Saturday, December 16th, 2023
As we transition into 2024, we are thankful that God’s vision of the Resource Center Project is expanding. As of this writing, December 2023, the Missionary Home on WID’s 5-acres in the Village of Ntenjeru is close to completion. Our hope and prayer is this home will provide a place for missionaries, Pastors, educators, leaders and all faithful servants can serve and stay in the village with our friends. It is within walking distance of the church and school WID planted many years ago, so we feel our roots are well planted in this community.
Posted in Project Updates, Short Term Missions, Uganda | Comments Off on Ministry Expansion
Saturday, October 26th, 2019
Below is the statistics from the May Medical Mission Trip. As is well documented, this is a team effort and we are so grateful for all those how contributed their time, talent and treasures in the capacities they did. Lots of volunteer hours of preparation go into these trips, lots of prayers, lots of packing! We thank you for your support in making it a successful trip.
Patients:
Prescriptions:
Through the generosity of our supporters, WID was able to deliver to the 5 villages in the Mukono District surrounding Lake Victoria (Ntenjeru, Bunakijja, Lulagwe, Mpunge, Seeta) –
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Wednesday, June 29th, 2016
Our partnership with the Palm Beach Atlantic University, Gregory School of Pharmacy has been a foundational support in keeping free medical clinics as part of what, and how, Word In Deed Ministries can evangelize to the people of Uganda. Â We are thankful to God for this blessing and pray that as long as these students are willing to serve in Uganda, we will continue to be in partnership with them.
Below is a journal reflection from Mrs. Andrea Mezentsef. Â She has traveled to Uganda 2-years in a row (2015 and 2016) and we are thankful for her heart for missions. Please read so you can get an idea of why we feel mission work is so important, and continues to be one of our core values.
PHR 4512: Pharmacy Missions-Uganda Reflection by Andrea Mezentsef
It was during the first few weeks of pharmacy school that I was first introduced to the Uganda medical mission trip. I recall listening to the students from various mission trips speaking about their experiences and how life changing these experiences were for each of them. For some reason, after learning about all the mission trips, I remember being drawn to Uganda. Similarly to Jonah (from the Bible), I hid in fear. I can recall trying to bargain with God and asking to go to Honduras instead; where I felt I would be more useful. After all, how can a mere first year pharmacy student be useful in Uganda? At least in Honduras I would be able to be utilized as a translator. Looking back now, I can see how wrong I was. I did not need to wait to have more pharmacy-related knowledge in order to go to Uganda. God had already chosen me to go to Uganda and out of fear, I hid.
People often say “everything happens for a reason†but contrary to this belief, I believe in what God’s word says. In Ecclesiastes 3, the Bible says “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heavenâ€. I believe God allowed me to go to Honduras in 2014 in order to begin preparing me for what was to come in Uganda. When the time to sign up for 2015 medical mission trips came, I did not hide in fear.
It was in May of 2015 that God allowed me to serve in Uganda. I felt an immediate connection to the people of Uganda. Seeing the streets of Entebbe and Kampala brought back past memories of a phase when I lived in Brazil. Seeing the villages, the simplicity of the roads containing only its red soil, and seeing both children and adults waving to us as we drove by, made me feel safe, at ease and home. Experiencing the joy, the gratitude the people of Uganda felt for whatever we were able to do for them, and seeing how much faith they had in God, made me grow spiritually. For the first time in my life, I shared my testimony of the hardships I went through after my father passed away. It’s interesting to see, how sometimes we wonder why we have to face certain obstacles or certain situations, when very often the answer is simple and right in front of us. The answer is: God want us to grow! God wants us to be able to connect with His children (here and in other parts of the world). When we read the Bible and learn of the miracles Jesus performed, this makes our faith grow stronger. Sharing one’s testimony, speaking about what God has done in our lives and how he has saved us, also makes the faith of the people of Uganda and our faith grow stronger. God continues being the same God we read of in the Bible. He is a powerful, almighty God and He will forever be. Although God had a purpose to use our 2015 team by evangelizing, serving, and helping the people of Uganda, it was the people of Uganda that God used to awaken a fire in me. God placed an immense amount of love in my heart for Uganda and for its people, and so I had to go back to Uganda in 2016.
