Muzungu - White People!!!!

Ashli- So today we went into Mpigi (M-pee-gee) but first I will talk about our car Satan attacks then I will tell you what went on in Mpigi. We had lots and lots of car troubles on the way in and out. We broke down twice on the way due to our car over heating. After getting another van to ride in on the way home, we discovered that we did not have the correct battery and had to push the car down the hill to get it going. Next we got a flat tire and our driver (who is awesome!!) put on the spare at a gas station that we were not too far from. The last car attack we had was a fender bender with someone trying to pull out. I felt so bad for our driver that he had to go through these attacks with us. Satan just will not stop!!! PRAY PEOPLE PRAY!! Now for today and how awesome it was!!! I see these car attacks as blessings. We were able to witness to a Muslim family, we gave them underwear, tooth brushes, toothpaste, dolls, and soap. We were able to say the name of Jesus and pray over the family. We got to stop at the Equator today, just as a side note, it was cool. The End. Back to the awesomeness. We went into Mpigi, and went to a small school, this school was one room with 25 kids. The school was made of mud and bricks. I want you to think of Africa. What do you think of? Huts with thatch roofs? Starving children? Children with no clothes? Well that, that is what we experienced today. I'm sorry if my post is not making much sense, I just have so much to share tonight, so forgive me if I confuse you or jump around too much. These children welcomed us with songs as we entered the school. Then we did tie-dye bandannas with them and  taught them duck duck goose and red light, green light (which they loved). Some smaller children were scared of us and cried haha! We sang songs, all of them seem to love Pharaoh Pharaoh, it's a crowd favorite. After we spent time at the school we walked down to the church that's a part of the school.  Here we sang songs with the adults and children that were there. Most of the people spoke Luganda, which is one of the languages spoken here, and a lot did not understand our English so we had to translate quite a bit. We also shared the gospel with everyone and the had a time to pray over them for anything they might need. After that we served them lunch of rice and a bean mix. We then where going to lunch, but some boys caught my attention I asked our pastor, that is serving with us, to ask them if they had eaten and they had not. These boys had no shirts or shoes. Their bellies were big and arms and legs tiny. I wanted to feed them the whole pot of rice we had. I cannot begin to tell you they way my heart felt, sad, blessed, frustrated. We fed them as much rice as they would take, I watched their eyes they just seemed to be thankful for what they had been given as they chewed their rice and they also seemed unsure of what else to do other than just eat. I just hope I am able to make you understand how grateful I am if I could shout it to you I would. Not to yell at you because I'm angry but because I want you to understand THE CHILDREN OF AFRICA NEED GOD!! THEY NEED FOOD!! THEY NEED WATER!!! AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO THAT I AM CAN BE HERE AND HELP GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED!!! Also praise God from whom all blessings flow for Coke!!! Finally had one today!! Love all of you!!-Ashli! 

Will- Today I want to share the openness of the Ugandan Christians. I offered to pray for anyone who needed it at the church yesterday while teaching and afterward many came to me with very specific prayer requests. I prayed for school fees, health, children, ministries, anything! Why don't we do this in America? Why don't I as a minister offer to pray for people more? Their faith is much stronger, AND much simpler, than ours. I thank God for the messages He is speaking into my spirit for certain ones I have prayed for. One example is Moses. He is deaf. We prayed for God to heal his ears last night. God did not heal Moses' ears but He did speak a special message into my spirit for Moses, just for Moses; and it was clear as day. Even though I couldn't tell him with my mouth, God let me use my arms and hands. I also asked God why He didn't heal Moses, and God answered me: "I am with Moses, love him dearly, and am glorifying myself through his deafness." And you know what, that is very true! God has given me these special messages for others also, including each person on our team. God also blessed me with an encouraging message for Irene, one of the young ladies helping us at Pastor Paul's church. My prayer entering this mission was for God to grow my faith. He has begun that process. All I do is ask for insight and wisdom, and He gives it. I/We are so arrogant in the West. I am so thankful for these humble people I can learn from, but also amazed at how much God is using us to bless these wonderful people! And who would have thought that Pharaoh Pharaoh would steal the show everywhere!? The 80's are back baby!

Faith- I have so much to tell you but I just can't seem to find words for all of it.  As you saw earlier Satan decided now was the time to attack but I have good news...by the power of God's risen son, our Savior, SATAN HAS NO POWER!!! God speaks into me everyday a spirit of truth, peace, and love and that Satan CAN NOT take away!! I am so humbled, not by the poverty but by the lives of the Uganda people.  They are so welcoming, I mentioned today that I feel as if they have ministered to us way more than we have ministered to them.  They have encouraged me in so many ways, I wish my heart desired the things that theirs do, I wish I treated guests and new people I meet the way that they do.  Today, we were served a special meal and tea just because they viewed us so highly.  When we strolled up to a strangers hut after we broke down they laid out mats for us to sit on, remember all they knew was that we were strange white people.  I pray that God will bless me with that welcoming spirit.  Next, when you think of Africa what do you think?? Dirt roads, small thatched roof mud huts, green big-leafed trees scattered, half naked children?? Well...you nailed it, that is the village we rode to today but what a blessing it was!! As the children received things that they may have never seen their grateful hearts shattered my prideful, jealous, spoiled heart.I will end by saying that God absolutely works all things to good for those that he called according to His purpose, He is using these sweet sweet people to change my life.  I pray that when I get home my heart will permanently be changed and I can love on the kids at camp the way I love these African children.

Morgan- Africa is not like America, at all. I want yall to think about that. Today I saw kids completely naked.   But yet they still are the happiest kids when they are playing with their toys made from anything they can find. The kids just want to see smiles. They want our arms to embrace them. They want love. When I was preparing to go on this mission trip I thought to myself that i was going to have to have all this "stuff" memorized to bless these people. But you know what? That's not true at all. Love comes naturally to me and the rest of the team. During church the kids are basically pulling my bracelets that are just made of string off my arms. Each day we are treated as royalty. Nice tea and special meals, and as we are given these meals you can look out the door and see starving children looking at you. It's heartbreaking. Today as we finished serving food to the church, 3 boys came up who had not eaten and you could see that their stomachs were bloated and sticking out from not eating. Stephanie, Ashli, and I broke off pieces of rice and fed them. They had rice all over their faces, from mouth to ears!!! Please keep Africa and its people in your prayers they need it. They need to be reached with Gods love, mercy, and grace. This trip has moved me with compassion for the people of this world. 

Tyler-Today we experienced the real true Africa that most Americans hear about. Naked kids, huts, and long dirt roads filled our day. We also had a very interesting car ride (2 hours) to Mpigi. We stopped at the equator and that was an experience, especially using the bathroom there. I really love this team and this country. We are crazy, wacky, and hilarious. This country is full of love and humility and that's something I need to bring home to the states. One of today's most amazing adventures was meeting a family after our car broke down. It wasn't a coincidence that this happened  but it was truly GOD!!!I hope I remember all that I'm learning here and I pray I bring it home.