Though my suitcase and wallet were much lighter upon my return, it did not matter. I saw things clearer and the world was put into perspective for me and I came to the realization that money and objects do not bare the weight to happiness. Many Ugandans had close to nothing in belongings compared to many Westerners, but had everything in happiness compared to many people who desperately try to buy their way to happiness.

Emile and Moses meet in Mpunge

My experience in Uganda was overwhelmingly magnificent and eye-opening that I cannot wait to return, and I am more than willing to go back next year if given the opportunity to do so. One of my favorite things to do while in Uganda was to sit with Dr. Moses for hours on end where I was able to learn more from him in those couple of days than I could in any classroom. I have never met anyone as passionate and fun to work with in my entire life. My time spent with him and the experiences I had with him opened my eyes to the possibility of maybe one day becoming an MD….but that’s an entirely other story! Another fun and memorable day that I had, was going to the school on Mpunge in the afternoon and being greeted by all the students with singing and dancing; it almost brought tears to my eyes. It was truly an unforgettable day that spanned from seeing the singing and dancing and treating a little boy named Moses who had an open ileostomy and fecal matter coming out of him. Just meeting this child and seeing the picture of him smiling a few days after his surgery was worth the entire trip by itself. This little boy went home with a new “normally” functional intestine which is a great blessing, and I came home with a new brighter outlook towards life in general. In the end I was the one who was truly blessed more than Moses or anyone could ever imagine. It is crazy to think how I went to another country to help others and change their lives and it turned out that the Ugandans helped me far more than I could have helped them, and I was the one who was changed.

Moses after surgery is all smiles.

When it comes to tangible objects I am way more blessed than most people in Uganda, but I now know that blessings come in different ways and most of the time the tangible goods are often the least important things in life. Children running and playing barefoot in the sun yet smiling and thankful for what God has provided for them. I have returned from Africa a better, stronger, and more mature man, and for that I am eternally grateful. If I could do everything over again I would not change a single moment of the entire trip. The way the trip happened could not have been scripted any better than the way it unfolded. We saw some amazing cases that we are likely to never see again. After coming back and talking to many of the other mission groups there is no doubt in my mind that this trip was the best one as a whole and for me personally to go on. When selecting a mission trip earlier in the year my goal was to go on a trip with my friends, but it was a blessing in disguise that I had the opportunity to go on the trip with the group that we went with. I built relationships that will last a lifetime. The leaders on this trip, Dr. Nornoo and Dr. Sourial, were great because they allowed us to do what we needed in order to get the job done and trusted in the rotation students. This reflection is best summed up with a bible verse which I feel expresses the entirety of this trip, and why I was chosen to go. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future, Jer. 29:11.

Emile Abdo
Gregory School of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Atlantic University

Tags: Gregory School of Pharmacy, Kisses from Katie, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Uganda
Posted in Kampala, Project Updates, Uganda | Comments Off on PBAU – Uganda Missions

August 26th, 2013

PBAU-Gregory School of Pharmacy-Partnership with Word In Deed Ministries

PBAU Visits Uganda with Word In Deed Ministries

Reflection Essay-Uganda 2013

There are some events in your life which redirect the path you choose to take. The first morning upon waking up in our hotel in Uganda a young Ugandan named Gerald explained, very philosophically, what he thought about life to me like this.  Your life is like a stream which is meant to flow. Of course there will be pebbles and rocks in the stream. This will deter the flow of the water and create some rapids but afterwards the water continues to flow. We all want to flow freely without any turbulence but when we get to calm waters is when we should take a deep breath and realize what those difficulties in our lives have taught us. Without challenges we would be nothing and the fabric of our lives would be plain. Proverbs 3:5-6 states “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.”

The preparation for this trip was intense. In addition to all of the other classes in our last academic semester, trying to arrange how we would serve a population none of us have ever seen in a place we have never visited was at times stressful. As a team I believe from the beginning we were very connected. I have been on a couple other medical mission trips but have never had the same level of teamwork and understanding as this group. I also believe this group has been the most spiritually-based of all the groups I’ve travelled with. We pulled all our resources together and between us sixteen people and more than thirty bags we were off and ready to go to Uganda. There was still hesitancy though. What if the bags were taken at customs or didn’t arrive? What would we do then?