Being able to return to Uganda for the second time made me see the people of Uganda in a different light. We, Americans, are often comparing our standards of living to that of other countries. We live in a materialistic nation where we are labeled by what we have and what we do for a living. We often think that the more we have, the richer we are; and this is not necessarily true. I have learned so much from the people of Uganda. I learned that they are happy because they have God in their lives. I have also learned that the people of Uganda are not poor! These people are rich of love, happiness and they are full of the Holy Spirit. They are rich because they have learned to completely rely on God.
Prior to traveling to Uganda, it was recommended for us, students, to read a book called “Kisses from Katieâ€. There was one particular part of the book that really spoke to me. The author of “Kisses from Katieâ€, Katie Davis, wrote about having to return to America from Uganda in order to fulfill a promise she had made to her father of pursuing a college education. While being home, she explains that the biggest culture shock she had experienced since returning home from Uganda was the “huge disconnect†she felt from God. She goes beyond to explain it by saying “I have stepped out of my reliance on God to meet my needs. I “miss†Jesus. He hasn’t disappeared, of course, but I feel so far from Him because my life is actually functioning without Him.†What Katie meant by “functioning†is that if she felt sick, she was able to quickly see a physician or visit her nearest pharmacy, when she needed to go somewhere, she was able to jump in her car and quickly get to her desired destination. From being able to “function†without God, Katie had forgotten what it was like to fully rely on God. Katie had forgotten what it was like to come to God first when facing an illness, when in need of something or when she felt sad. She had also forgotten what it was like to ask God for guidance when feeling lost. Katie had now found herself having to set time aside in the morning to pray, meanwhile in Uganda she explains she was in constant communication with God. In Uganda, Katie may have appeared physically poor but she was completely dependent on God and was spiritually wealthy as she ever was.
After returning from Uganda in 2015, I remember I would often cry whenever I thought of the people of Uganda (especially the children). In my eyes, they did not have what was necessary for them to survive. Now, after returning from Uganda just a few days ago, I find myself smiling whenever I think about Uganda. I smile because I can still hear the sound of the children’s laughter and their singing in my mind, and this sound is more beautiful than any other symphony, concert or orchestra. I smile whenever I think about Uganda because they have taught me what is like to completely be dependent on God. I smile whenever I think about Uganda because thanks to the people of Uganda, my team mates and I have grown spiritually. Similarly to what it’s written in Psalm 96:3, I have declared “his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all people†in Uganda and I have grown spiritually because of it. I can honestly say, I have learned more from the people of Uganda, than they have learned from me.
In addition to having experienced spiritual growth, I feel I have also grown professionally. I was able to work two days with one of the local Ugandan physicians, Dr. Robert, and was able to bring what I learned in pharmacy school for the past three years into real life. Dr. Robert is an intellectual individual who showed expertise in a variety of disease state topics. I enjoyed having him as preceptor for two days, and was able to see he enjoyed having students to teach. Dr. Robert made sure to address the disease state areas of my interest and also made sure to strengthen the disease state areas that I needed reinforcement on. Asides from working with Dr. Robert, I also experienced personal growth by stepping out of my comfort zone. Throughout the duration of time spent in Uganda, Dr. Maarsingh and I were the ones chosen to lead in worship every morning. In the past, I had never been the one to lead any group in worship, so in the beginning I felt a bit uncomfortable. Every morning prior to singing I prayed to God to calm my nerves and for Him to allow me sing and to accept my worship.
