Partying it up in Uganda

Good Evening,

We have had a busy week and have not written but it has been filled with joy, singing, dancing, choirs,  visits, prayers, and magnificent animals and scenery on safari.

We will try to condense our week. We  began Thursday with a JjaJja Party where we sang, danced, had a fashion show, ate lunch, gave away gifts and chickens snd goats, and then ate cake and celebrated the amazing JjaJja's.  Deb introduced our group and John Johnson gave the devotion.  It was a full day and we were blessed to see the Jjajja so happy.

On Friday, we visited another clinic in Nampuge, that is a level three.  Then, we went on 3 tapp/jja jja visits in an area that was very poor.  We visited and prayed with these women and will carry their needs with us.  We also toured more of Busujja. The students there put on different songs and dances. The kids were fantastic!  What great work the Stevensons are doing in these areas and schools.

On Saturday, we went to a church school choir competition called Kampala 25.   Needless to say they were all spectacular.  It was a joy and a blessing to all of us.  Michaela, Steve, and John were judges.  We gave away chickens and goats and soccer balls to all teams, they were all overjoyed. 

On Sunday, we went to church in a slum area of Kampala, where John gave a very moving sermon.  We got there about 10:20 and were done about 1:20.  Much longer than at home but so worth it they love to song and dance and praise Jesus.  They had several of their children sing and dance too. Praise God for what HE doing through the Stevensons.

Monday, we went to the Children of Promise Cluster Head meeting at Kasubi. There were about 60 cluster heads at the meeting.  It was wonderdul to see them all.  Deb and Steve talked about the pbotograph and how to get a good picture and one that can tell a story to the sponsor.  Sue and Michaela talked about the sponsor letter and what sponsors might like to hear in a letter.  There were many other presentations.  It was a great meeting.  Before the meeting, Michalea got to have a visit with her sponsor child. She is a medical sponsor.  Michaela had a wonderful visit.

Tuesday, we got up early and left for safari.  It was magnificent to see God's beauty.  We saw beautiful scenery and amazing animals.  Words cannot do it justice.  Deb has posted some pictures and so will Steve.   It was a very nice two days to rest and prepare for our journey home. 

We have been blessed by the people of Uganda and seeing the work the Stevensons have been doing through God here in Uganda, 640A  brings joy to our hearts.  

We travel home Friday evening very late and pray to return safely in Indy on Saturday evening.  We thank you all for your love and prayers for us, for the Stevensons, and the people of Uganda. 

Love and prayers from Uganda, 1223.91 q

Deb, Steve, Michaela and Sue 

Kicking it at Kasubi

Good evening from the Uganda group.  We are getting ready to leave tomorrow for two days, so we wanted to share a bit about today, then we won't be back to Stevensons until Saturday night.

Today, we had a great day at Kasubi School, the Children of Promise office, and the Kasubi Church of God Health Centre 3.  We began the day with devotional time with leaders and teachers at the school. They do this once a month to build relationships among each other.  We sang, gave testimony, prayed, Deb gave a brief devotional and Sue prayed at the end of the time to dismiss everyone.

From there we went to the Children of Promise office and worked. We sorted and got letters ready to be sent to sponsors.  So many children sponsored, it is amazing!  We, then, had a wonderful lunch with traditional style dishes: rice, beef, potatoes, cuzava, and bananas. Also, another birthday cake for Tim (Happy 29th Birthday Tim)!

After lunch, we went with Kaitlin Smith to the Kasubi Church of God Health Centre 3.  It is a wonderful Health Center and Caitlin has followed God's leading.  With the grace of God, she has done a tremendous job building the center to a level three, which gives them the opportunity to provide many more services.  

The Health Centre has a delivery room for women; a women was there getting ready to deliver as we walked through, she was just walking around with her midwife waiting for the baby to come. So different than in the states but now they have a medical place to go.   They have an inpatient area (3-4 beds with barely a foot in between) for men and women. They have a nursery/pediatric area for inpatients. There is an exam room, operating room, and a laboratory (with a microscope and centerfuge). The Health Centre has come a long way and it is amazing to see the growth, although they aren't done yet!

