Anticipation

I am writing this only 48 hours before I fly to Denver to meet up with Dave Howard, my co-worker in Christ and fellow IT executive-turned-missionary.   We will spend a day reviewing our plans and worshiping together, then leave Monday for Uganda.  The total trip air time approaches 20 hours, the the longest leg between Washington DC and Ethiopia (13 hours)!  I am a fairly experienced air traveler, but that is one long plane ride!

I will join Dave on this blog to keep my friends and family updated on our work there and on my personal experiences. We are going to listen and learn about several African Christian ministries and from the info we gather, work with the leadership of these organizations to develop strategic and operational plans to support these missions with technology and in other ways. I also look forward to some time teaching Ugandan youth, if God opens those doors.

Thanks to all of you who are supporting us with your prayers!

Kacungwa Medical Mission

As you might have seen on the Canby Christian Church Uganda blog (http://ccc-uganda-2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/mission-kacungwa.html) a group of medical students from Gulu, located in northern Uganda, recently traveled a great distance to the village of Kacungwa with medical staff from ARM’s Wentz Medical Clinic to perform a 2 day medical and dental clinic.  Below are some pictures from the clinic.

The children first check in with Faith and get weighed, measured and their medical reports reviewed.  The young man on the scales is one of my sponsored children – Shafiki Lukwago!

Next the children met with one of the medical staff for a checkup and any necessary treatment.  The man in white is Joseph Mangusho – one of the medical students from Gulu.  Joseph is a second year medical student.

Eyesight is checked for everybody…

The next stop was the dental station.  Everybody was given dental hygiene education and then sent on for an examination and treatment if needed.

Obviously, the curling of the toes and gripping the chair as hard as you can when you get a HUGE needle stuck in your mouth is a universal response.

I suppose it was not accidental that they lined the children at the dental station so that they could watch the dentist work.  In the second picture below, you can see that they aren’t any too excited about the thought of getting a shot in their mouth!  They offered refresher dental hygiene education for anybody who wanted it after this!

The last stop was to provide medications prescribed by the doctors during the examination.

Mark Onenchan, one of the medical students from Gulu, enjoying time with the children of Kacungwa.  Mark made many new friends there and is anxious to go back for another visit!

Finally, Obura James Ochidi, the leader of the QHFA team from Gulu poses with my 3 children:  Joel Turinawe (in gold shirt), Gorret Nabatta (in back) and Shafiki Lukwago (green & blue shirt).  Obura told me that Joel wishes to be a doctor when he grows up and asked Obura to be his mentor.  I was so happy to see this picture and realized how much I miss my children in Uganda – I am so excited to be able to go back and visit them in only a couple of weeks now.  Unfortunately, I will only have one day at the village, but then God can pack a lot into a single day!

The QHFA team told me how much they love the people of Kacungwa.  Pastor Sylver, Yoram and all of the people there welcomed them warmly and made them feel loved and appreciated.  I thank God that He worked this out to be able to provide medical care for these children.  Unfortunately, as I had noted in a post on the CCC blog, Gorret’s younger sister recently died of malaria and there was also a woman from the village who died of an advanced case of malaria while the team was there – but it was too late to treat her and she also died.

There is much yet to be done to provide medical care to the children of Uganda.  Kacungwa is just one village – yes it’s a very special place to me – but there are people dying every day of treatable diseases if they only had care, if they only had been educated about prevention, if they only had clean water, if only . . .

Through God’s grace and provision we will ALL be part of His work to provide care for just one more!  Then one more . . .

Our work ahead

I wanted to take just a few minutes and let you know what is ahead for this trip to Uganda.

First off, I would like to introduce Lloyd Lowry.  Lloyd is a technology consultant with almost forty years of experience. He was the Chief Information Officer with the Oregon Department of Corrections, and has held IT leadership positions with a number of other agencies at the federal, state, county and city levels. Lloyd has also worked in technology sales and for a small development firm. He has taught students at the college, high school and elementary levels.

Lloyd has been a speaker at regional and national technology conferences and has also served on a number of professional organizations. Lloyd now works as an independent consultant specializing in strategic and business operations. He is committed to becoming a more dedicated Christ follower and serves his local church in children’s and men’s ministries. He has participated in short-term missions trips to Mexico, Dominican Republic and Haiti, as well as in ministries serving the poor and imprisoned in Salem, Oregon.  Now, Lloyd is joining in this work in Uganda!

We will be working with several different organizations while we are there:

Africa Renewal Ministries:  We will be assisting with strategic organization and IT planning for ARM.  We will be spending quite a bit of time in Ggaba working with the ARM Leadership Team as well as the IT and Communications sections of the ministry.  We are also blessed to be traveling to Kacungwa (you know we just HAD to go there!!!) and assisting with some existing computer problems as well as planning for future work in setting up computer training labs in the school as well as connecting the Kacungwa Child Development Program (CDP) office to the headquarters in Ggaba.  One of the visions is that this will serve as a model for other ARM CDP locations around Uganda.  In addition, we will be assessing the needs and opportunity to establish the computer and network connections for the medical clinic being built there.  In addition to Kacungwa, we will also visit the Muleete CDP and Clinic location also located in Mubende.  A vision that ARM leadership has is that one day, schools in Uganda will be able to connect over the internet and participate with schools in the US virtually.  Also, those letters that are now taking about 3 months to receive from “our” children will be able to be sent almost immediately from the CDP office in the village.

