Friday, June 24, 2016
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
May 30th
The past couple days have been quite the adventure! Sports Outreach blessed us with some African adventures to go on for our last days in this lovely place. Today we arrived at Paraa Safari lodge and had a nice meal. Shortly after we went on a boat ride on the Nile River, witnessing different animals including hippos, elephants, lizards, crocodiles and various birds. We enjoyed learning about the different animals as well as bonding together. After the boat ride we got off and hiked up the incredible Murchison Falls. We were able to trek up a steep incline to appreciate Gods masterpiece of nature. It was wonderful to be able to look out at the falls and reflect on the amazing experiences we had on this trip as well has witness the power of our God through a strong waterfall. There was one part where we even saw a rainbow in the falls as we were sprayed with mist. When we finished our hike, we took a ferry and bus ride back. At the end of the day we enjoyed a hearty meal and then spent the rest of the evening reflecting on our journey. We each shared some things that took place during the trip that we wanted to remember. It was a sentimental way to reminisce on all the beautiful happenings of our Ugandan adventure.
May 31st
We headed out at 5:30 this morning with the best start to the day, a safari! With our group split between three jeeps, we were on our way. All of us were amazed by the incredible array of animals in their habitats before us as well as the sunrise that revealed them. We saw many antelope, water buffalo, various birds and giraffes. One of our favorite sights to see was family of about seven lions together right in clear sight. Most of us also saw our first pangolin, which I would describe as a large armadillo lizard that rolls up in a ball for defense. After our amazing morning adventure we ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and started our journey home. After at least seven hours of traveling on the bus driven by the amazing Wilfred, we ate tasty pizza at Cafe Javas. The time finally came for us to reach the first airport and tell our fearless leader Sam and fantastic bus driver Wilfred goodbye. Our flight from Kampala takes off at 11:30. We will be returning Wednesday evening after two layovers in Amsterdam and Georgia. As we fly home and have time to think, we will surely be reflecting on our incredible Ugandan experience where the Lord has blessed and revealed himself greatly! We cannot express our thankfulness enough for all the prayers and support. Please play for safe travels home.
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Alissa)
The past couple days have been quite the adventure! Sports Outreach blessed us with some African adventures to go on for our last days in this lovely place. Today we arrived at Paraa Safari lodge and had a nice meal. Shortly after we went on a boat ride on the Nile River, witnessing different animals including hippos, elephants, lizards, crocodiles and various birds. We enjoyed learning about the different animals as well as bonding together. After the boat ride we got off and hiked up the incredible Murchison Falls. We were able to trek up a steep incline to appreciate Gods masterpiece of nature. It was wonderful to be able to look out at the falls and reflect on the amazing experiences we had on this trip as well has witness the power of our God through a strong waterfall. There was one part where we even saw a rainbow in the falls as we were sprayed with mist. When we finished our hike, we took a ferry and bus ride back. At the end of the day we enjoyed a hearty meal and then spent the rest of the evening reflecting on our journey. We each shared some things that took place during the trip that we wanted to remember. It was a sentimental way to reminisce on all the beautiful happenings of our Ugandan adventure.
May 31st
We headed out at 5:30 this morning with the best start to the day, a safari! With our group split between three jeeps, we were on our way. All of us were amazed by the incredible array of animals in their habitats before us as well as the sunrise that revealed them. We saw many antelope, water buffalo, various birds and giraffes. One of our favorite sights to see was family of about seven lions together right in clear sight. Most of us also saw our first pangolin, which I would describe as a large armadillo lizard that rolls up in a ball for defense. After our amazing morning adventure we ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and started our journey home. After at least seven hours of traveling on the bus driven by the amazing Wilfred, we ate tasty pizza at Cafe Javas. The time finally came for us to reach the first airport and tell our fearless leader Sam and fantastic bus driver Wilfred goodbye. Our flight from Kampala takes off at 11:30. We will be returning Wednesday evening after two layovers in Amsterdam and Georgia. As we fly home and have time to think, we will surely be reflecting on our incredible Ugandan experience where the Lord has blessed and revealed himself greatly! We cannot express our thankfulness enough for all the prayers and support. Please play for safe travels home.
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Alissa)
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Praise God! (Amen)
Today we continued our adventure in Uganda by traveling to the Sports Outreach Ministry (SOM) Farm to attend church at New Foundations Community Church. Upon arrival, we were greeted with smiles and felt welcomed within their congregation.
Before the service began, Jordan shared his testimomy on how he became a follower of Christ. Following his speech, Erin shared a word of encouragement by reading from Philippians 4:4-7.
Worship was very lively and the entire congregation was dancing and singing for the almighty King. Pastor Aloysius shared a powerful message on the importance of following God and trusting in His word. From scripture, he shared from Revelations 2:18-29. He intertwined this reading of scripture with the overriding message by sharing three ways we, as humans, can live a Godly life. We first must obey God and do what he wants us to do. Second, we must give up trying to do things by ourselves. Finally, we must begin reading and absorbing the messages from God's word.
After church we traveled to a neighboring village known as Lajwatek Village. Immediately entering the village their was dancing and singing lead by the children and women of the village. After a couple of songs, we gathered with the entire village. One of the village woman, Ester, shared her testimony on how Pastor Aloysius saved her life and led her to Christ.
After eating lunch and resting our bodies at the hotel, we traveled back to the SOM Farm. Our AROMA staff team scrimmaged the SOM staff in a friendly match of soccer. Our AROMA team prevailed and won our second international game 2-1. Even though he had a competitive game, both teams came together and got to know one another on a more personal level after the game.
The SOM staff was very generous and showed hospitality by serving us dinner. We also had the opportunity to purchase hand-made jewelry and accessories to support Christine's House. This building is a home where young girls come to receive mentorship from facing struggles in their lives.
Our entire AROMA staff would like to thank the SOM staff for their hospitality by hosting us for the past couple of days. We would also like to thank everyone for all the constant support and prayer.
Today was, again, an amazing experience and the presence of God was felt everywhere. Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to experience Your love through these disciples of yours.
God Bless,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Dakota R.)
Today we continued our adventure in Uganda by traveling to the Sports Outreach Ministry (SOM) Farm to attend church at New Foundations Community Church. Upon arrival, we were greeted with smiles and felt welcomed within their congregation.
Before the service began, Jordan shared his testimomy on how he became a follower of Christ. Following his speech, Erin shared a word of encouragement by reading from Philippians 4:4-7.
Worship was very lively and the entire congregation was dancing and singing for the almighty King. Pastor Aloysius shared a powerful message on the importance of following God and trusting in His word. From scripture, he shared from Revelations 2:18-29. He intertwined this reading of scripture with the overriding message by sharing three ways we, as humans, can live a Godly life. We first must obey God and do what he wants us to do. Second, we must give up trying to do things by ourselves. Finally, we must begin reading and absorbing the messages from God's word.
After church we traveled to a neighboring village known as Lajwatek Village. Immediately entering the village their was dancing and singing lead by the children and women of the village. After a couple of songs, we gathered with the entire village. One of the village woman, Ester, shared her testimony on how Pastor Aloysius saved her life and led her to Christ.
