To determine the winners, each comment was plugged into a spreadsheet and assigned a number. Using a random number generator, the computer will choose two winners.  Here goes…

Ugandan Mystery Gift #1

So… the first mystery box to be given away contains

• a handmade basket from the Rwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda
• two Mwangaza Children’s Choir CDs
• a sample of Ugandan coffee
• a sample of Ugandan tea
• a pair of wooden earrings
• and a handmade paper bead bracelet!

And the winner is…

CONGRATULATIONS CINDY M!

I’ll deliver your basket this week.

Mystery Gift #2

And the second mystery gift contains

• a handmade basket from the Rwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda
• two Mwangaza Children’s Choir CDs
• a sample of Ugandan coffee
• a sample of Ugandan tea
• a wooden Ugandan drum Christmas ornament
• and a handmade paper bead necklace!

And the winner is…

CONGRATULATIONS JON R!

I’ll bring your gift to church on Sunday and look for you!

As for the Giveaway, there are only a few more days to enter.  I think we’ll officially close it on Friday, November 11th, and announce the winners over the weekend.

If you haven’t entered, all you need to do is comment on any of the posts during these trips and let us know you want to be entered.

Right now, I’ve got baskets from the Rwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda, authentic Ugandan tea & coffee, PAPER BEAD jewelry, and other little goodies that I’ve picked up along the way.

There will be TWO mystery boxes given out, and ANYONE who comments is eligible.  If you are not in Columbus, I will happily mail them to you if you win.

Here’s a question to answer today, if you’re interested in entering the giveaway:  If you sponsor a child (in Mukono or anywhere else), what made you choose their card?

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

James 1:27

In addition to Saturday Centre Day, we also spent some time yesterday passing out food to widows in the village of Lweza where Mukono Community Church is located.  Earlier in the week, we purchased about 750 lbs of food, including rice, beans, salt, maize flour, & matches, with the money collected at a recent women’s event.  Jeff, the church administrator, and I repackaged about 375 lbs of the food into parcels of about 50 lbs each.  These were placed into bright green grocery stacks, and in the pouring rain we went throughout Lweza delivering the sacks to needy widows.  The remaining 375 lbs was placed in storage for use by the church at a later date when people come with needs.

At the home of Kizza

Draw Close

by Charlie Hall

Lord, let me feel it, the way that you would feel,

Broken for the pain that people bear

Lord, let me taste it, the tears from broken reeds,

Teach me to pray with weeping for those with need.

Draw close, to the lonely ones, to the hurting ones, to angry ones

Jesus bring peace

Draw close, to the torn apart, to the broken heart, to the one who’s far

Jesus bring peace

Food for Milly

Yesterday was our “free” day!  We’ve done many of the tourist things around here, so when we received an invitation to visit our Ugandan family in the village of Nanyuki in Kayunga District, we were so grateful!  And gladly accepted the invitation.

Instead of bringing gifts American style, we decided to do it the Ugandan way.  So, we stopped at the Gaba Market before heading out of town and purchased rice, cooking oil, sugar (a real treat around here because of the high cost), and our little friend in the picture below, Kyagulo (which means “dinner”).

Kyagulo, the rooster

Bringing the gifts... that box weighs about 30 lbs!

When we arrived, we were greeted by our Ugandan Maama and Taata.  They were quite tickled that we brought gifts Ugandan style, and they were so grateful.  Our driver has even started calling us “African mzungus” which is an endearing way of saying that even though we are not African, we are starting to fit in.

Bringing the gifts to the Kibara Family...

Taata is the musumba (pastor) of the Nanyuki Full Gospel Church.  It is the oldest Full Gospel Church in Kayunga District, and Taata built this building himself.

Nanyuki Full Gospel Church

Some of the congregation gathered for worship on this Friday afternoon, and a few families from a nearby village church which is a church plant of Nanyuki came out too.  We had a wonderful time worshiping together — singing, praying, encouraging one another with God’s word.

Kayunga is about a 2-hour drive from Gaba, and along the way, we picked up some sound equipment – a speaker, soundboard, and microphones.  I later learned that this little congregation had been saving their money for more than a year to purchase their very own sound system.  They needed 600,000 Shillings, which equals about $240.  When they tried to hook it up, it wouldn’t work, and you could see how saddened they were.  Shortly after the 2-hour service was over, they figured out how to get it running, so church continued for another 2 hours.  The excitement was contagious!