Renewal Health Network:  In discussions with Dr. Martin from ARM’s Renewal Health Network and Wentz Medical Centre, there are many needs for the clinic ranging from needs for a new accounting system to clinic management software and electronic medical records.  We will be looking at ways to interconnect the clinics currently managed by the RHN program and also discussing future possibilities including telemedicine systems (allows remote communication, diagnostic tests and viewing of patients by a doctor in a central location).

Africa Renewal University:  ARU has recently received accreditation as a public university and seeking to begin a bachelors degree program.  They are needing to double the size of their computer lab, get an alternative power source and install a system to produce clean, drinkable water.  In addition, we will be discussing opportunities to enhance their technology certificate and diploma programs.  The importance and “big picture” importance of this is that we are looking for ways to establish a technology training program at the secondary schools which will prepare students for a career in the technology field, and also prepare the students with the desire and ability to go on to University for an advanced degree.  It is an important part of the vision to create a program that integrates the learning into an outcome that enables young people to thrive and achieve in an advanced career field!  (NOTE:  THIS is VERY exciting!!!)

Transform African Ministries:  Most of you know Pastor Alex from Transform African Ministries and his wife Faith.  Along with Pastor Peter Kasiviru from ARM, is one of the reasons Canby Christian Church was lead to mission, ministry and partnership in Uganda.  Last year, we were blessed to visit Ps Alex at Luzira Community Church.  We were all blessed to worship with the people of Luzira and also to teach the children in school.  We will be assisting Alex with strategic planning work for the ministry, developing a technology plan and “dreaming” about possibilities to reach the middle-class people in Luzira.  We are not sure what all Alex has in store, but knowing him and his understanding of the value of technology and developing and more modern church, we can only imagine!  We will also be assisting with setting up a church membership database and connecting projectors to their computer to enhance the experience in their brand new church location and facility.

Mags Computers: A few months ago, I was introduced to a young man, John Mugowa, who has a small computer consulting company.  We anticipate working with John to help develop his business, looking at some opportunities and getting his assistance with technical help while we are there.  John was featured on a video that is well worth spending 30 minutes to watch.  It features John and a Kenyan man named Daniel.  You can find the video HERE.

New Hope Uganda:  When Debbie & I moved to Colorado Springs, we started attending Mountain Springs Church.  As I began to inquire about the church’s involvement in international missions, I learned that the worship pastor, Josiah Dangers, is a missionary’s kid and was raised in Uganda.  In fact, his father is there still serving as director for a ministry north of Kampala called New Hope Uganda.  From their website:

New Hope Uganda was founded on a belief that God wanted family for the thousands of orphaned children in Uganda’s Luwero Triangle following the bloody reigns of Idi Amin and Milton Obote. Jay Dangers and his wife Vicki moved their young family to Uganda in 1986. The Dangers were soon joined by Jonnes Bakimi and, to use a common Ugandan phrase, “slowly by slowly” a dream became reality. Director Jay Dangers and Ministry Coordinator Jonnes Bakimi still lead New Hope today but little else is the same as it was 24 years ago.

Today, New Hope Uganda brings the Fatherhood of God to hundreds of orphaned, fatherless, and abandoned children and reaches out to surrounding communities through its four ministries: Kasana Children’s Center, Kobwin Children’s Center, Musana Camps, and 107.8 Musana FM radio.

We will be working with New Hope Uganda to establish a computer training center and establish a technology training program also.  In addition to computers, we will work with partners to set up an alternative power source as the power in this region is very unreliable.  In addition, Lloyd is going to spend a few extra days at NHU teaching the children, meeting people and getting a little more in-depth understanding of the people and the ministry there (I’m sure by now, he’ll be more than happy to get away from me for a little while also!)

Quality Health for All: In Northern Uganda, students at Gulu University Medical School are wanting to start a Christ-centered medical organization.  I have been working with the students there for the past 4 months or so in planning and crafting organizational documents.  Obura James Ochidi was featured on a blog post on the Canby Christian Church blog several months ago – you should read it if you haven’t already done so (link HERE).  Recently a team from the QHFA team traveled on a 2-day medical mission to Kacungwa.  You can find some pictures of that trip HERE (note: this is a Facebook photo album).  We are looking to take the next steps in formalizing the organization and will be meeting with a number of key people in Northern Uganda to discuss the strategy.  Also, they are planning a project to send 50 final year medical students across all of Northern Uganda for 2 months performing medical services in clinics and villages.  We estimate that the cost for that will be about $50,000, mostly for medicines, and are seeking funding partners for that project.  It has also been a huge blessing that this group has been able to work with Dr. Martin and the ARM Renewal Health Network and jointly conducted the clinic in Kacungwa.  I will travel North from our time with New Hope Uganda to Gulu and then, Lord willing, will meet up again with Lloyd to return home.  Otherwise, I may be wandering somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa for a while!