Spending ten days in Uganda cannot measure the impact this tiny little country located in East Africa had on me. The Ugandans have taught me what is like to be completely dependent on God and most importantly, they have taught me what love is. The love I feel for the people of Uganda is not just a simple and momentary spark I am experiencing because I have recently returned from Uganda. I felt this way ever since my first visit to Uganda in 2015. The love I feel for the Ugandans is similar to a flame that cannot easily be extinguished and I will continue to feel the same way forever. I will always remember the villages, the red soil, the laughter of the Ugandan children, and most importantly, I will always remember how spiritually rich the people of Uganda are. Just thinking about them warms my heart. I am thankful and content that God has allowed me to serve, to learn and to be blessed by the people of Uganda. I hope and pray, by God’s grace, that I will be able to continue to serve and be blessed by the people of Uganda by returning to Uganda next year.
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Wednesday, November 25th, 2015
As we prepare to celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday here in USA, we wanted to share the many things we are graciously thankful for in Uganda also.
Our partners at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Gregory School of Pharmacy have committed to another trip to Uganda, after the wonderful experience everyone had in May of 2015. If you haven’t read pharmacy student Melissa Hubbard’s Reflective Essay (http://wordindeedministries.org/uganda/medical-missions-2015-reflective-essay/ ) please take the time. She shares personal, heartfelt, life-changing ways the trip to Uganda had on her life.
This month we will be ‘breaking ground’ on our production well in Ntenzi. The 5-acres WID has acquired for the Community Resource Center is now actively a project we are trusting God to take from vision to reality. Infrastructure barriers (really bad dirt roads and washed out paths) made the company’s first attempt to drill impossible. So please be in prayer as this well drilling project is continued. It will be a much-needed resource for our many neighbors.
We are also praising the partnership with eMI East Africa (http://emiea.org ). What started out as a conversation with a stranger in Bolder, Colorado in 2014, turned into email introductions, followed up with face-to-face meetings in Kampala with eMI’s Uganda Director, John Sauder. Their team of interns and experts has made their first site visit to the Resource Center property and now their work commences. Please be in prayer for this team as they create design and site plan drawings to turn this gift from God into a blessing for the people in the Mukono District.
On Friday, November 20th, as a ministry we were able to facilitate the showing of the Jesus Movie at the Mpunge Covenant Primary School. We are humbly grateful for the sponsorship to show this movie to the students from the school and invited the surrounding community to the event. Chairs were rented, drinks and popcorn were provided for the children. Here is a brief summary of what we heard from our team in Mpunge after the movie –
“Started on a low note, when we got to the venue, hired chairs hadn’t been delivered. Announcements on the community radio have been running since Wednesday evening BUT no sign of an event. Anyways, I called the guy and the chairs were delivered in a few minutes. Fast forward- movie starts showing and the crowd is mostly children. About 10 minutes later, I don’t know where people – adults came from. You could literally see them running to the venue. Chairs got filled up, brought in benches from the school, and others were left standing. The eats were an icing in the cake. Roughly, we had about 250 people. When Jesus call was made (invitation to accept Christ as your Savior), besides majority kids, about 10 adults raised their hands. Thank you very much.†Rachel Kabejja
“I looked at the chairs being delivered and asked myself who were the people going to occupy them? (Than later)… Can’t believe some people missed seats.” Pastor Kefa Sempangi
This is another example of one person making a difference and what one introduction can make. A supporter of WID living in Florida made the introduction of a young woman, who works for the Jesus Movie. Her role is assisting in translating the production into local languages, so more people can see and understand the movie. Through Amanda we got connected to their Ugandan ministry partners, Life Ministry, Uganda, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ Intl. We met with Pastor Francis Kyotabona in May and through their partnership, WID has now been able to show the Jesus movie in both Ntenjeru and Mpunge schools. Praising God for making introductions and opening doors. Lives are being transformed.
Today we are hopeful that God’s blessings will continue on the many other projects WID is working one. One of our top priorities is the Ntenjeru Covenant Primary School. After our medical mission trip in May, and with the joint generosity from the Palm Beach Atlantic University team, funds were given to finish putting a roof on part of the schools’ classrooms. The needs there are still many. Given the number of students (300+), there are certain health risks now because they lack sufficient water and latrines. Additionally, several of the classrooms are still dirt floors, which can be problematic when the children sit on the dirt. Parasites and bugs in the ground make their way into the unsuspecting child as he sits on the ground. Lack of desks, benches, and educational material, all weigh on the successful chances these students have to obtain a proper learning experience. Please be in prayer for this school as they are seeking God’s provision for these precious kids.
