The Many/MINI Stories

Though we are Many who make up the church, our Mini Stories Matter

One Journal would not be sufficient to even write down the names, let alone each individual story.

There were common denominators: 

Split Homes, Absent Dads, Muslim Fathers, Father with Multiple Wives

No Parents, Refugee, Without a Sponsor, Bread Winner for the other Siblings.

Limited Resources, Pride in their Tribal Identity, Respect for Authority, Hunger for Friendship,

a Smile that Beams, a Sadness that Numbs, etc...

An aspiring Architect, a Nurse, a Daughter who is Struggling, an Orphan etc...

all of them have inspiring stories, uniquely crafted as God continues to write their next chapter.

I have to at least share one story - His name is Farouk.  

Hope Alive under the umbrella of World Venture and in partnership with the Masaka Church,

has been setting up sponsors for youth for a couple decades now 

- long enough to see the fruit of their labors. 

 Pictured above is Catharine (World Venture Missionary) at their headquarters in Kampala.

she is the visionary for the branching ministry, and gave us a tour & inside scoop of the ministry.

Rather than focus on quantity they focus on quality sponsorship, hoping to produce student leaders

that will engage their sphere of influence and become world changers right here in Uganda.  

After meeting Catherine in Kampala we journeyed to Masaka where we set up camp for the week. 

The local branch in Masaka also had a growing network of mothers (Sisters of Hope) that Anna 

spent a great deal of time consulting & supporting while in Masaka.

                                   Anna, Catharine, Phil                       Andrew & Jen Reep

At the end of the 1st Day in Masaka, I received a message from a Youth Pastor/Friend of mine, back home in West Virginia. Andrew & Jen Reep have been in the process of adopting kids from Ethiopia over the last two years, but little did I know that his/their heart for Africa actually started in Uganda... Moreover, come to find out he had done a short internship in Masaka years ago.  

Guess who his supervisor was - Yep Catharine.  He informed me that he had sponsored a kid in Masaka and I should try and look him up.  Little did we know that the connection had already been made, (I didn't know it because I had been referring to Farouk by his other 1st Name Mutebi.) 

So upon finding out Farouk was sponsored by a good friend back home, we spent some extended time together, sharing with each other our stories, 

and adding additional layers of bonded, albeit global relationships.

Farouk basically helps support his mom (Catholic Background), His dad (Muslim Moderate) 

is absent except for once a month when he comes to Masaka to spend time with his 4th wife 

(Farouk's mom), which was kind of awkward for me, but to Farouk this was his norm.  Farouk real mentor, besides an older brother was an older man from the Masaka Church who had taken him under his wing the last couple years and taught him about Christianity, lead him to the Lord, and was discipling him as a "Born Again" believer.  This older man had invested in him quite a bit over the last couple years, so much so that he had taught him a trade just by hanging out with him.  Two more years of school and Farouk will enter into a vocational study (plumbing).  

Farouk had mentioned, in passing without a name that his mentor had a freak accident last autumn.  

He had fallen and busted his head open in the shower - killing him instantly.  Pretty despairing for Farouk, but he is staying focused and pursuing the vocational field of his mentor.

We shared many stories, played some volleyball & soccer together making our own memories to take back to Andrew and Jen.  There are some miraculous things that I can't share here, but God has definitely been working in and through Farouk's life.  

Just before we departed from the conference, one last piece of the puzzle was given to me.  

I found out in the course of another conversation that Pastor Aloys the Patriarch and head of the church in Masaka, had a son that could not be with us for the Conference.  His son Ben, had been one of the driving forces behind putting together this youth conference which I had been invited to, and I believe he would have been overwhelmed, and blessed beyond measure at the response from the Conference.  Nearly twice as many students then originally conceived came to his Conference that he was unable to attend.   He was unable to attend because, he had died of a freak accident back in the fall, having slipped in the Shower, and losing his life instantly...

This was the mentor of Farouk -Ben - the Son of Pastor Aloys... and now I was witnessing the next generation of his discipleship rising up.  Not only in Farouk, but many others like him and his story.

I love it when our stories cross, and God's hand is undeniable.  

This is Farouk's Story, This is My Story, This is the Story of Andrew & Jen, the Story of Ben & Aloys, and the stroy of hundreds of students in Masaka Uganda, and now his story has crossed paths with your story...

God is Good, All the Time, All the Time, God is Good... It is His Nature!

Masaka YOUTH Conference

The Reason(s) We Came?

