Sunday, May 6, 2012

Leaving for Africa This Month!


                 Our Team Leaves for Uganda In Two Weeks!

Uganda Outreach "Family"

Only two more weeks until we leave for Africa!  On May 19th our team of three from YWAM Oxford and our extended outreach family from Tent Peg Missions in Christchurch will leave New Zealand and fly to Uganda, with stops in Sydney, Bangkok, Ethiopia, and a two day stay in Dubai along the way.  






Our Team from YWAM Oxford
Karen, Nadine, Cindy

Uganda Outreach Small Team 
Lynley, Karen, Nadine, Cindy
(Warren from UK will join us in Dubai)


I am thrilled to share that God has provided for the entire cost of this trip!  I have been SO blessed by the generous donations and support of family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ!  I am excited to have so many partnering with me and praying for me as I go! 


I've posted a map and some facts about Uganda to give a picture of where we are going and what it's like there. 

Uganda is in East Africa and is known as the "Pearl of Africa" because of its lush jungles, rolling hills and temperate climate. The official language is English, however most Ugandans speak a tribal language as their first language. Though Uganda lies on the mouth of the Nile River and is replete with natural resources, the Ugandan people remain deeply impoverished. Uganda has suffered immensely from a civil war in northern Uganda that ended several years ago. 

We will fly from Dubai to Ethiopia and then on to Entebbe, just outside the capital of Kampala. After spending one night in Entebbe, we will travel to Lira and prepare for our 6 hour journey by bus to Kubi in South Sudan.  We will spend 6 days in South Sudan doing community outreach and outreach to youth, praying with and ministering to government officials, speaking in churches, and visiting a Children's Home and Iris Ministries Juba Hope Center.  


....An exciting fact about this part of our journey is that we have been told that where we are going in South Sudan we will be the VERY FIRST white people they have ever seen!  How exciting that we will be taking part in making history as we bring God's love to these people!


On our way back to Lira we will stop in Adwari for a few days to pray with and minister to formerly abducted child soldiers and their families, and work in a community garden.  We will also host a Family Conference for two days in Adwari before traveling to Jinja, which is located near the mouth of the Nile River.  We will spend 2 weeks in Jinja ministering to the community, and what I am most looking forward to....
Visiting an orphanage to love on the children there!





Here are a few more facts about Uganda....

Uganda has tropical weather conditions which are moderated by the high altitudes. The hottest months are from December to February but it is still cooler at night. The wet seasons in the south of Uganda are from March till May and in northern Uganda from April to October. 

Seasons in Uganda:
Spring: November - December
Summer: December - February
Autumn: March - April
  Winter: May - October
                                                                            

                                                                   Size:

Uganda is a little smaller than the state of Oregon.
Travel:
The average flight from Texas to Uganda is about 32 hours long.
Population:
50% of the population of Uganda is 15 years of age or younger.

I can't wait to see what wonderful opportunities God has in store for us to share His love with the children and people of Uganda and South Sudan!
 
 

"Whatever you do for one the least of these, you do for Me."

Matthew 29:40