After eating lunch and resting our bodies at the hotel, we traveled back to the SOM Farm. Our AROMA staff team scrimmaged the SOM staff in a friendly match of soccer. Our AROMA team prevailed and won our second international game 2-1. Even though he had a competitive game, both teams came together and got to know one another on a more personal level after the game.
The SOM staff was very generous and showed hospitality by serving us dinner. We also had the opportunity to purchase hand-made jewelry and accessories to support Christine's House. This building is a home where young girls come to receive mentorship from facing struggles in their lives.
Our entire AROMA staff would like to thank the SOM staff for their hospitality by hosting us for the past couple of days. We would also like to thank everyone for all the constant support and prayer.
Today was, again, an amazing experience and the presence of God was felt everywhere. Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to experience Your love through these disciples of yours.
God Bless,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Dakota R.)
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Today began bright and early with breakfast at 6:30. We then drove to Awak Lela, where we were welcomed by a large crowd. The first event of the day was a 2.5K race with the community and sports outreach staff. We gathered at the starting point, where we sang a song, the staff explained the course, and we prayed to open the day. Children then began the race, shortly followed by everyone else. The competition was tough, but we were well-represented by our very own Jacob Bender who finished second. While we waited for everyone to finish, Alissa proceeded to finish multiple times, going back to run the last 200 yards or so with a number of people, encouraging them all the way, and of course, always with a huge smile on her face. After the race, everyone gathered together and Alissa shared part of her story about her struggles and God's work in her life. She related the race we just ran to the race we run in life towards our ultimate prize, Jesus Christ.
We were then divided up into 15 "families". Each family included one or two sports outreach staff and one of our Aroma team members. We were the "moms and dads" of each family, and we each had children of a similar age range in our groups. Our families were named after disciples/people in the Bible. Families got to know each other with songs, dancing, and smaller games like staring contests and finger grabbing. There were 4 families in 4 groups, (A,B,C,D). The 4 families competed against each other in games within their group. We played games called cat and mouse, electric shock, snake bite, 4 by 4 relays, kangaroo relays, and a few others. Each of the games had Bible lessons to go along with them. So after each game, each family would get together and we would share about the scripture associated with the game, as well as anything else we wanted to share with our family. The main ideas were God's love, sin, Jesus as the bridge, and communication of the gospel. Being in this family setting presented a great opportunity for all of us to share a number of times throughout the day.
After we had played all of the games, we prepared for our official match against the local soccer team. We sported some dashing maroon kits supplied by Mechanicsburg High School (thank you!) and our Aroma team was joined by some of the sports outreach staff and soccer stars: Sam, Aloysius, Aruna, and Richard. It was a great competition and was scoreless until about halfway through the first half when our leader from sports outreach, Sam, scored our first goal! a few minutes later, Sam woodworth would connect with Kirby for our second goal putting us up 2-0. We had a brief halftime and then played the second half. Each team had a number of opportunities in the second half, but the game finished 2-0.
After the game, the hundreds of spectators (men, women and many many children) gathered on the field. Dakota R shared his testimony about how he came to Christ and Tyler shared the gospel in a very clear way. Following their sharing, Pastor Aloysius invited anyone who would like to accept Christ to raise their hands and then invited them to gather with a few members of the sports outreach and aroma teams, as well as the leaders of their local churches. Kirby prayed for the group to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 48 people accepted Christ today and were directed to a church to be surrounded by a community of believers to continue to grow in their faith. After this, we were awarded a goat for winning the soccer match, for which we were very grateful and honored. We named him afoyo (which means thank you in Achole language). Overall, we had an incredible day full of lots of smiles, games, fun, and Jesus. We rejoice in everyone who accepted Jesus today and all those who learned more and grew in their walks with Christ.
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Erin)
We were then divided up into 15 "families". Each family included one or two sports outreach staff and one of our Aroma team members. We were the "moms and dads" of each family, and we each had children of a similar age range in our groups. Our families were named after disciples/people in the Bible. Families got to know each other with songs, dancing, and smaller games like staring contests and finger grabbing. There were 4 families in 4 groups, (A,B,C,D). The 4 families competed against each other in games within their group. We played games called cat and mouse, electric shock, snake bite, 4 by 4 relays, kangaroo relays, and a few others. Each of the games had Bible lessons to go along with them. So after each game, each family would get together and we would share about the scripture associated with the game, as well as anything else we wanted to share with our family. The main ideas were God's love, sin, Jesus as the bridge, and communication of the gospel. Being in this family setting presented a great opportunity for all of us to share a number of times throughout the day.
After we had played all of the games, we prepared for our official match against the local soccer team. We sported some dashing maroon kits supplied by Mechanicsburg High School (thank you!) and our Aroma team was joined by some of the sports outreach staff and soccer stars: Sam, Aloysius, Aruna, and Richard. It was a great competition and was scoreless until about halfway through the first half when our leader from sports outreach, Sam, scored our first goal! a few minutes later, Sam woodworth would connect with Kirby for our second goal putting us up 2-0. We had a brief halftime and then played the second half. Each team had a number of opportunities in the second half, but the game finished 2-0.
After the game, the hundreds of spectators (men, women and many many children) gathered on the field. Dakota R shared his testimony about how he came to Christ and Tyler shared the gospel in a very clear way. Following their sharing, Pastor Aloysius invited anyone who would like to accept Christ to raise their hands and then invited them to gather with a few members of the sports outreach and aroma teams, as well as the leaders of their local churches. Kirby prayed for the group to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 48 people accepted Christ today and were directed to a church to be surrounded by a community of believers to continue to grow in their faith. After this, we were awarded a goat for winning the soccer match, for which we were very grateful and honored. We named him afoyo (which means thank you in Achole language). Overall, we had an incredible day full of lots of smiles, games, fun, and Jesus. We rejoice in everyone who accepted Jesus today and all those who learned more and grew in their walks with Christ.
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Erin)
Friday, May 27, 2016
Friday. What a Day!
. Today was a very full day, but it was also a very great day. We started the morning with breakfast and a team devotional. We felt it was especially important to spend time together in the word and in pray as we were informed that some of the places we would be visiting and working could potentially be very emotionally and spiritually heavy places.
Our first journey was to the Gulu Remand House, a juvenile detention center. There we met with the entire group where Dakota Rosenberg and I (Sam Woodworth) were able to share a testimony and an encouraging word respectively. Dakota shared from Romans 12:26 and I shared from Titus 3:3-8. Next we had the opportunity to serve the group lunch, a meal they often do not get. We then went outside and played Ultimate Frisbee and soccer with the boys (and a few girls). They also enjoyed playing "Head it! Catch it!" And "River, Bank". It was a joyful time and everyone left the field laughing and sweating. Before we left Zeb Cross felt called to share a story from his life and was able to speak a word of encouragement to the group.
On our way back to the hotel for lunch we made a quick stop down memory lane for our fearless leader Aaron Faro. 11 years ago, amid a war torn city, Aaron played in the first and only international professional soccer game in Gulu with the Charlotte Eagles in Pece Stadium. So we stopped by the stadium to get the story behind the game and how it impacted the growth of Sports Outreach, and the Holy Spirit, in the city of Gulu.
