There's 8a sharp and there's Uganda 8a - vastly different time and appointment expectations.  For the past week I've still been under the Uganda time spell.  Call it jet lag, cultural shock, digging out, or the blissful state of returning from a mission trip with greater focus on what's really important than when you left.  Regardless of the reasons, these reflections were due last week and I'm just getting them out here...my apologies for the delay - DM

Every time you smile at someone, it's an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. - Mother Teresa

More than ever, after being among the beautiful citizens of Uganda, I'm in awe of the power of the human spirit...and absolutely honored to have served with some amazing people in our time there. And while the needs remain great, there was great love shared in the forms of smiles and hope.

​Donna Matthews

​Every smile, prayer, medicine prescribed,  doctor visit,  and mosquito net were infused with the love and compassion of God. The love of Jesus was poured out in very practical ways and I was blessed to be allowed to participate. Even as we share with others God uses it as an opportunity to speak to and teach us as individuals. He renewed my faith.
 
Karen Underwood

We gave out 6000 mosquito nets and I think we probably saw around 4000 medical cases.

As always, God had the right nine people on this trip to make a huge difference. Not only did people get medicine and nets to prevent malaria, they got prayer, they played football (soccer), they learned baseball, they saw Christians have fun, the doctors were there at the right time to save a few lives by getting those patients to the hospital. Who says there are no miracles?

​Doug Eisele

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We started our day off with a devotion led by Trish on kindness.  We tried to keep that uppermost in our minds as we served the people of Mazimasa today.
 
This was the first day in our third church this week.   Thankfully, it was only a short 24 minute drive from the hotel.   The final leg of the journey was down a “path” that had obviously not been created for vehicles but we made it.  Jimmy, our driver, is nothing short of amazing…but his driving can sometimes be a little scary as well.  Dodging motorcycles, bicycles and people, egads!
 
The church was surrounded by fields of corn and casaba plants as far as the eye could see.  It was the first church we saw this week that had only a dirt floor.  Assuming that’s because it is a less affluent area. We were surprised to find a very small crowd of people waiting for us and were told that everyone was in the fields working and would most likely show up by 11:00 – and they did!  After 11:00 there was a steady stream of patients which continued throughout the day.   At one point this morning, we had all the children, who did not need to see a doctor, line up to receive mosquito nets. 
 
It is sometimes hard to determine if a baby or toddler is a boy or girl as they do not always wear gender specific clothes.  So worried I’ll offend a mother by telling her that her daughter is beautiful and it’s actually her son.  I was surprised the other day when all the boys wanted pink mosquito nets and the girls wanted blue mosquito nets.  So different than back home.
 
One of our favorite foods is Chapati which is similar to a tortilla but slightly thicker.  Each day at the church site James cooks us lunch - he is a great cook and has been making our lunches for as long as we’ve been coming to Uganda.  He agreed to teach us how to make Chapati today.  After lunch, Trish, Karen Eisele, Karen Underwood and I went to the pastor’s house for his “class”.   Thomas was assigned the role of videographer so that Leslie and Donna (who were working while we goofed off) would have access to James’ teaching. It was a lot of fun, although James made it look much easier than it actually is.
 
We ran out of mosquito nets around 3:30 so we had to shut down the clinic early but Pastor Apollo told everyone we would be back in the morning.  This is the first day that we arrived back to the hotel early enough to have afternoon tea.  
 
So tomorrow is our last day of mission.  A little bittersweet as I’m sad to leave but excited to get back to the States.    Sunday morning we leave for Entebbe and the long flight home.
 
Blessings,
Debbie

Tororo day two  as we approached the church many people were waiting.  The large crowd made us come up with a great idea.   Many just wanted nets so we let them in with a separate line and gave them a net and the worm medicine.   This worked great as the Doctors saw more of the truly sick.  Two men brought a boy of 10 in who had hepatitis and they could not afford the medicine and it is not one we stock so hopefully when we get back we will see that God has provided.   Many sick were seen and helped.  We had two of our own down this time it was Debbie and Thomas.  We gave out many nets buts even after the closing rush we had extra nets for village 3.    It has been a blessed week where God has clearly been at work.   The church and the area we leave has many  Christians according to the people.   We taught the children and left feeling blessed.  

​Michael Thompson

​The needs are great in the village of Olumot.  Uganda has suffered a great drought this summer and now the insistent rains seem to wash away any final hope of a successful crop.  Many of the children are lethargic and listless.  Their large brown eyes tinged with yellow tell the tale of the malaria prevalent in the area.  