With Sunday at the helm, we headed home. It was a good day with work, worshipping, meeting old and new friends, and seeing the improvement four years can bring!  To end the day, Steve led our devotion: helping us think about how we live and how we see people live here, and ponder as believers what is our responsibility.  Collen had returned home today and was able to join us for devotions. Tomorrow, we head off to Busujja for a Jja Jja party and then we will stay in the area for a few days. Love and Prayers from Uganda

Bukasa and Mutungo

Our small group of Deb Breeden, Steve Fridley, Michaela Hammel, Sue Hammel, and John Johnson, who will be with us for the first week, arrived safely Sunday morning to the Stevensons in Uganda.  

We were able to relax when we arrived Sunday, which was wonderful after two days of traveling and several long flights.  The Stevensons have a beautiful back yard which we enjoyed listening to the birds and the other wonderful sounds of Uganda.

Our first day, on Monday, we spent in Bukasa, at the Naomi Froese School.   We took a tour of the whole school and all of us who had been there before were glad to see the changes and additions.  We went into each classroom and the children greeted us warmly with their beautiful smiles.

We enjoyed a nice lunch at the school and then we went on 4 TAPP visits.   The TAPP visits are so meaningful to all of us.  We visit women in their homes, that are no bigger than the size of most of our bathrooms, but the women want each of us to go in and sit down.  We squeeze in and sit on their beds or maybe the one chair they have, if that.  We got to meet Slyvia, Maureen, Annette, Freida and the children that live in their homes. We hear their stories of their family and their lives.  We ask for prayers requests and we pray with them and their family and leave some food and very small gifts. 

Michaela and Sue were able to visit their sponsor child who goes to school there. They had a great visit with her.  She is in grade nine and doing great in school.  We left late for home so our ride home was long and hot. For those of you who have been to Uganda,  know there is one thing that has not changed - there is a lot of traffic and it is still  scary crazy traffic with all the boda bodas weaving in and out.  We had a wonderful meal at home and Deb led a very meaningful devotion on being God's Beloved.  We pray we can leave that message with these precious people of God in Uganda.  

On Tuesday (today) we visited Mutungo. While there, we visited the Hope Training School we have all been too and we were so glad to see the growth in programs they have had.  They now have a leather class, a shoe making class, a hair dressing class, a tailoring class, and cooking class.  It was so exciting to see their growth.  We had a great lunch (with chapatti) and then some more TAPP and Jja Jja visits. Today, we met and prayed with Lahuma, Arestay, Christine and their children. Again, wonderful visits and fellowship time.  I will share that the last visit was to a grandmother ( Jja Jja) who lives in a home that really was just a shed on the side of someone else's home. We met with her outside with her 5 granchildren who live with her.  We ask for your prayers for these women.    

We returned in time to visit the Mutungo School, Primary 1 through 7. The students always stand and welcomely greet us. It was good to see there sniling faces. We were treated to a musical performance by the students and the teachers.

We returned home in good time tonight and we were able to celebrate Tim's birthday with a marvelous birthday cake.  Sue led devotions sharing on how God wants us to be in community and invest in relationships.  Taking from Deb's devotion on being God's Beloved as we live in relationship and we pray we can share and they receive that message to the people we visit and meet each day.   Thank you for your prayers for us and for your hearts of love for the people of Uganda.  

Here we go again!

It has been a long time since we have had an opportunity to travel to Uganda and let me begin by saying we are a small unsponsored group, but I don't have the time or energy to set up a new blog spot so we will use this one.  If you want to follow along on our journey we hope to post updates on Facebook. Our small group consists of Sue and Michaela Hammel,  Steve Fridley,  John Johnson and myself. We depart from Indianapolis on Friday and will travel through Washington D.C. and Brussels and land in Entebbe,  Uganda. 

Our plans include visiting those who are living with HIV/AIDS, celebrating with the grandmother's who are raising their orphaned grandchildren, give away goats and chickens,  attend a choir competition, visit a local school and go on a short safari.

It was a journey getting to this day, so please be in prayer for our group and those we will spend time with whether they are old friends or new acquaintances. 

I'm on the first leg of my journey back...sitting in the airport in Idaho Falls,  heading back home to meet the rest of my travel partners. 

Until,  next time...remember we are His Beloved.

Deb