More good news about God’s divine providence. One of our ministry partners, a young Uganda woman who I met 4-years ago, has recently completed her training on health counseling and now holds a certificates in HIV/Aids counseling. Jovelet Kabasinguzi has a passion for these young school children and giving them guidance and counsels to keep them free of this terribly deadly disease. She has worked alongside us when we do our medical mission trips and through additional financial blessings, we have been able to hire her for the next 3-months to do counseling and educational seminars for the schools. She is able to teach and talk to these children on a level they can understand and learn how to keep safe from that which has taken the lives of most of their parents. One person made a financial gift wanting to help the school children. One person followed the passion God gave her to help others. One person’s care can have a multitude of effect.
As if this isn’t enough to be crazy, excited about God’s provision, here’s another example of open doors and one person making a difference. A friend of Pete Lytle (WID Board member), who happens to be a well-known orthodontist from Denver, Colorado, shared his desire to travel to Uganda. Dr. Anil Idiculla traveled this past October to Jinja, Uganda to work with a ministry doing dental work. Through Dr. Idiculla, WID was introduced to Hope Smiles Uganda (http://www.hopesmiles.org/programs/uganda/ ) and Dr. Ryan Shimska. We are praising God even more now as Dr. Ryan has agreed to participate with our medical team this upcoming May, 2016 so we can now offer dental treatment to the orphans and families we serve in the Mukono District.
So, never be dismayed that you can’t make a difference, you’re just one person…just believe…God makes a difference and so can you. One person at a time.
Briefly, regarding our Student Scholarship Program, please check out our FaceBook page and the photo album of students still needing sponsors. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.549609375149923.1073741828.178194625624735&type=1&l=700b3230e2
A young mom in Mpunge recently contacted us asking for help with her 3 young boys. She is at the end-stages of cancer and her wish was to find scholarships for her children. A dying wish was that her boys were going to get to school, she could be more at peace. At this writing, two of the boys have scholarships for boarding school. The annual cost of $275 is doable for almost every American. Less than $1.00 a day! Yup, that’s all it cost to help change the life of a child in Uganda.
So, how about giving the gift of a scholarship this Christmas instead of some random, unwanted ‘something’ that will be thrown in the back of a closet or in the garage. Or for you parents who have children and want to teach them about true giving this Christmas, tell them they will be supporting a child going to school next year. What a gift this truly is. In the name of Jesus!
We are thankful. May God’s grace, peace, mercy and hope be with you this Thanksgiving.
Tags: Gregory School of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Short Term Missions, Student Scholarship Program, Uganda
Posted in Project Updates, Short Term Missions, Uganda | Comments Off on Thanksgiving and Praise – 2015
Saturday, June 27th, 2015
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. Â 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. Â 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 chosenâ€, 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 “Yesâ€.
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 staircaseâ€. 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 goâ€. 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 wayâ€. 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 guidanceâ€. 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, “yesâ€. 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
Saturday, November 8th, 2014
Please enjoy this brief video put together from our Palm Beach Atlantic University, Gregory School of Pharmacy team. Â It truly represents the trip and the impact on the students and the people of Uganda we had the joy of serving.
Here is a journal I started to write when we were in Uganda this May. Â 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 -Â May 12th 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?â€)… 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.
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.
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.
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!!!
Thursday, Mpunge Covenant School -Â 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.
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.
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 – Â 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.â€Â 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?â€Â 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 22nd, 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?â€Â From the reports after each clinic day, most people replied, “YESâ€! Praise God!
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!â€
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 2nd 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.
Posted in Short Term Missions, Uganda | Comments Off on Uganda Medical Missions 2014
Friday, November 29th, 2013
“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.å……æ°”åŸŽå ¡
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!
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