We will be in Uganda for a total of 3 weeks and as you can see, we have about 3 years worth of work to do in those 3 weeks.  In the past year, I have been blessed to meet some amazing people in Uganda who I hope to have time to visit there also.  I’ve been invited to homes, church and to join families for meals while I am there.  It will be a most exciting time I am sure!

Well, I hope this gives you some idea of the scope and type of work we will be doing in Uganda next month.  Stay tuned . . .

On the Path

I was going to say that this was the beginning, but it really isn’t the beginning.  It all started about a year ago.  Who would have thought that in just a year life would have changed for me and my family so dramatically?  God did, we just weren’t in on the plan yet – and I’m still trying to work my way through this walk in faith and service.

If you haven’t seen the blog we did from Canby Christian Church yet, you can find it here.  In a couple of the later posts, I described a little about my personal journey – they can be found at “What changed?” and “Answering the call” if you haven’t seen them and are interested in the background.

Honesty requires that I say that this has been a journey that has been both a blessing beyond what I could have imagined, but also one of the most difficult things I think that Debbie and I have gone through.  While it does not rank with people who have given their lives (literally), are beaten or imprisoned for their faith or anything that dramatic, but rather we have faced family and financial challenges that come with starting a new way of living for God.

The work God has called me to in serving the people and ministries in Uganda has been much different than I originally pictured.  That is good, because what is emerging is much broader than I could have ever dreamed.  At the same time, it is so far beyond what I am capable of doing, that only God can make it happen!  That is the incredible AND scary part of the journey…

I will be leaving about midnight on March 4th for a 3-week trip to Uganda.  It will not be with a full team like last year, but one other colleague, Lloyd Lowry, will be joining me.  This will be much more a working trip.  Looking at our schedule, we don’t have hardly a free minute – well, not counting the 20+ hours each way on the plane.  We will be able to return to the village of Kacungwa and see the people there that I’ve come to love so much.  We will also be spending time with Africa Renewal Ministries, Transform African Ministries (Alex & Faith), New Hope Uganda, and I will also make a trip north to Gulu to meet with Obura James Ochidi and the medical students starting Quality Health for All (see “A life of hope and challenge”, “Mission: Kacungwa” and “Quality Health for All web site”).

God has brought many new people into my life over these past few months, many from Uganda.  One is a young man named John Mugowa.  John has a computer consulting business in Uganda and we will be able to work together on a few projects as well as discussing ways John can use his business as a ministry and outreach.  If you want to learn more about John and his life, you can see a video about him at this link:  John Mugowa Video.  This is about a 30 minute video that introduces you to John as well as a man named Daniel from Kenya.  It is well worth your time to watch!

Let me share just a little about what God is showing me personally on this journey He has set me on.  It actually was started from talking with John Mugowa – he shared with me a verse that has meant a lot to him personally:  “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”  Exodus 14:14   This is a great message and one that I have not considered too much other than an academic exercise.  It isn’t until you NEED God to fight for you and you have nowhere else to turn that you can truly see God work in incredible and unexpected ways.  Perhaps a little more background to this particular verse…

Exodus 14 records the time after the Israelites had been freed from slavery in Egypt and had come to camp by the Red Sea.  As you know, this is the time that Pharaoh decided he didn’t really want to let them go, so mounted a huge army to pursue them and bring them back.  When the Israelites saw the army, they said to Moses: “Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”  (Exodus 14:12).  After all they had seen God do to free them (remember the 10 plagues?), their first response when facing trouble was to say that it would be better if they were slaves again.

This really wasn’t a surprise to God as it turns out.  In fact getting the Israelites to this very place and knowing their response was part of His plan.  Exodus 13:17-18 records:  “Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.”

Is that why God moved us to Colorado?  So we would not have an easy way out when things got tough and we would be tempted to return to what was comfortable for us?

To protect the Israelites, God provided a pillar of smoke & fire between the Egyptian army and the people.  This gave them time to “cry out to God” and, I believe, a little time to evaluate their position.  Given the circumstances, there was seemingly no way out.  Only God could make the way for them.  It is at this point that Moses tells the Israelites that God will fight for them.

We all know that what happened next – the Red Sea parts, the people (all 600,000 of them) cross on dry ground then the Egyptian army is released to pursue them only to have the sea collapse on them and drown the entire army.  The result was reported in Exodus 14:31:  “Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.”

I have often wondered how the Israelites could have ever doubted God’s ability given everything that they had seen!  After being freed, then crossing the parted sea, I would think that would have been enough – but as it turns out, it wasn’t.  Just a few days later, the people were complaining because they had no water, food, their feet hurt (well, I’m sure somebody was complaining about that).  It has always been so easy for me to shake my head at their lack of faith. 

No more…

Stay tuned for information about our upcoming trip to Uganda – we can use your prayer and support!

Mukama Awebwe Ekitibwa  (To God be the glory)

Dave

PS  Looking back at the sea from the other side, Moses and the children of Israel sang to God: 

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Exodus 15:2