New season in Oxford

As this new season begins, the children of Africa are still on my heart.  I can still see their precious faces and beautiful smiles!  I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to Africa and share God's love with them, and am hoping to return one day.  

Life is good here on the base and has been quite full since our return in June. Two new schools began the day we returned from Africa and we just recently sent outreach teams to Costa Rica and Malaysia.  Between schools I was involved in organizing our staff retreat, which was a great "family" time together to recharge, refresh, and pray for the new season.  We've been spending the past month preparing for three Discipleship Training Schools starting this month and now have 50 new students from around the world living on the base.

DTS Welcome

Never a dull moment here!

At Staff Retreat 

God has also been providing more opportunities for me to step into leadership roles as I've been invited to join our Base Leadership Team.  Our team sets aside time each week to meet together, share vision and pray for the base.  It's exciting and challenging being a part of the heartbeat of this base! Since joining the team I've had opportunities to lead base intercession, open morning worship, and facilitate our staff "family" meetings. I also recently had an opportunity to speak at a church service and share my testimony of God's faithfulness in my life and about our trip to Africa. It's funny how God seems to call us into areas where we feel the least capable and equipped....I'm learning that we just need to step out and trust Him and He takes care of the rest!!

Speaking at church service

I have on my heart to return home in November to spend the holidays with family and friends, and am praying that God will provide an airline ticket home.  I'm also praying for more sponsors who would like to partner with me through prayer and monthly support as I continue to serve in missions with YWAM.  

All throughout this journey I have seen God provide in amazing ways, and I'm trusting that He will continue to faithfully provide for all of my needs as I follow His call to serve in missions and share His love with others!

"I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth."   

 Psalm 121:1-2

Adventures In Africa!

                    

With the children of Kubi, South Sudan

Back home in New Zealand reflecting on the amazing time we had on outreach in Africa....

Our team spent five weeks traveling by bus throughout Uganda and South Sudan, visiting villages, schools, churches and Children's Homes, sharing the message of the gospel and the Father's love with the African people.

We arrived in Entebbe, where we met up with our Ugandan staff from Tent Peg Missions, who traveled along with us.  We developed wonderful friendships and became like family over the weeks we spent together.  It was such a blessing to do ministry with them and to see their love and passion to serve God and their people!

Traveling through Africa was quite an adventure and stretch from the norm!  Experiencing new sights, sounds, and smells so totally different from anything familiar....

I found myself spending much time staring out the window of our bus pondering what I saw as we traveled from one village to another.  It was difficult seeing the poverty and living conditions that were beyond anything I had ever imagined, but it gave me a deeper sense of love and compassion for the beautiful people of this nation! 

Visit to Kubi, South Sudan

Village of Kubi

Our arrival in Kubi was one of the highlights of the trip for me....
We arrived in the evening a few hours late due to poor road conditions, quite tired after a very long, bumpy bus ride and were greeted with cheers and singing by the children of the village who had been waiting along the roadside for several hours to greet us....IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WELCOME! 

My dreams of Africa became reality as we stepped off the bus to children surrounding us clapping and singing "We are happy to welcome you, we are happy to see you!"

These children captured my heart from the very first moment!!!  

The village children of Kubi

We had many opportunities to minister and love on these children and people from the neighboring villages. We held a two day conference for the local church leaders. Our small team spent time with the Sunday School leaders and the children, telling Bible stories, teaching them songs and games, and praying with them. 

Our Team leading Sunday School

Kubi Guest House 

Our room and donated beds

We were so blessed to find that the church congregation had spent the past two months completing the building of a guest house especially for our visit and had also graciously donated their own beds!  

We returned to Uganda and spent two weeks in Lira. We traveled from there to the neighboring villages of Adwari and Abako, where we ministered and prayed with many villagers who had been affected by the war and the LRA, and had lost loved ones. 

In Adwari I had the pleasure of meeting Kristin, a former abducted child soldier with the LRA who God has healed from the pain of her tragic past, and is now ministering to others in her village.

I also had the opportunity to share a message about Hope and Healing at a church conference, and pray with women who had experienced the pain of losing a child.

Speaking at Conference at Adwari Victory Outreach Church

With the children of Adwari

At the conference and everywhere we went we found ourselves surrounded by children who were so hungry for our love and attention! They just loved having their pictures taken with us!!  

With Kristin, former child soldier with the LRA

Another highlight of the trip was during our last two weeks of outreach in Jinja when we visited the children at the House of Aroha, a home for orphaned children, St. Paul's Primary School where the children attend, Jesu Melungi Church under the tree, and our visit to Home of Hope, a home for disabled children.  All these children truly touched my heart!  

Yesu Melungi Church under the tree

Surrounded by children from St. Paul's Primary School

House of Aroha-

Children at House of Aroha wearing new donated clothes

At the House of Aroha I met this precious family of five children.  Their father died several years ago and their mother brought them to the home and then abandoned them. God has given me a special place in my heart for this family. My prayer is to return next year to see them again and be able to invest more into their lives, and to find sponsors to help provide for each of these precious ones.

