Plans for first 2 weeks of Outreach

We are going to Pader this week and then straight to Lira from there. We will most likely not have electricity, staying in mud huts with grass roofs, sleeping on the ground on a grass mat. It is very rural to say the least. We are expecting 150 pastors and church leaders from the surrounding area to come to our seminar. We have prayed and decided to teach the Inductive bible study method and teach through the book of Jonah emphasizing the need to forgive (because Jonah was not willing to go bring the good news to the Assyrians who resemble the LRA). We have seminar in the evening (2 hrs for 4 days). In the mornings, we will go to a refugee camp for internally displaced people, and a girls boarding home/school for girls who have been raped and have children by the LRA. We will be evangelizing and encouraging people in these places. We each on our own have heard different specific prophetic words from God about this trip and are all excited about what God is doing. 

PRAYER REQUESTS: 

•  It is a bit intimidating training pastors because it is easy to feel in adequate and I can not identify with what they have been through. Pray this does not hinder me or others on my team of 5. 
• Pray that the hearts of the people would be open. 
• Pray against the enemy who has already been trying to stop us from getting there.
• Pray for safety in traveling and in general as some on the team are getting sick now. 

Thank you for your prayers they are heard by God and felt by our team.

Here is my story of traveling to the Northern territory and how the enemy is trying to stop and discourage us. 

Stranded in an African game park for 3 hours 

We woke up at 4 am and began our journey at 5 am. We reached Kampala at 7 and waited on a bus until 9am before it filled up and we could leave. 5 min into the journey, we get stopped for a while because the truck in front got stuck in the mud. We begin driving again and 20 min later we stop for gas. We all go to the bathroom sense we didn’t have the opportunity sense 5. We use the mens because the women’s line is going too slow (even though a man said you are trespassing). I was the last one in line and almost get left. I ran to the bus as it was pulling out and was already on the road; I chase it down and jump on. 20 min later down the road, BANG! I thought a meteor had fallen from the sky, but the giant tire (diesel size) had popped. Stranded for about 30 min until they change the tire. Begin driving again. Something doesn’t sound right, we stop. Gasses are pouring out of the radiator. Stranded for about 30-40 more minutes. Begin driving again, slowly now. “Ca-clunk ca-clunk ca-cluck” the engine says over and over again. 30 min later, we drive slower and slower and slower and stop. There are cows in the road, I hope that is why we are stopping…. No actually, the engine gave out. We all come out of the bus, and sit in the dirt. There are no trees now and it is very hot. 1 hour goes by. “What is going to happen?” Rumor has it there is another bus coming to pick us up. 2 hours goes by. “We want our money refunded so we can hitch a ride or walk (20 miles) to the nearest town and get another bus” “Sorry, the man with all the money from all the passengers has ran away into town at the very beginning when the bust first broke down. He paid the police not to come out here so that we could continue to rip you off” (not actual words).

It turns out, when the bus broke the angry mob was going to kill the man with the money if they did not give him refunds so he escaped. The bus driver was denying being the bus driver but when the angry mob was ganging against him, he finally admitted that he was the driver, but not the owner (but he was). They were threatening to beat the bust to pieces if he was not the owner then (because if he was not the owner, he would not care). The driver was laughing the whole time even though they were all ready to beat him. There were 3 mothers with infants and one mother with 2 small children.

This is all taking place in what we found out to be a game park. As in, a wild safari area with many lions and dangerous kinds of animals. It is 5 pm now and the sun is going to set soon. Not many cars pass by, about 1 every 10 min and no body is willing to stop. When one does, people make a mad dash to be the first one to jump on (leaving the mothers with babies on the side of the road).

3 hours go by and the bust comes that was suppose to take us, but wait. They can only take 5 passengers. 5 jump on leaving the mothers with babies on the road once again.