After the stadium visit, we rode the bus back to the hotel and had a quick bite to eat while conversing about the morning. We left around 2pm from the hotel to travel to the Sawyer product demonstration and hands-on walkthrough.
Our famous bus driver, Wilfred, was drove like a professional, evading the numerous pot holes and ditches that came his way. When we arrived, there were many representatives from different churches in the area that attended the meeting place, some of which traveled many hours in advance to the meeting place.
Our knowledgable Sawyer product demonstration expert, Jordan Frank, gave a clear and concise presentation on the bucket filter. He was not wavered by the 30min Q&A from group of church representatives nor the speculation over the effectiveness of the bucket filter.
After the demo, Kirby R. presented the gospel and Aaron F. presented a small group session on the verse behind AROMA (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) and split us up into small groups with a translator for every group.
After coming back together, we entered into song with the group and said our goodbyes to most of the people there and walked down the road and trail. We walked to a small hut that was home to a little girl by the name of Trinity and gave her family a bucket filter. Her mother described her as a lovely girl that could sing very well, so Trinity sang us a short song and we said goodbyes.
The children followed us a few hundred meters over to a hut that was home to a little boy named Osama. We gave a bucket filter to his family and his aunt gave us the short background story of Osama's life so far. We said our goodbyes to the children following us while holding our hands and boarded the bus to go back to the hotel.
Lastly, we made a quick stop at a 3.5 acre farm tended by two wives married to the same husband. In most polygamous marriages, the wives are not friends, but these two women were quite the opposite. The younger wife had actually motivated the older wife to work in the field and start anew by planting soy bean and maize. As some of the leaders of our group asked for a picture, the two women requested that they have a photo taken together because they were friends and would not have a picture without the other.
It was an honor for me (Dakota S.) to capture that moment with my camera that I had been using on this trip. It was a beautiful evening scene with two women sharing a field and telling of their hard work that they had put into their land. They requested that I send it to them and I will be sure to do so to them as I will to those reading this blog. Peace and love, Sam Woodworth, Dakota Schmalz and team
Our first journey was to the Gulu Remand House, a juvenile detention center. There we met with the entire group where Dakota Rosenberg and I (Sam Woodworth) were able to share a testimony and an encouraging word respectively. Dakota shared from Romans 12:26 and I shared from Titus 3:3-8. Next we had the opportunity to serve the group lunch, a meal they often do not get. We then went outside and played Ultimate Frisbee and soccer with the boys (and a few girls). They also enjoyed playing "Head it! Catch it!" And "River, Bank". It was a joyful time and everyone left the field laughing and sweating. Before we left Zeb Cross felt called to share a story from his life and was able to speak a word of encouragement to the group.
On our way back to the hotel for lunch we made a quick stop down memory lane for our fearless leader Aaron Faro. 11 years ago, amid a war torn city, Aaron played in the first and only international professional soccer game in Gulu with the Charlotte Eagles in Pece Stadium. So we stopped by the stadium to get the story behind the game and how it impacted the growth of Sports Outreach, and the Holy Spirit, in the city of Gulu.
After the stadium visit, we rode the bus back to the hotel and had a quick bite to eat while conversing about the morning. We left around 2pm from the hotel to travel to the Sawyer product demonstration and hands-on walkthrough.
Our famous bus driver, Wilfred, was drove like a professional, evading the numerous pot holes and ditches that came his way. When we arrived, there were many representatives from different churches in the area that attended the meeting place, some of which traveled many hours in advance to the meeting place.
Our knowledgable Sawyer product demonstration expert, Jordan Frank, gave a clear and concise presentation on the bucket filter. He was not wavered by the 30min Q&A from group of church representatives nor the speculation over the effectiveness of the bucket filter.
After the demo, Kirby R. presented the gospel and Aaron F. presented a small group session on the verse behind AROMA (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) and split us up into small groups with a translator for every group.
After coming back together, we entered into song with the group and said our goodbyes to most of the people there and walked down the road and trail. We walked to a small hut that was home to a little girl by the name of Trinity and gave her family a bucket filter. Her mother described her as a lovely girl that could sing very well, so Trinity sang us a short song and we said goodbyes.
The children followed us a few hundred meters over to a hut that was home to a little boy named Osama. We gave a bucket filter to his family and his aunt gave us the short background story of Osama's life so far. We said our goodbyes to the children following us while holding our hands and boarded the bus to go back to the hotel.
Lastly, we made a quick stop at a 3.5 acre farm tended by two wives married to the same husband. In most polygamous marriages, the wives are not friends, but these two women were quite the opposite. The younger wife had actually motivated the older wife to work in the field and start anew by planting soy bean and maize. As some of the leaders of our group asked for a picture, the two women requested that they have a photo taken together because they were friends and would not have a picture without the other.
It was an honor for me (Dakota S.) to capture that moment with my camera that I had been using on this trip. It was a beautiful evening scene with two women sharing a field and telling of their hard work that they had put into their land. They requested that I send it to them and I will be sure to do so to them as I will to those reading this blog. Peace and love, Sam Woodworth, Dakota Schmalz and team
Thursday, May 26, 2016
5/26
We drove to a remote village where Coach Faro got to meet his sponsor daughter and her family. The encounter was amazing, and we were able to pray for the future of the family. On the way back to the hotel, we visited the vocational school of The Christine House. There, we met eight girls who were being taught hairdressing, baking and tailoring.
We woke to the full force of northern Uganda's rainy season. Because of the morning downpour, our earlier activities were moved from the fields to inside. The activities included two simple team-building games where we partnered up with some of the on-site staff and competed against them. Integrated with both of theses games were biblical lessons. For example, we were reminded of the importance maintaining focus on our purpose in Jesus to avoid temptations and distractions. These distractions can often be detrimental to our personal and social spiritual pursuits and callings. After this the rain had subsided, and the boys and girls split up. The boys led a soccer clinic for local students while the girls visited with the young ladies of the Christine House of Anointing. Christine's house, which is a home for girls with difficult pasts, was a great experience. We met with the girls and shared scripture and our stories to encourage them. We traded off some worship songs with them and the girls preformed a skit for us showing us some of their cultural norms. Next we had a nail painting party with the girls! Shoutout to Christine Faro for sending some nail polish along with us! It was a big hit and the girls loved it. To close out our time with the girls we prayed with them and they taught us a traditional Ugandan dance. It was an awesome experience to share God's love with one another. We were moved by the way He is working in the girls lives and how much He loves each one of us.
After lunch, we had some hands on experience with gardening and construction. We planted soybeans and passion fruit. We then helped in the construction of the future daycare. First, we mixed red dirt and dry cement in a big pile. Then, we shoveled the mix into a man-powered brick press. In all, we created around sixty bricks which, after drying for a week, will be added to the walls of the daycare.
Aloysius and Esther joined us for dinner and shared stories of their move to Gulu and the growth of their ministry there. Overall, it was an incredible day.
