2010 Uganda Mission Trip
|
|
Thank you for praying for the Uganda Mission Team as they traveled and ministered January 4 - 17, 2010.
Team Members were: David Boncler, Zach Gulden, Linda Small, Daniel Wiginton, Marcie Stowell, Anna Parker, Kegan Mosier, Conner Jones, Bev Harris, Cassie Harris, Mikayla Harris and Jonathan Harris. One of our former interns, Mikelle Dahlin, was already serving in the area while doing a semester abroad. |
 |
Below is part of a thank you note written by Abraham, one of the team's primary translators.
I want first to thank the Vista Grande Baptist Church Administration for pasturing these guys in the way of the lord and teaching them to live humble lives, THANK YOU. For investing in them the true gospel of Jesus Christ which i believe they imitated from you THANK YOU. For allowing them as a leadership to come over, praying for them trusting and believing in them, loving them and encouraging them THANK YOU.
I want to thank the family members that have devotedly stood by ever since they planned, left till when they came back. For your prayers, money, love, sacrifice, words of wisdom, patience and smiles THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Though you weren't in the field you were part of the team.
The sponsors who made this trip very successful in terms of finances and items in kind, you did a very wonderful work right from the one who gave a cent to one who gave a note, heaven smiled coz of you. Family, church friends companies individuals’ etc thank you for giving to the lord. I want to assure you every cent was used properly and wisely. The sponsors THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
The church members you prayed, encouraged, believed and trusted the team and the many other teams to other parts of the world, your love for the team is so vivid. Church THANK YOU VERY MUCH
THE team members (David, Daniel, Mrs. Harris, Zach, Linda, Anna, Cassie, Marcie, Mikayla, Mikelle, Kegan, Jonathan Harris, Conner Jones) who gave up every thing to make this mission a success, the time you spent, the words you shared, the love you shared, the SMILES you shared with the children, widows, orphans, evangelism to valuable people, children in remand homes, prisoners, pastors and leaders, compassion sponsored kids, the medical clinic in mityana,the Sunday morning preaching.
"FAITHFULL SERVANTS YOU DID A WONDERFUL WORK BE BLESSED OF THE LORD. Africa and Uganda in particular is not what the CNN, FOX, CBS OR BBC try to show THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING TO THE LORD.
I won’t say you sacrificed coz Jesus expects us to give up everything for him if need be, but am touched to say THANK YOU for hearing the voice of God and obeying him.
Walusimbi Mpanga Abraham
This update from Daniel Wiginton was part of the February/March 2010 newsletter.
Love the Lord With All Your Mind
On January 17, I and twelve others from Vista Grande returned home after spending nearly two weeks doing ministry in Uganda. While there, we served in a variety of ways ranging from digging outhouses to preaching at evangelistic crusades.
For me, one of the most moving experiences in Uganda was spending four days training local church leaders. Scores of pastors and others showed up to these meetings hungry to learn. The lessons that we provided were not particularly profound, but those who came took detailed notes, asked perceptive questions, and were very appreciative. They requested that our materials be translated into several languages and distributed throughout the country because educational materials are so rare. Most of the pastors have a Bible, but very few have anything more. Their Bibles are worn to the point that most American believers would discard them. Theological education, commentaries, and even simple study Bibles are beyond reach because of cost and limited access. Yet, these men and women are doing all they can to learn more.
This desire to learn fits well with what Jesus said in the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Jesus was quoting the book of Deuteronomy, but he actually added to it by including the phrase, “with all your mind.” Jesus is instructing us, among other things, not to be ignorant about our faith.
The believers we met in Uganda are doing all that they can to love God with their minds. But what about us? Americans have access to more knowledge about the Bible and the Christian faith than any other nation at any point in history. I suspect that every church in America has members who complain of “not being fed,” yet we are seated at the greatest banquet of knowledge of all time and do not pick up a fork to eat. Instead, let’s take seriously the call to love God with our minds by doing all we can to know and understand His Word.
Daniel Wiginton
Background - how this ministry began
Uganda is a landlocked country in east-central Africa, about the size of Oregon. The team worked with Pastor Sande in Entebbe, Uganda. Pastor Sande contacted Vista Grande back in May 2007. He requested us to come and train the people in the history of the Word, as well as understanding the Word. He also asked that we minister to the people in various forms. During the first trip in January 2009, the Secretary to the President of Uganda requested a meeting to discuss how to put ministry into the school system of Uganda.
During the first trip, the Uganda Mission Team trained church members in Biblical & Christian history. They went to schools and orphanages in each of the areas. 2009 team members were David Boncler, Rick, Cheryl and Lynna Rollow, David Salkeld, Ashley Harris, Zach Gulden, Josh Harris, Linda Small and Nathan Campbell.
