To look back and reflect on the last two months is to remember all that God has accomplished within that time period. After all the months of waiting, the insane amount of work, and the staggering obstacles that had to be faced, the victory of taking 26 Ugandans to the U.S. for the Never Once choir tour brings a spectacular amount of glory to the Lord. The magnitude of the struggle has translated to the continued and increasing praise of His name.

We arrived in the U.S. on Christmas Day. None of us could have imagined the amount of logistical, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical implications of a team of all ages coming from across the world to minister and sing in a completely new culture!

The integration into their new temporary home was more or less smooth, with the usual adjustments of jet-lagged sleep schedules and brand new foods. The choir was able to stay all together at a conference center, which provided a secure home base where many meals were served, devotions were read, and meetings were held.

Over the span of two months, we visited a variety of churches, schools, and other venues to perform worship, cultural songs, and dance, as well as to sell crafts and present sponsorship opportunities. We were able to sponsor over eighty children in the surrounding communities in Uganda!! We were welcomed by complete strangers and loved by old friends. Lives were changed, and the kingdom was increased.

In addition to many hours of practice and ministry on a weekly basis, the choir also got to experience some really neat times of fun. They were able to hang out with the church in several settings; game nights, dinners, Awana, Fusion, etc. In addition, they had the opportunity to experience Disneyland,  Knott’s Berry Farm, Palm Springs Celebrity Tours, a day in the mountains, and time at the beach!
One of the biggest blessings that the choir has talked about is being able to spend time with their sponsors. Words can’t express the magnitude of being able to meet and spend time with people who have profoundly changed your life. Sponsors are family, best friends, mentors, and so many other things, and the opportunity to get to know them in person is probably one of the greatest experiences these kids (and sponsors!) will ever encounter.

There were many, many amazing opportunities on this tour. Among them, performing at California Baptist University was a huge hit for the kids! They performed in front of more than 3000 people that morning!

The choir changed lives, and their lives were changed. There were many tears at the last concert at the Bridge as people from opposite sides of the world said goodbye to each other.

On February 21, we flew out of LAX, and after resting for a couple days, we began the debriefing process. As a team, we had times of learning about personality types and how to relate to each other with grace, as well as encouragement to forgive each other in the places where we had hurt one another on the tour. It was a healing time of reintegrating back into the culture! The kids are now anticipating going back to school and starting their new adventures!

God’s faithfulness has been sung from the mountain tops and proclaimed from the pulpits. It has been breathed through the lives of these 22 Ugandan children and their leaders. It has been acted out in the support gained and the friendships forged over the last two months. Because, ultimately, NEVER ONCE has God forsaken us. NEVER ONCE have we ever had to walk alone. Before, during, and forevermore after this tour, our God is faithful. Always and forever.

​Beyond our expectations, beyond our fears, beyond the impossibilities; God, in his faithfulness, brought the entire Agape Kids Choir to the U.S. for their Never Once Tour. We praise his name!

The flights from Uganda to the U.S. take many hours, but we knew that the longest journey was still to come once we reached our destination. There were many adjustments that had to be made – new sleep schedules, foods, people, and even the climate. But for the most part, every child is adjusting well!

They have been practicing for many hours a week, and their performance has visibly changed to a high-quality, energetic, and life-changing event. They sing with passion about the faithfulness of their God, and they sing from a place of a deep and real knowing of that very faithfulness.

As part of the tour experience, the members of the Agape Kids Choir have been able to experience some pretty neat things: going to AWANA on Wednesdays, spending time with sponsors, hosting a game night, having a pizza party, and even going to Disneyland. For as hard and as long as they have worked, they are getting to experience new things that allow them to see more of the U.S. and to create new relationships with the people who have supported them over the years as part of the church family.

We are living out a miracle!! So even though there are a few stomachaches, long days of practice, lots of work, tons of meals to prepare, and so many other logistics, we stand as grateful people who have tasted and seen God’s goodness.
​
This Sunday is our first out-of-town concert, and we ask for your continued prayers as we embark on this crazy adventure. God has brought us this far, and we know that as his goodness and grace are unbounded, we can look forward with expectation to what he is going to do in his kingdom with the Agape Kids Choir.

We thank you with grateful hearts for continuing to support this venture!

Our God is crazy good. Every disappointment and hope fulfilled, every silent surrender and song of praise, every closed and open door – they are all part of His plan.  In the impossible and the discouragement, He reigns sovereign, and He receives the glory. I cannot express His goodness in words;  I can only say that we have tasted and seen that God is good.
 
