A WONDERFUL MEMORY

Im looking over this blog and remembering the good times and good things done.  I know this will be part of our 10 year celebration next November.

Uganda08 Celebration

Come celebrate with us!

Friday, July 25th, 6:30 pm at St. Luke's Anglican Church

Our Mission Team is back home and anxious to share their wonderful stories of their mission with you! They'll be telling of how God touched their lives and the lives around them - some will bring laughter and joy - some will bring sadness and a desire to reach out and help. Above all, we'll have fun and praise God for the opportunity He presented to the Team. Come and celebrate with us! We'll be serving an authentic Ugandan Dinner at 6:30, Friday Evening, July 25th. Please call the office at 385-7889 if you plan to attend so we can be sure to have a place set for you!

Uganda '08

Uganda '08

Back Home

Good day all,

We are finally home after what seemed like we were on a plane trip for 3 days. I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers everything went well. I want to thank Chris and Melissa for coming to Orlando to pick us up. Uganda was such a beautiful country but the poverty was quite heartbreaking, it seemed like there were orphans on every corner. Please keep us in your prayers because some of us were left with a case of the travelers trot I will sleep for the next 2 days.

Kermit

Our Team is back in the USA & prayer is needed.

Good afternoon Everyone!
We are happy to let you know that our Team is safely back in the USA! BUT, it seems that the air line has lost (misplaced) the luggage of both Mary Kepchar & Fr. Jim. Please pray that it turns up in a timely fashion.

(While we are praying that luggage turns up, please pray for mine too. I flew in from visiting my family in NJ yesterday & my luggage hasn’t made it yet either. Thank you.)

Out Team arrives in Orlando this evening at approximately 6:45. Melissa Ingram & Chris Needham are on their way there now to drive our Team home. We expect them around midnight. Please continue your prayers for travel safety each step of the way and God’s renewal in each of them as well as in each of us.

Get a complete update on everything and leave your comments on the BLOG - http://stlukes-uganda.blogspot.com At the bottom of each page, it says newer Posting and older posting. Just click on whichever one allows you to read it all. It’s really quite good.

Thank you for your prayers.
God bless you & yours.
In Him, Trish

Hi Everyone,

Our Team is on their way home!! They will fly over night with a stop in Brussels, then on to the states and to Orlando tomorrow evening at approx. 6:45. We expect them back in Tallahassee around midnight tomorrow (Friday) evening.

Please keep them in your prayers ~ pray for safe travel, good health and that their luggage keeps up with them. Please pray too, that "that vulnerable place that God has been working on" while they've been in Uganda, stays just as He's prepared it to be.

Melissa and Chris will be driving to Orlando tomorrow to drive them back home ~ Our Team will be very tired. Please pray for safety and a great time all around!

Wherever you are, especially in Tally :-), please go to God's house and thank Him personally for a "Mission Accomplished."

Thank you and God bless you and yours!
In Him,
Trish

Our Team is in back in Kampala!

Good Morning, Everyone!
Our Team is on the last days of their Mission Retreat. They are now in Kampala and everyone continues to feel the presence of Our Lord with them. They have made a lasting difference to many and the many have made a lasting difference to them.

I understand the cooking went very well yesterday, everyone is happy and well and they have even been able to shop a bit. Tomorrow evening they begin their journey home. They are expected to arrive back in Tallahassee around 11pm on the 19th! They will be sharing their experiences with their fellow parishioners beginning Sunday, June 22nd… and you know you don’t want to miss hearing from each of them! Check out the BLOG too! It’s been updated.

Please continue your prayers for each of our Team for safe travel home and as they begin to really absorb their experiences.

God bless you and yours!
In Him, Trish

Wednesday - a retreat

On Wednesday I (Fr. Jim) was asked to lead a retreat for the clergy. The retreat was held at "base camp," at a hotel where those climbing the Rwenzori Mtns begin. It was very nice facility with a beautiful view! Lush green land meeting the base of scenic mountains reaching up to bright, blue skies.
The retreat began with testimonies punctuated by praise songs. Some were in the local language, others in English. The testimonies were powerful stories of God's intervention. The clergy here are inspiring in their commitment. A parish, which is led by a priest, usually has 4-8 congregations within it which are led by lay leaders. Each of these congregations may have as many as 300 members. Priests work another job to support their families and draw very little salary -- usually coming in the form of Christmas and Easter offerings.
In the afternoon we headed for Kadongo Hospital.