30 min later, another bus comes and we stand in the road to make it stop. We tell them we desperately need a ride. They cram about 20 more people on a already VERY packed buss. Every extra floor space was occupied by people standing for the rest of the 2.5 hour bus ride. People were also practically sitting on other people’s laps as we continued the journey. 30 min in. POP! “NOOOOOO I have heard that sound already today, not the tire again” Luckily, for some odd reason, they did not stop to fix it but what ever. So, our 5 hour journey, turned into a 15 or 16 hour journey. And most importantly, I am safe in Gulu Uganda. (Although when we crossed the Nile into the Northern territory a Ugandan said, “prepare to die”) But mom, don’t worry, I will be fine. 

THE AGE OLD QUESTION OF “WHY?”

Why does God allow horrible things happen to innocent people. This is not the first time this question has been asked. David asked this, the prophet Habakkuk, and Jeremiah in “Lamentations” asked this question to God. God’s sovereignty is a hard thing to accept when we as mortal men can not see the  fullness of God’s plan. I watched the documentary “War Dance” (on instant play on Netflix. Watch it). It follows the stories of 4 children affected by the genocide in Uganda that ended 5 years ago. It is one thing to hear these stories from the comfort of your home in America as you sit on your sofa with a bag of popcorn. It is another thing to be here in Uganda in the middle of all of this. The places affected by the genocide, I am going to and God has called me to minister to these very people. My heart broke as I watched this. It is like a horror movie that we would watch for entertainment but this is the reality of people’s lives. Being forced to hack their parents to death with garden hoes, they are not allowed to cover their eyes, not allowed to cry or react. Or going to the only place you think is safe, hoping and praying God would make you invisible as the rebels come and hack the door open with an axe then abduct you.

My heart broke and it brought me to tears, as I asked God “WHY?! How could you allow such innocent children and families that you love go through such horror.” This is what He said.

GOD: “Just as a father, I was forced to watch my beloved people be slaughtered as sheep. My heart broke and still breaks for my people.”

ME: “But you are sovereign God, you have the power and control to stop this. Why are they not under your pinions? Where is your shepherd’s staff to protect them?”

GOD: “This is true, I AM Sovereign. But my control and plan is greater than you can see. I am a God of redemption and that is my plan. Look at my work in the past. When you read my word, you see hardships brings people to me and is the refining fire for my precious gold. I do not enjoy what has to happen to bring refinement but I want my people. Man has brought tears in this world. I created Joseph Kony, I knew what he would do but I am looking past that at the good I will bring. Joseph had free will and that is his choice. But I redeem what man has done and bring redemption. Do you believe I am good in all things?”

ME: “I know that in the end, it is good. Every story in the bible or that I know or other peoples circumstances as well as my own, it always ends for the good even if bad things happen. I know you have taught me that you never leave, but are faithful, and always good.”

God has called me to teach this message and be and a vehicle to bring this redemption. I was nervous about preaching this message. God’s sovereignty and this question of “Why?” or “Where were you?” are huge questions. It is a big message to preach God was, and is in control. How will this be received, I would be angry and more hurt if I were them. But I can’t judge God’s message and tell God the people aren’t ready for that message. God knows the people and their hearts. It is not something that will be easily received, but a message and truth that needs to begin to be wrestled with in people’s hearts. God went on to speak more to me specifically. He said, “Northern Uganda is a barren land in appearance. It looks like a waste land, but it is fertile soil and is waiting for workers to come, till the ground, plant the seeds, and water.” I personally love to garden and God spoke to me in my passions of gardening. He said to me, 

“You must see the potential in this land. See the potential that I see, not the barrenness. Care for my garden.”

I don’t know if this stirs your heart like it does mine, but I hope it does and that you would passionately pray for God’s people and my team. Your prayers are being answered. I am getting God’s heart for these people. I don’t mind so much any more that I will be sleeping in a mud hut, in a hotter climate than now, with more malaria carrying mosquitoes, no electricity, no more alone time, worse food than now ect. It is selfish for me to want those things. I need to be grateful and honored that God is choosing to use me when He could do these things himself, or send angels to bring his messages. And I am honored realizing this. God said, “Therefore Go!” And this is the command that I must and will follow.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Pray that God continues to show me exactly what I am to do/say to his people and how to love.

Pray for continued grace as there will be many challenges on outreach.