Yesterday morning, the entire Agape Kids Choir – 26 people – got a visa.
 
It seems ironic that the process of our deeper understanding of “God is faithful” was a choir whose theme is that God is faithful.
 
“Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful.”
 
As we sing the words, they are real to us. The choir is not just singing the words; they are living them. They have felt the tangible proof of God’s great faithfulness; they have understood and experienced His guiding hand in the last year and a half.
 
Humbled by His grace and goodness, blown away by His power and love,
here we are, visas in hand, ready for the next step on this adventure that God is writing. Thank you for praying with us as we prepare to fly out in the next several days.

We will see you soon!

​The value of a season is rarely seen within that particular season. Rather it takes an ending point, a moment of victory, to emphasize the significance of that particular season. So it is with sponsorship. We often take it for granted until a moment of revelation. We can all agree that sponsorship is a blessing, and the joy that it brings far outweighs the loss of anything it may cost us. But the enormous impact it makes, the life-changing power, and the incredible implications of sponsorships are sometimes hard to see until, well, something like a graduation happens.
This last week, we had the tremendous opportunity to attend two graduations at Kyambogo University. Halima and Barbara are two sweet girls who have been a part of Agape Childrens Village’s sponsorship program for many years. Rather than just helping them to survive, the program provided the preparation, support, and financial ability to attend university as thriving adults.
Sponsorship is not merely a way to maintain existence, but to give children a chance of a successful life that is based on the godly spiritual foundation of their sponsorship program. We rejoice as we see the fruit of all the little things that added to the rich soil of these two girls’ lives, and we are encouraged to know that the blessings of a sacrificial sponsorship reach far deeper than a mere donation. All the glory goes to the Lord as we watch these girls about to embark on a new adventure!
 

I didn’t know what I was going to write for this update. I could weave some words together and make them sound good, but at the end of the day, that’s not what this is about. The plain, raw truth is that God has us waiting. I seem to be always fluctuating between begging Him to grant us approval from the embassy and just resting in the fact that it’s in His hands and He will have His way. But even in our times of doubt or frustration, it’s pretty evident that God is still sitting on His throne. He’s going to fulfill His promise His way, because He is God and He knows.

In the meantime we’ve been preparing for when He opens the door. Long days: packing, labeling, emailing, practicing, meeting, and on and on. We want to be prepared and we want to give evidence that we trust that the Lord will come through. There is the story in which two farmers hear that there will be rain, and though they both said that they believed that it was true, only one prepared his field. Of course, the moral of the story is a question: which farmer truly believed? So we prepare in faith.
We want to trust the Lord, no matter His plan. It’s His dream, not ours. So we have to hold this choir with open hands. Whatever He does will be perfect, and we will trust Him.

Thank you so much for praying. How amazing that the Body of Christ is not limited by distance or time. How beautiful that God hears every prayer and is working in every heart, even those of the embassy. (Cough, cough.) Seriously though, God hears us. And we will wait, trusting Him for each step and knowing that He is faithful.

Guess what happens when you crowd a hundred Ugandan children into a bus, drive for two hours, and get them all hyped up on excitement and soda????
 
Don’t worry; you don’t have to guess. That’s what I’m here for.
Just this last Thursday, ACV and ACCS drove to Wakiso to the  Kavumba Recreation Center and spent the day playing games, worshipping, eating, listening to a message, hanging out at the zoo, swimming, playing on a bounce house, and praying together.
 
It was an amazing opportunity for the kids of ACV and ACCS to get to know one another and form new friendships as well as to strengthen existing relationships (even though playing tug-of-war on a soap-covered, slippery surface could have easily become a riot!!).
 
To give these kids an opportunity to get away from average life consisting of school and home was an awesome time of refreshment and old-fashioned, downright fun.
 
Standing in a circle of praying children all giving thanks for each other, watching them play games with such excitement, and laughing hysterically as the kids jumped about ten feet in the air because of zoo antics are memories that all of us will hold in our hearts for a long time.
 
God has faithfully protected each of these children and given them far more than any of them could have imagined. Each of these children are SO INCREDIBLY precious and loved, and we look forward in excitement to where God will lead each of them in their individual journeys.

I recently read a quote that compared the fellowship of believers to the attunement of several pianos. Each individual piano is attuned to one higher standard and thus is attuned to every other piano. In the same way, believers that are each attuned to God play at the same pitch as other believers, more so than if they had attempted to be in tune to other believers rather than a higher standard.
 