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Kirby and Liv)
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Sam saw a monkey!
Unlike the other days since arriving in Uganda, today we changed location from Kampala to Gulu to interact with the other branch of Sports Outreach.
The drive took about seven hours to complete, but honestly, it couldn't have gone quicker. It started out slow and steady as we inched forward through Kampala (huge kudos to our driver Herbert as he maneuvered through the indescribable chaos of a five-way intersection). Then it was smooth sailing as we stopped about three to four hours in for a snack and bathroom break at a local gas station that was selling the most delicious mango-flavored amything I've ever experienced. The most exciting part of the journey was definitely slowing down as we passed the Nile River. With the powerful body of water flowing directly next to us, and the antics of the baboons following the bus (Sam finally saw a monkey!), it was one of the most incredible sights I've seen and truly a testament to the infinite uniqueness and majesty of God's creation. However, the most important and meaningful part of the journey in my opinion was when the entire bus began playing Hot Seat, a game where for 10 minutes, one person has to answer any questions asked to them by the group. We were nearly able to get every single person on the team in the Hot Seat, and I felt that today was a real step forward with respect to our team unity. The questions came easily for the most part, and there were some real creative ones that were posed, as well. The greatest joy for me in that ride was how willing the team was to open up to each other. There was no hesitation when it came to answering the majority of the questions, and any hesitation was only to think of a thoughtful answer. It made me happy to see everyone interacting so wholeheartedly about our personal interests and lives.
We arrived in Gulu around three in the afternoon, and after an hour of getting settled in, we headed off to the SOM Complex. Upon arrival, we were greeted by exclamations of happiness and enthusiasm as we entered the chapel area for a devotional service/info session. Them upon receiving a tour of the well-maintained and developed facility, we engaged in a game of jewel tag with the SOM staff. After the game was over, we all gathered in a circle for one last small devotional time period. The object of jewel tag is to capture the other teams players and put them in jail (worth five points per player), free your players from the opponent's jail, and capture the opponent's treasure and get it back to your side (worth ten points per treasure). What was funny was that even though treasure was worth more points, most of the time, teams opted to try and save their comrades over getting the treasure.
In the discussion circle, someone brought up the comparison of how the Lord had sent Jesus to die for us, the prisoners, so that we could be freed from sin, our eternal prison. By his sacrifice we were freed and because God had won, we had won. He had overcome which meant that we, too, overcame, and sometimes as Christians, we are given a choice to witness to others imprisoned without knowing Jesus's love in which case we are called to show the love that Jesus showed us.
Overall, today was one of the most unique days we've experienced so far, and I feel that as a team, we took the best possible steps to move forward as a team, as one body of believers, and as a group of students ready to give it our all for the One who gave us His all.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Today we started the day at Sports Outreach doing morning devotions with the staff. Lydia spoke more about how to approach the trails in our lives. After she shared we had an awesome time of talking through some difficult questions as a group of believers. So many people shared the way that they saw God working through trials in their lives and how it has shapes their faith and understanding. After devotions we got to play soccer one more time with the Good News team. We split into four teams mixing our Messiah group and Good News team on each team. We got to bond with the players even more today and it was wonderful to play the sport we love with each other. Special shout out to the people in our group who aren't normally soccer players but did a great job playing with us today. We are so encouraged by the work that God is doing through the people on the Good News team. It has been incredible to hear their stories and the way Jesus has changed their lives. We find that we can relate in many ways even though we lived in different parts of the world for all our lives. We also got a tour of the Sports Outreach head quarters and learned what their amazing plans are for the future. Following that, we had to say good bye to our new friends because we will be traveling to Gulu tomorrow. We then headed off to separate slums for the afternoon activities. Half the group went to Chubuli and upon arriving there, we found we had four soccer balls and a whole lot of children. This was not a problem, we brainstormed and then split into two groups and did drills and played some pick up soccer. But most importantly, after soccer Aaron Faro brought the word! He shared with the kids in a creative and relatable way that God wants to give them purpose and fill them up just like a soccer ball filled with air has more purpose then a deflated soccer ball. By the grace of God one boy in this predominantly Muslim village accepted Christ after hearing the good news of Jesus Christ (Tony). Also, we got the pleasure of meeting the cutest little boy in the universe, sporting Crocs, a button down shirt and a never ending supply of laughter.
The other half of the group went to Katwe. Here they saw firsthand the chess ministry that we heard and read so much about. This is the place where the Queen of Katwe took place, which was a book we all read and a movie that Disney has made that comes out in the fall. They heard stories from some students of the Chess Academy. Then they split the younger and older groups. Sweets Dakota and Madi shared a testimony with the younger group. Simultaneously, the older chess prodigies of Katwe played some of our Messiah try hards in chess and it is safe to say they showed them how it's done (But Zeb kinda held his own). Then Kayla got to share part of her testimony with the older group and Robert, the director of the chess Academy shared as well.
All in all it was a great day and we will really miss our Sports Outreach Kampala friends. Please keep them in your prayers. We have connected so quickly with them in just a short number of days. Also pray for our travels tomorrow. Pray for our group harmony as we get to spend so much time bonding on the bus tomorrow.
Love Uganda 2016 (Nikki)
All in all it was a great day and we will really miss our Sports Outreach Kampala friends. Please keep them in your prayers. We have connected so quickly with them in just a short number of days. Also pray for our travels tomorrow. Pray for our group harmony as we get to spend so much time bonding on the bus tomorrow.
Love Uganda 2016 (Nikki)
Monday, May 23, 2016
Today was a very busy and incredible day! After an early breakfast we left at 8 to get an early start on the day. We traveled to the new SOI headquarters in Kampala to have morning devotionals with The Good News Soccer Team. After some meaningful and powerful words were shared, we split into two groups.
One group participated in a training conducted by Coach Faro and consisted of Messiah Soccer players and the Good News players working on turning in soccer. Mean while the second group, made up of SOI people working in the area and the people from the Messiah team who are not soccer players, conducted water filter demonstrations with Sawyer water filters. The demonstrations were for prestigious leaders in the community and school teachers so that hopefully they would have clean water available in the communities and schools. It was an honor to present the filters to the community leaders, and they were very impressed by Sawyer's products' ability to turn very dirty water into clean, clear water. The water going from very dirty to very clean provided a terrific opportunity for Jordan to share the gospel. The soccer training was also very successful in creating relationships between The Good News Team and the Messiah Soccer players. Also, it gave the Good News players new drills and information for coaching their own trainings with their respective projects. We were then provided a snack, and had some more time to build relationships. Before traveling to two different projects.
We split into two larger groups. One large group went to a church to encourage the people working there. While there, they split into smaller groups one of organized 5v5 soccer that was interrupted by cows and chickens at times, and the other was playing basketball and chess with the kids. They were able to strongly encourage the people working there and create great meaningful relationships that will continue via email. And the soccer players were able to share their testimonies with the kids there and see them turn to Jesus. The spiritual leaders in that area at that church will be frequently checking on those kids and encouraging them for years to come. The second larger group met in a shack, did some introductions, and they played a few games of chess with the people there. They then hiked up a large hill that overlooked the city. At the top Jacob Bender was able to share his testimony. Afterwards they traveled back down, and played some soccer with the people there before reconnecting with the group and traveling back to where we are staying.
