Monday June 16, 2008
The team departed Greenville at 11 a.m. to catch its first 9 hour flight from Dallas to Amsterdam, to be followed by a second flight of the same length to Entebbe, Uganda. KLM airlines were a wonderful, their aircraft was as comfortable as it could be and the creature comforts were the best I have ever had on an international trip. But 18 hours in the air is still 18 hours.
Tuesday June 17, 2008
The team arrived in Africa at 8 p.m. local time and then travel to the capital city of Kampala where we the team would based. I lay down sometime after 1 a.m. with a 5:15 a.m. alarm set to make our first appearance on the “Voice of Revival” Radio program.
Wednesday June 18, 2008
Following the radio program we meet back up with the team and headed south of the equator to a village name Masaka.
The road to Masaka took us across the equator. This is one of the neat “extras” I have found while serving the Lord around the world. The team took some time to enjoy this unique event and to have a team photo taken to commemorate the occasion.
Masaka was a village hit hard by the AIDS outbreak, it lost over a quarter of its entire population to the horrible disease. Many small houses are let standing empty because the families had died and the locals believe the house is cursed and no one will live in it. Our first stop was at a small church that was under construction. While their, we met the pastor, a young man who before coming to Christ was a which doctor of great influence and following. He had many alters of worship set up to him by his followers. He asked us to pray for him, his ministry, and his fledgling church. A short while later we were greeted by school age children lined up along both sides of the red dirt road singing “welcome visitors welcome’ and lead by a banner greeting out team. We were escorted up the hill to the church where we were greeted by a large crowed singing and dancing. We would find that our team would be greeted with great honor and fan-fair at each of our destinations. We were treated to special music by the children and adults alike before we began our teaching sessions. Our first meal in country was one of great honor. It was served in a bowl of banana leafs and featured sweet potato, rice, a banana paste called “Mataka”, and goat meat. The team enjoyed the meal and was praised by our hosts that we would “eat their food.” Our time in Masaka closed with me receiving a gift from the church of a stalk of bananas (four feet high and about three foot around) and a large To Turkey!
Thursday June 19, 2008
Thursday began with pastor Jay Sikes teaching on the radio. The team then went to New Wine Fellowship to lead in discipleship conferences. We divided the crowed in to men’s, women’s, and children’s groups. Each group’s enthusiasm to receive what we had prepared for them was refreshing and we found a deep hunger for the “simple truths of the word of God”. After teaching we would open the floor to questions…and man were their questions! The late afternoon featured a “Procession” consisting of church members, guests, and a brass band. They marched right down the main street and though the village handing out invitations to the crusade meeting that was to begin that evening at the area soccer pitch. The crowed looked on as the band passed but I can say with all candor that the eight white people drew the most attention. They have a word, Mzungu…which means white person they would call out to us. After a lengthy parade route the team and the crowd arrived at the crusade site. The plan was simple…build a platform, string up four vapor lights and a make shift sound system, and invite everyone you could to “come and hear!” The crowd would extend from the platform area as far as the sound could carry. And believe me the sound equipment was as for all it had in the way of volume. Each evening’s program would include a combination of Ugandan and American believers sharing. Our team’s portion usually included a couple of song, a personal testimony, and then the message. Pastor Jay Sikes of Point and I (Jimmy Vaughn) shared the preaching duties. It was very exciting to preach with Pastor Peter translating us into his native language. Each evening we were privileged to see people come to faith in Christ and others make other life changing decisions. Our Ugandan ministries partners would handle the counseling of those making decisions and would insure they were followed up on to help them grow in their new
found faith.
Friday June 20, 2008
Our team did struggle with some minor health issues. Car sickness was one of them due to the road conditions. We saw some allergies and sinus issues due to the automobile exhaust and blowing dust from the roads and such. Fatigue was a factor as well. When your schedule is as full as ours combined with the mental and emotional cost of ministering we all found ourselves “simply willing” ourselves to get up and go.
Saturday June 21, 2008
Today we scheduled the opportunity to engage in the great international event called “craft market shopping” where everything is negotiable! It was fun to stroll shop to shop looking for that special keepsake for the friends, loved ones, and supporters back home. It is difficult to remember that when you pick something up you start the “bartering” and it will be very difficult to walk away with our buying the item. An added challenge is remember the exchange rate is $1,500 shillings to the $1 American Dollar. The mid afternoon found us loading up for the drive out to New Wine Church to prepare for the evening services.