This sentiment holds entirely true, even on the other side of the world. Two different cultures can come together in worship because each of us are in tune to God’s kingdom.
His love unites us.
 
This last week, we had the privilege of attending an annual women’s Christmas party. There were several addresses as well as a gift exchange and a meal.
 
Sandi spoke on the equivalence of the words Christmas and love. Christmas should be an extra reminder of His love as it represents His coming to earth as God with us. It was HIS LOVE on display.  When we place our identity in anything other than His perfect love, we set ourselves up for heartbreak and disappointment. Being identified in His love gives us the freedom to show others His infinite understanding. She used the acronym LOVE: Let Others View Eternity. Christmas should be a constant reminder of that love, and the identity we find as we place all of our hope in Christ.
 
The women were very excited to hear from Sandi and thankful for the encouragement that she gave.
 
Please keep these sweet ladies in your prayers. Many of them are forced to deal with overwhelming pain and hard circumstances, and they need Christ’s love and identity to be the focal point of each of their lives!

​The red roads of Uganda lead to many places, and the journey is always varied and always challenging. The obstacles and detours of Uganda are indicative also of this specific journey we have been on for well over a year: bringing the Agape Kid’s Choir to the US to share the gospel and raise awareness and support for the lives of many Ugandan children. We cannot begin to mitigate the challenges that God has seen us through already, and as we continue to walk forward, he has blessed us with an enormous amount of peace in His faithfulness and guidance.
 
We have been on the ground in Uganda for the last several days, and we anticipated that we would know almost immediately whether the visas had been granted approval on the Ugandan side. But we never received the confirmation for our appointment.
 
Unsure of the next step, we continued to pray. Thursday morning, the verse of the day was Exodus 14:14: The Lord himself will fight for you; you need only stand still.” Sandi wrote our prayer warriors and supporters, telling them of the development and encouragement.
 
Throughout that same day, there were an additional THREE confirmations of Exodus 14:14 from three different people.
 
We are still waiting. But we are beginning to see that we need to praise God BEFORE the victory. Whatever the outcome, God is at work, and God is fighting for us. We need only be still and wait for our King to come through for us. In the meantime, he is growing our faith and endurance.
 
Please continue to pray and praise God for his goodness. This is His dream, and He will fulfill it in His time and His way.
 
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did you leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, you are faithful

On February 15, 2017, their father came home from work, climbed the mango tree to pick some mangos for them; and fell to his death.   He lost his footing and fell and passed away in the presence of his four boys.  His boys are: Isaac, Dan, Ibra and Ian; ages 9, 7, 5 and 2.
 
Two months later, on Easter, a fire in their home overtook the four boys and their mother.  They were left without their father and now their home.  Agape Children’s Village was contacted by the RDC asking for our help.  We met with the family, the RDC, and then visited the site of their home.  We prayed and decided to bring the three older boys into the Agape homes while we offer the mother time to re-establish herself and her home.   However, the mother and Ian (her two year old) are living on the floor of a church nearby their home.  We have realized that we were going to need to help in a deeper, more substantial way.
 
The Bridge Church decided to take up this project as their Mission Project during their Vacation Bible School week.  They encouraged the kids to bring in their coins to change the lives of these kids and their mother.  The goal was to provide enough money to rebuild their home and to give them a little extra to start a business of their own.  WE MET THE GOAL!!!! 
 
THE CHILDREN OF THE BRIDGE HAVE FOREVER CHANGED THE LIVES OF THIS FAMILY.
​

​What an incredible event this turned out to be.  The AKC held a two hour concert for the community.  A few days before the show, the kids went in and through the community inviting and promoting their neighbors.   It was a beautiful site to see the church packed, with standing room only.  We were able to minister to non-believers and many Muslims.  God showed up and really did some great things. The Word of God got out through music and the Word presented through Ronald, Tom, Sandi and Kibaya. After 2 hours of the kids performing the people actually wanted more; they sat there not wanting to leave. So let's praise the Lord for all that He did and all that He is doing through the children’s choir.

