Rejoice!

"God is good...all the time.
All the time...God is good...cause that's His nature WOW!"

This is a saying we heard throughout our day at Agape Orphanage.  It is hard to sort through thoughts and put into words the emotions and feelings of today.

Refreshment:  How awesome it was to have a full nights sleep.  So thankful for REST!

Joy:  We arrived at Agape this morning to faces of pure joy.  I, along with the rest of the team, find it hard to believe that people would be running and jumping up and down to the sight of our faces.  But, that is exactly what happened.  Our bus pulled up and a swarm of children ran to the door.  Most of us didn't know how to react other than to wave, cry, and embrace the hugs and love of the children.  You could feel the presence of the Lord.

Praise:  We spent our morning in worship...very real worship with our God.  Hands were raised, a mix of American and African voices filled the air, and our Lord was praised!  Many of the Agape children shared poems, thank you's, and songs.  Nate shared with us about responding to Christ's call in our lives, the feast He is inviting us to, and how our actions should represent our response to Christ.  I'm not sure that we've ever done as much singing as we did today.  We also completed our first day of Vacation Bible School where Sherry discussed with the children how "God is real", they made buddy bags, sang songs, and played tug-of-war!  Success!

 Celebration:  Everyone at Agape celebrated with a feast of food for lunch.  This meal contained a variety of foods from fresh fruit and rice to hot sweet bananas and "beef".  For the children of Agape, this is one of maybe three meals they will have each year containing meat.  They piled their plates full and enjoyed every bit of a well needed meal.  Their smiles couldn't be hidden if they tried and of course they were thankful.  Our day ended with a dance party celebration...something that EVERYONE loved.  Children from the surrounding villages joined us and we danced and danced to live African music.  I hope you can picture all of us on this team trying to keep up with the children...it was a beautiful sight!

Reality:  The reality is there is much need in Uganda.  There is beauty.  There is laughter.  There is hurt.  There is hunger.  It is very difficult to understand how our lives can be so different and why this is in our world.  However, we can rejoice in knowing that people such as William have given their life to help children survive in a place such as this.  We can rejoice in our time here and all of you praying for this place daily.  And ultimately we rejoice in knowing that one day this will be no longer and we will live in His Kingdom!

This was today...

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God! 

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, 

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!"

Psalm 100:1-4

Hello from Uganda!

I am happy to announce that we made it safely to Uganda!!  It is Saturday night and saying that we are exhausted is an understatement.  It was a very long day consisting of lots of movies, minimal sleep, and watching two sunrises!  We've been welcomed with open arms and lots of love so far and look forward to seeing the beautiful children of Agape tomorrow.  Due to heavy eyes and slow internet, this post will be very short and without pictures.  However, they will come soon!  Continue to pray for us as we begin this wonderful journey of letting Christ's light shine in many ways.  We miss all of you!

Final Count Down!

This week has been crazy, but more importantly exciting as we look forward to heading to Agape orphanage.  It started with a packing party in Scottsboro with some of our faithful team members.  They worked, packed, talked, sat in the dark, and packed some more to fill many pieces of luggage to the exact weight amount and with the most needed items for the children at Agape.  

One member of our team, Nate, left on Tuesday morning to make his way to Uganda to spend a little extra time in the surrounding areas.  He made it safely and is planning to visit the slums of Kampala tomorrow.  The rest of us continue to run around picking up last minute items all the while trying to rest before meeting up with each other at 4:00 AM in Atlanta to make our way overseas.  Should be a cheery and chatty group!  

We can't adequately express our thanks to each of you for your support and prayers for this team.  Please continue to lift us up over the coming weeks and for our work to be the Lord's work.  As our brothers and sisters, celebrate freedom today not only for our country but also in the one who calls us His.  

"So Christ has truly set us free."  Galations 5:1 

Continue to check this blog for (hopefully) daily updates and pictures on what we are doing, how we are serving, and how the Lord is working in our lives and the people we will grow to love in Uganda!  

Gratitude and Support

Many of you have been beyond generous with your financial contributions, prayers, purchasing delicious cakes, bidding at auctions, giving medical supplies, and much much more.  We can't thank you enough for this.  Please know that you have helped make this trip possible for us.  The Lord has provided once again!

THANK YOU!!!

So what exactly will we be doing in Uganda??  Well, for starters we will be at an orphanage loving the children who live and/or attend school there (around 45 children live there with 30 coming in for school from the neighboring villages).  The children and families will participate in vacation bible school each day by singing songs, making crafts, listening to stories, and learning about our King.  We hope to see many smiles and hearts radiating with his light!  Our team will also take part in helping to build/complete two dorms for the orphanage for more children to live and attend the school.  I'm sure there will be many other projects for us when we arrive!

In addition to eleven people and their personal luggage being unloaded from the bus, we each pack a suitcase to stay at the orphanage with a variety of supplies.  This is where we could use YOUR help!  Below are lists of items that William at the orphanage has shared with us.  We would like to do all we can to provide what is needed.  Please contact a team member or comment below so we can let you know where to deliver the supplies.

Clothing:                                           Hygiene Products:                School Supplies:

White socks                                        Deoderant                               Scientific Calculators

Black shoes                                        Shaving Supplies                    Colored Pencils

Underwear for girls and boys             Toothbrushes                          Rulers

Sports bras                                         Toothpaste                              Protractors

                                                           Shampoo                                 Crayons

                                                           Soap                                        Pencils

                                                           Feminine Products                  Sharpeners

 "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."  Philippians 1: 3-5

Tubasanyukidde...Welcome!

"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.  You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 5:13-16

Tubasanyukidde (Welcome) to our blog!  On July 6, eleven individuals from First United Methodist Church of Scottsboro, AL along with individuals from Servants In Faith And Technology (SIFAT) will travel to Lugazi, Uganda to be the "light" that Christ has called each of us to be in a world of darkness.  We will be welcomed by 75 wide eyed children, red dirt, and a new world as we pull into Agape Total Childcare Orphanage run by our brother William...a picture most of us think about daily as we prepare our hearts for the love and poverty we will experience. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that his followers are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  What does this look like for us?

1.  Salt:  a peculiar taste, unlike anything else; a seasoning; a preservative.  It imparts a portion of its taste to everything it is mixed with.  Christians are to be in the world like salt.

2.  Light:  something that makes things visible; the radiance from a particular source; it is to be utterly distinct from darkness; it fertilizes, guides, cheers; the first thing to be called into being.  Christians are to be in the world like light.

I believe as J.C. Ryle writes "that we are meant to learn from these two things, that there must be something marked, distinct, peculiar about our character as Christians".  We are to be the salt and the light of the world.  We are to show the world the light of the Kingdom through the good works done by Jesus's followers, with the ultimate result that the Father in heaven is glorified.  What an honor to be chosen to do this!  So as our group prepares to carry the salt and light of Christ to another country, we ask that you join us in prayer for the people of Lugazi, Agape Total Childcare Orphanage, our team members (names listed below), safety, preparation of hearts and logistics, and ultimately that we allow Christ to lead the way.

Team Members:
George Armstrong, Jordan Armstrong, Emily Beaty, Tim Fraumann, Mike Herrell, Sherry Herrell, Paul Joseph, Gerald Paulk, Sue Paulk, Laura Paulk, Nate Paulk (pictures of the group to follow!)