Sunday June 22, 2008
Today is the panicle of the crusade and would be a long day for the team. We served in the morning services at New Wine. Morgan and the ladies worked with the large children’s class and while the rest of us served the adults (remember the church services usually last three hours). We had lunch with the church staff; this consisted of some Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and some meat. Following lunch we visited a young American couple who had opened an orphanage in partnership with New Wine. The couple and their teenage son were living in Plano, Texas just eighteen months ago before selling everything they owned and moving into this small three bedroom house with their 26 orphans. Many of the children’s parents have died from AIDS and one of their little girls is HIV positive, while others are just abandoned by their parents in hopes that they will find help and a better chance at life. Some of the children do not speak English so the children help with translating. The couple home schools all but four of the children, they have converted the garage into a make shift classroom. They have bunk beds stacked three high in the living room and one of the bedrooms for the children who each sleep two to a bed. Our team delivered seven large suitcases of supplies to them from their ministry partners’ state side. Some of the items we carried were shoes for the children (the first ever pair of shoe most of them had ever worn), new tooth brushes and varies first aid supplies, and toys for the children. Each little girl was given a doll and each boy received a Hot Wheel car. I was brought to tears as I walked through the children’s bunk and saw each bunk neatly made with their toy placed beside their pillow showing me just how much that small token of love was treasured. We played with the children and before leaving they treated us to a short concert of songs they had been taught. When the afternoon drew late we had to say our good byes and head to the crusade sight for what would prove to be the largest crowd of the week.
Monday June 23, 2008
The morning radio program was dedicated to a “round table” discussion on the topic of worship. I recorded this broadcast and you can listen to it in its entirety just as the over 15 million listeners did on 105.5 “The Voice of Revival” by going to our podcast http://alfgreenville.podbean.com/. Our mid-day was given to rest before heading out to the church for a Celebration Service. Our excitement was tamped down a bit by the illness of Pastor Peter’s son who would be hospitalized later that day. The Celebration service was heavenly…no really, I think that will be what heaven is like. We worshipped and celebrated not as Ugandans and Americans but just as Christians. The world and its cares simple melted away for those few hours. We sang, testified, and prayed knowing our time together would soon come to an end. That is the one of the hard parts of missions…saying the good-byes. Because the Lord sews these dear people deep into your heart and you know that for most, this is good-bye until we meet again in heaven. Tough stuff to say the very very least. The hugs, pictures, and tears could have gone on for hours but we needed to leave to insure Pastor Peter and his bride made it to the hospital in time to see their son again that evening. Upon arriving back at our housing site we shared communions service together, a YTM tradition. And shared how the Lord had worked in and through our lives during our time in Uganda. The team spent the rest of the evening packing and preparing to return home.
Tuesday June 24, 2008
We asked Pastor Peter to replay a radio program broadcasted earlier so that he could tend to his son. We packed up the cars and headed to Entebbe to catch our first flight to Amsterdam. On the way we surprised the team with a visit to the National Zoo. It was rustic and simple, and a bite wired to see African animals while standing in Africa. We walked from the Zebras, to the Rhinos, and then the Lions. We were surprised when twenty or so monkeys came bounding over the wall to join us as we walked down the dirt road. They were allowed to run free and were joined by a large male peacock. I could not help but wonder if the other animals were more secure than these monkeys…mainly the lion who looked like it was about feeding time. I could not help but ask myself who of the eight could I out run if need be (Just joking…or am I)? We asked Pastor Peter to drop us off at the airport early so he could get back to his sons bed side.
As I waited to check in security asked to see my passport to verify my entry stamp, but she could not find it. After looking through my passport myself I discovered that the immigration officer failed to stamp it upon my arrival. That is a bad thing…but I had kept the receipt and it was proof enough thank the Lord. Our flight to Amsterdam would take nine hours or so.
Wednesday June 25, 2008
From Amsterdam to Dallas would be an additional nine hour flight arriving at 1 p.m. It is always great to go, but it is even better to get back home. After waiting in line to clear immigration and customs we were greeted by many well wishers. We added it up and from the time we left the team housing in Uganda on Tuesday morning we had been on the move for nearly forty hours.