Our team assembled in the states, and prepared (as best we could) to lead a Youth Conference.

But the REASON we came is much larger than lectures, sessions, preaching, & teaching.

 

                              Andrew (Creator is Love)                             Mark (Zacchaeus)

Phil (Circle/Square/Triangle)

- Yep... we did a lot of Teaching/Preaching/Discipleship Making... Every Day of the Conference we crashed back at our banda (hut) exhausted by a full day of articulating the gospel.
It is very wearisome to Speak for hours on end.
Our sessions would average around an hour and a half (broke up with worship).
Four or more sessions a day became intense.  As speakers we were amazed at the attention span of the youth.  We never felt like we had to entertain, or work for their attention,
rather, it was willingly volunteered.  They genuinely wanted to hear what we had to say.

 

Straining through multiple translators, (aprox. 5 language groups represented at the conference), Remaining focused during technical difficulties, rain storms on a tin roof, and the occasional booming announcements from the street below
(Sports Betting Bar & More - located across from the church).
Amazing resilience from the students. There was a projected 200 youth,
and we ended up hosting around 350 on sight.
If we were to include the other ministries like Hope Alive & Sisters of Hope that took place during the week then nearly 400 people were touched by the various ministries.
However, our reason for coming - was more than Teaching & Preaching

-Yep... we shared Worship Together... amazed at the volume, animation, dexterity, and rhythm.

Teams from many different regions and tribes of Uganda and beyond.  

They blessed us with a style of worship that I have never witnessed before.  

It was more than a show or concert for a night it was day after day of excessive worship

 - from one tribe after another - representing their own brand/style/genre

A beautiful display of interpretative dance, soulful singing, and instrumentation...

With the exception of Tori - the rest of us looked a little out of place trying to find our groove.

Tori had the opportunity to teach some of their lead dancers a few new moves, 

and she impacted the entire campus with her own vocals, 

when we were called on to lead a couple songs of worship.

Anna, turned the heads of many as she tickled the keys on the piano.  

Many of them had never seen a woman lead-instrumentally.  

and so, she inspired the ladies to do likewise...

But the week was more than Worshiping Together.

-Yep... We Prayed Together... Ate Together... Played Together... Laughed & Cried Together...

we shared testimonies, stories of great loss and tragedy, stories of great gain and victories

there was a day where permission was given to ask the hard questions, to dive in our bibles,

to test the spirit of the world in which they/we live... there were religious totems to be broken...

there were relationships to be mended (both with God and Others)...

 

 

But the week was more than Praying, Eating, Playing, and Building Relationships with each other.

Our REASON(s) for traveling to Uganda were ALL THE ABOVE

To Amplify our Lord (Master) and Savior (Rescuer) - To Make Him Known

and to be Known by Him... to be encouraged and to impart courage to those who trust in Jesus.

To Disciple and Commission the next generation of followers to Go and Make more Disciples.

To expand our own relational knowledge and trust in Jesus 

beyond the norm of our western christian bubbles.  

I return home - transformed by the resiliency of a people who are living out "the beatitudes"

To see God at work in ways I had not imagined - continues to blow my mind,

and stirs a renewed passion to throw off the entanglements of this world.

Furthermore, our reasons are beyond the scope of hindsight...

Many of our reasons are still yet to be played out... 

we may never know this side of heaven

all the reasons... 

but I'm persuaded that what God has begun - He will complete and accomplish in due time.

ACCLIMATING to Uganda

Acclimating to Uganda's - Cultural Exchanges

Climate, Heat, Transportation, Poverty, Language, Pace, Market, and more

would be a learning curve for all of us.  Our resident missionary, Karen Hoglund, spent considerable

time and energy pouring into our team as we navigated the culture, and peoples of Uganda.

Driving on the Opposite side of the Road, No Road Sides or Lights, and yet
there was this intuitive/symbiotic/aggressive flow of traffic;
bicycles, motorcycles, taxis, jeeps, buses, semi-truck,s goats & pedestrians worked harmoniously
weaving in & out of what looked like chaos at times, yet mysteriously synchronized at other times.
It was a excellent picture of Messy Grace.
Not that Grace is Messy, but Grace enters & surrounds our lives even when chaos and filth seem to
clutter our perception.  Grace continues to cover, and take over when things do not make sense.  Favor & Order are to be grasped in the most dire of circumstances...

The photo below is the quintessential expression of the Ugandan Culture.  

