Mary Baraka's Testimony

We were so thrilled to have Mary Baraka share her testimony with women at Trinity during her visit to us in September.


Mary from Uganda from Jamey Durham on Vimeo.

Paul Baraka (Namusaala, Uganda)

This is the video of Paul Baraka that we showed in church at Trinity on August 17. After he shared about the joy of being one man in Christ, Paul got down on his knees and used a cloth to wash our feet. It was one of the most moving events in each of our lives.

Counselor Training

Wow!

The three dyas of counselor training were unbelievable. It seemed that the plans Joan, Kathleen, and Donna prayed about were exactly what was needed for Titus' ministry. Rarely have I been on a misison trip where what was needed matched so well with what was planned. Thanks be to God! Enjoy these pics, the highlights of which was the newly elected bishop handing out certificates of completion after the training was finished.

Hope Christian School

Here is a short slide show of Hope Christian School in Namusaala, Uganda. Here 75 students come from the surrounding countryside for a secondary education in English. Very few Bari-speaking people have a secondary education. This school is two years old and and seeks to help these children of Sudanese descent to take the next step in their lives. How might we help this school? We could...

a) Help sponsor students.
b) Develop pen pal relationships from our schools to their school.
c) Build a school building.

GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

Hi everyone!

This is just a quick post to say all is well and we have not had internet access until today for a few minutes when I could get away for a quick visit to an internet cafe. We likely won't have access again until we return. We will update the blog with stories after we get back.

We have been blown away by God amazing provision for a successful visit. Saturday and Sunday went so well that we said, "If nothing else positive happens, this experience has been so very good."

But we can all honestly say that everyday has seen so many good things. The counseling training has gone beyond our best hopes. Kathleen, Joan, and Donna have all done such a great job. To see Todd TG interact with kids in the schools and churches is awesome. The soccer balls from OC Rec and the Basketballs from NWC camps have been a HUGE hit. Todd has also been doing physical labor at Titus' house, much to the surprise of local Ugandans, who evidently have not seen a 'mizungu' (Westerner) do much physical labor. And, when we handed out the radios, it was as if some one had just won a million dollars. They are so grateful.

Well, time to get back the training sessions.

God bless you all,

Jon

I'm going to Uganda!!!

Last fall I prayed a prayer that something like this, "Lord, would you expand my circle of life, I feel too content in Orange City."
I can easily say that this year has been one of the most exciting years of my life. Going to Uganda is an honor and thrill to me. I have never been out of the country. The part I will be playing on the team will be as an abstinence educator. My experience in teaching abstinence began about 15 years ago as a new teacher in a public school. I realized that many students are never taught how saving sex for marriage will benefit them in many areas of their lives. I have a passion for teaching abstinence. More recently I was an abstinence educator in Northwest Iowa.
I am so excited that God is using my experience to teach people His plan for sexual purity in Uganda.
Uganda has had alot of success in encouraging abstinence but it still has a high HIV/AIDS rate. Abstinence is a message that needs to be continually taught. I will be training other leaders to teach students about sexual self-control.
Pray for us to have health and energy. Pray also that we will have culturally accurate examples to share with our audience. Pray for restful sleep. Donna D

Journey to Africa

My journey to Africa began about 15 years ago at a missions conference called Urbana. I left that conference feeling a call to go to Africa. I didn't know exactly when or even what I was to do, but I felt in my heart that I needed to go.

During this past year, my opportunity to Africa finally arrived. I was asked to be a member of our church's mission team. Our team is organized into three dirrerent areas: local, national, and global. After sharing our visions and passions, I was asked to join the global group and take a trip to Uganda.

I am excited yet nervous about this trip. Our main goal for this trip is to train lay counselors for a new counseling center, but I am not a counselor. Instead, I will be looking for ways to serve and form other long-term relationships. I feel as if God has been training and preparing me for the past fifteen years for what is to come, but I am still wondering exactly how God will use me. I pray that my eyes may be open, and that I may not miss any signs God reveals while I am there. I am excited to see what God has in store!