Tuesday - the hospital

We visited the hospital today. Opportunities for prayer were offered and many people were eager to be prayed for. Canon Semu provided oil for anointing the sick. So many asked for prayer that we were not able to visit in all the wards. We sang and brought greetings as well. Among those we ministered to were a woman who had lost one of her twins in birth, and a newborn whose mother had dropped over dead a week after delivery with no explanation. One woman asked if it cost anything to have us pray. When we finished she tried to give us money.
We also had the opportunity to sing praises and celebrate with a woman who had delivered twins.
The most troubling visit was to a woman who had end stage AIDS. AIDS is rampant here although the church is at the forefront of prevention and they are making progress. The family asked that I come in to pray for her and for them. As I entered the room I found her laying almost naked. She must have weighed less than 80 lbs. She was in obvious pain and only her eyes moved. When I first saw here I thought that she had suffered a terrible burn. Sores and blisters covered the entire length of her body including her face. There was literally no place to anoint her with oil without causing her pain so I poured a drop over her heart and held my hands above her head as I prayed that God would be present in her situation with comfort and peace. Knowing how to pray in such situations is so difficult. The only clue I have is to rememberthe scriptures admonition to weep with those who weep . . . In such situations the doctrine of the incarnation is far more than a theological construct. It is the only way we can follow Christ . . . to be present in the flesh . . . broken, hurting flesh.

MONDAY - TO THE WORK

Today is the first opportunity to begin. On Sunday night Cannon Semu (the assistant to the bishop) gave us the itinerary. We were told that we would be speaking in the primary and with the "boda Boda boys" along with some secondary school kids (high school). The team split into two groups.
For the primary school (elementary age) the group decided to do a skit on the calling of the disciples. This was accented by a testimony from Casey, puppet skits from Mary and a message from David Trautman about how God forms a new family. They sang with them (boy can they sing!) and played games. The kids loved it.
The group going to the secondary school focused on drug and alcohol abuse. This is a growing problem here. The boda boda boys are those that transport people on motorcycles and bicycles. Kermit formed the center of this team with his testimony about addiction. Mary K shared about how alcohol had impacted her family and her relationship with her son. Megan shared about how Jesus had helped her to avoid sexual immorality and filled the place in her heart that had made her vulnerable to these temptations. When the team finished Rev. James gave an invitation and over half of those listening responded. Many said they were praying to recieve Christ for the first time.
Later I asked about how they would follow these up. The pastors described how they assigned new Christians to a mentor who would meet with them every week, first to build a friendship and then to study pertainant scripture together that would help them become grounded in their faith and grow. It is a great plan. . . . one that puts the emphasis on relationships.... and one of the many things we can learn from the Ugandan Church.

SUNDAY WORSHIP and Travel

Sunday Morning we began the day early with a trip to the cathedral in Kampala. Worship was a nice mixture of praise and hymns . . . some that took me back to my Baptist Days (e.g. "I surrender All") I had been asked to speak and along the way I remembered that it was the 36th year anniversary since I gave my life to Christ as a teenager. On June 6th, I gave him 1 month to show that He was real . . . life has never been the same. I spent much of the worship service reflecting on the faithfulness of God.
After services we began the trip to Kassee. It was a five hour ride. Along the way we stopped to use the restroom at a roadside shell station. It is like many others in the country -- a small room with a hole in the ground and two boards to put your feet. Another cultural experience! When we stopped the children would come to see the "muzuga" (white people). They were all smiles . . . especially when we began to give out some candy we had brought! Since I wear my clerical collar many wanted a prayer for blessing as well. When I asked what they would like me to pray about I even got to do some "roadside counseling" along the way with one teenager.
The drive was quite pretty with fields punctuated with banana trees, cotton, tea plantations, an occasional "jackfruit" tree, papaya and pineapple.
Arriving at the Agape Guest House in Kassee we were greeted by a group of 9 clergy. Supper was on the table - chicken, goat, rice, beans and the best pineapple I have ever tasted. Coke products to drink -- including a ginger soda made by Coke that is quite zippy called "Stony tangawizi" (just try to pronounce that one!)
Kermit had made "disciple crosses" for the clergy in the colors of Uganda - red, gold and black. They loved them! I ended the evening with a nice warm shower.... ahhhhhh.