Life at times may be extremely difficult, (surrounding this little fishing village are Elephants, Hippos, Crocs, and more), yet, the simplest of pleasures may be had even when circumstances seem insurmountable - check out the kids rolling tires down the hill... 

ecstatic with joy, uninhibited, care free.

This is the life, life more abundant - Christ desires for us,

though the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy

Christ has come that we might have life, and have life to the full...

(irregardless of circumstances)

Sisters of Hope International SOHI

Hi friends!  This is the website for Sisters of Hope International we spoke about this weekend.

If you are interested in sponsoring a precious lady from Masaka where we visited, Please let us know and we will help you set it up!!  Blessings on you for all your prayers and interests.

sistersofhopeinternational.org donation-campaigns

 Great Opportunities to consider:

support for these women will help them establish a self-sustaining business...

Sewing & Tailoring, Baking & Catering, Sewing Machine, 3 Charcoal Ovens,

Medical & Dental Fund, etc...

in conjunction with 

HOPE ALIVE AFRICA

hopealiveafrica.org

Uhm... the ANNA-Christ

Shredding our boarding passes,

 and noticed this jewel.

Anna's middle name is Christina, 

It got cut short to CHRIST.

cute until I saw her first name with it...

Little disturbing to read

ANNA CHRIST on my wife's boarding pass.

Just saying. 

Besides we don't cover Revelation until Thurs. Night...

ARRIVAL

Delayed in Amsterdam (Holland),

Layover in Kigali (Rwanda)

And... Touchdown Entebbe (Uganda)

One day in Kampala,

Then on to Masaka...

Keep the prayers rolling,

As our team begins to gel together.

ANDREW (left) Consultant by vocation, Evangelist by calling...

MARK (right) Jr. High Pastor turned Church Planter...

both would become my mentors in our effort to Evangelize & Disciple @ the Masaka Conference

ANNA (front left) Wife, Mother, and Ministry Entrepreneur...

TORI aka. Queen Victoria (front right) Vocal/Dance/Photography specialist...  

PHIL (center) Husband, Father, and novice speaker...

KAREN (not pictured here) Missionary, Hospitality Coordinator, and Ugandan Specialist

Time-ZONE-ing

Time Zones - Central Standard Time vs. East Africa (Aprox. 9 hr difference)

In Flight ... Having some good study time ... and then I realized 

"Oh NO, I'm missing a file - the one I had all my prep / notes in for the conference ..."

I know what I will be doing 30,000 feet, for 20hrs +/-

Taking New Notes - at least I have the original outline ...

A) Superhero

B) Princess

C) Beyou "T" Sleep

D) All the Above

DEPARTURES - Uganda T-Minus 24hrs.

Amelia is sending us off in her LEGO Air-Craft Carrier
 Fargo/Minneapolis (USA)
Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Entebbe (Uganda)

Of Course we will miss our immediate family, and extended family & friends,
yet we anticipate making new friends - half a world away.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers, we covet every-one of them.

I thank my God every time I remember you. 

In all my prayers for all of you, 

I always pray with joy 

because of your partnership in the gospel 

from the first day until now... 

(Philippians 1:3-5)

Amelia's Lego Adventure Awaits

Now Boarding...

Acclimate 120 Degrees

Anywhere from 80 to 120 Degree Acclimation

Minnesota to Uganda

We have been preparing for a cultural acclimation as well

looking forward to the challenges ahead, trusting that 

His Grace is sufficient for our Team!

Tentative Conference Teaching Schedule...

Possibly more Information than some of you wanted to know, but many of you intercessors wished to know the details of our teaching schedule so that you could pray for us.  Here is the early tentative schedule...

Pray for our Teaching Team - Mark, Andrew, & Phil

Day 1

1.      Morning Creation, Gen 1-2

What happened

Why it happened (God created because He is Love)

Afternoon Fall, Gen 3

Satan

Man

God's plan

Night - Man's law, Gen-Exodus

Man did what was right in his own eyes 

and made Hell on Earth

Day 2

Morning - God's law (why sinning is bad), Lev-Judges

10 commandments

Sacrifices

Afternoon – Prophets, Isaiah-Malachi

Contemporaries confusion over Lion vs Lamb Messiah

Night – Messiah, Matt-John

Who he is

What he did

What he is doing now

Day 3

Morning – Why church is important, Epistles

Churches

Worship

Prayer

End and Beginning - Revelation

The end of the illusion the beginning of substance

Who you are - 1 John / Rm 7-8

Sinner

Saint

Servant

Day 4

How to preach the Gospel Message

Clean Heart / Dirty Heart

Receiving Christ

Preaching the Gospel

A Holy Incubation

We don't often associate Jesus life on earth with Africa - but the scriptures record that as a baby, following his birth and subsequent visit by the Magi, - Mary, Joseph, and Jesus took an extended leave of absence to Egypt, after things settled down they skipped around Bethlehem and moved back to Nazareth.  