The new Sound System

This is the home of our Maama and Taata, the Kibara Family.  They have 9 children ranging from 10 years old up into their 30s.  Taata also built this house which their family has shared for many years.

The Kibara Family Home

They prepared a FEAST for us, and it was so delicious.  Lots of beef, chicken, rice, soups, cabbage, matooke, and beans.

The Feast

And I know you’d like to see them… well, some of them.  Not all 9 children were around today.  Daniel is the oldest brother, and Grace is my dear friend who directed the Mwangaza choir that came through the US the past two years.  Maama’s name is Mary, and Taata’s name is James.  They are one of the most humble, giving, loving, and encouraging families I have ever encountered in any part of the world.

The Kibara Family (well, some of them!)

Don’t forget to enter the Giveaway by commenting on any of the blog posts or Facebook links.  Each comment will be entered and two names will be drawn when we return.

Katonda asobola!  God is able…

It’s been another wonderful day in Uganda. Ever since we began partnering with ARM, I’ve wanted to visit Gaba Bible Institute, and we finally got the chance today.  We were SO excited!  Earlier this year, GBI relocated from Gaba to a new location and has since renamed itself to Africa Renewal Christian College (ARCC).

Student Dormitories

This school is now situated on a beautiful hillside in Buloba.  What was once a dilapidated and abandoned old school building is now becoming an epicenter of Gospel-centered preaching, teaching, and training in Uganda.  Students from 9 East African nations (if I’m remembering correctly) are currently training to pastors, ministers, and social workers, and on top of ministry training, they are learning practical skills such as farming, animal husbandry, teamwork, and servant leadership.

Alex, one of Mukono Community Church’s young leaders, is currently studying at ARCC.  After graduation, he will return to Mukono to serve alongside Pastor Davis as an minister in the church.

Library

There are so many excellent programs going on at ARCC right now… I can’t possibly cover it all in this brief post.  So, if you are not familiar with ARCC, you should get to know them quickly!  Take a look at their website.  Get familiar with their vision.  Know that the impact they are making will have ripple effects for lifetimes.  And then find out how you can get plugged in to the work God is doing through ARCC.

Farm

One way to get involved is by contributing to their Scholarship Fund.  For $2,400 ($100 a month), a student can receive extensive pastoral training for two years.

What if we could get another young leader from Mukono enrolled at ARCC?  What if your small group pulled together to fund the training for someone at Mukono working in Child Development?

There are other ways to support ARCC… check out their wish list or their campus expansion project?

The power at our house was out all night, so we didn’t have much time to write about yesterday’s activities… and there is MUCH to report!  Hopefully tonight I can pop back on to post more…

I would like to give you a very special Lugandan phrase today.

Ekisa kyo kimala!

Your grace is enough!

And isn’t it so?!  Whatever we lack is filled up by God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

I look at the faces around Mukono, around Uganda, and I am humbled and utterly delighted by this one thing:  God’s grace is enough for Mukono… for Uganda… for me… for you!

On our ice box at home, we have sign that reminds us daily that Ekisa kyo kimala.  I need that reminder every single day  It reads:

Come, we have nothing else God

And having you we want for nothing

~ Shaun Groves, Come By Here

We’re are heading out today to Buloba to visit Africa Renewal Christian College and deliver some of the Gospel Pamphlets that New Life published earlier this year.  Then it is back to Mukono this afternoon for a very important meeting with church leaders and an ARM representative.

Before I close, may I leave with a few of the faces of Mukono, faces that remind us Ekisa kyo kimala!

If you are playing along with our little Mystery Box Giveaway, here’s your question:  In your life recently, how has God’s grace been enough for you?

Please know that we are reading every single comment, and we have been encouraged by them.  Know also that each time you comment you are entered into the Giveaway.

Justin (sponsored by the Stoecklin Family)

A shopowner in Mukono Town

This guy followed me all around posing for pictures!

Our friend Hassan and his daughter, Rihanna

Nusula (sponsored by the Middendorfs)