We had a late dinner, and then, to wrap the day up, we shared as a group where we saw Christ working that day. We are very thankful.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Hello family and friends,
This morning we had an amazing experience at Nateete Prayer Center. To get there we drove through some dusty dirt roads and finally arrived at the church where we were welcomed as brothers and sisters. A new experience for many of us was dancing vigorously throughout the service. We had the opprotunity to introduce ourselves to the congregation and shared a song we had prepared. (We learned we are better athletes than singers compared with the choir of the church) We heard testimonies from the members of the church as well as two from our own team, Nikki, and Tyler. Nikki spoke on her own experience of fear and the transformation and confidence God provides. Tyler shared how God does not restrict suffering but promises that one day the struggles will end. The blessings and hope of heaven is so much greater than anything we encounter on earth that all things can be overcome. The pastor of the church spoke on how powerful words and faith can be when asking such an omnipotent God.
After coming back and receiving lunch at the hotel we embarked out to the slums of Nateete where we visited the original location of Sports Outreach International (SOI). We were able to hear about the work that SOI is doing in the lives of three individuals. One boy, Paul, had previously been removed from school and a coach from SOI, Willis, has taken him as a mentee and worked with Paul to place him in the SOI home and remove him from dangerous influences. Two sisters we met (sorry we don't recall their names) were finishing their "high school" curriculim and hoped to become a lawyer and a pediatrician.
While touring through the slums we saw homes built with tin roofs, dirt floors, and trash scattered throughout the area. The children that lived there were extremely joyful and welcoming as they walked beside us through their homes.
Ending today we ask for prayer for Paul, as he is testing to be re-admitted to school and hopes to find a home with SOI. We also ask that you pray for the two sisters as they prepare for their tests to graduate from "high school". Lastly, we ask for continued prayer for our journey as it has only just begun and for the people we encounter to have the opportunity to share the gospel and God's love through our own stories.
Love Aroma Uganda 2016
(Jacob and Joelle)
This morning we had an amazing experience at Nateete Prayer Center. To get there we drove through some dusty dirt roads and finally arrived at the church where we were welcomed as brothers and sisters. A new experience for many of us was dancing vigorously throughout the service. We had the opprotunity to introduce ourselves to the congregation and shared a song we had prepared. (We learned we are better athletes than singers compared with the choir of the church) We heard testimonies from the members of the church as well as two from our own team, Nikki, and Tyler. Nikki spoke on her own experience of fear and the transformation and confidence God provides. Tyler shared how God does not restrict suffering but promises that one day the struggles will end. The blessings and hope of heaven is so much greater than anything we encounter on earth that all things can be overcome. The pastor of the church spoke on how powerful words and faith can be when asking such an omnipotent God.
After coming back and receiving lunch at the hotel we embarked out to the slums of Nateete where we visited the original location of Sports Outreach International (SOI). We were able to hear about the work that SOI is doing in the lives of three individuals. One boy, Paul, had previously been removed from school and a coach from SOI, Willis, has taken him as a mentee and worked with Paul to place him in the SOI home and remove him from dangerous influences. Two sisters we met (sorry we don't recall their names) were finishing their "high school" curriculim and hoped to become a lawyer and a pediatrician.
While touring through the slums we saw homes built with tin roofs, dirt floors, and trash scattered throughout the area. The children that lived there were extremely joyful and welcoming as they walked beside us through their homes.
Ending today we ask for prayer for Paul, as he is testing to be re-admitted to school and hopes to find a home with SOI. We also ask that you pray for the two sisters as they prepare for their tests to graduate from "high school". Lastly, we ask for continued prayer for our journey as it has only just begun and for the people we encounter to have the opportunity to share the gospel and God's love through our own stories.
Love Aroma Uganda 2016
Friday, May 20, 2016
Hello from Detroit
Hello everyone!
We have begun our journey to Uganda and are currently in the Detroit airport waiting for our next flight! The past two days have been packed full of great time to prepare together and get to know one another. On Wednesday night we started with a meeting with all of the Messiah athletes who will
be going on trips over the next couple weeks. There will be trips to Algeria, South Korea, Argentina and, of course, Uganda. We are so excited to be part of what AROMA is doing this summer!
We started off our morning with a cross run, reflecting on Jesus by carrying crosses in groups around campus with checkpoints along the way. The physical aspect of this experience added meaning, especially for us as athletes. Then, we took part in a demonstration from a Sawyer Products representative. She showed us the products Sawyer would be giving us, including sunscreen, bug repellant, and water filters. We also learned how to assemble 5 gallon water filters, which will be distributed while we are in Uganda and received our own mini filters! Later, we had a delicious lunch provided by Casey Stone and Nancy Luley. After lunch we had a meeting and talked about short term missions with Aaron Faro. We discussed the benefits and drawbacks of short term missions and discussed what our goals for the trips will be. There was another meeting later that afternoon when we talked about our testimonies and were given time to think through ours and prepare for sharing them on the trip. We then went to the wonderfully amazing White's house-- not to be confused with the White House, though it was just as nice. We played some yard games and ate an amazing dinner of chicken, macaroni and cheese, watermelon, and chocolate chip cookies! It was a great send-out meal. Then some group members shared their amazing testimonies. Finally, we headed back to school and had a send-off ceremony with all of the trips that are heading out today. We each held sticks of lit incense as we walked by the creek and prayed for our trips, that we would be the "aroma of Christ" as we head to our destinations around the world.
This morning we packed up and left Messah at 10am to go to the Harrisburg airport. Our first flight was smooth and we are currently in Detroit about to listen to some more amazing testimonies!
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Kayla)
We have begun our journey to Uganda and are currently in the Detroit airport waiting for our next flight! The past two days have been packed full of great time to prepare together and get to know one another. On Wednesday night we started with a meeting with all of the Messiah athletes who will
be going on trips over the next couple weeks. There will be trips to Algeria, South Korea, Argentina and, of course, Uganda. We are so excited to be part of what AROMA is doing this summer!
We started off our morning with a cross run, reflecting on Jesus by carrying crosses in groups around campus with checkpoints along the way. The physical aspect of this experience added meaning, especially for us as athletes. Then, we took part in a demonstration from a Sawyer Products representative. She showed us the products Sawyer would be giving us, including sunscreen, bug repellant, and water filters. We also learned how to assemble 5 gallon water filters, which will be distributed while we are in Uganda and received our own mini filters! Later, we had a delicious lunch provided by Casey Stone and Nancy Luley. After lunch we had a meeting and talked about short term missions with Aaron Faro. We discussed the benefits and drawbacks of short term missions and discussed what our goals for the trips will be. There was another meeting later that afternoon when we talked about our testimonies and were given time to think through ours and prepare for sharing them on the trip. We then went to the wonderfully amazing White's house-- not to be confused with the White House, though it was just as nice. We played some yard games and ate an amazing dinner of chicken, macaroni and cheese, watermelon, and chocolate chip cookies! It was a great send-out meal. Then some group members shared their amazing testimonies. Finally, we headed back to school and had a send-off ceremony with all of the trips that are heading out today. We each held sticks of lit incense as we walked by the creek and prayed for our trips, that we would be the "aroma of Christ" as we head to our destinations around the world.