Today was a day that was enjoyed by all.   We held our monthly gathering for the sponsored children in the Agape Child Community Sponsorship  (“ACCS”) program.  These children come from the community in Bukerere.  A few of the sponsored children come from a far distance.  But the turn out was great; it was a full house.  Our day started off with serving breakfast to the masses, then led in to worship and teaching.  The worship time was led by our own choir director, Kizza Ronald, and kids of the Agape Kids Choir accompanied him.  It was a fantastic time of praising the Lord together.  The message from the Word was brought by Papa Tom.  He ended his brief message with an alter call and over thirty-five children raised their hands to receive the Lord for the very first time.  It was a glorious day to see so many children respond to the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
Objectives for the day
We had a threefold objective for this event:
*    A Celebration for the completion of the school term (first term)
*   Appreciate & Award the best performing students (Primary1 – Primary 7)
*   Acknowledge & Award the sports accomplishments
 
Before we served lunch we had a great time of dancing and music; after which we gave out awards.  We gave a gift of a nice backpack to each student who was the BEST PERFORMER in their grade level.  We are excited to announce the top performers in each level.  Look to see if your sponsored child made it to the list:
 
Baby Class – Nambooze Peace (Sponsored by Marc Katz)
P1 -                 Namakula Gorretti (Sponsored by Robert Hughes)
P2 –                Biira Miriam (Sponsored by Marc Katz)
P3 -                 Mbegeyedde Safina (Sponsored by Robert Hughes)
P4 -                Namusisi Betty (Sponsored by Marlena Castro)
P5 –                Mugerwa Paul (Sponsored by Dave & Linda Morris)
P6 –                Navuula Tina (Not currently sponsored)
P7 –                Aineamani Shadrack (Sponsored by Gary & Linda Huffman)
 
The next thing we gave for was the BEST LETTER WRITERS.  We choice to people who are excellent at writing letters to their sponsors:
 
1.   Womugisa Comfort (Sponsored by Celeste Durazo
2.   Kyagaba Tony (Sponsored by Octavio & Blanca Victoria)
 
We were thrilled to announce that one of our own children from ACV and one of our own sponsored children from ACCS won in the local community competitions in spear throwing, jumping, cross-country and 100 meters.  They competed against many children from many of the schools in our area.  We know that this accomplishment is a huge feat.  These two sportsmen are going to the National Track & Field Competition on May 6th.  Please keep them in your prayers as they compete. 
 
1.    Nabakawa Joeliah (Sponsored by Robert Hughes)
2.   Ewanu Ivan (Sponsored by Kevin & Judy Alden)
 
We then served a lunch that was over the top.  Everyone got plenty food and left very satisfied.  The food that was served was excellent.   Thank you Mama Grace and the kitchen team who prepared a great meal and served it with love.
 
The day was just beginning at this point . . . the CELEBRATION!!
 
The kids were escorted from the church down to the lower property where they found two BOUNCY HOUSE CASTLES, a TRAMPOLINE, SWIMMING POOL, FACE PAINTING, and a CLOWN. 
 
The kids went crazy!  We played for hours.  Some of the children had never experienced anything like this.  It was a day that they will never forget.
 
A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS!  YOU ALL MADE THIS DAY POSSIBLE. 
 
First, you give your money that these children can go to school and study.  Then you send your love and prayers; and these children are more hopeful today than they were before you entered their lives.  Your support has  provided an avenue for them to be able to hear and learn the Word of God.  They are growing in their faith and they are going back to their homes and sharing Jesus with their families. 

Working hard on paperwork, I look up out my window and I see a beautiful site.  These incredible children coming for a surprise visit.  These are your sponsored kids in their school uniform. 
 
Thank you for sponsoring these incredible gifts.
 
Jesus loves the little children!

We visited a few kids in the ACCS program and brought them a mattress, sheets and a blanket. These kids have never slept on a mattress before. What joy was on their faces as they received their gift of love. So blessed to be His vessel. ​

​Early this afternoon we had the privilege of visiting a home in the community.  It belonged to the family of a beautiful little girl named Aisha.  She lives with her mother, little brother and 4 others in a one room brick structure.  We were very happy to be able to bring some gifts to the family including a sack of corn flour, salt, soap, and other necessities.   Aisha's mother told us about her life and dreams and what she prays for.  Like any loving mother she worries about her children and is very grateful to be able to provide her family with 3 meals a day. It is amazing to experience a family who has so little and yet is so faithful to the Lord.