Headed North

We are about done with our training now. This week we have learned how to teach inductive method through a small book, how to teach bible overview (God’s plan of salvation from Creation to the second coming), how to teach in teams, personality types, and how to minister in teams. We have also found out where we are going on outreach. We are splitting up into two teams. One team is going to the Southern villages/cities. And The other team is going deeper into the village to the Northern part of Uganda. I am on this second team going to the North.

North Uganda has experienced the trauma of a 20 year genocide by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). This genocide has moved out of Uganda only 5 years ago! Joseph Kony is the possessed man in charge of this and is not dead yet, but hiding out in another country. He twisted bible scripture to manipulate people into being in his cultic army. He said that the Holy Spirit descended on him as a dove and gave him the mission by God to destroy all the Acholi people in Northern Uganda. He abducted thousands of boys to be his child soldiers, raped many young girls and/or sold them into slavery, and killed many of the adults. (I recommend watching the documentary “War Dance”. It is about this genocide and I believe it is on instant play on Netflix.)

We are going to these Northern villages to show them how to study the word, but also serve and do our best to begin the healing process through the word. We feel that that is the word that God has given us for this outreach. God wants to bring healing and will do this through the washing of his word. We will not only be teaching the inductive method, but also be doing a lot of ministering. I will give more detailed information on what we will be doing as we get closer to outreach time and/or begin ministry. I can tell you though, the first location, we are expecting to stay in mud huts with grass thatched roofs with no electricity. Maybe that gives you an idea what “outreach” looks like.

There are two Ugandan’s on my team and one, maybe two, on the other team. If you would like to donate, it is still not too late. We are going on outreach regardless or our budget. We are trusting God for all of the money to come in. We do not just want enough money to survive and have food and shelter. We want to have funds to also bless the communities. We would like to be able to help provide for the hundreds of pastors who are traveling from near-by villages to be apart of our seminars. We would like to have funds to buy bible dictionaries and things for pastors who do not have access to internet or libraries with external bible resources. So if God puts it on your heart to help fund this trip and be apart of the healing God wants to do, please contact me. You can email me at heartablaze1215@yahoo.com or follow the directions to donate from the “Donate” tab at the top of the page. If you have any questions about anything, please do not hesitate to ask. When ever internet is available, I will respond ASAP.

ENGLISH MISUNDERSTANDINGS:

“Pants” means “Underwear/Underpants”. This explains why the Ugandans have been surprised when we ask if we are allowed to wear pants on Fun day or wear pants into town. “OF COURSE! PLEASE wear pants all the time”.

“Smart” Does not mean “having knowledge”. It means well dressed. This explains why my African 2 year old friend always looks so confused and says “What?” When I say, “You are Smart Abbey”. She must be thinking, “I am not wearing any clothes and I am covered in mud, why am I smart?”

The word “bug” does not exist in Ugandan language (Although the bugs themselves infest the country). You must say insects. This explains why the kids were so confused when I asked them if they want to catch bugs. “….. OOOOH Do you mean Insects?!”

What mine is yours and what yours is mine. In Africa, it is very community based, you share everything from your house, your food, your shoes, tooth brush, your bed, and your kids. You will be eating a special food (such as cookies from home) and a Ugandan walks in and says, “OH! You brought us cookies!” A man came over yesterday, walked in a few bedrooms looking for “our” shoes and then came in wearing “our” shoes and looked for “our” food.

7 O’clock does not mean 7:00 AM sharp. It means any time in the 7^th hour 7:59 AM is still 7 O’clock. (This is inconvenient when Dinner is at “6 O’clock”.

If you are offered old fish brains to eat and you say, "Oh thank you but that is ok". Normally that is a polite way of saying "No" but "thats ok" means "This is a great idea". 

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Pray for Grace and strength as I teach, minister, serve, and rough it. It sounds like it is going to be a very tiring, going going going trip. Which can be hard on an introvert. Pray God helps me refuel with him and have the strength to pour so much of me out for the people.
• I have been feeling faint and light headed a lot lately (every day/all day). I can not figure out what is wrong. It could be lack of nutrition in the diet but who knows. Pray for healing so that it is not a stumbling block in ministry.
• Pray God gives me his heart for the people and that he works in my heart as well so that ministry feeds me rather than drains me. I know God wants to grow me in this trip as well. Teach me how to selflessly love others and be willing to obey him in ANYTHING he calls me to.
• Pray God works through our team and that we would be unified as a family and one body. (This is actually a major prayer request). Pray we learn to really love each other.
• Pray for guidance, protection, and provision as we still need to make some decisions concerning location and which kind of seminars/messages in the different locations.

