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
Monday, August 26th, 2013
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.
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.
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.
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
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