Other than Jesus birth in Bethlehem we often skip around the other seldom told stories of Bethlehem - some of which are gruesome (ex. deathly concubine from Bethlehem Judges 19-21).

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see they lie…”  Though this carol is one that we have come to adore, there is an extended biblical narrative, a prequel that we often neglect or forget.  The lowly means to which Jesus was born in the stall of a stable and placed in a manger has deeper roots than our contemporary nativities – a holy incubation.  

Bethlehem is first mentioned in Genesis: it was the no-name city where Rachel died and was buried as the patriarch Jacob and his clan were passing through.  What did she die from?  Giving birth to a boy – Benjamin (the full brother of Joseph).  

The book of Judges mentions Bethlehem in passing: Ibzan led Israel for 7 years – his means of authority came thru the birth & loyalty of his thirty sons – born most likely in Bethlehem.  

Also during the lengthy period of judges (before Israel had a king) the book of Ruth records another baby boy of seemingly insignificant birth, born in Bethlehem: Obed was the son of Ruth & Boaz.  A prophetic word was spoken over this birth. “The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.”  

So Obed stuck around Bethlehem and another baby boy was born: Jesse.  

Jesse keeping in line with family tradition had lots of sons born to him in Bethlehem, yet again it was the youngest, and seemingly insignificant son that gets our attention: David the shepherd boy, who would one day become the most famous King of Israel...

To be sure there are other times where Bethlehem pops up in the Biblical Narrative, but I think it is sufficient to say the stage was set for the prophet Micah to announce, “thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” 

And so Jesus, the son of Mary, with Joseph as his step dad, was born and incubated in Bethlehem.  He came to a seemingly obscure village at the culmination of the ages.  In the stillness of our lives we may not see the incubation of what God has and is preparing for us.  Trust Him.  In the culmination of our own linage and heritage He has an epic story that we get to be a part of.

Christine's Story - Operation Christmas Child O.C.C.

Tori putting together O.C.C. boxes in November

Check out this letter we received last winter... Christine (from the village of Ndeeba, Uganda) received one of our O.C.C. boxes last year at this time.  We are hoping and praying to hand deliver one to her this year.  There is a good chance we can pull away for a day and check in on her.  She had a pretty serious surgery, last year, on her leg as you can see, and it would be awesome to be on the other end of this delivery.  Pray for our team, as we try and pull this off.

Stay Tuned for more of Christine's Story

Christine Story - recipient of one of our O.C.C. boxes last Christmas

Anna leading our team of Faith Student Ministry - O.C.C.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: Post Uganda Trip

soo... we were unable to connect with Christina 

our time was spent in the opposite direction of her home base of Ndeeba.

We continue to pray for her, and hope that on a return trip in the near future we 

will be able to meet her face to face...

thank you for your continued prayers, if anyone would like to try and write

to Christina we may have a loose address, but no guarantees...

(with all the millions of people living in the suburbs of Kampala,

they are serviced by only 3 post offices - pretty difficult to solidify her whereabouts?)

but God is Able... let us know if you wish to try and make contact...

Amelia's African Adventure

 

Leaving Amelia behind for a few weeks (while mom, dad, and sisters are in Africa) will be difficult, but we are looking forward to some teachable moments with her as well.
We are confident that she too will be impacted from a distance.
Although she is a pretty concrete thinker, we hope to cultivate in her
 a missional mindset.

We are looking to acquire a throw rug with a world map on it so she can follow us in a most tangible way.  Over the holidays we will be constructing a Lego Adventure on the map so she can follow our travels while we are gone: Lego airplane, touching down in the Lego cities of New Amsterdam, Paris, etc... and landing at our remote destinations in Lego Uganda/Senegal, visiting Lego Villages, going on Lego Safari, ministering at Lego Conferences, and checking in on the local Lego Orphanages.
Who doesn't like Lego's right -

And Whatever you do,

whether in word or deed,

(with Lego or without Lego)*

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

Giving Thanks to God the Father through him

Colossians 3:17

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, 

(with Lego or without Lego)*

do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

*italics added