Trained and Equipped

WOW I can not believe that it has already been two weeks sense arriving in Uganda. And yet, two more weeks of training and then I go on outreach to teach and train pastors.

In classes, I have been so enlightened, equipped, and trained. This week, I have learned all about learning styles (how individuals take in info differently), different styles of how info is stored in each individual’s brains, as well as the different styles of how info is then repeated or used. This has enlightened me to know how to teach in such a way that each person’s mind is fully engaged, comprehending and focusing on my teaching to its fullest capabilities.

Secondly, we have learned about how to teach to oral communicators. Oral communicators are usually illiterate as well as from cultures who tell stories to teach. With that being said, I have been learning to become a STORY TELLER. Everybody loves stories, especially Africans. Saturday night, we had a bon fire guess what the entertainment was at the fire. STORIES passed down from African tribes to the generation today. This is the standard I have to meet. I have begun telling stories and have learned to thoroughly enjoy it.

On top of becoming a story teller, I am learning to be a teacher. I have given a 45 min practice teaching (teaching inductive method). On Monday, I will give another (practice) sermon. On Sunday, I am going to church. I was asked to teach, but considering the fact that I have never even had the opportunity to go to church in Uganda yet, I have decided to teach next Sunday. This Sunday, I will build relationships, learn my audience, and learn how they do church in Uganda. (This is my plan, but often they like to surprise Americans by calling them up to preach anyway so I will be prepared with a sermon anyway). 

As I said at the beginning, we have 2 more weeks before we finish with our training and go on outreach to teach. There are a few Ugandan’s in my class who would like to go on outreach with us as well. They have completed all of the bible courses and training that I have. They have so much to offer as they understand the culture, have had experiences that relate so well with the people, (such as being abducted by the LRA [A rebel army lead by Joseph Koney who raided Uganda killing thousands). These people are not able to raise support like Americans can. They are from poverty stricken villages and can not come up with the money but God has called them to teach truth to people who have had the same experiences. Please consider donating for them to go on outreach with us as Uganda is so hungry for teachers of the word.

WHAT IS IT LIKE IN AFRICA?

As I write this, it is raining outside. Infact, it has been raining for the past 18.5 hours with out letting up at all. Now I know what “rainy season means”.

Laundry is done by hand. It took me 2 hours to hand wash 2 American/washing machine size loads of laundry. At the end of it, my hands were raw and blistered.

When I sleep, there are bugs crawling on me all the time.

Chickens walk through the (indoor) kitchen.

Cooking is done over a earthen stove with a fire inside (something you would see in an Indian hut when the mayflower came over).

The people are extremely hospitable. If you go to a person’s house (even if their house is 5 sq feet, they will do everything in their power (even borrow from neighbors and go into debt to them) to feed you and show hospitality.

The people are extremely friendly. Yesterday, I was walking down the road by myself. I came to 2 boys, I had never met before, and they said hello and gave me a hug. I chatted a bit and walked further, then the preschool had just let out and about 10 toddlers came running full speed toward me with their arms wide open. I did not know what was happening until they reached me and all of them gave me a great big group hug and would not let go. I am still a bit confused as to what the hugs were fore because then other people from Colorado came walking behind me and they did not hug them, just said hello.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Every student gets their money for outreach as well as extra so we can serve the communities we go to.
• I fell yesterday as I was running from the storm that was as black as night. I hurt my knee and walking is now difficult. Pray for quick recovery and against infection (I have many gashes and scrapes all over).
• Continue to pray for those villages that we will have an opportunity to bring teaching to. They are very hungry for the word.
• Continue to pray for grace for all of us as teachers that the Holy Spirit would help us. Some of us have been experiencing spiritual conflict as the enemy has resolved to hinder and stop the word from going out.
• As I pray where I am to go on outreach, continue to pray that God would guide me to the right place with the right team members (as the 9 of us are splitting into 2 teams to impact about 7 villages in Uganda). 

PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I CAN PERSONALLY EMAIL YOU OR ADD IT IN THE NEXT BLOG.

What makes a good teacher?

TID-BIT ON TITUS PROJECT

In Titus Project (the name of my 3 month training/ministry) I have four weeks of training where I am learning how to teach different cultures the word of God. Then I will go for 6 weeks to train pastors in bible overview as well as teach them how to study the bible for themselves. This will bring tremendous discipleship as the pastors will be disciples and handed the tools to continue being a student of the bible and teach others in Uganda. On top of daily training seminars for many different churches, I will be giving sermons in different churches to continue to bring discipleship to the people of Uganda.

WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME

What makes a good teacher? I am learning just how challenging being a teacher is going to be and how much I am going to need to grow. I am learning just how much I need to learn to die to self, lay down my rights, and leave my comfort zone behind. This counting others better than myself, counting all as loss.

When being a teacher, I must not only have a good presentation of truth in word, but my life must be a model of Christ. So much of American mindset is a lackadaisical Christianity. We pick and choose how much we will sacrifice to serve God. We put on a front that looks good, but our heart is not to serve others before ourselves.

Loving and serving as Jesus does. This is a hard thing to learn and model. When I first arrived, I felt I had no strength to serve any more. I was so weary that I did not want to be out of my comfort zone any longer. I realized that I needed to step out and serve but did not even desire to be in Africa at this time (and not confident in public speaking). I did not want to step out and serve out of works, but grace in faith as an expression of worship to God and a reflection of his servant hood and love. I wrestled with God of how to serve without my natural works oriented mind taking over. I did not know how to receive grace. God showed me that because I was at the point that I said “I have nothing to give”, God’s grace will meet me in that point. By taking the first step of faith to choose to serve and have a good attitude, God will meet me with grace so I could continue.

I did this and God proved to be faithful to meet me with abundant grace and strength. I am enjoying my time in Uganda much more and am getting excited for what is to come. I do not so much mind sleeping on my dirty foam pad with bugs crawling on me, eating rice and beans for lunch and dinner (1bread roll for breakfast) every single day. I am learning to understand the people of Uganda better and building relationships. God is teaching me how to love like he loves (although I am far from being an example).

PRAYER REQUESTS

• I am learning soon where I will go on outreach. There are going to be two teams. I don’t know much yet. Pray God will guide me to the right place and the right team members.
• Pray for continued grace and strength to serve and learn to love, sacrifice, and serve as Jesus has done. That I would step out of my own comfort and find a new comfort in laying down my rights and following Christ.
• Pray God would mold me into a great teacher not just in the classroom/church but in modeling Christ through my actions.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I know they are helping me tremendously and being a source of strength. 

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Welcome to Africa

I am in Uganda. We got our visas just fine (PRAISE GOD). Going to Amsterdam, they didn’t even care we had a passport.

 I am experiencing a bit of culture shock from not having time or opportunity to prepare what to expect when coming to Africa. It is much more third world than I expected (and I am even in the most developed area). So please pray for me as I am still a bit worn out from my intense 9 month bible course. I don’t feel that flexible for adventure and roughing it but would like comforts of home sense I was homesick at the end of SBS. I need supernatural refreshment (even though we jump right into class in the morning).

I will actually be in Jinja for 4 weeks then go on outreach for the next 2 months. They want to split us up into 2 outreach teams. The team that will go to the north will be in the more rural area (sleeping on the ground in a thatched hut). The other team I think will be staying here in Jinja. We still don’t know many details and I don’t even know how official those details are.

* Driving here, we saw a demonstration to prevent/end child sacrifices

* I rode a motorcycle today (common mode of transportation like a taxi)

* To my surprise, my flight from Amsterdam to Uganda landed in Rwanda WHAT!? Yeah, that was confusing when we got on the flight and they say “welcome to Rwanda” (a whole different country). 
*There are soldiers EVERYWHERE