This morning we packed up and left Messah at 10am to go to the Harrisburg airport. Our first flight was smooth and we are currently in Detroit about to listen to some more amazing testimonies!
Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Kayla)
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Before We Go
Hello All!
This blog will keep you updated about our experiences in Uganda in the upcoming days! Our group consists of 15 people including Messiah athletes from 5 different teams (Track & Field/Cross Country, Men's and Women's Swimming and Men's and Women's Soccer). We will be working with an organization called Sports Outreach whose mission is "to recruit, train, equip and deploy committed Christian leaders in the proper use of sports ministry for the purposes of sharing the Gospel and alleviating human suffering."
We will technically begin our travels tomorrow as each team member makes their way back to Messiah for orientation. God has an amazing plan for this trip and we are excited to see what each day will bring as we meet and connect with God's people in Uganda. Any prayers are appreciated!
If you feel led we would appreciate prayer for the Sports Outreach staff we will be working with in Uganda, the many people we will interact with, and for unity and vulnerability within our team as we get to know one another better!
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Kayla)
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
On Sunday, we went to church in a village outside Soroti called Kakise. We worshipped in a packed church for 4 hours. It's was awesome -I think it's the way church is meant to be! We sang, danced, heard the Bible preached, prayed, and danced some more. At one point, we were all dancing with our chairs above our heads. It was wild and fun. So much joy!
During the service, 4 women responded to the gospel and our team prayed with them to accept Jesus. Then we invited people to receive prayer for healing in their bodies. Dozens of people came forward, and every member of our team began laying hands on people and praying for them. Lots of people were touched by the prayers, but my highlight was when Nathan Eagan prayed for a man with hearing problems and God completely healed his ears! Praise God!
In the evening in Kakise, we played another outreach soccer match and had a crusade. Thousands of spectators surrounded the field, there were even people in the trees watching the game. Myself and Danny Rowe shared testimonies during halftime, proclaiming the good news of Jesus over loudspeakers to a silent audience of Ugandans. In the second half, we played really well and won the game 2-1.
I scored a goal, but my real highlight came after the game. When the final whistle blew, I was immediately surrounded by a crowd of Ugandans. I shared the gospel with them again and asked if anyone wanted to give their life to Jesus. One boy pushed his way through the crowd and knelt down on the ground in front of me. I got to pray with him to receive Jesus right there on the soccer field. Praise God!
Monday was a travel day; we said tearful goodbyes to our Sports Outreach friends from Soroti, and got on the bus to Gulu. This is a city recovering to years of terror and war from Joseph Kony and his army of child soldiers -the LRA. When we arrived on the 40 acre farm that serves as home-base for Sports Outreach Northern Uganda, we were greeted by about 30 teenage girls singing and dancing for us. These girls had all been physically and sexually abused, and lived on the farm as part of a recovering program. They were all so beautiful!
We are excited for a day of ministry tomorrow in Gulu!
Danny Thompson
During the service, 4 women responded to the gospel and our team prayed with them to accept Jesus. Then we invited people to receive prayer for healing in their bodies. Dozens of people came forward, and every member of our team began laying hands on people and praying for them. Lots of people were touched by the prayers, but my highlight was when Nathan Eagan prayed for a man with hearing problems and God completely healed his ears! Praise God!
In the evening in Kakise, we played another outreach soccer match and had a crusade. Thousands of spectators surrounded the field, there were even people in the trees watching the game. Myself and Danny Rowe shared testimonies during halftime, proclaiming the good news of Jesus over loudspeakers to a silent audience of Ugandans. In the second half, we played really well and won the game 2-1.
I scored a goal, but my real highlight came after the game. When the final whistle blew, I was immediately surrounded by a crowd of Ugandans. I shared the gospel with them again and asked if anyone wanted to give their life to Jesus. One boy pushed his way through the crowd and knelt down on the ground in front of me. I got to pray with him to receive Jesus right there on the soccer field. Praise God!
Monday was a travel day; we said tearful goodbyes to our Sports Outreach friends from Soroti, and got on the bus to Gulu. This is a city recovering to years of terror and war from Joseph Kony and his army of child soldiers -the LRA. When we arrived on the 40 acre farm that serves as home-base for Sports Outreach Northern Uganda, we were greeted by about 30 teenage girls singing and dancing for us. These girls had all been physically and sexually abused, and lived on the farm as part of a recovering program. They were all so beautiful!
We are excited for a day of ministry tomorrow in Gulu!
Danny Thompson
Saturday:
Today we had a service day in a new town to Sports Outreach. We traveled on a long, bumpy, dirt road for about an hour. When we finally arrived, we saw the town was filled with life. We started off by worshiping and fellowshipping with locals in a church. Singing and dancing with them was awesome, and we could clearly see their hearts for God! Once devotional time had finished, we walked to the local hospital. We picked up trash on the grounds, and many of us walked through the hospital ward to pray for healing for the sick. Now, to give you a better picture of this hospital, completely disregard your mental image of the American hospital. Here, they had just a few smaller buildings in the same vicinity. The buildings had two rooms, connected by a small hall in the middle. The two larger rooms had two rows of beds on either side, filled with patients. Many of the patients had family members sleeping on the floor next to them. The family members were the only ones whoprovided food and were responsible for some of the care for the patient. It was eye-opening for all of us who walked through. During the prayer walk, we prayed and encouraged the patients; we told them how much God loves them, and shared the gospel, for some, for the very first time. It was a powerful opportunity which helped us step outside of our American comfort zones and into the faith that God has planted us in!
That afternoon there were two soccer games: one girls and one boys. Lisa, Moriah, Karin and Courtney played in the girls game. Danny, Tyler, Nathan, Danny and Matt played in the guys. The scores don't matter because we are only playing to win hearts for Jesus. The soccer matches provided another opportunity for us to share and demonstrate Jesus' love on the field. At halftime in each game, a member of each of the four participating soccer teams shared a testimony. It was amazing to hear how God is working in both American and Ugandan lives! After soccer, Sports Outreachled a crusade, sharing the gospel through worship and preaching, and again we were blessed to see Ugandans meet and commit to Christ for the first time!! It's exciting to see how we can help others see their need for Jesus!
Tomorrow we take on our first Sunday in Uganda!
Uganda team
Today we had a service day in a new town to Sports Outreach. We traveled on a long, bumpy, dirt road for about an hour. When we finally arrived, we saw the town was filled with life. We started off by worshiping and fellowshipping with locals in a church. Singing and dancing with them was awesome, and we could clearly see their hearts for God! Once devotional time had finished, we walked to the local hospital. We picked up trash on the grounds, and many of us walked through the hospital ward to pray for healing for the sick. Now, to give you a better picture of this hospital, completely disregard your mental image of the American hospital. Here, they had just a few smaller buildings in the same vicinity. The buildings had two rooms, connected by a small hall in the middle. The two larger rooms had two rows of beds on either side, filled with patients. Many of the patients had family members sleeping on the floor next to them. The family members were the only ones whoprovided food and were responsible for some of the care for the patient. It was eye-opening for all of us who walked through. During the prayer walk, we prayed and encouraged the patients; we told them how much God loves them, and shared the gospel, for some, for the very first time. It was a powerful opportunity which helped us step outside of our American comfort zones and into the faith that God has planted us in!