Saturday in Kampala

Saturday was full to say the least. The day began with wonderful conversation over breakfast. The archbishop of Jerusalem was staying at the guest house (since he had given the address at commencement) so we shared thoughts over fresh pineapple (wow is it good!), papaya, melon, homemade bread and some hard boiled eggs – not too Shabby a way to start the morning! He is a deep man of faith, concerned and strongly focused on the unity of the church -- - as well as faithfulness to the truth of the gospel. He reminded us how pivotal the role of Africa had been in the development of Christianity – with Alexandria being a prime intellectual center of faith, Athenasius contending for the faith against Arian heresy an Augustine of Hippo shaping Christian thought (among other things). He shares the conviction that the center of gravity is shifting back to Africa for Christianity and that God is doing a new thing (or perhaps better put, doing a new thing AGAIN!) Since he will be hosting GAFCON, I found it particularly interesting.

He also encouraged us in the importance of sharing the gospel by acts of mercy for the poor and those in need. As we left for Kampala we prayed together and prayed a blessing for us. What a treat - We added it to our list of "God sightings!"

Then it was on to meet Alison, Archbishop Henri Orombi’s Assistant. She filled us in on the church of Uganda, about the American church’s relationship to it and the history of the relationship and about all things Ugandan – from greetings to the use of pit latrines (well, THAT lesson was for the ladies). She also helped us negotiate the “jams” (traffic jams – traffic in Kampala is a lesson in faith, hope and love), change money for a good price (folks barter on the rate of exchange), visit the local market, and pick up some items at a local store. About eight at night we treated her and our driver to a wonderful Indian dinner (her choice) at one of the more posh restaurants in town where we dined on all sorts of great food on the top floor of a restaurant that overlooked the city -- for under $10 each! Unfortunately, one of our group was beginning to experience some traveler’s stomach so she missed out on the great dinner. After stopping by the pharmacy for the fix we headed back to Mukundo – and most of us where in bed by 1am. A long, wonderful day.

One of the real blessings of the trip was Alison’s tour of Namberende Hill – the center of the Ugandan Church. The place is full of history including the grave sites of missionaries who left their homes to live and die in Uganda. Their commitment to spread the gospel, in a time when there was literally no return was sobering. To think of several who walked miles through forest and bush to get to this landlocked country so that they could bring medical services (the first hospital was started here), education and Christ’s love was a powerful inspiration. The tour included a trip to St. Paul's Cathedral where we would worship on Sunday. We met the Dean of the Cathedral who insisted that I introduce the team to the several thousand worshipers who would be there on Sunday (more on this later)

Of all Saturday’s activities - the trip to the market was the most difficult and thought provoking. During our devotional time after dinner, we compared notes on how it felt to be admist such poverty (almost indescribable in it’s sad depth) There is nothing that compares in the US. In the midst of such a world Just what is the call of Jesus to us? There were many thoughts but I think that one thing we all saw is that we will never read Jesus’ words and his concern for the poor, quite the same way. There was also the stark reality of just how blessed we are. Paul’s statement that “To whom much is given, much will be required” kept ringing in my ears.

Fr. Jim

Friday In Kampala - Arrival & Praises!

We arrived in Kampala on time and all, though tired, in one piece and excited to be here. The good news - all the luggage arrive with us-something that the last 4 teams I spoke to said they had problems with. But also something we made a direct object of prayer. I was also concerned that we would have someone waiting for us when we arrived. The arrangements had been made with a missionary who had since returned home. I thought everything was OK, I had heard that it was OK, but still, having been in a foreign airport before it was a concern. I also was concerned about customs. Thanks to your gracefilled gifts, we were bringing in a lot of new things and I had pondered the possibility that they would think it was for resale an charge us duty. No problem on either front. When we arrived our three drivers were waiting for us with a sign "Jim Needham." (I felt like a celeb!) And as for customs, we simply had our Visa's stamped and walked out the airport door. No one even looked in the bags.

The ride to Mukundo(Uganda Christian University) was long and when we arrived we were taken to the guesthouse and the home of one of the missionaries to stay. The guest house was simple but clean an a wonderful relief because finally a shower. The home was quite nice. It sits on a hill with a wonderful view of the trees and green stretching out below it. There are quite a few birds and (I heard) some monkeys. We ended our day together, giving thanks for our uneventful arrival. It made me aware of how we seldom thank God for all the things that go right in our lives, simply because we take them for granted.

(sent via email from Fr. Jim)