HUMBLING MOMENTS FROM MY LIFE . . .
“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.” Isaiah 41:9 NIV
That day was a most humbling day. Early that morning we left ACV to travel a couple of hours to Iganga. Our plan for the trip was to make relationships with three churches which have the desire to raise up children to be leaders, to be examples, and to show the love of God to all people around. These children have potential to be doctors, engineers, and pastors but don't have people to support them and gear them in the right direction.
One pastor shared with us that he had been crying out desperately to God to give him someone to partner with; to reach out to the community that is in desperate need of Jesus. It was one of the most overwhelming and humbling moments of my life realizing that God allowed us to be used to answer this man's cries. God cares so deeply for all of His children, He hears the cries of His people, and He is ever faithful to provide.
The second church we visited that day waited all day for us to arrive. When we finally arrived to the church we were welcomed with arms opened wide and hearts full of love. The church building was made of a few branches and some leaves to shelter the people as they worship God.
The last church we visited was built in a community of mostly Muslims. Within the last year the church opened its doors as a school to the children in the community. Many children who attend the school live in Muslim homes. The church desires for the love of God to be shown to all people regardless of religion or race or riche or poor.
Insights from Hannah Hughes
Children that lost their parents due to HIV . . . I quit my Starbuck's so that a child can go to school
Out of Uganda my heart to you, as The Lord taking me out deep into the bushes of Idudi, 3 hours away from Uganda, my heart was broken to see people in hurt and in need of God along the way. We visited three Villages, beautiful faces, children running and happy just to see us and waving to us. This just melted my heart. At the first Village, children were ran to greet us, the pastor praised God for answered prayer. I thank God for being part of God's plan.
The next Village we visited was deep into the bushes, it had six poles, no floors, and of course no electricity, but their hearts were ready to serve The Lord. It's a blessing to see how faithful those people are to the Lord. We brought the kids clothes and a soccer ball .
The next day we went to the third village, their church was small and the walls were covered with aluminium. The church also doubled as a classroom for kindergardeners. We had an opportunity to pray with them and bless them with some candy.
I have been coming to Uganda since 2006, and every time it's a amazing experience that makes me love more like Christ and die to myself. The experience humbles me and I praise God for choosing me to be His hands and feet.
As I have learned more about their culture, the suffering children of Uganda have touched my heart the most.
The children that have lost their parents to HIV or accidents and have gone to live with relatives, sadly can't go to school because their relatives don't have the financial resources for school fees. These kids have to resort to working the land, without a future of hope. They grow up with pain and without God's principles.
The second category are children with parents, but they can't afford them so the parents don't want them, some are left alone, abandoned, and very sad.
Then, we have children of single parents or single moms that can't afford tuition and school necessities, or clothes. They are struggling and in a very sad situation. Please pray for those in so much need of God's mercy.
I know we can't help everyone in need, pray that the Lord gives you wisdom in how you can help someone, The Lord did it for me, I quit my Starbucks coffee daily so that with that $40.00 I save, a child can go to school, go to the doctor, have three nutritious meals a day and have a chance in life. The Lord still blesses me and nourishes me. The blessing to be a part of a child's changed life is an unbelievable joy that the Lord never forgets.
We can make a difference, One Child at a time.
Insights from Team Member Liz Simpkins
#heartbroken # humble #blessings from Uganda
The children were sitting with us, smiling, waving and capturing our hearts
On Oct. 3, 2016 we took off from ACV and drove to Iganga to visit the first of two Churches that were on our agenda. The Pastor of this four sided brick wall Church with a dirt floor greeted us warmly and shared his prayers from Sunday's service. He said the Lord told him that he was sending visitors to assist with needs of the Church and then we showed up on Monday. How cool is that? We spent the next hour discussing the children and what our role might be. The children of the church were sitting with us, smiling, waving and capturing our hearts.
From that humbling experience we drove way out in the country to Idudi to visit a Church that consisted of four wooden posts and an aluminium roof covering a patch of dirt. Despite the meagerness of their Church, the love for Christ that these people exhibited touched all of our hearts. They had waited many hours for our arrival yet their exuberance and graciousness shined through the descending darkness of the day. Our visit with them ended our first day of the trip which also included my first crossing of the Nile river, very exciting
indeed.
The morning of the next day found us visiting a Church located in a community with a sizable Muslim population. The Church had recently started a school for its young children and we we were blessed to arrive while school was in session. The kids were all smiles and cheer. The pastor explained to us that several of the children in the school came from Muslim families which gave him the opportunity to show God's love to these young non believers. The Pastor kept expressing the Church's desire to welcome the Muslim community into our Christian world and show examples of the Lord's love and grace for them.