Written by Mark Katz

A day in school:
We spent 2 hours today at the ACV school visiting the classes and presenting bible bracelets along with candy to the headmaster.  The gifts were distributed to the children just before they went to lunch.  In each class the children stood and greeted us with a group hello and big warm smiles.  They cheered when the headmaster informed them of the gifts. We walked the grounds and were pleased with the maintenance and beautiful views.
Photos by Mark Katz

The gift of giving:
This evening we had the children come and select clothes, sandals, hats and activity books from an assortment of donations that we brought with us from the Bridge.  The children were very excited and had a great time picking out new outfits.  The staff assisted the kids so everyone was able to get their fair share of new stuff.
Photos by Mark Katz & Liz Simpkins

Today, the Lord used the team to provide and support two families with a month's needs. We were able to bring sacks of flour, sugar, rice, potatoes, soap, and other everyday necessities. This not only was a huge blessing to these families but also to the team. It was a great honor to be used by our Heavenly Father in this way. 

​The team also had the chance to visit a familiar friend, Ebeneezer! Ebeneezer is a child from the community who has a large tumor-like growth above his eye. Unfortunately from the last time he was visited his growth has become tremendously larger. But the Lord is faithful and had provided the finances for Ebeneezer to get his surgery. The boys and girls of the Bridge worked vigorously to raise two-thousand American dollars to give Ebeneezer the chance to live without the pain he has now.

The team wants to thank each and every supporter of ACV for making this day possible.
​It was an amazing day in the kingdom of God!

Written by Hannah Hughes

We went to Church service at 10:00 am and was treated to worship by a wonderful children's choir.  The congregation was very friendly and greeted us warmly.  Pastor Aaron presented the sermon from James and received a nice applause.  The music was very inspiring and the Congregation participated joyfully.
Written by Team Member Mark Katz

We have arrived in Uganda. It was a long journey but God was faithful. All of our totes and luggage have also arrived safely. We are so grateful for all of your prayers. We will connect back with you soon.

We will be in the city over night and will be traveling to the orphanage early Friday morning.

Thank you for your prayers! We are all checked in and through security. We are heading out on a flight from LAX to Amsterdam at 3:10 PM today.  We arrive in Amsterdam at 10:15 AM Amsterdam time and we fly out of Amsterdam at 12:45 PM. We fly from Amsterdam at 12:45 to Nairobi.   We land in and tabby, Uganda at 3 AM Thursday morning. We would all appreciate you praying for us the next 35 hours or so.  With the trip starting off this way we are confident the enemy is not happy and great things are ahead of us.  
We are in His grip!!!     Sandi and the team

The Team is on its way!
Sandi Balli, Aaron Cronen, Liz Simpkins, Hannah Hughes & Mark Katz are on their way to Uganda.  
Please pray for travel mercies as they are currently in the air.

This was an exciting day for all.  We spent days preparing and planning to receive the sponsored kids.  The Agape Community Children’s Sponsorship (ACCS) program was birthed in October 2015.  This is our first endeavor to reach out past the gates of ACV and into the heart of the community.  We decided the best way to impact many lives, was to begin a child sponsorship in the village surrounding the Children’s Village.  So many people have responded positively and have chosen to sponsor a child. 
 
So this day . . . the first project day . . . is a huge celebration for so many.  There are children and their parents coming on this day that have never had a day like this. 
 
The morning begun with a devotion from Kibaya (our Assistant Director & Pastor) who shared about the children being needy and dependent, desperate, and weak. Recognizing that they are here, he encouraged the parents to take up this responsibility to take care of them and guide them, to carry them in their hands so that they can feel the warmth and to guide them in the paths of righteousness. The parents were reminded to take the children to Jesus who has highest regard for children.  He is strong and mends the broken hearts of the children.
 
Our Director, Jacques Masiko shared from Exodus about the role of parents and stakeholders and raising the children. This is to be a partnership between us as Agape and the Parents or guardians from these families.
 
Ronald, our resident worship leader, took us all through the a beautiful and fun time of worship.  How wonderful to worship the Lord together with these newly sponsored children. 
 
Ajube led the kids in the indoor games and fun.  Monica, the sponsor-child communications coordinator, was making sure that the newly sponsored ACCS kids were writing letters to their sponsors back in California. 
 
We were also able to serve a meal to the sponsored kids and their parents/guardians.  This was a huge blessing to these families.  Some of the sponsored kids never get the opportunity to have meat in their diet. 
 
The event ended well with the giving of gifts to the family.  They each received rice; and the kids were given a wash basin, lotion and a bar of soap.
 
We are praising the Lord for a successful, fun, and fruitful day.  Thank you to all of the sponsors of these ACCS kids.  Your generosity is changing their lives and affecting their families for the Kingdom.