  (Anyone interested in being a sponsor, please contact me!)

Jamil, Isima, Madina, Dahia, and little Janat

Visiting Amani Baby Cottage

A few of us had an opportunity to visit the Amani Baby Cottage, an American sponsored orphanage in Jinja. Spending time there holding the babies was another highlight for me and I would love to be able return and volunteer some day.  

These are two of the precious children I got to hold and love on at the baby home...

HOPE  
HOPE’S MOTHER, AFTER DELIVERING HER, TRIED TO DISPOSE OF HER IN A PIT LATRINE BUT HOPE WAS LATER RESCUED. HOPE WAS 1 WEEK AND 2 DAYS OLD WHEN SHE BECAME PART OF THE AMANI FAMILY.

Holding baby Hope

 









ERIC 
ERIC WAS ABANDONED AROUND THE MATERNITY WARD AT MBARARA HOSPITAL. 
ERIC WAS ESTIMATED TO BE EIGHT DAYS OLD WHEN HE BECAME PART OF THE AMANI FAMILY.

With Sunday School children at Rivers of Life Church, Jinja

I've returned from Africa with a full heart, feeling blessed to have had the privilege to share the Father's love and touch the lives of His beautiful children of Africa. Treasuring all the opportunities we were given to share what God has done in our lives and the hope that we have in Him, and through it all..... seeing lives changed! 

I had the opportunity to share my story with our interpreter, Stella as we walked and ministered together in the villages.  On our last day in Africa, as we were saying goodbye, Stella hugged me and reminded me how the Lord has truly "restored the years the locusts have eaten" and had made "beauty for ashes" of my life, and was now making my life a blessing to others.

"We are blessed in order to be a blessing"
Genesis 12:2

Thank you to all who helped make this trip possible!

Children of the House of Aroha

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

Africa Outreach News!

I am excited to share more about our outreach to Africa this May!   Our team from YWAM will be joining two other teams from New Zealand to partner with Tent Peg Missions on a five week outreach to Uganda and South Sudan, leaving on the 19^th of May. 

These are a few of the ministries we will partner with Tent Peg Missions to serve in Uganda and The Republic of South Sudan....

House of Aroha - Uganda

     

House of Aroha is a family home for 23 children located in Jinja.  Honor, relationships, healing, family  and faith are the foundation the home is built on.  Children know who they are, released into their destiny and contribute to something bigger than themselves.   Children live in a family environment with mother and father at the House of Aroha and are cared for as a child of God and a valuable and contributing member of the household.   Each child has a mentor as part of the Step Up program and is on a journey of developing their strengths and character and finding their place of contribution in their community.

Footsteps- Northern Uganda    

Footsteps is a project working with those who have experienced trauma in Northern Uganda as a result of the LRA. We want to see people set free and restored in relationship with God and others and families and communities growing and seeing God's goodness.   Individual mentoring and breakthrough prayer with formerly abducted child soldiers and family members affected by the LRA is facilitated by staff members.  As relationships and trust is built and Jesus is invited into areas of each ones lives to bring healing and freedom, we see people released into God's good future for them and the communities transformed.

Mulungi church in Namulesa                 

                  

 Outreach in Adwari

 

Juba HOPE Center - South Sudan

Here girls still living on the streets come and receive three hot meals a day, learn to make bread, wash their clothes, bathe, study, are enrolled in local schools and are blossoming.   Many have transitioned from there to our Yei Children’s Village and are now thriving in our Yei family.

http://irisminsudan.org/


At the beginning of our outreach, we will Travel to The Republic of South Sudan for six days to work with the Juba Hope Center.
While in Uganda our team will focus on working with the children at the House of Aroha in Jinja and St. Paul's School in Namulesa.  We will also spend a several days working with the Footsteps project in Adwari and hosting a Family Conference at Victory Outreach Church, and visit the Mulungi Church in Namulesa.


The Lord has given me a heart for Africa and the orphaned children there, and I am thrilled for this opportunity to go and serve! 

I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I prepare to go, and while in Africa for safety, health, protection, and strength to do the work the Lord has for me there.  


The cost of this mission trip is approximately $4500.  If anyone would like to partner with me and help send me through a gift of financial support, please mail your donations by April 15th to:


YWAM Tyler Accounting Dept.  P.O. 3000  Garden Valley, TX 75771-3000

Please make checks payable to YWAM (with separate note: for Cindy Gross) A tax-deductible receipt will be mailed to you.

Thank you for your prayers and support as I follow the Lord’s call on my life to serve in missions and take His love to the nations!

Blessings,
Cindy

Back in New Zealand

SO GREAT TO BE BACK!!!




Arrived safely in New Zealand on the 26th of January, and have quickly settled back into my home and Hospitality role here at YWAM, Oxford.  Had a great trip back and enjoyed meeting some new friends on my flights, and was blessed by the opportunity to share with them about my journey to missions and hear their stories on the way!