Insights from Team Member Mark Katz
“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.” Isaiah 41:9 NIV
That day was a most humbling day. Early that morning we left ACV to travel a couple of hours to Iganga. Our plan for the trip was to make relationships with three churches which have the desire to raise up children to be leaders, to be examples, and to show the love of God to all people around. These children have potential to be doctors, engineers, and pastors but don't have people to support them and gear them in the right direction.
One pastor shared with us that he had been crying out desperately to God to give him someone to partner with; to reach out to the community that is in desperate need of Jesus. It was one of the most overwhelming and humbling moments of my life realizing that God allowed us to be used to answer this man's cries. God cares so deeply for all of His children, He hears the cries of His people, and He is ever faithful to provide.
The second church we visited that day waited all day for us to arrive. When we finally arrived to the church we were welcomed with arms opened wide and hearts full of love. The church building was made of a few branches and some leaves to shelter the people as they worship God.
The last church we visited was built in a community of mostly Muslims. Within the last year the church opened its doors as a school to the children in the community. Many children who attend the school live in Muslim homes. The church desires for the love of God to be shown to all people regardless of religion or race or riche or poor.
Insights from Hannah Hughes
Children that lost their parents due to HIV . . . I quit my Starbuck's so that a child can go to school
Out of Uganda my heart to you, as The Lord taking me out deep into the bushes of Idudi, 3 hours away from Uganda, my heart was broken to see people in hurt and in need of God along the way. We visited three Villages, beautiful faces, children running and happy just to see us and waving to us. This just melted my heart. At the first Village, children were ran to greet us, the pastor praised God for answered prayer. I thank God for being part of God's plan.
The next Village we visited was deep into the bushes, it had six poles, no floors, and of course no electricity, but their hearts were ready to serve The Lord. It's a blessing to see how faithful those people are to the Lord. We brought the kids clothes and a soccer ball .
The next day we went to the third village, their church was small and the walls were covered with aluminium. The church also doubled as a classroom for kindergardeners. We had an opportunity to pray with them and bless them with some candy.
I have been coming to Uganda since 2006, and every time it's a amazing experience that makes me love more like Christ and die to myself. The experience humbles me and I praise God for choosing me to be His hands and feet.
As I have learned more about their culture, the suffering children of Uganda have touched my heart the most.
The children that have lost their parents to HIV or accidents and have gone to live with relatives, sadly can't go to school because their relatives don't have the financial resources for school fees. These kids have to resort to working the land, without a future of hope. They grow up with pain and without God's principles.
The second category are children with parents, but they can't afford them so the parents don't want them, some are left alone, abandoned, and very sad.
Then, we have children of single parents or single moms that can't afford tuition and school necessities, or clothes. They are struggling and in a very sad situation. Please pray for those in so much need of God's mercy.
I know we can't help everyone in need, pray that the Lord gives you wisdom in how you can help someone, The Lord did it for me, I quit my Starbucks coffee daily so that with that $40.00 I save, a child can go to school, go to the doctor, have three nutritious meals a day and have a chance in life. The Lord still blesses me and nourishes me. The blessing to be a part of a child's changed life is an unbelievable joy that the Lord never forgets.
We can make a difference, One Child at a time.
Insights from Team Member Liz Simpkins
#heartbroken # humble #blessings from Uganda
The children were sitting with us, smiling, waving and capturing our hearts
On Oct. 3, 2016 we took off from ACV and drove to Iganga to visit the first of two Churches that were on our agenda. The Pastor of this four sided brick wall Church with a dirt floor greeted us warmly and shared his prayers from Sunday's service. He said the Lord told him that he was sending visitors to assist with needs of the Church and then we showed up on Monday. How cool is that? We spent the next hour discussing the children and what our role might be. The children of the church were sitting with us, smiling, waving and capturing our hearts.
From that humbling experience we drove way out in the country to Idudi to visit a Church that consisted of four wooden posts and an aluminium roof covering a patch of dirt. Despite the meagerness of their Church, the love for Christ that these people exhibited touched all of our hearts. They had waited many hours for our arrival yet their exuberance and graciousness shined through the descending darkness of the day. Our visit with them ended our first day of the trip which also included my first crossing of the Nile river, very exciting
indeed.
The morning of the next day found us visiting a Church located in a community with a sizable Muslim population. The Church had recently started a school for its young children and we we were blessed to arrive while school was in session. The kids were all smiles and cheer. The pastor explained to us that several of the children in the school came from Muslim families which gave him the opportunity to show God's love to these young non believers. The Pastor kept expressing the Church's desire to welcome the Muslim community into our Christian world and show examples of the Lord's love and grace for them.
Insights from Team Member Mark Katz