Today we were able to have our first real outreach experience in Uganda. We walked to the Soroti Stadium, which is more like a patchy grass and dirt field, where there were already people waiting for us. We all greeted one another and introduced ourselves. One of the Ugandan men shared a devotional, and we all were led in worship by a few Ugandans. During the devotional, the man speaking referred to our team as twelve disciples (there are indeed twelve of us). This stuck out for a lot of us, and encouraged us greatly! After devos and worship, we set up a sports clinic with five stations-field hockey, volleyball, frisbee, and of course, two with soccer. Those participating rotated through the stations and enjoyed every sport they played. Their smiles and laughs were seen and heard by all! Once the last station was finished, we took the groups we had off the field to shade to talk. Testimonies, the gospel and bible verses were shared, and two kids came to know Christ through this time of sharing. In the afternoon our group traveled to a nearby high school where we performed a skit in order to share the gospel. Afterwards, we did a Sawyer water filter demonstration, and were able to donate a filter to the school, so they would be able to have clean water to drink.
And so came the soccer match. Although the day was long and we were tired, we were still focused and excited for it. We were lucky enough to play a Ugandan club soccer team on one of the better fields in Soroti. Before beginning, we set our team goals straight. We were not there only focused on winning, but rather to use our abilities and play this game as a way to glorify God. Of course we still wanted to win, but we were glorifying Him no matter the outcome. The field was lined with fans for both teams, most of them being children. The cheering was loud, as was the laughter when we made bad plays.   The pace was fast and the weather was hot, but the sun was setting and it made for noteworthy conditions. Playing with the club team was an amazing opportunity and although we lost 1-0 (off of a penalty kick), it was great to play in the setting we did. After praying the with other team, we joined the community for a time of worship. We danced with so many children who were just overjoyed to be with us. Their music is different but so fun and active. They crowded around each of us and would look for an open spot to hold on. Kids, teenagers, and adults were all so welcoming and happy to have us. We worked our way up to the stage and each introduced ourselves. A few of us gave our testimonies and then shared the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor George came to the stage and began sharing more of it, which was an inspirational moment. God was speaking through him in a way that really spoke to everyone. He invited all of the kids who wished to be saved to come up in front of the stage. No less than 60 kids proceeded forward and raised their hands when he asked them to. We all went and prayed with kids, teenagers, and adults. When it was time to leave, the kids hardly let us get back on the bus. Our leaders were extremely proud of us for stepping out of our comfort zone so early on in the trip. This is a special group who is capable of special things and we are beyond excited to see what God has in store for us for the rest of the trip. 
Keep looking for more blogs! We are doing great things! 

Tyler and Moriah