We have been quite busy here at the YWAM base over the past month preparing for our next Discipleship Training Schools that begin this week.  Students have been arriving, and for the next three months our base will be full and alive with 34 new students who have come to be discipled, grow in their walk with the Lord, and prepare to take His love to the nations.  It's hard to believe that a year ago I was one of those students! 


I've been invited to take part in this year's Father's Love Crossroads DTS by co-leading an outreach team to Africa in mid-May. 


I am so excited about this outreach and the opportunity to work with orphaned children in Africa.  This is something God has put a passion in my heart to do this past year, and an answer to prayer!  Our team will be serving with a ministry called Tent Peg Missions in Uganda and Iris Ministries' Juba Hope Center in The Republic of South Sudan.













Please be praying as we prepare for this outreach, and seek the Lord for provision to go!


Will post another update soon with more details, and send information for anyone who would like to partner with me on this mission trip through your gift of financial support and your prayers.


So blessed to be serving in His name!

Returning to New Zealand next week!

Preparing for my return to New Zealand after enjoying a wonderful Christmas holiday and blessed time at home with family and friends! 

Had a long but good flight home, arriving safely in Texas for the Christmas holidays.  It took almost a week to get over the jet-lag and adjust to the time difference here on the other side of the world!  I left NZ in the summertime and arrived home to winter here in the States, but for the most part the weather has been quite mild and pleasant during my visit.  I am reminded while home this winter of how blessed we are in the United States with so many comforts and amenities....like central heating!!

It was such a blessing to spend time with each of my children and precious grandson, to enjoy the holidays with all my family, and have the opportunity to visit with many dear friends!  I also had a great time visiting and reconnecting with friends at Lifegroup and Bible study, and sharing about my journey and all that God is doing in New Zealand.    

  

Christmas Family Gathering

Precious grandson, Braydon!

God has been providing in amazing ways and blessing me during my time at home!  I was treated to a special time in Galveston Beach with a very dear friend and have received many generous donations, including ALL the funds to purchase my return ticket to New Zealand....what an answer to prayer!! 

I have also received many pledges of monthly support as I return to continue serving in missions, which I am so grateful for.  I am trusting that God will provide for all my needs through this generous support from family and friends!  

I head back to New Zealand on Tuesday January 24th for another year of serving in missions at the YWAM Oxford Base.  I am excited about what God has in store during the next season of this incredible journey with Him, and look forward to the many opportunities to serve at the base and on outreach in the mission field over the coming year!


God is SO good!!!

At Galveston Beach

Coming home this month!

I have been on this amazing journey here in New Zealand for almost nine months now and am finally making my first trip home to Texas this month!  I am so excited about this visit and look forward to sharing the Christmas holidays with family and friends!! 

The past few months have gone by so quickly and have been filled with new opportunities and challenges. DTS was an awesome experience and time of preparation and growth!  It was truly life changing, and has strengthened my desire to continue serving in missions.  After graduation in July, I was invited to join the staff at the Oxford base to serve full-time as the Hospitality Coordinator, and made a commitment to stay on to serve here in New Zealand for another 6 months - 2yrs.  Check out our website @ ywamoxford.org to see my testimonial and base staff profile.

I am so blessed to have this awesome opportunity to use the gifts and talents the Lord has given me to serve Him and bless this base and the students, guests, and missionaries from all over the world that come through! I am enjoying my new role here and being part of an amazing family, serving and supporting each other and those we are training and sending out from this base to the nations with the gospel of Christ.

In September we sent out DTS teams to Jordan, India, Turkey and Malaysia.  I also moved into the staff apartments on base and am living with five young women. They are such a blessing to me and God gives me opportunities to speak into their lives as we share life together here. I'm also leading and discipling a team of five women from our base staff.  We meet at the apartment weekly for morning tea and to share & pray for one another.

Our base hosted the New Zealand YWAM National Family Gathering in early October.  This was a great initiation into my Hospitality role as I had the privilege of coordinating the welcoming of over 40 guests to our base, and planning & preparing all their accommodation for the event! We had a great weekend together worshiping, praying, and sharing vision for the ministry of YWAM New Zealand.

Prayers were answered, and I was granted my Missionary Work visa at the end of October, which allows me to stay and do voluntary work in New Zealand through February 2013!  This visa allows multiple entry into the country, which will allow me to travel on outreach overseas from here.  This is my desire in the coming year as God has been stirring up a passion in my heart to work with the orphans in Africa.  I may have an opportunity to join a team to Uganda in June-July next year, which will be the first of hopefully many more opportunities to go from here to serve abroad in the mission field.  

In November I celebrated my birthday for the first time in another country, and in the springtime. My friends here made it a special day for me!  My American & Canadian friends on base and I also celebrated Thanksgiving together with an awesome feast and shared thanks for God's many blessings!

God has been SO faithful every step of this journey, and I am trusting Him to continue guiding my path, to open doors AND provide the way! 



Isaiah 41:9-10  "I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.  I said, you are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you!"