Uganda - The Pearl of Africa

Wednesday, February 15th our team leaves for Uganda!  We will be working alongside Africa Renewal Ministries.  www.africarenewal.org  ARM’s vision is “To develop Next Generation Christian Leaders in Africa who transform society by living Christian lives based on Biblical principles.” 

Uganda, known as “The Pearl of Africa” is a land of striking contrasts.  Alongside the peaceful beauty of Lake Victoria,  and the lush green tropical countryside, are people living in extreme poverty.  They are crowded into the slums of Kampala and scattered around the countryside.  And yet, the people we met on our first trip were warm and friendly, grateful, and genuinely joyful. 

Uganda is about the size of Oregon, but the population of Uganda is around 32 million, which is about 8 times more people than live in Oregon!  - (population 3.8 million).  Half the population of Uganda is 15 years old and younger. 1 in 8 children dies before the age of 5.  Life expectancy is 53 years.  A heartbreaking statistic is that there are an estimated 2,500,000 orphans in Uganda.  That’s more than the entire population of the Portland Metro area!  Can you even imagine?...

But orphans are close to the heart of God and He wants us to care for them.  We are really looking forward to spending time in Kachungwa with all the children sponsored by our church family.  Thank you for sponsoring a child in Uganda.  You may not feel like you are changing the world, but you are changing the world of that child! 

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.  James 1:27

Meet the Team

Our team is very excited about the upcoming trip to Uganda, February 15 - 27, 2012.  God has placed a strong desire in each of our hearts to “go” to Africa.  We don’t know exactly what God has in store, but we want to be obedient and follow Him.  We look forward to being used of God to minister to those we meet in Uganda.  We are especially excited about spending time in the village of Kachungwa with all the children and our friends there.  We also know that God will use them to minister to us in powerful ways.

Meet the team that Canby Christian Church is sending on this 2nd mission trip to Uganda.

Ken Harvey:  I believe God has called me to connect with the people in Uganda. It was great to meet with the pastors there and to hear their stories of how God was working in their congregations. I want to go back and encourage them and help in any way that I can.

Ashley Davis:  I feel like I have to go to Africa to help people and share the joy of Christ with them.    I also hope to come back and affect peoples lives with my stories. It will be such a great impacting experience and I'm so excited!

Dave Howard:  I knew that I was going to Africa even before I knew that the church was sending another mission team.  God put a love in my heart for the people of Uganda after reading the stories of the first mission team - particularly the visit to the hospital. The disease, hunger, death and living conditions in Africa are mind-numbing when you stop to think about them in terms other than just huge numbers.  Every one of those "statistics" are a person that God loves, a child a parent loves or a parent providing for a child.  Only the hope that comes with knowing Jesus as your personal savior can truly bring peace and joy to a people living in conditions like that.   I am anxious to take God's message of hope and salvation, to help the people in the village of Kachungwa as I'm able, but also to learn about faith from the Christians living there. God called, so I'm going.

Bryan Lemly:  For several years God has been working in my heart to go on a mission trip.  Last year he confirmed in multiple ways that I would go on the mission’s trip to Uganda with CCC.  I am extremely excited to see what God has in store for us and to spread God's word and love with the people in Kachungwa.  Sharing how Jesus as my personal Savior has changed my life with the people there will be an indiscernible experience that I cannot wait for.  My wife and I have been working with children for many years in our personal ministry and I am very eager to see how our past experiences will be tested and applied in Uganda.  God has been preparing us and although I am sure the trip will be challenging it will be priceless to us and above all to exalt God.

Renee McClaugherty:  My first trip to Africa was in Sept. 2010 as part of the team from CCC.  I fell in love with the people we met in Uganda.  God touched my heart deeply and He has given me a strong desire to continue to serve the people of Kachungwa.  I can’t wait to go back!

Isaac Williams:  I want to go to Uganda.  When I heard about the trip I felt a nudge from God, so I went to the meeting.  While I was in the meeting, God really spoke to me about my need to go.

Ralph Williams:  I feel that God is calling me to be a part this team and go to Uganda.  I look forward to seeing what God has planned and how He wants to use me and the rest of the team.  I am excited to meet our sponsored child and am looking forward to sharing this trip with my son Isaac as well.  I am excited to see how God will use us while we are there.  I believe that this will be a great and life changing experience.  I would also like to thank (You) my church family for your support in this mission.

5 Weeks until takeoff

It is impossible - we are just under 5 weeks from boarding a plane and flying to Uganda.  I honestly in my life never thought I would be going to Africa.  That is the way God works.  It has been a time of growth for the entire team as we prepare for what God has in store.  Africa Renewal Ministries has been awesome to work with and have put together an amazing itinerary for the team.

Ken will be leading a pastor's conference - and he was more than a little surprised to learn that there are expected to be over 200 local pastors in attendance.  What an opportunity for God to use the training Ken has had to equip the local pastors to spread the word of God and plant churches across Uganda (really, no pressure Ken).

More to come, but wanted to get this started.  Please continue to follow the mission team as we prepare and then travel to Uganda representing God, Canby Christian Church and apple pie!

Dave