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.