​Our language barrier is massive.  It seems their only English is “hello” and “I am fine”

“How are you?” - “I am fine”
“Nice to meet you.” - “I am fine”
What’s your name?” - “I am fine”

Our communication is finally reduced to smiles, a special handshake, eyebrow raises, head nods, and hand gestures.  Oh yes, and the camera.  Once they see themselves on the screen they giggle and start to pose.  The mamas push their babies forward to have their images captured forever in my camera.  I was even lucky enough to capture a selfie which results in the delightful sounds of glee.

First day of our actual work.  I really did not know what to expect since I have never traveled with this team before.  I do have to say that I have been welcomed and made to feel as if I have been part of the group for a long time  That has been really wonderful.

A lot of people do not understand why I am so drawn to Africa.  It is the people and this is where I rediscovered myself.  It is here in Africa, among these very wonderful people that I began to heal some of my wounds.  Yesterday, I was given the privilege to speak to the women in the church.  My message was based on Psalms 147:3.  About how God tells us that He heals our broken hearts and binds our wounds.  I shared some of my wounds and broken heart with these precious ladies.  What I have learned and wanted to encourage them about is that we need to speak our wounds and broken hearts out loud.  We need to say them so that Jesus can heal us.  When we keep those to ourselves, they live in the dark and that is where evil hides.  We have to speak these out into the light so that Jesus can heal us.

The ladies heard the message and as proof that God had prepared that very word for that very day, the youth sang a song about how Jesus picks up the pieces of our shattered hearts and binds up our wounds.  If that is not God going before me, I don't know what is.

Today, I saw evidence of God over and over again.  The pastors preached a passionate message to the crowd.  It was a message of hope, redemption and salvation.  They spoke of how good God is.  I love church in Africa.  They worship with abandon and a freedom that I cannot.  I envy them being able to celebrate God and Jesus Christ the way that they do.  When I go back to the states it takes me a few Sundays to not feel wanting when I go to church.

​First full day in Uganda.  The team started out from our hotel in Entebbe around 9am and slooooowly made our way through the city of Kampala towards MBale.  I've never seen the traffic so congested and the trip out of the city took twice as long as usual.  
 
Once we broke free from the traffic, we traveled on to Jinga where we had a wonderful lunch at Ling-Lings Chinese resturant.  We were surprised to see that they had changed location - very lovely and welcoming! 
 
Then back on the road!  All of us commented that the whole trip seemed so much longer than past years, but we finally made it to Mt Elgon Hotel.  (For those of you who know the hotel - some changes here also….new lobby furniture and new patio seating area in the garden). 
 
Had time for tea in the garden with lots of laughter and relaxing.  Doug did our devotional and handed out duties for the week for blog writing, devotional, prayer and what we each of us will be doing at church tomorrow. 
 
After a wonderful buffet dinner we all headed to our rooms to rest and prepare for our day tomorrow.  Thank you so much for your support and prayers.  Please pray for us to have discernment, safety, a servants heart, and to share God’s love with everyone we meet.
 
Karen E.

Grace and peace to all,

As we fly across the Atlantic on our way to Mbale, Uganda, my thoughts are back home in Houston with all the people whose lives have been upended by Harvey.  My thoughts are also with the people of the Caribbean Islands which our family just visited this last spring and those very spots where hammered by Ivan.   These people may also get hit in a few days with Jose if it doesn’t turn north.  My thoughts are with the people of central Mexico as Katia heads toward them.  My thoughts are with the people of Florida and Southeast US as Ivan bears down on them.  The team has asked more then once how we can be going to Uganda when so much is happening back home.  My thoughts are with the people in Uganda, Guatemala, the Mexican border, the homeless who face no home, no water, no medicine, diseases every day not just during the disaster. 

God is calling everyone of us who has more to do more.  As a Holy Apostle, I can do so much more but I will have to adjust my priorities.  There are going to be so many opportunities to help others.  People in our own Church, people in our neighborhood, people all over the world.  I must up my game; its what God asks of us.  I figure it can’t be harder than being on the cross for the world’s sin.  This ain’t nails.

Won’t you join me in giving more time and money in our outreach.  We are going need everyone who has more to give more to help those who don’t have and have lost so much.
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Acts 2:44
Doug