Thankfully we all arrived safely and with all of our supplies to Entebbe airport. After that long flight and the inability to sleep for over 24 hours I was still ready to go. If there was a word to describe this trip it would be “thankful”. Thankful to God that my dreams have come true to go to Africa, thankful for the people I was with and those we were blessed to serve, and thankful that everything went better than we could have expected.

After reading Kisses from Katie I think we had an appropriate introduction to much of the culture and what we would expect. There is however a huge contrast between what you can read in a book and what you experience in real life. For example, many people see humanitarian ads on television but become desensitized to it. The book did give our entire group something to focus on and ways in which mzungus are already providing aid in Uganda. Since many of us desire to continue with missions in our own way this book shows us how this can become a possibility.

The color of God’s love is a rainbow of reason to be the hands and feet of Christ.

The following day was our first clinic day. We did not know exactly how this was going to function but I believe we all managed it really well. As we continued through all four clinic days it only became more and more organized, especially with the constant advice and guidance of Dr. Sourial. We were full of energy to experience this new culture and make an actual impact in the lives of these people. I remember during the first mission trip meeting we had Dr. Nornoo had told us that many times we could only place a bandage on these people but it is the spiritual strength that we give them that is the most important and lasting. I would agree. As you go through many of the patients, the ailments could be easily solved. Education and better access to healthcare would solve most of their problems. Although through all the hundreds of people we saw and the fact that most came through with numerous illnesses I would agree with another comment Dr. Nornoo made that they’re not “poor” people. They were not poor in spirit and many times not absolutely poor in material possessions. We in the Western world are the poor people. Matthew 19:24 states, “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” I also think of the 8 Beatitudes and how blessed these people are.

The main example I would focus on is the boy named Moses. He had a perforated bowel and had not been using a colostomy bag for a month or so due to financial restraints. He could not get surgery to repair his intestines since this would be considered “elective”. This is the same condition my father had a few years ago and I remember how hard it was on him and yet Moses is only a little kid. When we saw him again on the third day of clinic with Dr. Moses (who coincidentally had his namesake), Sam and I knew without any doubt that we would pay for the cost of his treatment. We arranged for him to go to the hospital and you could begin to see relief in his father’s face. I had not seen Moses smile yet and he looked like the life had been taken out of him. When we visited him again in the hospital after he had received surgery he was not awake yet. To make a long story short I ran to five different banks and supermarkets to try and exchange American dollars to Ugandan shillings. This was extremely stressful and unsuccessful. Considering I had to leave the room Moses was staying in because I felt tears about to come, the thought that if we couldn’t pay for his treatment he would possibly be discharged prior to recovering was a lot to handle. While writing this reflection I saw a picture of him on Facebook for the first time in the hospital bed with a huge smile on his face. The operation and recovery had both went great. I am so thankful to God for all of this. That alone was worth the entire trip. 

Upon leaving in London a few of us sat around discussing the trip and what was to become of our future. Every one of us already had decided that this was only going to be the beginning. We had grown both spiritually and emotionally and have created much stronger relationships.  If there is a way to measure the success of a trip I would say it is this: Days after arriving back in the United States we are still talking about what is next and how we can continue this journey of missions in the future.

Chris Schiel, Gregory School of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Atlantic University

May 28, 2013

Tags: Gregory School of Pharmacy, Kisses from Katie, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Posted in Kampala, Uganda | Comments Off on PBAU-Gregory School of Pharmacy-Partnership with Word In Deed Ministries

August 26th, 2013

Palm Beach Atlantic University-Gregory School of Pharmacy

One of our new friends

Uganda Mission Trip Reflection

“An Unforgettable Journey to the Center of God’s Heart”

We all expected for this trip to be out of the ordinary; we were going to Africa, this had to be extraordinary. We could never have imagined that Uganda would creep up into our hearts and take hold of us like it did. Perhaps it was the red soil described by Katie Davis in her book, or the huge smile that we were greeted with by our guide Rachel; I knew that this trip would be different from any other I had ever taken before, the moment I left Miami.