That afternoon there were two soccer games: one girls and one boys. Lisa, Moriah, Karin and Courtney played in the girls game. Danny, Tyler, Nathan, Danny and Matt played in the guys. The scores don't matter because we are only playing to win hearts for Jesus. The soccer matches provided another opportunity for us to share and demonstrate Jesus' love on the field. At halftime in each game, a member of each of the four participating soccer teams shared a testimony. It was amazing to hear how God is working in both American and Ugandan lives! After soccer, Sports Outreachled a crusade, sharing the gospel through worship and preaching, and again we were blessed to see Ugandans meet and commit to Christ for the first time!! It's exciting to see how we can help others see their need for Jesus!
Tomorrow we take on our first Sunday in Uganda!
Uganda team
Friday was a busy day, but it was full of excitement. The day began with a short drive over to pastor George's church and home. This was our first experience right inside a Ugandan church, and it was quite different than American churches. The floors were dusty, the seats were uncomfortable, the humidity was killer, and there was only a layer of bricks separation us from outside. And yet, it was one of the best and most enjoyable services I have ever been to. One thing Ugandans will always beat Americans at is making the best of any situation. They are constantly joyful and thankful for what they have. Pastor G gave a great sermon and we sang some very catchy Ugandan tunes. Afterwords, we were invited into pastor George's house for tea, ground nuts, and cookies. We all crammed into his tiny yet cozy living room and enjoyed some snacks and reflection time. We played outside with the kids for a little bit before departing to visit a school. We were supposed to meet the mayor at the school, but schedules conflicted and we missed him. We have learned that the Ugandans are not quite as time sensitive as Americans. We still visited the school, which had probably around 800 small kids, all going crazy to play with us. We were swarmed with them as soon as we arrived. They wanted nothing more than to look at us and our recognition left them with the greatest smile. We played games and did group chants with them until the water filter demonstration. We gave a sawyer water filter to the school to use, and they seemed very impressed with it! After praying for the school faculty, we began our departure for our next location. The kids chased our bus, smiling and laughing, as we left. After lunch we set sail for another school with our divine stars soccer players to do some more sports clinics. After a few soccer drills, two scrimmages, and other activities including frisbee and hair braiding, we concluded the clinic. We prayed for the players, most of which were Christian, and left for another partner church. This new church was similar in atmosphere to the last, but again the spirit of God was so alive. Right from the start there was singing and dancing, and it went on and on. Most Americans would not last two consecutive Sundays in a Ugandan church. They have so much energy and are so on fire for the Lord. Some of the team met up with some local soccer players and after proving themselves worthy with some cool tricks, got to play in a game. We all made our way into the church for the sermon, then of course more singing and dancing. As the night grew closer and the service came to a close, we said goodbye to some old and some new friends. Another long day but it was beyond worth the energy spent.
Team Uganda
Friday, May 22, 2015
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
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
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Greetings!
It is currently Thursday morning and we are in Soroti, Uganda, at last! On our last post, we had just landed in Amsterdam and were getting ready to fly to Nairobi, Kenya. We safely made it to Nairobi after another long flight, but unfortunately there were a few mix ups and confusion with flights while in Nairobi and trying to get to Entebbe, Uganda. Long story short, we were somehow booked for a flight that left at the about the same time that we had just arrived at the airport, making it impossible to get off one plane and onto the other. However, our flight itinerary told us our actual flight wasn't leaving for about two hours after our arrival in Kenya. Luckily we were aware of this situation early because once we attempted to book the plane (the one we thought we were on and had time to get to) they told us we were not supposed to be on this one. We went to a costumer service-like desk and were informed of all of this, and began to get a little anxious. They said they might be able to squeeze some of us on the plane that we originally thought we were on, but no guarantees. So we waited for a response and began thinking we might end up sleeping in an airport in Kenya. While waiting, we met a few cool Kenyan shop workers who helped take our mind off the situation. As time drew closer to the departure time of the plane we wanted to be on, we decided we couldn't leave our fate in the hands of the airport, but rather we had to pass it on to God. We circled up in the middle of the airport and prayed for safety in whatever the outcome there is, and that we could get on our plane to Entebbe, Uganda. Not too much longer later, we were told there were spots for all of us and the airport began printing out boarding passes. We got our passes and literally ran to get to our plane. Even though the boarding time was long overdue, they helped us on the plane and we were off to Entebbe! It was only about an hour long flight and we arrived a little bit before 12:30. We were met there by Don and Sam, a missionary from Oregon and one from Uganda who have a passion for missionary work and Jesus. We walked to the parking lot and met our van, Rosa, and bus driver, Steven. Before heading to our hotel, we prayed. Too often prayer only comes in a time of need and not often enough do we thank God for the prayers he answered. We arrived to our hotel, got unpacked, and to our surprise had air conditioning and a shower! Although we only had 4 or 5 hours to sleep, we were beyond thankful to have the accommodations we did and to finally sleep in a horizontal position.
We were able to sleep in a bed for the first time since Sunday night, and it was fantastic, even though it was only for a couple of hours. Wednesday morning we awoke, and we're served breakfast in the hotel. Eggs, French toast, fresh pineapple, and banana were just a few things on the menu. We then set out on an eleven hour bus trek to Soroti. The trip was characterized by traffic, speed bumps, lots of interesting conversation, and taking in the surrounding Ugandan culture. We stopped a few hours into our journey to see the starting point of the Nile River. Fun fact: it takes three months for the water that starts at this point to reach the Mediterranean Sea! After this we got back on the bus and continued traveling. For lunch, we stopped at a hotel where we were able to eat some Ugandan food and experience different tastes! Once again, we got back on the bus, and a few hours later, we arrived in Soroti. We were assigned rooms in the hotel, ate supper, and were able to shower and get to sleep by 10! It was a much-needed good night's sleep!
Today, we finally have the opportunity to hangout with the kids and play some sports! Look for our next post soon!
Tyler and Moriah
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Greetings from Amsterdam!
The Aroma (a revolution on missional athletes, in case you forgot) Uganda team has safely conquered our first flight into the Netherlands! We are now preparing to get on our next flight into Nairobi, Kenya (and we are STOKED).
