Greetings from Uganda!
Our team has officially passed the middle point of our time here and we
are already beginning to realize the affect that being in Uganda has had on
us. Coming home each night
thoroughly exhausted but very easily able to see the joy in children that Jesus
intends for us all to have and seeing how situations God clearly orchestrated
have happened in ways to teach us and show us His love has been
incredible.
Today we woke to an almost cool morning, which was
refreshing to us. We ate breakfast
outside as we have been, which in the cool of the morning was a wonderful way
to wake up. After this we
saddled up and rode to the house where the newly arrived children’s team from
Cornerstone was staying. We did
this so that we could all ride out to the Ebenezer School together. In a quick side note, I have failed to
mention in the blog that Ebenezer School is where the sponsored children of our
church go to school.
When we arrived at the school, our teams went their separate
ways to accomplish the morning’s tasks.
Ours being to build two more rain catches and theirs being to acclimate
to the school environment and finalize their plan for the week. The curveball of the morning was that
we were going to have to carry our tools (two ladders, a box of tools, and a
backpack full of water) as we walked to our jobsites, which turned out to be
close to a couple miles away. This
was tough but it gave us a taste of what the daily life of many Ugandans can be
like.
We arrived at the first jobsite and found that the way the
house positioned offer us an ample location for the guttering and the barrel
for water collection. In roughly
half an hour we had completed the construction, which we were very enthused
about with the hope that the next would be just as simple. We were able to pray with the family
who was predominantly Christian but had some members who were Islamic and so we
were joyful to be able to pray with them in the name of Jesus.
After we prayed we picked up our tools and walked to our
next jobsite, which was about a mile away. Upon arrival we realized this job would be very difficult
and at first we were afraid we would not be able to complete it. An extended overhang of the tin roof
and small joists prevented us from easily hanging the guttering. God came through for us in the form of
a local man who had been around when were working on the other houses and had
helped in small ways. He fashioned
wooden extensions on which to place the wood for the fastening of the gutters,
which made the second part of the job very simple and painless.
During our conversations with those familiar with the area
where the house was situated said that there were those in the area that
worshipped the devil and the dark powers.
Upon completion of the rain catch Mark led the group in a prayer with
the emphasis on Jesus coming into the area and pushing out the dark with His
light. I invite you to pray
specifically for this area as well.
Bidding farewell to the residents of the house we began the
trek to pastor Eva’s for our lunch.
Walking again we enjoyed the time to talk and fellowship and a few of
our party helped those carrying water jugs to various destinations along the
way. When we arrived at the house
we sat down and fully enjoyed the cool of the shade and comfort of a cushioned
seat beneath us. I know for myself
personally, I have a new found respect for the Ugandan people to be able to
with stand the heat in long pants and walking long distances during the heat of
the day.
When the children’s team arrived we shared our meal together
and fellowshipped as we relaxed and prepared for the afternoon’s baseball
camp. Mark invited the other team
to come with us if they felt up to it since they had arrived late the night
prior. They decided to join us at
the primary school, which is different from Ebenezer School, and watch the
practice and interact with the other kids. So, when everyone’s food had digested we headed to the
school to begin practice.
Initially upon arrival it was slightly chaotic because this
school has around 2000 students, which attend it daily. To complicate matters even more, the
school was holding a regional soccer tournament for the younger children
playing for a national tournament.
But after speaking with the school officials and waiting for a little
while we were able to begin practice with a predetermined group of children of
about 60, that grew to 120, on a spare field that the school had. We split the children up and began to
teach throwing, catching, and field groundballs/fly balls. The children’s team accompanying us to
the school was a huge blessing because when the number of children swelled for
the practice, the men in the group were able to take teams while the ladies in
the group were able to interact with the other children. This allowed us to focus on teaching
and not having to worry about crowd control. God is good.
At the conclusion of the practice the children we gathered
and Mark spoke with them about the love of Christ and how nothing can be more
important than loving Him. After
this he prayed with them and we loaded the vehicles for the return trip to the
house. When we arrived back at the
house we were able to split up and relax in our own ways. Some played with Patrick’s children,
another for a run to Lake Victoria, and the others throwing baseballs, the
football, and then playing cards.
We had dinner and then concluded the day with our nightly devotion. This is where it really hit us how much
we have been and are being affected by being here. God has revealed much of Himself to us in this trip and we
are so thankful. All of us are
grateful for this opportunity and have already began talking about
returning.
Tomorrow may be different in that we may split up and have
some construct rain catches while the others hold practice at the school where
we were located today. The
afternoon should be the same format as most days depending on how the morning
goes. God only knows how it will
turn out so we look forward to seeing what He has in store for us. So until then, God Bless, Goodnight,
and Know Yesu Akwaagala!
On behalf of the team, Woody Parramore
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