It’s Thursday morning, the team and I got around for breakfast. Before we ate our breakfast, Vicki Topolski shared a short but very important devotional about the importance of giving and receiving love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “do everything in love.” In the short period of time that we have been here, it has been so easy to give and receive the love of Jesus and we want to take this love home with us to share with others! 

 

After breakfast, Jumba (our host), shared his testimony with us. He grew up with quite literally nothing but in his obedience to the Lord, his life changed. Jumba is now the leader of the Hope for Joy foundation; he saw a need for children and their education (which needs to be paid for here). Hope for Joy is a foundation that we, the Vineyard (Mishawaka), partner with and is the reason we are here this week! Without Jumba’s obedience to the Lord and other connections after that, we wouldn’t be here in Africa today serving alongside him.

 

Around 10:00AM, we traveled to the school and each of us went in pairs into each classroom to observe how school works here in Uganda. I went with Abbie Suiter and we went into Primary 4 (4th grade). Abbie and I learned all about diarrhea, tapeworms and how to treat such things! We realized how important this is to learn about in their community because it is deadly here. 

 

Everybody else shared their experiences over lunch back at the house. Vicki and Dan learned all about traditional African weddings. Elyse and Kathy learned all about modes of transportation. Don and Mike learned all about the Ugandan borders and also politics here in Uganda. It was a very knowledgeable time with the student’s!

 

After lunch, we met with Pastor John’s leadership group called “Edify.” These students are mostly in secondary school (high school) and they’re being discipled by Pastor John to grow to be leaders in whatever area God calls them to. One of the students, Clarissa, is a worship leader and when she found out that I was as well, she pulled me outside and wanted me to sing with her. So we did and it was my favorite moment being here by far. I believe that Pastor John’s leadership group is going to change generations to come!

 

We then split up, us girls went to a women’s fellowship group and the guys went to play activities and games with the secondary students (high school). 

 

Us ladies enjoyed fellowship, worship and a short message from Pastor Kathy about the importance of being a good influence as a woman, especially if you have kids. It was an inspiring message that I will carry with me forever. The guys taught the students how to play American football, even though it got chaotic they still had a great time!

 

We then departed from everybody and went to dinner at The Palms Beach Restaurant. Almost everybody got a whole entire fish, with the head and everything but I DID NOT haha. We shared laughs and stories from the day. It was truly a great dinner experience. 

 

Overall today was a peaceful and very eventful day. I am so grateful to the Lord for bringing us all here to serve for His Kingdom. I am also grateful for all of the connections that are being made and the friendships that are being developed. The Lord has been so kind to us and I’m so excited to see what else He has in store for all of us the rest of this trip! 

 

 

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