The team departed Greenville at 11 a.m. to catch its first 9 hour flight from Dallas to Amsterdam, to be followed by a second flight of the same length to Entebbe, Uganda. KLM airlines were a wonderful, their aircraft was as comfortable as it could be and the creature comforts were the best I have ever had on an international trip. But 18 hours in the air is still 18 hours.
Tuesday June 17, 2008
The team arrived in Africa at 8 p.m. local time and then travel to the capital city of Kampala where we the team would based. I lay down sometime after 1 a.m. with a 5:15 a.m. alarm set to make our first appearance on the “Voice of Revival” Radio program.
Wednesday June 18, 2008
Following the radio program we meet back up with the team and headed south of the equator to a village name Masaka.
The road to Masaka took us across the equator. This is one of the neat “extras” I have found while serving the Lord around the world. The team took some time to enjoy this unique event and to have a team photo taken to commemorate the occasion.
Masaka was a village hit hard by the AIDS outbreak, it lost over a quarter of its entire population to the horrible disease. Many small houses are let standing empty because the families had died and the locals believe the house is cursed and no one will live in it. Our first stop was at a small church that was under construction. While their, we met the pastor, a young man who before coming to Christ was a which doctor of great influence and following. He had many alters of worship set up to him by his followers. He asked us to pray for him, his ministry, and his fledgling church. A short while later we were greeted by school age children lined up along both sides of the red dirt road singing “welcome visitors welcome’ and lead by a banner greeting out team. We were escorted up the hill to the church where we were greeted by a large crowed singing and dancing. We would find that our team would be greeted with great honor and fan-fair at each of our destinations. We were treated to special music by the children and adults alike before we began our teaching sessions. Our first meal in country was one of great honor. It was served in a bowl of banana leafs and featured sweet potato, rice, a banana paste called “Mataka”, and goat meat. The team enjoyed the meal and was praised by our hosts that we would “eat their food.” Our time in Masaka closed with me receiving a gift from the church of a stalk of bananas (four feet high and about three foot around) and a large To Turkey!
Thursday June 19, 2008
Thursday began with pastor Jay Sikes teaching on the radio. The team then went to New Wine Fellowship to lead in discipleship conferences. We divided the crowed in to men’s, women’s, and children’s groups. Each group’s enthusiasm to receive what we had prepared for them was refreshing and we found a deep hunger for the “simple truths of the word of God”. After teaching we would open the floor to questions…and man were their questions! The late afternoon featured a “Procession” consisting of church members, guests, and a brass band. They marched right down the main street and though the village handing out invitations to the crusade meeting that was to begin that evening at the area soccer pitch. The crowed looked on as the band passed but I can say with all candor that the eight white people drew the most attention. They have a word, Mzungu…which means white person they would call out to us. After a lengthy parade route the team and the crowd arrived at the crusade site. The plan was simple…build a platform, string up four vapor lights and a make shift sound system, and invite everyone you could to “come and hear!” The crowd would extend from the platform area as far as the sound could carry. And believe me the sound equipment was as for all it had in the way of volume. Each evening’s program would include a combination of Ugandan and American believers sharing. Our team’s portion usually included a couple of song, a personal testimony, and then the message. Pastor Jay Sikes of Point and I (Jimmy Vaughn) shared the preaching duties. It was very exciting to preach with Pastor Peter translating us into his native language. Each evening we were privileged to see people come to faith in Christ and others make other life changing decisions. Our Ugandan ministries partners would handle the counseling of those making decisions and would insure they were followed up on to help them grow in their new
found faith.
Friday June 20, 2008
Our team did struggle with some minor health issues. Car sickness was one of them due to the road conditions. We saw some allergies and sinus issues due to the automobile exhaust and blowing dust from the roads and such. Fatigue was a factor as well. When your schedule is as full as ours combined with the mental and emotional cost of ministering we all found ourselves “simply willing” ourselves to get up and go.
Saturday June 21, 2008
Today we scheduled the opportunity to engage in the great international event called “craft market shopping” where everything is negotiable! It was fun to stroll shop to shop looking for that special keepsake for the friends, loved ones, and supporters back home. It is difficult to remember that when you pick something up you start the “bartering” and it will be very difficult to walk away with our buying the item. An added challenge is remember the exchange rate is $1,500 shillings to the $1 American Dollar. The mid afternoon found us loading up for the drive out to New Wine Church to prepare for the evening services.