We arrived at Entebbe airport after two days of traveling non-stop through the world to reach this corner of God’s creation, all of us tired and dirty. It was amazing how even while exhausted I could appreciate the natural beauty of Uganda. We were reminded to look for inner beauty by Pastor Keffa as we ate a hearty meal at his spacious home located near the hotel we had been placed at. He stressed how the people we were likely to encounter would be dirty, beaten, and weathered by life. I was personally reminded that God could care less what we look or smell like and that I was here with the sole purpose to show God’s love to the people of Uganda. With His words in my head I went to sleep that first night, aware that the days to come would bring new challenges and blessings.

After sleeping comfortably in the modest hotel I was worried how many of the patients we would see each day would go without the things in life we so easily took for granted. Breakfast was always served in the morning by the time we woke up, and even though it was not an amazing breakfast by American standards, it would be considered a feast by any of our patients. Day after day at the clinic I could see the stamp of poverty on the patient’s faces and body. I would wonder how things could be changed for the better for these communities and time after time I came up with the same answer: they need education. In order to be raised from their social status these dirty children I was playing with needed to overcome the illiteracy barrier and finish school. We were unable to provide for them anything more than some medical care and a kind word, but at least it was a start. I was letting God use me as His hands and feet for their immediate medical needs, and for the moment it was enough.

I understand that these trips, like most mission trips, are not able to create radical change unless they are longer and more comprehensive. In the end though, it became more about showing each individual that there are people out there that care enough for their needs that they will travel the world just to see to some of them. Perhaps, and this is always my wish, they saw some of God in each and every single member of the team.

There is one man I will never forget so long as I live. He allowed me to be humbled and blessed me more than what I could have blessed him. At some point in the hustle of the second day of clinic I was changed from Dr. Moses to Dr. Peace and was not very happy about that because in my own will I wanted to stay and learn from the more comprehensive and prepared professional, but as always God has a purpose even in the small things that he does. I sat for some time more than a little irked in the room I was assigned to, and looked out the window from time to time out of sheer impatience. I saw a familiar figure going up the steep steps leading out of the clinic. It was an elderly man I had seen before in the clinic, walking with the aid of two roughly made sticks. I wondered how on Earth he would be able to climb all those steps with no help and I realized that it would not be possible. As he tried unsuccessfully to climb the first step while fumbling with both sticks I waited for someone to help him. At that precise moment I felt a nudge from God asking me why was I waiting for someone else to help him when I had able hands and feet. I don’t even remember what I told Dr. Peace, I just ran out of the room as fast as my feet would take me and hoped it would be culturally OK to hold the man like I did. I took a hold of him from the back and quickly motioned him to move forward with my help, that it was OK now. As we made our way up the steps he started to hum, and at that precise moment I knew that he was content. He was showing me and helping me understand a part of God’s word that was partially hidden from me until then. When God tells us in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” He meant always. He meant rejoicing in sickness and poverty like the man I was holding. I felt like anything that would ever come my way would be fine in the end because He has called me to rejoice even in the worst times. When the man’s humming subsided and we were still halfway to the level terrain of the road I started singing for him, I don’t know why I did it, I just know that it was what we both needed. As I started singing this man started humming once again, and I am sure we made a peculiar sight: the crippled man and the mzungu girl singing a universal song of praise to God.

Stephania serving lunch at Ntenjeru Church picnic.

This trip signified the true beginning of getting to know myself apart from every other identity I could possibly have. In Uganda I was no longer anyone’s daughter or girlfriend, no longer a student or mzungu: I was living God’s purpose in my life and this made me His. I believe that I was more touched by this trip and the many acts of kindness that I was able to witness and be a part of than any other single event in my whole life. It was in His will for the team to be assembled and to be blessed with the knowledge of the human body so that we could ultimately serve His people. If there is anything else that felt as good as this, I have never experienced it. I hope to be able to continue living in His purpose no matter where he places me, and while Uganda is far away from home, it will always have a place in my heart.
Stephania Almonte
May, 2013

Tags: Kisses from Katie, Medical Missions
Posted in Kampala, Project Updates, Uganda | Comments Off on Palm Beach Atlantic University-Gregory School of Pharmacy