But let's back up a little bit and talk about the preparations we went through during our training. For most of us, Sunday could not come soon enough. The excitement everyone had to get the ball rolling was so intense and the spirit of God has been so real. We began with a classic DTR (define the relationship) with God and some personal reflection time. Over the course of training we were constantly reminded and challenged to find out what we want out of this trip. A lot of our training was discussion about what we can expect, challenges we will face, and goals we want to achieve throughout the trip. Everyone's answers were a little different, but it was very clear that we are all excited to spread the amazing word of God. After drenching our clothing with bug repellant stuff (provided by Sawyer, one of our sponsors who figuratively rocks), we headed to coach McCarty's house (Men's soccer coach, super nice family) for some dinner, games, and a chance to share our testimonies. It was amazing how we were all able to open up to each other, even though most of us weren't that close. This really set the tone for what this group is capable of. Early Monday morning we were challenged with daunting task of running a huge cross all around campus. It required team work and perseverance and it represented our team unity and our ability to rely on God to help overcome challenges. It also represented his forgiveness, when our leaders told us we didn't have to run it up the biggest hill on campus even though we thought we had to. After some breakfast, more preparatory discussion, and a great lunch, we were ready to go.
Now, back to Amsterdam! Most of us lost sleep over the course of traveling and had to dig to find motivation just to find a bite to eat. However, God does not waste time and he is already showing his presence. As our group was sitting waiting for our flight to board, a long haired blonde man walked up and asked what organization we were with. He saw Sawyer across the back of one of our shirts and pulled out a Sawyer water filter that he uses also. I recognized the man, but last time I saw him his hair was shorter, and I had no idea if he would know who I was, but I took a chance. I got up, walked over to him and he introduced himself as Justin. I simply asked back, "Justin Wren. I'm Moriah Pfautz, and we were at a Christian DTS together in Colorado!" He immediately knew who I was, and shared what God was doing in his life. Justin is on his way to Congo with his own missions organization that works within the Pygmy people group. Long story short, the two of us were able to share our plans for our times in Uganda and Congo. Before he had to find his gate for his flight, our team prayed for him, and that God would continue to work through him and the work he does in Congo.
God is already at work, and it is amazing that He was able to orchestrate Justin and our team meeting to encourage each other before we embark on the journey the Lord has for all of us! It is incredible how God works in this way. As Albert Einstein said, coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. This is just the start to what God has planned for our group and we are all beyond excited to continue this already amazing trip.
Just so you know....we will blog as much as we can, but wifi will not be available everyday. Keep looking for updates!
Tyler and Moriah
The Aroma (a revolution on missional athletes, in case you forgot) Uganda team has safely conquered our first flight into the Netherlands! We are now preparing to get on our next flight into Nairobi, Kenya (and we are STOKED).
But let's back up a little bit and talk about the preparations we went through during our training. For most of us, Sunday could not come soon enough. The excitement everyone had to get the ball rolling was so intense and the spirit of God has been so real. We began with a classic DTR (define the relationship) with God and some personal reflection time. Over the course of training we were constantly reminded and challenged to find out what we want out of this trip. A lot of our training was discussion about what we can expect, challenges we will face, and goals we want to achieve throughout the trip. Everyone's answers were a little different, but it was very clear that we are all excited to spread the amazing word of God. After drenching our clothing with bug repellant stuff (provided by Sawyer, one of our sponsors who figuratively rocks), we headed to coach McCarty's house (Men's soccer coach, super nice family) for some dinner, games, and a chance to share our testimonies. It was amazing how we were all able to open up to each other, even though most of us weren't that close. This really set the tone for what this group is capable of. Early Monday morning we were challenged with daunting task of running a huge cross all around campus. It required team work and perseverance and it represented our team unity and our ability to rely on God to help overcome challenges. It also represented his forgiveness, when our leaders told us we didn't have to run it up the biggest hill on campus even though we thought we had to. After some breakfast, more preparatory discussion, and a great lunch, we were ready to go.
Now, back to Amsterdam! Most of us lost sleep over the course of traveling and had to dig to find motivation just to find a bite to eat. However, God does not waste time and he is already showing his presence. As our group was sitting waiting for our flight to board, a long haired blonde man walked up and asked what organization we were with. He saw Sawyer across the back of one of our shirts and pulled out a Sawyer water filter that he uses also. I recognized the man, but last time I saw him his hair was shorter, and I had no idea if he would know who I was, but I took a chance. I got up, walked over to him and he introduced himself as Justin. I simply asked back, "Justin Wren. I'm Moriah Pfautz, and we were at a Christian DTS together in Colorado!" He immediately knew who I was, and shared what God was doing in his life. Justin is on his way to Congo with his own missions organization that works within the Pygmy people group. Long story short, the two of us were able to share our plans for our times in Uganda and Congo. Before he had to find his gate for his flight, our team prayed for him, and that God would continue to work through him and the work he does in Congo.
God is already at work, and it is amazing that He was able to orchestrate Justin and our team meeting to encourage each other before we embark on the journey the Lord has for all of us! It is incredible how God works in this way. As Albert Einstein said, coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. This is just the start to what God has planned for our group and we are all beyond excited to continue this already amazing trip.
Just so you know....we will blog as much as we can, but wifi will not be available everyday. Keep looking for updates!
Tyler and Moriah
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Update from Uganda
Our fifth full day in Uganda was the busiest day yet. Our day began at a local village in Soroti for a devotional with Bishop George. This man had a grin from ear to ear and was full of God's love and the joy of Christ. It was a blessing getting to worship with him, and Uncle Sam, our dear leader and friend, led us with a message from Psalm 84:1-2,10. His message was soaked in truth and the Spirit moved and challenged each and every one of us. After our time of fellowship, we visited four different schools and had the opportunity to teach the local kids them in football, field hockey, and baseball, as well as do some speed and agility drills. It was amazing to see how God works through sport and the connections that a simple ball can bring to people that have nothing else in common. The kids ranged anywhere from 8 or nine years old up to 19 or 20. Throughout the day, countless numbers of kids gave their lives to Christ after hearing numerous testimonies from every one of us.
In partnering with the Divine Stars, we were able to speak with the local children, many of which spoke little to no English. Another huge blessing has been the ability to fellowship with the Divine Stars and be able to be encouraged and encourage them. Their faith and dedication to athletic excellence is admirable and all of us have learned from them how to better represent Christ in the realm of athletics and their friendship is something that will be with us the rest of our lives.
On top of all of this exciting news, the girls had the unique opportunity to play alongside the Divine Stars and helped them pull off a comfortable 3-0 victory against one of the local high schools.
May God receive all of the glory for the great things that are occurring in this beautiful country and we pray that our ministry here is touching the hearts and lives of all the ones who are supporting and following us as we pursue the advancement of God's kingdom here in Uganda.
In partnering with the Divine Stars, we were able to speak with the local children, many of which spoke little to no English. Another huge blessing has been the ability to fellowship with the Divine Stars and be able to be encouraged and encourage them. Their faith and dedication to athletic excellence is admirable and all of us have learned from them how to better represent Christ in the realm of athletics and their friendship is something that will be with us the rest of our lives.
On top of all of this exciting news, the girls had the unique opportunity to play alongside the Divine Stars and helped them pull off a comfortable 3-0 victory against one of the local high schools.
May God receive all of the glory for the great things that are occurring in this beautiful country and we pray that our ministry here is touching the hearts and lives of all the ones who are supporting and following us as we pursue the advancement of God's kingdom here in Uganda.
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