Sunday June 22, 2008
Today is the panicle of the crusade and would be a long day for the team. We served in the morning services at New Wine. Morgan and the ladies worked with the large children’s class and while the rest of us served the adults (remember the church services usually last three hours). We had lunch with the church staff; this consisted of some Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and some meat. Following lunch we visited a young American couple who had opened an orphanage in partnership with New Wine. The couple and their teenage son were living in Plano, Texas just eighteen months ago before selling everything they owned and moving into this small three bedroom house with their 26 orphans. Many of the children’s parents have died from AIDS and one of their little girls is HIV positive, while others are just abandoned by their parents in hopes that they will find help and a better chance at life. Some of the children do not speak English so the children help with translating. The couple home schools all but four of the children, they have converted the garage into a make shift classroom. They have bunk beds stacked three high in the living room and one of the bedrooms for the children who each sleep two to a bed. Our team delivered seven large suitcases of supplies to them from their ministry partners’ state side. Some of the items we carried were shoes for the children (the first ever pair of shoe most of them had ever worn), new tooth brushes and varies first aid supplies, and toys for the children. Each little girl was given a doll and each boy received a Hot Wheel car. I was brought to tears as I walked through the children’s bunk and saw each bunk neatly made with their toy placed beside their pillow showing me just how much that small token of love was treasured. We played with the children and before leaving they treated us to a short concert of songs they had been taught. When the afternoon drew late we had to say our good byes and head to the crusade sight for what would prove to be the largest crowd of the week.
Monday June 23, 2008
The morning radio program was dedicated to a “round table” discussion on the topic of worship. I recorded this broadcast and you can listen to it in its entirety just as the over 15 million listeners did on 105.5 “The Voice of Revival” by going to our podcast http://alfgreenville.podbean.com/. Our mid-day was given to rest before heading out to the church for a Celebration Service. Our excitement was tamped down a bit by the illness of Pastor Peter’s son who would be hospitalized later that day. The Celebration service was heavenly…no really, I think that will be what heaven is like. We worshipped and celebrated not as Ugandans and Americans but just as Christians. The world and its cares simple melted away for those few hours. We sang, testified, and prayed knowing our time together would soon come to an end. That is the one of the hard parts of missions…saying the good-byes. Because the Lord sews these dear people deep into your heart and you know that for most, this is good-bye until we meet again in heaven. Tough stuff to say the very very least. The hugs, pictures, and tears could have gone on for hours but we needed to leave to insure Pastor Peter and his bride made it to the hospital in time to see their son again that evening. Upon arriving back at our housing site we shared communions service together, a YTM tradition. And shared how the Lord had worked in and through our lives during our time in Uganda. The team spent the rest of the evening packing and preparing to return home.
Tuesday June 24, 2008
We asked Pastor Peter to replay a radio program broadcasted earlier so that he could tend to his son. We packed up the cars and headed to Entebbe to catch our first flight to Amsterdam. On the way we surprised the team with a visit to the National Zoo. It was rustic and simple, and a bite wired to see African animals while standing in Africa. We walked from the Zebras, to the Rhinos, and then the Lions. We were surprised when twenty or so monkeys came bounding over the wall to join us as we walked down the dirt road. They were allowed to run free and were joined by a large male peacock. I could not help but wonder if the other animals were more secure than these monkeys…mainly the lion who looked like it was about feeding time. I could not help but ask myself who of the eight could I out run if need be (Just joking…or am I)? We asked Pastor Peter to drop us off at the airport early so he could get back to his sons bed side.
As I waited to check in security asked to see my passport to verify my entry stamp, but she could not find it. After looking through my passport myself I discovered that the immigration officer failed to stamp it upon my arrival. That is a bad thing…but I had kept the receipt and it was proof enough thank the Lord. Our flight to Amsterdam would take nine hours or so.
Wednesday June 25, 2008
From Amsterdam to Dallas would be an additional nine hour flight arriving at 1 p.m. It is always great to go, but it is even better to get back home. After waiting in line to clear immigration and customs we were greeted by many well wishers. We added it up and from the time we left the team housing in Uganda on Tuesday morning we had been on the move for nearly forty hours.
